2 . The city of Richmond announced that Roscoe Burnems would become the city’s first poet laureate (桂冠诗人), a poet recognized for achievements in poetry
During his two-year term as a poet laureate, Burnems is responsible for being a poetry advocate by providing access to poetry throughout the city and offering opportunities to use the power of words to heal wounds, open hearts and minds, and bring people closer together. He has the freedom to create and develop his own projects during his term and will receive a $4,000 annual bonus.
Burnems’ love of poetry began at an early age when he was struggling against depression. His English teacher recommended him to read poetry, which later brought him a peaceful mental state and helped him recover from depression. He soon decided that poetry was something he would run after for his lifetime. “People gravitate to poetry because they can find themselves in the poems,” he says. “It allows readers to feel the emotional part of our experiences.”
He says poetry is a great platform to discuss mental health. depression and the emotional stresses that come with daily life. Relieving those stresses is central to some of the work he does with young people Last year. Burnems started a youth poetry producing competition for local high school students.
Burnems says he loves and supports different types of art, and his next move is to explore poetry through cooperation across media Richmond’s paintings on the wall are a good example. He says, “Richmond is getting known for these beautiful paintings on display across the city, and I want to add a literary component to that.”
1. What is Burnems’ responsibility as a poet laureate?
| A．Creating more good poems. | B．Developing his own projects. |
| C．Spreading the power of poetry. | D．Bringing poetry lovers together. |
2. Why did Burnems develop a great passion for poetry?
| A．Poetry made him more confident. |
| B．Poetry helped him through a tough time. |
| C．He was influenced by his English teacher. |
| D．He viewed writing poems as a lifelong career. |
3. What does the underlined phrase “gravitate to” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．Take pride in. | B．Be used to. | C．Break away from. | D．Be attracted by. |
4. What is Burnems going to do in the near future?
| A．To shift his focus to paintings. | B．To combine poetry with other arts. |
| C．To hold more poetry competitions. | D．To help youth with mental problems. |
