Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours(绕行路) in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.

For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents' home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement(限制) and have strong opinions about everything.

Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when 1 had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.

But then Banner, our lamb was bent. He was reeled by h, mama days before our planned trip to Boise, I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.

That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They'd get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.

We explored side roads, catching grasshopper in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car window, at baby p.gs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons(见识).

We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.

I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet mc up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.

Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey-and the best part of yourself.

46. Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents' home?

A. It was less tiring.

B. It would be fester and safer.

C. Her kids would feel less confined.

D. She felt better with other drivers nearby.

47. The author stopped regularly on the country roads to ______.

A. relax in the fresh air

B. take a deep breath

C. take care of the lamb

D. let the kids play with Banner

48. What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6?

A. Freeways are where beauty hides.

B. Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life.

C. Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one's health.

D. One should follow side roads to watch wild animals.

49. Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?

A. To give herself some time to read.

B. To order some food for them

C. To play a game with them

D. To let them cool down.

50. What could be the best title for the passage?

A. Charm of the Detour

B. The Road to Bravery

C. Creativity out of Necessity

D. Road Trip and Country Life

Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours (绕行路) in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement (限制) and have strong opinions about everything.
Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They’d get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons (见识).
We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey—and the best part of yourself.
【小题1】Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’ home?

I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to E1 Capitan, a  16  rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew  17 I wanted to climb it. That has been my life’s passion (钟爱) ever since 18 the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I’ve long made Yosemite my  19 .
About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of  20 , like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It’s   21  me why visitors started respecting the place 22 and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.
I tried  23  trash(垃圾)myself, but the job was too big. I would  24  an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so  25  it that I decided something had to change.
As a rock-climbing guide, I knew 26  about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a 27 . On that day, more than 300 people  28 . Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to  29 . I couldn’t believe the  30  we made—the park looked clean!
Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people  31 42,330 pounds of trash.
I often hear people  32   about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by     33 rather than complaining. We need to teach by  34   . You can’t blame others  35  you start with yourself.

I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13 . My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to EL Capitan, a  36  rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew  37  I wanted to climb it. That has been my life’s passion ever since— 38  the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I’ve long made Yosemite my  39 .

About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of  40 , like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It’s  41  me why visitors started respecting the place 42  and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.

I tried  43 trash myself, but the job was too big. I would  44  an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so  45  it that I decided something had to change.

As a rock-climbing guide, I knew  46  about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a  47 . On that day, more than 300 people  48 . Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to  49 . I couldn’t believe the  50  we made —the park looked clean!

Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and  51  132 miles of roadway.

I often hear people  52  about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by  53  rather than complaining. We need to teach by  54 . You can’t blame others  55  you start with yourself.

1.                A．narrow         B．loose           C．distant   D．huge

2.                A．gradually       B．recently        C．immediately   D．finally

3.                A．describing      B．climbing        C．imagining D．painting

4.                A．lab            B．palace          C．garden   D．home

5.                A．waste          B．goods          C．material  D．resources

6.                A．over           B．within          C．beyond   D．against

7.                A．less            B．least           C．more D．most

8.                A．breaking down   B．digging out      C．throwing away D．picking up

9.                A．wait           B．spend          C．kill  D．save

10.               A．tired of         B．used to         C．satisfied with   D．delighted in

11.               A．everything      B．nothing         C．something D．anything

12.               A．picnic          B．concert        C．cleanup   D．party

13.               A．looked around   B．called back      C．dropped out    D．showed up

14.               A．accomplish      B．overcome       C．demand   D．receive

15.               A．contact         B．difference      C．plan  D．visit

16.               A．covered        B．designed       C．crossed   D．measured

17.               A．argue          B．quarrel         C．talk   D．complain

18.               A．questioning     B．watching        C．doing D．thinking

19.               A．example        B．research        C．method   D．explanation

20.               A．when          B．unless          C．although   D．if

I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to E1 Capitan, a ___16___ rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew ___17___ I wanted to climb it. That has been my life’s passion (钟爱) ever since--- ___18___ the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I’ve long made Yosemite my ___19___.
About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of ___20___, like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It’s ___21___ me why visitors started respecting the place ___22___ and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.
I tried ___23___ trash(垃圾)myself, but the job was too big. I would ___24___an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so ___25__ it that I decided something had to change.
As a rock-climbing guide, I knew ___26___about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a ___27___. On that day, more than 300 people ___28___. Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to ___29___. I couldn’t believe the ___30___ we made ---the park looked clean!
Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and ___31___ 132 miles of roadway.
I often hear people ___32___ about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by ___33___ rather than complaining. We need to teach by ___34___. You can’t blame others ___35___ you start with yourself.