【推荐1】For many of us, there’s nothing better than burying our head in a good book. Whether it’s a striking crime story or a biography of someone’s amazing life, it’s good to read a book to switch off from the distractions of everyday life.     1    

It may seem obvious that reading is beneficial to our health. It can be educational and broaden the mind. A good novel can make us happy or make us cry as we empathize with characters.     2     This power of reading books was first recognized a few years ago by the British charity Reading Agency, which published a list of books that doctors could offer to patients, dealing with topics from depression, dementia (痴呆) to chronic pain.

Professor Philip Davis, the author of a book called Reading for Life, studied people in reading groups and found that it’s reading literature-only written works thought to have artistic value-that has the best effect. “When reading something for pleasure,” he said, “the brain begins to work from different parts. It gets excited. It gets pre-emotional.     3    

In our smartphone time, we tend to abandon a good book and play with our phones instead. But opening up a book could be a simple way to help maintain our mental health.     4     And it may allow you to see that awkward situation you’ve been anxious about for long from someone else’s view.

    5     Refer to the Reading Agency’s book list, or you could read book reviews, visit a library or bookshop or ask a friend. Once you’ve found the right one, you’ll be fascinated!

A．You can see the brain coming to life.

B．Perhaps you could always use an e-reader.

C．It can help you set new targets and find focus.

D．You can lend it to friends and forget what you did.

E．It is powerful to help you relax the body and mind.

F．It is actually being identified as a treatment for sickness.

G．If you’re not an eager reader, it’s hard to know where to begin.

【推荐2】Popular Self-Help Books

Want to be happier, healthier and more successful? Here are four popular self-help books to get you going.

How to Win Friends & Influence People —by Dale Carnegie

This is the book that started the self-help genre(类型). Carnegie says financial success is 15% professional knowledge and 85% “the ability to express ideas and inspire people”. Here are a couple of his top tips: Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers; talk about your own mistakes before blaming the other person.

Who Moved My Cheese?—by Spencer Johnson

This book is about how to adapt to (适应) change in your life. It’s a story about two mice and two “little people” (who represent humans). They all live in a maze (迷宫) and spend their days eating cheese. But one day they discover that their regular supply of cheese has disappeared. The mice immediately start searching the maze for more cheese but the two “little people” get angry. Finally, one of the “little people” accepts the situation and decides to look for a new cheese supply.

The Millionaire Next Door—by Thomas Stanley & William Danko

The authors of this book spent years interviewing American millionaires to figure out the secrets of their success. And they discovered that most millionaires don’t live a life of luxury(奢侈). They’re rich because they live below their means and reinvest(重新投资) what they earn.

59 Seconds — by Richard Wiseman

This is a self-help book with a difference. Wiseman, a scientist, says 59 Seconds is about the “science of self-help”. And he uses science to show many self-help ideas are false. Other tips in the book are: If you want to eat more healthily, hang a mirror in your kitchen. This can reduce unhealthy eating by 35%. If you want to be more creative, put a plant on your desk. Studies show that you’ll come up with 15% more original ideas.

1. What is special about How to Win Friends & Influence People?

A．It talks about human’s behavior.

B．It was one of the first self-help books.

C．It was written with the help of some professionals.

D．It talks much about the importance of sharing ideas.

2. Which book is about dealing with change?

A．59 Seconds.

B．Who Moved My Cheese?

C．The Millionaire Next Door.

D．How to Win Friends & Influence People.

3. Whose book offers an idea for improving creativity?

A．Dale Carnegie’s.	B．Spencer Johnson’s.
C．Richard Wiseman’s.	D．Thomas Stanley & William Danko’s.

【推荐3】In recent years, little free libraries of all shapes and sizes have popped up. Often built by community members, they could be found on street corners and the sidewalks across the United States, hoping to share their book collections with their neighbors. Minneapolis, Minnesota, even hosted the first Little Free Library Festival, where book fans came together to promote literacy (读写能力)in their communities.

For the most part, little free libraries have more in common with book sharing shelves in hotels, local parks, coffee shops and other public spaces than the traditional public library. Based on the rule of "take a book, leave a book," these little libraries can take many forms from birdhouse-like wooden structures to redesigned newspaper selling machines, Robert Wirsing writes for the Bronx Times.

The little free library organization began when a citizen of Hudson, Wisconsin, named Todd Bol built a little one-room schoolhouse, filled it with books and placed it in his front yard to honor his mother who passed away in 2009. Together with a local educator named Rick Brooks, the two began placing little free libraries across Wisconsin and sharing the idea with people across the country.

"Something we are eager for in this information age is that connection between people," Bol tells Margret Aldrich for Book Riot. "I want to show how Little Free Library is about readers inspiring readers. It goes on and on."

While Little Free Libraries seem like a harmless means to promote literacy by sharing books with neighbors, a few of the roadside landing libraries have caused minor legal problems. officials in Los Angeles and Shreveport, Louisiana, have told some citizens that their homemade libraries broke city roles and that they would have to remove them to avoid being fined.

Still, little free libraries have been well accepted by their commnunities. For anyone interested in making their own at home, the organization has posted helpful tips and guides for building the little book lending boxes in their neighborhoods.

1. What can we know about the little free libraries in America?

A．They are state-owned.

B．They are popular nationally.

C．They are set up to sell books.

D．They help those with no books to read.

2. What is a common character of little free libraries?

A．They lie in many public places.

B．They share a large collection of books.

C．They compete with traditional public libraries.

D．They exist mainly in the form of wooden houses.

3. What is Todd Bol's primary aim of building a library?

A．To remember his dead mother.

B．To help people form a habit of reading.

C．To set an example to other communities.

D．To share his knowledge, with other citizens.

4. What does Todd Bol think of the little free libraries?

A．They cause minor legal problems.

B．They should continue to exist.

C．They mean a lot to community members.

D．They should be supported by the government.

【推荐1】March, April and May are months full of festivals and events all over the world. Here are four wonderful festivals around the world that happen in spring. If you want to know more about them, please click here or visit http://www.buddhanet.net/

SongKran — Thailand

Dates: 13th-15th, April

In Thailand, people celebrate a festival called SongKran, when people head out to the streets with water guns to spray everyone who walks past.

Naghol — Vanuatu

Dates: Every Saturday from April to May

Every year, villagers come together to celebrate the harvest of yams, an important part in the people's diet in Vanuatu. The festival is most famous for its "land diving ceremony". During the ceremony men and boys dive to the ground from high wooden towers with only two thin vines (藤) attached to their ankles.

Cherry Blossom Viewing — Japan

Dates: The cherry blossom season is different from year to year depending on the weather forecast.

The festival is well-known. Japanese celebrate the days when the flowers finally blossom. Only a few days later, the petals (花瓣) fall to the ground, like pink snowflakes. That means the traditional festival only lasts for several days. In Japan, almost everyone has picnics in the parks to view the flowers.

Sinhalese New Year — Sri Lanka

Dates: 13th or 14th, April

Just like in many other countries in South or South East Asia, this is the time when the Sinhalese celebrate the traditional New Year, an ancient celebration which marks the end of the harvest season and is one of two times of the year when the sun is straight above Sri Lanka. There are a lot of delicious foods during the celebration.

1. What may happen to a tourist walking in the street during SongKran in Thailand?

A．He may get wet.	B．He may be shot by the locals.
C．He may enjoy delicious foods.	D．He may see some petals falling.

2. How is Cherry Blossom Viewing different from the other three festivals?

A．It is a traditional festival.

B．It is a very famous festival.

C．It varies with weather conditions every year.

D．It allows visitors to eat food during the festival.

3. Where are you most likely to find the text?

A．In a textbook.	B．In a report.
C．On the Internet.	D．In a newspaper.

【推荐3】Want to plan a kid-friendly vacation? Children will love to see their favorite cartoon characters come to life in the Disneyland Park. Attractions include magical fireworks display, rollercoaster rides and live theater performances. The activities are various and suitable for both young children and adults. But there is a high price to pay for these attractions. Follow a few simple steps to make your Disneyland vacation affordable and fun for the whole family.

Step 1

Travel in the off-season. The busiest times at Disneyland are the summer months and around Christmas. Plan a trip in March or October to catch the cool weather and avoid large crowds. Tickets, as well as hotels and flights, are discounted during the off-season to encourage tourism.

Step 2

Find a hotel with a free shuttle service. Several nearby hotels offer free transportation to and from Disneyland. This will save on rental cars, fuel and taxi costs.

Step 3

Bring your own meals and snacks. Food inside the park can be very expensive. Plan ahead by packing a backpack of lunches for your whole family. Be sure to bring plenty of bottled water.

Step 4

Buy a Disneyland Package. Websites such as MouseSavers.com offer special tickets prices (such as family tickets at kid’s rates), accomodation costs (like fourth night free), and discounted transportation when purchased together.

1. When is the best time to visit Disneyland according to the text?

A．In May.	B．In October.
C．During the summer months.	D．During the Christmas holiday.

2. What is a shuttle service?

A．A free vehicle service running between two places.	B．Transportation to and from the airport.
C．A taxi service for short transportation.	D．A cheap car rental service for hotel guests.

3. Where can you buy tickets at a low price?

A．In the hotel.	B．At the theater.
C．On the Internet.	D．In a taxi company.