1 . 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.

2. What does Paragraph4 mainly center on?

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.

3. What impressed Rooney?

A．Charles’ humor and optimism.

B．Charles’ affection for carrier pigeons.

C．Charles’ patience and motivation.

D．Charles’ quick response to the attack.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．A message of hope	B．Braving World War I
C．An effort to protect pigeons	D．Finding the lost commander

2 . 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

1. Which book will you choose if you are interested in history?

A．The Code Breaker	B．Think Again
C．Killers of the Flower Moon	D．Malibu Rising

2. What do we know about the book The Code Breaker?

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.

3. What do we learn from the introduction of the book Malibu Rising?

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.

3 . When my mother told me stories about Emily, her grandmother, who she admired, I was all ears. My mother drew a _______ between Emily and Jacqueline Kennedy, former US president’s wife. Mom described her _______ features: a long graceful neck and a tiny waist. “Emily was just like Jacqueline,” Mom said. “But their origins wouldn’t _______: Emily was graceful, soft-spoken, but possibly born a slave.”

Emily attracted me. Not until 2005 did my research on ancestry really start to _______ , for the reason that I was no longer _______. “When does your new job start?” asked my mother. “I refuse to take a job for at least a year,” I replied. My mother had no _______ with such words. “Anyway, you should have a job.” I remained _______ and didn’t explain it. But I felt I must _______ my job to collect more stories about my _______.

I ________ my mother’s line to a place called Cane River. I found the bill of shameful slave sale for my great-great-great grandmother, who was ________ in 1850 for $ 800. I had to write the stories. This time the novel Cane River was sold in a（n） ________ way.

One day, the phone rang, “Hello, this is Oprah Winfrey, the talk show hostess.” I couldn’t believe my ears. I responded in ________, “Hello, Ms Winfrey. What can I do for you today?” She told me she selected my novel for her book club, which ________ led to Cane River on The New York Times bestseller list and a ________ readership than I expected.

1.

A．parallel

B．diagram

C．picture

D．symbol

2.

A．moral

B．physical

C．mental

D．psychological

3.

A．change

B．repeat

C．fit

D．work

4.

A．fall through

B．heat up

C．get across

D．fade away

5.

A．supported

B．believed

C．employed

D．limited

6.

A．luck

B．problem

C．alternative

D．patience

7.

A．angry

B．sad

C．silent

D．active

8.

A．leave

B．accept

C．choose

D．introduce

9.

A．colleagues

B．ancestors

C．partners

D．kids

10.

A．followed

B．imagined

C．recited

D．directed

11.

A．hired

B．fined

C．profited

D．sold

12.

A．embarrassing

B．glorious

C．improper

D．identical

13.

A．horror

B．difficulty

C．advance

D．surprise

14.

A．finally

B．approximately

C．rarely

D．potentially

15.

A．smaller

B．stricter

C．broader

D．worse