11．The Touchstone
When the great library of Alexandria burned，the story goes，one book was saved．But it was not a valuable book； and so a poor man，who could read little，bought it for very little money．
The book wasn't very interesting，but between its pages there was something very interesting indeed．It was a thin strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the"Touchstone"!The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold．
The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that looked exactly like it．But the secret was this：The real stone would feel warm，while ordinary pebbles are cold．
So the man sold his few belongings，bought some simple supplies，camped on the seashore，and began testing pebbles．He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold，he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times．So，when he felt one that was cold，he threw it into the sea．He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the touchstone．Yet he went on and on this way．Pick up a pebble．Cold-throw it into the sea．Pick up another．Throw it into the sea．Pick up another．Throw it into the sea．The days continued over a long period if time．
One day，however，about mid-afternoon，he picked up a pebble and it was warm．He threw it into the sea before he realized what he had done．He had formed such a strong habit of throwing each pebble into the sea that when the one he wanted came along he still threw it away．
So it is with opportunity．Unless we are cautious，it's easy to fail to recognize an opportunity when it is in hand and it's just as easy to throw it away．
59．The man bought the book because．A
A．he wanted to read it
B．it was very interesting
C．there was a secret in the book
D．he wanted to find the touchstone
60．We can learn from the passage that the touchstone is．C
A．pure B．cold C．magic D．big
61．Why did the man throw the pebbles into the sea？A
A．Because he didn't want to get the same pebbles．
B．Because he didn't want others to pick them up．
C．Because he didn't like their ordinary looks．
D．Because he didn't like the cold feelings．
62．What does the author want to tell us in the passage？C
A．We about orate opportunities in our life．
B．We should seek for opportunities in the world．
C．We may seize opportunities when we are watchful
D．We may discover opportunities when forming habits．
分析 亚历山大时期大图书馆焚毁的时候，话说有一本书被保留了下来．但没有人认为这本书有什么价值，可这时一个穷人，只识几个字，用几分钱把这本书买了下来． 这本书本身不怎么有趣，但在纸张中间却有着非常有意思的事．因为此中夹着一张羊皮纸条，在这张薄薄的羊皮纸条上记载着试金石的秘密． 并最终通过这个故事得出一个寓意深远的哲理：机遇也是如此．当机遇在我们手中之时，我们却不曾那么容易的意识到，除非我们仔细而细心．
解答 59．A 推理判断题：根据It was not a valuable book，and so a poor man who could read very little bought it for a few coins这本书没有什么价值，可这时一个穷人，只识几个字，用几分钱把这本书买了下来，可知他想读一读，故答案为A．
50．C 语义理解题：根据The touchstone was a small pebble（卵石） that could turn any common metal into gold试金石是一个小的鹅卵石，能使任何普通的金属变成黄金，也就说明它富有魔力，故答案为C．
51．A 细节理解题：根据He thought that if he picked up common pebbles and put them down again，he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times．So，when he felt one that was cold，he threw it into the sea．他想，如果他拾起普通的鹅卵石再把它们放下来，他可能会拾起同一块鹅卵石几百次，所以，当他感到一个鹅卵石是冷的时候，就把它扔到海里去了． 意思与A项吻合，即避免捡到同样的鹅卵石，故答案为A．
52．C 主旨理解题：根据So it is with chances．Unless we are careful，it's easy to fail to catch a chance when it is at hand 机遇也是如此．当机遇在我们手中之时，我们却不曾那么容易的意识到，除非我们仔细而细心．这就是本文的主旨，意思与C项吻合，当我们看到机会时，就要抓住机会，故答案为C．
点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
