My motivation for starting our family tradition of reading in the car was purely selfish: I could not bear listening to A Sesame Street Christmas for another 10 hours. My three children had been addicted to this cassette on our previous summer’s road trip.
As I began to prepare for our next 500-mile car trip, I came across a book Jim Trelease’s The Read Aloud Handbook. This could be the answer to my problem. I thought. So I put Roald dahl’s James and the Giant Peach into my bag. When I began to read aloud the tale of the boy who escapes the bad guys by hiding inside a giant peach, my three kids argued and wrestled in their seats. But after several lines, they were attracted into the rhythm of the words and began to listen.
We soon learned that the simple pleasure of listening to a well-written book makes the long miles pass more quickly. Sometimes the books we read became highlights of the trip. I read Wilson Rawls’s Summer of the Monkeys as we spent two days driving to the beach. We arrived just behind the power crews restoring (恢复) electricity after a tropical storm. The rain continued most of the week, and the beach was covered with oil washed up by the storm. When we returned home, I asked my son what he liked about the trip. He answered without hesitation, “The book you read in the car.”
Road trips still offer challenges, even though my children now are teenagers. But we continue to read as we roll across the country. And I'm beginning to see that reading aloud has done more than help pass the time. For at least a little while, we are not shut in our own electronic worlds. And maybe we’ve started something that will pass on to the next generation.
1. Why did the author start reading in the car?| A．She wanted to have a better journey. | B．She wanted to keep a family tradition |
| C．Her children were addicted to music. | D．She wanted to kill the time. |
| A．They kept quarrelling. | B．They hid themselves. |
| C．They soon settled down. | D．They continued to fight in their seats. |
| A．They were caught in a storm. | B．They enjoyed reading on the road. |
| C．They had a good time on the beach. | D．They thought it had passed too quickly. |
| A．Better Reading than Traveling | B．Books that Changed My Children |
| C．Road Trips Full of Challenges | D．Reading Makes Great Road Trips |
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【推荐1】We went to the T. B. Blackstone Library, not far from Lake Michigan. You could easily miss the building if you didn’t know what you were looking for. But once you were inside, you could never mistake it for anything else. We passed through two sets of heavy brass doors to the lobby (大堂) of the library. And if we turned right then, we could see an alcove ( 壁 龛 ) with tables; this led, in turn, to a big reading room with a gigantic and ancient globe that sat in front of the largest windows. I liked to look at Africa, with the coded colors of the different countries like the Belgian Congo and Rhodesia, and try to remember which countries were fighting to be free just as we were struggling for civil rights. I had heard Daddy talking about the struggle, arguing with the television as someone discussed it on a news show.
One Saturday, as I wandered through the young adult section, I saw a title: Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. I could tell from looking at the shelf that she’d written a lot of books, but I didn’t know anything about her. I had learned from experience that titles weren’t everything. A book that sounded great on the shelf could be dull once you got it home, and every bad book I brought home meant one less book to read until we went back in two weeks. So I sat in a chair near the shelves to skim the first paragraphs:
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. “It’s so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
“I don’t think it’s fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
“We’ve got Father and Mother and each other,” said Beth contentedly from her corner.
It was a good thing I’d already decided on some other books to take home, because I didn’t look through the rest of the section that day. I read and read and read Little Women until it was time to walk home, and, except for a few essential interruptions like sleeping and eating, I would not put it down until the end. Even the freedom to watch weekend television held no appeal for me in the wake of Alcott’s story. It was about girls, for one thing, girls who could almost be like me, especially Jo. It seemed to me a shame that she wasn’t Black; then our similarity would be complete. She loved to read, she loved to make up plays, she hated acting ladylike, and she had a dreadful temper. I had found a kindred (亲属关系) spirit.
1. What can be learned about the author’s father according to Paragraph One?| A．He had strong feelings about the Civil Rights movement. |
| B．He was uncomfortable discussing politics with his children. |
| C．He did not approve of most news covered on TV. |
| D．He generally had a pessimistic world view. |
| A．books seem duller when read in libraries than when read at home |
| B．book titles can sometimes be misleading |
| C．novels are usually more interesting than nonfiction works |
| D．interesting books are often very dull in their first few paragraphs |
| A．explain a child’s misunderstanding |
| B．describe a young reader’s sense of history |
| C．illustrate the suddenness of a decision |
| D．convey the impact of an unexpected discovery |
| A．challenge an interpretation | B．stress a comparison |
| C．highlight some differences | D．develop a disapproving opinion |
| A. When a child should learn to read B. Why it is fun to teach a child reading C. What if a child has reading problems D. How you prepare a young child for reading E. What is the best way to teach a child reading F. Whether reading early promises later achievements |
Learning to read early has become one of those indicators — in parents' minds at least – that their child is smart. In fact, reading early has very little to do with whether a child is successful academically. Research has shown that difficulty with reading is often due not to inferior intelligence but to differences in the developmental wiring of each individual child. In some cases, there are neurological problems and developmental lags that can be overcome with proper training.
2. ______________
Traditionally, American schools teach children at age six, but many schools begin teaching informally in kindergarten and pre-kindergarten. If parents start too early to encourage reading, and a child does not immediately succeed, the parent has a hard time relaxing and letting the child go at his or her own pace.
3. ___________
Over the years, research has proved that the use of both the “whole language" method and the "phonic" method works best for a child to master reading. While the whole language approach, which includes reading to children and getting them interested in both the activity of reading and the story they are reading, is helpful, phonics must be taught. Children must be taught that one of the squiggles they see is a "p" and another a "b". Getting the print off the page requires a different ability than being able to understand the meaning of what is written.
4. _______________
You can start developing the skills needed in reading at a very young age without putting any pressure on children. Besides reading to them, parents can start "ear training" their child by playing thyme games. This develops the child's ability to recognize different sounds. In reading to children, parents also can point to words as they go, teaching the child that the funny lines on the page are the words you are saying. All this should be a fun activity.
5. _____________
Once a child is in school, the learning of reading is inevitably more serious. For children who have some kind of reading difficulty, you must get a professional diagnosis. While the teacher might say the child is merely disinterested but will get over it, disinterest or poor performance in reading can stem from a number of things, some being very specific learning disabilities that can be identified and worked on. But it is very tricky for parents to deal with their own child's learning disabilities.
【推荐3】Reading for pleasure can be an important and enjoyable childhood activity. Unlike listening and spoken language, which develop rapidly and easily in young children, reading is a taught skill and is acquired and developed through specific learning over time. Until now it has been unclear what effect—if any—encouraging children to read from an early age will have on their brain development, cognition(认知) and mental health later in life.
To find out this, researchers from the universities of the UK and China looked at data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) groups in the US. Of the 10,243 participants studied, just under a half had little experience of reading for pleasure or did not begin doing so until later in their childhood. The remaining half had spent between three and ten years reading for pleasure.
The team found a strong link between reading for pleasure at an early age and a positive performance in adolescence on cognitive tests that measured such factors as verbal learning, memory and speech development, and at-school academic achievement. These children also had better mental health, when assessed using a number of clinical scores and reports from parents and teachers, showing fewer signs of stress and depression, as well as improved attention and fewer behavioral problems such as aggression and rule-breaking.
Children who began reading for pleasure earlier also tended to spend less screen time—for example, watching TV or using their smartphone or tablet—during the week and at weekends in their adolescence, and also tended to sleep longer.
The best amount of reading for pleasure as a young child was around 12 hours per week. Beyond this, there appeared to be no additional benefits. Instead, there was a gradual decrease in cognition, which the researchers say may be because they are sedentary and spend little time on other activities that could be cognitively improving, including sports and social activities.
1. What did the research focus on?| A．The state of children’s reading ability. | B．The development of reading for pleasure. |
| C．Effects that early reading has on children. | D．Difficulties in listening, speaking and reading. |
| A．Improve their performance at school. | B．Better their mental pressure. |
| C．Better their observation ability. | D．Reduce their screen and sleeping time. |
| A．Sitting still for a long time. | B．Developing hobbies. |
| C．Taking physical exercise. | D．Participating in community activities. |
| A．Benefits of early reading for pleasure. |
| B．Ways for children to master a taught skill. |
| C．Important and enjoyable childhood activities. |
| D．Cognitive tests measuring academic achievement. |
【推荐1】Travelling by rail holds a romantic and old-fashioned appeal that can’t be matched by flying or driving.
1. The Rocky Mountaineer
Where: Canada, from Vancouver to Banff, Jasper and Calgary.
When: In June, which is springtime in the Rockies, complete with blooming flowers and abundant wildlife.
Duration: Between two and eight days, travelling only in daylight, staying in deluxe hotels.
Highlights: Incredible luxury at every stage of the trip, traditional native storytelling, wine classes.
2. The Chepe
Where: Mexico. It begins its journey in the mountains of Chihuahua and finishes on the Sinaloa coast.
When: In the rainy season, from June to October.
Duration: 14 hours.
Highlights: The train winds its way down through 656 km of the breathtaking Copper Canyon which is deeper than the Grand Canyon, over 37 precarious-looking bridges and through 86 tunnels. Natives sell crafts and local foods along the route.
3. The Ghan
Where: Australia, from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs.
When: Going during the wet season (December, January) will allow you to see more wildlife.
Duration: 52 hours.
Highlights: Going through Australia’s Red Centre with cobalt-blue skies, red earth.
4. The Royal Scotsman
Where: Travels around the Scottish Highlands.
When: Warmer weather in June makes it the perfect time to watch ospreys flying over mirror-like lakes, or go in October for autumn colors.
Duration: Trips can be as short as two days or as long as seven.
Highlights: Indulgent cuisine, fine wines and carriages that look like rooms at Balmoral Castle.
1. What can you do while traveling on the Chepe?
| A．You can taste local foods. | B．You can make crafts with natives. |
| C．You can admire the Grand Canyon. | D．You can listen to traditional native stories. |
| A．The Rocky Mountaineer. | B．The Chepe. |
| C．The Ghan. | D．The Royal Scotsman. |
| A．In June. | B．In July. | C．In October. | D．In December. |
【推荐2】Check off the Four Corners
Arizona，Utah，Colorado and New Mexico are not simply the only four American states that meet at a single point, but they also host the US's greatest concentration of national parks.
This is the place to come for that classic scene of the lonely desert road extending to the horizon. On your way，take in such sights as the Monument Valley and the mysterious remains of centuries-old civilizations in Colorado’s Mesa Verde.
Find beauty in the desert
With many miles of excellent roads，a self-drive trip in Namibia makes total sense. Plan a route north from capital Windhoek to wildlife-rich Etosha National Park，before crossing Damaraland to reach the Skeleton Coast. The most impressive desert views are in the Namib-Naulduft National Park to the south. At Sossusvlei，the landscape takes on the quality of a surrealist painting.
Cross half a continent
The 1,761-mile-long Stuart Highway runs north to south through Australia’s Red Centre. It is not a road where every turn shows new wonders ； the reward of this trip comes in the gradual change in your surroundings, from red soils’ in Australia’s outback to the tropical (热带的） leaves of the Indian Ocean coast.
Take the high road
Among all the crashing of continental plates that raised up the Canadian Rockies, a 144-mile route was left more or less clear at their center. The Icefields Parkway now passes through this amazing scenery； with the access it brings to icy lakes, waterfalls and icefields, the section between Banff and Jasper has a good claim to being the most scenic in the world.
1. Where can you experience ancient civilizations?| A．In Australia's Red Centre. |
| B．In the Canadian Rockies. |
| C．In Colorado’s Mesa Verde. |
| D．In the Namib-Naukluft National Park. |
| A．Explore the Monument Valley. |
| B．Enjoy the striking desert views. |
| C．Save some endangered wildlife. |
| D．Go through the largest national park |
| A．They provide the amazing road adventures. |
| B．They offer new wonders across the world. |
| C．They are for those who love various national parks. |
| D．They are intended to raise environmental awareness. |
【推荐3】Traveling alone gives you the freedom to create your own schedule and do as you please.
Discuss financial plans. Before you travel, you should plan a budget.
Have an honest conversation. If you are thinking about traveling with a companion, take some time to have an open discussion. Schedule a time to sit down and talk. Try saying, “I know we’ve talked about the idea of traveling through Europe together. Let’s have a coffee this week and actually talk that through.”
Find someone who is flexible. Choose a travel partner who can adjust.
| A．Look for someone with common interests. |
| B．You should discuss your goals for the trip. |
| C．Travel with a friend who is pretty easygoing. |
| D．But traveling with a partner has its benefits, too. |
| E．Make sure that you are on the same page concerning money. |
| F．Try to meet your new travel partner in person before your trip. |
| G．No matter how carefully you plan your trip, it is likely that something will go wrong. |
