Libraries:More than books

陕西 晏江梅

图书馆为孩子们提供了阅读资源，是他们获取精神食粮、增长知识技能的重要场所。

主题语境：丰富自我 篇幅：340 词 建议用时：7分钟

1 My two kids and I go to the library every week.I love getting a huge bag of books and feeling the excitement to see where they take us.It's a strong memory that I have from my own childhood and I cherish the idea of repeating it with my kids.However, the more time I spend at the library with my family, the more I realize that its benefits go beyond just a bag of new books to read.The resources libraries provide and the values they advocate are making my kids into better humans.

2 Just as importantly, libraries are institutions devoted to sharing information and ideas.Libraries were participating in a sharing economy long before Netflix or Airbnb.Sharing copies of books, DVDs and other media has a major environmental advantage over purchasing new copies.What's more, libraries make a commitment to sharing,which is so beneficial and can be carried over into the rest of our lives.

3 For my kids, learning about how our library books are just on loan to us and belong to everyone in the community is the first lesson on how to take care of things so that they can last and be used by many people.The idea of treating things as important longlasting objects instead of disposable (一次性的) ones is easy to accept when it is connected to the library books that they love checking out.It is also a great way to talk about sharing resources and how we have to think beyond ourselves.

4 During our last visit to the library, my kids picked out their usual big stacks of books.The subjects ranged from how cocoa beans are made into chocolate to a duck that has lost his socks.Every time they pick out books in the library, whether they are informative or very silly, they're learning about how the world works, and strengthening their imaginations.And by encouraging them to do that now,I'm hopefully starting a lifelong habit for my kids.

Reading Check

Detail1.What do we know about the author?

A.She used to do the reading in groups.

B.She contributes annually to a bookstore.

C.She enjoyed going to the library as a child.

D.She regards new books as the highlight of the library.

Inference2.Why does the author mention Netflix and Airbnb in paragraph 2?

A.To introduce the long history of libraries.

B.To stress the sharing economy is welcomed by people.

C.To show libraries represent a sharing economy for long.

D.To compare the differences between libraries and Netflix and Airbnb.

Detail3.Realizing library books are public property helps children learn to.

A.deal with disposable things properly

B.make the best of the community

C.have a strong sense of belonging

D.value good things and pass them down

Inference4.Which of the following may the author agree with?

A.Reading helps develop a habit of writing.

B.Wide reading can fire children's imagination.

C.Children are advised to choose books wisely.

D.Children are less interested in informative books.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Difficult sentence in the text

However, the more time I spend at the library with my family, the more I realize that its benefits go beyond just a bag of new books to read.然而，我与家人在图书馆度过的时间越多，我就越意识到它的好处不仅仅限于一袋可读的新书。

【点石成金】本句用的是“the+比较级...,the+比较级...”结构，意为“越……就越……”。

Ⅱ.Text-centered chunks

a huge bag of books 一大袋书

a sharing economy 共享经济

a major environmental advantage 一个主要的环境优势

treat...as...将……视为……

check out 借阅

share resources 共享资源

strengthen one's imaginations 增强某人的想象力

start a lifelong habit 培养终身习惯