An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond. The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit (追求) to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools. The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched (发起)the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book " project in 1998. Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago, the mayor appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the "One Book, One Chicago" program. As a result, reading clubs and neighbourhood groups sprang up around the city. Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.
The only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity can be achieved .Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point, putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Ultimately as Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.
1. What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?
A.To invite authors to guide readers. |
B.To encourage people to read and share. |
C.To involve people in community service. |
D.To promote the friendship between cities. |
A.In large communities with little sense of unity |
B.In large cities where libraries are far from home |
C.In medium-sized cities with a diverse population |
D.In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached |
A.exchanged ideas with each other |
B.discussed the meaning of a word |
C.gave life experience |
D.used the same language |
A.the careful selection of a proper book |
B.the growing popularity of the writers |
C.the number of people who benefit from reading. |
D.the number of books that each person reads. |
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【推荐1】My love for libraries blossomed when I joined the public library.
From the age of 8, I was allowed to walk from my home to the downtown library, housed above the police station.
Once the librarian (图书管理员) gave me my first membership card, I could enjoy a range of books, which started with Little House in the Big Woods.
I was addicted instantly, and this love of libraries and reading would change my life, allowing me to one day create a safe space for high-school kids, too.
By the time I was in high school, I could read the authors that we were studying in class, including Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Emily Bronte. During the summer months, I got caught up in Gone with the Wind and Anna Karenina.
When I studied English literature at university, I thought it was time to build my own library. For the next 40 years, I continued to collect books. Until one day, I realized that all my books had become a part of the house, like wallpaper.
Toward the end of my teaching career, I became a teacher-librarian at my old high school, where I had first learned English literature. This position resumed (恢复) my love and appreciation for libraries. I never forgot how wonderful it was to be surrounded by books.
I had a generous budget (预算) for my classes, so I searched for novels that would interest my teenage audience and hopefully spark (激发) a love of books. Fantasy, science-fiction, graphic novels – I bought almost any type of book that my students wanted to read.
I bought sofas and comfortable chairs, turning the library into an inclusive (包容的) public space, safe for everyone.
In doing so, I realized that the library isn’t just a place to do research. They are, in fact, places that offer an opportunity to engage with the past, present and future. All that is required is a tiny bit of curiosity. Libraries are places that should be full of life. They help us adjust to the world, and their doors must be kept open to everyone – for free!
1. What can we learn about the author during her school time?A.She enjoyed literature very much. |
B.She didn’t have money to buy books. |
C.She didn’t get along well with her parents. |
D.She usually stayed home during the summer holidays. |
A.Gentle. | B.Devoted. | C.Humorous. | D.Independent. |
A.They are places mainly used for research. |
B.They help people to connect with the world. |
C.They should be profitable. |
D.They should be set up mainly in high schools. |
A.To tell readers how to make full use of libraries. |
B.To tell readers what she learned from books. |
C.To show her love for reading and libraries. |
D.To show how much she missed being a teacher. |
【推荐2】As a college student in Boston, I formed the habit of buying used books. I enjoy the hunt, the good price and the unrecognized treasures. I find old textbooks, ex-bestsellers, and books on subjects I’ve never heard of but now I must learn all about. I don’t search for rare books, first editions, or leather-bound editions but books that are worth reading.
Rereading, for me, is a pleasure during retirement. The theater and the concert hall become less appealing to me, along with crowds. Staying alone and reading books have become extremely important to me. Literature needs the flesh of experience to have its full effect. Different books offer me insights and ways of expressing that stuck in my mind as grains of sand in an oyster — now shine like pearls. My taste in books improves with age.
While packing for a move, which occurs at intervals of five to seven years, I clear my shelves and pick my books. I abandon a few, later regret my decisions, and look for them again. Several years ago, I got rid of books related to my job — architecture. Some were design guides, reference books, product catalogs, and things that went out of date. Some were historical or centered on a period or an architect. These had given me many hours of pleasure. Will I ever open their covers again? Certainly. I held on to the red bulk of Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture and books on Paris, Rome, and Boston.
I gave away drafting equipment and instruments. I threw out rolls and rolls of paper, and old drawings of projects completed long ago, some of which had even been damaged. This time, I stay put in a cottage that suits my status and I’ve moved on in spirit. No doubt I will acquire more used books and throw away more books as passions grow and fade, like feathers changing with the seasons.
1. What does the author consider most important when choosing used books?A.Their appealing covers. | B.Their reasonable prices. |
C.Their collection value. | D.Their excellent content. |
A.He has a deeper understanding of reading. | B.His attitude towards work changes. |
C.His communication skills improve. | D.He has a small circle of friends. |
A.To show some books are worth rereading. | B.To explain his love for architecture. |
C.To suggest we avoid making poor decisions. | D.To recommend Sir Banister Fletcher’s books. |
A.He decides to stop throwing away used books. | B.He will read more books that suit his interests. |
C.He will enlarge his collection of used books. | D.He is bad at using advanced drafting equipment. |
【推荐3】An idea that started in Seattle’s public library has spread throughout America and beyond. The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit (追求) to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools. The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched the “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book” project in 1998. Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago, the mayor (市长) appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the “One Book, One Chicago” program. As a result, reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city. Across the US, it appeared that parents and children read to each other at night and strangers chatted away on the bus about the stories and character.
The only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse (多样的) population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity can be achieved or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point, putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Finally, as Nancy points out, the level of success is not judged by how many people read a book, but by how many people are benefited by the process, or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not have shared a word.
1. What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?A.To invite authors to guide readers. | B.To encourage people to read and share. |
C.To involve people in community service. | D.To promote the friendship between cities. |
A.They had little interest in reading. |
B.They were too busy to read a book. |
C.They came from many different backgrounds. |
D.They lacked support from the local government. |
A.communicated with each other | B.discussed the meaning of a word |
C.gained life experience | D.used the same language |
A.the careful selection of a proper book |
B.the growing popularity of the writers |
C.the number of people who benefit from reading |
D.the number of books that each person reads |