【推荐2】At the start of 2012, I set myself the challenge of trying to read a book from every country in a year to find out what I was missing.

So I created a blog called “A Year of Reading the World” and asked for suggestions of titles that I could read in English.

The response was amazing. Before I knew it, people all over the planet were suggesting ideas and offering to help. Some posted titles of books from their home countries. Others did hours of research on my behalf. In addition, several writers, like Panama’s Juan David Morgan, sent me unpublished translations of their novels, giving me a rare opportunity to read works otherwise unavailable to the 62 percent of Britons who only speak English. Even with such an extraordinary team of bibliophiles (藏书家) behind me, however, sourcing books was no easy task.

This was particularly true for Portuguese-speaking African countries. There’s precious little to offer as far as states such as the Comoros, Madagascar and Mozambique – I had to rely on unpublished manuscripts (手稿) for several of these.

Then there were places where stories are rarely written down. If you’re after a good story in the Marshall Islands, for example, you’re more likely to go and hear one of the local storytellers than you are to pick up a book.

All in all, tracking down stories like these took as much time as the reading. It was tough to fit it all in around work and many were the nights when I sat bleary-eyed (困倦而视线模糊的) into the small hours to make sure I stuck to my target of reading one book every 1.87 days.

But the effort was worth it. As I made my way through the planet’s literary landscapes, extraordinary things started to happen. Far from simply armchair traveling, I found I was inhabiting the mental space of the storytellers. It took me inside the thoughts of individuals living far away and showed me the world through their eyes. These stories not only opened my mind to the different aspects of life in other places, but opened my heart to the way people there might feel.Lands that had once seemed exotic and remote became close and familiar to me – places I could identify with. At its best, I learned, fiction makes the world real.

1. What can we learn about the readers of the blog “A Year of Reading the World”?

A．They should feel free to upload their book reviews.

B．They are welcome to share their storytelling skills.

C．They are asked to give advice on what book to read about their country.

D．They have to send a list of their favorite books from other countries.

2. Why is the literature of the Marshall Islands rarely known to the world?

A．The quality of literature there is very poor.

B．Most of its literature is written in Portuguese.

C．Writers there are unwilling to publish their manuscripts.

D．The country’s literature is mostly in the form of oral stories.

3. Which of the following would the author probably agree with?

A．She spent far more time searching for books than reading them.

B．She found the reading challenge exhausting but rewarding.

C．Book researchers overseas could help her with her challenge.

D．Reading foreign books would spare her the trouble of traveling.

【推荐3】Technology seems to discourage slow, careful reading. Reading on a screen tires your eyes and makes it harder for you to keep your place. Online writing tends to be more skimmable (易略读的) and list-like than print. The neuroscientist Mary Walt argued recently that this new standard of skim reading is producing“an invisible, game-changing transformation”in how readers process words. The neuronal circuit (神经回路) that maintains and supports the brain’s ability to read now prefers the rapid absorption of information.

We shouldn’t overplay this danger. All readers skim. From about the age of nine, our eyes start to skim quickly across the page, reading only about a quarter of the words properly, and filling in the gap s by inference. Nor is there anything new in these fears about declining attention spans (持续时间). So far, the anxieties have proved to be false alarms. “Quite a few critics have been worried about attention spans lately and see very short stories as signs of cultural decline,” the American author Selvin Brown wrote. “No one ever said that poems were evidence of short attention spans.”

And yet the Internet has certainly changed the way we read. For a start, it means that there is more to read, because more people than ever are writing. And digital writing is meant for rapid release and response. This mode of writing and reading can be interactive and fun. But often it treats other people’s words as something to be quickly taken as materials to say something else. Everyone talks over the top of everyone else, eager to be heard.

Perhaps we should slow down. Reading is constantly promoted as a source of personal achievement. But this argument often emphasizes “enthusiastic” “passionate” or “eager” reading, non e of which words suggest slow, quiet absorption. To a slow reader, a piece of writing can only be fully understood by immersing oneself in the words and their slow understanding of a line of thought.

The human need for this kind of deep reading is too tenacious for any new technology to destroy. We often assume that technological change can’t be stopped and happens in one direction, so that older media like “dead-tree” books are kicked out by newer, more virtual forms. In practice, older technologies can coexist with new ones. The Kindle has not killed off the printed book any more than the car killed off the bicycle. We still want to enjoy slowly-formed ideas and carefully-chosen words. Even in a fast-moving age, there is time for slow reading.

1. Which statement would Selvin Brown probably agree?

A．Online writing harms careful reading.	B．Fears of attention spans are unnecessary.
C．The situation of cultural decline is serious.	D．Poetry reading helps lengthen attention spans.

2. What is TRUE about digital writing?

A．It demands writers to abandon traditional writing modes.

B．It depends heavily on frequent interaction with the readers.

C．It leads to too much talking and not enough deep reflection.

D．It prepares readers for enthusiastic, passionate or eager reading.

3. What does the underlined word “tenacious” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Deep-rooted.

B．Widely-acknowledged.

C．Slowly-changed.

D．Rarely-noticed.

4. Which can be the best title for this article?

A．Slow Reading is Here to Stay	B．The Wonder of Deep Reading
C．The Internet is Changing the Way We Read	D．Digital vs Print: A Life-and-Death Struggle

【推荐1】Gone are the days when being vegan(素食) meant settling for a sad-looking salad on the menu and not much else. As more people have embraced(欣然接受) a cruelty-free, plant-based diet, the variety on offer has skyrocketed. From fine dining to street food, vegan options are everywhere.

Perhaps best of all, creative bakeries have popped up to meet demand, offering amazing treats that are delicious on top of being vegan. You certainly don’t need to be vegan to appreciate the mouth-watering options on offer at these fabulous and fearless bakeries - absolutely everyone can appreciate their cakes, cookies and more.

Peacefood Cafe - New York City, New York

A deliciously sweet menu that nourishes(滋养) your mind and body? Yes, please! If you’ re looking for a sweet treat in the Big Apple, you really can’t go past the peaceful, sugary oasis that is the Peacefood bakery and cafe.

Just try to resist the temptation of all those vegan doughnuts, pies and cakes. Go on; we dare you! If you’ve got more willpower than us, they also do simple meals, too.

Address: 460 Amsterdam Ave, New York, New York 10024

Dulce Vegan Bakery & Cafe - Atlanta, Georgia

There’s something the south always brings to the table, freshly baked cakes - and that includes vegan cakes, too. Just take the mouth-wateringly delicious options on offer at Dulce Vegan Bakery in Atlanta, Georgia.

The menu changes occasionally to take advantage of the best produce, but it’s always sugar-free and utterly delicious. The lemon raspberry cake is a particular treat. Check out our post about other great Atlanta eats.

Address: 1994 Hosea L Williams Dr NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30317

Capital City Bakery - Austin, Texas

They say everything is bigger in Texas - and Capital City Bakery has clearly gone one better with their fabulous vegan bakery. Not only are their delicious treats cruelty-free, but they’re also environmentally sustainable —even their cake boxes are locally sourced and recycled.

Head down to check out their yummy offerings. And with the good they do for the planet, it’s (almost) guilt-free!

Address: 2211 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, Texas 78702

Pixie Retreat - Portland, Oregon

Anyone who says vegan food is boring clearly hasn’t set foot in the wonderland that is Pixie Retreat. Calling itself a “laboratorie and makery,” you just know it’s going to be good (and creative).

Pixie Retreat certainly delivers - the desserts are the stuff sweet dreams (and dentists’ nightmares) are made of.

The chocolate chip cookie dough with almond milk is basically happiness in a cup. So, grab a few friends and head down to find out what all the fuss is about. You certainly don’t need to be vegan to be won over by this all-around awesomeness.

Address: 236 N Larchmont BIvd, Los Angeles, California, 90004

As you can see, if you desire something sweet and vegan, there are options all over the country! The only problem is deciding what you’ll try first!

1. Where can you always find a sugar-free menu?

A．Peacefood Cafe.	B．Dulee Vegan Bakery & Cafe.
C．Capital City Bakery.	D．Pixic Retreat.

2. What’s special about Capital City Bakery?

A．It uses the best produce.	B．Its menu varies from season to season.
C．Its treats are environmentally friendly.	D．It has other delicious offerings.

3. If you are fed up with boring vegan food, which address had you better try?

A．236 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, California, 90004.

B．460 Amsterdam Ave, New York, New York 10024.

C．2211 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, Texas 78702.

D．1994 Hosea L Williams Dr NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30317.

【推荐2】The International School for Earth Studies
It’s a private，interdisciplinary institution specializing in earth-based studies．The Programs encourage students to explore the seeds of greatness，with a view to developing tomorrow’s environmentally sensitive spokespersons and leaders. The principle goal is to help students develop responsibility inspired through appreciation and love for natural places and the greater environment．
Program Location（s）：Newfoundland，Canada
Phone：819—647—3226
Email：info＠earthstudies.ca
Expedition Education Institute
Do you want to be an ecological leader，to become deeply rooted in the natural world and in your own power to make change and create a better，more resilient world？
Organized as the equivalent （等价物）to a semester abroad，Expedition Education Institute offers a unique opportunity for gap year participants to be personally transformed and academically challenged and supported to become better and more self-directed life-long learners．
Program Location（s）：USA
Phone：207—322—2973
Email：Info＠expedition educatlon.org
The Experiment in International Living
It provides summer abroad programs for high school students who want to connect deeply and engage meaningfully with the richness and complexities of another country. Programs are designed to equip participants not only with essential cultural skills and，in many cases，language skills，but also with a deeper awareness of and sensitivity to critical global issues shaping the diverse communities and regions we visit.
Program Location（s）：Europe，the Americas，Africa，south of the Sahara
Phone：800—345—2929
Email：experiment＠worldlearning.org
Visitoz
It’s the Only organization in Australia that guarantees jobs for young people coming to our country on a Work and Holiday Visa. For young Americans this is a huge chance to get away from home and stand on their own two feet to make their own decisions．
Program Location（s）：Australia
Phone：4168—6106
Email：info＠visitoz.org
1. If you want to learn to be independent，what phone number will you dial？

A．819—l647—3226．	B．207—322—2973．
C．800一345—2929.	D．4168—6106．

2. Which one attracts a student interested in international affairs most？

A．Visitoz．

B．Expedition Education Institute．

C．The Experiment in International Living．

D．The International School for Earth Studies．

3. The main purpose of the passage is to       .

A．attract more students to take an active part

B．persuade people to study language skills

C．advise people to stay in nature more and more

D．compare the differences of four different programs

【推荐3】The Best Free Tourist Places in America

Alaska: Anchorage Market and Festival

Although Anchorage isn't the capital of Alaska, it is the state's largest city with the largest population. The Anchorage Market and Festival is open and free of charge on weekends. Anchorage is at the beginning of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, where walks can last between two hours and a half day. It's free, of course.

Arkansas: Walmart Museum

Lying in the northwest corner of Arkansas is Bentonville, which gave birth to a little mall you may have heard of. It's Walmart, one of the biggest companies in the world at present. It is free to visit the Walmart Museum, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. And just outside the town is the well-known Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is also free.

Connecticut: Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut was the first place in the U. S. to offer pizza to the hungry and the homeless, including students of Yale University. While in New Haven you can go on a tour of the campus（校园）, where many beautiful buildings have existed for a long time. It's the university where President Bushes, Bill and Hillary Clinton, journalist Bob Woodward, and Samuel F. B. Morse studied.

Kansas: Santa Fe Trail

Western Kansas has very little light pollution. So as you travel along, stop once in a while and stare at the night sky. The Santa Fe Trail went through Kansas and you can still walk the longest remaining distance of the road just outside Dodge City.

1. What feature do the four places have in common?

A．They are all free of charge.

B．They all have free museums.

C．They all have a long walking trail.

D．They are large places with large population.

2. What can people do in Bentonville?

A．To get something free in Walmart.

B．To find many interesting goods.

C．To get trained in a large company.

D．To get a good knowledge of Walmart.

3. If you want to enjoy a peaceful night sky, which place will you go?

A．Bentonville.	B．Western Kansas.
C．Anchorage.	D．New Haven.