When I was thirteen, my family moved from Boston to Tucson, Arizona.  36  the move, my father  37  us in the living-room on a freezing January night. My sisters and I sat around the fire, not   38  that the universe would suddenly change its course. "In May, we're  39  to Arizona."

     The words, so small, didn't seem  40  enough to hold my new life. But the world changed and I awoke on a tram moving across the country. I watched the  41_  change from green trees to flat dusty plains to high mountains as I saw strange new plants that  42  mysteries(奥秘) yet to come. Finally, we arrived and  43  into own new home.

     44  my older sisters were sad at the loss of friends, I   45   explored(探索) our

new surroundings.

     One afternoon, I was out exploring  46  and saw a new kind of cactus(仙人掌). I crouched (蹲) down for a closer look. "You'd better not  47  that."

     I turned around to see an old woman

     "Are you new lo this neighborhood?" I explained that I was,  48 , new to the entire state.

     "My name is Ina Thorne. Have you got used to life in the  49 ? It must be quite a   _50  after living in Boston."

     How could I explain how I  51  the desert? I couldn't seem to find the right words.

     "It's vastness," she offered. “That vastness  52  you stand on the mountains overlooking the desert -- you can  53  how little you are in comparison with the world.  _54 , you feel that the possibilities are limitless.”

     That was it. That was the feeling I'd bad ever since I'd first seen the mountains of my new home. Again, my  55  would change with just a few simple words.

     "Would you like to come to my home tomorrow? Someone should teach you which plant you should and shouldn't touch."

When I was thirteen, my family moved from Boston to Tucson, Arizona. ___36___ the move, my father ___37___ us in the living-room on a freezing January night. My sisters and I sat around the fire, not ___38___ that the universe would suddenly change its course. “In May, we’re ___39___ to Arizona.”

The words, so small, didn’t seem ___40___ enough to hold my new life. But the world changed and I awoke on a tram moving across the country. I watched the ___41___ change from green trees to flat dusty plains to high mountains as I saw strange new plants that ___42___ mysteries(奥秘) yet to come. Finally, we arrived and ___43___ into own new home.

___44___ my older sisters were sad at the loss of friends, I ___45___ explored(探索) our new surroundings.

One afternoon, I was out exploring ___46___ and saw a new kind of cactus(仙人掌). I crouched (蹲) down for a closer look. “You’d better not ___47___ that.”

I turned around to see an old woman.

“Are you new lo this neighborhood?” I explained that I was, ___48___, new to the entire state.

“My name is Ina Thorne. Have you got used to life in the ___49___? It must be quite a ___50___ after living in Boston.”

How could I explain how I ___51___ the desert? I couldn’t seem to find the right words.

“It’s vastness,” she offered. “That vastness ___52___ you stand on the mountains overlooking the desert — you can ___53___ how little you are in comparison with the world. ___54___, you feel that the possibilities are limitless.”

That was it. That was the feeling I’d bad ever since I’d first seen the mountains of my new home. Again, my ___55___ would change with just a few simple words.

“Would you like to come to my home tomorrow? Someone should teach you which plant you should and shouldn’t touch.”

36. A. During B. Until   C. Upon  D. Before

37. A. gathered      B. warned       C. organized   D. comforted

38. A. hoping B. admitting   C. realizing     D. believing   

39. A. going   B. moving      C. driving       D. flying

40. A. good    B. simple C. big     D. proper      

41. A. picture  B. ground       C. sense   D. area

42. A. suggested     B. solved C. discovered  D. explained

43. A. settled  B. walked       C. hurried       D. stepped

44. A. If  B. After   C. once   D. While

45. A. bitterly B. easily  C. proudly      D. eagerly

46. A as well   B. as usual      C. fight away  D. on time

47. A. move   B. dig     C. pull    D. touch

48. A. of course     B. in fact C. after all      D. at least

49. A. desert   B. city     C. state    D. country

50. A. luck     B. doubt  C. shock  D. danger

51. A. found   B. examined   C. watched     D. reached

52. A. why     B. when  C. how    D. where

53. A. prove   B. guess  C. sense   D. expect

54. A. However     B. Otherwise   C. Therefore   D. Meanwhile

55. A. idea     B. life     C. home  D. family