TheBlackCountryisabout10milesfromBirmingham．It'smadeupoffourdistricts：Dudley，Walsall，Sandwell，andWolvehampton．Historically，itwasfamousforindustry，whichexplains（16）theareaiscalledtheBlackCountry．Itgot

Question

The Black Country is about 10miles from Birmingham．It's made up of four districts：Dudley，Walsall，Sandwell，and Wolvehampton．
Historically，it was famous for industry，which explains （16）___the area is called the Black Country．It got its name during the industrial revolution，（17）___ factory pollution turned the local skies black and coal dust from the mines made the soil the same color．Dudley，which is （18）___（probable） the heart of the Black Country，has a history （19）___ （ date） back over 1，000years，and its famous castle has been there （20）___about the 8th century．
People from Black Country are very friendly． （21）___their local dialect，which comes from the old"Middle English"，can be very difficult to understand．I still remember taking （22）___ visiting friend from Canada to a local Black Country pub for lunch． （23）___the waitress could even finish describing the menu，my friend looked at me with his eyebrows （24）___（raise）．When I asked what he wanted to order，he just shook his head in disbelief and asked if the waitress whom I （25）___（speak） to just now was naturally speaking English．

Answer 1

16．why  考查副词．此处表示该地区被称之为"黑区"这个名词的由来，表原因；explain后面为一个宾语从句，所以由why来引导；故答案为why．
17．when   考查关系副词．先行词theindustrialrevolution在定语从句中充当时间状语，故用关系副词引导非限制性定语从句．故答案为when
18．probably  考查句子的构成成分．此处应用副词形式probably．故答案为probably
19．dating  考查非谓语动词．动词date和逻辑主语ahistory之间为主谓关系，所以用dating作定语．故答案为dating
20．since  考查介词．根据and后的句意"自从约8世纪以来，著名的城堡就一直在那里了"，以及主句中的谓语动词是现在完成时可知，应填since．
21．But  考查连词．第三段第一句话提到人们很友好，紧接着提到他们来自古英语的方言很难懂，由此可知，这两句话之间是转折关系，故用but．
22．a   考查冠词．remember doing sth．意为"记得曾经做过的事"．句意：我仍然记得曾经来访的一个朋友…．此处强调一个；故答案为a．
23．Before    考查连词．引导一个时间状语从句，表示在服务员报完菜单之前的状况，所以用连词before引导．故答案为Before．  
24．raised   考查非谓语动词．with的宾语hiseyebrows和raise之间是动宾关系，由此可知使用raised．
25．had been speaking/was speaking/had spoken/spoke   考查动词的时态．本句的时态较灵活，根据本句主从句的谓语动词的动作关系或时间状语可知可以使用过去时的各种相应时态．故答案为had been speaking/was speaking/had spoken/spoke．