Have you ever started to read a book in English, then stopped because it was too hard? Don’t worry! You’re on the right track. Books are an amazing tool for learning languages but some are easier to use than others Here are my top tips for using books to learn English.
Read dual-language books
Dual-language books (or ‘parallel texts’) are the same story written in two languages. They have your native language on one page and your target language on the other, so you can quickly check what a word means.
Read new children’s books
Learning a language is the perfect excuse to dive back into the magical land of fairy tales and unicorns or the exciting world of spies and secret agents. Children’s books use simpler language and are fun to read. Look for books with pictures, as they help you to follow the story.
Read your favourite childhood book in English
Do you have a beloved childhood book in your own language? Find a copy of it in English! You know lots about the fictional world, the characters and the story already, so it is much easier to understand what is happening.
Read comic books
Sometimes when we are reading in a foreign language, longer stories can seem impossible to finish because it feels like there are too many new words. Comic books have fewer words per page, and lots of pictures so that you don’t get lost.
Make notes!
If you are using a book to learn English buy a cheap copy you can write in. Don’t be afraid to write translations and thoughts in the margins (页边空白), as your notes can help you to remember. Starting to read in foreign language does not need to be scary. With the advice above, you will be reading in English in no time at all! Remember that you can use these tips for films and television too. Try watching children’s television shows in English or turning on English subtitles (字幕) when watching film online.
1.Are books an amazing tool for learning languages?
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2.What are Dual-language books?
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3.Why does the writer suggest us to read Children’s books?
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4.Which kind of books is much easier to understand what is happening?
_____________________________________________________
5.What’s the passage mainly about?
_____________________________________________________
Mobile phones have changed the way we communicate, but people disagree on whether the devices are useful tools for education.
Students can be easily distracted by their phones during class. Are they listening to the teacher or texting their friends? Are they taking a picture of a quiz to cheat?
School officials, teachers and parents are all trying to find out the best way to supervise students’ use of mobile or cellphones.
In the Canadian province of Ontario, officials are restricting (限制) phone use during teaching time. However, there are exceptions for classroom activities, health and other emergencies.
France passed a law in 2018 banning (禁止) the use of cellphones in schools for students up to age 15, the age when they go to high school.
Last July, a new law was signed in California. It says state public and charter schools can ban students from using smart phones in class and at school. It does not, however, say schools are required to completely ban the devices. There are exceptions, which include emergencies or problems related to health.
So, the officials turned to technology for answers. San Mateo High School now locks up cell phones during the day in a special container. Each student must put his phone away in small bag with a kind of lock. At the end of the day, students unlock the bag with a device.
Other schools are choosing simpler answers to the problem—they ban cellphones in classrooms. “They wanted to provide a clean break for students and not have the frenetic energy that can happen if kids start texting each other or social-media posts start going,” Behm said.
Education Week found that more than 30 schools, and in some cases school districts, have put in place some kind of restrictions during the current or last school year. Districts across the country also have their own ways of phone restrictions both formal or informal.
Toth said students have grown up with cellphones, and “it is our responsibility to teach them correct use for tools within the classroom.” He added that schools are teaching about cellphones and how to use them with social media and the Internet.
“It is part of changing education for kids,” he said, “as long as we teach them to use them responsibly.”
The technology is here, Toth said, schools should use it to help students, and not fear it.
1.From the passage we can know _________.
A.the students in Ontario aren’t allowed to use mobile phones
B.a high school student can use cellphones in schools in France now
C.bringing smart phones to school breaks the new law in California
D.most people think mobile phones are useful for school education
2.The writer probably agrees ________.
A.students should be banned from using smart phones at any time
B.teachers shouldn’t return students’ cellphones during class break
C.each school finds its own way of cellphone restriction
D.teachers should face the cellphone problem and teach its correct use to them
3.The underlined word “frenetic” probably means ________ in Paragraph 8.
A.wild B.worried C.peaceful D.anxious
4.Which of the following may be the best title of the passage?
A.Should Schools Ban Mobile Phones? B.Do We Need to Change Our Ideas?
C.Best Way to Supervise Students. D.Mobile Phones Belong to Technology.
I have been dancing since I was 14 years old, when my best friend dragged me to an after-school dance class. I enjoyed that dance class so much that have been dancing ever since. After every dance class, however, I always have to stretch out my legs and back, as dancing can be quite a tough workout! It feels like as much exercise as a contact sport or going to the gym—but dancing is not widely considered to be a sport. Does the fact that dancing is expressive and artistic mean that it is not a sport?
Many dancers would argue that dancing is a sport, as it requires great physical stamina (耐力), strong muscles and impressive flexibility. No matter what style of dance you are participating in, you will always be using all of your muscles while dancing and this can often be for several hours day. Additionally, in the more traditional dance styles (such as ballet and contemporary dance), men often lift their female dance partners way up in the air. The strength that dancers need means that they are often just as athletic as footballers, runners or swimmers.
On the other hand, many people argue that dance is an art form. Dances often show emotion, portray characters and tell stories. Dancing to music is creative and visually appealing to the eyes and ears, just like watching a play or a professional orchestra. The glittery costumes, the stage make-up and the big hairstyles are artistic and imaginative. It is easy to see why many people consider dance to be an art form.
I personally believe that dance is both a sport and an art. I believe that a great dancer will be a mixture of an athlete and an artist. You could have the strongest muscles in the world but not necessarily be a great dancer. Likewise, you could be a great actress who can portray emotions easily but you still might not be able to dance.
However, whether you consider dance to be an art or a sport, the important thing is to enjoy it! Dancing is great way to make new friends and it’s a really fun way to exercise!
1.Many people think dance is an art because a dancer ________.
A.acts like in a play while they dance
B.should be as strong as a runner
C.doesn’t show a traditional style
D.usually performs on a prepared stage
2.What’s the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.Why the writer thinks dance is both a sport and an art.
B.What a great dancer does before success.
C.How you can become a famous actress.
D.What the writer experiences before she becomes a mixture.
3.The writer wants to _________ by the text.
A.make sure which dance is, a sport or an art
B.ask us to enjoy dancing no matter what it is
C.tell the difference between a sport and an art
D.make more friends when we dance
The Boy Made It!
One Sunday, Nicholas, teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a heavy snowstorm swept over the area. Unable to see far, he turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies He was getting colder by the minute.
Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic (惊慌). He thought about all of the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.
He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter (躲避) from the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low which could quickly kill him.
Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could.
By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could-he huddled (蜷缩) in his cave and slept.
The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out again to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Nicholas was saved.
Nicholas survived this snowstorm because of a TV show. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life. In each programme of Man vs. Wild, Grylls is left in a wild area and has to find his way out.
When Grylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.
1.What happened to Nicholas one Sunday afternoon?
A.He got lost. B.He broke his skis.
C.He hurt his eyes. D.He caught cold.
2.How did Nicholas keep himself warm?
A.He found a shelter. B.He lighted some branches.
C.He kept on skiing. D.He built a snow cave.
3.What saved Nicholas at last?
A.His tracks. B.The snow cave he built.
C.A nearby stream. D.The tips he learned.
Meet My Hobby | |
| Hello, I’m Joshua. I collect lots of things. I have stamps, postcards, tickets and banknotes in my collection. They come from all over the world. I first grew interested in stamps, but when people gave me postcards with stamps on them, I started collecting them, too. It is easy to go from stamps to banknotes. Of course, they are only the smallest notes or my hobby would cost too much! I also keep bus, train and air tickets. Most of them are from China. I keep my collections in special books. As a result of my hobby, I know a lot about geography and foreign countries. |
| Hi, my name is Ray. My hobby is badminton. Of course, I enjoy playing the game very much. I developed my interest when I was only six. Now I have a lot of skill and am a very successful teenage player. I think the game is very relaxing and when you play well, it can be very creative. I am a fan of the game as well as a player. I collect books and magazines about the sport. I visit badminton websites and travel a long way to watch a good game. I love my hobby. |
| Hello, nice to meet you. I am May. My hobby is very creative. I am an artist. I collect all sorts of things — stones, pieces of cloth, coloured paper, cinema tickets -anything -and then make interesting pictures out of them. My mother likes my work too, but she says I am too untidy and she is always clearing up after me. I think work better when I have lots of things around me on the floor, bed and table. That’s what artists are like. |
1.What does Joshua collect?
A.Coloured paper. B.Books and magazines.
C.Pieces of cloth. D.Stamps and postcards.
2.Why does Ray like badminton?
A.Because it is low-cost.
B.Because it is relaxing and creative.
C.Because he can know a lot about foreign countries.
D.Because he can make interesting pictures out of them.
3.What’s May’s hobby?
A.Collecting stamps. B.Playing badminton.
C.Drawing creatively. D.Travelling around the world.
Standing in front of the bike shop, Dave stared at the shiny red bicycle in the window. He could picture himself riding the bike in Saturday’s race and winning the first-place medal and prize money. “With that bike, I could even beat Adam,” Dave thought.
He rode on and stopped at Pecks clothing store. The coat he ________ to buy his mother for her birthday was still on sale. Dave knew she would never buy it for herself. She worked hard just to make ends meet. But the prize money would be enough for him to buy that coat and surprise her.
Dave looked at his old bike. Two years ago, he found some old bicycles at the junkyard and used the parts to make one bike. He called it his recycled bike. “I’ll never ________ the race on this old bike,” Dave sighed (叹息).
As Dave passed the junkyard, he noticed a newer-looking bike tire. He started going through the huge junk pile. Finally, he found what he was looking for. “These two tires and the handgrips are just ________ for my bike.”
Arriving home, Dave put the used tires and the handgrips on his recycled bike, and oiled the chain. He stood back and admired the ________ he had made. “I might win that race after all,” he said to himself.
The next morning, when Dave and his mom got to the park, about thirty kids had already ________. Dave headed for the start line while mom found a seat at the finish line.
Bang! The riders rushed off. Dave concentrated on Adam, who was in the lead. He ________ to pass one rider after another and was approaching Adam. Leaning forward, Dave pedaled (蹬踏) harder and faster. ________ he sped by Adam and crossed the finish line.
As the announcer awarded Dave the medal and the check for fifty dollars, he asked, “What are you going to do with the prize money, Dave?”
“It’s a ________.” Dave said and waved to his mom.
1.A.agreed B.ordered C.advised D.planned
2.A.enter B.lose C.miss D.win
3.A.right B.helpful C.simple D.strange
4.A.decisions B.changes C.preparations D.discoveries
5.A.started B.separated C.gathered D.followed
6.A.prepared B.arranged C.offered D.managed
7.A.Suddenly B.Finally C.Recently D.Usually
8.A.praise B.promise C.surprise D.choice
