1 . Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now, the website Book Crossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.

Members go on the site and register (登记) the books they own and would like to share. Book Crossing provides an identification number (识别码) to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place, hoping that the book will have an adventure, traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.

Bruce Pederson, the managing director of Book Crossing, says, “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. Book Crossing combines both.”

Members leave books on park benches and buses, in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.

People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E— mails are then sent to the BookCrossers to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Pederson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.

Book Crossing is part of a trend (趋势) among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual (虚拟).The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty—five countries.

1. Why does the author mention book groups in the first paragraph?

A．To explain what they are.	B．To introduce Book Crossing.
C．To stress the importance of reading.	D．To encourage readers to share their ideas.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．An adventure.	B．A public place.
C．The book.	D．The identification number.

3. What will a Book Crosser do with a book after reading it?

A．Keep it safe in his bookcase.	B．Mail it back to its owner.
C．Meet other readers to discuss it.	D．Pass it on to another reader.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Online Reading: A Virtual Tour	B．Electronic Books: A New Trend
C．A Book Group Brings Tradition Back	D．A Website Links People through Books

5 . As we grow old, we realize that we have so little time to read and there are so many great books that we’ve yet to get around to. Yet re­readers are everywhere around us. For certain fans, re-reading The Lord of the Rings is a traditional practice annually. One friend told me that Jane Austen’s Emma can still surprise him, despite his having read it over 50 times.

New sudden clear understandings can be gained from the process of re-reading. Journalist Rebecca Mead, a long-time English woman in New York, first came across George Eliot’s Middlemarch at 17. Since then, she has read it again every five years. With each re­reading, it has opened up further; in each chapter of her life, it has resonated (引起共鸣) differently. Mead evidenced the large number of ways in which really good books not only stand the test of repeated reading, but also offer fresh gifts each time we crack their spines. These kinds of books grow with us.

Scientists have also recognized the mental health benefits of re-reading. Research conducted with readers in the US found that on our first reading, we are concerned with the “what” and the “why”. Second time round, we’re able to better appreciate the emotions that the plot continues to express. As researcher Cristel Russell of the American University explained, returning to a book “brings new or renewed appreciation of both the great book and its readers.”

It’s true that we often find former selves on the pages of old books (if we’re fond of making notes on the pages). These texts can carry us back to a time and place, and remind us of the kind of person that we were then. We’re changed not only by living experience but also by reading experience. More than the movie director, the writer calls upon our imaginations, using words to lead us to experience mixed feelings in literature.   

Re-reading a book takes up more time, but as Mead confirms, the rewards make it extremely worthwhile.

1. The two books are mentioned in Paragraph 1 mainly to________.

A．attract the attention of readers	B．introduce the topic of the passage
C．provide some background information	D．show the similarity between re­readers

2. The underlined expression “crack their spines” in Paragraph 2 refers to________.

A．recite them

B．re­read them

C．recall them

D．retell them

3. It can be learned from the passage that________.

A．reading benefits people both physically and mentally

B．readers mainly focus on feelings on their first reading

C．we know ourselves better through re­reading experience

D．writers inspire the same imaginations as film directors do

4. The purpose of the passage is to________.

A．call on different understandings of old books

B．focus on the mental health benefits of reading

C．bring awareness to the significance of re­reading

D．introduce the effective ways of re­reading old books

6 . I have a special place in my heart for libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader, sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties, I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.

My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old .It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.

As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source(来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library, where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.

I always read ,using different voices ,as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it !It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books .

Now, I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on form generation to generation.

As a novelist, I’ve found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can’t afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven(避风港) for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries, in their own way, help fight book piracy(盗版行为) and 1 think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.

1. Which word best describes the author’s relationship with books as a child?

A．Cooperative.

B．Uneasy.

C．Inseparable.

D．Casual.

2. What does the underlined phrase “an added meaning” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Pleasure from working in the library.

B．Joy of reading passed on in the family.

C．Wonderment from acting out the stories.

D．A closer bond developed with the readers.

3. What does the author call on other writers to do?

A．Sponsor book fairs.	B．Write for social media.
C．Support libraries.	D．Purchase her novels.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Reading: A Source of Knowledge

B．My Idea about writing

C．Library: A Haven for the Young

D．My Love of the Library

7 . My challenge for you is this： to read a book for 15minutes every single day for a month.

Let me explain a bit, by telling you where the challenge came from. I have many things in common with my dad, like music taste and sense of humor, but sadly reading isn't one of them. I can happily spend a whole day with a book, but my dad can't read a book for longer than about 5 minutes. He reads emails, websites and papers for work, but not books. He's busy, so I think sitting down to read for just 15minutes a day is a good way to relax and to introduce him to reading.

My dad is not the only person who avoids books. I know lots of people would rather relax on their computers or in front of the TV. Everyone is different and has their own interests, but I think there are lots of benefits to reading, which screen﹣based activities don't have.

Firstly, it's better for your eyes. Looking at screens can be very stressful for your eye muscles, and clearly you should avoid looking at screens for an hour before bed, to get a good night's sleep．

One thing I personally love reading, is being transported to another world﹣I often forget the time or things around me! Reading is a great way to switch off before you go to bed, because you think more about the world of the book, rather than the real world, so you can truly relax. I know you can be transported to a different world in a film or a TV show, but I think books do it better．

I also enjoy hearing what people are doing and finding out what they think. Reading gives me the chance to get to know hundreds of new people! It also teaches you to see things from other people's point of view, and understand other people's decisions or opinions. With a book, you can hear everything a character is thinking or feeling﹣you really can be inside someone else's head!

So give it a go! Take 15 minutes when you are waking up, going to bed, eating lunch, or having a coffee. If you read a lot, why not try 15 minutes of an English book, or pass the challenge on to someone else? Good luck, and happy reading!

1. The author mentions his father in the text to show　 　．

A．his father is busy

B．reading is important

C．his father likes reading

D．many people have no habit of reading

2. The author writes the text mainly basing on　 　．

A．his personal experience

B．some scientific experiments

C．his father's personal advice

D．knowledge from books

3. The underlined word "it" in Paragraph 5 refers to　 　．

A．helping readers sleep well

B．making readers feel relaxed

C．transporting readers to a different world

D．reminding readers of the real world

4. What is the author's attitude to reading？

A．Negative．

B．Uncertain．

C．Supportive．

D．Doubtful．

8 . How do young children learn to have good values? How can parents teach their children about the importance of kindness and patience? At a time when more and more parents worry about the violent images(暴力形象) their children see on TV, some are turning to fairy tales(童话).

It is believed that fairy tales have a great influence on children because they describe the two sides of good and evil(邪恶) very clearly. When children hear the stories, they learn to care about others’ feelings. In each tale, they can see that there are many different kinds of people in the world and that we all have a choice about what kind of person we want to be. We can choose to do good actions, rather than bad ones, in our lives.

What kind of values can children learn from fairy tales? In The Princess and the Pea(《豌豆公主》), a poorly dressed girl, who insists she is a princess, is given a difficult test by the Queen. When she passes the test, we learn that her dream comes true because she stays true to herself. In The Little Mermaid(《小美人鱼》), the mermaid, who lives under the sea, wishes to be with the humans on land. Through her experiences, we learn about the importance of living with and accepting other cultures. In Pinocchio, a wooden puppet(木偶) turns into a boy when he finally learns how to tell the truth.

Teaching values is the reason most often given for encouraging children to read stories. These fairy tales can teach children lessons about human relationships that are accepted around the world for many countries. This might be the reason why they have been around for so long and will not disappear any more soon.

1. Why do fairy tales have a great influence on children?

A．Fairy tales can teach them how to make a choice.

B．Fairy tales can help them get higher scores at school.

C．They can learn how to avoid most difficulties in their lives.

D．Good and evil are shown in a way they can easily understand.

2. The Little Mermaid may be helpful when children ________.

A．are given a difficult test	B．make friends with foreigners
C．wish to be a princess or prince	D．are going to lie to their parents

3. The author writes the text mainly to ________.

A．introduce some fairy tales

B．talk about the history of fairy tales

C．discuss how to improve human relationships

D．show how fairy tales help children shape values

9 . One day when I was 12, my mother gave me an order: I was to walk to the public library, and borrow at least one book for the summer. This was one more weapon for her to defeat my strange problem—inability to read.

In the library, I found my way into the “Children’s Room”. I sat down on the floor and pulled a few books off the shelf at random. The cover of a book caught my eye. It presented a picture of a beagle. I had recently had a beagle, the first and only animal companion I ever had as a child. He was my “secret sharer”, but one morning, he was gone, given away to someone who had the space and the money to care for him. I never forgot my beagle.

There on the book’s cover was a beagle which looked identical(相同的) to my dog. I ran my fingers over the picture of the dog on the cover. My eyes ran across the title, Amos: the Beagle with a Plan. Unknowingly, I had read the title. Without opening the book, I borrowed it from the library for the summer.

Under the shade of a brush, I started to read about Amos. I read very, very slowly with difficulty. Though pages were turned slowly, I got the main idea of the story about a dog who, like mine, had been separated from his family and who finally found his way back home. That dog was my dog, and I was the little boy in the book. At the end of the story, my mind continued the final scene of reunion, on and on, until my own lost dog and I were, in my mind, running together

My mother’s call returned me to the real world. I suddenly realized something: I had read a book, and I had loved reading that book. Everyone knew I could not read. But I had read it. Books could be incredibly wonderful and I was going to read them.

I never told my mother about my “miraculous(奇迹)” experience that summer, but she saw a slow but remarkable improvement in my classroom performance during the next year. And years later, she was proud that her son had read thousands of books, was awarded a PhD in literature, and authored his own books, articles, poetry and fiction. The power of the words has held.

1. The author’s mother told him to borrow a book in order to ________.

A．encourage him to do more walking	B．let him spend a meaningful summer
C．help cure him of his reading problem	D．make him learn more about weapons

2. The book caught the author’s eye because________.

A．it reminded him of his own dog

B．he found its title easy to understand

C．it contained pretty pictures of animals

D．he liked children’s stories very much

3. Why could the author manage to read the book through?

A．He was forced by his mother to read it.

B．He identified with（对某事有同感） the story in the book.

C．The book told the story of his pet dog.

D．The happy ending of the story attracted him.

4. Which one could be the best title of the passage?

A．My Passion for Reading	B．Mum’s Strict Order
C．Reunion with My Beagle.	D．The Charm of a Book.

10 . Do students learn as much when they read digitally as they do in print? Investigators have been trying to determine whether students do as well when reading an assigned text on a digital screen as on paper.

A number of researchers have sought to measure learning by asking people to read a passage of text, either in print or on a digital device, and then testing for comprehension.

Most studies have found that participants scored about the same when reading in each medium, though a few have indicated that students performed better on tests when they read in print.

Since in standardized testing, reading passages and answering questions afterwards may tell us little about any deeper level of understanding, some researchers are beginning to pose more subtle questions.

When people were asked to read d story in print or on a digital device and then to reconstruct the plot development, the answer is: Print yielded better results. When people were asked to read by choosing how much time to spend on each platform, the researchers found that participants devoted less time to reading the passage on screen and performed less well on the following comprehension test.

So, how does the learning question relate to educational goals?

To become skilled in critical thinking, students need to be able to handle text. The text may be long, complex or both. To make sense of it, students cannot skim, rush ahead or continually get distracted. So, does reading in print versus on screen build critical thinking skills?

When asked in which medium they felt they concentrated better, 92 percent replied “print”. For long academic reading, 86 percent favored print Participants were also reported to be more likely to reread academic materials if they were in print

What’s more, a number of students indicated they believed print was a better medium for learning. By contrast, in talking about digital screens, students noted “danger of distraction” and “no concentration”.

Evidently, it’s not too hard to tell that a pattern did emerge: Print stood out as the medium for doing serious work.

1. What have the researchers asked participants to do on two reading media?

A．Participants are tested in standardized testing for critical thinking.

B．Participants are allowed to decide the time they spend on each platform.

C．Participants are asked to read a story and then compose a similar plot.

D．Participants are required to write a summary after skimming academic materials.

2. What do researchers find about reading medium?

A．Reading in print is more likely to form a deeper understanding.

B．In standardized reading test, print is distinctively better than screen.

C．Spending a little more time on screen, participants may have a better understanding.

D．Reading on screen is of no benefit to improving reading ability.

3. To achieve educational goals, how can we read a text better?

A．We should delete all the amusement apps from our cellphone.

B．We should read more attentively and be able to analyse the text.

C．We should be able to go through the most materials in the least time.

D．We should search for more documents on digital reading devices.

4. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．Studies on reading media

B．Printed reading: better for serious work

C．Digital screen or Printed paper? Reader decides.

D．Strike a balance on reading media