I'm walking along a river bed in California. The future stretched out ahead, in the valley, hills and mountains. The past is there too, but today I prefer to walk forward: to live “in the now”， and truly see all the good things in the world. Light clouds float high in the bright blue sky, and the sunlight shines off the house in the distance. People ride bicycles on the bike path that follows the river. They talk and laugh together. What a beautiful and peaceful  scene it makes!

My heart is suddenly full of joy as I remember it is New Year's Day. A day to start afresh and to feel gratitude for the gift of life God has given me. I pass by a man holding his son, one or two years old, whose face is a study in pure joy and wonder, as he looks out over the green hills and towering mountains. Tears gather in my eyes with the sweetness of this simple thought. A man sits gazing into the distance. In this lonely scene, I'm reminded of other days in the past when sadness and hopelessness were my only companions. I say a silent prayer for him, and thanks to God. Then I walk on.

A young couple crouch (蹲) next to a bicycle that has dropped its chain. As they look up, I smile and say “Happy New Year”. They smile and wish me the same. It is a simple thing, but for a moment we have become one with the world and a sudden joy takes my breath away. An old woman leans on a fence post. She doesn't seem either happy or sad, just gazes into the past, or maybe the future. A feeling of timeless peace flows through me and all fear of what the future may bring disappears. I thank her with my thoughts, and move on.

I walk by a stand of young trees. A loud burst of cheerful chirping (唧唧叫) from the little woods, and I can't help but laugh out loud. As I reach home, I say another thanks to God for the gift “now”. It has taken a long time to find it, and although I can't keep it with me all of the time, I know how to open the door again. I know whatever the New Year will bring, there will be joy and enough love of “now” to help me through the hard times we all must face.

Happy New Year!

56．How does the writer feel after he sees the old woman?

A．Fearful.　　　　B．Hopeless.                    C．Thankful.    D．Regretful.

57．How many scenes does the writer describe about people?

A．Three.         B．Four.                          C．Five.          D．Six.

58．What does the underlined word “we” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The young couple and the writer.

B．All the people in the world.

C．The people whom the writer has met.

D．The young couple and the old woman.

59．What can we learn from the text?

A．Happiness is in getting together with your parents.

B．Watching people can make you relax.

C．Walking makes people energetic.

D．Smile brightens people up.

　　To make an estimate means to guess the number of things in a group or guess a measurement of some kind. It sometimes means to make a calculation（計算）about the future, which is based not on exact data but on past experience. This kind of estimate has some basis, but it generally has to be changed and corrected later.

　　When you estimate a number, a size, a temperature or a weight, you do not count things one by one or use a measuring tool. You look at a group of things without counting them and try to get a rough, general idea of their number, you try to weigh something in your hand instead of on a balance. You feel hot and say“My temperature must be 38 degrees”or you look at a room and say that you estimate its area as 10×8 feet.

　　But in many situations in ordinary life we do not have time to measure things and must depend on estimates. Drivers do not have time to measure the distance between their own car and a car which is coming near. They must guess it; the guess or estimate will be based on their past experience. Experienced cooks do not trouble to measure the amount of salt they put into the soup or sugar they mix with flour.

　　 Suppose a man comes into the house and says“There are two inches of snow on the road”,his statement is only an estimate, but we believe it because we think that it is roughly correct. We put our boots on before we go into the snow.

　　For practical purposes in some situations it is safe to make estimates of quantity, but in other situations it is obviously dangerous. If it is your job to weigh drugs or make airplanes, do not depend on guessing but use an accurate instrument.

(1) In our daily life the estimate of a value or an amount is usually made ________.

[　　]

A．by further data

B．by instruments

C．by counting

D．a(chǎn)ccording to one’s past experience

(2) According to the passage, measuring instruments are not always used in measuring things in everyday life because ________.

[　　]

A．people generally do not carry them along

B．it is more convenient to guess than to measure

C．they are not always ready when people need them

D．a(chǎn) general idea of things is-enough

(3) We can know from the man’s statement on snow that ________.

[　　]

A．he wants to inform people that it’s snowing heavily

B．it is necessary to depend on estimates

C．his estimate is quite exact

D．he has measured the level of the snow

(4) The writer thinks that depending on estimates ________.

[　　]

A．may save us both time and money

B．may bring us a sense of safety

C．does not always keep us out of danger

D．is practical but dangerous

　　To make an estimate means to guess the number of things in a group or guess a measurement of some kind. It sometimes means to make a calculation（計算）about the future, which is based not on exact data but on past experience. This kind of estimate has some basis, but it generally has to be changed and corrected later.

　　When you estimate a number, a size, a temperature or a weight, you do not count things one by one or use a measuring tool. You look at a group of things without counting them and try to get a rough, general idea of their number, you try to weigh something in your hand instead of on a balance. You feel hot and say“My temperature must be 38 degrees”or you look at a room and say that you estimate its area as 10×8 feet.

　　But in many situations in ordinary life we do not have time to measure things and must depend on estimates. Drivers do not have time to measure the distance between their own car and a car which is coming near. They must guess it; the guess or estimate will be based on their past experience. Experienced cooks do not trouble to measure the amount of salt they put into the soup or sugar they mix with flour.

　　 Suppose a man comes into the house and says“There are two inches of snow on the road”,his statement is only an estimate, but we believe it because we think that it is roughly correct. We put our boots on before we go into the snow.

　　For practical purposes in some situations it is safe to make estimates of quantity, but in other situations it is obviously dangerous. If it is your job to weigh drugs or make airplanes, do not depend on guessing but use an accurate instrument.

(1) In our daily life the estimate of a value or an amount is usually made ________.

[　　]

A．by further data

B．by instruments

C．by counting

D．a(chǎn)ccording to one’s past experience

(2) According to the passage, measuring instruments are not always used in measuring things in everyday life because ________.

[　　]

A．people generally do not carry them along

B．it is more convenient to guess than to measure

C．they are not always ready when people need them

D．a(chǎn) general idea of things is-enough

(3) We can know from the man’s statement on snow that ________.

[　　]

A．he wants to inform people that it’s snowing heavily

B．it is necessary to depend on estimates

C．his estimate is quite exact

D．he has measured the level of the snow

(4) The writer thinks that depending on estimates ________.

[　　]

A．may save us both time and money

B．may bring us a sense of safety

C．does not always keep us out of danger

D．is practical but dangerous

Maybe it is true that we do not know what we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we do not know what we have been missing until it arrives.
It takes an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Do not expect love in return; but if it does not, be content it has grown in yours. Do not rely on one’s appearance; it can trick you. Do not rely on wealth; even that fades away. Rely on someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You cannot go on well in life until you let your past failures and heartaches go off. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trails to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Happiness waits for those who cry, those appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Always put yourself in others’ shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you are the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

1. 1.

   In this passage, the writer wants to tell us ______.

   1. A.
      what to do in our life
   2. B.
      where to go with other persons
   3. C.
      how to treat our life
   4. D.
      how to get on well with other persons
2. 2.

   Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

   1. A.
      If you give someone your love, you are sure to receive love in return.
   2. B.
      We often don’t know what we have lost until it happens someday.
   3. C.
      It is wise not to rely on anybody because you are likely to be deceived.
   4. D.
      If it takes you a short time to love someone, you will easily forget the person.
3. 3.

   If you put yourself in another person’s position, ______.

   1. A.
      you shouldn’t do what will hurt other people
   2. B.
      you should put on other people’s shoes
   3. C.
      you should believe in other people
   4. D.
      you should depend on your imagination
4. 4.

   In the last paragraph the writer is actually telling us that a person in the world should be one who ______.

   1. A.
      can accept the suggestions made by others
   2. B.
      can live happily and forget the past
   3. C.
      does good to other people and is respected and loved by them
   4. D.
      has made a lot of money for himself before he dies

Maybe it is true that we do not know what we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we do not know what we have been missing until it arrives.
It takes an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Do not expect love in return; but if it does not, be content it has grown in yours. Do not rely on one’s appearance; it can trick you. Do not rely on wealth; even that fades away. Rely on someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You cannot go on well in life until you let your past failures and heartaches go off. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trails to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Happiness waits for those who cry, those appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Always put yourself in others’ shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you are the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
【小題1】In this passage, the writer wants to tell us ______.