1 . Criticism is judgment. A critic is a judge. A judge must study and think about the material presented to him, accept it, correct it or reject it after thinking over what he has read, watched or heard.
Another word for criticism is appreciation. When I criticize or appreciate some object or another, I look for its good points and bad points. In reading any printed or written matter, I always have a pencil in hand and put any comments in the book or on a separate paper. In other words, I always talk back to the writer.
That sort of critical reading might well be called creative reading because I am thinking along with the author, asking him questions, seeing whether he answers the questions and how well he answers them. I mark the good passages to store them in my memory and ask myself about every other part and about the complete piece of writing; where, how and why could or should I improve upon it?
You might think that doing what I suggested is work. Yes, it is, but the work is a pleasure because I can feel my brain expanding, my emotion reacting and my way of living change.
Reading exercises is a great influence on a person. If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will retain the material for a long time.
Just as evil books can corrupt, so also can good books gradually work a change on a corrupt person.
Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading. It helps us to enlarge our minds. We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders. We learn to think and observe in new ways. We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading. All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and continuously.
1. According to the writer, creative reading is ________.| A．raising questions and answering them for the author |
| B．reading and giving comments on the materials one has read |
| C．thinking in the same line with the author |
| D．storing up facts in one's memory |
| A．asks what he does not understand |
| B．talks back to the author |
| C．understand the background on which the works are based |
| D．looks for the good and bad points of the material he has read |
| A．following one's thought closely | B．accepting |
| C．considering | D．agreeing |
| A．understand more about their surrounding than others. |
| B．have a thorough insight to the problem in life. |
| C．have the feeling of the language they read. |
| D．have read extensively(广泛地) and critically |
1. What is the possible relationship between the two speakers?
| A．Friends. | B．Teacher and student. | C．Customer and salesman. |
| A．It’s about poetry. |
| B．It’s written by Shakespeare. |
| C．It may be very valuable. |
3 . Books to Read in Your 20s
The Kite Runner
By Khaled Hosseini
As a Middle Eastern and North African Studies student, I have a great interest in books about what takes place in this area. I first read this book in high school and really enjoyed it because of its accurate language. If any of you is interested in reading this book and hasn't yet, I highly recommend it.
Fire fly Lane
By Kristin Hannah
This is my favorite book. It is a story about friendship, love and life lessons. The story covers the lives of two best friends, Tully and Kate, from childhood to adulthood. I learned so much about friendship and life. So, read Firefly Lane! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and then you'll share this book to your best friend.
Half the Sky
By Nicholas Kristof
For any person of any age, Half the Sky is a must-read. It describes the struggle of women and the most pressing human rights problems of our time: the common oppression of women and girls.
The Little Prince
By Antoine de Saint
This children's book is simple. It might seem like a wrong book to recommend to someone in their twenties, but perhaps that's what makes it a good choice. It sings praises to exploration and shows the importance of making friends.
1. Who is the writer of the book The Kite Runner?| A．Khaled Hosseini. | B．Kristin Hannah. |
| C．Nicholas Kristof. | D．Antoine de Saint. |
| A．It's written by Tully and Kate. | B．It talks about friendship and life. |
| C．It's a simple book for children. | D．It's a comic book with humorous writing. |
| A．The Kite Runner. | B．Firefly Lane. |
| C．Half the Sky. | D．The Little Prince. |
4 . I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, and every morning, sometimes before I woke up, my dad left for work. I didn't know much about what my dad actually did all day. But one thing I did know about my dad's day was that he often spent his lunch break looking for books for me. He would often come home in the evening with a book for me in his bag. When he handed the "gift" over to me, I immediately investigated its cover, checked out the description on the back, and sometimes started reading right then.
I was not always as appreciative of those books as I should have been, especially in my younger years. One time, Dad brought home a paperback（平装书）called Bunya the Witch. I scanned the cover quickly before declaring, "Ugh! It's just another stupid farm book," and dropping it on the ground. I was rightfully reprimanded for being an ungrateful kid, and I learned that valuable lesson about not judging a book by its cover—Bunya the Witch turned out to be one of my favorites.
As I got older, my dad favored books focused on strong young female characters, like Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs, Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt, and Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz, books I remember to this day.
It's not just the books themselves that stay in my memory. It's the girl reading them, and what she felt as she read. I think back to hours spent in my childhood bedroom, reading about young women who faced lives much more difficult than mine. I learned from their courage and drew inspiration from their bravery.
To this day, I love to read. I love the excitement of opening up a new book and getting lost in whatever story the author wants to tell me. And quite often, when I've read something really wonderful, the first person I pass it along to is my dad. I figure I owe him.
1. What do we know about the young author from Paragraph 1?| A．She asked for gifts every evening. |
| B．She was interested in books. |
| C．She cared about her dad's work. |
| D．She enjoyed investigating incidents. |
| A．Ignored. | B．Defended. | C．Excused. | D．Scolded. |
| A．Treasure one's present life. |
| B．Never judge a book by its cover. |
| C．One should fight against life's hardships. |
| D．Teens can also achieve really great things. |
| A．Dad, me, and love of reading | B．Dad—my first teacher in life |
| C．Reading—a source of knowledge | D．Readers, books, and a key to success |
5 . Do you know how to pick a good book you’ll really like? Here are some tips.
Start with your interest.
Pick your type. Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction (or both)? Fiction books, like novels, can transport you to another world or help you imagine something beyond your own experience. Nonfiction books give you the who, what, when, and why of something.
Read the description. The reviews and quotes on the back and inside covers of many books give you an idea of what the book is about. They can also help you pick future books, too. If you find a book you really like, take a minute to read the quotes and see which authors praised the book.
Find a family favorite. Which book did your mother love best when she was at your age?
Find a quiet place and make time for the book.
| A．How about your brothers and sisters? |
| B．They tell stories using facts — but that doesn’t mean they’re boring. |
| C．Reading is a good way to improve your English. |
| D．Most reading is best enjoyed when you can concentrate on it. |
| E．Often, they’ll have similar styles and you might find books you like by those authors, too. |
| F．So you should read as much as possible when you are free. |
| G．Reading on your own isn’t like reading for school. |
6 . Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
by Stuart Gibbs
The CIA is on a task to find an equation (方程式) called Pandora, which could destroy the world if the wrong people get it. For help, they turn to Charlie, a 12-year-old girl who's as smart as Albert Einstein. People who like action-packed mysteries will enjoy reading this exciting book.
AstroNuts
by Jon Scieszka and Steven Weinberg
In AstroNuts, the Earth has been destroyed by humans for thousands of years. Four animals set out from Mount Rushmore, the headquarters (总部) of NNASA. Their task is to find a new planet fit for human life. Finally, they discover one: Plant Planet. The story's theme (主题) is simple: Don't harm the planet. Readers who love fantasy will enjoy AstroNuts.
Stargazing
by Jen Wang
Christine hears that Moon, who's new in town, is the kind of kid who beats people up for fun. But Moon and her mum come to live with Christine's family, and the two kids become best friends. Moon even shares a big secret with Christine. Stargazing is based on author Jen Wang's experiences as a child. The story is about the power of friendship and how people are able to change.
Roll with It
by Jamie Sumner
Roll with It is a story about a 12-year-old girl named Ellie. She has difficulty walking on her own and uses a wheelchair. When Ellie and her mum move to another state to take care of Ellie's grandpa, she must learn to navigate (处理) a new school and new friendships. This page-turner is a must-read for everyone. It's a heartwarming story that really shows the value of family and how being different is special.
1. Which book tells readers to protect the place we live in?| A．AstroNuts |
| B．Stargazing. |
| C．Roll with It. |
| D．Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation. |
| A．It talks about friendship. |
| B．It tells stories about animals. |
| C．It contains lots of scientific knowledge. |
| D．It was written according to the author's experiences. |
| A．She had difficulty in making friends. |
| B．She had an accident which left her in a wheelchair. |
| C．She went to a new school and had to start all over again. |
| D．She lost her mum and was taken care of by her grandpa. |
7 . As the leaves start to change color and the autumn air turns fresh, sometimes nothing is more appealing than the attraction of a good book. Here are our four top picks for the best books.
The Most Fun We Ever Had
By Claire Lombardo
Doubleday
David and Marilyn have been married forever. Four kids and decades later, they're still as in love as the day they met. Lombardo paints an extraordinary picture of a family in what could well be one of the best novels published this year.
The Shadow King
By Maaza Mengiste
W. W. Norton & Company
A historical novel that takes place in the 1930s Ethiopia, The Shadow King focuses on the female soldiers who take up arms in World War II . In beautiful prose （叙述）, Mengiste shines a light on those whose lives are not often noticed.
Someone We Know
By Shari Lapena
Pamela Dorman Books
A quiet suburban town is shaken by a series of break-ins and a body that turns up in the trunk of a car in this latest psychological thriller by the author of The Couple Next Door. How are the crimes related? And what does the invader know?
The Only Plane in the Sky ： An Oral History of 9 /11
By Garrett M. Graff
Avid Reader Press
Journalist Graff puts together an oral history of 9/11 from the perspective of nearly everyone involved. Every single line is breathtaking and heartbreaking, weaving together the story of previously-unimaginable and tragic events that changed history.
1. Which of the following published the book about the army?| A．Doubleday. | B．W. W. Norton & Company. |
| C．Pamela Dorman Books. | D．Avid Reader Press. |
| A．Claire Lombardo. | B．Maaza Mengiste. |
| C．Shari Lapena. | D．Garrett M. Graff. |
| A．It's about some true stories in 9/11. |
| B．It's about some female soldiers in World War Ⅱ. |
| C．It's about a journalist's experience in 9/11. |
| D．It's about a single tragic event in 9/11. |
8 . Whenever our teachers or parents asked about our hobbies at childhood, my friends and I would always express our love for reading. However, with the development of high technology, our lives are gradually
There was a time when I felt like my life went downhill, and with increased
This situation changed when one day I
Now I carry this book either at the dining table or during school breaks. As a student who has a (n)
Why should we choose to ignore (忽视) such
| A．described | B．filled | C．limited | D．examined |
| A．protect | B．delight | C．distance | D．free |
| A．honor | B．danger | C．sorrow | D．pressure |
| A．videos | B．notices | C．emails | D．plans |
| A．put away | B．came across | C．handed out | D．complained about |
| A．hard | B．still | C．ever | D．early |
| A．acceptable | B．strange | C．severe | D．ordinary |
| A．false | B．disappointing | C．romantic | D．positive |
| A．repeat | B．reset | C．regain | D．review |
| A．request | B．instruction | C．fortune | D．dream |
| A．inspiration | B．identity | C．attention | D．invitation |
| A．refused | B．shown | C．questioned | D．damaged |
| A．replace | B．comfort | C．end | D．gather |
| A．lessons | B．pains | C．promises | D．treasures |
| A．wise | B．informal | C．casual | D．slow |
9 . As France enters a strict four-week lockdown in order to prevent a dangerous second wave of coronavirus, its independent booksellers have requested the status of an essential service．
A statement announced by booksellers' association wants bookshops to be listed alongside supermarkets and drugstores as necessary to human well-being．Bookstores might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about what's needed in a dangerous situation, but they offer mental comfort that few other businesses can match．"Books satisfy our needs for understanding, reflection, sharing and communication, even in separation," says the statement．They appeal to the French government to "leave our bookstores open, so that social separation is not also cultural isolation．"
Bookstores have already established rules of conduct that allow shopping to occur in a safe, gem-free manner．They want curbside（路边）pickup to be allowed to continue, which means placing a customer's order to his car trunk without the buyer leaving his vehicle．The staff should wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of distance while delivering goods．
We also reached out to the American Booksellers Association（ABA）to learn whether American booksellers also view themselves as a much-needed service．CEO Allison Hill admits that booksellers "in no way outweigh healthcare workers during the stay-at-home period," but the role of bookstores and books should not be underestimated．Books are important to many people this year for various reasons, including homeschooling, education, emotional support, connection, and humanity．That is why "bookstores in the U．S．are given essential status during shutdowns so that they can continue offering curbside service．" Despite this, independent booksellers are struggling across the US, as they are in France．Hill said in a press release that one bookshop has closed per week since COVID-19 started and that 25% are in danger of closing by January．
1. Why did the association announce the statement?| A．To keep bookstores running． | B．To run bookshops near markets． |
| C．To compete with US booksellers． | D．To stress the benefits of books． |
| A．By providing home delivery． | B．By giving away free masks． |
| C．By offering less contact pickup． | D．By forcing buyers to leave the cars． |
| A．American bookstores are considered necessary． |
| B．The great importance of books is overlooked． |
| C．Booksellers are more important than doctors． |
| D．A quarter of bookstores have closed by January． |
| A．Books offer mental support in tough times． |
| B．Bookstores should be an essential service． |
| C．Bookstores are at the risk of closing down． |
| D．Booksellers contribute a lot during the pandemic． |
1．喜欢的著作；
2．你喜欢它的原因或它对你的影响；
3．希望对方给你推荐一些经典英文名著。
注意：1．词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Peter,
How is everything going?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
