1 . That youngsters were glued to online games on their smart phones was a great concern for Ngurang Meena, a school teacher in Nirjuli.The 30yearold social science teacher, who ran the Ngurang Learning Institute, an adult literacy centre, said that she felt disheartened when she read student papers.“The graph of student performance is falling every year.It breaks my heart whenever I see answer sheets — basic grammar skills are missing and there’s an absence of any cohesive (连贯的) expression.They lack guidance and their reading culture is almost zero,” Meena said.When her school and the centre she ran had to close due to infectious diseases, she planned to do something to address the problem.
Inspired by a similar proposal in Mizoram, Meena set up a bookshelf with around 80 books as well as some benches on the side of the road in Nirjuli on 30 August 2020, where passersby could spend time reading.The selections included motivational books, biographies and novels as well as comics for young children.“I have to please the minors with sweets to sit and read, but that is okay,” she laughed.
Meena’s bookshelf became a hit among youngsters who spent hours in the reading corner.Within two months, her effort became the talk of the town.
Now, generous contributions of books come in from the public and she is even receiving requests to set up such libraries in other parts of the state, including one in the capital, Itanagar.Since the tiny libraries are far from the main town, she also lends books out to those who want to read at home.
“I never thought that this would become such a big inspiration,” Meena said.“Since childhood, we have been told that books are our best friends.The next generation of kids is focused on games and other things.I don’t want them to head on the wrong track,” she added.
1. What’s the aim of Meena’s reading program?| A．To care for youngsters lacking in reading. |
| B．To help adults learn some cohesive expression. |
| C．To keep Ngurang Learning Institute running well. |
| D．To highlight the importance of reading for adults. |
| A．She offered some rewards to them. |
| B．She provided them with transportation. |
| C．She chose novels with beautiful covers. |
| D．She selected books covering every category. |
| A．Small and useless. |
| B．Influential and meaningful. |
| C．Large but impractical. |
| D．Widespread but unwelcome. |
| A．Books：Sources of Knowledge |
| B．The Roadside Reading Corner |
| C．The Library：an Ideal place for the Young |
| D．New Ideas about Setting a Reading Plan |
2 . How to Motivate Teens to Read
With lots of studies showing the benefits of reading, how can teachers motivate their students to open a good book or power up their e-readers?
Lead by Example
Require students to spend at least 20 minutes in independent reading every day.
Freedom to Choose
Share Your Excitement
Teachers’ excitement for a particular book may have a huge influence on their students. Give students a taste of what the book is about.
Visit the Library
Make time to visit the school library and require students to borrow at least one book of interest.
Stay Informed
Teachers can help motivate students by finding out the latest popular young adult reading matter, such as “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins and the “Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld.
With varied activities competing for students’ time and attention, it can be difficult to encourage youngsters to read.
Teachers who make independent reading a daily part of the classroom experience and find creative ways to motivate their students may be on the way to writing a success story.
| A．They can read books in silence |
| B．Then when it comes time for them to choose a new book |
| C．There is science fiction that they are interested in |
| D．Encourage them to spend some time reading the book before borrowing |
| E．However, there is little doubt that reading can help with students’ studies |
| F．By taking part in this regular activity themselves |
| G．Allow students to pick their own literature, as long as it is suitable for school reading |
3 . Reading can make you feel less alone and more connected with the world at large. It can open your eyes to issues, successes and challenges that you never dreamed of, and take you to faraway places. Here are the top books all teens should read before they turn 18.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Though this book recently became popular again due to the release of the movie version, the movie is not a substitute for this beautiful story about family and the process of becoming who you truly are through the angle of space and time exploration.
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Auggie was born with a facial difference that kept him out of school for years. In fifth grade, he discovers what it’s like to long for normalcy and also that difference can be the most meaningful teacher.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
The author shares beautiful poetry that will speak to teenagers about her experience of growing up in the South as an African-American in the 1960s and 1970s. The poems are charged with the themes of self-awareness and identity.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
The attractive advice given in this book is perfect for teens going off to college or beginning a new stage of independence. It is a book that can be reread all throughout life without losing its power.
1. What is special about A Wrinkle in Time?| A．It shows a teen’s difference. | B．It’s about space exploration. |
| C．It has been adapted for film. | D．It has opened teenagers’ eyes. |
| A．Jacqueline Woodson’s. | B．R. J. Palacio’s. |
| C．Madeleine L’ Engle’s. | D．Don Miguel Ruiz’s. |
| A．A Wrinkle in Time. | B．Wonder. |
| C．Brown Girl Dreaming. | D．The Four Agreements. |
4 . What will you do when one of the few bookstores in your neighborhood shuts down? If you’re Latanya DeVaughn, you will make a new and improved one! The Bronx mom and writer has always dreamed of opening her own bookstore, so after watching yet another close its doors for good during the pandemic, she saw her chance.
While Latanya said every neighborhood deserved a bookstore, opening physical stores on every block simply wasn’t an option. So she decided to bring the books to her neighbors, instead, by turning a bus into a bookmobile! With the help of her community, she raised money for her dream and, at the end of 2021, it came true! Bronx Bound Books rolled out in style as a bus with orange cube bookshelves. “People love the way it smells,” Latanya added. “One woman said the wood smell makes her feel like she’s at home.”
Although the bookstore on wheels carries around 3,0000 new and used books, it has more room than you might expect! Latanya also makes sure to stock books with a range of diverse characters so all readers can see themselves in the pages. Of course, her collection also features works of renowned Black authors like James Baldwin and Alice Walker. “It’s meant to be that way,” she explained, “because I remember going to bookstores and having to look through books just to find someone that I felt I could resonate with (引起共鸣).”
Setting up her bookstore in a new spot each day, Latanya is doing her part to make sure that everyone in the Bronx has books to read. That’s what Bronx Bound Books is open for. “I can’t open up a bookstore on every corner, but I can probably pop up on a lot of different corners,” she said.
Thanks to Latanya and Bronx Bound Books, the Bronx is becoming a heaven for book lovers day by day. I’m sure that the little bookstore will continue to develop quickly!
1. How did Latanga DeVoughn respond to the shutdown of bookstores?| A．She set up her own special bookstore. |
| B．She purchased and reopened them soon. |
| C．She opened common stores on every block. |
| D．She asked her neighbors to open a new one. |
| A．it’s hard to stock books with diverse characters |
| B．all renders can see themselves in Black authors |
| C．the collection of Bronx Bound Books is diverse |
| D．finding someone with common interest isn’t easy |
| A．To recycle old books around the neighborhood. |
| B．To raise money for Latanya DeVaughn’s dream. |
| C．To open up a bookstore on every corner worldwide. |
| D．To make reading accessible to everyone in the Bronx. |
| A．Conservative. | B．Unaffordable. | C．Promising. | D．Controversial. |
5 . Reading fluency is one of the most important skills for middle school students learning English.
Find time to read every day.
Find the best time of day for you to read. Try to read when you are not tired. You will become a more went reader by reading every day.
Fluent readers make predications before and as they read. Use the title, and pictures to ask yourself questions about what you are going to read. Find answers to the questions when you read. After reading, think about what you’ve learned and decide what you need to read to continue learning.
Try not to translate.
Enjoy your reading.
Perhaps today you do not like to read in English, but as you read more, you should see a change in your attitude.
Read as much as you can.
The best tip to follow to become a more fluent reader is to read whenever and wherever you can. Good readers read a lot. They read many different kinds of material. To practice this, keep a reading journal.
| A．Use clues in the text to make predications |
| B．If you’re concerned about your reading skills |
| C．Translations slow down your reading |
| D．Read in phrases rather than word by word |
| E．Only then will you become a more fluent reader |
| F．The more you read in English |
| G．Before you read a text, think about the purpose of your reading |
6 . “You can either travel or read, but either your body or soul must be on the way.” The popular saying has inspired many people to read or go sightseeing. Traveling, just like reading, is a refreshing journey, and a temporary retreat from the busy world. Here are four books we recommend that you take on your trip.
Destination: Kenya, Africa
Recommended book: West with the Night, 19429, by Beryl Markham
This book is about a direct, stylish and engrossing story of a marvelous life well-lived. Markham described her childhood in Kenya and her experiences as a bush pilot in the 1930s—evoking the landscape, people, and wildlife in rich detail.
Destination: Central Europe
Recommended book: Life is Elsewhere, 1969, by Milan Kundera
Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” The book describes a young artist’s romantic but miserable life, about how he reads, dreams and has a relationship. The book invites you to deeply reflect on your current life.
Destination: Provence, France
Recommended book: A Year in Provence, 1989, by Peter Mayle
Provence, well-known for its lavender (薫衣草), is not only a tourist attraction, but more a symbol of a lifestyle. The book doesn’t teach you how to deal with the hardships in life, but to avoid them happily. With a cup of wine and a rocking chair, time flows slowly here. The author and his wife are living a reclusive life here. When you make a trip following the author’s footsteps, you may encounter him in Provence.
Destination: Istanbul, Turkey
Recommended book: My name Is Red, 1998, by Orhan Pamuk
The book, featuring a peak masterpiece of the Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Orhan Pamuk, has been translated into more than 50 languages and published around the world. It tells a story of a young man, who has been away from home for 12 years, coming back to his hometown in Istanbul. What embraces him is not only love, but a series of murder cases as well. The book inspires people to have a deeper thinking on life.
1. If you want to explore Central Europe, you would like to take ________ book on your trip.| A．Beryl Markham’s | B．Milan Kundera’s |
| C．Peter Mayle’s | D．Orhan Pamuk’s |
| A．Lotus. | B．Wine. | C．The rocking chair. | D．Lavender. |
| A．Life Is Elsewhere. | B．West with the Night. |
| C．My Name Is Red. | D．A Year in Provence. |
7 . According to some recent research findings, 21% of the USA citizens have read at least one book over the past year. Here are some great books they like.
La Divina Commedia — Dante Alighieri
This book is a narrative poem in Italian, finished in 1321. It is one of the greatest works of classic literature, divided into three sections titled Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. This is a story about Dante’s journey toward the light and the Middle Age concept of the after-life. It is an amazing and a true masterpiece worth anybody’s time and energy.
1984 — George Orwell
Published in 1949, this book serves as a reminder that young generations should not take anything for granted and should question everything. For young people, this is one of those books that demand reflection on the importance of keeping human values and defending individuality and freedom within the system.
A Farewell to Arms — Ernest Hemingway
This is a touching love story about an American officer and an English nurse during WWI on the Italian front. Published in 1929, this book describes young boys who are marching in the severest weather conditions at war though discouraged and tired, reflecting the horrors of the war and the young people’s doubts about life.
The Phantom of the Opera — Gaston Leroux
This famous theatrical novel by the French author Leroux, published in France in 1909, belongs to classic literature. For that reason, it could be a great gift for people who like theater, musicals and opera. The story plot revolves around a young opera singer Christine. She is a daughter of a famous musician who dies and leaves her to grow up in the Paris Opera House.
1. What do we know about La Divina Commedia?| A．The plot of it is flat. | B．The hero of it is an Asian. |
| C．It is an account of the author’s life. | D．It is a story written in the 13th century. |
| A．Both are set in Italy. | B．Both are related to poems. |
| C．Both reflect humans’ view of freedom in peace. | D．Both describe the youths’ thinking about life. |
| A．La Divina Commedia. | B．1984. |
| C．The Phantom of the Opera. | D．A Farewell to Arms. |
8 . If you enjoy reading, the realm of books will become a paradise which is not to be experienced in watching television only for entertainment. A study has shown how those who read for pleasure achieve more in literacy standards and thinking abilities than those who don't. Actually, there is nothing else which will expand your language skills and make your imagination fly.
To begin with, language skills can be better learned through reading for pleasure than through watching TV for entertainment. At its best, television can be educational as well as entertaining, but nobody wishes to raise literacy levels by simply sitting in front of a TV box. Therefore, only by reading can you enrich your vocabulary. However, it must be made clear that the link between literacy and reading is like comparing health to sport. One is something functional and the other is something you do because you enjoy it.
The books that help you most in imagination are those which make you think the most. In this light, reading for pleasure, both paper based and on-screen, is far more beneficial than watching TV. For example, there is always a book which is opened with expectation and closed with profit: imagination. Unfortunately, some people's love of books is being ruined by television, which is considered as a decline in thinking abilities.
On the whole, watching TV is largely harmless as an entertainment and information tool, but there is no better way to enhance your language skills and imagination than reading for pleasure. For those who would continue to enjoy reading, there is a paradise not yet being lost. Having acquired an amount of language skills through wide reading, you might as well imagine that such a paradise would not be very unlike a kind of library.
1. What does the author mainly talk about in Paragraph 1?| A．The benefit of reading books. | B．The way of improving language skills. |
| C．The pleasure in watching TV. | D．The benefit of our imagination ability. |
| A．People can obtain the latest information through it. |
| B．It offers more pleasure than entertainment in reality. |
| C．It plays a smaller role in kids' growth than watching TV. |
| D．More language skills will be obtained as people read for pleasure. |
| A．The books people are interested in. |
| B．The books people think deeply. |
| C．The books children like the most. |
| D．The books people are suggested to read. |
| A．By making a comparison. | B．By answering some questions. |
| C．By listing some examples. | D．By following the order of time. |
9 . Book Recommendation
Second Harvest
Author: Don Agey
Like the first installment. Eclectic Harvest, this book includes rhymed poems which employ different poetic techniques. If you are interested in it, buy it at a discount.
Of Human Nature and Good Habits
Author: Prabhash Karan
Research claims that maintaining only 5 good habits-eating healthily, exercising, drinking properly, not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight-can not only keep the life in golden years healthy but also extend the lifetime of the old men and women by 12 years and 14 years respectively. The book illustrates some aspects of lifestyles. As you can see, this book is especially suitable for people after retirement.
The Dueling Wizards of Simpletown
Author: Whitney Lee Preston
The Dueling Wizards of Simpletown is a tale of fantasy involving two silly magicians, and a tricky plan by their two-faced servant. There is no doubt that kids will like it.
Marvlt and Goreg Get in Big Trouble with a Dinosaur
Author: Connor Anstiss
Marvlt and Goreg live next door to each other, and are best friends. These two naughty 8-year-olds seem to get into all sorts of troubles. At the zoo, they have a much different encounter. Will they be okay? Read it and find the answer yourself.
1. If you show great interest in poems, which book should you choose ?| A．Marylt and Goreg Get in Big trouble with a Dinosaur. | B．Second Harvest. |
| C．The Dueling Wizards of Simpletown. | D．Of Human Nature and Good habits. |
| A．Eating healthily. | B．Drinking properly. | C．Exercising. | D．Smoke |
| A．The life of the retired people. | B．A magical trip of two magicians. |
| C．The methods of dealing with naughty kids. | D．A story of the animal and children. |
10 . Four popular children’s books
Que Cosas Dice Mi Abuela
Spanish-speaking parents will love this fun book—which was translated into “The things my grandmother says” —in which a grandmother teaches manners (规矩) to her grandchildren and their friends using traditional Spanish-language sayings. Written in the voice of a little boy talking about his regular day, this book will draw the interest of both adults and kids.
I Like Myself!
Parents won’t mind reading the story over and over to their kids because as they pass along the message that their kids are perfect just the way they are—no matter their untidy hair, or whether they are fast or slow, their kids will learn about confidence.
Dragons Love Tacos(炸玉米饼)
While books with a deep message are great, sometimes you and your child just want to read something silly to get the laughs rolling. The New York Times bestseller, Dragons Love Tacos is a great read for kids and parents as it talks about how much dragons really love tacos, but when they eat something spicy (辛辣的) you had better watch out! The book has more words than some of the other picks on our list, so this might be fit for a preschoolers and up.
The Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
As everyone knows nothing is sweeter than small baby fingers and cute baby toes and here, from two of the most gifted picture books, readers could enjoy a different joyful world and also bring the happy feelings to everyone, everywhere, all over the world!
1. Who will choose the first book?| A．Parents who want to make their children laugh. |
| B．Parents who want their children to become polite. |
| C．Parents who want their children to become more confident. |
| D．Parents who want their children to read special stories. |
| A．It has more words than other books. |
| B．It encourages kids to be confident. |
| C．There are some beautiful pictures in it. |
| D．It contains many funny games for kids. |
| A．Que Cosas Dice Mi Abuela |
| B．I Like Myself! |
| C．Dragons Love Tacos |
| D．The Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes |
