1 . How to read more and learn more
These days, more and more Chinese people enjoy sending and receiving messages on the phone. It can help them to get the latest news and communicate with friends. But I think I should read more books besides the textbooks, the more, the better.
Clear your purpose of reading.
Before you start reading, ask yourself why you are reading this book.
No matter what you are reading, it is important to enjoy what you read. Your friends read the books they love, but those books might not necessarily be the ones you enjoy.
Give up books that you don’t enjoy.
| A．I don’t need to return those books. |
| B．Read only what you are interested in. |
| C．Read the books borrowed from others. |
| D．Remember reading shouldn’t be a chore. |
| E．It can broaden my mind and improve my language skills. |
| F．We need to get the latest news and communicate with friends. |
| G．Most people read for two main reasons, pleasure or knowledge. |
2 . Maybe, you are one of those who just paid a visit to a library several years ago. If so, you may be surprised to learn that libraries have changed for the better.
Check out a book. While libraries still loan out (出借) books, you’ll find it easier to get a copy of whatever you’re looking for, thanks to cooperation among the area libraries.
Search for other items. The library is now a multimedia zone, loaded with information in many forms. You can borrow movies on DVDs, music on CDs, and popular magazines.
Join targeted reading groups. Libraries will often hold reading-group sessions for various age groups.
| A．Set up a library in your own style |
| B．Some libraries even supply toys and games |
| C．There are some most popular libraries in the world |
| D．Start a business using the help of your local library |
| E．It’s been years since they were dusty little rooms with books |
| F．Perhaps you’d like to learn a language or improve your English |
| G．Via such networks, libraries share their books through the use of delivery vehicles |
3 . Helping your children learn to read is of great importance. It might mean finding support if they are having difficulties, which can affect their future success.
Choose some activities
As your child begins to read, there are many activities you can choose. The activities include pointing out letters, practicing sounds, singing nursery (童谣), and reading stories together.
When your child is reading more independently, you can help make it enjoyable for them. Listening to your child read aloud, going to the library to check out new books or old favorites, and reading books in series are ways to help your child get more interested in reading and continue growing as a reader.
Find right books
Lots of kids love non-fiction books because they are about the world they know and see around them. There are many books about topics such as animals, sports, other countries and famous people.
Adjust your methods
If your child is struggling to read, there is no need to panic.
| A．They can ask teachers for help. |
| B．They are just a few examples of such activities. |
| C．These books may get your child excited about reading. |
| D．Here are some ways to help your children learn to read. |
| E．Make reading interesting |
| F．Help your child read |
| G．Every child learns in his or her own way. |
by Taye Diggs and Shane W. Evans
Ages 4—8
This bright picture book is a tool, great for comforting kids who feel worried about their looks. A young boy is made fun of for the colour of his skin, but an important lesson from his mother makes him realize that his differences are what make him special.
Thank you, Mr. Falker
by Patricia Polacco
Ages 5—8
The celebrated author and illustrator (插图画家) tells the story of her personal experience of fighting dyslexia(a difficulty in reading and spelling caused by a brain condition) and the teacher who gave her the courage to keep going. Kids will love reading about fifth-grader Trisha and patient Mr. Falker.
New Kid
by Jerry Craft
Ages 8—12
It’s always hard being the new kid at school, and it can be quite difficult when you’re from Washington Heights in New York City and you study at a top private school across town. The book follows Jordan’s first year at Riverdale, addressing problems head-on. It was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2020.
The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein
Ages 2—6
What wouldn’t this tree do for this little boy? The author tells a story of unselfish love and unending sacrifice(牺牲) as, starting with apples and shade, a tree gladly gives more and more to a boy over the years, finally giving all of itself.
1. Which book is about the author’s own experience?| A．Chocolate Me! | B．Thank you, Mr. Falker | C．New Kid | D．The Giving Tree |
| A．His age. | B．His tool. | C．His feeling. | D．His difference. |
| A．Taye Diggs and Shane W. Evans’s. | B．Patricia Polacco’s. |
| C．Jerry Craft’s. | D．Shel Silverstein’s. |
| A．A mother teaching her boy lessons. | B．A teacher helping a girl read and spell. |
| C．A boy studying at a new private school. | D．A tree’s unselfish love and unending sacrifice. |
5 . About a decade ago, Lawson was at a beach in Virginia watching his kids build castles right next to the waves.
“I kept trying to get them to come back because I thought it was a terrible idea,” he remarked. He wanted them to build their sandcastles closer to the dunes. But they found it more exciting to build right where the waves hit, seeing their sandcastles get destroyed, and then rebuilding them with whatever debris washed up from the ocean. “It seemed so symbolic, somehow, of how life works more than just building your perfect sandcastles,” said Lawson. When he decided to turn that sunny day into a children’s book, the idea came to just use pictures. “It seemed like it would work beautifully without words,” he said.
A Day for Sandcastles is illustrated by Qin Leng. It’s the second wordless picture book for Lawson and Leng since 2021’s Over the Shop. Leng’s illustrations stay pretty true to real life. Three siblings spend the day building sandcastles and watching them get destroyed by a flying hat. “To me it’s a celebration of childhood and the simple joys of life. These are the things I like to capture,” said Leng.
Leng spent part of her childhood in France, and she was inspired by European comic books. “What I love to do when I illustrate a picture book is add side stories to the main storyline. I always think about the readers and the longevity of the book, and I want them to be able to discover something new every time they revisit the book,” Leng explained.
At the end of the day, the sleepy-eyed kids pile into the bus that will take them home. “Those last pages are some of my favorite. They capture that feeling like at the end of the day on the beach, when it’s getting dark and you feel completely exhausted,” Lawson said. It must be a universal childhood feeling: happy with sand, sticky from the salt, hot from the sun, and ready to fall asleep the moment you get into the car.
1. Why does Lawson mention the scene where the kids built sandcastles?| A．To suggest a way to enjoy leisure. | B．To remind readers of the childhood. |
| C．To convince us of how life works. | D．To tell us the inspiration for his book. |
| A．They are purchased by kids universally. | B．Readers can only find pictures in them. |
| C．They carry no elements of comic books. | D．The stories are literally works of fantasy. |
| A．Relieved. | B．Pleased. | C．Disturbed. | D．Exhausted. |
| A．Childhood in sandcastles | B．Beautiful childhood memories |
| C．Popular illustrated books | D．Explore the mystery of nature |
6 . Many libraries around the world are as amazing in their architecture and organization as they are in the huge amount of knowledge they contain. With shelves and shelves of books, various collections and amazing historical and cultural displays. there are plenty of undiscovered wonders.
Beinecke Rare Book Library (New Haven, Connecticut)
Yale University has one of the most beautiful college campuses in America, and one of its most interesting features is the Beinecke Rare Book Library. It is one of the largest buildings in the world devoted to rare books and manuscripts (手稿) of famous people. From 2015-16 the library building was closed for 18 months for major improvement. Inside there is a stat ue of its main founder that rises up high.
Vennesla Library (Vennesla, Norway)
Located near the southernmost tip of Norway, Vennesla Library is more than a collection of books—it’s a city cultural center and meeting place. The building hosts a coffee shop, open meeting spaces, classrooms for children and adult education courses. and a cinema. It is mainly built out of wood. The long. thin beams (横梁) on the inside were designed to look like the inside of a whale.
Suzzallo Library (Seattle)
Among the many beautiful features of the campus at the University of Washington, such as its cherry flowers and a light rail station, Suzzallo Library was built in the Collegiate Gothic style. Its buttresses (扶壁) are decorated with 18 statues featuring famous academics and writers such as Plato, Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo, Beethoven, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
Library of Muyinga (Muyinga, Burundi)
A school for deaf children, the Library of Muyinga in Burundi was built with local techniques and traditions. A rope hammock (吊床) that hangs between the first and second floors of the library serves as part of the children’s reading room, a great place for indoor activities.
More information of them is just a click away.
1. Which library is suitable for people who want to appreciate statues?| A．Beinecke Rare Book Library. | B．Vennesla Library. |
| C．Suzzallo Library. | D．Library of Muyinga. |
| A．It is mainly intended for children. |
| B．It is a kind of culture complex. |
| C．It is located within the campus. |
| D．It is in a shape of a whale outside. |
| A．A culture magazine | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A website. | D．A historical book. |
7 . Looking for a new poetry book to read? I’ve got you! We’re going to explore some of my favorite poetry collections, which range from the traditional all the way to the totally experimental. And though they differ in terms of tone and subject matter, they’ve got all we call “good parts”.
Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong
It is the first poetry collection from Ocean Vuong. Vuong’s style is well-suited to the heavy subjects he pursues, particularly when he reflects on the loss of his father and his experiences as a wartime refugee. There’s a certain wonderful quality to his writing.
Lunch Poems by Frank O’Hara
If you like a conversational style, Lunch Poems might be the poetry book for you. Personal, funny, and easy, the collection perfectly shows the casual voice of Frank O’Hara, an outstanding figure of the New School Movement in late 1950s’ New York. As the name suggests, most of the poems were written during his lunch break at work, bringing a realistic image by the writing.
100 Selected Poems by E.E. Cummings
It’s a shame that more people don’t take EE Cummings seriously. Yes, his poetry is sometimes experimental. Unconcerned with “rules”, Cummings tried to capture emotion in its own form.
The Complete Poems by Elizabeth Bishop
In my opinion, any kind of fantastic poetry books must include Elizabeth Bishop. Highly skilled and highly influential, Bishop was one of the most powerful voices of the 20th century. She mostly worked within traditional forms, but the forms led to surprising effects, mixing classic styles with modern ones.
1. Who enjoys writing in a free way?| A．Ocean Vuong. | B．Frank O’Hara. |
| C．E.E. Cummings. | D．Elizabeth Bishop. |
| A．Lunch Poems. | B．100 Selected Poems. |
| C．The Complete Poems. | D．Night Sky with Exit Wounds. |
| A．It is powerful. | B．It is abstract. |
| C．It is excellent. | D．It is surprising. |
8 . This year’s best books for children address sadness and fear while celebrating love, strength, hope and joy.
The Big Dreaming
Michael Rosen and Daniel Egneus
Two bears are preparing for the Big Sleep, but Little Bear worries they won’t have enough dreams to last the winter. He sets out on a dangerous journey, from which he returns with stored visions of happiness, homecoming and hope.
A Way to the Stars
David Almond and Gill Smith
This is a story of the love between parent and child. When Joe is eager to reach the stars, his dad is fully on board. Together they build a tower, even a rocket(火箭), without success. But every time they laugh and try again, until Joe finally achieves his dream.
A Really Short Journey Through the Body
Bill Bryson
For children over 8 who love science, it is adapted for children by science journalist Emma Young. It is a sure-fire winner, especially among those who enjoy humorous writings.
Oscar’s Lion
Adam Baron
In this story illustrated(插图) by Benji Davies, Oscar is alarmed to discover that his parents have disappeared and that a large lion appears. But has he really eaten Oscar’s parents? This unusual story of love, sadness and family ties will particularly attract children who are coming to terns with loss.
1. What does Joe want to do?| A．Build a small tower. | B．Set foot on stars. |
| C．Have a sound sleep. | D．Take part in winter games. |
| A．Bill Bryson. | B．Emma Young. |
| C．Adam Baron. | D．Benji Davies. |
| A．They deal with sadness. | B．They are about a journey. |
| C．They are for children. | D．They are from one writer. |
9 . In 2000, a group of innovators in Denmark came up with a different kind of library —the Human Library. It has since transformed into a global phenomenon where “readers” can check out a human “book”. Each “title” offers an opportunity for dialogue over difficult questions, a process which the library hopes will help us all “un-judge” one another.
The first human library was organized by Ronni Abergel, his brother, and two colleagues. As a four-day event at a festival, the project was experimental. However, over a thousand readers came to read the human books available. The books themselves were chosen to represent often misunderstood groups. The initial library was a success leading to the foundation of the Human Library Organization, which has since carried on the lending of human books.
People can be part of the Human Library in two ways. One can volunteer to be a book and to offer first-hand knowledge of an experience or identity. Among the Human Library are books entitled “Alcoholic,” “Depression,” and so on. While these titles may seem simple and direct, the Human Library hopes readers will pick a topic but come to know the book for so much more than just the cover and title. Volunteer books agree to share their experiences — a commitment which requires patience, empathy (共情), and a level of comfort in sharing.
Another way to experience the Human Library is as a reader. Readers check out books for a certain amount of time. While being respectful, the library create s a space where readers can listen to the stories of books. Readers are encouraged to ask the difficult questions they always wondered but never had a chance to ask. Specifically, the library hopes it will be “a place where people who would otherwise never talk find room for conversation.”
The Human Library Organization today holds pop-up events around the world and even has permanent borrowing locations in several cities. They also work with companies as a rather unique provider of diversity and inclusion training.
1. What can we learn about the first human library?| A．It was well received. | B．It had only four workers. |
| C．It was misunderstood. | D．It was a weekly project. |
| A．Eagerness to learn. | B．Painful experiences. |
| C．Willingness to share. | D．Remarkable achievements. |
| A．By creating a space for them to talk freely. |
| B．By encouraging them to open up to strangers. |
| C．By showing them how to be respectful of others. |
| D．By teaching them to solve difficult questions alone. |
| A．The origin of the Human Library | B．How to manage a Human Library |
| C．Borrowing people instead of books | D．How to get along with human books |
10 . Some libraries use unique architecture to encourage visitors to settle down with a new book, or use roving (流动的) libraries to bring books to hard-to-reach populations. However they achieve it, these novel libraries are keeping the magic of reading alive.
Macquarie University Library (Sydney, Australia)Featuring a green roof, this building, made from recycled materials, was designed to imitate the look of a eucalyptus tree. It is also an art form, using robot cranes to bring requested books to the front desk.
The Camel Library Service (North Eastern Province, Kenya)To deal with 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 disadvantaged people.
Bishan Library (Singapore)With glass pods of various colors sticking out of the building randomly, this library, built in 2006, is meant to create comfortable yet airy nooks (角落) for reading throughout the building. At the same time, a more wide-open children’s room on the basement level invites interaction while preventing noise from filtering (过滤) upward.
Seikei University Library (Tokyo, Japan)Libraries are usually known for their quiet atmosphere, but this one encourages conversation. Pritzker Prize-winner Shigeru Ban designed the library with space-age, free-standing soundproofed pods (系统) to respect those who need uninterrupted study, while also being beneficial to other methods of learning; they serve as perfect spots for study groups and lively discussions.
1. Who would probably choose to visit Macquarie University Library?| A．Animal lovers. | B．Talkative people. |
| C．Noisy children. | D．Environmental protectors. |
| A．Bishan Library. | B．Seikei University Library. |
| C．Macquarie University Library. | D．The Camel Library Service. |
| A．They ban lively group discussions. | B．They have special sound-proof design. |
| C．They provide a space for kids to read. | D．They win prizes for designing in architecture. |
