(43-45)
           Taiwan is globally recognized for its industrial and technological success. However, Taiwan also deserves to be recognized for its ecological andgeological wonders. From tropical forests to rocky alpine meadows, sea turtles to coral reefs, Taiwan is truly a natural paradise. Hualien County onTaiwan’s east coast is the best place to visit to see such natural ecosystems. Hualien has escaped the industrialization and urbanization that have takenover much of the country and is one of the last places in Taiwan that remains truly natural and wild. Hualien is a place of biodiverse wetlands, scenicwaterfalls, clear mountain streams, wild forests, and rugged mountains. With this natural diversity, combined with clean air and beautiful scenery,Hualien is a paradise within a paradise.
          Without a doubt, the most impressive part of Hualien County is Taroko Gorge. Taroko Gorge is a 19-kilometer-long valley within Taroko NationalPark. Although the gorge has incredible biodiversity, with hundreds of bird, lizard, insect, crab and mammal species, as well as more than 2,000 plantspecies, this biological wealth is not what makes Taroko Gorge so special. What makes it special is the immense size of the gorge itself. The narrowand sinuous gorge has 300-meter-tall walls that are so steep, and they seem impossible to believe when you see them. Nowhere else in Taiwan has sucha dramatic geological landscape.
           The reason Taroko Gorge exists in Hualien is because of geology. Taiwan was formed by the collision of two tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean.The collision of these plates created undersea mountains. Over millions of years these mountains grew taller, eventually emerging from the ocean andbecoming Taiwan. Importantly, the heat and pressure of these colliding plates sometimes create new types of rock. One special type of rock that wasformed is an extremely soft rock called marble. The only place in Taiwan where this soft marble was formed is in the Taroko National Park area.
          This soft marble weathers and erodes easily, which allowed the Liwu River, over thousands of years, to dig the gorge deep, but not wide. Thiscreated the narrow and deep gorge we see today. The formation of Taroko Gorge was only possible because during Taiwan’s formation a lucky type ofrock was made and placed in Hualien’s mountains, awaiting the Liwu River to turn it into one of the world’s most impressive geological landscapes.
【題組】43. Which statement best summarizes this passage?
(A) The length and depth of Taroko Gorge is the result of the size and power of the Liwu River being able to erode rock faster than other rivers inTaiwan.
(B) Taroko Gorge is a unique place in Taiwan because it has many plants and animals and is a highlight for tourists visiting Taiwan.
(C) The geography in Hualien made it difficult for industrialization, so Hualien remains pristine and beautiful.
(D) Taroko Gorge is the highlight of Hualien County, and exists because of the presence of a special soft rock that is only found here and is easilyeroded by the Liwu River.