Ⅰ. Complete the passage with the correct forms of the words in the box.
rainfall amazing survive west underground shortage
In the 1. of China, there is a village. For a

long time, it has been troubled by not enough 2. .
People here could hardly get enough water for daily use.
This 3. of rainfall is a serious trouble for the
village. It makes it difficult for both people and crops 4. . To solve this
problem, the villagers worked together to build a(n) 5. reservoir*. It
collects and stores water in a smart way. Now, when dry seasons come, they can
still use the stored water. 6. , this project has changed their lives in such
a way. They no longer worry about water shortages and can live and farm
comfortably.

Ⅰ. 1. west 2. rainfall 3. shortage 4. to survive 5. underground 6. Amazingly

Ⅱ. Read the passage and complete the following tasks.
Turning Deserts Into livable Lands
Deserts were once thought to be hopeless wastelands,

dry, windy and too harsh for people to live in. But
around the world, people have found smart ways to use
natural and technological resources to change these bad
conditions. An amazing story shows how we can turn deserts into livable places.
In western China, there is a large desert called Talatan. Years ago, strong
winds blew sand everywhere here. Little rain fell, and almost no plants could
grow. Local people had to move away to find better homes. Things started to
change in 2013, when workers built a large solar power station there. They put
countless solar panels on the desert to catch sunlight and make electricity. At
first, their only goal was to produce clean energy.
However, a wonderful surprise came later. The solar panels did more than
generating power. They blocked strong sunlight and reduced wind speed. When
workers cleaned the panels, some water stayed on the ground. The panels also
made small water drops form in the air. These small drops made the soil under
the panels wetter. Slowly, small green grasses began to grow under the panels.
But the grass soon grew too tall and covered the panels. Instead of cutting the
grass, people had a clever idea, letting sheep eat it. The sheep kept the grass
short, and their waste made the soil richer. Now, Talatan has become a special
place where "electricity is made on the panels and sheep graze under them".
Farmers earn more money, and the desert is no longer a sandy mess.
The story shows that we don't have to fear hard natural environments. By
using resources wisely and thinking creatively, we can turn deserts into places
where people can live happily and grow food. It's a great lesson that humans and
nature can live in harmony. In the future, such creative solutions will surely be
used more widely to make more deserts habitable.
Task 1 Match the words with the meaning.
()1. harsh adj. A. produce, especially energy or power
()2. generate v. B. unpleasant and difficult
()3. graze v. C. feed on grass in a field
Task 2 Complete the note according to the passage above.

The introduction of the topic:
Workers built a large 4. in Talatan.
Things started to change in 5. .
The explanation of the idea:
They put 6. on the desert to catch sunlight and make 7. .
The solar panels blocked strong sunlight and reduced wind speed, so there was
some 8. stayed on the ground.
The soil under the panels were 9. because of water.
The sheep kept the 10. short, and their waste made the soil 11. .
The importance of the idea:
By using resources wisely and thinking creatively, humans and nature can live in
12. .
Challenge yourself
13*. What do you think of the solar power station? Why?

Ⅱ. 1. B 2. A 3. C 4. solar power station 5. 2013 6. solar panels 7. electricity 8. water 9. wetter 10. grass
11. richer 12. harmony 13*. One possible version: I think it's amazing and creative. Because it not only produces
clean energy but also turns the desert into habitable land, helping humans and nature live in harmony.