2 . Earthquakes are common; thousands of them happen each day. But most are too _________ to feel. During a _________ earthquake, there is often a great noise first. Then the earth _________ terribly and many houses _________ down. Railway tracks break and trains go _________ lines; a great many factories are _________; thousands of deaths are caused, and many more lose homes… _________ the great damage and deaths caused by the earthquake _________, other disasters such as fires often _________. More buildings are destroyed and more __________ caused.

Man knows the __________ of a possible earthquake, and for centuries man has been making researches on earthquakes. More than 2, 000 years ago, __________, a Chinese scientist named Zhang Heng __________ a machine which could find out from which __________ the seismic waves had come, and this machine is still __________ by scientists today. Now we know much more about earthquakes and __________ they happen, but we still cannot __________ exactly when and where an earthquake will happen, and cannot __________ it from happening. So earthquakes are among the __________ disasters in the world.

No one can stop natural earthquakes. __________, scientists can help stop earthquakes destroying whole cities and causing too many deaths.

3 . In New England, watching falling leaves is an eagerly expected yearly delight. The changes ______ north in Maine, then make their way south in all their brilliant, colorful glory.

One spot in Maine—Acadia National Park—is a unique leaf-watching ______ . People drive hours to see the ______ moment. They drive on the park's roads, bike and hike through its wonderful forests, and sigh at the beauty of autumn ______ reflected in calm lakes.

This national treasure ______ to me for more than its natural beauty. To me, it represents the lasting, positive influence that an act of ______ can have on the world

In the early 1900s, John. Rockefeller, Jr., a supremely wealthy man, purchased a summer home in Seal Harbor, Maine, and fell in love with the natural ______ of Mount Desert Island. After retiring from the business world, he turned his ______ to charity. In his lifetime, he ______ nearly $540 million to causes he cared about.

One of these was ______ the area that was fixed in 1929 Acadia National Park. Rockefeller ______ large areas of land on Mount Desert Island, designed and built 57 miles of graceful "carriage roads" that he hoped would ______ automobile traffic in the park. He eventually donated 11,000 acres of his land to the park, and worked with other wealthy landowners to encourage them to do the ______ .

This story shows the lasting ______ that a generous mind can have on the world. Instead of ______ their pieces of this beautiful planet all for themselves, Rockefeller and others devoted their time, energy and resources toward preserving that ______ for leaf-observers, wonder-seekers and all who have faith that the ______ world is the one everyone can enjoy.

A century later, each of us can ______ from their generosity-and perhaps we can also become inspired to find new ______ to be generous ourselves, with our time, our money or simply our ______ .

5 . 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.

6 . Every year about 40,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. They _______ with them lots of waste. The _______ might damage the beauty of the place. The glaciers(冰川) are disappearing, changing the _______ of Kilimanjaro.

Hearing these stories, I’m _______ about the place — other destinations are described as “purer” natural experiences.

However, I soon _______ that much has changed since the days of disturbing reports of _______ among tons of rubbish. I find a _______ mountain, with toilets at camps and along the paths. The environmental challenges are _______ but the efforts made by the Tanzania National Park Authority seem to be _______.

The best of a Kilimanjaro ________, in my opinion, isn’t reaching the top. Mountains are ________ as spiritual places by many cultures. This ________ is especially evident on Kilimanjaro as ________ go through five ecosystems(生态系统) in the space of a few kilometers. At the base is a rainforest. It ends abruptly at 3, 000 meters, ________ lands of low growing plants. Further up, the weather ________ — low clouds envelope the mountainsides, which are covered with thick grass. I ________ twelve shades of green from where I stand. Above 4, 000 meters is the highland ________: gravel(砾石), stones and rocks. ________ you climb into an arctic-like zone with ________ snow and the glaciers that may soon disappear.

Does Kilimanjaro ________ its reputation as a crowded mountain with lines of tourists ruining the atmosphere of peace? I found the opposite to be true.

7 . Geography is an important tool for learning and understanding history. Geography affects history—just look at the changes in world geography over recent years. Governments change, and _______ countries were born. Many countries no longer have the same names they _______even five years ago. Climate changes _______events such as droughts(干旱) and floods that cause lots of loss of life and the movements of people from one place to another in search of_______. Environmental changes can change the entire _______of a community or region.

As with history, children have a natural interest in_______. Watch a group of children playing in the sand. One child makes streets for his cars, _______ a second child builds houses along the_______. A third scoops out a hole and _______ the dirt to make a hill, then pours water in the ________ to make a lake, using sticks for ________. The children name the streets, and ________ may even use a watering can to make________ that washes away a house. They may not realize it, ________these children are learning some core features(核心特征)of geography—how people interact with the Earth, how climate ________land, and how places ________each other through the movement of things from one place to another. Turning to maps or globes, when we talk with our children about vacation plans, events ________around the world or historical events, we teach them a great deal about geography. Not only can such activities help our children learn how to use key reference tools, ________ over time, they help them form their own mental maps of the world, which allows children to better organize and ________information about other people, places, times and________. Such activities also help our children learn to how to work together in the future.