1 . Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Brontë, was first published in 1847. Widely considered as a classic, it is not just a romance novel, but an educational story. Women can learn so much from this great Victorian heroine. This is not to suggest that Jane doesn’t have shortcomings.
You can overcome your past however bad it is. In the novel, Jane Eyre is made miserable as a child by her horrible relatives.
Don’t be afraid to express your mind. In the novel she is not scared to voice her opinions when necessary.
Be positive. In the novel, when Jane is younger, she has a tendency to feel sorry for herself.
A.Her life is painful. |
B.You can decide your life. |
C.Her cousin, John, is the worst. |
D.However, there’s much to be learnt from the way she chooses to live. |
E.Hence, it is much better to talk about things than to hide unspoken anger. |
F.Remember that the possibilities for life are endless for those who take risks. |
G.It is weak and silly to say you can’t bear what it is your fate to be required to bear. |
2 . Kathleen Rooney knew that writing Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, from the point of view of a pigeon, was a risk. Rooney, perhaps best known for her 2017 bestseller, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, says her interest in a feathered narrator was excited by one of her students at DePaul University, where she is an English professor. “A student named Brian mentioned Cher Ami in a poem. It blew my mind that this pigeon was so heroic and is stuffed and on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.”
Rooney learned that Cher Ami, a British homing pigeon, helped save a group of American troops during a horrific, multi-day World War I battle. The story of this amazing pigeon and the extraordinary man who commanded the battle, Major Charles Whittlesey, was altogether attractive.
In Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, Charles reflects on his happier prewar days in New York City, where he ran a law firm with a college classmate. When it came time for battle, though, he and his fellows found themselves cut off from supply lines, surrounded by enemy German troops.
Carrier pigeons were the group’s only hope of contacting headquarters and getting the other Americans to stop dropping bombs on them. Cher Ami flew through gunfire to deliver Charles' message, which finally stopped the attack. She lost an eye and a leg, among other wounds, but was eventually able to hobble (蹒跚) on a tiny wooden prosthesis (义肢) that the Army made for her. She lived another year before dying of her injuries in 1919, but in the novel she continues speaking to readers behind glass in the Smithsonian where she’s been since her death.
There’s an interesting lesson to be learned from Charles’ decisions in the battle, too. “He was famous for something we’d describe as passive,” Rooney says. “Once they were in the pocket, he waited as long as he could. I’m an impatient, active person ... His act was stillness, waiting, keeping everybody’s spirits up. The way he did that was amazing.”
Rooney also hopes the book, with its portrayal of the charming and brave Cher Ami, will boost the appreciation of our furry and feathered friends.
1. What inspired Rooney to write the book?A.Visiting a national museum. | B.Reading a student’s poem. |
C.Some comments on her bestseller. | D.Experiences of raising pigeons. |
A.An exhibition featuring a heroic battle. |
B.Historic events happening to Cher Ami. |
C.Americans’ poor strategies during the war. |
D.Charles’ methods for training Cher Ami. |
A.Charles’ humor and optimism. |
B.Charles’ affection for carrier pigeons. |
C.Charles’ patience and motivation. |
D.Charles’ quick response to the attack. |
A.A message of hope | B.Braving World War I |
C.An effort to protect pigeons | D.Finding the lost commander |
3 . You may read the questions first:
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Steve Jobs | In Steve Jobs, based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years — as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, competitors, and colleagues — Walter Isaacson has pictured an appealing up-and-down life and strong personality of a creative man whose passion for perfection revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. |
Living History | Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever heard her account of her extraordinary journey. She writes with humor and passion about her upbringing in suburban and her transformation from Goldwater Girl to controversial First Lady. |
Thinking, Fast and Slow | In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, and emotional; System 2 is slower, and more logical. In the book, Kahneman also shows the extraordinary abilities — and the faults and errors — of thinking, and reveals the influence of personal impressions on our thoughts and behavior. |
Diary of a Wimpy Kid | Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the main suspect. But the crazy thing is, he has done nothing wrong. The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise storm hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holiday? |
A.The main contents of the book are mainly based on various interviews. |
B.The book is written by Steve Jobs. |
C.Steve Jobs has experienced both successful and difficult periods in his lifetime. |
D.Steve Jobs has totally changed six different industries. |
A.Two thinking types and thinking-related facts. |
B.Difference between two thinking systems. |
C.How to think fast and logically at the same time. |
D.The great power of personal impression on thinking system. |
A.Greg was caught damaging the school property |
B.Greg knew who really damaged the school property |
C.it was hot during the holiday |
D.Greg had a poor relationship with his family |
4 . The below-mentioned books are first-rate bestsellers and would be perfect additions to your reading list.
Maybe the power of one's belief isn't the ultimate example of intelligence. Maybe, in a constantly changing world, the ability to make judgements and change one's mind accordingly is much more important. That's Adam Grant's theory, and Think Again is here to help you to look at the world around you, check your assumptions, and—you guessed it—think again. —Chris Schluep, Amazon Editor | |
This book reads like fiction but tells the true story of murder and greed that troubled the Osage Nation in Oklahoma in the 1920s. When oil was discovered on their land, the Osage people became the wealthiest in the world and the targets (particularly the women) for the white men who had their sights set on marrying and murdering into their riches. I suggest you treat yourself to this exceptional read right now. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor | |
The subject of Isaacson’s book is Jennifer Doudna, who won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work developing CRISPR. CRISPR is the innovation that will open the door to gene control, driving the life sciences revolution for decades to come. But it will also open the door to moral problem as we ask ourselves. How far should we go in editing humans—especially before birth—and who should control those decisions? —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor | |
While the book unfolds during the course of a single day, flashbacks to when a group of kids were crowding around a desk and to when their rock star father abandoned them time and again reveal the complex dynamics still in force in their adulthood. After I finish this book, I would dream of these characters and their restaurant by the sea. Malibu Rising is a fun, unforgettable read. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor |
A.The Code Breaker | B.Think Again |
C.Killers of the Flower Moon | D.Malibu Rising |
A.It solves the problem of gene control. |
B.It is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novel. |
C.It focuses on the 2020 Nobel Prize winners. |
D.It covers Jennifer Doudna and her achievements. |
A.The kids had high expectations of their father. |
B.The kids ran away from their father frequently. |
C.The kids' father destroyed their dream of being rock stars. |
D.The kids' childhood experiences affected their adult life. |
5 . When my mother told me stories about Emily, her grandmother, who she admired, I was all ears. My mother drew a
Emily attracted me. Not until 2005 did my research on ancestry really start to
I
One day, the phone rang, “Hello, this is Oprah Winfrey, the talk show hostess.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I responded in
A.parallel | B.diagram | C.picture | D.symbol |
A.moral | B.physical | C.mental | D.psychological |
A.change | B.repeat | C.fit | D.work |
A.fall through | B.heat up | C.get across | D.fade away |
A.supported | B.believed | C.employed | D.limited |
A.luck | B.problem | C.alternative | D.patience |
A.angry | B.sad | C.silent | D.active |
A.leave | B.accept | C.choose | D.introduce |
A.colleagues | B.ancestors | C.partners | D.kids |
A.followed | B.imagined | C.recited | D.directed |
A.hired | B.fined | C.profited | D.sold |
A.embarrassing | B.glorious | C.improper | D.identical |
A.horror | B.difficulty | C.advance | D.surprise |
A.finally | B.approximately | C.rarely | D.potentially |
A.smaller | B.stricter | C.broader | D.worse |