Issue 466

Sci-fi author wins big (P2)

Pre-reading

1. What kind of stories do you like best? 

2. Do you know these writers? 

3. Who is your favorite writer in the world? 

Fast reading: 

Read the passage quickly and answer : 

What is the passage mainly about? 

While reading

Choose the answer:

1. Which work of Liu’s won the world’s top prize? 

     A. A story book. 

     B. A book about computer engineering. 

     C. A book named The Three-body problem. 

     D. A book about planets. 

2. According to the book, the humans protect themselves by ____.

    A. forming camps

    B. creating their own civilization

    C. talking about the future

    D. reading sci-fi books

3. What makes Liu’s novels special? 

    A. He is from Asia. 

    B. It broadens our minds.

    C. It talks about Chinese culture. 

    D. It aims for young people abroad. 

Post reading 

1. What would you like to be in the future? 

2. Would you like to be a writer like Liu? 

3. What will you do to make your dream come true? 

City tries new plan to fight drought P (5)

Pre-reading

What can you do with the small plastic balls? 

While reading

Choose the answer:

1. The city of LA used _____ to protect the water quality and save water. 

  A. black plastic balls

  B. the sun’s UV rays 

  C. some toys 

  D. basketballs 

2. Where are the balls put? 

A. On the ground.

B. By the riverside.

C. In the sky over a reservoir.

D. On the surface of a reservoir.

3. The balls can protect the water quality because _____. 

   A. they can stop some bad chemical reactions  

   B. they stop the sun light from reaching the water 

   C. they stay in low temperatures

   D. they can make algae and other chemicals

Post-reading

1. What will life be like without enough water? 

2. What can we do to save water? 

Do the best you can do P (6)

Pre-reading

1. How many strings are there in a violin? 

2. Can anyone play a violin with only three strings?  

While reading

Choose the answer:

1. There is something wrong with the violinist’s ____. 

  A. brain

  B. legs

  C. chin

  D. eyes 

2. What does the violinist do when his violin string breaks?

   A. He finds another string.

   B. He finds a new violin.

   C. He goes on playing.

   D. He gives up playing.

3. What can we learn from the story?

    A. It’s important to prepare a good violin.  

    B. A good musician can deal with every challenge. 

    C. Music can make everyone happy. 

    D. Make full use of what we still have.

Post-reading

1. How can the violinist play it so well? 

2. What can you learn from him?