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 train 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 our 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 to 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 had 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. scene 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. right 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
36.D 37.A38.C39.B40.C41.C42.A43.A44.D45.D46.B47.D48.B49.A50.C51.A52.B53.C54.D55.B
36.解析：根据下文可判断出这是在他们搬家前发生的事。
37.解析：gather聚集。把他们召集到起居室里。warn警告；organize组织；comfort安慰。
38.解析：realize意识到。没有意识到事情会发生巨大变化。admit承认；believe相信。
39.解析：根据上文“my family moved from Boston to Tucson”可判断出他们全家要搬家。
40.解析：big与上文中的small相对照。说明“搬家”这个字眼很小，无法包容作者新生活的全部。
41.解析：scene景色。根据“change from green trees to flat dusty plains”可判断出scene指的是作者在火车上看到的外面的景色。picture图画；ground地面；area区域。
42.解析：suggest暗示。外面景色的变化暗示着作者生活的变化。solve解决；discover发现；explain解释。
43.解析：settle定居。他们到达了目的地，定居下来。
44.解析：while引导时间状语从句，表示“当……时”。
45.解析：eagerly急切地。根据上文中的mysteries和下文中的explored可判断出作者急切地想探索新的居住环境。bitterly悲痛地；easily容易地；proudly骄傲地。
46.解析：as usual照常。上文讲到作者急切地想探明周围的环境，一天下午他像平常一样出外探索。as well也；right away立刻；on time及时。
47.解析：touch触摸。因为仙人掌上有刺，所以这位老妇人叫他不要触摸。
48.解析：in fact事实上。因为作者从一个州搬到了另外一个州，所以对整个州来讲他都是新来者。of course当然；after all毕竟；at least至少。
49.解析：根据下文中的desert可判断出作者搬到了沙漠地区。
50.解析：shock使人震惊的事，给人打击的事。根据上文可知，作者原来住在Boston这样的大城市中，现在搬到了沙漠地区，令人吃惊。luck幸运；doubt怀疑；danger危险。
51.解析：find感觉，感受。根据下文所提供的情景“I couldn’t seem to find the fight words.”可判断出作者找不到合适的词描述对沙漠的看法。
52.解析：when引导时间状语从句，表示“当……的时候”。当你站在山上俯瞰沙漠时。
53.解析：sense感觉。你能感觉到与世界相比你是多么渺小。prove证明；guess猜测；expect期望。
54.解析：meanwhile同时。how little与limitless都说明人的渺小。
55.解析：根据上文可判断出作者在讲自己的生活发生了变化。