A funny story circulated recently about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Doyle clearly told of a time when he climbed into a 1 in Paris. Before he could 2 a word, the driver turned to him and asked, “Where can I 3 you, Mr. Doyle?”
Doyle was 4 . He asked the driver if he had ever seen him before.
“No, sir,” the driver responded. “I have 5 seen you before.” Then he 6 : “This morning’s paper had a story about you being on 7 in Marseilles. This is the taxi stand where people who return from Marseilles always arrive. Your 8 color tells me you have been on vacation. The 9 spot on your right index finger suggests to me that you are a writer. Your clothing is very English, and not French. 10 up all those pieces of information, I 11 that you are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”
“This is truly amazing!” the writer 12 with excitement. “You are very like my 13 creation, Sherlock Holmes!”
“There’s one other thing,” the driver said.
“What’s that?”
“Your 14 is on the front of your suitcase.”
Perhaps the 15 was no master detective, but he was observant! He paid attention and paying attention is an important part of living 16 .
Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of 17 . A life lived to the full is lived from moment to moment, 18 from milestone to milestone. It is more of a series of days in which we truly pay attention, than a few 19 events along the way.
Pay attention to the things of life, to people, to events, to your senses, even to the ordinary. Your life will never 20 beauty. By making the most of the moments, you make the most of the years.
1. A. train B. taxi C. bus D. plane
2. A. write B. hear C. say D. read
3. A. take B. meet C. wait D. leave
4. A. pleased B. scared C. disappointed D. surprised
5. A. just B. never C. ever D. always
6. A. admitted B. started C. explained D. remembered
7. A. business B. duty C. holiday D. work
8. A. skin B. hair C. clothes D. shoes
9. A. blood B. dirt C. mud D. ink
10. A. Making B. Taking C. Putting D. Adding
11. A. concluded B. realized C. imagined D. expected
12. A. sighed B. screamed C. whispered D. roared
13. A. mental B. physical C. fictional D. psychological
13. A. license B. address C. resume D. name
15. A. driver B. writer C. detective D. waiter
16. A. well B. fully C. happily D. peacefully
17. A. stages B. steps C. periods D. moments
18. A. more than B. less than C. rather than D. other than
19. A. small B. major C. personal D. social
20. A. lack B. create C. appreciate D. enjoy
