Books that change my life

山西祁县中学校 田亚珍

题材约387 6分钟书籍 信息性文本体裁 文章词数 建议用时

难词探意

1.mourn /mɔːn/ v.（因失去……而）哀悼；忧伤

2.empathy /'empəθi/ n.同感；共鸣

3.wit /wɪt/ n.风趣；才思

Meg Wolitzer is an American novelist whose new book, The Female Persuasion, is out now, published by Riverhead Books.Here are her comments on some books that have a great impact on her life.

Charlotte's Web by E.B.White

When I think of this wonderful book, I always remember that it was the first book I ever cried over.The fact that readersmournthe death of a spider is a testament to E.B.White's ability to create characters so deeply that we feel for them as if we actually know them.In recent years I read about a study that showed that people who read fiction have a greater capacity forempathy.I wasn't surprised.Charlotte's Web is all about empathy, as seen through the friendship between a spider and a pig.Even looking at the cover makes the significance of this book come flooding back to me.

Mrs.Bridgeby Evan S.Connell

I can't count how many copies of this book I have given to friends as gifts.I consider it a perfect novel, filled withwitand human tragedy in equal measure.The novel, published in 1959, takes place in the years leading up to the Second World War, and the title character is an upper middle-class housewife living in Kansas City, Missouri.What happens in this book? Well, not that much, but also a ton, depending on how you look at it.Connell's brilliant, funny and sad novel of a woman's domestic life, social life, inner life, and continual need to rely on convention, is a pleasure to read.

The Member of the Weddingby Carson McCullers

The main character of this beautiful novel in 1946, Frankie Addams, is only 12 years old, a tall,awkward girl whose brother is getting married.She isn't sure where she fits in, and over the course of one Southern summer she has to reckon with ideas around togetherness and apartness.This is a classic coming of age story that doesn't get talked about as often as it should.Upon rereading it, I was reminded of how much it has to say about growing up and entering the world as an individual,but it also has powerful words in it about racism, spoken by the housekeeper, Berenice.

Reading Check

1.In which book can we read a story about a spider and a pig?

A.The Member of the Wedding.B.Mrs.Bridge.

C.Charlotte's Web.D.The Female Persuasion.

2.Which book has been often given as gifts by Meg Wolitzer?

A.The Female Persuasion.B.Charlotte's Web.

C.Mrs.Bridge.D.The Member of the Wedding.

3.What can we know about The Member of the Wedding?

A.The main character is a 12-year-old boy.

B.It is filled with wisdom and human tragedy.

C.It is mainly about an awkward girl's marriage.

D.The housekeeper speaks some words about racism.

4.In which column of a newspaper can we see the text?

A.Sports.B.Culture.C.Entertainment.D.Politics.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

Upon rereading it, I was reminded of how much it has to say about growing up and entering the world as an individual, but it also has powerful words in it about racism, spoken by the housekeeper,Berenice.

【信息提取】Upon doing...意为“一……就……”，upon可以用on替换。

【句式仿写】我一看见他就会把这个消息告诉他的。__