11．From the passage we can learn that　　　 .

　　　 A．people can find gas stations, cafes and hotels in the desert

　　　 B．no one had ever known the desert before the miners

　　　 C．it’s still not easy to travel across the desert

　　　 D．people have changed the natural sights of the desert

10．The name of the valley comes from　　　　

　　　 A．an Indian name　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．the local people

　　　 C．a National Monument　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．the death of the miners

9．We can learn from the text that　　　 .

　　　 A．OU courses are popular in Britain

B．Money for learning must be paid off at one time

　　　 C．We can’t telephone the university during the night

　　　 D．People can’t be employed without finishing OU courses

C

　　　 Death valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali(碱性)sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and bad water, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and it is the lowest point in the United States.

　　　 Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place Tomesha-the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849 when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure ended with a disaster. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the changed created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.

　　　 Here nature created a lot of surprising scenes, almost like the sights on the moon, every changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is the Devil’s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(泥雕)stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.

8．The Open University can supply you with　　　 .

　　　 A．a course for training your English　　 B．a classroom and a library for study

　　　 C．different kinds of free instructions　　 D．different jobs to choose from

7．As a student of the Open University, you don’t need to　　　 .

　　　 A．buy any course materials　　　　　　　　　 B．have lessons all the time at the university

　　　 C．choose which course to learn　　　　　 D．pay any money for your study

6．This is an advertisement of　　　　 .

　　　 A．inquiring English learning　　　　 B．selling books

　　　 C．setting up Open University　　　　 D．Attracting students

5．The postmaster interfered because　　　 .

　　　 A．he overheard this conversation　

B．he had received a lot of complaints for lack of post-office box

　　　 C．he was thankful for the letter the author had written

　　　 D．he was proud of their good service.

B

　　　 We can offer you a place at one of the best universities in Britain. We’ll provide you with a choice of 150 first class courses developed especially to enable you to study in your own time, backed by the Open University’s own special study method-OU supported open learning.

　　　 We’ll give you the support of a personal teacher, and the chance to meet your fellow students. You can take one-off courses, diplomas a degree or a post graduate degree. Subjects available include: Computing, Business Management, Technology, Modern Languages, Social Sciences, English Law, Arts, Science, and Health & Social Welfare.

Whether you want to study to improve your jobs or for your own personal interest, there is

almost certainly a course for you. If you haven’t studied for a while, we’ll help you get started. No previous training or degrees are required you just need a lively power of learning and a willingness to learn. It’s real value for money and you can pay by monthly payments.

　　　 Open University course materials are of the highest quality and come in a variety of forms, including video and audio tapes as well as texts. The OU leads the world in its use of new technology for learning. A number of courses provide sourse material on CD Rom. What else can the Open University offer you? The best way to find out is to use the coupon below or phone us today.

4．The postmaster promised　　　　 .

　　　 A．to make a new post-office box for the author　 　

B．to let the author have a post-office box

　　　 C．to include the author’s name on the list　　　 　　　

D．to deliver the author’s mail to his home

3．When the author needed a post-office box., 　　　.

　　　 A．many had applied for post-office box before him　

B．he asked to put his name on a waiting list

　　　 C．he tried to see the postmaster　　　　　　　　

D．he wrote the postmaster a note of appreciation

2．The author wrote a note of appreciation to the post office because　　　 .

　　　 A．he knew what such a note would mean to the post office.

　　　 B．he had discovered giving-away made life all the more exciting

　　　 C．he believed he would get something back by doing so

　　　 D．the post man delivered an important letter in time