1 . The best TED Talks on gratitude (感激)
David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be grateful
This 15-minute talk, from “monk and interfaith scholar” David Steindl-Rast, discusses gratitude and specifically its relationship to happiness. In the talk, Steindl-Rast argues that: “it is not happiness that makes us grateful” but “gratefulness that makes us happy”.
Louie Schwartzberg: Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.
This 10-minute talk comes from photographer Louie Schwartzberg, with the aid from the above-mentioned Steindl-Rast. In the talk, Schwartzberg presents some of his photographs of nature and explains how they can lead to feelings of gratitude with a story about life from a child’s perspective (视角) as well as life from an elderly man’s perspective.
Brian Doyle: 365 Days of Thank You
This 8-minute talk comes from Brian Doyle, who discusses how a near-death experience led him to start thinking about the role of gratitude in his life. Specifically, Doyle made a commitment to sincerely thank one person in his life every single day for a full year. This short talk is not just an inspiring story but might cause the viewers to consider how they can be grateful in their daily lives.
Hailey Bartholomew: 365 Grateful Project
This 12-minute talk from Hailey Bartholomew is, like Doyle’s, centered on a daily, year-long project. Unlike Doyle’s, however, Bartholomew’s focuses on photography and using photography to find gratitude in her life every day. Photographers who enjoyed Schwartzberg’s TED Talk should give this one a watch, as should anyone who wants to go through a similar project to find the gratitude in their own lives.
1. What makes people happy according to David Steindl-Rast?| A．Beauty. | B．Gratitude. | C．Nature. | D．Faith. |
| A．It shows many pictures. | B．It’s based on a year-long project. |
| C．It’s the shortest of all the talks. | D．It tells about a child’s experience. |
| A．Education. | B．Opinion. | C．History. | D．Lifestyle. |
2 . Could J. K. Rowling please leave Harry Potter in peace? 2010 was a good time to move on. We all know that Harry Potter’s last adventures hit the bookstore in 2007, and three years later the Warner Bros adaptations ran their course in cinema, too. For many fans, the young wizard had worked his magic through most of their childhood. But in 2018, a new Harry Potter extended universe film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald, was out.
I love Harry Potter series and I always will. It’s all there in my memory: I remember the first delight at reading “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal”. The wizarding treasure hunt, thrown by my parents for my ninth birthday with my dad dressed as Hagrid in the garden, was so clear in my mind. I remember deciphering (破译) my copy of the Deathly Hallows, the first book I read in English, and having to check the French for “wand”. The 2001 trip to the cinema to see Philosopher’s Stone, and all the ones that followed are kept clearly.
However, someone needs to call a halt to the endless afterlife of Potter’s fictional universe. It was enough in the seven books and eight films. We didn’t and don’t need a community website, a theatre play, the printed script of said movie, and even more movies.
Rowling has created 21st-century modern literary classic. I always look up to her as the textbook classy writer: respectfully drawing attention from readers, successful but wise enough to withdraw. She also cares much about the causes she holds dear. In 2011 alone, she donated 16% of her net worth to charities. Of all contemporary authors who hit gold, Rowling remains one of the very most inspirational.
The saddest thing is that Rowling helped with the writing of the Cursed Child. She regularly “revealed” new details about Potter’s magical world on Twitter. Today, I decided to give up: I don’t follow Rowling on Twitter. I don’t want to see the new film. Thank you, Joanne Kathleen Rowling. I have enough valued stories—I don’t need new ones any more.
1. The last book of Harry Potter series was published in ______ .| A．2007 | B．2010 | C．2011 | D．2017 |
| A．felt rather easy to understand Harry Potter series |
| B．was quiet fond of Harry Potter series and its films |
| C．read Harry Potter series with the help of his parents |
| D．missed the time of watching Harry Potter movies with his parents |
| A．Share. | B．Appreciate. | C．Stop. | D．Change. |
| A．The talent J. K. Rowling has. |
| B．The author’s praise for J. K. Rowling. |
| C．The influence of J. K. Rowling’s works. |
| D．The author’s expectations of J. K. Rowling. |
3 . Four Best Books in 2021
Now I will recommend four best books to you.
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners
by Joanna Ho
This wonderful picture book tells a story about learning to love and celebrate your Asianshaped eyes. A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends’. They have big, round eyes. They have eyes that are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future. This book will resonate with readers about 5 years old.
Hardcover: $19.8
Second-hand: $10
Amari and the Night Brothers
by B. B. Alston
Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. When she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, she’s certain that a secret organization holds the key to locating Quinton. In order to find him, now she must know about magic. This book will attract teens aged about 18 years old.
Hardcover: $21.7
Second-hand: $9
Dog Man
by Dav Pilkey
The world is losing out of control as new villains flood into town. Everything seems dark and full of disappointment. But hope is not lost. Can the incredible power of love save the day? Dog Man series explores love, kindness and the importance of doing good. Readers about 5 years old will like to read it.
Hardcover: $33.1
Second-hand: $13
Starfish
by Lisa Fipps
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been teased for her weight, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules — like “no making waves” “avoid eating in public” and “don’t move so fast”. And she’s found her safe space — her swimming pool — where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. It suits readers about 5 years old.
Hardcover: $35.6
Second-hand: $11
1. What is special about Amari and the Night Brothers?| A．It is intended for teenagers. | B．It teaches readers how to love. |
| C．It is the cheapest among the four. | D．It features colorful pictures. |
| A．The way of overcoming difficulty. | B．The necessity of losing weight. |
| C．The ability to train a dog. | D．The importance of doing good. |
| A．Eyes That Kiss in the Corners. | B．Amari and the Night Brothers. |
| C．Dog Man. | D．Starfish. |
4 . Beverly Cleary, the celebrated children’s author whose memories of her Oregon childhood were shared with millions through the likes of Ramona and Beezus Quimby and Henry Huggins, has died. She was 104.
Trained as a librarian, Cleary didn’t start writing books until her early 30s, when she wrote Henry Huggins, published in 1950. Children worldwide came to love the adventures of Huggins and his neighbours Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, Beezus Quimby and her younger sister, Ramona. They live in a real street in Portland, Oregon, the city where Cleary spent much of her youth.
Ramona, perhaps her best-known character, first appeared in Henry Huggins with only a brief mention. “All the children appeared to be only children, so I threw in a little sister and she didn’t go away. She kept appearing in other books,” Cleary said.
Cleary herself was an only child and said the character wasn’t a mirror. “I was a well-behaved little girl, not that I wanted to be,” she said. “At the age of Ramona, in those days, children played outside. We played hopscotch(跳房子) and jump rope and I loved them and always had wounded knees.”
Cleary stopped writing recently, because she said she felt it was important for writers to know when to quit. “I even got rid of my typewriter. It was a nice one but I hate to type. When I started writing I found that I was thinking more about my typing than what I was going to say,” she said in 2016. Although she put away her pen, Cleary re-released three of her most treasured books with three famous fans writing forewords for the new editions.
Cleary’s books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and inspired many programmes, such as a 10-part PBS series, Ramona and the 2010 film Ramona and Beezus. Cleary was asked once what her favourite character was. “Does your mother have a favourite child?” she responded.
1. What do we know about Cleary?| A．She was a late starter as an author. |
| B．She wrote true stories in her books. |
| C．She published her first book in the 1930s. |
| D．She drew writing inspiration from her neighbours. |
| A．She was a well-behaved little girl. | B．She was an only child of her family. |
| C．She had an impressive first appearance. | D．She played an increasingly bigger role. |
| A．Clever. | B．Active. | C．Lonely. | D．Quiet. |
| A．She added her fans’ words to her books. |
| B．She learned to type quickly and correctly. |
| C．She translated her books into other languages. |
| D．She made TV programmes based on her books. |
5 . According to some books, the journey through teen years is easier when parents learn much about this time in children’s life and give their children support. These helpful books will tell children all they need to know.
Everything You Need to Know about Growing Up by Rebecca Paley
One of the highlights of this book is the section “When to Expect What”, which gives a timeline on changes that will appear at a particular age. As an essential guide to adolescence, the book deals with various parts of the body and emotional changes that occur during that time.
Getting Used to Your Changing Body by Amy B. Middleman
This book is a comprehensive guide to the various physical and emotional changes about eating healthily, taking care of the body, and how to take care of skin, and so on. The information is reader-friendly in a colourful format. Promoted by the American Medical Association, the book contains important medical terms.
What’s Happening to My Body by Lynda Madaras
Written by a senior educator and her daughter in an easy-going style, the book is about the growth concerning teenagers. The book is targeted at children aged 10 years and above. Featuring detailed illustrations and real-life stories, it also has an introduction for parents and a helpful resource section.
Just for Girls: A Book about Growing Up by Sarah Delmege
When children know what to expect during the adolescent years and have the right information, growing up is not as difficult as it seems. The book has lots of advice and answers to common teens’ questions about what is happening to their body.
1. What are the four books mainly about?| A．Reasons for teens’ worry. | B．Ways to look after parents. |
| C．Advice on going through adolescence. | D．Introductions of teenagers’ study. |
| A．Everything You Need to Know about Growing Up. |
| B．Getting Used to Your Changing Body. |
| C．What’s Happening to My Body. |
| D．Just for Girls: A Book about Growing Up. |
| A．It is targeted at teenagers. | B．It is written by a foreign author. |
| C．It is suitable for parents to read. | D．It includes stories existing in real life. |
