1 . Ask people to name the world's tallest peak and anybody with sound general knowledge will name Mount Qomolangma. But quiz them on its exact __and many will be not sure.

In 1975, Chinese surveyors __ that Mount Qomolangma （Mount Everest） was 8848. 13 meters high. As __ improved, satellites, photoelectricity, radars and gravity measurement technologies were __ to get more exact figures. Of course, someone still had to carry __ to what is the world's rooftop.

In 2005, a Chinese team scaled Qomolangma and found that it was not as high as that, as they __ the height to be 8844. 43 meters. Scaling Qomolangma is no __ task. The average air temperature there is -29 degrees Celsius, even four degrees_____ than in Antarctica. The snow there is 4 —5 meters thick and hurricane-like __ blow all the time. Team members were training to __the extreme conditions.

In a nutshell, measuring the Qomolangma's height is a tall order, __ huge amounts of money and human resources, But it is worth the_____. Qomolangma is the perfect __ for observing crustal （地壳的）movements. And changes to the peak's height could __ whether the two plates are heading toward or away from each other.

Besides, the condition of snow and other natural materials at the top is an indicator of upcoming climate change on the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau. That's __ measuring the Qomolangma's height is so significant. Put to good use, it can benefit mankind.

2 . In the Ituri rain forest in America live many different tribes (部落), one of _______ is Pygmy. Most of the Pygmies are not taller than four feet. They _______ only about eighty pounds each. In spite of their small size, they are the best _________ among all the jungle people. Even the great elephant can be _______ by them. They can shoot three or four arrows so _______ that often the last one leaves the bow _______ the first has hit its mark. If an arrow should miss its _________, the impatient Pygmy may become very angry, _________ his arrows and step on them.

Since they do not plant any crops, Pygmies are _______ moving around. They seldom sleep in one camp for more than a few days. In their camps there is no ____________ at all except some weapons (武器) such as spears (矛), bows, and arrows. There are ____________ cooking pots either. Food is eaten ____________ or smoked over a fire. So when the tribe moves to a new camp there is ____________ to carry except their weapons and babies too small to walk.

Pygmies can move on the trees almost as skillfully as ____________. Often they travel great distances through the branches without ____________ the ground.

One of the ____________ facts about the small men and women is their appetite (胃口). A Pygmy can ____________ sixty bananas at a single meal ______________ quantities of meat. After eating, they will ____________ on their hard earth bed and groan all night. But in the morning, they are ready to eat the same amount of food all over again.

In spite of the ____________ life, Pygmies are almost always good-natured and helpful. They seldom lie, steal or fight among themselves.