第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

Everybody has had at least one experience from which he knows the meaning of life. This time, which took place several years ago, but seems as if it just happened.

On an afternoon several years ago, my brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s dress and picked out a beautiful skirt. “ Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.” he said．I guess this was the occasion: it was the funeral of my sister, after her unexpected death.

He took the shirt and put it on bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the funeral. Then he closed the drawer and turned to me, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”

I’m thinking about his words, and they’ve changed the way I live my life. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a kind of experience to enjoy, not to suffer. “Someday ”and “one of these days ”are losing their importance  on my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.

Ever since that day, I have been trying very hard not to put off, hold back or save anything that would add laughter and color to our lives. Every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath, truly is a gift. So cherish every day and find the true meaning of your life.

56．Why did Jan buy the beautiful skirt but didn’t wear it?

A．She waited for a special occasion to wear it on.

B．She wanted to keep it for someone else.

C．She saved it till she grew up.

D．She would give it to herself as a gift some day.

57．What does the underlined word “cherish” mean?

A．Treasure.  B．Waste.      C．Own. D．Save

58．From his experience, the author learns that_______.

A．everybody can have a happy life through efforts

B．every day in our lives is worth cherishing

C．enjoying ourselves is the most important thing in our lives

D．everybody will have some things left to do after his death

59．What does the author write this passage for?

A．To show how to make good use of everyday in life.

B．To explain the true meaning of his brother-in-law’s words.

C．To tell people to cherish every day and find the meaning of life.

D．To encourage people to waste time and enjoy themselves in life.

60．What’s the best title for this passage?

A．Every Day IS a Gift      

B．My Sister Jan

C．What Is the Meaningful Life like   

D．The Most Important Time in Your Life

A TAXI driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Inspiring speakers charge thousands of dollars to give his kind of training to corporate directors and staff.  It cost me only a ＄12 taxi ride.

I had flown into Dallas just for the purpose of calling on a client. Time was important and my plan included a quick turn – around trip from and back to the airport. A clean taxi pulled up.

The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As be got in the driver’s seat, he mentioned that the neatly folded Wall Street Journal next to me for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy.

Well! I looked around for a “Candid Camera!” Wouldn’t you? I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, “Obviously you take great pride in you work. You must have a story to tell.”

“You bet,” he replied, “I used to be in Corporate America. But I got tired of thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my right position in life, somewhere I could feel proud of being the best I could be.

I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, being of service and feeling like I have done a full day’s work and done it well. I evaluated my personal property and, I became a taxi driver!

One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I jus have to meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be GREAT in my business, I have to EXEED the customer’s expectations! I like the sound of being ‘great’ better than just being ‘average’. ”

Did I tip him big time? You bet!

 The taxi driver taught me a great life lesson: Go an extra mile when providing any service to others. And there is no good or bad job you can make any job good.

1.What lesson did the author learn from the taxi driver?

    A．How to make the best use of time.

    B．How to do better in the service business.

    C．How to turn an interest into your career.

    D．How to become a motivational speaker.

2.Why did the author look around for a “Candid Camera”?

    A．Because he was afraid he would be photographed in the cab.

    B．Because he was worried what the driver could be up to.

    C．Because he was amazed by the way the driver was treating him.

    D．Because he wasn’t interested in the tapes offered by the driver

3.It can be inferred from the story that          .

    A．the taxi driver couldn’t accept just being average

    B．the author was anxious to get back to meet a client

    C．when the author waited for a taxi at the airport, he was not in a rush

    D．the taxi driver loved to play his favorite music during rides

4.According to the story, the taxi driver        .

    A．was dissatisfied wit his present job

    B．was once often rewarded for being a model worker

    C．enjoyed offering his customers more than they expected

    D．was forced to become a taxi driver to support his family

He almost didn’t see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front her Mercedes and got out.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt.

He said, “I am here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened, had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were many people who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.”

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

1.This story most probably took place_______.

2.When the man approached the old lady, the first thing he did was to______.

3.The underlined part in Paragraph 6 suggests that________.

4.Which of the following words can best describe the man?

5.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______________.

Six people were traveling in a compartment (包厢) on a train. Five of them were quiet and well behaved(举止文明), but the sixth was a rude young man who was causing a lot of trouble to the other passengers.

At last this young man got out of the station with his two heavy bags. None of the other passengers helped him, but one of them waited until the rude young man was very far away, and then opened the window to him, “ You left something behind in the compartment!” Then he closed the window again.

The young man turned around and hurried back with his two bags. He was very tired when he arrived, but he shouted through the window, “ What did I leave behind?”

As the train began to move again, the passenger who had called him back opened the window and said, “ A very bad impression!”

1. Of the six passengers in the compartment ___.

     A. five of them were rude and badly behaved    B. one of them was rude and badly behaved

     C. five were always causing trouble on the train   D. only one was quiet and well behaved

2.When the rude young man got off the train ___.

     A. he left his two bags behind

     B. he was thrown out through the window

     C. the other five passengers didn’t help him

     D. one of the other passengers opened the window for him

3.The passenger who had called him back wanted

     A. to punish him for his bad behavior

     B. to have a word with him about his behavior

     C. to help him with his behavior

     D. to return him the things he had left on the train

Ray Travers sat back at the large desk, and looked around his plush（豪华的）office.  He was tired
Ray's eyes stopped at a painting on the wall.  It was a gift given by an old friend，Bull，as a farewell gift when he left his hometown  He recalled the life spent in that small town; pleasant times.  The many hours he spent talking to his good friend, and the tales he was told about hunting in the Africa of old.
Memories flowed back more than ten years;  he remembered how he enjoyed hearing about the wonderful hunting，and how he wished he could have shared those times.
Ray opened his desk drawer and brought out a wooden box. He opened the lid and exposed a work of art，a hand-made hunting knife.  This was a gift from Bull，given to Ray more than 20 years ago.  It was one of the first knives Bull had made, and Ray had called it "Zambezi"，the river where Bull had been so many times.
He closed the box and sat upright at his desk；he was driving himself hard, and deserved a break.  Things were going well with the business，everything running smoothly.  He could afford a week off！
He went back home.  A week in the hometown would be like going back in history. "Man, it's going to be good,”Ray said aloud，as he turned onto the highway and watched the city lights fast disappearing，as he looked in the rearview  mirror.  The powerful car going  its way through  the night,  headlights  piercing（穿透）the darkness.  Memories danced through the man's mind.  Memories of good times，when he knew what it was to relax, to talk，and to really visit.
Slowly entering town he looked around.  Ray sat in his car,  looking at the old building，smiling.  Inside it was almost as though it was the same people as 15 years ago.
【小题1】We learn from the text that __________.