Long before I could read on my own, my mother often read to me from the book Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. My mother’s voice changed my world. And many years after that, the read aloud made me a reader.
All these years later, I was in a classroom reading aloud a picture book to a small boy who was troubled by poverty and loneliness. In that moment, in the joy of the read aloud, this boy had an idea that started something big. He said. “Mrs Allyn, let’s make sure everyone knows how good this feels. Let’s have a holiday for the read aloud.”
That led to my creation of World Read Aloud Day six years ago to honor this young boy’s wish for everyone to be able to have a read aloud every day. Since then, World Read Aloud Day has become a worldwide event reaching over one million people in more than 65 countries around the world, a number that is growing every day.
In the 21st century, the message that every child should have the right to read is urgent. There are 57 million children who are not in school and hundreds of millions more who are in school but are not learning. By age four, children from low-income families read far less than those in high-income families.
And yet, the good news is this: A six-year study of children’s reading habits found that reading aloud to kids every day will put them a year ahead of kids who are not read aloud to daily, no matter what kind of family kids are from.
The message is powerfully clear: Reading al oud to children can close the word gap. Children who grow up as readers become better citizens, and every child should have that right to read. So let’s just pay attention to the right to read until all children can do it. And yes, in this way, we can, we will, change the world together.
1. World Read Aloud Day was set up in order to ________.| A．show the use of read aloud | B．sell more story books |
| C．show respect for a boy’s great wish | D．celebrate a worldwide event |
| A．Poor children don’t read enough. | B．Children have no chance to read. |
| C．Children cannot read messages. | D．Poor children don’t like learning. |
| A．Study children’s reading habits early. | B．Read aloud to kids until they can read. |
| C．Show children how to be better citizens. | D．Give kids the task to change the world. |
| A．By listing numbers. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By presenting research results. | D．By giving reasons. |
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【推荐1】Mr. Buxton taught me Shakespeare in 10th grade. We were reading Macbeth. Mr. Buxton, who probably had better things to do, nonetheless agreed to meet one night to go over the text line by line. The first thing he did was point out the repetition of themes. For example, the reversals of things.
What Mr. Buxton didn’t tell me was what the play meant. He left the conclusions to me. The situation was much the same with my religious studies teacher in 11th grade, Mr. Flanders, who encouraged me to have my own relationship with the Gospels.
High school was followed by college, where I read Umberto Eco’s The Role of the Reader, in which it is said that the reader completes the text, that the text is never finished until it meets this voracious (渴求的) and engaged reader. The open texts, Eco calls them. In college, I read some of the great Europeans and Latin Americans: Borges and Kafka, Genet and Beckett, Artaud, Proust-open texts all. I may not have known why Kafka’s Metamorphosis is about a guy who turns into a bug: but I knew that some said cockroach, and others, European dung beetle.
There are those critics, of course, who insist that there are right ways and wrong ways to read every book. No doubt they arrived at these beliefs through their own adventures in the stacks. And these are important questions for philosophers of every stripe. And yet I know only what joy and enthusiasm about reading have taught me, in bookstores new and used.
There is not now and never will be an authority who can tell me how to interpret, how to read, how to find the pearl of literary meaning in all cases.
Supposing the truth is not hard, fast, masculine, simple, direct? You could spend a lifetime thinking about this sentence ,and making it your own. In just this way, the freedom to see literature,history, truth unfolding ahead of me like a book whose spine has just now been cracked.
1. When did the author begin to read Shakespeare’s work?.| A．In primary school. | B．In 11th grade. |
| C．In secondary school. | D．In college. |
| A．It w as written by the readers. |
| B．It is about a guy turning into a bug. |
| C．It insists that the reader completes the text. |
| D．Some great Europeans and Latin Americans wrote it together. |
| A．Being an excellent student. |
| B．Mr. Buxton’s teaching method. |
| C．The joy and enthusiasm from his reading. |
| D．His admiration for literature masters like Shakespeare. |
| A．He has a preference for the open texts. |
| B．Shakespeare is his favorite. |
| C．He is naturally talented in reading. |
| D．He is also a famous literary critic. |
【推荐2】Reading books can obviously make you a better, smarter entrepreneur. According to a 2018 study of over 160, 000 adults in 31 countries, the more books that were present in participants’ childhood homes, the more competent they now are as adults with skills in literacy, mathematics, and technological problem-solving. Researchers note that book-oriented socialization, indicated by home library size, equips youth with lifelong tastes, skill and knowledge.
Growing up with home libraries boosts adult skills in literacy, numeracy and technological problem-solving beyond the benefits acquired from parental education or your own educational or occupational attainment. Kids who grow up in a home where reading is valued and modeled are more likely to be good readers. Strangely enough, though, advanced education doesn’t necessarily offset the “lots of books in the home” advantage. Adults who grew up with relatively few books in their homes and later earned a college degree had literacy levels approximately equal to adults who grew up in homes with large libraries but only attended school for nine years.
Jessica Stillman writes, surrounding yourself with more books than you could ever read says good things about your mind. Those books serve as a constant reminder of all the things you don’t know — which helps keep you intellectually hungry and curious. And possibly, this will keep you a little more modest, since research shows the quicker you are to admit you don’t know something, the faster you can then learn it. As Jeff Bezos says, a key sign of intelligence is the willingness to change your mind, something that only happens if you’re willing to admit that your current thinking may not be the best thinking. Modesty, learning and the willingness to change your mind when new data presents itself: That’s another three bonus every entrepreneur can benefit from.
1. What does paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．The tough process of the research. |
| B．An inspiring discovery of the research. |
| C．Numerous data of the research. |
| D．Advanced technology of the research. |
| A．Compete with. | B．Differ from. |
| C．Go against. | D．Compensate for. |
| A．To keep readers intellectually hungry. |
| B．To stress the significance of modesty. |
| C．To remind readers of their ignorance. |
| D．To evidence the benefits of home library. |
| A．Home library size indicates some lifelong skills. |
| B．Home reading equals to a college degree. |
| C．Modesty makes a promising entrepreneur. |
| D．Childhood libraries lead to adulthood success. |
【推荐3】If you are hooked on watching fantasy or reading science fiction, you may be on to something. Contrary to the common misunderstanding that reading science fiction and fantasy is an unworthy practice, reading it may help young people cope, especially with the stress and anxiety of living while developing critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence for young readers.
Historically, parents have considered literature “good” for young people if it provides moral guidance that reflects their own values. The question is, how does literature of science fiction perform its educational function? This is central to the conflict between parents and educators about what kids should read. For a long time, those who read it have been stigmatized(污名化)as geeks who can’t cope with reality.
A 2015 survey found that these science fiction readers were also major consumers of a wide range of other types of books. In fact, the study noted a close connection between reading varied literary forms and an ability to understand science. Rather than limiting readers’ capacity to deal with reality, reading outside-the-box creative stories may expand their ability to engage reality based on science.
Science fiction does not need to provide real stories about serious social and political issues. Instead, it offers a distance between them. This distance gives readers an approach to coping with complexity and using their imagination to manage real-life challenges. It is why they are powerful and where their value lies. What better way to deal with the uncertainty in life than with science fiction, which explores uncertainty and depicts young people as brave characters, survivors and shapers of their own fates?
Reading science fiction, young people can see themselves-coping, surviving and learning lessons-that may enable them to create their own strategies for life. And the critical thinking and wise habits of mind prompted by this type of literature may actually produce creativity that everyday life and reality typically do not.
1. Why is science fiction rejected by many parents as a proper type of reading?| A．It seldom develops critical and creative thinking. |
| B．It agrees with the common belief in society. |
| C．It lacks the educational functions they need. |
| D．It results in too many expectations from parents. |
| A．Literature has a negative effect on understanding science. |
| B．More other types of reading are consumed than science fiction. |
| C．Science fiction reading restricts readers’ capacity to deal with stress. |
| D．Reading science fiction helps to develop the young’s ability to cope with reality. |
| A．Indifferent | B．Disapproval | C．Neutral | D．Favorable |
| A．Why science fiction is so appealing to the young readers |
| B．How reading science fiction helps kids deal with reality |
| C．What stories science fiction is bringing to the young people |
| D．How science fiction turns into the literature mainstream |
【推荐1】Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry (消耗资源). Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes, and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements (代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably support?| A．Cycling around a lake. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．It pollutes the environment with all sorts of chemicals. |
| B．It needs water and other energy to keep its courses green. |
| C．It is very popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| D．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| A．It is environmentally-friendly. |
| B．It improves our health. |
| C．It is simple and free. |
| D．It can make you put on weight. |
| A．Resource-hungry sports. |
| B．Outdoors sports. |
| C．Environment-friendly sports. |
| D．Indoors sports. |
| A．To show us some major outdoor sports. |
| B．To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
| C．To discuss the influence of some popular sports. |
| D．To introduce some environmentally-friendly sports. |
【推荐2】Delivering medical supplies lo hand-to-reach planers has been an issue for years. Worldwide, more than two billion people lack access to essential lifesaving supplies, such as blood and vaccines. In the African nation of Rwanda, for example, several remote health clinics do not have sufficient quantities of blood and other health care products. As a result, many people die of treatable illnesses.
A company called Zipline is trying to address this problem. It uses drones to transport medical supplies around Rwanda. In the past, it look hours for packages of medicines to reach some health clinics. However, a drone can now deliver medicine in 30 minutes, Thanks to this rapid health-care service, fewer women suffer during childbirth and more children receive life-saving medicine.
Drones are also assisting emergency organizations after natural disasters. In 2015, for example, a powerful hurricane destroyed thousands of buildings in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. Around 75,000 people lost their homes, and at least 15 died. After the storm, drones photographed the damage. These surveys helped emergency workers assess the situation quickly. Emergency workers used the data to create a detailed map of the affected area. They were then able to transport aid to the people who needed it most.
Drones are also helping to protect endangered wildlife populations in parts of Africa and Asia. Every year, poachers kill thousands of elephants, rhinos, and other endangered animals. To stop them, the environmental organization World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is using drones. Drones are particularly helpful at night, when poachers tend to be most active. Fitted with infrared video cameras, drones can easily identify people and animals in the dark. These drones are not only helpful, but they are affordable. Drones with infrared cameras cost about $20,000 each-the cost of other high-tech tools.
Ironically, a tool originally created for military use is increasingly being used to save lives instead of taking them. Drones have the potential to provide solutions that will benefit both humans and animals.
1. What is the main purpose of Zipline's drones?| A．To transport medicines to people's homes. | B．To get medical supplies after a disaster. |
| C．To identify clinics most in need of medicine. | D．To deliver supplies quickly to remote health clinics. |
| A．Delivering medical supplies. | B．Surveying the storm damage. |
| C．Analyzing weather conditions. | D．Sending emergency messages. |
| A．They can identify poachers at night. | B．They are silent and difficult to detect. |
| C．They are cheaper than other types of drones. | D．They can be used near the ground and in the sky. |
| A．High-Flying Helpers | B．Advanced-Technology Detectors |
| C．Predictions of Future Drone Technology | D．Rise and Fall of Drone Technology |
【推荐3】Smart glasses that send out a sound when an object comes into their field of view could help people who are blind to locate certain items. Blind people can be trained to move via echolocation (回声定位). This involves them sending out a noise that bounces off objects around them, with the returning echoes giving information about their surrounding area.
Inspired by this ability, Howe Zhu at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia and his colleagues wanted to create glasses that similarly give people information about what objects are close to them.
The researchers first took a pair of AR glasses with two front-facing cameras and built-in speakers. They then designed a smartphone app that used deep learning to process the visual information captured by the glasses to identify four objects: a bowl, cup, book and bottle. The team programmed a sound to play from the speakers when one of the objects came into the glasses’ field of view as a wearer scanned their head around a room. Each of the objects was assigned a connected sound. For example, when a book came into view, the wearer heard a page turning.
To test the glasses, the team enlisted seven people with varying degrees of light sense and seven people with no sight issues who were blindfolded. They sat at a table with the four objects arranged on top. When asked to pick up one of the objects, the participants who were either blind or had low vision were able to do so correctly 81%of the time, compared with a 73% success rate for the blindfolded participants.
The researchers now hope to develop this technology to recognize more objects and to allow people to use it while they are walking around.
1. Why does Howe Zhu develop smart glasses?| A．To identify the nearby items. | B．To confirm the returning echoes. |
| C．To enhance the traffic safety level. | D．To test the function of ordinary glasses. |
| A．The outcome of the experiment. | B．The process of the experiment. |
| C．The importance of the experiment. | D．The purpose of the experiment. |
| A．Participants prefer wearing them. | B．Researchers doubt their functions. |
| C．They benefit those with low vision. | D．They catalogue different information. |
| A．Education. | B．Culture. | C．Amusement. | D．Technology. |
