1 . In the Ancient Greek world, one was meant to focus on a close knowledge of just two books. Homer’s Odyssey and his Iliad, because these were the best guides to action in military and civilian affairs. However, the modern world firmly equals the intelligent person with the well-read person.
Nowadays, if we do not rush to read four of this year’s major prize winning books, we will feel guilty at how far behind we are. We think that there should be no limit to how much we read because in answer to the question of why we read, there is only one response that will ever be ambitious enough: we read in order to know everything.
But this tiring approach to reading does not make us particularly happy. So in order to ease and simplify our lives, we might have a much more limited, focused and useful goal. We might, for example, read in order to learn to be content. Nothing less and nothing more.
With this new, far more targeted ambition in mind, much of the pressure to read constantly and randomly starts to fade. Once we know that we are reading to be content, we don’t need to chase every book published this season. We can zero in on titles that best explain what we need. So for example, we may need a few key books that will teach us about how families work and how they might work better, that can take us through how to find a job, or how to develop the courage to develop our opportunities.
The more we understand what reading is for us, the more we can enjoy close relationships with a few works only. The truly well-read person isn’t the one who has read a huge number of books, but someone who has let themselves be deeply shaped by just a few, very well-chosen titles.
1. Why are Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To present a fact. | B．To explain a point. |
| C．To raise a question. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．Major prize winning books should be read. |
| B．We should be ambitious to read to know everything. |
| C．Reading as much as we can leads to happiness. |
| D．We should read with focused purpose. |
| A．The newly published ones. |
| B．Those with innovative names. |
| C．The books meeting your needs. |
| D．The books improving your ambitions. |
| A．To promote our interest in reading. |
| B．To advocate a targeted reading way. |
| C．To criticize reading blindly. |
| D．To compare different reading styles. |
2 . I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, and every morning, sometimes before I woke up, my dad left for work. I didn't know much about what my dad actually did all day. But one thing I did know about my dad's day was that he often spent his lunch break looking for books for me. He would often come home in the evening with a book for me in his bag. When he handed the "gift" over to me, I immediately investigated its cover, checked out the description on the back, and sometimes started reading right then.
I was not always as appreciative of those books as I should have been, especially in my younger years. One time, Dad brought home a paperback（平装书）called Bunya the Witch. I scanned the cover quickly before declaring, "Ugh! It's just another stupid farm book," and dropping it on the ground. I was rightfully reprimanded for being an ungrateful kid, and I learned that valuable lesson about not judging a book by its cover—Bunya the Witch turned out to be one of my favorites.
As I got older, my dad favored books focused on strong young female characters, like Invincible Louisa by Cornelia Meigs, Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt, and Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz, books I remember to this day.
It's not just the books themselves that stay in my memory. It's the girl reading them, and what she felt as she read. I think back to hours spent in my childhood bedroom, reading about young women who faced lives much more difficult than mine. I learned from their courage and drew inspiration from their bravery.
To this day, I love to read. I love the excitement of opening up a new book and getting lost in whatever story the author wants to tell me. And quite often, when I've read something really wonderful, the first person I pass it along to is my dad. I figure I owe him.
1. What do we know about the young author from Paragraph 1?| A．She asked for gifts every evening. |
| B．She was interested in books. |
| C．She cared about her dad's work. |
| D．She enjoyed investigating incidents. |
| A．Ignored. | B．Defended. | C．Excused. | D．Scolded. |
| A．Treasure one's present life. |
| B．Never judge a book by its cover. |
| C．One should fight against life's hardships. |
| D．Teens can also achieve really great things. |
| A．Dad, me, and love of reading | B．Dad—my first teacher in life |
| C．Reading—a source of knowledge | D．Readers, books, and a key to success |
3 . What I refer to as "message books" don't normally get much attention in my house. You know the ones you REALLY want your kids to take to heart but end up being cast aside. The ones you start reading aloud, hoping your kids will learn to be nice, or be themselves, or control their temper, but instead of listening, your kid starts acting EXACTLY the opposite of the book's message? Do you still buy them? Of course you do. I do too.
But there's a message book that just clicks—I Promise. It is a beautiful book written by LeBron James. What really drew my kids in were the little moments it created.
While there isn't a main character, there is one little girl who appears several times. The image of her sitting on a bench, so small that her feet don't even touch the ground, leaning her head on her brother's shoulder after she fails to sink a basketball, brought me and my kids very near tears（my kids started hugging all over each other; it was nice while it lasted）, and they immediately started talking about the challenges in their own lives, hard moments may seem small to grown-ups but are huge for kids.
LeBron James will tell you that it was the promises he made to himself that helped him forge a path out of his difficult childhood in his book, like "I promise to remain strong and humble with every win and defeat," but he will also tell you that promises are not enough. The purpose of these promises we make to ourselves and to each other, and that we're sharing with kids in this book, is to tell them they can do anything they put their minds to if they devote to doing the hard work.
Yes, it's easier to set a message book aside. It can be difficult to take the time to stop and talk through the lessons when there is no story, and it doesn't always work. But LeBron James has made it work, for both my kids and for me.
1. What does the author think of message books?| A．They contribute to good communication. | B．They can help form good manners. |
| C．They are not welcome at home. | D．They will direct children positively. |
| A．attempts to reach out to children | B．discusses the challenges of children |
| C．presents readers with little things | D．focuses on the little girl's life story |
| A．the determination | B．great efforts |
| C．keeping confident | D．surviving the difficulties |
| A．LeBron James is a remarkable writer. |
| B．Storytelling books are people's favorite. |
| C．The book makes children and parents read together. |
| D．The children and parents build a good relationship. |
4 . It's not new that we spend more time than ever texting and online.
Reading on your own isn't like reading for school. You can pick something that's all about your interests, whether it is ancient martial arts, computers or fashion design.
Join a book club.
Most social networking sites have book - club parts.
Ask an expert.
Find a quiet place and make time for the book.
| A．Find a suitable family. |
| B．Start with your interests. |
| C．Join a group with friends and people you believe in. |
| D．Your local library can interest you in a lot of great books. |
| E．But did you know that we also spend more time reading? |
| F．Most reading is best enjoyed when you can concentrate on it. |
| G．Try different books because you never know what you will find. |
5 . I opened the big steel door to the school's front office. My hands were a bit sweaty, my heart was pounding in my chest, and my throat and tongue felt tense and dry. It was the first day of school. No, not for me as a student, but rather, for me as a first time reading tutor（助教）volunteering with the Experience Corps program.
I'm so proud to be part of such a worthwhile educational organization. The Experience Corps developed a research-based, statistically proven reading improvement program which consists of fun reading games. In the games, I'd play with each child and they didn't even realize that they were actually learning and improving their reading—we were having too much fun!
"Ms. R,"（as they called me）, "I read my book to my dog, Sunny, and she really liked it, too." Great! That's the idea—keep on reading to others at home to increase accuracy and fluency. "Ms. R, my mom has a baby in her belly. I'm going to be a big sister and will read to him when he comes out." That one made me feel all warm and sweet, and I told the student that she would be the best big sister ever. "Ms. R, why do you have gray hair?" I love the frankness of kids. I just laughed and told them it was better to have gray hair than no hair! We all giggled（傻笑）at that.
The students were tested throughout the year, and results showed that they were making progress in their reading. I hope I played at least a small part in their academic success. When I first volunteered to tutor, I was a bit anxious. I had no teaching experience, but I found out that you don't need any. All you need is the willingness to give of yourself and a desire to work one-on-one with these children who so desperately want to please you.
1. How did the author feel when first working as a reading tutor?| A．Curious. | B．Nervous. |
| C．Satisfied. | D．Pleased. |
| A．Helping improve the reading program. |
| B．Teaching students knowledge of all the subjects. |
| C．Playing various outdoor games with the students. |
| D．Offering reading guidance under the program. |
| A．To describe the pleasure of being a reading tutor. |
| B．To state how the Experience Corps program works. |
| C．To show how close the students are to the volunteer tutor. |
| D．To explain the difficulties and hardship of teaching. |
| A．Experience. | B．Devotion. |
| C．Knowledge. | D．Diligence. |
6 . I fell in love with the Little Free Library concept years ago on vacation. The concept of free literature-sharing boxes posted in neighborhoods and public spaces hooked me. For a booklover, this represented bliss（快乐）. At home, my bedside table sprouts（长出）books and from the floor rises a mountainous to-be-read pile. My husband wasn’t the least bit surprised when I suggested starting our own Little Free Library- As a writer and introvert（内向的人）, I welcomed the idea of saying hello to other booklovers on occasion.
The following winter, my husband built a copy of our Irish garden shed（棚屋）with a framed glass door on the front and, in the spring, mounted（安装）it on a post in front of our house. We filled the shelves with books, and since then, visitors have refilled them with literary fiction, romances, mysteries, science fiction, cowboy westerns, young-adult fiction, poetry, how-to’s, self-help and a range of other nonfiction.
For a time after COVID-19 first struck, public libraries shut down, and Amazon prioritized the delivery of essential and high-demand items. Books were less easily attained. Traffic to our library increased. I posted reminders about handwashing, and still, readers kept coming.
We wondered if we should close the Little Free Library and revisited（再次讨论）our original motivations for hosting it: to facilitate the exchange of books, to create a sense of community. Reading provides the necessary relief to the emotional crush（压力）of life. With this in mind, we added a written reminder on staying safe in the library.
Through my teens, reading transported me to other places and eras. Books taught me about life and how people overcame adversity（逆境）. I no longer felt alone in the things I struggled against.
Aside from the entertainment books offer, studies show that reading exposes us to other cultures and perspectives. Literature sheds light on the justice to be found in social inclusion and community cohesion（凝聚）. Self-esteem and understanding grow in equal measure as we come to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
During this pandemic, the Little Free Library has reinforced the importance of literature and reading to our emotional and mental health. It’s become an alternate means of creating a community of people with mutual regard for humanity and the written word. We are together even when apart.
1. What attracted the author to host the Little Free Library?| A．The emotional crush of life. |
| B．The free literature-sharing concept. |
| C．The sense of self-esteem and social justice. |
| D．The importance of exchanging books with each other. |
| A．Objective. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．It was not allowed to be used. |
| B．The number of books dropped sharply. |
| C．It was getting more popular than before. |
| D．Readers questioned the motivations for hosting it |
| A．How reading shaped the author’s growth. |
| B．How we facilitated the exchange of books. |
| C．How the Little Free Library further developed. |
| D．How literature played a role in community building. |
| A．It has offered solutions to the pandemic. |
| B．It has relieved the pressure of public libraries. |
| C．It has exposed readers to foreign perspectives. |
| D．It has helped create a united and cohesive community. |
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1. What is Mother Earth News mainly about?
| A．Techniques of taking photos. |
| B．Advice on cooking delicious food. |
| C．Tips on growing vegetables and fruits. |
| D．Suggestions on beautifying your garden. |
| A．$ 17. 53 | B．$ 8. 37 | C．$ 25. 9 | D．$ 19. 53 |
| A．A short story. | B．An introduction to a book. |
| C．A book review. | D．An advertisement for a book. |
8 . A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps, for there is the companionship of books as well as of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. I's the same today that it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions.
Books introduce us into the best society.
There is a story of two men: one was a king, who dreamed every night that he was a beggar; the other was a beggar, who dreamed every night that he was a prince , and lived in a palace.
| A．Imagination is sometimes more vivid than reality. |
| B．Books are to mankind what memory is to a man. |
| C．Nothing in books can long survive but what is really good. |
| D．It doesn't turn its back upon us in times of difficulty or hardship. |
| E．They bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. |
| F．And one should live in the best company whether it may be of books or men. |
| G．Men discover their liking for each other by the love they each have for a book. |
Before We Were Yours Author: Lisa Wingate Published in 2017 Before We Were Yours is a touching story about families reunited. It moves deeply almost everyone who reads it. Before We Were Yours is adapted（改编）from real-life historical events, making the novel an interesting read for those who want to find out more about the great happenings in post-war American history. |
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, wealth, and happiness Author: Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein Published in 2008 The book is written by Richard H. Thaler, the winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2017, and Cass R. Sunstein and it was named one of the best books of 2008 by The Economist. Every day we make choices-about what to buy or eat, about our children’s health and education, and so on. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. This book is about how we make these choices and how we can make better ones. |
The Fault in Our Stars Author: John Green Published in 2012 The book is the award-winning author John Green’s most heartbreaking work. The story is told by Hazel Grace, a 16-year-old girl with cancer. She is forced by her parents to attend a support group where she meets and falls in love with 17-year-old Augustus Waters. |
Still Just Kidding Author: Cassandra Calin Published in 2018 Have you ever wondered how a comedy writer comes up with funny ideas and turns them into comics? In this book Cassandra will be telling us all about herself and showing where her ideas come from. Cassandra will even go a step further and show how she designs her comics in a way that is sure to put a smile on even the angriest faces. |
1. What is special about the book Before We Were Yours?
| A．It is written for parents. |
| B．It is based on the real events. |
| C．It describes the history of America. |
| D．It talks about the events during the war. |
| A．Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. |
| B．Still Just Kidding. |
| C．The Fault in Our Stars. |
| D．Before We Were Yours. |
| A．Shocked. | B．Lucky. |
| C．Funny. | D．Sad. |
10 . For many of us, there's nothing better than burying our head in a good book. Whether it's a story or a biography, it's good to read a book to switch off from the distinctions（分心）of everyday life.
It may seem obvious that reading is beneficial to our health. It can be educational and broaden the mind. A good novel can make us happy, or make us cry as we sympathize with characters.
Professor Philip Davis, author of a book called Reading for life, studies people in reading groups and found that it's reading literature （only written work thought to have artistic value） that has the best effect. When reading something for pleasure, he said ”...・the brain begins to work from different parts, and it gets excited, it gets pre — emotional.
In our smart phone time, we tend to abandon a good book and play with our phones instead. But opening up a book could be a simple way to keep our mental health on.
| A．You can see the brain coming to life. |
| B．Perhaps you could always use an e-reader. |
| C．It can help you set new targets and find focus. |
| D．You can lend it to friends and forget what you did. |
| E．It is powerful to help you relax the body and mind. |
| F．It is actually being identified as a treatment to sickness. |
| G．If you're not a enthusiastic reader, it's hard to know where to begin. |
