1 . How might you drag a good writer’s work down to a bad one? Try the spell-check button. A study at the University of Pittsburgh indicates spell-check software may shorten the gap between people with different levels of language skills, hampering (妨碍) the work of writers and editors who place too much trust in the software.
In the study, 33 undergraduate students were asked to correct a one-page business letter, half of them using Microsoft Word with red and green lines underlining potential errors. The other half did it the old-fashioned way, using only their heads. Without grammar or spelling software, students with higher SAT verbal scores made, on average, five errors, compared with 12.3 errors for students with lower scores. Using the software, students with higher verbal scores reading the same page made, on average, 16 errors, compared with 17 errors for students with lower scores.
Dennis Galletta, a professor of information systems at the Katz Business School, said spell-checking software is so sophisticated that some have come to trust it too thoroughly. “It’s not a software problem, it’s a person behavior problem,” he said. Microsoft technical specialist Tim Pash said grammar and spelling technology is meant to help writers and editors, not to solve all their problems. The study found the software helped students find and correct errors in the letter, but in some cases they also changed phrases or sentences underlined by the software as grammatically suspicious, even though they were correct.
1. On whom might spell-check software have a bad influence?| A．Authors who have age gaps. | B．People with lower language levels. |
| C．Writers having too much faith in it. | D．Editors seldom taking advantage of it. |
| A．Using spell-check software helps reduce the mistakes. |
| B．Spell-check software causes students to make more mistakes. |
| C．There is no obvious difference after using spell-check software. |
| D．Spell-check software has advantages over the old-fashioned way. |
| A．Advanced. | B．Complicated. | C．Difficult. | D．Cheap. |
| A．Spell-check restricts writers’ creativity. |
| B．Spell-check software can make writing worse. |
| C．The advantages and disadvantages of softwares. |
| D．The reasons for people’s abandoning spell-check software. |
2 . Not all brilliant reads are behind the paywall, some classics are much more accessible—click and download.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is a really, really good book. A little bit rigid, a little bit repressed, a little bit tender, and painfully class conscious, it’s the full English romance package. Now more than 200 years old, the novel has been retold time and again, finding new audiences each time. Still, there’s no substitute for the original.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
From the Cheshire Cat to Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Alice’s adventures are as strange and wonderful today as they were 150 years ago. Complete with Arthur Rackham’s wonderful illustrations there’s still nothing quite like it. Everyone should go down the rabbit hole at least once.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Perhaps no book does a better job of condensing Charles Dickens’ brilliance than his 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities. Taking place in London and Paris against the background of the French Revolution, the story has inspired countless projects since—even Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. And the best thing? If you like it, all Dickens’ other books are ready and waiting to be read too.
Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
Although Mary Shelley’s central message of people being destroyed by the monsters they create has been largely ignored in the years since publication, the tale itself continues to be very popular indeed, and with good reason. The book’s masterful combination of horror, romanticism, and science fiction makes it as attractive today as it would have been in 1818. Just the thing for nighttime reading.
1. What can you read about in Pride and Prejudice?| A．Cute animals. | B．French Revolution. |
| C．Scientific discoveries. | D．Class consciousness |
| A．Frankenstein. |
| B．A Tale of Two Cities. |
| C．Pride and Prejudice. |
| D．Alice's Adventures in Wonderland |
| A．They are romantic novels. |
| B．They can be read for free. |
| C．They were created in the early 1900s. |
| D．They were ignored when first published. |
3 . It's the most wonderful time of the year! The winter holidays are the perfect chance to get comfortable with a good book, and luckily we have some best sellers right now. We're sure you'll find what you're looking for.
Sunday Funday by Katherine Hallgan
Hardback, $20 (10 percent off with membership)
A great book full of seasonal activities that families and friends can enjoy together. From gardening projects to creative hand-made things and warming winter recipes (食谱), there's something for everyone, whatever the weather.
The History of the World in 100 Animals by Simon Barnes
Hardback, $16.99
This beautifully pictured book explores the good relationship between humans and animals, from bees to chimpanzees (黑猩猩) who share more than 90% of our DNA. If you are crazy about animals, this is the book for you.
Accidentally Famous by David Baddiel
Paperback, $12.99
Nothing amazing ever happens to Billy Smith but when TV workers visit his school he becomes popular, but as everyone knows, being famous comes with a price. David Baddiel's laugh-out-loud book asks what life would be like if everyone suddenly knew your name.
Eddie Albert and the Animal Gang by Paul O'Grady
Paperback, $15
This action-filled adventure from TV favourite Paul O'Grady follows a young boy with a very special gift—he can talk to animals! On a trip to Amsterdam, Eddie meets a monkey in danger and rescues the young creature with the help of his animal friends.
1. What is the member price for Sunday Funday?| A．$20. | B．$19. | C．$18. | D．$10. |
| A．Sunday Funday. | B．Eddie Albert and the Animal Cang. |
| C．Accidentally Famous. | D．The History of the World in 100 Animals. |
| A．They are published in hardback. | B．They stress harmony with animals. |
| C．They are full of beautiful pictures. | D．They speak of famous TV persons. |
4 . Four Seasonal Best-Sellers Online
Are you among the parents who are seeking books for your children during the coming winter vacation? The following seasonal best-sellers may be on your list of choices.
Salt
Salt, in which Helen Frost tells a story about friendship between Anikwa and James, was set in a time of war. Anikwa and James spent their happy days together in the forests of the Indiana Territory until facing the cruel war. As a children’s literature, it was once considered as a Kirkus Reviews Best Book in 2013.
Now
Now was set in the present day. This is the final book in Morris Gleitzman’s series that began with Once, continued with Then and Now. In the novel, Felix, a successful man with painful memories of his childhood recalls his time with his granddaughter Zelda. It has been popular with teenagers since it came out. Now is one of Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2012.
Green
Die-cut (模切的) pages bring surprise after surprise in this magical new book. How many kinds of green are there in the world? Laura Vaccaro Seeger shapes a respect to a single color that will delight and quite possibly shock you. Green was considered as Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of 2012 and a 2013 Caldecott Honor Book.
Holes
In this wonderfully creative novel, Louis Sachar makes up a puzzle about Stanley Yelnats, a boy who was sent to juvenile detention center (少年管教中心) Camp Green Lake, and forced to dig a hole a day, five feet across in the hard earth of the dried-up lake bed. It is a darkly humorous tale. The book wins the Winner of the National Book Award and was one of the best sellers among children.
1. Who is the author of the book Salt?| A．Helen Frost. | B．Anikwa. |
| C．Stanley Yelnats. | D．Louis Sachar. |
| A．It tells a serious but funny story. |
| B．It describes different kinds of one color. |
| C．It talks about friendship in the period of war. |
| D．It is one of the series by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. |
| A．They are set in modern times. |
| B．They share the same honor as each other. |
| C．They don’t sell as well as first published. |
| D．Their readers are mostly children. |
5 . Here are some of the best nonfiction books of 2021.
Somebody’s Daughter
$16 at Amazon
Ashley C. Ford talks about growing up as a black gird in Indiana, dealing with poverty, the complexities of adolescence, and a tense relationship with her mother. She often wished that she could express her feelings with her father, but failed for reasons she didn’t know. Until one day — after going through a heart-broken experience with a boy, which she kept from her family — her grandmother told her. And what she learned turned her entire world upside down.
Crazy Stories About Racism
$14 at Amazon
New York-based comedian Amber Ruffin, along with her sister Lacey Lamar, share their everyday experiences about their bad conditions. It gets especially bad for Lacey who still lives in their home state of Nebraska, and is a start for these ridiculous but all-too-real encounters (遭遇).
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
$25 at Amazon
If you want to get in touch with your creative side, this book might just be the trick. As the title suggests, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a literary master class that takes readers into the mind of Booker Prize-winning author George Saunders. He discusses what makes great stories, how they work, and what they say about ourselves and today’s world.
All In
$21 at Amazon
Sports legend Billie Jean King writes a self-portrait that talks about the highs and lows of her amazing tennis career, her work in activism, and the ongoing fight for social justice and equality.
1. What is special about Somebody’s Daughter?| A．It tells a girl’s success. | B．It tells a confused girl. |
| C．It tells a girl’s education. | D．It describes a girl’s good luck. |
| A．Something about Ashley C. Ford. | B．A boy’s heart-broken experience. |
| C．The situations of the present society. | D．Experiences about a man of casual racism. |
| A．All In | B．Somebody’s Daughter |
| C．A Swim in a Pond in the Rain | D．Crazy Stories About Racism |
6 . Life has a way of shaping us. Life can make you doubt or question your purpose.
Poetry prepared me for my purpose. I did not see this initially, so I tried taking a different direction.
In my journey towards purpose, poetry became my safety net. Poetry was my outlet from bullying by peers, which gave me low self-esteem.
However, writing poetry lacks financial stability.
Where you are is preparing you for your purpose. Your purpose is waiting for you!
| A．I pursued teaching instead |
| B．I started writing poems at age 5 |
| C．My original plan never worked out |
| D．The only person standing in your way is you |
| E．It showed me how to make sense of the world |
| F．Poetry is my voice to be seen, heard and known |
| G．However, when you live out your purpose, you are unstoppable |
7 . Whether you’re looking for a gifted idea, or you are hoping to find a way to help your teen make better choices, there are a variety of books on the market that can help you.
●Do Hard Things
Written by twin brothers, Alex and Brett Harris, Do Hard Things says that how expectations are the reason why teens are not motivated to create a better world for themselves. By encouraging readers to take the hard road and put challenges in front of themselves, teens can gain motivation to achieve greater things in life.
●Who Moved My cheese?
Adolescence is filled with change and uncertainty and this book, written by Spencer Johnson, helps young people learn how to adapt. Rather than resist change, teens can learn how to accept change and develop increased resilience. It’ll undoubtedly help teens create positive change in their lives as well.
●The Code: The Five Secrets of Teen Success
The author, Mawi Asgedom, overcame adversity when he grew up during civil war in Ethiopia and became a student on scholarship to Harvard. In this quick reading, your teen will learn valuable lessons from Asgedom’s own real life examples, and receive practical direction.
●What Color Is Your Parachute for Teens
Written by career authorities Carol Christen and Richard N. Bolles, this book will help teen discover their interests, which could be beneficial in helping them decide on a future. The book is a quick reading and has been updated to include the social media aspect of finding a career and job.
1. Who is the passage intended for?| A．Parents. | B．Students. | C．Educators. | D．Teachers. |
| A．Do Hard Things | B．Who Moved My Cheese? |
| C．What Color Is Your Parachute for Teens | D．The Code: The Five Secrets of Teen Success |
| A．Alex and Brett Harris’s. | B．Spencer Johnson’s. |
| C．Mawi Asgedom’s. | D．Carol Christen and Richard N. Bolles’s. |
