2 . Has it been a while since your last visit to a public library? If so, you may be surprised to learn that libraries have changed for the better.    1    They have transformed themselves into places where you can develop your love of knowledge, meet interesting people, or find out how to start a business.

    2    While libraries still loan out books, you’ll find it easier to get a copy of whatever you’re looking for, thanks to a cooperative network of area libraries. Through such networks, libraries share their books with each other. Once the book you’ve requested is delivered to the nearest branch, they will inform you by e-mail.    3    

Join targeted reading groups. Libraries will often hold reading-group sessions targeted at various age groups.    4     The library may sponsor(赞助) a language group you could join. If you have difficulty reading, ask about special reading opportunities. Your library might be able to help you. And you might find it relaxing to bring your small kid to a half-hour Story Time while you sit quietly in a corner with a good book.

Start a business with the help of your local library. If you want to have a business of your own, your local library can become a launch space for it. In library books and computers, you can find information on starting a business. Many libraries will help you with locally supplied information about business management shared through chambers of commerce(商会) and government agencies.    5    

A．Check out a book.

B．So you can pick it up.

C．Check out what you want.

D．They will also offer printing and database services you need.

E．It is been years since they were dusty little rooms with books.

F．Perhaps you’d like to learn a language or improve your English.

G．Libraries can loan out movies on DVDs and popular magazines.

3 . We know that reading is good for children. Now, a new study suggests that just being around books has its benefits. A team of researchers in Australia finds that growing up with a large library at home improves literacy (读写能力)，number-sense, and even technological skills in later life. It appeared in the journal Social Science Research.

The researchers were exploring the advantages of scholarly culture. They were interested in a curious observation that some call the “radiation effect”. “Radiation effect is a situation where children grow up around books, but they don't read books. But somehow books benefit them, even though they don't read them as much as their parents wish them to.” Joanna Sikora, a sociologist in Australia. Joana and her colleagues analysed data collected between 2011 and 2015 by the Organization for Economic Development. The survey assessed the literacy, numeracy(计算能力), and technological competency of more than 160 ,000 adults from 31 countries. And it included a question about how many books participants had in their homes during adolescence. “What we were able to make clear was that people growing up around books had better literacy, numeracy and digital problem-solving skills than people who had fewer books growing up but had similar education levels, similar jobs, and even similar adult habits in terms of reading or working at various numeracy-improving activities.”

In fact, teens who only made it through high school but were raised in a bookish environment did as well in adulthood as college graduates who grew up in a house without books. Now, how might mere exposure lead to intellectual improvement? “If we grow up in a house, in a home where parents enjoy books，where books are given as birthday presents and valued, this is something that becomes a part of our identity and gives us this lifelong urge to always come close to books and read more than we would.”

So keep shelves piled with books. Your kids will not only be grateful, they’ll be more likely to be able to spell grateful correctly as well.

1. What's “radiation effect” according to the passage?

A．The terrible effect of radiation on the persons and things.

B．The good influence of bookish environment on adolescents.

C．The beneficial effect of reading books on adolescents.

D．The bad effect of the environment without books on adolescents.

2. How does the exposure to books improve intellect?

A．Books bring a sense of identity and eagerness to read more.

B．Books helps to provide a chance to come close to the society.

C．Books are always given to adolescents as valuable presents.

D．Books will offer the teens an urge to make great achievements.

3. What's the author's attitude towards bookish environment?

A．opposed.	B．neutral.
C．unclear.	D．supportive.

4. What may the author probably be from?

A．A travel brochure.	B．A biology textbook.
C．A science magazine.	D．A history discovery.

4 . I start every summer with the best of intentions:to attack one big book from the past, a classic that I was supposed to have read when young and ambitious. Often the pairings of books and settings have been purely accidental: "Moby Dick" on a three-day cross-country train trip: “The Magic Mountain” in a New England beachside cottage with no locks on the doors, no telephones or televisions in the rooms, and little to do beyond row on the salt pond. Attempting "The Man Without Qualities" on a return to Hawaii, my native state, however, was less fruitful: I made it through one and a quarter volumes (册), then decided that I'd got the point and went swimming instead.

But this summer I find myself at a loss. I’m not quite interested in Balzac, say, or “Tristram Shandy.” There’s always War and Peace, which I've covered some distance several times, only to get bogged down in the "War" part, set it aside for a while, and realize that I have to start over from the beginning again, having forgotten everyone’s name and social rank. How appealing to simply fall back on a favorite-once more into “The Waves” or “Justine,” which feels almost like cheating, too exciting and too much fun to properly belong in serious literature.

And then there’s Stendhal’s “The Red and the Black,” which happens to be the name of my favorite cocktail (鸡尾酒) of the summer, created by Michael Cecconi at Savoy and BackForty. It is easy to drink, and knocking back three or four seems like such a delightful idea. Cecconi's theory: "I take whatever’s fresh at the green market and turn it into liquid." The result is a pure shot of afternoon in the park, making one feel cheerful and peaceful all at once, lying on uncut grass with eyes shut, sun beating through the lids...

1. What can we infer about the author from the first paragraph?

A．He has a cottage in New England.	B．He shows talents for literature.
C．He enjoys reading when traveling.	D．He admires a lot of great writers.

2. What do the underlined words "get bogged down" in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Get confused.	B．Be carried away.
C．Be interrupted.	D．Make no progress.

3. Why does the author say reading his favorite books feels like cheating?

A．He finishes them quickly.	B．He should read something serious.
C．He barely understands them.	D．He has read them many times before.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Books of Summer	B．My Summer Holidays
C．To Read or Not to Read	D．It’s Never Too Late to Read

5 . Teens and younger children are reading a lot less for fun, according to a Common Sense Media report published Monday.

While the decline over the past decade is steep for teen readers, some data in the report shows that reading remains a big part of many children’s lives, and indicates how parents might help encourage more reading.

According to the report’s key findings, “the proportion (比例) who say they ‘hardly ever’ read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds in 1984 to 22 percent and 27 percent respectively today.”

The report data shows that pleasure reading levels for younger children, ages 2—8, remain largely the same. But the amount of time spent in reading each session has declined, from closer to an hour or more to closer to a half hour per session.

When it comes to technology and reading, the report does little to counsel(建议) parents looking for data about the effect of e-readers and tablets on reading. It does point out that many parents still limit electronic reading, mainly due to concerns about increased screen time.

The most hopeful data shared in the report shows clear evidence of parents serving as examples and important guides for their kids when it comes to reading. Data shows that kids and teens who do read frequently, compared to infrequent readers, have more books in the home, more books purchased for them, parents who read more often, and parents who set aside time for them to read.

As the end of school approaches, and school vacation reading lists loom(逼近) ahead, parents might take this chance to step in and make their own summer reading list and plan a family trip to the library or bookstore.

1. What is the Common Sense Media report probably about?

A．Children’s reading habits.

B．Quality of children’s books.

C．Children’s after-class activities.

D．Parent-child relationships.

2. Where can you find the data that best supports “children are reading a lot less for fun”?

A．In paragraph 2.	B．In paragraph 3.
C．In paragraph 4.	D．In paragraph 5.

3. Why do many parents limit electronic reading?

A．E-books are of poor quality.

B．It could be a waste of time.

C．It may harm children’s health.

D．E-readers are expensive.

4. How should parents encourage their children to read more?

A．Act as role models for them.

B．Ask them to write book reports.

C．Set up reading groups for them.

D．Talk with their reading class teachers.

6 . A creative mom Danielle Lindemann is a mother to a soon-to-be 3-year-old daughter. When she received the Disney-brand book What Is A Princess? as a gift for her daughter, Lindemann thought the messages seemed a little shallow.

Lindemann’s efforts included changing “A princess is kind” to “A princess is kind of a badass” and completing the sentence “A princess likes to dress up”. “I just want my daughter to see that she can be anything she wants,” the mom explained, “She can also speak her own mind and be a doctor or a senator if she wants.”

After Lindemann made the changes, she thought her daughter might be a bit confused, but the daughter actually just rolled with it. Lindemann did not intend for many people to see her edits. She just found it amusing. Though she didn’t imagine having such a wide audience, Lindemann says she thinks it’s great if her edits make people smile or even think a bit differently about gender models.

Further, Lindemann added, “there is absolutely nothing wrong with girls (or boys!) wanting to put on something sparkly and feel pretty. But when the ruling idea is that girls — and women — are judged mainly on their physical appearance in a way that boys and men are not, I think it’s important to model some other values for these girls as well.”

As a parent, she believes it’s important to show girls that their worth does not lie only in their physical appearance and that their other qualities are valuable and important. For her, if there were a variety of children’s books out there in which little girls were shown playing with trucks and trains and learning to be engineers and surgeons, and if there were books out there in which boys were shown getting a kick out of dressing up in fancy clothes, it would be a different world.

“At present, it’s not that world. But time will tell,” she stressed.

1. Why did Lindemann begin editing the story book for her daughter?

A．She was good at telling stories.

B．She hoped to inspire her daughter.

C．Her daughter refused common books.

D．Her daughter wanted to learn writing.

2. What did the public think of Lindemann’s editing stories?

A．They liked it.

B．They were opposed to it.

C．They were confused by it.

D．They had a mixed opinion on it.

3. We can learn from Paragraph 5 that girls ________.

A．must learn to appreciate books

B．should value their appearance

C．can learn to play boys’ games

D．ought to learn about science

4. How does Lindemann probably feel when saying “it’s not that world” (in Para.6)?

A．Sorry but hopeful.	B．Pitiful but pleased.
C．Worried but powerless.	D．Disappointed but acceptable.

7 . Reading is really a good way to improve ourselves.     1     If you don’t believe me, please consider these reasons to read more books.

1. You will optimize your brain power.

    2     Unlike watching television, which requires no thought process, reading is an active learning experience that will keep your mind sharp（even in old age）.

2.    3    

If you’re looking for entertainment on a budget, you can’t beat books. Thanks to the popularity of electronic reading devices like the Kindle and re-selling websites like eBay, it’s never been easier to entertain yourself for hours at a time, for the low cost of a few dollars.

3. You will reduce stress and get into a good night’s sleep.

Exposing yourself to artificial light on your cellphone or TV reduces your body’s production of melatonin （褪黑激素）, which can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.     4     Just replace that with a good book, which is a much better sleep-friendly alternative.

4. You will change your life.

I firmly believe that if it were not for books, I wouldn’t have achieved so much in my life; nor would I have the knowledge, imagination or creativity that I depend on as a writer, business owner, and coach.

Do you have the desire to read books now?    5    

A．You will entertain yourself at any time.

B．You will entertain yourself at a low price.

C．The more books you read, the better your life will be.

D．This shouldn’t come as a shock, but studies suggest reading makes you smart.

E．I hope these reasons encourage you to unlock your potential with the power of reading.

F．You should know that it is wise to keep a book in your purse or car at all times.

G．You would be wise to cut off all electronics at least an hour before bed.

8 . A good book can be satisfying. If reading is a habit you’d like to get into, there are some ways to develop it.

●Realize that reading is enjoyable if you have a good book. If you have a difficult book and you are forcing yourself through it, it will seem like a task.     1    

●Set time. You should have some time during every day when you’ll read for at least 5 to 10 minutes.    2     For example, make it a habit to read during breakfast and lunch and even dinner if you eat alone.

●Always carry a book.     3    When I leave the house, I always make sure to have my car keys and one book at hand. The book stays with me in the car, and I take it into the office and to appointments and pretty much everywhere I go.

●    4    Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair. Don’t lie down unless you’re going to sleep. There shouldn’t be a television or a computer near the chair, and no music or no noisy family members/ roommates. If you don’t have a place like this, create one.

●Reduce television/ the Internet. If you really want to read more, try cutting back on time on TV or the Internet.     5    Still, every minute you reduce of the Internet/ TV, you could use for reading. This could create hours of book reading time.

A．Go to bookstores.

B．Find a quiet place.

C．This may be difficult for some people.

D．Wherever you go, take a book with you.

E．Have some good tea or coffee while you read.

F．It means you will read no matter how busy you are.

G．If this happens, give up the book and find another one that you’ll really love.