Dear Tom,
You asked me why I like living in New Mexico. I like it 21______ it is so beautiful. We have mountains, mesas （平顶山），rivers, and forests.Mesa is the Spanish 22______ for a broad, flat-topped mountain.For 12 years, I have 23______ across the state several times a month, and I still find new places that take my breath away.
24______ else do I like about living in New Mexico? I like the sunshine. We have over 300 25______ days a year, with deep blue skies. Because we are 7,000 feet above 26______ level and the weather is very dry,the air is very 27______ and the nights here are much colder than the days.
The many days of sunshine are a very good thing for our state. Do you know that New Mexico 28______ more than 3,200 hours of sunlight every year? With that much sunlight, we are one of the sunniest states in the United States.Some people 29______ that if we could use the energy from all of the sunlight here, we could 30______ more than enough power for the whole United States!
The weather in New Mexico is good for 31______ energy out of sunlight, but sometimes the lack of rain is a 32______ for people living here. Most of the state is desert, and there isn't enough water 33______ drinking, growing food, and other uses.Farming is very difficult here because of the water shortage （短缺）.There are many laws about water use in New Mexico so that everybody uses just enough. The 34______ for water increases as more and more new homes are built.
So, as with all places, there are things that are wonderful and yet others that are 35______ about living in New Mexico. How about you? Do you like living where you are?
Yours, Anna
33.