1 . If having to make a choice between reading an e-book and a printed book, which would most people choose? Some would go for an e-book while some still prefer the hard-printed book.
Undoubtedly, e-books do have benefits. Firstly, changes to an electronic publication are relatively easy to make. They are quicker to obtain. E-books are more easily updated. The printed books on many subjects can become outdated very quickly. Secondly, e-books can be easily and quickly kept up to date. You usually get far more than just the e-books. Most e-books are sold with bonuses and related information that usually do not come with the purchase of a printed book. Moreover, they take up less space. Instead of a big library, you can fit literally thousands of books on your computer. It also makes it easier to share this information with families and friends.
For nearly twenty years, additionally, futurists have been predicting the development of printed books. The conventional view has been that digital e-books are on the verge of replacing paper books. However, this has not been the case. A printed book has its advantages too. Firstly, it is an object that can be carried and used alone. It needs no electric outlet (插座), no batteries, nothing. Secondly, e-books will always require some forms of support that the printed book does not need.
I believe that the online publishing has not taken off because people want real books. What is being published online more and more are pamphlets (小册子) and things that really do not need to be in print. These are stuff that people throw away afterward. More often, people do not want to read a book on the computer. What could be better than a paper book? It lasts a long time. These books are designed to last a long time without disappearing.
To sum up, there is no denying that the printed book is still very much preferred over its digital cousins. Reading electronic publications is just not the same when it comes to books. People are still very interested in real books and notebooks.
1. What can we know about an e-book?| A．It will never be out of date. | B．It always gives you an added bonus. |
| C．It can deliver information quickly. | D．It has taken the place of printed books. |
| A．Printed books will disappear. | B．Printed books can be used alone. |
| C．E-books have many restrictions. | D．E-books have no drawbacks. |
| A．The low demand for book industry. | B．The expectations from people. |
| C．The guidance of policy. | D．The desire for the printed books. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Unpredictable. | C．Costly. | D．Promising. |
2 . 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. |
3 . The Harry Potter series is filled with magic and adventure. The novels are about a young boy who attends an academy for young wizards. Here are a few more books you may enjoy if you like the Harry Potter books.
A Wrinkle in Time
This is a fantasy novel by Madeleine L' Engle. The book is a mix of science fiction and fantasy, and the first in a series about Meg Murry and her extraordinary family. The novel explores individuality, the importance of language, and the pursuit for love across time and space.
The Enchanted Castle
This is a novel by Edith Nesbit published in 1907.In this book，three children—Jerry，Jimmy，and Kathleen—find a magical castle with an invisible princess. Nesbit explores themes of illusion（幻想）against reality，with a magic ring. a fake princess，and the Ugly Wuglies—who come alive. The Enchanted Castle is a classic full of magical mysteries.
The Hobbit
This is a novel by J. RR. Tolkien where you get a chance to meet Bilbo Baggins and follow him on his adventures in Middle-earth. He is a hobbit, comfortably staying at home in his hole until Gandalf calls him away to a great adventure. In his dangerous trip he encounters monsters and he discovers a great deal about himself. The hobbit undergoes great changes after seeing so much of the world and experiencing the dangers of Middle-earth.
1. What do we know about A Wrinkle in Time?
| A．It is Madeleine L' Engle's first work. |
| B．It praises Gandalf's spirit of adventure. |
| C．It is about personality, language and love. |
| D．It introduces a magical castle found by three children. |
| A．A detective story. | B．A fantasy novel. | C．A love story. | D．A biography. |
| A．Harry Potter | B．A Wrinkle in Time | C．The Enchanted Castle | D．The Hobbit. |
4 . The best science fiction books of 2021
We take a look at the most exciting new science-fiction books of 2021. No matter what kind of science fiction fan you are, we're sure you'll find something to add to your reading list.
The Saints of Salvation
By Peter F. Hamilton
The Olyix have laid siege（围攻）to Earth, harvesting people for their god. Cities are ru¬ined by their weapons and millions have either fled to seek refuge in space or are fighting a war that seems unwinnable. As Earth's defeat draws ever closer, a team are sent to enter the Olyix's air-ship secretly. Their plan? This is the final science fiction in Peter F. Hamilton's extremely surprising series The Salvation Sequence.
A Desolation Called Peace
By Arkady Martine
This impressive sequel（续集）to Arkady Martinets Hugo Award-winning science fiction book sees the Teixcalaanli Empire facing an alien threat which could bring about its complete destruction. Fleet captain Nine Hibiscus sends a person to negotiate with the mysterious invaders...
Jack Four
By Neal Asher
Jack Four-one of twenty human clones-has been created to be sold. His purchasers are the aliens and they only want him for their experimentation program. But there is something different about Jack. No clone should possess the knowledge that's been loaded into his mind.
Rabbits
By Terry Miles
Rabbits is a secret, dangerous and sometimes deadly underground game. The rewards for winning are unclear, but there are rumors of money or it might unlock the universe's greatest secrets. Everyone knows that the deeper you get, the more deadly the game becomes-and the body count is rising. Since the game first started, ten rounds have taken place. The eleventh round is about to begin, and what happens in the game, stays in the game...
1. What can we know aboutThe Saints of Salvation?| A．It's about the war among people on earth. |
| B．The Olyix are defeated in the end. |
| C．It belongs toThe Salvation Sequence. |
| D．It's the last novel of Peter F. Hamilton. |
| A．He gives the alien a complete destruction. |
| B．He lets someone negotiate with the alien. |
| C．He fights against the alien bravely. |
| D．He makes the alien face a threat. |
| A．In a book recommendation. | B．In an art magazine. |
| C．In a biography. | D．In a novel |
