1 . The World-Famous Nine

By Ben Guterson, illustrated by Kristina Kister

Zander’s grandmother owns the most incredible department store in the world. When a string of mysterious accidents start happening at the store, Zander’s grandmother tells him that a monster called Darkbloom may have returned. The monster, which can control people, wants a magical object that disappeared from the store decades ago. Zander notices that walls on many floors contain mysterious symbols and takes them down in his notebook. Will the 11-year-old boy be able to solve the puzzle and secure the object before Darkbloom does? Packed with suspense, fascination, and a family drama, this mystery may remind you of a cross between Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Ask the Author

The Week: What inspired this book?

Ben Guterson: When I was growing up, Seattle had two big department stores. Something about these big buildings held many possibilities for mystery and discovery to me.

The Week: Why is Zander close to his grandmother?

Ben Guterson: I didn’t want Zander to be alone, so he’s got his loving grandmother there to give him some guidance and keep him safe.

The Week: Do you enjoy mysteries?

Ben Guterson: Yes, I like stories with a mysterious feel to them. I don’t think I have ever been drawn to straightforward realism.

1. What can we learn about Zander?

A．He grows up in Seattle.	B．He lives alone at a store.
C．He wishes to be a magician.	D．He wants to defeat Darkbloom.

2. Who will most probably find the The World-Famous Nine fascinating?

A．A kid loving true-life stories.	B．A kid enjoying fictional works.
C．A kid interested in grandma’s dishes.	D．A kid drawn to online store shopping.

3. What is the text?

A．A writer’s profile.	B．An interview outline.
C．A children’s story.	D．A book recommendation.

2 . The open-air bookstalls (书摊) that line the River Seine are as symbolic of Paris as the Louvre or the Arc de Triomphe. But most of the boxy, dark green stalls must be temporarily removed before the 2024 Summer Olympics for what officials say are security reasons.

Organizers in Paris are aiming to bring back magnificence to the Games, which begin on July 26. The opening ceremony will take place not in a stadium, but along the Seine, with thousands of Olympic athletes riding on a flotilla (船队)of 160 boats before hundreds of thousands of visitors on the river’s banks. The ceremony’s unusual format poses security headaches, for both the International Olympic committee and the Paris police, who said they had concerns that bombs could be hidden in the stalls.

The booksellers, known as “les bouquinistes”, have said they will not compromise, calling the order issued by the Paris police chief last week an affront to the French capital’s history and soul. “Paris without the bouquinistes is like Venice without the boats,” said Jean-Pierre Mathias, 76, who has had a stall along the Seine for about four decades.

Open every day from morning until dusk, the bouquinistes are both a scene along the riverside and a symbol of Paris’s literary culture, attracting curious tourists and locals looking for rare books. The tradition dates back to at least the 17th century and by the 19th century, Napoleon gave approval to the bookstalls, popular with intellectuals and writers, and they became permanent.

The city’s mayor (市长), Anne Hidalgo, initially highlighted the booksellers’ importance to the city and suggested an alternative plan that would keep the stall s in place once the police confirmed they were not a security threat. But that plan was no longer under consideration because the police declared it necessary to remove the stalls for safety, a spokeswoman for Ms. Hidalgo said on Tuesday.

1. The bookstalls must be removed before the Olympics due to ________.

A．traffic crowdedness

B．audience attention

C．potential danger

D．ceremony chaos

2. What does the underlined word “affront” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Doubt.

B．Shame.

C．Claim.

D．Appeal.

3. What is the mayor’s attitude towards the removal?

A．Objective.

B．Indifferent.

C．Approving.

D．Opposed.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Paris bookstalls, a symbol of French culture

B．Paris bookstalls, a welcomed tourist attraction

C．Paris bookstalls gaining support from citizens

D．Paris bookstalls facing the relocation order