1 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. attraction       B. waiting       C. mystery       D. unique             E. simply            F. originally G. stable            H. popularity       I. donating       J. searching       K. interfere

There’s a rarely-visited, dusty corner of the world where something magical happens. The place, which looks like Mars with its red rock landscape, is the Tatacoa Desert, in Colombia.

Tatacoa is located in the region of Huila, south of the country’s capital Bogotá. Although Tatacoa, with its protruding cacti and red rippled rocks, is called a desert, it is in fact a dry tropical forest. But the exciting, and very     1    , feature of this desert, is what happens above it, at night.

Thanks to its remote location — it’s almost 30 miles and an hour’s drive over bumpy winding roads to the nearest town — Tatacoa has no light pollution to     2     with the night sky.

Up to 88 constellations (星座) are visible on a clear night, as well as both hemispheres — something that happens nowhere else in the world.

The warm and dry climate helps with stargazing; a     3     atmosphere, which happens in dry spots or places of high elevation, decreases something called scintillation, which is when a star’s light rises and falls rapidly. It’s why stars twinkle, which looks beautiful but isn’t so great for astronomers.

Not only is Tatacoa a natural wonder, but the DIY observatory that’s run by a Colombian man named Javier Fernanda Rua Restrepo has become a star     4     too. In fact, this humble building attracts stargazers from all over the world, from China to Iceland to Australia. And Restrepo has also become well-known in astronomer circles, with a few scientists     5     their own telescopes to support the grassroots observatory.

The Colombian, who is     6     from Cali, fell in love with the stars thanks to his father’s interest in astronomy and science, and first visited Tatacoa in 1997, to try to see the Comet Hale-Bopp. He stayed for a couple of days before heading back to his hometown. But within a month, he returned to Tatacoa — and never left, camping out for weeks on end     7     for the night to come so that he could watch the stars.

At first Restrepo had worked at the Colombian government’s observatory, which he helped staff for 15 years. But after budget cuts meant he lost his job, he figured he would     8     build his own.

In 2015, Restrepo opened the doors to his observatory — Tatacoa Astronomia — with just one telescope. Now, as Colombia has grown in     9     as a tourist destination, hundreds flock to Restrepo’s star party, which he holds once a year in July.

Tatacoa Astronomia is only open on starry nights, and Restrepo remains the sole employee. But that doesn’t distract from the intimacy and the specialness of the place. The structure sits on a small patch of land that Restrepo bought himself, and is cordoned (隔离) off by tarpaulin (油布) to add an extra sense of     10     and intrigue (阴谋) for visitors.

“The stars… they put my life into its tiny perspective,” he says, “and they constantly remind me there are greater things out there.”

2 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. abandoned；B. adventure；C. allow；D. appreciate E. curving；F. effortlessly；G. exploring；H. outlines I. relatively；J. territory；K. winds

Marvelous Mallorca

Located off the southern coast of Spain, the island of Mallorca is often praised as one of the jewels of the Mediterranean. As the Spanish royal family’s preferred summer vacation spot, Mallorca     1     charms visitors with its beautiful villages and mountains covered in orange and lemon trees.

Since it is a(n)     2     small island, Mallorca is best seen by bicycle. The Serra de Tramuntana Mountain range runs along the island’s north-western coast and covers nearly 30 percent of the island’s     3    , which makes it a cyclist’s dream.The     4     roads that cross the tall peaks and rocky cliffs provide some of the most challenging cycling on the island.

However, most of the island’s visitors come to see Mallorca’s splendid coast. Though there are several busy beach resorts built specifically for tourists, you’re better off     5     the 260 beaches around the island on your own. Along the south coast, you’ll find white sands and clear blue waters seemingly made just for diving. In the east, keep an eye out for hidden bays that     6     for peaceful swimming even in high season.

Although Mallorca’s beaches have been its main attraction for many years, more recently, visitors have begun to appreciate the island’s cultural attractions too. Many of Mallorea’s grand old houses and     7     farms are being turned into resorts where visitors can enjoy the relaxed lifestyle of the Mallorcan countryside.

Palma, Mallorca’s lively capital, is also home to many museums, historic buildings, and galleries. Here you’ll be able to     8     paintings by great Spanish master such as Picasso, Dali, and Miro, whose former house in the city’s western district is open to visitors.

As the day     9     down, spend an evening enjoying a freshly caught supper in one of Palma’s oceanfront restaurants while taking in a beautiful Mallorcan sunset. What better way to wrap up your Spanish     10    ?