Andy loved to read. Even when he was a baby, his mother would hold him on her lap and show him picture books. The best part was when his mom or dad tucked him into bed and read to him.
Wherever he went, he always took along a book. When he went to his big brother’s baseball game, everyone watched the players. Not Andy! He sat on the benches and looked at his books.
Everywhere Andy went, he carried a blue and white backpack. All of his friends put water, a snack or games in their backpacks. Not Andy! He put in books-lots and lots of books. There were so many books, and his backpack was so heavy that sometimes he couldn’t even stand up straight!
His dad figured out a way to help Andy. Together, they built a little cart. They worked very hard on this and had lots of fun doing this together. It was the perfect size to carry all of his books. They painted the cart blue, and in big white letters, they wrote, “ANDY’S AMAZING BOOKS”. His friends helped him decorate the cart with bright and colorful designs. They all thought it was so cool, which made Andy feel so proud.
Mrs. Rivera, his teacher, allowed Andy to leave his cart in the back of the classroom. When the children finished their work, they were allowed to go to see what books were in the cart for that day. There were usually books about space, soccer, animals, children from around the world, and many more.
Saturday was Andy’s favorite day of the week. That was the day that he went to the public library with his parents. He couldn’t wait to visit the library to see Mrs. Hamilton, the librarian. She was so friendly and helpful. She always showed him the new books in the children’s section. After filling the cart, he asked his mom, “Can I get a library card today?” “Not yet! You are only one month from being 5 years old,” she replied.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Andy asked his mother, “On which Saturday am I going to get my very own library card?”
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When Andy woke up that Saturday morning, he was all excited to have his birthday party.
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2 . Below are a few examples of very different mothers from different authors, from the classics to modern day examples.
The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
When their father is taken away by two strangers one evening, the lives of Roberta, Peter and Phyliss are broken up. They and their mother are forced to move from their comfortable London home to a simple cottage in the country where their mother writes books to make ends meet. This is such a lovely story of how the children adapt to their new way of life by the railways and of how their mother continues to care for them and bring them up, sometimes to the point we could almost believe she is too good to be true!
The Dwelling Place by Catherine Cookson
Set in County Durham in the 1830s, Cissy Brody and her young siblings are driven out from their farm cottage when both of their parents die of cholera. Determined that she and the children will not enter the frightening workhouse, young Cissy takes on the parental responsibility for them and moves them all to live in a small cave on the moors where they will face many hardships before finding a happy ending.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
In this book, the mother, Mrs March, is the glue that holds the family together through the Civil War as we follow the lives of her daughters, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth. Their father is away serving as a Chaplain in the war and having lost their fortune, their mother must use all her resources to keep the family together, which she does remarkably well.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sometimes garrulous, rude and materialistic, yet strangely likeable, Mrs Bennet leads her five daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia, to suitable marriages. Nothing will stand in her way although sometimes her rather full-on approach does scare away suitable suitors. Sometimes touching and at other times funny, it never fails to make me smile.
1. How does the mother in The Railway Children support her family?| A．By starting her writing career. | B．By selling the comfortable house. |
| C．By working at the railway. | D．By washing clothes for the rich. |
| A．A rich family. | B．The war period. | C．The imaginary future. | D．The countryside. |
| A．The Railway Children. | B．The Dwelling Place. | C．Little Women. | D．Pride and Prejudice. |
3 . Let us continue with all sorts of great books. These four ones are worth reading.
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
Kate Beaton is best known for humor. She tells how hopeless she was to pay off college loans, and she spent two years in her 20s working in the oil fields of Alberta. Beaton also considered how her years in the oil sands affected her own creativity. Her surroundings seemed almost designed to limit her imagination. The book is a vital turning point in the career of an important artist.
Nowhere Better Than Here
In her first middle grade novel, Sarah Guillory has written an exciting story about a brave girl fighting against the effects of climate change. When the worst flood in a century hits, thirteen-year-old Jillian is determined to find a way to keep her hometown Boutin and its spirit alive.
It Won’t Always Be Like This
Malaka Gharib has got a sharp eye for character details. Now in the book, Gharib revisits her teens. She tells about leaving Los Angeles, where she lived with her mother and visiting her father in Egypt every summer. Looking back at this time with adult eyes, she recalls her teen self with a mix of liking and anger.
Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life
It tells the true story of the author Jerry Pinkney’s childhood growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the book, Jerry also mentions his reading and writing problems. Only drawing could offer him a sense of calm, control and confidence. Jerry eventually became one of the most celebrated children’s book illustrators (插图画家) of all time.
1. What did Beaton think of her days in oil fields?| A．It was full of mystery. |
| B．It was helpful to her works. |
| C．It narrowed her imagination. |
| D．It gave her inspiration for drawing. |
| A．Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life. |
| B．It Won’t Always Be Like This. |
| C．Nowhere Better Than Here. |
| D．Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands. |
| A．They both mention the authors’ growth experiences. |
| B．They both describe the scenes of adulthood. |
| C．They both center on climate problems. |
| D．They both tell inspiring stories. |
4 . What do a teacher, a journalist, an artist, a pilot and a mathematics professor have in common? They all became famous British children’s writers.
Enid Blyton
The teacher was Enid Blyton and she started writing in her spare time. Her stories were often about a group of children, and a dog, who visited a different part of the country in each book and had an adventure or solve a mystery — The Famous Five and The Secret Seven.
AA Milne
The journalist AA Milne became famous for writing just two books, the first called Winnie-the-Pooh. There was only one child in his stories, who was actually based on his son, Christopher Robin, before he went to school. The other “people” were either animals or toys.
Beatrix Potter
Artist Beatrix Potter wrote her books about the animals she saw near her country home and she also drew all the pictures for the stories. She gave the animals names, and with the first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, she had the idea of selling a doll and a game too.
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl wrote about his adventures as a pilot, but his most popular stories happened to a boy or girl who met horrible children and adults, or strange animals. Dahl often gave his characters funny names, like Augustus Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Lewis Carroll
But the maths professor wrote the strangest stories of all. Lewis Carroll’s two books are about a girl called Alice who meets unusual animals and people in a dream world. Adults enjoy the books as much as children, perhaps because Carroll loved to play with the meanings of words. An original copy of the first book sold for $ 1.5 million a century after it was first published.
1. What was Enid Blyton doing when she began her writing career?| A．She was looking after a dog. |
| B．She was living in different parts of the country. |
| C．She was working in a school. |
| D．She was having an adventure. |
| A．Beatrix Potter based her characters on local wildlife. |
| B．The characters in Roald Dahl’s books often had funny names. |
| C．Lewis Carroll’s first Alice book was first sold for $1. 5 million when published. |
| D．Only one character in AA Milne’s stories was a person. |
| A．Enid Blyton. | B．Beatrix Potter. | C．AA Milne. | D．Lewis Carroll. |
5 . We tend to put celebrities in boxes. There’s the person who makes us laugh, the one who makes us cry, and the one who always wears the outrageous outfit. But it may surprise you to learn that some of your favorite actors, singers, and comedians have another talent—they are also authors. We’re sharing some of our favorite picture books by those people.
The Spectacular Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson
It's a bit unfair that Emma Thompson is so unbelievably talented, but then again, because she is, we have more Peter Rabbit to love. Building on Beatrix Potter’s classic tales, Emma Thompson brings the naughty Peter to life for another generation.
Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi
Best known for her role as the host of Top Chef and her best-selling cookbooks, Padma Lakshmi has long encouraged children to help in the kitchen. Lakshmi explores family recipes, intergenerational cooking, and the humble tomato in her new picture book.
The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart
I might argue that the world needs more episodes of The Good Place, but I suppose a picture book by its star Kristen Bell will have to do instead. Bell encourages kids to become “purple people”, the people who know who they are and accept others for who they are and, as a result, build more harmonious, loving communities. That sounds like a worthy goal to me.
My Little Brave Girl by Hilary Duff
Every little girl (and even big ones) can use encouragement to be brave, embrace all that the world offers, and remember the vast possibilities available to her. Inspired by her daughter, Hilary Duff delivers a lovely, beautifully illustrated book that provides that reminder.
1. What is Tomatoes for Neela about?| A．Cooking. | B．Acting. | C．Farming. | D．Drawing. |
| A．It is a best-selling book. | B．Two authors created it together. |
| C．It encourages kids to help cook. | D．Its writer is especially talented. |
| A．They make readers laugh. | B．They are written for girls. |
| C．Their authors have other identities. | D．They are adapted from classics. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号 (∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的问用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一损线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Last month, I finish reading Romance of the Three Kingdoms writing by Luo Guanzhong. It is a Chinese historical novel based upon the events what happened between the late Eastern Han Dynasty or the Three Kingdoms. It is praised as one of the Four Great Clas-sical Novels of Chinese literature. I’ve learned a lot of from the novel. I really like reading, which can broaden your horizon and make me learn knowledges. A good book is like a wise man, a teacher, a friend and a partner. I do advise chose a good book to read. If everyone does it regular, the history, culture and many other aspects will handed down from generation to generation.
7 . Well-known author and Henrico resident Meg Medina, who won the 2019 Newbery Medal, today was named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2023~2024. Medina’s most recent book, Merci Suárez Plays It Cool, was published in August 2022, concluding her middle-school trilogy(三部曲). Medina, who has also written picture books and fiction for older teens, will travel throughout the USA, sharing her platform “Cuéntame!: Let’s Talk Books.”
Medina will meet with children at every grade level for conversations about the books they love to read, encouraging them to move beyond talking about a book’s title and basic plot points to how it made them feel or how it’s similar-or dissimilar-to their own lives.
The ambassador program is mainly sponsored by the Library of Congress. Clay Smith, director of library initiatives for the Library of Congress, says ambassadors have to be able to speak to others about reading and writing and to communicate with children in particular. That’s where Medina shines, he says. “She knows how kids think and how they talk,” Smith says. “She’s able to access what’s happening with kids today.”
Smith says that since the turn of the century, there’s been a surge in literature for children, first at the high school level and then during the middle school readers. Additionally, there’re also a larger diversity of authors writing for children, which leads to plotlines and characters that more accurately reflect the country as a whole. “There’s been a push for diversity”, Smith says. “The options should be out there for children to read stories about people who look like them”
Medina agrees children should be empowered to choose the books they want to read for pleasure. She hopes the conversations she has with children about books create the same satisfaction she felt as a child, while encouraging more discussion.
1. What are teens mainly expected to focus on during the talks about books?| A．The basic plot points of the books. | B．Their opinions on the books’ titles. |
| C．Their feelings about the books. | D．The main contents of the books. |
| A．She is able to relate to children. | B．She is gifted at writing. |
| C．She takes good care of children. | D．She knows a lot of authors. |
| A．Change. | B．Discovery. | C．Decrease. | D．Growth. |
| A．Kids’ trouble in choosing books. | B．More diverse books for children. |
| C．Children’s demand for good books. | D．More impacts of reading on children. |
The 156-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
(Macmillan Children’s)
The latest book in this best-selling series has a festive favour, as Andy and Terry celebrate the New Year in their ever-growing treehouse, which now has 13 new storeys. There are mean snowmen and a mind-reading sandwich machine—all the silly fun you’d expect from the Treehouse books.
The New Year Competition by Mel Taylor-Bessent
(Farshore)
The ending to The New Year Carrolls rejoins Holly and her festival-obsessed family.
A new family leader is in town, trying to steal their golden crown. Can the Carrolls win a competition to prove that they are the most festive family?
Murder at Snowfall by Fleur Hitchcock
(Nosy Crow)
In this thrilling mystery set at New Year time, Lucas and Ruby discover an abandoned trunk in the snow. Soon they are investigating a crime, but can they solve it before falling snow hides the evidence? Perfect for you to read a book indoors on a cold winter night, this tale will keep you guessing.
The Grumpus and His New Year Plan by Alex T. Smith
(Macmillan Children’s)
Do you know about the Grumpus and his terrible New Year plan? What about the awful thing that happened at the North Pole on the New Year’s Eve? Inspired by the stories of the Krampus and the Grinch, and packed with Alex T. Smith’s wonderful illustrations, this is a book to enjoy with other people.
1. What is special about the treehouse?| A．It has witnessed a crime. | B．It never stops growing. |
| C．It has a golden crown. | D．It’s surrounded by snowmen. |
| A．The 156-Storey Treehouse. | B．The New Year Competition. |
| C．Murder at Snoufall. | D．The Grumpus and His New Year Plan. |
| A．They build up your confidence. | B．They help you become good writers. |
| C．They make you in a festive mood. | D．They offer puzzles for you to solve. |
9 . Reader’s Digest is America’s fourth. largest-circulation magazine brand, standing out more than ever in today’s cultural landscape due to its themes of optimism, faith, heroism, trust, humor and wellness.
Our History
Reader’s Digest was first published in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Acheson Wallace. A man ahead of his time, DeWitt Wallace recognized that people were hungry for information but overwhelmed(不知所措)by choice, so he began collecting the best stories from a vast array of publications.
Reader’s Digest Worldwide
Reader’s Digest was the first print magazine to go international, starting with the United Kingdom in 1938, followed by a Spanish language edition in 1940, and eventually published in 17 languages in 34 countries. Today Reader’s Digest is published in 22 countries.
Up-to-Date News
From stress-free, money-saving strategies and quick reports on the latest in healthcare, to inspiring articles on world events, you’ll discover hundreds of ideas for living a richer, more satisfying life.
True-Life Stories
Cheer on America’s hometown heroes! You’ll be fascinated by these uplifting true tales of everyday people who put their lives in harm’s way to help others. Share in their amazing stories as they recall how they overcame all difficulties to accomplish the unexpected…and the extraordinary.
BEST DEAL
2-year subscription for $15, Save 83%
1-year subscription for $10, Save 77%
Reader’s Digest annual cover price is $44. 91 and is currently published 9 times annually. Frequency is subject to change without notice, and special issues may be published occasionally(which count as 2 issues).
1. What do we learn about Reader’s Digest?| A．It was created by three founders. |
| B．It has been published in many languages. |
| C．It is the most influential magazine in America. |
| D．It is the first magazine to enjoy the international popularity. |
| A．They focus on famous people. | B．They happen all over the world. |
| C．They are positive and inspiring. | D．They inform readers of amazing inventions. |
| A．About $34.91. | B．About $44.91. | C．About $69.82. | D．About $74.82. |
10 . In college, there are such a huge set of reading tasks. You might fall behind if you do not read before class. Here are reasons why you should read ahead of the class.
Make the most of the class time. Class time is valuable.
Show respect. Reading ahead of time shows respect for the professor.
Take an active part in class.
Show off. Reading before class lets you show that you’ve read, that you care, and that you are intelligent. You’ll be able to ask good questions and take part in a way that proves preparation, interest, and mastery of the material.
| A．Many students may get caught unprepared. |
| B．Most classes require some kind of participation. |
| C．These are all positive marks in professors’ views. |
| D．You should make sure that you can follow along. |
| E．Understand the topic and what you don’t understand. |
| F．In turn, they can tell when the group is taking a wrong way. |
| G．It is an easy way to get a better relationship with your professor. |
