2009年高考英语阅读理解和任务型阅读课堂综合练习十七一阅读理解阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States. Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha” the land of fire. Death Valleys present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument(纪念碑) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place. Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is the Devil s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(沙雕) stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen. 1. _ is the lowest place in the desert. A. Tomesha B. Death ValleyC. NevadaD. Badwater2. The name of the valley comes from _. A. an Indian name B. the death of the minersC. the local people D. a National Movement3. From the passage we can learn that _. A. no one had ever known the desert before the minersB. its still not easy to travel across the desertC. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desertD. people have changed the natural sight of the desert4. Devil Golf Course is famous for _. A. the frequent wind B. the colors of the sandC. dream-like sights D. the sand sculptures5. From the passage we can see that the writer _ the Death Valley. A. appreciates B. is fearful of C. dislikes D. is tired ofThe Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nations largest city.The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7 143 789, but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal was opened, and 1882, when toll charges(过运河费) were stopped, the state collected $121 461 891.For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it “Clintons Ditch(沟)”. Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful. Clinton became governor of New York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles. We can see that the Erie Canal _. A. joined the Great Lakes togetherB. crossed New York from north to southC. played an important part in developing New York CityD. was the first waterway built in the US. It can be inferred that _ into the Atlantic Ocean.A. the Great Lakes flowB. the Hudson River flowsC. Lake Erie flowsD. the Erie Canal flows. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. The Erie Canal brought profits of over $114, 000, 000.B. Its 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.C. The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.D. Many other states helped New York built the canal. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends.B. Clinton started building the canal before he became governor.C. All parts of the canal were completed at the same time.D. Construction of the canal took eight years.The blue tits(山雀) have been inspecting the nest-box again this year. The male is the house-hunter but the female will make the final choice. He lands at the hole and turns his head to expose his white cheeks as a signal to attract the female from where she has been feeding. Among many birds that nest in holes, the male has a light-coloured patch on its plumage(鸟羽) which acts as signal for drawing the females attention to a suitable nesting-place. Unlike the blu