1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Tony have in his hand?

A．Lots of books.

B．A book review.

C．A reading list.

2. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?

A．Teacher and student.

B．Reader and librarian.

C．Friends.

3. Which book will Tony read?

A．A Song of Ice and Fire.

B．Thirteen Reasons Why.

C．First Test.

2 . The first set of Chinese stories presented in English scripts, titled Stories of China: Performed in English, was officially published by Foreign Language Press. Planned by the New Channel International Education Group with the participation of playwrights from China, the United Kingdom and the United states, the book provides a new way for young people to learn English while inheriting and spreading Chinese culture.

The book contains 20 English scripts in novel formats covering a wide range of subjects. Unlike the most common English scripts for young readers on the market which are based on adaptations of European and American stories, those scripts presented in this book are unique for being based on classic Chinese stories, readapted and written in English. The book is divided into three grades in terms of grammar and vocabulary difficulty, making it suitable for young English learners from primary schools to junior and high schools.

All the scripts in the book are written by top playwrights with elegant, pure and vivid language. The scripts are provided with a summary of the story in both Chinese and English, so that readers can fully understand the plot as well as the history and culture behind it. Readers can not only improve their English skills through immersive reading and performance but also appreciate Chinese culture.

Hu Min, English education expert and founder of the New Channel, said the combination of traditional Chinese culture and English teaching has become a trend, guiding young people to tell Chinese stories to the world with their own wisdom and deep Chinese cultural heritage. The New Channel will offer special courses on Stories of China: Performed in English in its many schools across the country, and cooperate with primary and secondary schools in Beijing, Shanghai to offer English drama courses on a trial basis. Hu believes the courses will set off a new wave of enthusiastic learning among young people.

1. What is the reason for publishing Stories of China: Performed in English?

A．To introduce some famous playwrights in China.

B．To make foreign students enjoy Chinese culture.

C．To offer a new teaching method on a trial basis.

D．To improve English learning and pass down Chinese culture.

2. What is special about the book?

A．Its popularity among young people.

B．Its elegant, pure and vivid language.

C．Being published by a top foreign press.

D．The way of introducing classic Chinese stories.

3. What’s Hu Min’s attitude towards the offered courses?

A．Hopeful.

B．Doubtful.

C．Objective.

D．Critical.

4. In which section of a magazine might you find the text?

A．Science.

B．Tourism.

C．Culture.

D．Business.

3 . Four new books to read

The books that are included in this list can meet your reading needs at any time of year.

Nobody Will Tell You This but Me

Bess Kalb

In this book, the author shares the advice her beloved grandmother Bobby left her. Bobby was a powerful woman who should never be underestimated, and she was very knowledgeable about the family’s traditions and secrets. The book proves that family bonds can endure through generations and beyond death.

We Came Here to Shine

Susie Orman Schnall

We Came Here to Shine focuses on the strong female friendship between an aspiring journalist and an unlucky actress at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Leaning on each other, these two ambitious women struggled against adversity (困境) at a time when women had little say.

A Star Is Bored

Byron Lane

Favored by television star Jonathan Van Ness, this novel is partly based on the author’s experiences as the former personal assistant to Carrie Fisher, a legendary American actress. The book follows Charlie Besson, the new assistant to the Hollywood icon, Kathi Kannon. Their three-year journey together is an unforgettable adventure that is funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful.

Fast Girls

Elise Hooper

The story in Fast Girls took place during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where Betty Robinson, Louise Stokes, and Helen Stephens overcame difficult pasts to attain Olympic glory as the world’s fastest female athletes. Beyond the athletic journey, they also aimed to challenge the social standards of what females can achieve.

1. Who is the character in Bess Kalb’s book?

A．Bobby.

B．Susie Orman Schnall.

C．Carrie Fisher.

D．Betty Robinson.

2. What kind of book is A Star Is Bored?

A．A biography.	B．An industry report.
C．A real-life based novel.	D．A fictional adventure story.

3. Which of the following books will you choose if you are interested in sports?

A．We Came Here to Shine	B．Nobody Will Tell You This but Me
C．A Star Is Bored	D．Fast Girls

4 . Many people do not read the classics. Their reasons begin with the language being too difficult and end with the storyline too distant to the present context.     1     . It is a gradual affair. We begin as acquaintances and eventually become close friends with private jokes between us. So how does one approach a classic?

Don’t be afraid to be confused.

We get it: it’s hard to power through confusion. It doesn’t feel great when a book makes you feel confused. Every reader has to start somewhere.     2     . Instead, be proud of yourself for trying, and get excited about all the new things you’ll learn.

Research, research, research.

    3     . Researching the author and the time and place they were writing about can help you situate yourself during tricky passages. The author’s experience, viewpoint, and historical context might help you make the connections you might not have otherwise.

    4    .

This step is self-explanatory. While it’s not hard to just pick a book up, we know how difficult it can be to convince yourself to do so. Remind yourself that it’s a new learning chance. Take a deep breath, then leap onto the deck (甲板) of Melville’s Pequod or step cautiously through the gates of Castle Dracula.

Remember: there is no right answer.

There is no perfect way to read a classic text. There is no fixed interpretation (解读) and no exact answer. Your goal as a reader is to discover what aspects are meaningful to you. Just enjoy the process.     5    !

A．Just pick the book up

B．Allow the book to grow with you

C．It has some form of historical influence

D．Before you turn to page one, do some digging

E．Love for classics is obviously not at first sight

F．Never beat yourself up for not knowing something

G．Even if your interpretation of the work isn’t perfect, it’s still valuable

5 . Technology seems to discourage slow reading. Reading on screens tires eyes easily. So online writing is more skimmable than print. The neuroscientist Mary Walt argued this “new norm” of skim reading is producing “an invisible, dramatic transformation” in how readers process words. And brains now favor rapid absorption of information, rather than skills developed by deeper reading, like critical analysis.

We shouldn’t overplay this danger. All readers skim. Skimming is the skill we acquire as we learn to read more skillfully. And fears about declining attention spans have proved to be false alarms. “Some critics worry about attention span and see very short stories as signs of cultural decline, ” The American author Selvin wrote. “But nobody ever said poems were evidence of short attention spans. ”

Yet the Internet has certainly changed the way we read. First, it means there’s more to read, because more people than ever are writing. And digital writing means rapid release and response. Once published, online articles start forming a comment string underneath. Such mode of writing and reading can be interactive and fun, but is probably lacking in profound reflection.

Perhaps we should slow down. Reading is constantly promoted as a source of personal achievement. But this advocacy emphasizes “enthusiastic” or “eager” reading — neither suggest slow absorption. To a slow reader, a piece of writing can only be fully understood by immersing oneself in their slow comprehension of words. The slow reader is like a swimmer who stops counting the number of pool laps he’s done and just enjoys how his body feels and moves in water.

The human need for this kind of deep reading is too determined for any new technology to destroy. We often assume technological change can’t be stopped, so older media are kicked out by newer, more virtual forms. In practice, older technologies can coexist with new ones. The Kindle hasn’t killed off printed books any more than cars killed off bicycles. We still want to enjoy slowly-formed ideas and carefully-chosen words. Even in a fast-moving age, there is time for slow reading.

1. What is the author’s attitude towards Selvin’s opinion?

A．Favorable.

B．Critical.

C．Doubtful.

D．Objective.

2. Which statement would the author probably agree with?

A．Advocacy of passionate reading helps promote slow reading.

B．Digital writing and reading tends to ignore careful reflection.

C．We should be aware of the impact skimming has on the brain.

D．The number of Internet readers declines due to technology.

3. Why is “swimmer” mentioned in paragraph 4?

A．To demonstrate how to immerse oneself in thought.

B．To stress swimming differs from reading.

C．To show slow reading is better than fast reading.

D．To illustrate what slow reading is like.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Slow Reading is Here to Stay

B．Technology Prevents Slow Reading

C．Reflections on Deep Reading

D．The Wonder of Deep Reading