1 . In the house where I grew up, we had a room we called the library. It wasn’t a real library, of course, it was just a small room dominated by a television set. But there were bookshelves built into all four walls, and hundreds of book — hardback books of many colors — surrounded us in that room. The books, collected by my parents and grandparents throughout their lifetimes, were a part of my childhood.
But in the 1970s, I’m noticing a worrying trend: a move away from books. American homes might soon lack dedicated spaces for libraries, and hardcover books, once symbols of enduring thought and wisdom, may become endangered.
A friend who owns a bookstore in a college town tells me he struggles to sell hardback books; paperbacks, though easier to sell, still disappoint him. Students, once seen with books, now carry music records. Reading seems to be giving way to listening. Recent observations support this shift: the University of Illinois reported that a significant portion of freshmen have reading skills no better than an average eighth grader, with many of these students having been top performers in high school.
University professors note that even college graduates struggle with reading and writing. The cultural impact of this change is evident. A successful fiction book might sell a mere 3,000 copies, while a music album by a new band, Boston, has sold millions. This reflects our passive consumption era, where listening to music or watching shows requires little active engagement, unlike reading a book, which demands effort and intent.
In the past, reading was a fundamental part of life, but now, in the era of fast information access, books are losing their significant place. Today’s young Americans are more likely to read a disposable paperback than to cherish and reread a hardcover. In a society that values speed and convenience, the book for keeping and rereading is a weighty dinosaur.
1. What trend in the 1970s does the author find concerning?| A．The rise of paperback books. | B．The increase in television watching. |
| C．The struggle to sell hardback books. | D．The decline in book reading and interest in libraries. |
| A．They may have difficulty in reading and writing. | B．They read more hardbacks than paperbacks. |
| C．They are buying more books than music records. | D．They are more likely to engage in demanding work. |
| A．A valuable resource. | B．A popular trend. |
| C．An outdated relic. | D．A new innovation. |
| A．Library: A Valuable Place | B．Books: An Endangered Species? |
| C．Reading Makes People Wise | D．Hardcovers Are Symbols of Wisdom |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Last week, one of my favorite day arrived — the Library’s Book Sale Day. When my mom and I waited in line, the workers chatted in the front of us. They said it was ten but the last book sale, because the people who ran them would retire. Hear their words, we were very sad. Then, an idea occurred me that we could volunteer to run the book sale but my mom agreed. Final, we made an application to the library officer. To our delight, we get the chance. It’s exciting for us to be able to run the book sale in person.
3 . A trip to the library was like a great journey to a different country. To get there, we had to walk a mile. But our weekly journeys to the library were a piece of perfection. I had around me at one time all the people I loved best — my father and mother and brothers and sister — and all the things I loved best — quiet, space and books.
I read a lot of books about science: not the spaceships my brothers preferred, but the birds and the bees —literally. I brought home a book of birds and searched the trees for anything other than robins (知更鸟). I went through a phrase of loving books with practical science experiments and used up a whole bottle of white vinegar by pouring it on the sides of our apartment building to prove that it was constructed of limestone (石灰石).
One Saturday, as I wandered through the young adult section, I saw a title: Little Women, by Lousia May Alcott. I had learned from experience that titles weren’t everything. A book that sounded great on the shelf could be dull once you got it home. So I sat in a chair near the shelves to skim the first paragraphs.
I read and read and read Little Women until it was time to walk home, and, except for a few essential interruptions like sleeping and eating, I did not put it down until the end. Even the freedom to watch weekend television held no appeal for me in the wake of Alcott's story. It was about girls, for one thing, girls who could almost be like me, especially Jo. I had found someone who thought and felt the way I did.
1. What can we say about the author’s family?| A．They enjoyed traveling abroad. | B．They were library frequenters. |
| C．They were very fond of walking. | D．They led a perfectly quiet life. |
| A．Her different hobbies from her brothers. |
| B．How she conducted science experiments. |
| C．Why she loved books about the birds and the bees. |
| D．Her reading interests during a particular period of time. |
| A．Book titles can sometimes be misleading. |
| B．Science books are as interesting as novels. |
| C．The first few paragraphs of a book are attractive. |
| D．Books seem duller when read in libraries than at home. |
| A．It helped her to discover her true character. |
| B．It made her forget about food and sleep. |
| C．It inspired confidence in her. |
| D．It kept her absorbed. |
