Basketball is a much-loved and active sport that is enjoyed by many for fun and exercise. It is over 100 years old and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (play) by more than 100 million people in over 200 countries.

    Today, the popularity of basketball has risen around me world, with many young people dreaming of {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (become) famous players. In China, you can see people playing basketball now and then in parks, schools and even {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (factory). Basketball has not only become {#blank#}4{#/blank#} popular sport to play, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} also has become a popular sport to watch. Although America's NBA games are the {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (famous) in the world, the CBA games are becoming more popular in China. The number {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the foreign players, including Chinese players, in me NBA is increasing. There {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) also more and more foreign players in the CBA. Many young people look up to these basketball heroes and want to become like {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (they). These stars encourage young people {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (work) hard to achieve their dreams.

    Over millions of years ago, there were no deserts. Now about three tenths of the Earth's surface{#blank#}1{#/blank#} deserts. The size of the world's deserts is always {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (change). Deserts can be hot or cold. The Australian Desert is a hot desert, while the Gobi Desert in Mongolia is an example of a cold desert. Deserts are dry areas {#blank#}3{#/blank#} less than 50 cm of rain falls each year. The Sahara Desert in Africa receives less than 1.5 cm a year. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} rain doesn't fall very often in deserts, sometimes even for years, there can be heavy rain {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(sudden). Because they are dry, deserts have wide changes in temperature each day. When the sun {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(go) up, it is very hot. At night, the heat {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (receive) by the ground during the day {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (quick) disappears (消失), and then it becomes very cold. Because{#blank#}9{#/blank#}the change, living in the desert is very difficult. Man can make deserts, but they can also stop them from getting larger and larger. Planting trees can prevent the sand from{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(spread).