1 . “A good book is easy to find.” That is the message on a sign at Hernando Guanlao’s home in the Makati area of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines.”
Guanlao has transformed his home into a free public library. Visitors can borrow the books inside for free. Guanlao says he hopes his library will inspire people to read, especially the young.
The 72-year-old told reporters that his library includes books that all students can enjoy —— from young children in Kindergarten to older students in grade 12. And also his library has books for readers of all interests. His home is filled with thousands of available books.
He calls his library Reading Club 2000. It contains many different kinds of books, or genres. Genre is a group of artistic, musical, or literary works that share a particular style, form, or content. “There are history books, novels, children stories in my library,” Guanlao added proudly, “and there are cookbooks, science fiction, and even medicine books.” Almost everyone can find a suitable book, all for free.
He started his library more than 20 years ago when he set 50 books on the walkway in front of his home. Guanlao’s collection has grown greatly over the years —— thanks to a continuous supply of books from donors.
Speaking of donors, he said, “They just leave boxes of books outside my house.” He has also started donating books himself. He sends reading materials to public schools in far-away communities.
Guanlao’s efforts come at a time when reading ability among students in the Philippines remains low. The Program for International Student Assessment reports that reading scores in the Philippines are among the lowest in the world. Students in the Philippines are also facing learning delays in math and science.
Guanlao is firm about his goals, “My mission is to give away used and donated books to others at no cost,” he said, “and to promote education through literature.”
1. What’s the purpose of Guanlao’s setting up his home library?A.To establish his fame in the country |
B.To encourage people to read and increase education level |
C.To set up a record for collecting the most books |
D.To help people find jobs more easily |
A.Devoted and caring | B.Outgoing and brave |
C.Humorous and considerate | D.Ambitious and impatient |
A.His own effort to collect books continuous | B.The government’s help and support |
C.Warm-hearted people’s continuous donations | D.Help from public schools in far-away communities |
A.science report | B.sports | C.fashion | D.education |
2 . Do you want to find some books to read? If so, here is a list of them.
Journeys of a LifetimeAdapted from the favorite trips of National Geographic’s travel writers, Journeys of a Lifetime crosses the globe to highlight the world’s most famous and little-known destinations. It presents lots of possibilities, from ocean voyage around Antarctica to horse riding in the Andes. Every continent and every possible form of transport is covered.
Destinations of a LifetimeDestinations of a Lifetime takes you on a photographic tour of the world’s most impressive destinations. Hundreds of the most amazing locations—both natural and man-made—are illustrated with vivid images taken by the world-class photographers. Destinations of a Lifetime includes all the information: when to go, where to eat, where to stay, and what to do to ensure the most interesting experience.
World’s Best Travel ExperiencesPopular actor and award-winning travel writer Andrew McCarthy writes the foreword (序言) to this great book, offering 400 excellent destinations chosen by National Geographic’s family. It will appeal to active travelers looking for the next great trip as well as to the many readers who simply love dreaming of visiting faraway and peaceful destinations.
Lonely Planet’s Ultimate TravelThis collection of the 500 most unmissable sights and attractions in the world has been ranked by Lonely Planet’s global community, so big sights such as the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal battle it out for a prized place in the top 10, making this the only list you’ll ever need.
1. Which book will offer readers the information about restaurants?A.Journeys of a Lifetime. | B.Destinations of a Lifetime. |
C.World’s Best Travel Experiences. | D.Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel. |
A.They offer impressive tourist information. |
B.They recommend faraway locations. |
C.They are included in National Geographic. |
D.They introduce the same destinations. |
A.Fashion. | B.Society. | C.Economy. | D.Literature. |
3 . Like many people over the past few years, I have found myself turning to audiobooks as my main means of reading literature. I find it far more comfortable to “read with my ears” while my eyes are resting. My consumption of new books has doubled as a result--but a recent paper makes me wonder if this will come at the price of my comprehension.
The study comes from Boaz Keysar and Janet Geipel, both at the University of Chicago, and it draws from the “dual process model” of mental processing. According to this-view, we have two ways of assessing information. System 1 is intuitive (直觉的), relying on natural ability and feeling. It is quick, but likely exposed to misinformation. System 2 is analytical involving the use of logic reasoning. It is mentally demanding. When it is engaged, we think our way through the material step by step. For decades, psychologists have designed various tests to determine which of these two systems a person is using. As one example, consider the/ following question: How many animals of each kind did Moses take on the Ark (方舟)? If you answered two, you were probably only considering the core of the question, which is System 1 thinking. To get to the right answer-zero, you need to think more carefully about the wording, which would allow you to remember it was Noah who built the Ark, not Moses. That is the kind of analytical process.
Keysar and Geipel’s brilliant idea was to investigate whether the sensory form-seeing vs. hearing-of the information would make a difference. They found that it did: when answering these kinds of simple questions, participants were more likely to make errors when the sentences were spoken out loud, rather than written.
A greater reliance on our feelings could be a problem if we are consuming information that needs logical study. For this reason. I will return to reading non-fiction with my eyes rather than my ears. But I won’t stop listening to novels. I am quite happy to go with the flow of my emotions while my critical mind takes a break.
1. What does the author think of listening to audiobooks?A.It is economical. | B.It is demanding. |
C.It is time-consuming. | D.It is relaxing. |
A.Fairly reliable. | B.Fully automatic. |
C.Question-centered. | D.Emotion-involved. |
A.To present a fact. | B.To illustrate a view. |
C.To introduce a topic. | D.To draw a conclusion. |
A.Listening to books comes at a price. |
B.Reading non-fiction books benefits. |
C.Critical thinking is a must in reading. |
D.Ways of processing information differ. |
1. What has the woman been reading?
A.A novel. | B.A dictionary. | C.A cookbook. |
A.He has poor eyesight. | B.He dislikes stories. | C.He is too busy. |
A.In the kitchen. | B.In the car. | C.On the plane. |
A.Some CDs. | B.Some bottles. | C.Some books. |
6 . It’s no secret that reading good news feels a lot better than reading bad news. Like, would you rather bite into a lemon, or sip on a fresh glass of lemonade?
In fact, good news, known as solutions journalism, is becoming more popular, as publishers and news stations discover the benefits of sharing positive stories. Good Good Good is one of them.
“If it bleeds, it leads.” has long been a saying used in the media to describe how news stories about violence, death and destruction draw readers’ attention.
A.Share good news with people around you. |
B.It’s just that we don’t hear as much about them. |
C.But the “bad news” has its place in the world. |
D.It provides a more balanced view of the world. |
E.And so, negative news stories are everywhere on news media. |
F.Heartwarming stories make you cry and feel good. |
G.The news media company is devoted to providing good news intentionally. |
1. 增加中国景区介绍;
2.你的理由。
参考词汇:scenic spot景区
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8 . Books That Celebrate Diverse Holidays and Traditions
It’s important to remember there are a diverse set of holidays available to explore. Below are a few books that help introduce children to different holiday cultures and traditions.
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez
While helping her mother with Christmas celebration, Maria is tempted to try on her mother’s diamond ring. After getting caught up in the joy of the holiday and playing with her cousins, Maria realizes the ring is missing! That’s when she and her cousins come up with a plan to eat all of the tamales, in hopes of finding the ring.
Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford, illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger
This is a story about a little girl named Kayla who wants to see her older brother Khari come home so they can celebrate Kwanzaa together as a family. Khari is stuck at college when a snowstorm hits and his car breaks down. Will he make it home in time for Kwanzaa?
A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
This book is a funny, nostalgic tale of Christmas Eve afternoon through Christmas night in Wales, and is full of unique imagery and poetic prose. It will arouse a sense of familiarity for some young readers while introducing them to different aspects of Christmas traditions.
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac
The word otsaliheliga is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. This is an amazing story that describes a journey through the seasons with a modern-day Cherokee family. Cherokee history and traditions are also woven into the story in a very kid-friendly way.
1. What makes it difficult for Khari to return home in time for Kwanzaa?A.A car crash. | B.Delayed flights. | C.Extreme weather. | D.Academic pressure. |
A.Traci Sorell. | B.Ed Martinez. | C.Dylan Thomas. | D.Trina Schart Hyman. |
A.how to find hidden treasures at home | B.how to strengthen bonds with friends |
C.the lifestyles of different ethnic groups | D.different holiday celebrations and customs |
9 . 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 |
10 . Last summer at a bookstore, my son Henry was fascinated by the cover of the first novel from Peter Brown’s middle-grade trilogy (三部曲). He then finished it in just two days. “Dad, why did The Wild Robot have to be so sad?” He tearfully asked me.
The story is set on a remote island, where a robot named Roz learns to survive and communicate with the island’s creatures, and becomes part of the community. For my son, it was the first book he discovered on his own; the first to impact him with the mix of tragedy (悲剧) and joy.
When I finished the book, I knew why Henry loved it. In our book club discussion, he described how Brown’s pictures and words had made the story feel real. When talking about its final scenes, where Roz leaves to find repairs for her injured body, Henry cried again. His previous reading experiences had cheerful, “happily-ever-after” endings, but this book introduced him to the beauty of complex emotions. I tried to explain how sadness can enhance the meaning of happy moments, but failed to fully convince him.
Once our discussion ended, Henry requested to buy The Wild Robot Escapes and instantly fell in love with it. He read the first two books repeatedly, so you can imagine his excitement when we finally got a copy of The Wild Robot Protects.
We both agree it is worth the wait. Roz leaves the island again to stop an underwater threat: “the poison tide.” Brown expertly balances between breathtaking adventure and unsettling ideas- not just happiness and sadness, but also, given the climate-change undercurrents, hope and despair.
And, here’s something special about Roz: her physical clumsiness and confusion about life, conveyed through her expressive eyes and downturned mouth. Her story reflects the challenges of surviving in a strange place, much like a child’s journey. Readers love Roz. They learn from her. Even better, they learn alongside her. Roz gave Henry the power to push through the first book’s sad parts, getting him ready to appreciate that, sometimes, sadness isn’t a bad thing to feel.
1. What drove the author to read The Wild Robot?A.Its tragic ending. | B.Henry’s tearful recommendation. |
C.Its attractive cover. | D.Henry’s emotional response to it. |
A.Family and community. | B.Concerns of global issues. |
C.Exploration of the ocean. | D.Man-robot relationship. |
A.Her childlike expressions. | B.Her robotic power. |
C.Her struggling experiences. | D.Her adventurous spirit. |
A.Misfortune inspires great literary works. | B.Robot stories work like magic on children. |
C.Book discussions help kids survive tragedies. | D.Reading literature facilitates personal growth. |