My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau(衣橱) and picked out a wonderful 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.” Well, I guess this is the occasion.

He took the skirt from me and put it on the bed.His hands touched the soft material for a moment, then he shut 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 still thinking about his words, and they've changed my attitude to life. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to enjoy,not suffer.I'm tryingto recognize these moment now and treasure them.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are being lost from my vocabulary.If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I' m not sure whatmy sister would have done if she had known she wouldn't have tomorrow .

I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend her fences for past things. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food.

If I knew that my hours were limited ,those little things left undone would make meangry. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touchwith someday.Angry and sorry because I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter to our lives. And every morning when  I open my eyes, I tell myself that everyday, every minute, every breath truly, is... a gift from God.

56．The best title for the passage would be______.

       A．Everyday is A Gift                    B．My Poor Sister

       C．Value Friendship Every Day           D．Everyday is An Important Occasion

57．Jan bought the wonderful skirt but didn't wear it because______.

       A．she wanted to wear it on special occassions

       B．she kept it as a special gift for someone else

       C．she saved it untill she grew older

       D．she waned to keep it as a sweet memory

58．Which of the following is not the wirter’s attitude to life?

       A．spending more time staying with family

       B．attending social activities as often as possible

       C．enjoying life and valuing every day

       D．trying to get along well with friends

59．Which of the following can best explain the expression underlined “mend her fences for past things” in Paragraph 5?

       A．try to be friendly again with someone

       B．break her word

       C．give up her point of view

       D．keep her promise

60．The passage is intended chiefly to ______.

       A．warn people to treasure every day and find the meaning of life

       B．encourage people to be hard on themselves for a bright  life

       C．tell people how to get rid of being angry and sorry in life

       D．persuade people to care for themselves more than others

One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining（发光） in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious（宝贵） stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip.
The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, “The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?”
“Sure. Why not?” the woman said, and handed the stone to him.
The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag.”
The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, “I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious — the joy of giving!”
The young man felt ashamed（羞愧） and left silently.
【小题1】How did the young man find the precious stone?

One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining（发光） in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious（宝贵） stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip.

The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, “The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?”

“Sure. Why not?” the woman said, and handed the stone to him.

The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag.”

The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, “I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious — the joy of giving!”

The young man felt ashamed（羞愧） and left silently.

1.How did the young man find the precious stone?

A．He found it in his food.                   B．He dug it out in a valley.

C．He saw it in the woman’s bag.             D．He noticed it shining in the stream.

2.What does the underlined word “security” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Money.           B．Worry.            C．Health.           D．Trouble.

3.The man returned the stone to the woman because ______.

A．he found the stone was not precious

B．he understood the real meaning of joy

C．he felt embarrassed at taking away the stone

D．he wanted to get something even more precious

4.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?

A．A special stone                         B．The joy of giving

C．A woman and a young man                D．An experience in the mountains

One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip.
The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, “The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?”
“Sure. Why not?” the woman said, and handed the stone to him.
The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag.”
The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, “I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious — the joy of giving!”
The young man felt ashamed and left silently.
【小题1】How did the young man find the precious stone?

One day an old woman was traveling alone in the mountains. Suddenly she saw something shining in the stream. When she came close, she found it was a precious stone. She put the stone into her bag and went on with her trip.

The next day the old woman met a young man, who was also a traveler in the mountains. The young man looked very hungry, so the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked carefully, “The stone is beautiful. Would you like to give it to me?”

 “Sure. Why not?” the woman said, and handed the stone to him.

The young man left happily with the stone. He knew it was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back and hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within your bag.”

The woman opened her bag. It was almost empty. She looked at the young man and smiled, “I have nothing special in my bag, but I do have something precious — the joy of giving!”

The young man felt ashamed and left silently.

1.How did the young man find the precious stone?

A. He found it in his food.    B. He dug it out in a valley.

C. He saw it in the woman’s bag. D. He noticed it shining in the stream.

2.What does the underlined word “security” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

   A. Money.          B. Worry.        C. Health.        D. Trouble.

3.The man returned the stone to the woman because ______.

   A. he found the stone was not precious

   B. he understood the real meaning of joy

   C. he felt embarrassed at taking away the stone

   D. he wanted to get something even more precious

4.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?

A. A special stone             B. The joy of giving

C. A woman and a young man  D. An experience in the mountains