第一节
描写某个地方（Describing a place）
美文欣赏（Enjoy Reading）

Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, U.S.A., is in the central part of the state, on the Santa Fe River, which flows into the Rio Grande 35 kilometers west of the city. More than two thousand meters above sea level, it lies in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with the Ortiz Mountains to the southeast. Santa Fe was founded in 1609 by the Spanish on an old Indian village. In 1680 the Indians seized the place but only held it for twelve years before the Spanish retook it. the city remained under Spanish rule until Mexico won its independence in 1821. From then on it was a Mexican city until 1846 when it was taken over by U.S.A. troops.
With a population of 48,953,Santa Fe is now the second largest city in the state. Because of its sunny weather, rich history and surrounding mountains, it is a good place for holiday makers. Besides hunting and skating in the mountains people enjoy shopping in the Indian and Spanish shops, which brings a large income to the city every year. In summer there is an international opera season when operas are shown in a partly- roofed, openair theatre daily for people from all over the world. (Adapted from MET1993)
本篇文段选自1993年高考阅读理解部分。全文仅用205个单词就向读者清晰地描画了Santa Fe这个地方的地理位置、人口状况、资源特色，特别是用较大篇幅叙述了此处的历史变迁等地方特征。全文有详有略，重点突出。
文中追溯历史的片段（划线部分）尤其值得借鉴；学习时请注意其中表示时间的连词、介词，几个动词的用法以及主动、被动时态交互应用的特色。
另外，同位语the capital of New Mexico, U.S.A.,介词结构With a population of, Because of, besides等的使用亦使文段显得紧凑、连贯。

推荐背诵文段

常用表达法(Useful expressions)
•1.所处位置（Location）
Our school lies near/behind/in front of/by the side of…/between/among…
The temple stands at the foot of/on the top of…
Standing on the top of the mountain, the temple has experienced many changes in this area.
There stands an old temple near the river.
2.周边环境（Surroundings）
The beautiful town is located/situated on the west of the lake/to the west of the mountain/in the west of the province.
West of the city stands a tall building.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the small village faces a clear river on the east.
3.人口（Population）
Japan has a small population of …China is a developing country ,with a population of 130 million.
The population here is increasing year by year.
Eighty percent of the population here are farmers.
4.面积（Area）
Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world, covers an area of …
Tiananmen Square, covering an area of…,is the largest square in the world.
This square is 2000 meters long and 1500 meters wide.
Our school , which takes up 63 thousand square kilometers, is very large in size.
5.历史（History）
China has a history of over 5000 years.
Egypt is an Arabian country with a long history.
Built in the16th century, the castle has witnessed too much coming and going in history.
6.名胜（Places of interest）