阅读理解
My brotherinlaw opened the drawer of my sister's cupboard and took out a package. He said, "This
is a new silk slip (衬裙). Jane bought it in New York nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it
for a special occasion. I guess this is the occasion."
It was an exquisite (精美的) handmade silk slip. The price tag on it was still attached.
He took the slip from me and put it on the bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician
(殡仪员). His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, and 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."
His words have changed my mind. I'm spending more time with my family and less time on meetings.
I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I'm not saving anything. I wear my good
skirt to the market if I feel like it. I can pay $28.49 for a small bag of groceries.I'm not saving my good
perfume for special parties. If something is worth seeing, hearing or doing, I want to see, hear and do it
now.
"Someday"_has_disappeared_in_my_vocabulary.
I'm not sure what Jane would have done if she had known she'd not be here for the tomorrow.I'm
guessing Jane would have called family members and a few close friends.She might have apologized to
her former friends for their past quarrels. She'd have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food.
I'm trying hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter to our lives. Every
morning I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath is a gift.
1. Why didn't Jane wear the new silk slip?
A. She meant to wear it on her death.
B. She wanted to save it for her sister.
C. She thought it was too dear.
D. She saved it for a special occasion.
2. After Jane's death, the author begins to________.
A. treasure the simple pleasure of life
B. spend more time having meetings
C. save more money for necessities
D. care about her special parties
3. What does the underlined sentence "'Someday' has disappeared in my vocabulary." (in paragraph 4)
mean?
A. I prefer to leave out the word "someday" in my speech.
B. "Someday" is found missing from my old dictionary.
C. I will not delay enjoying the pleasure of life.
D. I decide not to enjoy something good at the moment.
4. It can be inferred from the passage that________.
A. it makes sense to follow our dream
B. we tend to leave good things until the last minute
C. we should take pleasure in our work
D. it is meaningless to save something for the future
