1 . Stories play a vital role in the growth and development of children. The books they read and the characters they get to know can become like friends. It's also good for children to understand that books are   a useful source of information and that good reading skills are important for success in their future lives.

Children who can read well are more likely to have higher confidence levels. This will benefit them in school as they’ll feel able to participate fully in activities. Another part of building confidence is to know where you fit into the world. Stories can help with this process by showing children what people's lives are like where they live and in other parts of the world.

Stories are a great way to introduce new words and ideas into a child's language--starting with picture books for the very young, working up to more complex novels for teenagers. Fiction based on real life can also help children with their own life experience--it shows them how diverse the world is and that some people's lives are vastly different from theirs. And the process is done in a natural way. There's no actual teaching involved at all, but they learn from simply reading the story.

Reading helps children understand that there are other children who feel the same way and they are not alone. This helps children understand that feelings are normal and should be expressed. Watching their responses to the feelings of the characters in the stories will give you some idea of how a child feels about certain situations and emotions. For example, how the child responds to the character in the story feeling sad or scared will give you some idea of how the child thinks.

As you can see, children's stories are important for a number of reasons and form a vital part of the growing process. Being part of that process can bring children a sense of satisfaction as well as being great fun. So, go and get your children some wonderful books to allow them to enjoy a relaxing bedtime story.

1. What can we know from Paragraph 1?

A．Reading stories benefits children a lot.

B．Reading is the best way to gain information.

C．Reading stories helps children make more friends.

D．Reading skills should be developed at a young age.

2. How could reading stories raise children's confidence?

A．Inspiring children to get good grades.

B．Supporting children's language development.

C．Aiding children with living in a better family environment.

D．Allowing children to explore their suitable positions in society.

3. What does the author think about learning through reading?

A．Unrealistic.

B．Effective.

C．Time-saving

D．Expensive.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Most teenagers are fond of complex novels.

B．Picture books are lacking in real life situations.

C．Most children have difficulty in expressing themselves.

D．Parents can know kids better from kids' reading responses.

2 . We know that reading is good for children. Now, a new study suggests that just being around books has its benefits. A team of researchers in Australia finds that growing up with a large library at home improves literacy (读写能力)，number-sense, and even technological skills in later life. It appeared in the journal Social Science Research.

The researchers were exploring the advantages of scholarly culture. They were interested in a curious observation that some call the “radiation effect”. “Radiation effect is a situation where children grow up around books, but they don't read books. But somehow books benefit them, even though they don't read them as much as their parents wish them to.” Joanna Sikora, a sociologist in Australia. Joana and her colleagues analysed data collected between 2011 and 2015 by the Organization for Economic Development. The survey assessed the literacy, numeracy(计算能力), and technological competency of more than 160 ,000 adults from 31 countries. And it included a question about how many books participants had in their homes during adolescence. “What we were able to make clear was that people growing up around books had better literacy, numeracy and digital problem-solving skills than people who had fewer books growing up but had similar education levels, similar jobs, and even similar adult habits in terms of reading or working at various numeracy-improving activities.”

In fact, teens who only made it through high school but were raised in a bookish environment did as well in adulthood as college graduates who grew up in a house without books. Now, how might mere exposure lead to intellectual improvement? “If we grow up in a house, in a home where parents enjoy books，where books are given as birthday presents and valued, this is something that becomes a part of our identity and gives us this lifelong urge to always come close to books and read more than we would.”

So keep shelves piled with books. Your kids will not only be grateful, they’ll be more likely to be able to spell grateful correctly as well.

1. What's “radiation effect” according to the passage?

A．The terrible effect of radiation on the persons and things.

B．The good influence of bookish environment on adolescents.

C．The beneficial effect of reading books on adolescents.

D．The bad effect of the environment without books on adolescents.

2. How does the exposure to books improve intellect?

A．Books bring a sense of identity and eagerness to read more.

B．Books helps to provide a chance to come close to the society.

C．Books are always given to adolescents as valuable presents.

D．Books will offer the teens an urge to make great achievements.

3. What's the author's attitude towards bookish environment?

A．opposed.	B．neutral.
C．unclear.	D．supportive.

4. What may the author probably be from?

A．A travel brochure.	B．A biology textbook.
C．A science magazine.	D．A history discovery.

3 . The American book “Who Moved My Cheese?”has been a bestseller all over the world. It tells a story which happened between mice and people.     1    

The book tells us that when facing changes in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don’t be afraid.    2    The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students. Several teenagers are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris laughs and tells a story about two mice, two little people and some cheese.

The four are in a maze (迷宫) looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college.    3    The mice realize that they can’t change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people, however, can’t do this.    4    

After Chris finishes the story, his friends understand one thing:    5         His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teenagers face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself.

A．I bought one last week and found it very interesting.

B．Instead, use these changes to make a better life.

C．However, some strange things happened in a school.

D．Its author Spencer Johnson has written the book just for teenagers.

E．to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly.

F．But they find the cheese is gone.

G．They are afraid of the change so they find no cheese.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

It’s one of the     1     (great) novels in world literature. First published in 1791, A Dream of Red Mansions, also     2     (know) as The Story of the Stone, is to Chinese people as William Shakespeare’s famous plays are to westerners.

The novel,     3     reflects the history of the Qing Dynasty, follows the rise and fall of the noble Jia family. Originally, the family seems     4     (be) wealthy and powerful, thanks in part to its close relationships with the royal family. Yet, the heir to the family, Jia Baoyu, enjoys     5     (live) a pure, carefree life, having no interest     6     politics at all.

Expected to pair with Xue Baochai, Jia     7     (stay) glued to his delicately brilliant cousin, Lin Daiyu. As the lovers head toward a tragic end, the family falls on hard times, fading away eventually.

The     8     (appreciate) of the classic novel is surely both a pleasant treat and a bittersome challenge. As always, the novel has experienced various adaptations. Making the detailed 120-chapter novel into just several hours is     9     (absolute) no piece of cake. “Still, choices have to be made,” the opera’s stage director Stan Lai concluded. “For everyone else, the challenge is to make it     10     excellent opera.”

5 . How parents can help children with reading skills

Making sure that your children read well can help them perform better in school and increase their confidence in their ability to communicate well. The following ways can be very helpful.

Have your children read to you.

Have your children choose their favorite book and sit down to read with you each evening.     1     It doesn't matter whether that starts after dinner or around the time your children go to sleep.

Stock (储备) your house with reading materials.

    2     It is reported that children who have different kinds of books and magazines to choose from at home actually score higher on standardized tests.

    3    

Researchers suggest having your children read signs on the road, menus, game directions, movie listings and other daily things. This will help your children try to understand the importance and applicability (适用性) of being able to read well.

Pay attention to reading problems.

See how well your children can sound out words, understand what they have read and use reading context (上下文) to understand the meaning of new words.     4     For example, you can take them to reading learning centers.

Use other reading tools.

    5     Take games as an example, try to use them as much as you can, since they can make children look forward to and enjoy the process (过程) of improving their reading ability.

A．Read wherever it is possible.

B．Take your children to a library.

C．Make reading an important part of each day.

D．Keep some reading materials available in your house.

E．Games, textbooks and books on tape are good choices.

F．If your children have difficulty reading, get them some help.

G．You should watch your children's progress with their reading skills.

6 . 某英文报社举办以 “I Like Reading”为主题的征文活动， 你打算投稿。 请根据以下要点些一篇短文：
　　1．你为什么喜欢读书；
　　2．你喜欢读哪一类的书（例如：历史、科学、文学等）？请给出至少两个理由。
　　注意：词数120左右；

7 . How do you deal with hunger of your stomach？ Eat your favorite meal and keep quiet after that？    1     But it never lets you know， because you keep it busy thinking about your friends or favorite stars.So it silently serves your needs and never lets itself grow.When mind loses its freedom to grow， creativity sets a full stop.This might be the reason why we all sometimes think “What happens next？”， “Why can’t I think？”

    2     Why reading but not watching TV？ It is because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from childhood.Since it develops other aspects of our life， we have to get help from reading.

Once you read a book， you run your eyes through the lines and your mind tries to explain something to you.     3       Now this seed is unknowingly used by you to develop new ideas.If it is used many times， the same seed can give you great help to relate a lot of things， which you would have never thought of in your wildest dreams！

This is nothing but creativity.     4     Within no time you can start talking with your friends in English or any other language and never run out of the right words.

So guys， do give food to your thoughts by reading， reading and more reading.     5       Go and grab a book！

A．Hunger of the mind can be actually solved through wide reading.

B．Also this makes a great contribution to your vocabulary.

C．Reading can help you make more friends as well.

D．Now what are you waiting for？

E．Just like your stomach， your mind is also hungry.

F．Why not do some reading while you are hungry？

G．The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed.

8 . Teens and younger children are reading a lot less for fun, according to a Common Sense Media report published Monday.

While the decline over the past decade is steep for teen readers, some data in the report shows that reading remains a big part of many children’s lives, and indicates how parents might help encourage more reading.

According to the report’s key findings, “the proportion (比例) who say they ‘hardly ever’ read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds in 1984 to 22 percent and 27 percent respectively today.”

The report data shows that pleasure reading levels for younger children, ages 2—8, remain largely the same. But the amount of time spent in reading each session has declined, from closer to an hour or more to closer to a half hour per session.

When it comes to technology and reading, the report does little to counsel(建议) parents looking for data about the effect of e-readers and tablets on reading. It does point out that many parents still limit electronic reading, mainly due to concerns about increased screen time.

The most hopeful data shared in the report shows clear evidence of parents serving as examples and important guides for their kids when it comes to reading. Data shows that kids and teens who do read frequently, compared to infrequent readers, have more books in the home, more books purchased for them, parents who read more often, and parents who set aside time for them to read.

As the end of school approaches, and school vacation reading lists loom(逼近) ahead, parents might take this chance to step in and make their own summer reading list and plan a family trip to the library or bookstore.

1. What is the Common Sense Media report probably about?

A．Children’s reading habits.

B．Quality of children’s books.

C．Children’s after-class activities.

D．Parent-child relationships.

2. Where can you find the data that best supports “children are reading a lot less for fun”?

A．In paragraph 2.	B．In paragraph 3.
C．In paragraph 4.	D．In paragraph 5.

3. Why do many parents limit electronic reading?

A．E-books are of poor quality.

B．It could be a waste of time.

C．It may harm children’s health.

D．E-readers are expensive.

4. How should parents encourage their children to read more?

A．Act as role models for them.

B．Ask them to write book reports.

C．Set up reading groups for them.

D．Talk with their reading class teachers.

9 . Benefits of Reading

The benefits of reading start with the first book a baby hears and continue into childhood and throughout the child’s life. Here are some reasons why reading is important.

Reading teaches children about the world around them.     1    They are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from those which surround them. This builds a store of background knowledge, which helps younger children learn to read confidently.

    2    When we read, our brains translate the descriptions we read of people , places and things into pictures. When we are reading a story, we are also imagining how the characters are feeling. We use our own experiences to imagine how we would feel in the same situation

Children who read do better at school. And they don’t just do better at subjects like reading, English and history.     3    

Reading is a great form of entertainment! A paperback book or an e-reader doesn’t take up much space so you can take it anywhere and you’ll never be lonely or bored if you have a book in your bag.     4    

Reading relaxes the body and calms the mind.     5    The constant movement, flashing lights and noise are quite stressful for our brains. When we read in silence, the black print on a white page is much less stressful for our eyes and brains.

A．Reading improves concentration.

B．Reading develops a child’s imagination.

C．We seem to have forgotten how to relax and how to be silent.

D．Children learn new words and greatly enlarge their vocabulary.

E．They do better at all subjects and they do better all the day through school.

F．You can read while waiting for a friend or during a flight delay at an airport.

G．By reading, children learn about people, places and events outside their own experience.

10 . Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve

Published by OUP Press

ISBN: 978-0-192-73455-6

Oliver grew up in a family of explorers—but his biggest adventure is about to begin! Along with his new friends, Oliver goes off to look for his missing parents.

I really like this book because it’s not one of those short stories that are over too quickly, but a longish book that takes time to read. I recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

Ginny, age 8

Lady Lydia: Read Me a Story by Anne Lavis

Published by A H Stockwell

ISBN: 978-0-722-34327-2

Lady Lydia is old and eccentric (古怪的), but she is never lonely. She shares her home with bats and mice and spiders, and all the animals round about are her friends too.

My lovely daughter Alice likes all the pictures of the animals in this book, but she doesn’t like it when the pages have lots of writing on with no pictures. Alice rates this book 2 out of 5.

Alice, age 4

I Am a Woolly Hat (EARLY READER) by Salma Koraytem

Published by Orion Books

ISBN: 978-1-444-00844-9

Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together.

This book makes my sweetheart Lucie feel lovely inside and the drawing are not as good because the colors are not bright like other books. Lucie rates this book 3 out of 5.

Lucie, age 4

A Royal Fairytale by Ink Robin

Published by Egmont

ISBN: 978-1-405-26843-1

See Kate and Will’s romance develop from their studying days at Edinburgh through to their happy wedding at Buckingham Palace with the royal family, even the queen, in tow.

My little angel Amy likes the book. The best parts are the wedding and fireworks as she likes fireworks and the colors on the page are really bright. Amy rates it 4 out of 5.

Amy, age 4

1. Which book might an animal lover prefer?

A．A Royal Fairytale.	B．Oliver and the Seawigs.
C．Lady Lydia: Read Me a Story.	D．I Am a Woolly Hat (EARLY READER).

2. Who likes bright colors?

A．Ginny and Alice.	B．Lucie and Amy.
C．Ginny and Amy.	D．Alice and Lucie.

3. Whose book shows romance and happiness?

A．Philip Reeve.	B．Anne Lavis.
C．Salma Koraytem.	D．Ink Robin.