1 . Since the pre-historic times, man has had an urge to satisfy his needs, but as we climbed the steps of evolution with giant leaps, we somehow left behind common sense and logical thinking — we forgot that we have stopped thinking ahead of times.

If you are hungry, what do you do? Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that?     1     But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your favorite star and many such absurd things. When mind looses its freedom to grow, creativity gets a full stop. This might be the reason why we all sometimes think “What happens next?”, “Why can’t I think?”. Well this is the aftermath of using our brain for thinking of not-so-worthy things.

Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through extensive reading. Now why reading and not watching TV?     2     Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to take advantage of reading. You have innumerable number of books in this world which will answer all your “How to?” questions.     3     Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas. The same seed if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, of which you would have never thought of in your wildest dreams! This is nothing other than creativity. The larger number of books you read, your mind will open up like never before. Also this improves your speaking skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary in writing.     4    

Actually, I had a problem in speaking English fluently, but as I read, I could improve significantly.     5     So guys do join me and give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading. Now what are you waiting for?

A．Soon you will find no difficulty employing the right words when speaking.

B．The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed.

C．I am still on the path of improvement to satisfy my thirst.

D．Just like your stomach, even your mind is hungry.

E．Because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from the childhood.

F．Within no time you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time.

G．Because watching TV too often will make you a ”couch potato“.

2 . Now let us look at how we read. When we read a printed text, our eyes move across a page in short, rough movement. We recognize words usually when our eyes are still when they fixate (凝视). Each time they fixate, we see a group of words. This is known as the recognition span or the visual span. The length of time of which the eyes stop -the duration of the fixation — varies considerably from person to person. It also varies within one person according to his purpose in reading and his familiarity with the text. Furthermore, it can be affected by such factors as lighting and tiredness.

Unfortunately, in the past, many reading improvement courses have concentrated too much on how our eyes move across the printed page. As a result of this misleading emphasis on the purely visual aspects of reading, numerous exercises have been devised to train the eyes to see more words at one fixation. For instance, in some exercises, words are flashed on to a screen for, say, a tenth or a twentieth of a second. One of the exercises has required students to fix their eyes on some central point, taking in the words on either side. Such word patterns are often constructed in the shape of rather steep pyramids so the reader takes in more and more words at each successive fixation. All these exercises are very clever, but it’s one thing to improve a person’s ability to see words and quite another thing to improve his ability to read a text efficiently. Reading requires the ability to understand the relationship between words. Consequently, for these reasons, many experts have now begun to question the usefulness of eye training, especially since any approach which trains a person to read isolated words and phrases would seem unlikely to help him in reading a continuous text.

1. The time of the recognition span can be affected by the following facts EXCEPT ______.

A．one’s familiarity with the text	B．one’s purpose in reading
C．the length of a group of words	D．lighting and tiredness

2. The author may believe that reading ______.

A．requires a reader to take in more words at each fixation

B．requires a reader to see words more quickly

C．demands a deeply-participating mind

D．demands more mind than eyes

3. What does the author mean by saying the underlined sentence in the second paragraph?

A．The ability to see words is not needed when an efficient reading is conducted.

B．The reading exercises mentioned can’t help to improve both the ability to see and to comprehend words.

C．The reading exercises mentioned can’t help to improve an efficient reading.

D．The reading exercises mentioned have done a great job to improve one’s ability to see words.

4. What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage?

A．critical

B．neutral

C．pessimistic

D．optimistic

3 . The recent few weeks have been the perfect time for a good book and here are some good ones that allow readers to get completely lost in another world.

Watch Me Disappear

If you like mysteries with the family drama, Janelle Brown’s best­selling thriller is for you. The story follows a wealthy wife and mom who goes on a hike and never returns. Her lonely husband and teenage daughter, Olive(who’s dealing with her own   problems), are confused with sorrow while trying to find out what   happens.

The Boy from the Woods

If you pick up one of Harlan Coben’s books, you won’t be able to put it down. His mystery stories keep readers fascinated. The Boy from the Woods is sure to satisfy fans by its twisty, heart­racing plots filled with interesting and exciting atmosphere. This is the book to read if you love masterful surprises.

How to Walk Away

Katherine Center’s best­selling novel follows a young woman, Margaret, with her perfect fiancé， a pilot who takes her on an upsetting flight that changes her life forever. Readers adore Margaret’s wisdom and humor as she faces a changed world and figures out what love really looks like.

The Last One Left

This novel, first published in 1967, still attracts readers decades later. Novelist Dean Koontz wrote the introduction to the recent edition, where he describes reading each of John D. MacDonald’s novels “at least three times, some of them twice”, This is your next read if you want to be swept away by a masterpiece of the mystery and excitement.

1. What is Watch Me Disappear probably about?

A．Mysterious disappearance of a woman.

B．Sorrow at a dead mom.

C．Teenager problems.

D．A family outing.

2. Who is the author of The Last One Left?

A．Dean Koontz.	B．Harlan Coben.
C．Katherine Center.	D．John D. MacDonald.

3. Which book deals with love?

A．Watch Me Disappear.	B．The Boy from the Woods.
C．How to Walk Away.	D．The Last One Left.

4 . Some Greatest Bookstores

Another Country

Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany. Another Country is an English Language second hand bookshop which is mostly used as a library. They have about 20,000 books that you can buy or borrow. Some regular events are held at the shop, such as readings, cultural events, social evenings and film nights.

Atlantis Books

Oia, Santorini, Greece. Atlantis Books is an independent bookshop on the island of Santorini, Greece. It was founded in 2004 by a group of friends from Cyprus, England, and the United States. Throughout the year it has hosted literary festivals, film screenings, book readings, and good old fashioned dance parties.

Bart’s Books

Ojai, California. USA. “The World’s Greatest Outdoor Bookstore”, a bookstore founded by Richard Bartinsdale in 1964. Shelves of books face the street, and regular customers are asked to drop coins into the door’s coin box to pay for any books they take whenever the store is closed.

Adrian Harrington

Since1971. Rare books: rare first editions; leather bound sets and general antiquarian (古玩). Address: 64 a Kensington Church Street, Kensington, London, England, UK.

Corso Como Bookshop

Milan, Italy. Extensive selection of publication on art architecture, design graphics and fashion, along with a strong emphasis on photography. It was founded in 1990 in Milan, Italy, by Carla Sozzamil.

The Bookworm

China. A bookshop, library, bar, restaurant and event space, now with four divisions in three cities — Beijing, Suzhou and Chengdu. The interconnecting rooms with floor-to-ceiling books on every wall are light and airy in summer, yet warm and comfortable in winter.

1. What can you do in Atlantis Books?

A．Sell rare books.	B．Learn photography.
C．Attend a festival.	D．Buy books anytime.

2. Which bookstore has the longest history?

A．Bart’s Books.	B．Atlantis Books.
C．Adrian Harrington.	D．Corso Como Bookshop.

3. How is The Bookworm different from the others?

A．It is used as a library.	B．It has branches in different cities.
C．It hosts all sorts of activities.	D．It opens only in summer and winter.

5 . 假定你是李华，正值4月23日“世界读书日”期间，你所在的班级开展了一次对学生课外阅读情况的调查，朋友Sam来信想了解此次调查活动。请根据以下要点，用英语写封回信：
1. 调查活动的宗旨；
2. 调查活动的过程；
3. 你的经验分享。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Sam,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

6 . It's often said that you can judge a person by looking at what's on their bookshelves. Well, when I asked myself this question a few years ago, I made a(n) _______ discovery. Pretty much all the _______ on my bookshelves were written by British authors, and there was almost nothing in translation from other _______. What a shame! So, I decided to begin my _____________ reading project.

But how could I find books from much of the rest of the world? I had to ask for _______. So in October 2011, I started my blog, and I _______ a short appeal (呼吁) online. Within hours, people began to _______. At first, it was friends and colleagues. Then it was friends of friends. And soon, it was _______.

Four days later, I got a(n) _______ from a woman called Rafidah in Kuala Lumpur. She said she loved my project, ________ if she could go to her local English-language bookshop and choose my Malaysian book and post it to me. I ________ accepted, and a few weeks later, a package ________ containing nothing but two books — Rafidah's choice from Malaysia, and a book from Singapore that she had also ________ for me. At the time, I was ________ that a stranger more than 6,000 miles away would go to such lengths to help someone she would probably never ________.

But Rafidah's kindness ________ to be the pattern for that year. Time and again, people went out of their ________ to help me. And books often came from ________ sources. A writer even emailed me an unpublished translation of his novel to me, allowing me to become one of the ________ people ever to read that book in English.

That year, thanks to kind strangers from the four ________ of the world. I read books from over 100 countries.

1.

A．pleasing

B．shocking

C．exciting

D．touching

2.

A．books

B．dictionaries

C．photos

D．discs

3.

A．accents

B．cultures

C．backgrounds

D．languages

4.

A．national

B．global

C．official

D．beneficial

5.

A．money

B．direction

C．help

D．permission

6.

A．posted

B．returned

C．received

D．searched

7.

A．come into view

B．get in touch

C．take no notice

D．come to life

8.

A．stars

B．writers

C．strangers

D．adults

9.

A．parcel

B．gift

C．envelope

D．message

10.

A．wondering

B．doubting

C．worrying

D．realizing

11.

A．awkwardly

B．unwillingly

C．happily

D．confidently

12.

A．rose

B．arrived

C．dropped

D．fell

13.

A．picked out

B．come across

C．given away

D．dealt with

14.

A．confused

B．curious

C．frightened

D．amazed

15.

A．meet

B．attract

C．hurt

D．ignore

16.

A．appeared

B．happened

C．proved

D．recognized

17.

A．home

B．company

C．business

D．way

18.

A．useful

B．surprising

C．familiar

D．common

19.

A．best

B．last

C．first

D．latest

20.

A．corners

B．squares

C．oceans

D．sides

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How old is Katie now?

A．Ten years old.

B．Thirteen years old.

C．Twenty-three years old.

2. What does Katie think of literature?

A．It’s boring.

B．It’s useful.

C．It’s interesting.

3. What does Katie probably do?

A．She’s a magazine editor.

B．She’s a student.

C．She’s a model.

4. According to research, what can Katie do to help her read more?

A．Book longer flights.

B．Read at least ten pages.

C．Read before going to bed.

8 . Don’t you have time for reading? If you are interested in non-fiction books, here are some good choices for you.

A Room of One’s Own

This essay by English writer Virginia Woolf is based on several lectures given to two women’s colleges at Cambridge University in 1928. In the essay, Woolf describes that it’s circumstance not talent alone, that allows men to be more successful at writing. Women, in other words, spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and tending to their children that they have no time left for art. To write well, therefore, a woman must have a “room of her own”. While on its surface, this essay appears to be only about writing, it is actually about wealth and class, freedom and confinement, and the power struggle between sexes.

The Art of War

Written by ancient Chinese warrior Sun Tzu, The Art of War is widely considered to be one of the best books about military strategies in human history. Consisting of 13 chapters, each dealing with a separate aspect about how to fight a war, the book has been translated into every major language and has thousands of editions. For centuries, it has been used to train world leaders for its detailed study of military strategies and effective leadership.

Letter to My Daughter

This book of essays by Maya Angelou, a respectable African-American poet, is written for “the daughter she never had” — the millions of women, both young and old, that she considers to be her “family”. From the viewpoint of a caring, older relative, this book contains lessons selected from her own life experiences, including the birth of her only child, a son, as well as the development and loss of friendship.

A Brief History of Time

If you’re short of time, then why not read about, well, the creation of time? This book, first published in 1998 from brilliant scientist and mathematician Stephen Hawking, explores mind-bending questions about the creation of the universe, including if and when it will end, and if so, how. Despite its heavy subject matter, Hawking addresses these questions in a way that’s easy to understand, even for those who know little about physics.

1. What can we learn about the four books?

A．A Brief History of Time mainly focuses on the matter of time.

B．Letter to My Daughter is actually a common family letter.

C．The Art of War gives advice on how to be a world leader.

D．A Room of One’s Own is more than about writing.

2. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．As a physicist,Hawking is equally famous in writing.

B．Maya devotes herself to fighting for women’s rights.

C．The book by Sun Tzu is helpful in policy-making.

D．Woolf looks down upon men in writing.

3. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To make comparisons among the four books.

B．To recommend the four books to readers.

C．To make comments on the four books.

D．To promote sales of the four books.

9 . Want to be more successful? If so, then you need to read a few self-help books. Here are four popular ones to get you going.

59 Seconds ( 2009) by Richard Wiseman

This is a self-help book with a difference. Wiseman, a scientist, uses science to prove many self-help myths(神话) are false. For example, self-help books say that if you want to achieve a goal, you should visualize it. But Wiseman says that's the worst thing to do. Studies show that you need to visualize the steps required to achieve the goal.

How to Win Friends& Influence People ( 1936) —by Dale Carnegie

This is the book that launched the self-help type. Carnegie says financial success is 15% professional knowledge and 85% the ability to express ideas, assume leadership, and motivate people. The book is full of practical advice on how to influence people by making them like you.

The Millionaire Next Door (1996) by Thomas Stanley & Wlliam Danko

The authors of this book spent years interviewing American millionaires to figure out the secrets of their success. And they discovered that a majority of millionaires don't live luxury lifestyles. They're rich because they live below their means and reinvest what they earn.

Who Moved My Cheese? (1998)-by Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, published on September 8, 1998, is a motivational business fable. The text describes change in one's work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by two mice and two “little people”，during their hunt for cheese.

1. What is the key to achieving success in 59 Seconds?

A．To employ science.	B．To follow examples.
C．To picture procedures.	D．To visualize the goal.

2. What is Dale Carnegie's book mainly about?

A．How to master occupational knowledge.	B．How to apply practical techniques.
C．How to gain strong management.	D．How to become popular persons.

3. Which book can help you adapt to change in your life?

A．59 Seconds	B．Who Moved My Cheese?
C．The Millionaire Next Door	D．How to Win Friends& Influence People

10 . Scientists, psychologists and English academics at Liverpool University have found that reading the works of the classical writers like Shakespeare and Wordsworth has a great effect on the mind, catches the reader’s attention and triggers moments of self-examination.

Using a special machine, they monitored the brain activity of 30 volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S. Eliot and others.

In the first part of the research, the brain activity of 30 volunteers was monitored as they read passages from Shakespeare’s plays, including King Lear, Othello, Coriolanus and Macbeth, and again as they read the text rewritten in a simpler form or modern language.

While reading the common texts, normal levels of electrical activity were shown in their brains. When they read the works of Shakespeare, however, the levels of activity jumped because of his use of words which were unfamiliar to them. The result of the test showed that the more challenging passages cause a greater degree of electrical activity in the brain than the common ones.

Scientists went on to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and recorded how it lit up as the readers came across unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentences in the classical works. As a result, this lightening up process of the mind lasted longer than that when volunteers read common texts, encouraging further reading.

The research also found that reading poetry especially increases activity in the right hemisphere (半球) of the brain, an area connected with “autobiographical memory”, driving the readers to think carefully about their own experiences based on what they have read. The academics said this meant the classical works of literature are more useful than self-help books.

Philip Davis, an English professor who has worked on the study in the university’s magnetic resonance center, announced this week: “Classical literature acts like a rocket-booster to the brain, which provides extra power for the brain. You may never imagine how powerful it is. The research shows such kind of literature can create new thoughts and connections in the young and the old.”

1. The underlined word “triggers” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to“_______”.

A．stops	B．keeps
C．interrupts	D．causes

2. Which of the following is NOT true about reading classical literature?

A．It’s helpful for readers to come up with new ideas.

B．It’s an activity that is suitable for people of all ages.

C．It makes readers’ electrical activity of brain return to normal.

D．It makes readers’ brain more active than reading common texts.

3. From the research, we can learn that _______.

A．poetry increases left-brain activity more than other literary forms

B．the readers prefer Shakespeare’s works to the other writers’works

C．the words of classical works make it hard for volunteers to read further

D．reading classical works produces a good and long-lasting effect on the mind

4. What does the author mainly tell us in this passage?

A．Classical works help the brain develop better.

B．Poetry is useful for developing people’s brain.

C．Common books are unpopular anymore.

D．Shakespeare’s plays are worth reading.