1 . Our National Public Radio staff and trusted crities have made some recommendations about must-reads.
Rough Sleepers Tracy Kidder
This uplifting book is about Dr. Jim O’Connell’s work of bringing health care to unhoused people for more than three decades, first in Boston and now in nearly every American city. His work might be a band-aid on the bigger problem of homelessness, but as he said, “This is what we do while waiting for the world to change.”
The Right Call Sally Jenkins
Sally Jenkins has had a superb career recording the highest achievements in sports by individuals and by teams. With The Right Call, she captures what makes some athletes and coaches reach their peak. Whatever part of life you want to excel in, this book will have you rethinking what you do and how you might do it differently.
The Secret of Cooking Bee Wilson
More than a cookbook, this is a guide to how to make cooking work for you — and even become a joy. What if you have picky eaters, a full time job and a kitchen with only half the ingredients the recipe calls for? This book has the answers, explaining everything from how to figure out what flavors go together, to how to get easy when everything goes wrong.
Land of Milk and Honey C Pam Zhang
Set in a future where a mysterious smog has swallowed Earth, causing widespread crop failures and food shortages, the story follows an unnamed chef who finds herself in a world of cooking delights and unequalled sensory experiences among a landscape of despair (绝望). It’s an exploration of human nature, and the choices we make in the face of difficulties.
1. How does Dr. Jim O’Connell view his own work?| A．It doesn't help in solving the housing problem. |
| B．It shows a way to be excellent in life differently. |
| C．It will make a difference in caring about the homeless. |
| D．It offers a way to get food in times of shortage. |
| A．Tracy Kidder. | B．Sally Jenkins. |
| C．Bee Wilson. | D．C Pam Zhang. |
| A．They tell readers how to reduce food waste. | B．They provide personal cooking experience. |
| C．They both have something to do with cooking. | D．They try to cover some aspects of family life. |
1. When does Mike usually read books?
| A．In the evening. | B．In the afternoon. | C．In the morning |
| A．Those about school life. |
| B．Those about rural life. |
| C．Those about history. |
| A．One week. | B．Two weeks. | C．Three weeks. |
| A．To a bookstore. | B．To a library. | C．To a cafe |
3 . Environmental Books For Kids
City Green, by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (1994)It is a great book on how anyone can take action and make a difference. In it, Marcy, a young girl, wants to plant a garden in the vacant lot(空地) of her city block. The book describes every step of building a community garden for everyone to share. It comes with a handy guide on how you can start your own community garden!
Kate, Who Tamed the Wind, by Liz Garton Scanlon (2018)This book is a wonderful story of problem-solving and perseverance (坚持不懈), as it tells the story of a young girl who decides to stop the wild wind from blowing by planting trees. It is a great read explaining the important role of trees in our lives and the planet as well as the importance of nature-based solutions.
We Are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom (2020)If you want to learn more about native people and the importance of protecting water, this is the book for you. It is a story of a young girl who stands up for environmental justice (正义) and becomes an activist who fights to protect the world from pollution.
Pangolina, by Jane Goodall (2021)A pangolin is to be unlawfully sold at the market. Luckily for her, a little girl, who knows that pangolins are friendly animals with feelings just like humans, asks her mother to buy Pangolina and set her free. If you love animals and you want to learn more about the problems of wildlife traffic as well as the importance of protecting endangered animals, this wonderful book is a good choice.
1. Which book would you recommend to someone interested in gardening?| A．City Green. | B．Pangolina. |
| C．We Are Water Protectors. | D．Kate, Who Tamed the Wind. |
| A．In 1994 | B．In 2018. | C．In 2020. | D．In 2021. |
| A．DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. | B．Liz Garton Scanlon. |
| C．Carole Lindstrom. | D．Jane Goodall. |
4 . Here are some of the best books I read this year.
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This :book follows a fictional Hollywood celebrity as she retells the story of her extraordinary personal/life and supposedly wonderful career to reporter Monique Grant. From start to finish, this book took me less than two days to read—it had me hooked with all its unexpected twists and turns(一波三折)!
“The Stationery Shop”by Marjan Kamali
This beautifully complicated novel follows the life of a girl named Roys—from her passionate life withBahman in Tehran, her college life in Oakland and all the twists and turns of her marriage with Walter. Overall, the book has taught me so much about grief, belonging and compassion in ways no other book has before.
“Where the Crawdads Sing”by Delia Owens
I only read this book because the movie was coming out, but it was one of my favorite reads of the year .The novel is about a girl named Kya who. was abandoned at an early age in a marsh(湿地). Raising herself alone, we see her struggle with normality, living alone and being suspected of murder.
“Book Lovers”by Emily Henry
Henry tells the story of beautiful literary agent Nora, who goes on vacation with her sister to the small town of Sunshine Falls. There, she meets one of the people she knows from the city, a book editor with whom she has a special past. They’re thrown together again and again in a series of coincidental meetings, and you are left with a thoroughly entertaining and heartwarming read.
1. What else does the writer tell besides the content of the books?| A．Experts’ views on each book. | B．His own reading experience. |
| C．Each author’s background. | D．Publishers’ information. |
| A．It is the only novel of the four. | B．It deals with a girl’s life. |
| C．A movie is adapted from the book. | D．The writer likes it best. |
| A．Book Lovers. | B．Where the Crawdads Sing. |
| C．The Stationery Shop. | D．The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. |
5 . You can’t just rely on textbooks to learn English, if you want to learn a foreign language well. Actually, you need an excellent language environment. This does not mean that you have to move abroad or live with foreigners. It is also a good way to read the original books, and the best and most reliable ones are the classics. Here are four famous books. Let’s see which one you are most interested in.
Ulysses
Ulysses did “stream of consciousness” before the term existed, and it’s also a complicated (难懂的) novel filled with references, wordplay, confusing jokes, and intense, personal reflections by the characters.
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick has a fame for being very dull. Melville’s novel wasn’t received well on publication (it took decades before people really started to realize how great it is), and the negative evaluation (评价) is repeated every year when students are forced to read it.
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a masterpiece in the literary world, being the inspiration, basis, and model for so many modern novels. You’re probably more familiar with its plot (情节) and characters than you think. For a book written in the early 19th century, its modernity is surprising only until you realize this is the novel that in many ways defines what a modern novel is.
The Big Sleep
It’s true that the book is written in what seems to modern audiences like a self-consciously tough style, peppered with old-fashioned expressions, and the plot is famously complicated, even for a mystery. It actually has several loose ends that never get solved, but it doesn’t matter.
1. Which book failed to be popular at first?| A．Ulysses. | B．Moby-Dick. | C．Pride and Prejudice. | D．The Big Sleep. |
| A．It is full of confusing jokes. | B．It is famous for its dullness. |
| C．It is a typical modern novel. | D．It has some mysterious (神秘的) ends. |
| A．A textbook. | B．An English magazine. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A novel. |
6 . Four Preschool Winter Stories
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Keats captures that childhood joy of playing in the snow. The boy, Peter, puts on his snowsuit and heads out into the beautiful snow. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. It is full of fun. Peter takes some snow home with him in his pocket only to find that it melted while he was taking a bath. Oh no! Is that the last of snow? Not to worry, the snow is waiting for Peter in the morning.
How to Catch a Yeti (雪人) by Adam Wallace
In this silly snowy adventure, the kids set a whole bunch of clever traps to catch a yeti.
However, the yeti easily escapes and the traps backfire on the kids with funny results. If you look closely at the illustrations, you can find “hidden” members of the yeti’s family watching the kids.
Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer
This is a sweet story that teaches kids about how animals spend the winter. As the first snowflake falls on the fox’s nose, fox wonders what he is supposed to do in winter. The other forest animals tell him how they prepare for winter. Some fly south, others store food, and some hibernate (冬眠) . Unfortunately none of these ideas will work for fox. Finally, another fox comes along and shares what foxes do in winter— they dance in the falling snow!
Bear is Awake: an Alphabet Story by Hannah E. Harrison
With hardly any words, the reader pieces the story together from the fantastic illustrations and the alphabet letter and corresponding word on each page. In this book, a bear awakens too early (A=awake) and sets off in search of food. It finds a little girl in a cabin, who, through a series of humorous events, helps the bear return to its home and go back to sleep.
1. In which book is the leading character Peter?| A．The Snowy Day. | B．How to Catch a Yeti. |
| C．Winter Dance. | D．Bear is Awake: an Alphabet Story. |
| A．The joy of playing in the snow. | B．The way animals spend the winter. |
| C．The story of animals hibernating. | D．A bear in search of food. |
| A．Ezra Jack Keats. | B．Adam Wallace. |
| C．Marion Dane Bauer. | D．Hannah E. Harrison. |
7 . Inc.com Icons & Innovators
Powerful books Elon Musk recommends
Elon Musk’s must-read list exhibits his well-known and deep interest in science, as well as the personalities behind it.
Benjamin Franklin
An American Life
By Walter Isaacson
Why It’s Inspiring: Born in South Africa, Musk was always appealed to America. where he took multiple degrees, founded his businesses, and gained citizenship at the age of 41. Musk sees Franklin as the type of American he himself would like to be and become: a combination of statesman, inventor, and businessman.
Catherine the Great
Portrait of a Woman
By Robert K. Massie
Why It’s Inspiring: Musk’s sister is a noted film director, his first wife an accomplished novelist, and his second wife a successful actress studying physics. It’s easy to see how Musk is drawn to an historical figure who in many ways resembles the women in his life.
Einstein
His Life and Universe
By Walter Isaacson
Why It’s Inspiring: Musk’s first college degree was a BS in physics, and his companies 一SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity all depend on a deep and ongoing understanding of physics and chemistry. Einstein essentially created humans’ modern understanding of the world, so it’s logical that Musk is interested in Einstein’s life and work.
Howard Hughes
His Life and Madness
By Donald L. Barlett
Why It’s Inspiring: Despite his brilliance as an inventor and businessman, Hughes never achieved the level of technological success he sought. Today, he’s remembered more for his great est failure (the Spruce Goose) than for his successes. Tesla sees Howard Hughes as a role model for what to avoid rather than follow.
1. Which of the four types of people does Elon Musk want to be?| A．Einstein. | B．Howard Hughes. |
| C．Benjamin Franklin. | D．Catherine the Great. |
| A．His success in technology. | B．His understanding of the world. |
| C．His brilliance as a businessman. | D．His failure in the Spruce Goose. |
| A．A review. | B．A webpage. |
| C．A biography. | D．An advertisement. |
Shanghai Library East Branch Begins Test Run
The Shanghai Library’s East Branch began
With 12 mobile robot “librarians” and various intelligent systems, it is much
The construction of the new library started in September 2017 and was completed in 2022. The new library will become a cultural center that provides diverse reading-related services and experiences. The original library on Huaihai Road will focus on serving the academic needs of professional readers and research institutions after the new one opens
1. Why is the event organized?
| A．To make money. |
| B．To encourage reading. |
| C．To give away books to the school. |
| A．The school. | B．The woman. | C．The local bookstores. |
| A．By collecting books. |
| B．By leading a bake sale. |
| C．By making a list of places. |
| A．At a gym. |
| B．At a library. |
| C．At a bookstore. |
10 . 2023 Upcoming Book Releases
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
Although they were inseparable growing up, Emily and Chess have begun to grow apart in their 30s.Now they hope to reconnect on a girls’ trip to an Italian villa(别墅) that was the setting of a celebrity murder.The further Emily tries to solve the long-ago murder, the more Chess becomes uncomfortable and their hidden secrets come spilling out. You won’t be able to tell the true kiler until the last minute.
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
This thrilling murder mystery set in 1937 Europe rises quickly with attraction, secrets, and betrayal.When Stella North is chosen to represent Britain in Europe’s first air race for young people, she knows all too well how high the stakes are. But promoting peace in Europe feels empty to Stella when civil war is raging in Spain and the Nazis are gaining power.
Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman
Lauren Fleshman is a distance runner in the United States. In Good for a Girl, Fleshman tells her true story of how she fell in love with running as a girl and shares her own running journey. Yet, the book isn’t just a memoir(回忆录). It’s a powerful look at how competitive sports are designed for men and boys and routinely fail female athletes, leading to injuries, eating disorders, and mental health issues.
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willing ham
One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his little bed in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep. With little evidence and few clues for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. With great twists, the excellent thriller will keep you gripped to the page, never knowing which character you can trust.
1. Which book might attract a history lover?| A．The Villa. | B．Good for a Girl. |
| C．All the Dangerous Things. | D．Stateless. |
| A．Nonfiction. | B．Romance. | C．Fantasy. | D．Mystery. |
| A．Someone was dead in these two books. |
| B．They criticize the police for their failure. |
| C．They tell stories happening between friends. |
| D．They keep readers guessing until the very end. |
