Reading to oneself is modern activity which was almost unknown to the learned in the early days of the history, while during the fifteenth century the term “reading” undoubtedly meant reading aloud. Only during the nineteenth century did silent reading become popular.
One should be careful, however, of supposing that silent reading came about simply because reading aloud is distraction(分散注意力)to others. Examination of reasons connected with the historical development of silent reading shows that it became the usual mode of reading for most adult reading tasks mainly because the tasks themselves changed in character.
The last century saw a gradual increase in literacy(读写能力)and thus in the number of readers. As readers increased, so the number of listeners dropped, and thus there was some reduction in the need to read aloud. As reading for the benefit of listeners grew less common, so came the popularity of reading as a private activity in such public places as libraries, trains and offices, where reading aloud would disturb other readers in a way.
Towards the end of the century there was still heated argument over whether books should be used for information or treated respectfully, and over whether the reading of material such as newspapers was in some way mentally weakening. Indeed this argument remains with us still in education. However, whatever its advantages, the old shared literacy culture had gone and was replaced by the printed mass media on the one hand and by books and magazines for a specialized readership on the other.
By the end of the century students were being advised to have some new ideas of books and to use skill in reading them which were not proper, if not impossible, for the oral reader. The social, cultural, and technological developments in the century had greatly changed what the term “reading” referred to.
1.Why was reading aloud common before the nineteenth century?
A.Because silent reading had not been discovered. |
B.Because few people could read for themselves. |
C.Because there were few places for private reading. |
D.Because people depended on reading for enjoyment. |
2.The development of silent reading during the nineteenth century showed .
A.a change in the nature of reading |
B.a change in the position of literate people |
C.an increase in the number of books |
D.an increase in the average age of readers |
3. Educations are still arguing about .
A.the amount of information provided by books and newspapers |
B.the importance of silent reading |
C.the value of different types of reading material |
D.the effects of reading on health |
4.What is the writer of this passage attempting to do?
A.To show how reading methods have improved. |
B.To encourage the growth of reading. |
C.To change people’s way to read. |
D.To explain how present-day reading habits developed. |
In the city of Fujisawa, Japan, lives a woman named Atsuko Saeki. When she was a teenager, she 36 of going to the United States. Most of what she knew about American 37 was from the textbooks she had read. “I had a 38 in mind: Daddy watching TV in the living room, Mummy 39 cakes and their teenage daughter off to the cinema with her boyfriend.”
Atsuko 40 to attend college in California. When she arrived, however, she found it was not her 41 world. “People were struggling with problems and often seemed 42 ,” she said. “I felt very alone.”
One of her hardest 43 was physical education. “We played volleyball.” she said. “The other students were 44 it, but I wasn’t.”
One afternoon, the instructor asked Atsuko to 45 the ball to her teammates so they could knock it 46 the net. No problem for most people, but it terrified Atsuko. She was afraid of losing face 47 she failed.
A young man on her team 48 what she was going through. He walked up to her and 49 , “Come on. You can do that”
“You will never understand how those words of 50 made me feel…Four words: You can do that. I felt like crying with happiness.”
She made it through the class. Perhaps she thanked the young man; she is not 51 .
Six years have passed. Atsuko is back in Japan, working as a salesclerk. “I have 52 forgotten the words.” she said. “When things are not going so well, I think of them.”
She is sure the young man had no idea how much his kindness 53 to her. “He probably doesn’t even remember it,” she said. That may be the lesson. Whenever you say something to a person cruel or kind—you have no idea how long the words will 54 . She’s all the way over in Japan, but still she hears those four 55 words: You can do that.
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Our school library can all kinds of good books the students.
A.supply; for |
B.provide; for |
C.offer; for |
D.give; to |
A good storyteller must be able to _____ his listeners’ attention _____ he reaches the end of the story.
A.attract, when |
B.draw, unless |
C.catch, after |
D.hold, until |
—Lost and Found Department.
—I lost my suitcase this morning. I wonder if it _____.
A.has been turned in |
B.had been turned in |
C.has turned in |
D.had turned in |
Lucy is a shy girl, but can you imagine ______ with the boss in Japanese?
A.her quarrel |
B.her to quarrel |
C.her quarreling |
D.she to quarrel |