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