I never saw my father home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a “night out with the boys.” He had no hobbies but just take care of his family.

    For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00am. He was interested in my life--how my family was doing. The calls even came when he and my mother in Australia, England or Florida.   

    Nine years ago when I bought my first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours for three days, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father. 

    Five years ago, my 71-year-old father spent five hours putting together a swing set(秋千) for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him. But again, I had laundry(要洗的衣服) to do, and the house to clean. The morning on Sunday, January 16, 1996, my father telephoned me as usual, this time he had seemed to have forgotten something we had discussed the week before .I had to get to church, and I cut the conversation short. 

    The call came at 4:40 a.m. That day my father was sent to hospital in Florida. I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed (发誓)that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him and really get to know him. I arrived in Florida at 1:00 a.m. but my father had passed away at 9:12 p.m. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me. 

    In the years since his death I have learnt much about my father and even more about myself. As a father, he never asked me for anything but my time. Now he has all my attention, every single day. 

    Death Valley is a huge place. It is more than 225 kilometers across the southern part of the state of California, and across the border (边界) with the state of Nevada.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It can be dangerously cold during the winter months. The air temperature during the summer can be as high as 57℃. The heat of Death Valley has killed people in the past. It will continue to kill those who do not honor the climate. Death Valley does not forgive (原谅) those who are not careful.

    Death Valley was named by a woman in 1849. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Thousands of people from other parts of the country traveled to the gold mining (开采) areas in California. They were in a hurry to get there before other people did.

    Many people were not careful. They made bad choices or wrong decisions. One group of people had reached Death Valley by December. They avoided the terrible heat of summer, but there was not enough water. There were few plants for their work animals to eat. The people could not find a pass through the tall mountains to the west of the valley. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They had to kill their work animals for food and began to walk out of the valley.

    As they left, one woman looked back and said, “Good-bye, death valley.” {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

A. Slowly, they ran out of food.

B. Death Valley has a long history.

C. The name has never been changed.

D. Death Valley is a beautiful but dangerous place.

E. That was the year after gold was discovered in California.

C

    A king (国王) has daughter. Her name.is Christina. The king loves his daughter a lot and he asks his people to be pleasant (友好的) to her Every day, Christina stands on the castle wall (城墙), So everyone can be pleasant to her. But every day, only some people look up pleasantly. And no one waves (挥手) or smiles (微笑).{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It is fine day. Christina finds a girl in the marketplace (集市). The market girl waves and everyone waves back to her. They also smile at her. They look pleasant. Christina wants to know why they are happy.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When the market girl comes, Christina asks her, "{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Why are they pleasant?"

    The market girl answers, "{#blank#}4{#/blank#}"

    After the market girl leaves, Christina thinks for a long time.

    A new day comes. Christina stands on the castle wall and waves. She even smiles. Down in the marketplace, the market girl waves and smiles back and some other people wave and smile back.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

根据材料内容，从方框中选择恰当的句子填入文中空缺处，使材料完整、通顺。

    Hello! My name is Gina. I have three good friends. They're Kate, Rose and Tony. Kate likes bananas but she doesn't like pears. Rose likes hamburgers but she doesn't like carrots. Tony likes oranges but he doesn't like salad. I like ice-cream but I don't like carrots.