4 . Writing a book is a long and challenging process, but new technology is increasingly making it easier for authors to finish their books.

Michael Green, a US data scientist-turned-novelist, felt that technology could help him simplify the writing process when he was in the middle of writing his debut (首部) book.

He said that the process had become difficult to manage: “In the midst of editing, I got to the point where I started feeling like I had a lot of plots and characters,” he told the BBC. “I had all these documents on the deeper aspects of the world I was creating. I was worried about being able to keep track of it all. That’s when I switched into my more data science-minded approach to solving a complex problem with a lot of different pieces.”

Green went on to create Lynit, a digital platform to help authors plan and weave together the many elements that form a story, such as themes, characters, and major events.

“As the author gets a new idea that they want to bring into the story, they are able to input it into a natural framework,” he told the BBC. “Piece by piece, they’re adding to the story. As new ideas come in, they change, maybe by creating new nodes (节点), new relationships.”

Once the book has been published, technology is also playing an ever-increasing role in publicity and connecting with readers. Websites and apps from specialist firms allow authors to participate in live question-and-answer sessions with their audience.

Another tech firm, Crazy Maple Studios in California, US, offers authors four apps that can add music, animation, sound effects and in some cases, gameplay.

Michael Green believes technology will become even more important as a new generation of tech-savvy (精通技术的) writers becomes more well-known.

“What I’m finding with the Generation Z and even younger writers is that they’re looking for technology to give them guidance,” he told the BBC. “They see it as a tool to learn and grow with, rather than extra work.”

1. What difficulty did Green face in writing his debut book?

A．He would leave out important plots.

B．He had trouble organizing his thoughts.

C．He often felt he was not creative enough.

D．He felt the characters would not attract readers.

2. What is an advantage of technology according to the text?

A．It brings authors closer to their readers.

B．It can generate images based on words.

C．It can translate thoughts into sentences.

D．It creates new relationships for authors.

3. Which of the following would Green most probably agree with?

A．New technology matters to rising authors.

B．Technology adds to the burden of authors.

C．New technology gets in the way of creativity.

D．Young writers rely too heavily on technology.

4. Where is the passage most likely from?

A．A travel journal.	B．A fairy tale.
C．A book review.	D．A science magazine.

5 . Some libraries use unique architecture to encourage visitors to explore the bookshelves and settle down with a new book, or use roving libraries to bring books to hard-to-reach populations. No matter how they achieve it, these novel libraries are keeping the magic of reading alive.

Bishan Library (Singapore)

Built in 2006, this library with skylights and trellises, is meant to invoke a modern glass treehouse. Glass pods of varying colors stick out of the building randomly to create cozy yet airy corners for reading throughout the building. At the same time, a more open-plan children’s room on the basement level invites interaction while preventing noise from filtering upward and disturbing those concentrating in the lofty perches above.

Stuttgart City Library (Stuttgart, Germany)

Opened in 2011, this nine-story public library is characterized by its attractive white color scheme (lit by blue light at night), its bold cubic shape. This cultural center for the city, designed to feel open and full of light, can be entered from any of its four sides, and people can borrow artwork as well as books.

The Camel Library Service (North Eastern Province, Kenya)

To combat low literacy rates in the desert of Kenya, the government created a roaming library composed of nine camels bringing books to villages. The library travels four days a week serving the region’s nomadic people. With more funding, they plan to increase their reach both in distance and the books they carry.

Macquarie University Library (Sydney, Australia)

A wonderful combination of cutting-edge and sustainable ideas, this building was made from recycled materials, features a green roof, and was designed to look like the shape of a eucalyptus tree. It is also state of the art, using robot cranes to bring requested books to the front desk.

1. Which of the following can offer the service of lending artwork?

A．Bishan Library.	B．Stuttgart City Library.
C．The Camel Library Service.	D．Macquarie University Library.

2. What can we know about the Macquarie University Library?

A．It is intelligent and environmentally-friendly.

B．It has a green roof and a eucalyptus tree outside.

C．It is like a modern glass treehouse with skylights.

D．It opens four days a week serving the local people.

3. According to the passage, the four libraries are all designed to ________.

A．prevent noise

B．recycle old books

C．encourage reading

D．present beautiful appearances

7 . Reading is essential but how can one choose the right books to read and where can one find them? A few famous people may give you some helpful tips.

● Read books from past eras.

    1     Otherwise, you’d be “completely dependent on the prejudices and fashions of your times,” just as Albert Einstein put it. “Somebody who reads only newspapers and books of contemporary authors looks to me like an extremely near-sighted person who dislikes eyeglasses,” he said.

●     2    

Reading too wide a variety in too short a time would keep the teachings from leaving a lasting impression on you. Seneca the Younger, a first-century Roman philosopher, suggested that “you must linger (流连) among a limited number of master thinkers, and digest their works, if you would obtain ideas which shall win firm hold in your mind.”

● Shop at secondhand bookstores.

Virginia Woolf believed the works in secondhand bookstores have an attraction which the usual volumes of the library lack. Browsing through these books gives you the chance to run into something that wouldn’t have risen to the attention of librarians and booksellers.     3    

● Check out authors’ reading lists.

In his 1940 guide How to Read a Book, American philosopher Mortimer J. Adler talked about how to choose books. He attached importance to those that other authors consider worth reading.     4     Mortimer wrote that “one way to understand them is to read the books they read.”

● Make the final decision by yourself.

    5     It’s you yourself who should choose what, how and when to read. Theodore Roosevelt recommended choosing books on subjects that interest you and letting your mood guide you to your next great read.

A．Interest is the best teacher.

B．Great authors are great readers.

C．Leave some room for older works.

D．Learn more about those great authors.

E．Don’t jump too quickly from book to book.

F．There’s no “best books” list that everyone should follow.

G．Usually they are much more selective in organizing their collections.

9 . I’ve been reading 100 books per year on average during the past decade. So obviously I get the usual question of what books I recommend. Well, here’re my top 4 favorite books of all times, which influenced me into who l am today.

1. Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

One of the biggest bestsellers of all times. Napoleon Hill spent two decades analyzing over 500 successful men like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and John D. Rockefeller to discover how they did it. The result of Hill’s research is in Think & Grow Rich —13 steps to achieve your goal, whatever it is. All other self-help books are just copies of Hill’s book first published in 1937.

2. Psychocybernetics by Maxwell Maltz.

Another bestseller and the only self-help book you’ll need next to Think Grow Rich. Maxwell Maltz was a plastic surgeon who was amazed that some patients still felt ugly after surgery (外科手术). That’s when he discovered they also needed reconstruction work inside—their “self-image”. Everything about how to use the “mind-body” connection to achieve your goals, and how to feel confident about your body is inside this book.

3. Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin.

This book drives the point home that success in any field is not determined by genetics or talent but deliberate practice. Colvin uses examples from world class achievers like Tiger Woods, Jack Welch, Warren Buffet, Mozart to prove that they all got theirs through years of practice—the 10,000 hours rule. You’ll reexamine your beliefs about what it takes to succeed and supercharge your motivation after reading Colvin’s book.

4. Mastery by George Leonard.

This book also stresses that practice is the secret of success in anything. Leonard explains that mastership never ends—you will never have perfect technique and be able to stop. Instead you’ll keep learning, improving, and hitting plateaus (瓶颈期). The big point in Mastery is that plateaus are vital for improving your skills and that you therefore must start enjoying them instead of getting impatient or quitting like most guys do.

1. What is the book Think & Grow Rich mainly about?

A．Successful men’s stories.	B．A research on being rich.
C．An analysis of famous people.	D．Instructions on how to succeed.

2. The book Psychocybernetics is suitable for people who ________.

A．prepare to get surgery	B．are unconfident of their appearance
C．want to build their body	D．need advice of plastic surgeons

3. What do Talent is Overrated and Mastery both mention?

A．The steps to achieving the goal.

B．World class achievers’ achievement.

C．Practice’s key role in achieving success.

D．Genetics and talent’s influence on being successful.

10 . Having your nose in a book might seem a little anti-social at times — but reading could actually make you a kinder, more considerate person, a study has found. Readers were more likely to act in a socially acceptable manner, while those who preferred watching television came across as less friendly and less understanding of

others' views, researchers said.

123 participants in the study were quizzed on their preferences for books, TV and plays at Kingston University, London. They were then tested on how much they considered people's feelings and whether they acted to help others. Researchers told the British Psychological Society conference in Brighton yesterday that fiction fans showed more positive social behavior.

Readers of drama and romance novels were also empathic, while lovers of experimental books showed the ability to see things from different directions. Comedy fans scored the highest for relating to others. The study suggested reading allows people to see different points of view, enabling them to understand others better.

The researchers added, “Exposure to fiction relates to a range of empathetic abilities. Engaging with fictional prose and comedy in particular could be key to improving people's empathetic abilities.”

However, the authors warned the study did not prove cause-and-effect. So it could be that reading causes positive behavior, or it could be that thoughtful, well-mannered people are more likely to prefer reading. So it is a good idea to pick up a book to begin your travel with the author. Each author will show how they would react to certain situations or confrontations through their characters. Everyone can view the same situation differently, and from 1001 different angles. The more you read, the much better you can understand other peoples' opinions.

1. What do we know about reading according to Paragraph 1?

A．It contributes more to one's anti-social role.

B．It is of rare benefit to readers.

C．It is related to one's social position.

D．It can add to one's social adaptability.

2. Researchers tested 123 participants in order to find         .

A．the way to improve reading skills

B．the influence of their preferences

C．the places to get new books

D．the time of reading books

3. What does the underlined word "empathic" in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Understanding.	B．Mad.
C．Sorrowful.	D．Delighted.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To react to certain situations.

B．To understand peoples' opinions.

C．To persuade people to read.

D．To show how to begin travels.