Doctor Seuss was born in 1904. By the middle 1950s, he had become one of the best-loved and most successful children's book writers in the world. His books are very popular with young readers. They enjoy the invented words and the pictures of unusual funny animals and plants.
In 1954, life magazine published(刊登) a report about school children who could not read. The report said many children's books were not interesting. Doctor Seuss strongly hoped to help children and decided to write books that were interesting and easy to read. He used words with the same ending sound, like fish and wish. He did not receive training in art. Yet, he drew the pictures for most of his books.
In 1957, Dr. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat. He used less than 230 words to write the book and even a six-year-old should be able to read it. It was a fun story and easy to read. Children loved it. Their parents loved it, too. Today it is still one of the stories they like best. The success of The Cat in the Hat made him want to write more books for children. In 1960, he wrote a book using less than fifty words. The book is called Green Eggs and Ham.
In 1984, Doctor Seuss won a Pulitzer Prize (普利策奖). He was honored for the education and enjoyment his books provided（提供） American children and their parents.
He died at the age of 87, but his influence（影响） remains. Millions of his books have been sold worldwide. People say his books helped change the way American children learned to read. Yet, his books are loved by people of all ages. Doctor Seuss once said, "I do not write for children. I write for people.
【小题1】Doctor Seuss learned from the magazine that _______.

A．some school children could not read

B．many children's books were interesting

C．children wanted to learn to read

D．a writer for children was wanted

【小题2】People like his books because the books ______.

A．are cheap and easy to get

B．were written in different languages

C．are easy and interesting to read

D．were written with invented words

【小题3】He wrote the book The Cat in the Hat at the age of _____.

A．50

B．53

C．56

D．87

【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Doctor Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham with over 230 words.

B．Doctor Seuss wrote books only for children in the United States.

C．The Cat in the Hat was written only for six-year-old children.

D．His books provided education and enjoyment for Americans.

【小题5】From the text we know that Doctor Seuss __________.

A．won a Pulitzer Prize soon after his death

B．sold millions of his books himself worldwide

C．changed American children's way of reading

D．wrote the largest number of books in the world

John is 14 years old. He is a student of Grade Eight. He was a very active and happy boy two years ago. But everything changed after he started to play computer games. He never plays basketball or football with his friends any more. And when he sits in the classroom, he can’t listen to the teachers. He sleeps in class. And he spends less and less time in studying. So he gets bad marks in tests. But he is very different after school is over. He stays in the net bar until it is closed. Ah, he loses himself in（沉迷于）computer games. His parents can do nothing to stop him. Every morning in the school, when we see that he is so tired after a night’s “busy working”, we really feel sad. He is too tired!
【小题1】John was ______two years ago.

A．sad and unhealthy	B．active but bored
C．active and happy	D．healthy but sad

【小题2】John changed a lot because ________.

A．he couldn’t get good grades	B．he played computer games
C．he had to work for money	D．he didn’t exercise any more

【小题3】Every morning John feels ________.

A．tired

B．healthy

C．happy

D．relaxed

【小题4】John _______ plays basketball with his friends now.

A．usually

B．often

C．always

D．never

【小题5】Which of the following is TRUE?

A．John wasn’t a good student two years ago.

B．John often sleeps in class at school.

C．John’s parents don’t love him.

D．John is busy working every day.

Doctor Seuss was born in 1904. By the middle 1950s, he had become one of the best-loved and most successful children's book writers in the world. His books are very popular with young readers. They enjoy the invented words and the pictures of unusual funny animals and plants.

In 1954, life magazine published(刊登) a report about school children who could not read. The report said many children's books were not interesting. Doctor Seuss strongly hoped to help children and decided to write books that were interesting and easy to read. He used words with the same ending sound, like fish and wish. He did not receive training in art. Yet, he drew the pictures for most of his books.

     In 1957, Dr. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat. He used less than 230 words to write the book and even a six-year-old should be able to read it. It was a fun story and easy to read. Children loved it. Their parents loved it, too. Today it is still one of the stories they like best. The success of The Cat in the Hat made him want to write more books for children. In 1960, he wrote a book using less than fifty words. The book is called Green Eggs and Ham.

     In 1984, Doctor Seuss won a Pulitzer Prize (普利策奖). He was honored for the education and enjoyment his books provided（提供） American children and their parents.

     He died at the age of 87, but his influence（影响） remains. Millions of his books have been sold worldwide. People say his books helped change the way American children learned to read. Yet, his books are loved by people of all ages. Doctor Seuss once said, "I do not write for children. I write for people.

1.Doctor Seuss learned from the magazine that _______.

      A. some school children could not read

      B. many children's books were interesting

      C. children wanted to learn to read

      D. a writer for children was wanted

2.People like his books because the books ______.

     A. are cheap and easy to get

      B. were written in different languages

      C. are easy and interesting to read

      D. were written with invented words

3.He wrote the book The Cat in the Hat at the age of _____.

     A. 50          B. 53            C. 56           D. 87

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

     A. Doctor Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham with over 230 words.

     B. Doctor Seuss wrote books only for children in the United States.

     C. The Cat in the Hat was written only for six-year-old children.

     D. His books provided education and enjoyment for Americans.

5.From the text we know that Doctor Seuss __________.

A. won a Pulitzer Prize soon after his death

B. sold millions of his books himself worldwide

C. changed American children's way of reading

D. wrote the largest number of books in the world

 

Reading is the key to school success and, like any skill, it takes practice. A child learns to walk by practicing until he no longer has to think about how to put one foot in front of the other. An excellent sportsman practices until he can play quickly, correctly and without thinking. Educators call it “automaticity (自动性)”.
A child learns to read by sounding out the letters and finding the meaning of the words. With practice, he stumbles less and less, reading by the phrase (短语). With automaticity, he doesn't have to think about the meaning of words, so he can give all his attention to the meaning of the text.
It can begin as early as first grade. In a recent study of children in Illinois schools, Alan Rossman of Northwestern University found that automatic readers in the first grade not only read almost three times as fast as the others, but also got better results in exams.
According to Rossman, the key to automaticity is the amount (数量) of time a child spends reading, not his IQ. Any child who spends at least 3.5 to 4 hours a week reading books, magazines or newspapers will probably reach automaticity. It can happen if a child turns off TV just one night for reading at home.
You can test yourself by reading something new which is suitable (适合) for your level. If you read aloud with expression, with a sense of the meaning of the sentences, you probably are an automatic reader. If you read brokenly, one word at a time, without expression or meaning, you need more practice.
【小题1】Children with “automaticity” can read faster because they don’t have to think about ________.

A．how to read the words	B．the meaning of the words
C．reading by themselves	D．the meaning of the text

【小题2】Rossman tells that any child who ________  will possibly be an automatic reader.

A．turns off TV one night 4 weeks

B．reads books by the word quickly

C．spends an hour reading every day

D．gets the same grades as others in exams

【小题3】The underlined word “stumble” in the passage means “________” in Chinese.

A．结结巴巴地读	B．全神贯注地读
C．心不在焉地读	D．声情并茂地读

【小题4】The best title for the passage is  “________”.

A．IQ Is the Key to the Automaticity

B．TV Is Bad for Children's Reading

C．Automaticity Depends on Practice

D．Automatic Reads Will Be Successful

Doctor Seuss was born in 1904. By the middle 1950s, he had become one of the best-loved and most successful children's book writers in the world. His books are very popular with young readers. They enjoy the invented words and the pictures of unusual funny animals and plants.
In 1954, life magazine published a report about school children who could not read. The report said many children's books were not interesting. Doctor Seuss strongly hoped to help children and decided to write books that were interesting and easy to read. He used words with the same ending sound, like fish and wish. He did not receive training in art. Yet, he drew the pictures for most of his books.
In 1957, Dr. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat. He used less than 230 words to write the book and even a six-year-old should be able to read it. It was a fun story and easy to read. Children loved it. Their parents loved it, too. Today it is still one of the stories they like best. The success of The Cat in the Hat made him want to write more books for children. In 1960, he wrote a book using less than fifty words. The book is called Green Eggs and Ham.
In 1984, Doctor Seuss won a Pulitzer Prize (普利策奖). He was honored for the education and enjoyment his books provided American children and their parents. He died at the age of 87, but his influence remains. Millions of his books have been sold worldwide. People say his books helped change the way American children learned to read. Yet, his books are loved by people of all ages. Doctor Seuss once said, "I do not write for children. I write for people.
【小题1】Doctor Seuss learned from the magazine that _______.

A．children wanted to learn to write

B．a report for children was wanted

C．many children's books were interesting

D．some school children were not interested in reading.

【小题2】People like his books because the books ______.

A．are cheap and easy to get	B．were written in different languages
C．are easy and interesting to read	D．were written with invented words

【小题3】He wrote the book The Cat in the Hat at the age of _____.

A．50

B．53

C．56

D．87

【小题4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Doctor Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham with over 230 words.

B．Doctor Seuss wrote books only for children in the United States.

C．The Cat in the Hat was written only for six-year-old children.

D．His books provided education and enjoyment for Americans.

【小题5】From the text we know that Doctor Seuss __________.

A．won a Pulitzer Prize soon after his death

B．sold millions of his books himself worldwide

C．changed American children's way of reading

D．wrote the largest number of books in the world