From the deserts of Southern California to the forests of Alaska, the U.S. possesses an incredible diversity of nature. For most of her life, Joy Ryan never saw the landscape beyond her home state of Ohio. Then, when she was in her mid-eighties, her grandson Brad Ryan decided to take her on a journey to all of the U.S. National Parks — a mission that took eight years to complete. At the age of 93, Grandma Joy has finally seen all 63 parks, ending the monumental feat in the National Park of American Samoa.
“When I learned she had never seen the great wildernesses of America — deserts, mountains, oceans, you name it — I thought that was something that would trouble me if I didn’t take action in some way,” Brad says. This idea sparked their first trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. However, once they were on the road, Brad realized that they could visit more parks nearby, and their trips multiplied. Over the years, they managed to see all the famous sights at Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, the Redwoods, and so on.
Despite Grandma Joy’s older age, she could hike mountains and do white water rafting. Brad praises her enthusiasm for life as the key to her good health. She expresses gratitude for each new day and is always excited about the next adventure. Finally, their long journey across the U.S. ended with American Samoa. “It’s about 6,700 miles from Ohio, where we live. It’s the only U.S. National Park south of the equator. It’s a long trip, but we’re excited to go,” Brad explains. “We can enjoy the beach and the beautiful tropical paradise. But as we’ve learned from the rangers that work there, American Samoa is an island community firmly rooted in family. And I think that there’s a bit of a poetic beauty to ending it there, too.”
4. Why did Brad take his grandmother Joy to travel?
A.To fulfill her wish to travel around the world. |
B.To free her from the boredom of everyday life. |
C.To help her explore the natural beauty of America. |
D.To aid her in getting inspiration for writing poems. |
5. What happened after Brad and Joy started their first trip?
A.They went on to see more natural landscapes. |
B.They decided to visit all the parks worldwide. |
C.They attracted more people to join the later trips. |
D.They stopped traveling because of Joy’s poor health. |
6. What impressed Brad and Joy most about American Samoa?
A.The friendly locals. | B.The family bond. |
C.The special culture. | D.The beautiful sights. |
7. Which words can best describe Joy?
A.Reliable and generous. | B.Ambitious and creative. |
C.Courageous and diligent. | D.Energetic and determined. |