THE WEEK IN READING: THE BEST NEW BOOK RELEASES FOR APRIL, 2017

Void Star by Zachary Mason

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 400 pages

Zachary Mason creates a world in which the line between human and computer is completely erased, yet he still manages to make the reader feel for all the characters—both man and machine—equally. Add that to a highly addictive plot and an exploration of memory’s impact on our identity, and you’ve got one of the most richly complex novels of the year.

An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal

Penguin Press, 416 pages

It’s not uncommon to come across a complete takedown of the American healthcare system as it stands today. But what is uncommon is what Elisabeth Rosenthal has done in this must-read exploration of what we are (and aren’t) doing right: She has the answers we’ve all been searching for in a potential post-Obamacare world. An American Sickness is the frontline defense against a healthcare system that no longer has our well-being at heart.

A History of Violence: Living and Dying in Central America by ?scar Martínez

Verso, 288 pages

El Salvador and Honduras have had the highest homicide rates in the world over the past ten years, with Guatemala close behind. Every day more than 1,000 people—men, women, and children—flee these three countries for North America. Step outside yourself for a couple hours and immerse yourself in one of the most incredibly vivid, well-reported journeys through Central America that you will ever experience.

Sunshine State by Sarah Gerard

Harper Perennial, 384 pages

Sarah Gerard deftly takes the reader through the most essential issues of our time—homelessness, addiction, incarceration—via a coming-of-age lens in the state of Florida, where, as we all know, anything goes.

The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day

William Morrow Paperbacks, 432 pages

An incredibly complex and smart novel, The Day I Died contains all the features of a small-town murder mystery but takes it one step further with a narrative about a woman’s unbreakable search for the answers to not just a crime but about her own identity.

1.If you want to know about social problems in the US, you will probably choose _______.

A. Void Star B. A History of Violence

C. The Day I Died D. Sunshine State

2.Which statement is NOT true according to these books?

A. Void Star is a science fiction with a highly addictive plot.

B. The American healthcare system is favored by all Americans.

C. A History of Violence perhaps involves violence problems.

D. The Day I Died is a novel not only about a murder mystery.

It may not come as a surprise but the world as a whole is getting richer. Some people have more disposable income to spend on luxuries such as holidays, cars, TVs and smartphones. Recent data has shown that the number of people living in extreme poverty has halved in recent decades. So should we celebrate the fact that more of us now have a better standard of living?

Maybe not. While the gap between rich and poor in some countries is narrowing, there is still a lot of inequality in other places-some people have a lot of money and opportunities and others don’t. A recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse revealed how divided many of us are when it comes to wealth. A lot of the money in the world is in the hands of very few people. In fact, 48% of global wealth is owned by the richest 1% of the population.

But some countries are attempting to reduce this inequality and make the poor less poor. According to David Bryer from Oxfam, Brazil has been taking “some really sensible measures-measures around having more progressive tax, around investing in a higher minimum wage and investing in central public services.” Having a higher minimum wage(提高最低工资标准), can help people eat better and seek a better education. And more people with more money buy more things-and factories can produce more. In turn, a factory which produces more will need more workers. So, more jobs are created.

Other wealthy individuals are doing their bit to help reduce inequality. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, earned a lot of money from his company but when he retired, he and his wife Melinda, created a foundation to help the poor. He thinks that rich people should, of course, pay their taxes but he also advises that they should all “look at taking their wealth and being philanthropic, both in their own country and to help the global poorest.”

Bill Gates feels that giving money to help poor people is “fulfilling”. But if other super-rich people don’t want to experience this fulfilment then, according to Oxfam, very soon the wealthiest 1% will soon own more money than the rest of the world’s population. Do you think that is fair?

1.According to a recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse, .

A. the gap between the rich and poor is widening gradually

B. increased wealth helps people to reduce the inequality

C. people should be happy about the world’s getting richer

D. a small number of people possess the major world wealth

2.What’s the author’s attitude towards Brazil’s measures?

A. Cautious B. Approving

C. Doubtful D. Critical

3.What is the meaning of the underlined word “philanthropic” in Paragraph 4?

A. Broadminded B. Responsible

C. Realistic D. Merciful

4.The author develops the article mainly by .

A. comparing opinions from different fields

B. listing detailed numbers and analyzing them

C. presenting research findings and giving some examples

D. presenting a trend and analyzing its cause and effect

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