When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story goes, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book; and so a poor man, who could read a little, bought it for a few coppers(铜钱).The book wasn’t very interesting, but between its pages there was something very interesting indeed. It was a thin strip(条)of vellum(牛皮纸)on which was written the secret of the “Touchstone”!

The touchstone was a small pebble(小园石)that could turn any common metal into pure gold. The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The real stone would feel warm, while ordinary pebbles are cold.

So the man sold his few belongings, bought some simple supplies, camped on the seashore, and began testing pebbles. He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold, he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold-throw it into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea.

The days stretched into weeks and the weeks into months. One day, however, about mid-afternoon, he picked up a pebble and it was warm. He threw it into the sea before he realized what he had done. He had formed such a strong habit of throwing each pebble into the sea that when the one he wanted came along, he still threw it away.

So it is with opportunity. Unless we are vigilant(警惕的), it’s easy to fail to recognize an opportunity when it is in hand and it’s just as easy to throw it away.

The book was special to the man because ______.

         A. it was made of vellum

         B. it was the only book that survived the great fire

         C. it was a story about how to tell the touchstone from ordinary stones

         D. it included the secret of the touchstone

He threw pebbles into the sea ______.

         A. to test how far he could throw

         B. to practice throwing pebbles

         C. to avoid picking up the same pebble once again

         D. to express his disappointment at failing to find the touchstone

What message does the story want to convey?

         A. Careful habits can lead to success.

         B. Habits can benefit you but also hold you back.

         C. Never judge a person or a thing by appearances.

         D. Opportunity only visits the ready and watchful mind


[1] What do you do to take care of the books in your library? Some collectors(收藏者) refuse to read the books in their collection; so the books remain in good condition. Others buy two copies of a book: they read one, and leave the other untouched. However, many readers must read their books, but they still want to protect and care for the volumes. Here are some tips to remember if you want your books to remain in good condition.
[2] Avoid Writing. You may have been told to write in your books, or even to underline words, phrases, and paragraphs. But if you plan to keep the book, add it to your library, or even sell it — don't write in the book. The ink may damage your book forever. Use a notebook to take notes or use pieces of paper. If you are required to write in your book, use a pencil, and remove the markings later.
[3] Avoid Food and Drinks. Food and drinks are things that may be dangerous to your books, so the best way is to avoid eating or drinking while you read. If you need to read while you eat, make sure your fingers are clean and dry as you hold the book or turn the pages. Also, keep the book well away from the food and drinks.
[4] Take Care. When you handle your book, hold it with care. When you read the book, don't fold down the corners of the pages (use a bookmark instead). Don't place your book with the book open, face-down. You'd better use a book cover to keep your book in the best condition.
[5] Put it on the Shelf. If you want to take care of your books, keep your books on a shelf when ____________. But, also, take care that the books should be placed in an upright (竖立的) position.
【小题1】What's the main idea of the text? (Please answer within 10 words.)
_________________________________________________________
【小题2】Why shouldn't you use a pen if you have to write in your book? (Please answer within 10words.)
______________________  ___________________________________
【小题3】Which sentence in the text is the closest in meaning to the following one?
A book cover may be what you need most to keep your book in the best shape.
____________________________  _____________________________
【小题4】Fill in the blank in the last paragraph with proper words. (Please answer within 6 words.)
_________________________   ________________________________
【小题5】Translate the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 into Chinese.
____________     ___________________________________________

Like many men at some point, I dream about opening a bar. I plan to call it Work Out. It will cater to married women in need of a little fun. On Friday nights, they will be able to come here and enjoy themselves.

See, I have a gift for business. I am, as my wife Zsa Zsa likes to note, “A man with a million ideas, none of them very good.” Speaking of Zsa Zsa, she is fed up with this plain little life I’ve made for us——too many kids, too many chores, mind – numbing debt. The other day, she said she thought we needed a new family car. “Sure. How about an 87 Lincoln?” I said, and saw my dear Zsa Zsa age about 20 years, and become her mother right before my eyes.

Yes, money is our madness. Last year, we thought we had found a little cushion when I published a book about the life here in suburban America. It sold 12 copies——six of them to my mother. Four other copies went to various aunts and uncles, who used them for martini coasters (杯垫), then sold them at yard sales. The two remaining copies went to perfect strangers. (I think I owe you dinner, whoever you are. Call me, OK? We’ll arrange something.)

When the book didn’t take off, I wrote a TV show. Then I penned a short novel based on the earlier TV idea that didn’t sell. Currently, I am at work on a set of encyclopedias(百科全书). In a month, I plan to sell them door – to – door.

Such is the life of a writer, sending off the most personal thoughts possible to his hard drive. I am a writer, but also the breadwinner in my family. I’m at the keyboard at 6 almost every morning, hoping to tap out one idea——just one——that will take us up the hill, to the mountain, to the top.

1.According to the passage, the author is leading a/an         life.

A.enjoyable         B.wealthy           C.hard             D.comfortable

2.By saying “Sure. How about an 87 Lincoln?”, the author          .

A.promised it to his wife                    B.was showing off their fortune

C.thought his wife would like it               D.was just joking

3.What was the result of the book the author mentioned in the 3rd paragraph?

A.It didn’t sell well at all.

B.He sold it door – to – door.

C.He made a lot of money from it.

D.It was really a cushion for his family.

4.What does the underlined word “cushion” mean ?

A.Comfortable seat.

B.Financial help.

C.Unexpected success.

D.Best-selling book.

5.From the account above, which of the following statements is true?

A.He has a real gift for business.

B.He isn’t serious enough about life.

C.He is a hard – working writer.

D.His wife is satisfied with their plain life.

 

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