语法填空
阅读下面材料,在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
I'm a rock-climbing guide . Climbing the rocks and mountains in Yosemite National Park ____ (be) my life's passion since I was 13 . More than ten years ago I started seeing a lot of waste , ____ toilet paper , beer cans , and empty boxes , around the area . ____ was beyond me why visitors started respecting the place less and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way . I ____ (try) picking up trash myself , but I would spend an hour or two on the job , only ____ (find) the area trashed all over again weeks ____. I decided something had to change . I set a date for a cleanup together with some other climbers . ____ (expect) , more than 300 people showed up . We collected about 6,000 pounds of trash over three days . It was ____ (amaze) how much we were able to accomplish—the park looked clean ! I often hear people complain about their surroundings . I want to say the only way to change things is by doing rather than ____ (complain) . We need to teach by example . We cannot blame others ____ we start with ourselves .