1 . If you think being a teenager is hard, think again. Raising a teenager is a lot harder. Beginning at thirteen, your kids will be wanting (demanding, actually) more freedom and independence. They already know what their interests and wants are. But that doesn’t mean you should stop guiding them (especially when it comes to reading). Here are 4 highly recommended books for your teenagers:

The Martian

by Andy Weir $9.76

In the year 2035, NASA sends off the crew of Ares 3 to Mars for a planned month-long stay. However, a strong storm threatened to trap them on the planet and a hurried withdrawal follows. Mark Watney is left behind when he was believed dead. Now, he has to learn how to survive alone another planet until help comes back for him.

Big Bones

by Laura Dockrill $7.98

Bluebelle is a sixteen-year-old overweight girl, who was told by nurse that she was “obese” and was forced to lose weight through using a food diary. But she is perfectly happy with how she looks and uses the food diary to tell the story of her everyday life instead.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

by John Boyne $7.98

Bruno is a nine-year-old during the Second World War. He moved to Auschwitz with his family when his father was promoted as a commandant (司令官). When he explores his new home, he meets a boy wearing stripped pajamas who lives at the other end of the fence. They become fast friends.

Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell $10.97

It’s Cath’s freshman year in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and her twin sister wants nothing to do with her. She’s having a hard time adjusting to life in college because of her social anxiety disorder. Add in a challenging fiction-writing class, a friendly writing partner, a new roommate, and a complicated relationship, and what to do you get? An interestingly confusing life that is, and all Cath wants is to finish her fan fiction in peace.

1. Which will readers probably buy if they like science fiction?

A．Fangirl.	B．Big Bones.
C．The Martian.	D．The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

2. What can we learn about the book Fangirl?

A．It is about adventure in childhood.	B．It mainly deals with life in college.
C．It is the cheapest one among the four.	D．It is the masterpiece of Rainbow Rowell.

3. Who are the text intended for?

A．College students.	B．Teenagers aged 13-15.
C．Parents with young teenagers.	D．Adults interested in writing.

2 . If you ever decide to visit the village of Obidos in Portugal, you needn’t bother bringing a book to pass the time. Just book a stay at The Literary Man hotel and you can choose from its collection of over 50, 000 books.

Built in 2015, The Literary Man has already become famous as the world’s best hotel for book lovers. It features a constantly growing collection of literary works, most of which are written in English. Books can be found actually everywhere inside The Literary Man, lining the walls of its public sitting room, on the bed stands of its 30 bedrooms, at the in-house gin bar, and even in its old wine cellar. The over 50, 000 literary works cover a variety of genres, from novels and poetry to cookbooks.

But what happens if you find a really good book and can’t finish it until the end of your stay? You can always take it home with you, as most of the books at The Literary Man are available for purchase, including some old, rare titles priced as high as $ 550. However, most visitors actually prefer to add to the hotel’s collection instead of taking from it. The book collection is growing at a faster rate that it will soon reach 100, 000 books than expected.

“Our guests love to bring their own books to add to our collections, and the ones that don’t have books with them usually send them later in form of a donation.” said a representative of The Literary Man hotel.

The Literary Man is not the world’s only reading-themed hotel, but it definitely has the largest collection of books. The Library Hotel, in New York, features around 6, 000 books, The Nines, in Portland, Oregon, offers visitors a collection of 3, 000 books, as does the Book and Bed hotel in Tokyo, Japan. So if you’re looking for diversity, The Literary Man is probably your best option. Prices at the Obidos’ library hotel start at $90 per night.

1. What is the Literary Man well known for?

A．Its high-quality service.	B．Its beautiful surroundings.
C．Its geographical location.	D．Its large collection of books.

2. Why is the book collection growing faster than expected?

A．Visitors donate their own books to the hotel.

B．Many publishing houses give books to the hotel.

C．The hotel spends a lot of money buying new books.

D．Many businessmen are helping collect some old books.

3. It is implied in the text that the Literary Man ________.

A．is the world’s first reading-themed hotel	B．stands out among those reading-themed hotels
C．plans to open other hotel chains all over the world	D．charges its guests less than other reading-themed hotels

4. Who is the text mainly intended for?

A．People who want to kill time.	B．People who want to open a hotel.
C．Tourists who love reading.	D．People who love traveling comfortably.

3 . Reading can make you feel less alone and more connected with the world at large. It can open your eyes to issues, successes and challenges that you never dreamed of, and take you to faraway places. Here are the top books all teens should read before they turn 18.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Though this book recently became popular again due to the release of the movie version, the movie is not a substitute for this beautiful story about family and the process of becoming who you truly are through the angle of space and time exploration.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Auggie was born with a facial difference that kept him out of school for years. In fifth grade, he discovers what it’s like to long for normalcy and also that difference can be the most meaningful teacher.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

The author shares beautiful poetry that will speak to teenagers about her experience of growing up in the South as an African-American in the 1960s and 1970s. The poems are charged with the themes of self-awareness and identity.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

The attractive advice given in this book is perfect for teens going off to college or beginning a new stage of independence. It is a book that can be reread all throughout life without losing its power.

1. What is special about A Wrinkle in Time?

A．It shows a teen’s difference.	B．It’s about space exploration.
C．It has been adapted for film.	D．It has opened teenagers’ eyes.

2. Whose book is based on personal experience?

A．Jacqueline Woodson’s.	B．R. J. Palacio’s.
C．Madeleine L’ Engle’s.	D．Don Miguel Ruiz’s.

3. Which book is intended for teens stepping into a novel life?

A．A Wrinkle in Time.	B．Wonder.
C．Brown Girl Dreaming.	D．The Four Agreements.

4 . What will you do when one of the few bookstores in your neighborhood shuts down? If you’re Latanya DeVaughn, you will make a new and improved one! The Bronx mom and writer has always dreamed of opening her own bookstore, so after watching yet another close its doors for good during the pandemic, she saw her chance.

While Latanya said every neighborhood deserved a bookstore, opening physical stores on every block simply wasn’t an option. So she decided to bring the books to her neighbors, instead, by turning a bus into a bookmobile! With the help of her community, she raised money for her dream and, at the end of 2021, it came true! Bronx Bound Books rolled out in style as a bus with orange cube bookshelves. “People love the way it smells,” Latanya added. “One woman said the wood smell makes her feel like she’s at home.”

Although the bookstore on wheels carries around 3,0000 new and used books, it has more room than you might expect! Latanya also makes sure to stock books with a range of diverse characters so all readers can see themselves in the pages. Of course, her collection also features works of renowned Black authors like James Baldwin and Alice Walker. “It’s meant to be that way,” she explained, “because I remember going to bookstores and having to look through books just to find someone that I felt I could resonate with (引起共鸣).”

Setting up her bookstore in a new spot each day, Latanya is doing her part to make sure that everyone in the Bronx has books to read. That’s what Bronx Bound Books is open for. “I can’t open up a bookstore on every corner, but I can probably pop up on a lot of different corners,” she said.

Thanks to Latanya and Bronx Bound Books, the Bronx is becoming a heaven for book lovers day by day. I’m sure that the little bookstore will continue to develop quickly!

1. How did Latanga DeVoughn respond to the shutdown of bookstores?

A．She set up her own special bookstore.

B．She purchased and reopened them soon.

C．She opened common stores on every block.

D．She asked her neighbors to open a new one.

2. James Baldwin and Alice Walker are mentioned in paragraph 3 to show that ________.

A．it’s hard to stock books with diverse characters

B．all renders can see themselves in Black authors

C．the collection of Bronx Bound Books is diverse

D．finding someone with common interest isn’t easy

3. Why is Bronx Bound Books open?

A．To recycle old books around the neighborhood.

B．To raise money for Latanya DeVaughn’s dream.

C．To open up a bookstore on every corner worldwide.

D．To make reading accessible to everyone in the Bronx.

4. What does the author think of Bronx Bound Books?

A．Conservative.

B．Unaffordable.

C．Promising.

D．Controversial.

5 . Time for girls to shine

Most of us grew up reading fairy tales that start with “Once upon a time” and end with “the princess and prince lived happily ever after”. They seem to be harmless- even _________, perhaps. But in the eyes of two Italian writers, Favilli and Cavallo, this is what’s been _________ with children’s stories for years.

“Children’s books have always _________ the same since we were children,” Cavallo said. And a study also found while 80 percent of male characters in most popular children’s books have a(n) _________, only 18 percent of female characters do.

So they together wrote a book _________ only female protagonists (主角). Good Night Stories for Rebel (叛逆) Girls is an “anti- princess” book, which gives young girls role models of their own to _________.

The original book was published in December 2019, and the second volume _________ on Feb 28, 2021. Both books contain the stories of 100 extraordinary women from all over the world, and much to the_________ of children’s book writers, every one of them has a job or professional ambition. The “characters”_________ pop singer Beyonce and tennis star Serena Williams.

However, the word “rebel” may make some people feel uncomfortable, since it’s not really seen as __________. But being rebellious is__________ being independent, which many of today’s girls need to develop.

“It is important to __________ — especially if you are a woman or a girl- a rebel attitude, a rebel character, because you have to __________ harder to reach your dream and to get what you want.

And this __________ is made clear, with the book’s first page reading “To all the girls of the world, dream __________, aim higher, fight harder”.

1.

A．crazy

B．complex

C．sweet

D．puzzling

2.

A．wrong

B．typical

C．common

D．familiar

3.

A．claimed

B．reflected

C．preferred

D．remained

4.

A．offer

B．fortune

C．company

D．job

5.

A．recommending

B．featuring

C．displaying

D．serving

6.

A．approach

B．admire

C．practice

D．challenge

7.

A．came out

B．turned out

C．made up

D．ended up

8.

A．surprise

B．relief

C．excitement

D．satisfaction

9.

A．highlight

B．memorize

C．include

D．describe

10.

A．reasonable

B．worthwhile

C．energetic

D．positive

11.

A．actually

B．originally

C．casually

D．officially

12.

A．risk

B．build

C．change

D．follow

13.

A．perform

B．think

C．fight

D．breathe

14.

A．announcement

B．conclusion

C．sentence

D．message

15.

A．smarter

B．bigger

C．deeper

D．faster

6 . According to some recent research findings, 21% of the USA citizens have read at least one book over the past year. Here are some great books they like.

La Divina Commedia — Dante Alighieri

This book is a narrative poem in Italian, finished in 1321. It is one of the greatest works of classic literature, divided into three sections titled Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. This is a story about Dante’s journey toward the light and the Middle Age concept of the after-life. It is an amazing and a true masterpiece worth anybody’s time and energy.

1984 — George Orwell

Published in 1949, this book serves as a reminder that young generations should not take anything for granted and should question everything. For young people, this is one of those books that demand reflection on the importance of keeping human values and defending individuality and freedom within the system.

A Farewell to Arms — Ernest Hemingway

This is a touching love story about an American officer and an English nurse during WWI on the Italian front. Published in 1929, this book describes young boys who are marching in the severest weather conditions at war though discouraged and tired, reflecting the horrors of the war and the young people’s doubts about life.

The Phantom of the Opera — Gaston Leroux

This famous theatrical novel by the French author Leroux, published in France in 1909, belongs to classic literature. For that reason, it could be a great gift for people who like theater, musicals and opera. The story plot revolves around a young opera singer Christine. She is a daughter of a famous musician who dies and leaves her to grow up in the Paris Opera House.

1. What do we know about La Divina Commedia?

A．The plot of it is flat.	B．The hero of it is an Asian.
C．It is an account of the author’s life.	D．It is a story written in the 13th century.

2. What do 1984 and A Farewell to Arms have in common?

A．Both are set in Italy.	B．Both are related to poems.
C．Both reflect humans’ view of freedom in peace.	D．Both describe the youths’ thinking about life.

3. Which book is related to drama?

A．La Divina Commedia.	B．1984.
C．The Phantom of the Opera.	D．A Farewell to Arms.

7 . Four popular children’s books

Que Cosas Dice Mi Abuela

Spanish-speaking parents will love this fun book—which was translated into “The things my grandmother says” —in which a grandmother teaches manners (规矩) to her grandchildren and their friends using traditional Spanish-language sayings. Written in the voice of a little boy talking about his regular day, this book will draw the interest of both adults and kids.

I Like Myself!

Parents won’t mind reading the story over and over to their kids because as they pass along the message that their kids are perfect just the way they are—no matter their untidy hair, or whether they are fast or slow, their kids will learn about confidence.

Dragons Love Tacos(炸玉米饼)

While books with a deep message are great, sometimes you and your child just want to read something silly to get the laughs rolling. The New York Times bestseller, Dragons Love Tacos is a great read for kids and parents as it talks about how much dragons really love tacos, but when they eat something spicy (辛辣的) you had better watch out! The book has more words than some of the other picks on our list, so this might be fit for a preschoolers and up.

The Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

As everyone knows nothing is sweeter than small baby fingers and cute baby toes and here, from two of the most gifted picture books, readers could enjoy a different joyful world and also bring the happy feelings to everyone, everywhere, all over the world!

1. Who will choose the first book?

A．Parents who want to make their children laugh.

B．Parents who want their children to become polite.

C．Parents who want their children to become more confident.

D．Parents who want their children to read special stories.

2. Why will parents like to read I Like Myself! to kids many times?

A．It has more words than other books.

B．It encourages kids to be confident.

C．There are some beautiful pictures in it.

D．It contains many funny games for kids.

3. Which of the books will Tom choose if he’s interested in animals?

A．Que Cosas Dice Mi Abuela

B．I Like Myself!

C．Dragons Love Tacos

D．The Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

8 . Looking for a cool new book this season? TFK Kid Reporters read and reviewed some of the best books of the year.

Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero

Yusuf Azeem is hoping to have a great first year in middle school. Standing in his way are the hate notes left in his locker and his struggle to find his place in a new community. Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero, by Saadia Faruqi, will appeal to readers who like stories about everyday kids overcoming challenges and finding inner strength.

Black Boy Joy

The short stories in Black Boy Joy, edited by Kwame Mbalia, celebrate the pleasures of Black childhood. There are also stories about victories, competitions, and getting dressed for their first day of school. Most are short, with simple plots. People who enjoy bite-size stories of happiness will like this collection.

Paradise on Fire

In Paradise on Fire, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Addy is a shy, 15-year-old girl who escaped from an apartment fire that killed her parents. When a fire breaks out at the wilderness camp, Addy knows what to do. Will Addy be able to lead her fellow campers to safety? Readers will love the mix of suspense, action, and emotion in this book.

Chunky

Chunky was written by Yehudi Mercado. In the book, Hudi tries sports, which, however, take him away from what he's truly passionate about: comedy. His imaginary friend, Chunky, appears throughout the story to help Hudi achieve his dreams. Chunky is a great book for kids who want to read about friendship, family, and try to find where they might fit in.

1. Which of the following tells about happy childhood?

A．Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero.	B．Black Boy Joy.
C．Paradise on Fire.	D．Chunky.

2. What is the book by Jewell Parker Rhodes about?

A．A girl trying to escape from danger.	B．A boy suffering at school.
C．A boy participating in a summer camp	D．A girl taking an interest in comedy.

3. Who is Chunky in the book?

A．A comedian.

B．Hudi's classmate.

C．A shy boy.

D．An unreal friend.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What did the woman like best about Twentieth-Century Architecture?

A．Its pictures.

B．Its arguments.

C．Its structure.

2. How did the man feel about Modern Construction?

A．It was difficult.

B．It was interesting.

C．It was focused.

3. Which book lacked relevant historical context?

A．Glass and Concrete.

B．We Make Space.

C．Change and Tradition.

4. What can we know about the last book?

A．It was poorly translated.

B．It was too detailed in places

C．It had an inadequate catalog.

10 . Famous bookstores worldwide

Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice

It translates to “high water bookshop”. This bookstore tries hard to prevent its books getting flooded. After all, the bookstore lies in a city famous for its floods, and it opens right onto a canal. Kate Storm says, “Unlike many other bookstores, Libreria Acqua Alta stores its books in bathtubs, various types of boats in addition to high shelves. This makes the bookstore a famous one worldwide.”

Powell’s, Portland

Powell’s is the largest independent bookstore worldwide. Michael Powell Started his first bookstore by borrowing $3, 000 in 1970 in Chicago. His father, Walter Powell, worked with him for a summer in his Chicago store and liked it so much. His father later went home to Portland and opened his own bookstore, Powell’s. Soon, Michael joined his father, and now the store is run by Michael’s daughter, Emily.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires

Built by architects Peró and Torres Armengol, it first opened as a theater in 1919, particularly famous for its tango performances. Ten years later, it was turned into a cinema, and was the first in the city to screen films with sound. In 2000, the theater was in danger of being pulled ·down. But it was purchased by Grupo Ilhsa, redecorated and reopened as a bookstore, with the beautiful original opera boxes and original pictures on the roof remaining. It now draws 1 million visitors a year.

Livraria Lello, Porto

Livraria Lello is famous for its old-world great decoration, like its special stairs. It was opened in 1906 by brothers José and António Lello—by then already booksellers—and designed by architect Xavier Esteves. Livraria Lello is now such a successful tourist attraction that they can charge a lot to get in.

1. What’s Libreria Acqua Alta famous for according to Kate Storm?

A．Its books’ types.	B．Its way of storing books.
C．Its closeness to Venice.	D．Its shape as a special boat.

2. What can we know about Powell’s?

A．It’s a family business.	B．It has a 50-year history.
C．It’s open only in summer.	D．It’s the largest bookstore worldwide.

3. What do the last two bookstores seem to have in common?

A．They once served as a great cinema.

B．They belong to José and António Lello.

C．They have historic and architectural value.

D．They are free for tourists wanting a visit.