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."

我十三岁那年，我的家从波士顿搬到亚利桑那州的塔克逊。临行前，在一月份一个寒冷的夜晚，我父亲把我们召集到起居室里。我的姐妹们和我围着火炉坐着，还没有意识到宇宙会突然改变它的发展进程。“五月份我们就搬到亚利桑那去。”
说话声这么小，看来还不能大到足以支持起我的新生活。但这世界改变了，我在一列横跨这个国家的火车上醒了过来。当我看到奇特的新的植物表明还会有新的奥秘时，我便观看景色。景色从绿树变成了灰尘覆盖的平原，又变成了高山。终于，我们到了，在我们的新家里安置下来。
当我的姐姐们因离开朋友而难过时，我却急切地在探索我们的新环境。
一天下午，我像往常一样外出探索，看到一株新品种的仙人掌。我蹲下来想更近一点看看。“你最好别摸它。”
我回过头来看到一位老妇人。
“你是不是新来的邻居？”我说我是的，事实上，对整个州来说我都是新的。
“我的名字叫茵娜·索恩。你习惯了在沙漠地区的生活吗？在波士顿住过以后到这里一定会感到特别震惊。”
我怎么才能说明我对沙漠的看法呢？我似乎没找到合适的词。
“它特别广阔，”她提道。“那种你站在山上俯瞰沙漠的广阔——你会感到你和世界比起来是多么渺小。同时，你会感到可能会发生的事情是无穷无尽的。”
真是那么回事。自从我到这个新家第一次看见群山时就是这种感觉。还有，我的生活也会随着简单的几句话而改变的。
“你愿意明天到我家来吗？有人会教给你哪些植物你能摸，哪些不能摸。”