A
When I was a kid growing up, I made friends with a man named Edwin E. Bailey. He ran the astronomical observatory（天文观测台） at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, USA. I would go to the Franklin Institute most Saturdays just to spend time with him. He was a good speaker and he seemed to know something about everything.
Sadly, he died of an illness several years ago. When he was in hospital, I went to visit him. In an effort to make small talk, I told him about all the places I had been to and how I had come to his bedside straight from the airport.
He then said with a slightly sarcastic manner（有点嘲讽的态度），“ You go all over the world to people who, ten years from now, won’t remember your name. But you haven’t left time for the people who really care about you.”
What he said hit me hard and changed my life. I decided to pay more attention to my family and friends, and not to let my time be used up by people to whom I make no difference.
Months ago a friend of mine got a call from the White House asking him to consult with (与……商议） the President of the United States．He said no because it was to be on a day he had promised to spend with his grandson at the seaside. The nation went on well without him, the President didn’ t miss him, but his grandson spent some valuable time with his grandfather.
21. What did the author think of Edwin?
A. He was hard-working B. He was knowledgeable
C. He was quick to make friends D. He was crazy about traveling
22. What changed the author’ s life?
A. Edwin’s words B. Edwin’s death
C. Edwin s traveling experiences. D. Edwin s working experiences
23. What does the underlined word " him"in the last paragraph refer to?
A. Edwin
B. A friend of the author
C. The President of the USA
D. The grandson of the author’ s friend
24. What does the author want to tell us by writing the text?
A. Doing is better than saying B. A true friend is hard to find
C. Living in the past won’t help D. First things should be put first
