1 . To develop one’s taste in English, the most effective way is to read a wide variety of English books. Yet one may be at a loss to choose the right books, especially as a beginner. As a native Spanish, I would like to share some of my experience.
My first English novel was Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, recommended by many English teachers and professors as an ideal book for English learners. But my experience was somewhat disastrous. I had great difficulty in understanding the novel, let alone enjoying it. It’s not the vocabulary that troubled me, but rather the way Austen makes sentences, and her way of thinking, which seemed too hard for me at that time. My enthusiasm was much recovered after reading Hemingway’s novel A Farewell to Arms. No long and complicated sentences. And I particularly liked his brief and straightforward (简洁的) style. So my first suggestion is, as a beginner, you’d better choose contemporary novels instead of classical ones.
However, if you limit yourself to novels you will miss a lot of treasures. English essays can at once inform you, entertain you, and improve your taste in English. The best example is Bertrand Russell’s work. His simple language enables his philosophy within the reach of ordinary people. Here comes my second suggestion — essays are necessary.
Never follow others’ suggestions and opinions blindly, however famous or influential (有很大影响的) the person might be. We should be open to various ideas, but always think and determine by ourselves. As a saying goes, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison”. With that in mind, we are bound to find out our favorite writers through reading and develop our fine taste in English.
1. What made the first English novel that the author read hard to understand?| A．Complicated conversations. | B．Sentences and Austen’s thinking style. |
| C．The old-fashioned vocabulary. | D．Not knowing the social background. |
| A．Enjoyable. | B．Unique. | C．Terrible. | D．Inspirational. |
| A．Don’t be affected by others’ ideas easily. | B．Read books that are instructive. |
| C．Choose books that challenge us most. | D．Compare books before buying. |
| A．Give comments on literature works. |
| B．Tell beginners how to choose English books. |
| C．Encourage people to read more English books. |
| D．Recommend first class books to English learners. |
请你以My Favorite Book为题写一篇短文投稿。内容包括：
1. 书的简介；
2. 阅读感受和评价。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80词左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
My Favorite Book
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3 .
 | The Mysteries of the Universe: Discover the best-kept secrets of space (DK Children’s Anthologies) Hardcover-International Edition September 1,2020 by Will Gater (Author) ★★★★★4,045 ratings Part of: DK Children’s Anthologies (5 books) Editors’ pick Best Nonfiction for Kids See all formats and editions | |||
| Kindle $1.99 | Hardcover $12.29 | |||
| Read with Our Free App | 32 Used from $6.17 | |||
| 30 New from $12.29 | ||||
| Buy new: | $12.29 |  | Travel to the furthest reaches of the Universe and visit 100 remarkable objects along the way with this stunning space book. Space is so much bigger than young minds can imagine and there is always more to learn. The Mysteries of the Universe is a space encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information. Little learners will be captivated as they journey through the vastness of the Universe. From planets to black holes and galaxies, every page of this space book reveals the secrets behind more than 100 objects. Each body is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images. Get ready to explore fun facts and exciting new scientific discoveries as this best-selling picture book will illuminate imaginations and spark curious minds to explore the vastness of space. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on facts, myths, and key discoveries about the universe, perfect for children aged 7-9 and beyond. | |
| FREE delivery: Saturday, March 18on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com | ||||
| Buy used: $6.17 |
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| $3.98 delivery March 21-22. Details Or fastest delivery March 16-21. Details  Select delivery locationUsed: Good | Details Sold by glenthebookseller Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. Add to Cart | ||||
| It celebrates your children’s curiosity as they: -Explore beautiful illustrations and incredible photography that showcase the mysteries of space. -Reveal engaging storybook-style descriptions that explain key discoveries about the universe. This space encyclopedia is the perfect combination of storybook-style text with out-of-this-world illustrations. Compared with reading alone, reading the book with family doubles the pleasure as family ties are strengthened through exploring the unknown together. Explore the vastness of space whilst uncovering: -Excellent Jacket Detail: gold book cover& luxury metallic gold edges -Striking photography& illustrations inside -A quality gift to be passed down through the generations More in the Series The Mysteries of the Universe is part of the beautiful and informative Anthology series. Complete the series and cultivate your children’s curiosity as they explore the natural world with Wonders of Nature or let them walk with the dinosaurs with Intriguing Animals. | ||||
| A．uncovers secrets of natural world and animals. |
| B．describes a story happening in the outer space. |
| C．offers information about over 100 objects of the universe. |
| D．provides close-up pictures of people and objects around children. |
| A．The book has been graded by over 4000 people. |
| B．The book is currently qualified for free shipping. |
| C．The book can be obtained second-hand with the lowest price of $12.29. |
| D．The book belongs to a series, all books of which explore the mysteries of outer space. |
| A．A brochure. | B．A textbook. | C．A report. | D．A website. |
| A．Science fiction. | B．Horror fiction. | C．Romantic fiction. |
5 . Book Recommendation
Olive, Mabel and Me by Andrew Cotter
This is a funny telling of how a sports commentator turned his two dogs into Internet sensations (轰动). If you’ve seen videos of dogs and laughed your but t off, the book provides the same humor, along with wonderful pictures of dogs and Scottish highlands. Let’s face it—who doesn’t need a good laugh, and pictures of dogs?
—Isabel Quintana
Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker
A mystery series focused on Bruno Courrèges, the chief of police in the small town of St. Denis in the Périgord region of southwestern France. Walker brings his knowledge both as a journalist and as a resident of St. Denis to these pages, as he explores the culture and socio-economic changes occurring in contemporary rural France.
—Edward Copenhagen
Land of Aeolia by Ilias Venezis, translated by Therese Sellers
The author writes of his peaceful childhood summers in Anatolia, before the horrors of World War I and the loss of his homeland. This is a beautiful novel that is beyond language and country and brings back memories of a lost world. I have found some English translations of modern Greek literature lacking the ability to express the richness of the Greek language, but Sellers deals with this playful and magical language beautifully.
—Rhea Lesage
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
I wish everyone hoping to start a home garden could read the chapter The Three Sisters. The author, an authority on plant study, describes how the three work and play together. She expertly creates a sense of mystery and beauty of everyday life. And she reminds readers how much we could learn from our sisters and brothers.
—Steve Shutt
1. Which book should you read to learn about French culture?| A．Olive, Mabel and Me. | B．Bruno, Chiefof Police. |
| C．Land of Aeolia. | D．Braiding Sweetgrass. |
| A．It’s well translated. | B．It lacks richness. |
| C．It’s about World War I. | D．It tells a story of magic. |
| A．A botanist. | B．A journalist. | C．A language expert. | D．A sports commentator. |
1.整体的感受；
2.存在的问题；
3.提出建议。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Peter,
I’m Li Hua from Class 1.
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Yours,
Li Hua
7 . A little library was built in our neighborhood to encourage people to “take a book, leave a book”. While taking a walk, Ayla, my eight-year-old daughter, was
Long after we got home, I found her in her bedroom, seated on the floor, surrounded by her
I was
Once we got home, I asked Ayla why she put that book in the little library. She
| A．patient | B．interested | C．determined | D．awkward |
| A．toys | B．sweets | C．books | D．pictures |
| A．creatively | B．seriously | C．hurriedly | D．curiously |
| A．suitable | B．new | C．expensive | D．similar |
| A．toothbrush | B．gift | C．photo | D．chair |
| A．fixed | B．cleaned | C．made | D．used |
| A．tree | B．bag | C．library | D．neighborhood |
| A．nervous | B．anxious | C．sad | D．lucky |
| A．climbed | B．gave | C．cheered | D．woke |
| A．worry | B．pride | C．care | D．regret |
| A．cheapest | B．last | C．favorite | D．worst |
| A．showing off | B．searching for | C．coming across | D．passing down |
| A．tested | B．noticed | C．ordered | D．wanted |
| A．explained | B．added | C．agreed | D．remembered |
| A．examine | B．take | C．buy | D．describe |
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80 左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
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9 . All the Beauty in the World, Patrick Bringley’s memoir (回忆录) about his 10 years working as a guard at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met), brings new meaning to the term “art appreciation”.
Bringley is not the only Met staffer to write about the institution. But Bringley’s “guard’s-eye view” is unique, and he presents his personal story with sincerity. After his brother Tom’s death in 2008, Bringley gave up his job as a journalist for a job in which “I was happy to be going nowhere”. He explains, “I had lost someone. I did not wish to move on from that. In a sense, I didn’t wish to move at all.”
All the Beauty in the World offers well-chosen facts about the museum to support Bringley’s personal tale. The Met opened in 1880 and has since expanded to more than 2.5 million square feet — “the size of about 3,000 average New York apartments”. The “salmon run (鲑鱼回游) of visitors” that goes up the Grand Staircase every morning when the museum opens adds up to a crowd of nearly 7 million visitors a year.
As interesting as these facts are, it’s Bringley’s reflections on dozens of individual paintings, photographs, sculptures and ancient artifacts that turn this book into a tribute (致敬) to the power of art. I think that “sometimes we need permission to stop and adore things, and a work of art gives us that”. In a Vermeer portrait (肖像) of a dozing maidservant, he is moved to see that the artist captured “that feeling we sometimes have that a private setting possesses a holiness (神圣) of its own. It was my constant feeling in Tom’s hospital room.”
As rich in moving insights as the Met is in treasures, All the Beauty in the World reminds us of the importance of learning not “about art, but from it” and finding peace into art. This is art appreciation at a deep level.
1. What sets All the Beauty in the World apart from other books written by Met staffers?| A．The author’s unique writing perspective. | B．The author’s opinions on artworks. |
| C．Its focus on historical facts and truth. | D．Its detailed introduction to the paintings. |
| A．His hobby from childhood. | B．His failure as a journalist. |
| C．Loss of his beloved brother. | D．His ambition of being great. |
| A．By interviewing retired staff members. |
| B．By relating museum facts to his personal life. |
| C．By recording the number of daily visitors yearly. |
| D．By researching the background of each masterpiece. |
| A．Finding Peace in Art | B．Reflecting on Life with Art |
| C．Little-known Facts about the Met | D．Inner Worlds of the Famous Artists |
10 . Reading books is one of the best ways to broaden your horizons, develop your new interests, and grow your minds. Reading a book at any time of day gives you a brain boost and a positive feeling.
It’s a great way to reduce stress
Stress builds up over the course of a day and makes you hard to relax and fall asleep.
An interesting and eye-opening non-fiction can fill your brain with knowledge right before sleeping. Even a work of fiction or a fantasy book gives your brain a workout. Actually, a fiction book is great for broadening your perspective and boosting your creativity and imagination.
You’ll sleep longer and better
The bedtime story may have helped you fall asleep because it is part of a consistent bedtime routine. Not only can reading a book make you sleep, but it can help you sleep longer and better. According to a study, 496 participants read before bed, and 496 did not.
You don’t need to actually read
| A．It grows your knowledge |
| B．It helps find what you love to read |
| C．A book is a great way to relieve it |
| D．You are tired of reading books at times |
| E．After a week, nearly half of the readers reported sleeping better |
| F．These can help you prepare your minds and bodies for sleep too |
| G．But scheduling your page-turning time just before sleeping can help you sleep better |
