1 . Reading is not just an important professional skill. It is also a way to enjoy informative, creative, and inspiring works of literature that enrich our life experiences. Like any skill worth mastering, a reading habit requires time to develop.     1    

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When you read, read for the main idea of each paragraph, along with its supporting reasons. When you are building up reading skills, it can be helpful to read with a pencil in hand to take notes or underline the key idea of each paragraph.

Look up unfamiliar words

It is quite normal to meet with some unfamiliar words when reading. Merriam Webster online is a wonderful and thorough resource for defining unfamiliar words.     3     When you reach a good stopping point, return to each word and look it up, re-reading the sentence it appeared in. This helps understand the word and its usage in case there are different meanings.

Become familiar with literary devices

Particularly if you are a fan of novels and short stories, becoming familiar with common literary tools like metaphor, simile, parallel structure and personification is an important part being a better reader.     4    

Don’t rush

Reading for learning and enjoyment is never a sprint (冲刺). Instead, take your time, advance your skills and their development at your own pace.     5     Each day, as you read, your mind will take the reading skills it learned before and apply them again, often with greater efficiency.

A．Read for content

B．Read to get the author’s attitude

C．You will be an excellent reader if you stick.

D．Simply underline or make a list of these words.

E．Understanding them can enrich the reading experience greatly.

F．To enjoy your reading, practicing good reading skills is a must.

G．Do not get discouraged if you are a slow reader, especially at first.

2 . How to read more and learn more

Today, more and more Chinese people enjoy sending and receiving messages on the phone. It can help them to get the latest news and communicate with friends. But I think I should read more books besides the textbooks, the more, the better. It can open my eyes and improve my language skills.     1     Do you know how to read more and learn more? Here are some tips for you.

◆ Clear your purpose for reading

    2     Most people read for two main reasons, pleasure or knowledge. Clearing about your reading purpose can not only help you choose the books you really need to read, but also remind you why reading the book is important to you, so you will keep reading and complete the book faster.

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No matter what you are reading, it is important to enjoy what you read. Your friends may tell you the books they love, but those books might not necessarily be the ones you enjoy.

◆ Give up books that you don’t enjoy

You may have chosen books that you are interested in, and they are right to your purpose. But while you are reading them, there may still be some books that you don’t enjoy reading. Whenever you realize that you aren’t enjoying the book you are reading, give it up.     4    

◆ Set a reading goal

It is interesting that I read the books borrowed from libraries faster than those I bought. The reason is the books I bought don’t have a due date! I don’t need to return those books.     5     Before you read each book, ask yourself what time you need to complete this book by.

A．Read only what you are interested in

B．Read the books borrowed from others.

C．Remember reading shouldn’t be a chore (烦恼事).

D．Of course, it also can help me to get good grades.

E．We need to get the latest news and communicate with friends.

F．Before you start reading, ask yourself why you are reading this book.

G．Having a reading goal helps you work out how much reading you need to do in a week or even a day.

3 . Three in five people in the UK hold a library card. For some, they’re a shelter from the stresses of day-to-day life.     1     If you’re considering joining your local library, now is the time to do so. And if you need any more encouragement, here are several reasons why you should.

Most libraries in the UK allow members of the general public to come and go as they like.     2     You can also take out a library card and borrow books for free, although you will inevitably face a fine for late returns.

    3     Imagine just how many books you have at your fingertips with a library card? There are lots of modern ones, as well as originals, and you can continue to expand your learning and vocabulary all the time. It’s a priceless experience, especially for kids, and also a great way to level the educational playing field.

Libraries develop with times. They have changed greatly since decades ago.     4     Some libraries have apps so you can see when your books are due back and even reserve books in some cases. There are also libraries which let you access books in digital formats on your mobile device — pretty cool.

Libraries are one of very few spaces left in towns and cities where members of the public can come together and actually be and feel like a community. They have notice boards to offer services like exercise classes or learning centers.     5    

A．Libraries help people learn.

B．Libraries help educate the kids.

C．They create a great sense of community.

D．You can go in, settle down and read a book without being charged a penny.

E．Most libraries now have computers and allow people to borrow CDs and DVDs.

F．Libraries help us save money as we’re borrowing books rather than buying them.

G．For others, particularly the homeless and people in poverty, a lifeline to the world.

4 . How are you and your family going to celebrate Earth Day? It’s a great day to get outside and ride a bike, but there are other ways you could spend the day. Here are four books. You can learn more about the earth and the animals that make the world a special place to live in.

The Busy Beaver, by Nicholas Oldland

Beaver is very, very busy, and he doesn’t always think carefully. As a result, he makes a mess of the forest and ends up in hospital. Finally, he realizes how careless he’s been and decides to make things right when he returns to the forest.

Lessons from Mother Earth, by Elaine Mcleod

Five-year-old Tess is visiting her grandmother and, for the first time, she visits the garden. Along the way, Tess’s grandmother tells her the rules of the garden, “You must always take good care of our garden. Never throw rubbish around. There is plenty for everyone to share if we don’t destroy the soil.” The story is beautifully told as a caring conversation between a child and her grandmother.

Luz Sees the Light, by Claudia Davila

When Luz’s community (社区) experiences a series of black-outs (停电), she quickly comes to understand the need to save energy and find other ways of doing things. With the help of her friends and neighbors, she creates a community garden and park that everyone can use. The book attracts many young readers.

The Lorax, by Dr Seuss

A young boy learns of the role of the Lorax as protector (保护者) of the trees, and how his home became polluted. The book contains memorable forestry conservation (森林保护).

1. We can learn from the passage that Beaver       .

A．always plans things carefully

B．never takes care of the forest

C．decides to leave the forest forever

D．gets hurt because of his carelessness

2. Which of the following books focus on the protection of forest?

A．The Busy Beaver and The Lorax.

B．Luz Sees the Light and The Lorax.

C．The Busy Beaver and Lessons from Mother Earth.

D．Lessons from Mother Earth and Luz Sees the Light.

3. What is the writer’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To provide some activities to Earth Day.

B．To offer some books to young children.

C．To tell readers how to write children’s books.

D．To teach readers how to protect our environment.

5 . Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?”

The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead. The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.” The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless!”

“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.

“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”

1. What puzzled the grandson most was _________.

A．why he forgot what he read soon	B．whether it was useful to read books
C．what kind of book he could understand	D．how he could read books like his grandpa

2. Why did Grandpa ask his grandson to fetch a basket of water?

A．To get him to realize the use of reading books.	B．To punish him for not reading carefully.
C．To clean the dirty basket in the river.	D．To train him to run faster.

3. What lesson can we learn from the story?

A．The old are always wiser than the young.	B．It is foolish to carry water with a basket.
C．You can’t expect to remember all you read.	D．Reading books can change a person gradually.

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

A．Grandpa and Grandson	B．Carrying Water in a Basket
C．Baskets and Books	D．Reading for Total Changing