1 . Do you get lots of reading assignments as part of your homework? You might wish that you could read faster.
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In fact, speed reading has been advertised since 1959, when US educator Evelyn Wood introduced a speed reading program. Several US presidents have even asked their staff to take speed reading courses.
Schotter explained that reading is a complicated task. It involves four stages: seeing a word, retrieving its meaning from your memory, relating it to other words in the same sentence, and then moving on to the next word.
Some people who claim to be able to speed read are simply skimming. Skimming involves reading a passage quickly and only looking for certain words or sentences. Skimmers can figure out the main idea of a passage—especially if it’s a topic they’re familiar with—but they will not be able to recall all of the details.
| A．Speed reading is not actually possible. |
| B．So is there a way to become a faster reader? |
| C．This is where speed reading comes into play. |
| D．This process uses many parts of the brain at one time. |
| E．However, there is no real science behind speed reading. |
| F．Some people claim that you can learn to read at super-high speeds. |
1.小说简介；
2.推荐理由；
3.阅读建议。
注意：1.词数100左右：
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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3 . Best books for 12 to 14-year-olds
Mortal Engines
Author: Philip Reeve
Publisher: Scholastic
London is on the move again: the city searches the world for resources on wheels, eating smaller towns. But when he is thrown off the city, young hero Tom is soon forced to reexamine life as he knows it.
Set in a futuristic background, this imaginative story is a blend of action and adventure. The book has won the Blue Peter Book Award.
Coram Boy
Author: Jamila Gavin
Publisher: Egmont
Toby’s and Aaron’s lives are linked by the Coram Man, who collects unwanted children from across the country, supposedly to send them to a safe new life. In reality, the man sells the children into slavery. Soon, Toby and Aaron find themselves united on a journey, filled with danger and excitement.
Rich with historical detail, this book provides an important insight into the 1750s society. It was a winner of the Whitbread Children’s Book Award.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Publisher: Red Fox
Seen through the eyes of Christopher, a mathematical talent and Sherlock Holmes fan, this novel opens with the discovery of a dead dog on a neighbor’s lawn. In his search to discover the identity of the killer, Christopher uncovers some information about his own family and he starts a journey to London to find his mother.
Watership Down
Author: Richard Adams
Publisher: Penguin
Young rabbit Fiver believes that a great disaster is about to strike the place where he lives－but no one will listen to him. At last he manages to ask a few brave rabbits to leave before it’s too late. Hunted by dogs and foxes, their journey is a dangerous one—but the rabbits can still dream of a peaceful and safe new life at Watership Down.
This book won both the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and the Carnegie Medal.
1. Which author’s book focuses on life in the future according to the text?| A．Philip Reeve’s | B．Jamila Gavin’s. |
| C．Mark Haddon’s | D．Richard Adams’s. |
| A．His losing touch with his mother. | B．The dead body of a dog. |
| C．His neighbor’s request. | D．An overgrown lawn. |
| A．Its main character is a detective lover. | B．Its stories are based on historical facts. |
| C．It is about some rabbits escaping a disaster. | D．It won the Whitbread Children’s Book Award. |
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 . 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. |
6 . Different from a text-heavy novel, coffee table books offer large images and smaller sections of text, allowing us to easily dive in and explore.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art： Masterpiece Paintings by Kathryn Calley Galitz
If you're unable to wander along the corridors of this world-famous museum yourself, don't panic ： this book offers an impressive insight into some of the masterpieces housed here. Amazing images will attract the casual reader, while insights from Galitz, curator (馆长)of the museum, into different pieces are set to engage art and history lovers alike.
Destinations of a Lifetime ： 225 of the World's Most Amazing Places by National Geographic
With large, striking photos, a mere glance through this book will fuel the urge to travel. Besides a few of the hot places, there are plenty of destinations you may not have heard of. Alongside images of dramatic landscapes, accompanying text reveals highlights at each spot and handy tips on experiencing them like a local.
Secret Gardeners by Victoria Summerley
When thinking of some of Britain's most famous names, their busy, jet-set lifestyles probably spring to mind. But, away from the public eye, these individuals are just like us, and love nothing more than spending hours in their gardens. The pages of this beautiful book share fantastic images from the gardens of 25 well-known personalities.
The Story of Food： An Illustrated History of Everything We Eat by DK
The origins and facts of different ingredients are included in this book, along with explorations into the development of cooking over the ages. The book is more text heavy, but don't let that put you off： there are still plenty of beautiful photos and vivid illustrations throughout.
1. Which of the following books includes opinions from an expert?| A．Secret Gardeners. | B．The Story of Food, |
| C．Destinations of a Lifetime. | D．The Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
| A．History of cooking. | B．Tips on traveling cheaply. |
| C．Lifestyles of personalities. | D．Private gardens in Britain. |
| A．It contains bigger sections of words. |
| B．It provides data people never heard of. |
| C．It appeals to casual readers and specialists. |
| D．It shares fantastic images by well-known people. |
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?
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Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
8 . 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． |
9 . Calling all book lovers! Support your reading habit without paying a cent or even taking a trip to the library.
The Library of Congress
If you’re looking for classics online, the Library of Congress has got you covered. With more than 60 classic books available, this is the perfect website if you have a specific classic you’re looking to read. It also includes children’s classics like Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella.
Project Gutenberg
Founded in 1971, Project Gutenberg is the oldest eBook collection online. While the website asks for donations (捐赠), no fees are required for reading the free online books they offer. There are more than 56,000 eBooks to choose from, and they are Kindle-compatible and easy to download.
BookBub
If you’re a book lover who's always looking for something new to read, BookBub is a site you need in your life. To access this site and its thousands of available eBooks you need to create an account (账户), but it’s totally free. Once you’ve created an account, the site asks you to pick your favorite genres so that it can provide the best reading recommendations (推荐). If you want to learn more about BookBub, click here.
BookRix
BookRix allows readers to download free ebooks onto their iPads? tablets? eReaders, and smartphones. The site offers books from self-published authors as well as books that are part of the public domain. The homepage group books into different types including fiction, fantasy, romance, thrillers, so you can easily find a new book to read.
1. Which should one choose if they want to read classical fairy tale books?| A．The Library of Congress. | B．Project Gutenberg. |
| C．BookBub. | D．BookRix. |
| A．All the eBooks are totally free. |
| B．Some of the ebooks are classics. |
| C．It recommends books for readers. |
| D．Thousands of eBooks are available. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．The Internet. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A notice board. |
1.你校学生课外阅读的时间有限
2. 造成此种现象的原因
3. 你对课外阅读的看法
注意：
1. 根据所给提示，适当增加细节，要求内容充实，语意连贯。
2. 词数120左右，开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：课外阅读 extra-curricular reading
Dear Helen,
Thank you for your email. I am writing to tell you the extra-curricular reading in our school.
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Best wishes!
Yours
Li Hua
