to other people. And it was a need that could not be met by a stamp machine.
D. Answer the questions (根据短文内容回答下列问题):(12分)
August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my
English teacher assigned(布置) to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult
month in front of me.
You might think that I don't want to spend my summer reading, but that's not the problem: I
love reading. On the first day of my summer holiday this year, I borrowed A Gathering of Old
Men by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines
that my parents subscribe to(订阅) and spend about 30 minutes every day with the morning
newspaper.
So why do I hate summer reading for school? Because the books on summer reading lists are
often slow-going and just (不吸引人的).Teachers don t understand that summer reading can be
interesting as well as educational. They choose books called “spinach books”：good for you, but
not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience.
This bitterness started three years ago when I began high school. As preparation, my English
teacher told me to read The Age of innocence(《纯真年代》). At 14, I couldn t understand the love
100 years ago in the story. I only know my love for baseball. The Age of Innocence was
completely different to my life. What is more, sometimes I guess teachers don t think exciting
plots make for “good literature”. To me, a good writer describes events and characters in a way
that makes the reader want to know what happens next.
If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include The Friends of Eddie Coyle by
George V. Higgins, The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. These are
all books that have literary value(文学价值)and can also entertain kids. If the teachers could add a
little fun into the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable.
88. Why does the writer think he will have a difficult August?
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89. How do we know that the writer likes reading?
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90. What kind of books makes students interested in summer reading?
_________________________________________________books.