Horseback pack trips“馬”上旅途

蔣建平

位于美國懷俄明州的風河，脈，風景獨特——野牛和熊在原野漫步，湖、冰河、森林和雪原緊密相連……

I awoke in my sleeping bag as the day's first light set fire to the peaks above our campsite. Deep in Wyoming's Wind River Range， the air was frosty as I unzipped my tent and crawled （爬）outside. Across a meadow （草地）filled with wildflowers， I saw our hors?es look up after eating some grass.

Breakfast is ready！ $ my dad called. Heath， our guide and a true Wyoming cowboy， handed me a tin

cup of coffee and a plate of eggs and grilled trout（烤鱒魚）that we had

caught the day before. On this third morning of our week-long wilderness pack trip， we had no pressing plans， and our only task was to watch the sun rising over the mountains. We would need the energy一later in the day we would hike to see a glacier along the Continental Divide.

The history of pack trips in the United States can be traced to the early 19th century， when ex?plorers and trappers ventured west into the Rocky Mountains， which had not been visited and investi?gated before. Small strings of mules （騾）and horses were employed to help lessen the burden of car?rying heavy equipment and supplies across great distances.

Nowadays， pack trips continue to offer a travel experience that nods to the past， but instead of supporting expeditions into unexplored country， they provide camping adventures in remote mountain locations where comfortable canvas tents， solar showers， and gourmet（美味佳肴）meals are the norm.

Days are spent exploring the stunning landscapes， fishing in mountain lakes， and watching wildanimals walk freely. In the evening， dinner is cooked over campfires as the Milky Way prepares for a superlative nighttime show. In a world where the pace of daily life is ever faster and our interactions increasingly virtual， pack trips offer a chance to apply the brakes and reconnect with family， friends， and nature.

1. How long did the author's pack trip last？

A. Three days.B. A week.

C. Nineteen days.

D. A month.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about？

A. Pack trips in the past in America.

B. History of the Rocky Mountains.

C. Development of travel transportation.

D. Experiences of different explorers.

3. What can be inferred about pack trips nowadays？

A. They offer a life with fast pace.

B. They mainly offer visits to unexplored areas.

C. They're similar to expeditions in the 19th century.

D. They provide relatively comfortable experience for travelers.

4. Which word can best describe pack trips according to the author？

A. Exhausting.B. Unrealistic.

C. Beneficial.D. Dependent.

Useful expressions

pressing plans緊迫的計劃

be traced to 追溯到

...be the norm 是常態(tài)