Every day you have so much to read-official documents, friends' emails, textbooks, newspapers, and your favorite articles and an endless list. 【小题1】 Certainly yes.

【小题2】If you are attempting an exam where you have to comprehend the given paragraphs and answer questions in a limited time then you should know techniques of reading faster. 【小题3】 Yet, another technique for faster reading is skimming-you can use this for reading long emails or articles to get the main idea but obviously, you cannot use this while comprehending the given paragraphs in an exam. However, if you are reading for personal growth then it is not the number of books you have read but how much you have extracted（摘录）out of your readings【小题4】.

【小题5】If you are reading a textbook then keep a notepad and a pen ready to keep jotting（匆匆记下）all the main points. If you think that you will make notes on second reading then remember: there is no time for a second reading.

   Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. 【小题1】 The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey.

Before getting into the recommendation, you need to determine your English reading comprehension level. If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. 【小题2】 If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options. For advanced readers, classic works of literature or modern prize winners (Nobel, Pulitzer) are good options.

【小题3】 When I pick up a book I like, even though the first few chapters are really hard to get through, I would try to get accustomed to the language the author uses. Generally, after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story.

Another great way to keep yourself motivated is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve. 【小题4】

Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. 【小题5】 Happy reading!

Xinhua Senior High

March 9，2018

How are things going with you？

Yours，

Li Hua

   If you're a book lover，you will have a pile of books at your bedside，or a bookshelf in your library with a "to read" sign on it. Yet you can't stop yourself from adding to the pile. This can lead to feelings of guilt（自责）over your new purchases. But I'm here to tell you to stop worrying.

What you have is an antilibrary，and it's a very good thing. The term comes from writer Umberto Eco. He is the owner of a large personal library. He separates visitors into two groups: those who react with "Wow！What a library you have！How many of these books have you read？"and the others who get the point that a private library is not something to show off（发耀）but a research tool. Books you have read are far less valuable than unread ones. Indeed，the more you know，the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection an antilibrary.

If you think you already know everything about a subject，you're cutting yourself off from a stream of information at an artificial point. So a growing library of books you haven't read means you're consistently curious about the unknown. And that attitude is a great basis of a lifelong love of learning.

So don't feel guilty about your unread books. Those hooks will be there for you when you do want them，and as you build your library of books you have read and unread books，you can start using it as you would use a bigger library. Certain books may become references. Or you may find that a book you bought five years ago has special relevance（相关性）today. Letting the role of books evolve in your life is a healthy sign of curiosity. That's good for you and good for the world around you.