1 . Bring a new story home with you today
Intra-Operative Monitoring: A Comprehensive Approach
Donald Farrell M.D.
www.xlibris.com
Paperback $92.99 | E-book $3.99
This book introduces the basics of evoked potentials(诱发电位)and their use as a diagnostic tool and as an intra-operative tool to reduce injury during surgery on the central and secondary nervous systems.
Retribution: A Jack Sanders Novelette
Philip Barnard
www.xlibris.com
Hardback $24.99 | Paperback $15.99 | E-book $3.99
Horrified by what he finds, clinical psychologist Dr. Jack involves himself in a dangerous journey in an attempt to apologize for his family’s murderous behavior.
Energy Made Easy: Helping Citizens Become Energy-Literate
Ronald Stein / Todd Royal
www.xlibris.com
Hardback $29.99 | Paperback $19.99 | E-book $3.99
From renewable intermittent(间歇性的)electricity to global warming and electrical nets, Energy Made Easy brings easy-to-read, layman’s explanations to complex issues helping citizens become energy-literate.
Nature Is My Teacher: Baby Steps to Follow Mother Nature
Prabhash Karan
www.xlibris.com
Hardback $26.99 | Paperback $18.99 | E-book $3.99
Mother has been and will always remain the same with love, devotion, and dedication; and giving nature the features of a mother-life-giving and fostering-is simply personification as a caring mother. When Mother Nature teaches, we learn. Nature Is My Teacher reveals the deep emotional connection between human evolution and civilization.
1. What do Retribution and Energy Made Easy have in common?A.They have the same topic. | B.They have the same author. |
C.They introduce the similar experiences. | D.They have the same price of the e-book. |
A.Intra-Operative Monitoring. | B.Retribution. |
C.Energy Made Easy. | D.Nature Is My Teacher. |
A.Economy. | B.Advertisement. | C.Fashion. | D.Entertainment. |
2 . If your bookshelf is looking a little empty and collecting dust, or you’re trying to start reading more, a book box will do it all for you and send you an accurate selection from your favourites.
Finding the right book subscription can be tricky, though, which is why we’ve gathered some of the best book subscription boxes in Australia for you to enjoy.
Bionic Book Subscription, $75 per six months at Etsy
This personalized book subscription service will send you books via an algorithm (算法) that learns your taste preferences to select and send books you’ll love. You can enjoy a mix of new and recent releases across fiction and contemporary classics.
Mystery Book Subscription Box, $99.95 per quarter at Isubscribe
Enjoy a great selection of pre-loved books, coming straight to your door, with a range of extras to keep you reading comfortable. You can expect to receive three or six books sent to you month by month, according to your choice.
“Purchased as a gift subscription for Father’s Day and he absolutely loves it! Such a fantastic and unique option for a book lover yourself or a loved one,” a five-star reviewer said.
Australian Magazine Subscription, $36.99 per month at Magshop
Magshop features all of the top selling Australian magazine subscriptions in one place, making it easy for you to enjoy your favourites. You’ll find all kinds of books—from entertainment, lifestyle, fashion and beauty to games and puzzles, health and fitness, cooking, homes, and so much more.
Ultimate Mystery Book Subscription Box, $190 per year at Etsy
Sent to you month by month, each box contains three or six great books with one hand-drawn bookmark, a new handmade candle in a variety of colours, smells and containers, and a new pair of socks.
“Got 2/3 books so far and I’m loving the selection! Can’t believe I got a perfect-condition hardcover on my first go. It was an amazing surprise. The custom little bookmarks are cute too. I’d recommend this subscription in a heartbeat and can’t wait to purchase a second round,” a five-star reviewer said.
1. Which one is the least costly if you subscribe for a year?A.Bionic Book Subscription. |
B.Mystery Book Subscription Box. |
C.Australian Magazine Subscription. |
D.Ultimate Mystery Book Subscription Box. |
A.It covers a wide range of interest. |
B.It contains extra hand-made items. |
C.It can be purchased as a gift subscription. |
D.It learns readers’ taste preferences via an algorithm. |
A.A supply of top-selling books. | B.A service of monthly delivery. |
C.A mix of new and recent releases. | D.A selection of amazing hardcovers. |
Should Writers Be Paid for Their E-books Lent by Libraries?
When libraries lend books to the public, authors and publishers receive remuneration from the Government under the Lending Rights schemes.
This year, the government has distributed almost a $ 22 million under these Public Lending Rights and Educational Lending Rights Schemes. For each book in public library collections creators receive $2.11 and publishers receive $0.52.
The amount that each claimant receives is often not very significant, with the majority of authors receiving between S100-500 annually, Still, a previous study has revealed that this remuneration constitutes the second most important source of income for creators from their creative work.
E-books, however, are not covered by these Lending Rights schemes.
One of the main reasons why e-books are not covered is that e-book lending is quite different from print book lending. In case of print books, authors and publishers are arguably losing on customers and revenues when libraries loan their books for free.Creators only receive $2.11 and publishers receive $0.52 for each book in public library collections.
At present, in the case of e-books, many publishers chose not to sell these books to libraries.
While publishers charge libraries high prices for e-books, writers complain that these amounts do not reach them. Publishing contracts often don't specify whether and how much authors receive for e-books sales or for e-lending.
A.However,this is not the case when libraries lend e-books. |
B.This may not be a big issue now, for e-books are minor in publishing. |
C.Also, publishers assume get more profits from libraries where readers pay them more. |
D.Publishing contracts often don't specify whether and how much authors receive for e-books sales or for e-lending. |
E.Extension alone would do little if the current funds under the schemes were merely re-distributed from books to e-books. |
F.For this reason, authors and publishers have been talking the Government into extending the Lending Rights Schemes to e-books. |
4 . Pigeons have a bad reputation. Maybe these birds’ familiarity makes them an easy target: They are common residents of every continent, save Antarctica. Some people think pigeons are dirty or diseased, as they spend chunks of their days pecking at trash. Others might ignore them entirely, or perhaps go so far as to call them “rats with wings.” But Rosemary Mosco, a science writer, cartoonist, and naturalist, believes these creatures deserve more respect. “We’ve gotten them super wrong,” she says.
In Mosco’s latest book, A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching, she shares her positive views of the species that fell from grace. Once highly valued for their meat, and way finding abilities, pigeons are now largely rejected by human society. But Mosco, a lifelong city-dweller, has always found them fascinating. “If you do watch them, you’re just entranced,” she says. Her travel-sized book details pigeons’ coloration, field marks, and anatomy (解剖结构). But it’s more than a field guide. It’s also an informative account of pigeon history, biology, and behavior, complete with Mosco’s delightful illustrations.
Because pigeons’ fates are so connected with our own, pigeon history closely mirrors ours. Pigeons were distributed across the globe due to centuries of European exploration and colonization. In North America colonists hunted the native Passenger Pigeon for meat and destroyed its native forest habitat, driving it to extinction. Wherever humans domesticated pigeons, some escaped and went wild. Today’s city pigeons are descended from those birds.
Mosco says she’s met more birders who like pigeons than those who hate them. Birders, with well-developed observation skills, can understand pigeons’ entertaining behavior, she says. Plus, if pigeons aren’t enough of a draw on their own, there could be predators, such as hawks or falcons, nearby.
She wants all her readers to be kind to pigeons. But she also hopes that some will follow their pigeon fancy and become hooked on birding. “It’s my secret plot,” she says. After reading her book, you may agree with her that pigeons are as worthy a spark bird as any other.
1. What do the underlined words “fell from grace” mean in paragraph 2?A.Live in danger. | B.Push the envelope. |
C.Play with fire. | D.Get out of favor. |
A.It covers detailed pigeon science with illustrations. |
B.It shows the author’s views of a particular subject. |
C.It features numerous beautiful images and diverse cultures. |
D.It conveys some views of theories accepted widely. |
A.To learn more about pigeon history and biology. |
B.To be fond of birding and follow their pigeon interest. |
C.To stop hating pigeons and start respecting them more. |
D.To understand pigeons’ behavior and appreciate their beauty. |
A.A chapter of a book. | B.A book introduction. |
C.An animal story. | D.An academic paper. |
5 . 听下面一段对话,回答以下小题。
1. What sport does the man like to watch only?A.Football. | B.Golf. | C.Skating. |
A.It is more of a hobby. | B.It is dangerous. | C.It is good for the body. |
A.Doing some running. | B.Playing tennis. | C.Watching a game. |
1. Why does the man often go to the concert?
A.To accompany the woman. |
B.To learn from others. |
C.To improve his singing. |
A.Playing the piano. |
B.Listening to music. |
C.Practising the violin. |
A.A famous music school. |
B.The man’s uncle’s home. |
C.A musical instrument store. |
1. Which is the feature of a flea market according to the man?
A.It is unable to offer rare books. |
B.It is usually in a garage. |
C.It sells second-hand goods. |
A.Favorable. | B.Uncaring. | C.Negative. |
A.It is pretty but expensive. |
B.The color suits the man. |
C.Its design is not interesting. |
8 . Like many people over the past few years, I have found myself turning to audiobooks as my main means of reading literature. I find it far more comfortable to “read with my ears” while my eyes are resting. My consumption of new books has doubled as a result--but a recent paper makes me wonder if this will come at the price of my comprehension.
The study comes from Boaz Keysar and Janet Geipel, both at the University of Chicago, and it draws from the “dual process model” of mental processing. According to this-view, we have two ways of assessing information. System 1 is intuitive (直觉的), relying on natural ability and feeling. It is quick, but likely exposed to misinformation. System 2 is analytical involving the use of logic reasoning. It is mentally demanding. When it is engaged, we think our way through the material step by step. For decades, psychologists have designed various tests to determine which of these two systems a person is using. As one example, consider the/ following question: How many animals of each kind did Moses take on the Ark (方舟)? If you answered two, you were probably only considering the core of the question, which is System 1 thinking. To get to the right answer-zero, you need to think more carefully about the wording, which would allow you to remember it was Noah who built the Ark, not Moses. That is the kind of analytical process.
Keysar and Geipel’s brilliant idea was to investigate whether the sensory form-seeing vs. hearing-of the information would make a difference. They found that it did: when answering these kinds of simple questions, participants were more likely to make errors when the sentences were spoken out loud, rather than written.
A greater reliance on our feelings could be a problem if we are consuming information that needs logical study. For this reason. I will return to reading non-fiction with my eyes rather than my ears. But I won’t stop listening to novels. I am quite happy to go with the flow of my emotions while my critical mind takes a break.
1. What does the author think of listening to audiobooks?A.It is economical. | B.It is demanding. |
C.It is time-consuming. | D.It is relaxing. |
A.Fairly reliable. | B.Fully automatic. |
C.Question-centered. | D.Emotion-involved. |
A.To present a fact. | B.To illustrate a view. |
C.To introduce a topic. | D.To draw a conclusion. |
A.Listening to books comes at a price. |
B.Reading non-fiction books benefits. |
C.Critical thinking is a must in reading. |
D.Ways of processing information differ. |
1. What do we know about Henry?
A.He can’t play the guitar. |
B.He had no musical training. |
C.He plays the piano very well. |
A.When he was in primary school. |
B.When he was in high school. |
C.When he was in college. |
A.It was costly. | B.It was dull. | C.It was time consuming. |
10 . Four Best Books of 2023
The Berry Pickers
by Amanda Peters
After their youngest daughter, Ruthie, disappears during a summer of berry-picking in Maine, a Micmac family from Nova Scotia struggles to move forward. Indigenous Voices Award winner Amanda Peters delivers an un-put-down-able novel of identity, forgiveness, and insistent hope.
The House of Doors
by Tan Twan Eng
This atmospheric novel, set in 1920s Malaysia, tells of a famous author bent on uncovering secrets for storytelling materials. Tan Twan Eng weaves love, duty, betrayal and colonialism into the narrative.
The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789
by Robert Darnton
This interesting history of the decades leading up to the French Revolution offers a populist account of a crazy political moment. Darnton goes beyond what everyday people thought and said to attract readers to what anxious Parisians read, wore, ate and sang on the way to toppling (推翻) the rule of Louis XVI.
The Soul of Civility
by Alexandra Hudson
What can the world’s oldest book teach us about civility (礼貌) today? Alexandra Hudson’s thoughtful and fluent book on how to live well together draws on literature from The Teachings of Ptahhotep, written 4,500 years ago in Egypt, to Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter From Birmingham Jail.
1. What is the main theme of The Berry Pickers?A.The life of a carefree girl. |
B.The history of berry-picking in Maine. |
C.The situation before the French Revolution. |
D.The stories of identity, forgiveness and hope. |
A.A family in Maine. | B.Malaysia in the 1920s. |
C.The French Revolution. | D.Egypt 4,500 years ago. |
A.Alexandra Hudson. | B.Robert Darnton. | C.Tan Twan Eng. | D.Amanda Peters. |