1 . One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. I became immediately interested because of the word “Poems” that appeared in big, hot pink letters.
“Is it good?” I asked her.
“Yeah,” she answered. “There’s one I really like and you’ll like it, too.” I leaned forward.
“Patty Poem,” she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:
| She never puts her toys away, Just leaves them scattered① where they lay, … | ① 散乱的 |
The poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:
| When she grows and gathers poise, ② I’ll miss her harum-scarum③ noise, And look in vain④ for scattered toys. | ② 稳重 ③ 莽撞的 ④ 徒劳的 |
And I’ll be sad.
A terrible sadness washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.
“It’s you, honey,” my mother said sadly.
To my mother, the poem described a parent’s feeling when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the “she” in the poem was terrible. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible that I began crying.
“What’s wrong?” my mother asked.
“Oh Mama,” I cried. “I don’t want to grow up ever!”
She smiled. “Honey, it’s okay. You’re not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I’ll still love you, okay?”
“Okay,” I was still crying. My fear had gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple that I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now crazy about the idea of poetry (诗歌), words that had the power to make or break a person’s world.
I have since fallen in love with other poems, but “Patty Poem” remains my poem. After all, “Patty Poem” gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.
1. Why was the writer attracted by the book Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again?| A．It has a meaningful title. |
| B．It was a thick enough book. |
| C．Something on its cover caught her eye. |
| D．Her mother was reading it with interest. |
| A．it was a sign of her own childhood |
| B．it was written in simple language |
| C．it was written by a famous poet |
| D．it made her think of what would happen |
| A．Easily. | B．Hardly. | C．Nearly. | D．Narrowly. |
| A．discover the power of poetry | B．recognize her love for puzzles |
| C．find her wishing to grow up | D．experience great homesickness |
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
| A．A book. | B．A piece of clothing. | C．A robot movie. |
| A．The man’s friend. | B．A female robot. | C．The man’s wife. |
| A．Tell a lie. | B．Fall in love. | C．Think properly. |
3 . Reading for pleasure can be an important and enjoyable childhood activity. Unlike listening and spoken language, which develop rapidly and easily in young children, reading is a taught skill and is acquired and developed through specific learning over time. Until now it has been unclear what effect—if any—encouraging children to read from an early age will have on their brain development, cognition(认知) and mental health later in life.
To find out this, researchers from the universities of the UK and China looked at data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) groups in the US. Of the 10,243 participants studied, just under a half had little experience of reading for pleasure or did not begin doing so until later in their childhood. The remaining half had spent between three and ten years reading for pleasure.
The team found a strong link between reading for pleasure at an early age and a positive performance in adolescence on cognitive tests that measured such factors as verbal learning, memory and speech development, and at-school academic achievement. These children also had better mental health, when assessed using a number of clinical scores and reports from parents and teachers, showing fewer signs of stress and depression, as well as improved attention and fewer behavioral problems such as aggression and rule-breaking.
Children who began reading for pleasure earlier also tended to spend less screen time—for example, watching TV or using their smartphone or tablet—during the week and at weekends in their adolescence, and also tended to sleep longer.
The best amount of reading for pleasure as a young child was around 12 hours per week. Beyond this, there appeared to be no additional benefits. Instead, there was a gradual decrease in cognition, which the researchers say may be because they are sedentary and spend little time on other activities that could be cognitively improving, including sports and social activities.
1. What did the research focus on?| A．The state of children’s reading ability. | B．The development of reading for pleasure. |
| C．Effects that early reading has on children. | D．Difficulties in listening, speaking and reading. |
| A．Improve their performance at school. | B．Better their mental pressure. |
| C．Better their observation ability. | D．Reduce their screen and sleeping time. |
| A．Sitting still for a long time. | B．Developing hobbies. |
| C．Taking physical exercise. | D．Participating in community activities. |
| A．Benefits of early reading for pleasure. |
| B．Ways for children to master a taught skill. |
| C．Important and enjoyable childhood activities. |
| D．Cognitive tests measuring academic achievement. |
4 . The Little Prince is a magical book about the importance of friendship and the search for the truth, which begins with our narrator (叙述者) meeting with the Little Prince in the Sahara desert. The Little Prince comes from the planet B-612 and journeys through many different planets where he meets a number of grown-ups before he arrives on the Earth and meets a fox and our narrator.
Throughout the whole of the book, we only know our narrator is a grown-up and a pilot. A magic narrator is purposely created for two reasons. Firstly, the narrator’s main role is to describe the Little Prince’s journey, so it isn’t important to know who the narrator is. Secondly, the narrator is meant to be a symbol of grown-ups. And the reader has the creative freedom to imagine the narrator as he or she wishes. The Little Prince is more than a simple children’s book about the search for friendship. It can be read on many different levels. On one level the Little Prince is searching for friendship, but on another level he is searching for the truth.
While visiting planet B-328, the Little Prince meets the Businessman, who spends all his time counting the stars that he believes be long to him because he wants to own all the stars. Not only is the Businessman a bad friend because he ignores the Little Prince, but he also doesn’t help the Little Prince on his search to find the truth.
It is when the Little Prince meets the fox on the Earth that he realises the importance of searching for the “truth”. The fox tells the Little Prince that “what is essential(本质的) is invisible to the eye” and you have to close your eyes and use your heart to find the truth.
1. What is the book the Little Prince about?| A．A child looking for treasure. |
| B．A story about children and a pilot. |
| C．Planets and human nature. |
| D．The search for friendship and the truth. |
| A．The narrator’s main duty. |
| B．The writer’s joy and magic. |
| C．The narrator’s creative freedom. |
| D．The narrator’s flying experience. |
| A．He is a warm-hearted man. |
| B．He is good at finding the truth. |
| C．He doesn’t give the Little Prince a hand. |
| D．He is interested in the beauty of the stars. |
| A．Important. | B．Unseen. | C．Pleasant. | D．Unknown. |
5 . Soon there will be a Review Blitz! In a month, we are searching for reasonable reviews that reflect your sincere opinions. Just keep in mind that the deadline for your reviews is October 23, 2023.
Rules:
To enter, you must be a teen (aged 13-19) with a Teen Creativity account.
Submissions ought to be relevant to the topic.
Each review must be no more than 250 words.
There is no restriction on the number of pieces you can submit.
Guidelines:
Give a brief summary of the book. Avoid explaining the entire plot or telling your reader how the book ends.
Inform the reader what you like or dislike about the book.
Recommend the book to specific readers. Does the book lend itself well to older teens? Would science fiction enthusiasts show interest in this book? It’s helpful for readers to think about the book in light of other books they’ve read.
Remember that it’s okay to have a strong opinion! Don’t start sentences with “I think”, “I believe” or “In my opinion”.
Prizes:
All participants will be given a certificate.
First prize winners will respectively have one review published in Teen Creativity magazine and obtain a free 6-month magazine subscription.
Second-place winners will each receive a free 3-month magazine subscription.
You’ll receive these prizes before December 28, 2023.
Submit your works to www.teencreativity.com. We hope reviewing books brings you joy.
1. Which of the following meets the requirement of Review Blitz?| A．A person can present no more than one piece of work. |
| B．Each piece of work can have a maximum of 250 words. |
| C．Reviews must be written by people under 20 years old. |
| D．Works must be uploaded by the end of October 2023. |
| A．The likes and dislikes of the book. |
| B．The recommendation to all readers. |
| C．Statements containing “In my opinion”. |
| D．A summary that demonstrates the whole plot. |
| A．Self-learners. | B．Teaching staff. |
| C．Professional trainers. | D．Bookish adolescents. |
1. 小说名称；
2. 内容梗概；
3. 小说对你的影响。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80词左右；
2. 短文题目已为你写好，请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
My Favorite Novel
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7 . The Best Books of This Month
Our Class by Chris Hedges
Chris Hedges, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, volunteered to teach a college -level literature class at the East Jersey State Prison. His book covers a variety of styles: personal narratives, plays, songs, poems and history. There are terrible tales of inhumanity, but there is hope in the transformative power of human relationships.
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
In this novel, a college student at Oxford in the 1950s befriends C. S. Lewis to find out for her younger brother where Narnia comes from. Her brother, who is housebound (出不了门的) from an illness, has become fascinated with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The story of a loving family journeying toward the light of hope is deeply pleasing.
Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit
Challenging preconceptions (成见) about the author of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, Rebecca Solnit offers an unexpected view of British writer George Orwell. Examining his life and work through the lens (镜头) of Orwell’s passion for and appreciation of nature, Solnit presents a well-researched elegantly written book that deepens our understanding of the literature.
Silverview by John le Carré
In Silverview, John le Carré turns his focus to the world that has occupied his writing for the past sixty years—the secret world itself. Julian Lawndsley has given up his high-flying job in the city for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town.
1. What do we know about Chris Hedges?| A．He won prizes for his poems. | B．He once worked as a teacher. |
| C．His book focuses on interpersonal relationships. | D．His work is mainly about music. |
| A．Happy. | B．Worried. | C．Sad. | D．Confused. |
| A．Our Class. | B．Once Upon a Wardrobe. | C．Orwell’s Roses. | D．Silverview. |
8 . 
About Us
We believe the name says it all. NewsForKids.net was created by a teacher to make the news accessible to kids. We carefully choose interesting stories appropriate to the audience, and present them in a way that is easy to understand.
We work hard to use simple language when telling the stories. It’s easy for advanced readers to read “down”, but not for struggling readers to read “up”.
We understand that there are side effects about simplifying the language and adding background information. But we think we offer something important that’s hard to find: News told in an accessible manner. Real news, told simply.
NFK Subscriptions
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Contact Us
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1. What is the major feature of NewsForKids.net?| A．It is free of charge. | B．Its content is easy to understand. |
| C．Its stories are educational. | D．It covers a variety of topics. |
| A．Reading more news. | B．Getting some presents. |
| C．Receiving updates earlier. | D．Being free from advertisements. |
| A．To introduce NFK’s main topics. |
| B．To invite contributions for NFK. |
| C．To announce NFK’s subscription program. |
| D．To attract financial support for unfortunate kids. |
1. What kind of books does the man like best?
| A．Historical novels. | B．Adventure stories. | C．Biographies. |
| A．From his friends. |
| B．From online bookstores. |
| C．From the library. |
| A．Selling books. | B．Doing a survey. | C．Talking about her habits. |
10 . Brightly—Raise Kids Who Love to Read
We believe reading has the power to improve kids’ lives and link members of a family by creating a space in which children and the adults in their lives can spend quality time together. But we also know how hard it can be to find the right book. That’s where Brightly comes in.
Editorial Mission
Brightly provides passionate parents, educators, and caregivers with the tools they need—such as tips and advice, book recommendations, and Brightly Storytime—to keep kids connected to books. We take pride in working with a diverse group of contributors, authors, and partners who cover a wide range of topics for readers of all ages in order to develop a love of books and reading in children.
Brightly Shop
Over the years, countless readers have come to us searching for gifts for the young bookworms in their lives. While it’s always been our mission to provide content that offers great book recommendations, your feedback has helped us realize the value of a more browsable, store-like experience.
The Brightly Shop helps to find exceptional book gifts for kids by offering a diverse collection of age-appropriate titles for kids ages 0–8. Whether you’re looking for a baby shower gift, birthday present, or just want to treat the child in your life to a great book, each title in the Shop is hand-selected by our editorial team—with more added every week—to bring you a satisfactory book buying experience.
We hope you’ll take a moment to browse our Shop and let us know what you think! Send us an email at shop@readbrightly.com.
Contact
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out by emailing hello@readbrightly.com—we’re listening!
1. What does Brightly think of reading?| A．It demands proper guidance. | B．It requires quality family time. |
| C．It helps to keep families connected. | D．It promises to interest people of all ages. |
| A．Leave their feedback. | B．Update its weekly book list. |
| C．Share their reading experiences. | D．Get a free book on their birthdays. |
| A．The power of reading. | B．A pretty useful website. |
| C．How to choose books for kids. | D．How to make kids love reading. |
