1 . Fu Lei’s Family Letters is a book of letters written by Chinese translator and writer Fu Lei to his elder son Fu Cong, who is a famous pianist. Between 1954 and 1966, Fu Cong spent a lot of time away from home training as a piano player. As a result, writing letters became Fu Lei’s usual way of communicating with his elder son. Fu Min, Fu Lei’s younger son edited the letters and the book came out in 1981.

The book shows Fu Lei’s family tradition and value. To Fu Lei, the purpose of education of a person, is to make that person useful to the society. Fu Lei praised his son Fu Cong after winning a piano competition. Fu Lei wrote, “We are happy because you make your country proud. I am so excited when I think about your future. You will make great progress and serve more people, encourage them and heal them.”

In the family letters, Fu Cong was also advised to read famous Chinese texts. When reading these books, Fu Cong was told to connect ideas and feelings together, for that would help him become a better person. To Fu Lei, learning to be a good person comes before any academic training.

Fu Lei’s Family Letters has a great impact on people in China because it helps many young students understand how they should live their lives.

1. Who edited Fu Lei’s family letters?

A．Fu Lei.

B．Fu Cong.

C．Fu Min.

D．A translator.

2. What can we learn from Fu Lei’s Family Letters?

A．Fu Lei’s family tradition and value are shown in the book.

B．People in the 1950s communicated with each other by books.

C．It’s difficult for parents to make their children well educated.

D．Praising children after taking part in a competition is important.

3. What did Fu Lei think of Fu Cong’s future?

A．It would be uncertain.

B．It would be hopeful.

C．It would be difficult.

D．It would be interesting.

4. Why was Fu Cong advised to read famous Chinese texts?

A．To be a richer man.

B．To do more academic training.

C．To help more people.

D．To become a better person.

3 . It's a great idea to reread novels.     1     For a while, I saw little point in rereading. Why reread a favorite when there are other books waiting for you? Most book lovers have long books waiting to be read. It seems a waste of time to reread a novel. The aspect of time is a crucial point for readers — a novel simply is not a poem, short story or movie.

    2     For one, the purpose of reading changes. You are no longer familiarizing yourself with the plot, characters or setting. These points were made clear in the first read. Rather, the second and third reading allows greater focus on the theme, literary references, style and the more subtle (细微的) aspects of the novel. This makes for a more enjoyable read. In many ways, a novel is like an endless treasure chest.    3    .

Another pleasant part of rereading is the lack of need to “understand” a novel. You've already read it and can now determine the extent of your enjoyment. However, there's a possibility of disliking a novel at second glance (再看一眼). There's   nothing wrong with this!     4     It's through rereading that we develop an understanding of our tastes.

I'm not suggesting that rereading is superior to (优于) reading novels for the first time. Yet, it's worth arranging time for two or three novels a year. You shouldn't reread any book. Rather pick a favorite to start with, preferably a story you read over a year ago.     5     It's entirely possible not to enjoy a novel at first but appreciate it at a different stage in your life.

A．However, it wasn't something I often did.

B．Yet plots, characters and setting still matter.

C．Still, I must mention the benefits of rereading.

D．That's because our tastes and preferences change.

E．I prefer the latter even though the enjoyment is less.

F．Or, pick a novel you are having second thoughts about.

G．You'll always find something previously undiscovered.

4 . An 80-foot floating library, built in 1963 and called Bokbaten in Norway, visited around 250 small communes along the west coast of Norway twice every year before 2020. Many of the villages along the west coast of Norway are most easily accessible by boat rather than car, so in 1959, a group of librarians got government funding to s art a waterborne library service with special on stress on children’s literature.

Large enough to hold around 6, 000 books, the boat also hosted readings, children’s pays, and other cultural events onboard. It traveled along the coast on 64-day tours during the fall and winter months, welcoming up to 150 children at a time and unloading books for each community to keep until the boat made it swayback the next time around. In summer, the library was repurposed as a tourist boat.

But in 2020, it looked like it might be the end for the library. After nearly 60 years in action, the popular boat had its funding cut by the government, which ended the floating library program. “The book boat is a floating house of culture, which means a lot to thousands of children in the communities that don’t have a good library offering,” Norwegian librarian and author Stig Holmas wrote on Facebook at the time. “It has large numbers of visits,” he went on, adding: “What a shame!”

Luckily, 28 local municipalities (市政当局) banded together in support of the beloved library, helping organize 88 cultural events to make people realize the importance of the boat between August and November 2021. Then, in February 2022, the Fritt Ord Foundation, a private Norwegian nonprofit, provided the library with nearly $300, 000 to keep the program running. Later that year, journalist Maria PileS vas and, whose grandfather built the library, was employed as manager for Bokbaten.

The boat is now a traveling bookstore, and it continues to carry on the tradition of inviting authors, actors and musicians to come aboard and perform live readings for children.

1. What do we know about Bokbaten?

A．It also held a variety of activities.

B．It was not that popular in the summer.

C．It was suggested by the 250 communities.

D．It allowed people to keep the book for 64 days.

2. What is Stig Holmas’ attitude towards the government decision?

A．Relieved.

B．Shocked.

C．Puzzled.

D．Angry.

3. What did local municipalities do for the revival of Bokbaten?

A．They provided enough funds for the library.

B．They helped to promote the value of the library.

C．They invited Maria Pile Svasand to manage Bokbaten.

D．They set up the Fritt Ord Foundation to raise funds for Bokbaten.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Why the floating library in Norway is so popular

B．The establishment of a floating library in Norway

C．How a floating library in Norway was saved

D．The influence of a floating library in Norway

5 . A Book-list by Trusted Critics

I Can Explain
Shinsuke Yoshitake

Has your mom ever caught you picking your nose or biting your nails? In this book, bad habits yield complex explanations that justify their very existence.

And really, how hard is it to believe that nose pickers are actually pushing hidden nose buttons that release “cheerful beams” that make everyone happy?

Where Butterflies Fill the Sky
Zahra Marwan

What happens when you have to leave your home where the desert reaches all the way to the sea and 100 butterflies always fill the sky? This picture book about immigration deals with its serious subject matter while keeping heart, humor and family close at hand.

It tells the true story of how the girl and her family moved from one land to another.

Farmhouse
Sophie Blackall

Our lives are our stories. In this one Sophie Blackall manages to spin a single sentence capturing the imagined lives of a houseful of children on a farm. The images and story were inspired by the detritus (废弃物) she discovered in an old farmhouse.

The resulting images are sure to delight children and adults alike, while the story is a reminder of what we leave behind.

My Brother Is Away
Sara Greenwood

It’s never easy to explain that a family member is imprisoned, and it can be especially hard for children.

This simple picture book draws on the author’s own childhood to tell the story of a young girl whose brother is in prison. A gentle and hopeful story for kids about very adult situations and complex feelings.

1. What is Where Butterflies Fill the Sky about?

A．A story of 100 butterflies always filling the sky.

B．A story of immigration, family, and finding home.

C．A story of serious matters of a girl and her mom.

D．A story about very adult situations and complex feelings.

2. Which book will leave the reader with a heavy heart?

A．Where Butterflies Fill the Sky.	B．I Can Explain.
C．Farmhouse.	D．My Brother Is Away.

3. Who do you think the books are written for?

A．Senior students.

B．Adults.

C．Kids.

D．Foreigners.

6 . The following are the comments on The Berry Pickers.

Donna David

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2024

I enjoyed the story. The characters were interesting and the story of the people working in the blueberry fields in Maine was of great interest to me. But there’s a problem. In the story, they speak about coming to Maine for 2 months. The blueberry season was and is 3 — 5 weeks. I think the author should have been a little more thoughtful in her research to make it more accurate (精确的).

Mom2AC

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024

This is such a beautiful and heartbreaking story of two families—one filled with love, pain, and loss, the other with secrets. The story was beautifully written and had me in tears at the end. I love books that have me thinking about the characters once the book is finished.

Diana Jaycox

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2023

I read The Berry Pickers as part of a Kindle Reading Challenge. The Berry Pickers was not my normal pick of reading material. That is what I love about the Kindle Reading Challenges; I am forced to try new authors. This is not the kind of novel you can read in one setting. No, The Berry Pickers, requires you to read slowly, enjoying the richness of Amanda Peters’ words, and her great settings.

EH

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024

As I began reading, I thought I’d mistakenly bought a book for young adults. It’s not badly written, but it is too simple for its subject matter. It’s also overly long, and would have worked better as a novel.

1. What is Donna David’s complaint about The Berry Pickers?

A．It’s very long.	B．It’s inaccurate.
C．It’s too simple.	D．It’s poorly-organized.

2. Who think highly of The Berry Pickers?

A．Donna David and EH.	B．Diana Jayeox and EH.
C．Mom2AC and Diana Jaycox.	D．Donna David and Diana Jaycox.

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To share comments on a book.	B．To record personal experiences.
C．To complain about bad service.	D．To introduce a reading activity.

7 . Magazines make great reading materials for kids. Libraries often have a large selection of periodicals (期刊) for every age group and reading level, and for many areas of interest. And some magazines may even have issues going back years and even decades! Below is a list of some of them!

Military Kids Life

It is about finding the bright side of life as a military kid! Inside each quarterly issue, your child will encounter inspiring stories, articles, and photographs! (8 to 16 years)

Faces

With articles, folk tales, and hands-on projects, Faces magazine takes young readers around the world for an honest and objective view of how children in other regions live. (9 to 14 years)

Make

Make magazine publishes tested projects, skill-building tutorials, in-depth reviews and inspirational stories, accessible by all ages and skill ranges. (9 to 18 years)

Brio

Brio magazine for teen girls has a fresh new look that includes more pages filled with inspiring profiles, cultural insights, health & beauty tips, faith-filled features and added fun! (13 to 18 years)

Please note: Though all the magazines on this list are written for children, some issues may contain content that you may feel inappropriate for your child. As always, please review all reading materials before giving them to your child to read.

1. Which magazine can help develop kids’ international awareness?

A．Faces.	B．Make.
C．Brio.	D．Military Kids Life.

2. What can be learned from the text?

A．All the magazines are proper for children.

B．Magazines are usually published for children.

C．Some magazines have back issues in libraries.

D．Only magazines for kids are accessible in libraries.

3. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To argue.	B．To inform.
C．To entertain.	D．To persuade.

9 . BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

Susie Dent is Britain’s most-loved word expert. She has two new books: Interesting Stories About Curious Words (John Murray) and Roots of Happiness (Puffin), both available now.

Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain Fournier

This was the first book that really stopped me in my tracks. I lapped up its romantic but melancholy (忧郁的) story of the dreamy world between childhood and adolescence. I’ve never found as acute a description of longing as I did here, and for many things: for the mysterious castle, for love, and for freedom. It is an mysterious and dreamy book. What adds to the magic is that this was the only story that Fournier wrote—he died on the front line in the early months of the First World War.

The Oxford English Dictionary

If I could take just one book to a desert island it would (of course) be the complete Oxford English Dictionary —all 20 volumes. It may sound predictable, but the OED is anything but. In its pages you’ll find comedy, passion, tragedy, and thousands of hidden stories. Even the simplest of words have had quite a journey— “nice”, for example, has gone from meaning “stupid” to “pleasant”. Add to that a host of words that have unaccountably disappeared when—to my mind—we could really do with them, and you have entertainment forever. And which of us hasn’t met an “ultracrepidarian”: one who loves to talk about something they know nothing about?

Maus and Maus II by Art Spiegelman

The graphic novels Maus and Maus Ⅱ by the American cartoonist Art Spiegelman are not easy reads, but they’re important ones. They’re really a tale within a tale, in which the narrator (叙述者) interviews his father about his experiences of the Holocaust and his liberation from a concentration camp. Here the Nazis are drawn as cats, and Jews are mice. Overarching it all is an unforgettable tale of a son’s relationship with his broken father. Given that German has always been my first love, it felt necessary to read these books. Spiegelman takes the unspeakable and gives it an immediacy I’ll never forget.

1. What is the probable purpose of this text?

A．To recommend and classify.	B．To encourage and enrich.
C．To introduce and inform.	D．To memorize and alarm.

2. How does The Oxford English Dictionary change Susie’s life?

A．It inspires her to write stories.	B．It helps her describe something particular.
C．It fuels her passion for referring to a dictionary.	D．It entertains her with the development of language.

3. What is Maus and Maus Ⅱmost probably about?

A．German geography.	B．Unexplained tales.
C．Adapted life story.	D．Parent-child relationship.

10 . Grace Hemingway gifted her son, Earnest, a copy of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic poem Hiawatha on his sixth birthday. While it’s hard to say how much her choice of gift influenced Earnest Hemingway at the time, he grew up to become one of the most famous writers in history.

Books can make for charming gifts. Giving a book as a gift to someone is much more than a simple exchange of goods.

When giving books, think about your recipients’ (接受者) favorite. It is worth the time to try and find a rare copy, like first editions or signed copies. They’ll be delighted by the effort. Are your friends stuck in a dullness and in need of some motivation? You can gift them a book that offers inspiration. Also, not mainstream yet useful guides related to their career are helpful.

A book when received as a gift has meaning to the recipient by itself if you’ve put some thought into it. An inscription (题词) adds to the appeal of your gift by making it more individualized. Without an inscription, although still meaningful, the book is just a book indistinguishable from hundreds of thousands of copies out there. A case for not penning down an inscription is that it makes it easier for them to pass it on to someone else if they don’t like the book.

Wondering if you should give your recipient a hardcover or a paperback? There is no universal preference among readers. Some like the paperbacks because of the convenience, easy to carry around and travel with. But many people, including me, prefer hardcovers because they’re more traditional and last much longer. A study designed to find a relation between the weight of wine bottles and their prices found that in most cases the weight of a wine bottle related positively with the price. The weight helped consumers perceive the wine as better.

In a word, books can make for memorable gifts. A good book gifted thoughtfully will create a pleasant memory.

1. Why is Earnest Hemingway mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To share a book.	B．To present a fact.
C．To introduce the topic.	D．To make a comparison.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．Who the gift should be given.	B．How a book should be presented.
C．Where a proper book can be found.	D．What kinds of books can be chosen as gifts.

3. Why is an inscription advised to be included in a gifted book?

A．To make the book more personal.

B．To record the giver’s reading experience.

C．To make the content of the book more appealing.

D．To allow the book to be more pleasing to the eye.

4. What does the author want to convey when it comes to the study about wine bottles?

A．Good wine is all in heavier bottles.

B．The weight of a book determines its price.

C．A hardcover book is often valued more as a gift.

D．The price of wine depends on the quality of its bottle.