November not only marks the publication of Toni Morrison’s eagerly anticipated(期待) eighth novel, Love, but it is also the tenth anniversary of her Nobel Prize for Literature. Morrison is the first black woman to receive a Nobel, and so honored before her in literature are only two black men:Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian playwright, poet and novelist, in 1986; and Derek Walcott, the Caribbean-born poet, in 1992. But Morrison is also the first and only American-born Nobel prizewinner for literature since 1962, the year novelist John Steinbeck received the award.

Like Song of Solomon, Love is a multigenerational story, revealing the personal and communal Legacy(遗产) of an outstanding black family. As Morrison scholars will tell you, Love is the third volume of a literary master’s trilogy(三部曲)investigating the many complexities of love. This trilogy began with Beloved(1988), which deals with a black mother’s love under slavery and in freedom. Jazzy(1993), the second volume, tells a story of romantic love in 1920s Harlem. This latest novel looks back from the 1970s to the 1940s and 50s.

The emotional center of Love is Bill Cosey, the former owner and host of the shabby Cosey’s Hotel and Resort in Silk, North Carolina, described in the novel as “the best and best-known vacation sport for colored folk on the East Coast.” We get to know Cosey through the memories of five women who survive and love him: his granddaughter, his widow, two former employees, and a homeless young girl.    

The latest novel, Love, had been described in the promotional material from her publisher as “Morrison’s most accessible work since Song of Solomon.” This comparison to her third novel, published in 1977, was an effective selling point.

What would be the best title for the text?

A. Toni Morrison’s latest novels

B. Toni Morrison and her trilogy

C. Toni Morrison and her novel Love

D. Toni Morrison, the Nobel prizewinner

What can we learn about John Steinbeck?

A. He was a black writer.

B. He was born in America.

C. He received the Nobel Prize after Morrison

D. He was the first American novelist to win a Nobel

The similarity between Love and Song of Solomon is that they both _____.

A. belong to the same trilogy together with Beloved

B. concern families of more than one generation

C. deal with life of blacks under slavery

D. investigate life in 1920s Harlem

The novel Love mainly describes ______.

A. the best-known vacation spot for blacks

B. the life of an outstanding black family under slavery

C. the miserable experience of the five women in Harlem

D. the memories of five women about Bill Cosey

Nick Santonastasso has one arm equipped with one finger. He has no legs. He also has no limitations(局限).
“ I know anything’s possible ,” the 12-year-old told TODAY ’s Ann Curry.
He can play baseball and football, play the keyboard and drums, and play video games with his brothers.
When Nick was born, he suffered a disease only found in 11 other people. The Santonastassos had three other children, and they decided to treat Nick the same as others, with love but without excuse
“ We’re supposed to be heroes to our children, but Nick is a hero to us,” his father Michael said. But heroes have heroes, too, and Nick’s is Tiki Barber, the former football superstar who retired last year and became a reporter for TODAY. Curry told Nick that for his birthday, the show wanted to give him a new skateboard. The person who presented it to him was Barber.
“ You’re an inspiration,” Barber said. “ There are a lot of kids who might be at a disadvantage.
You give them strength.”
Curry observed that most parents try to protect their kids from failure, but the Santonastassos didn’t do that with Nick.
“Absolutely not, “Nick’s mother Stacey said. “ If you do have a small failure, it just makes you stronger to succeed at the next stop.”
“ It builds self-confidence in yourself to try it again,” Nick added.
Recently, Nick entered a drawing in a statewide contest in New Jersey. His drawing was a tree with a spreading canopy (树冠) and deep toots. Above the tree were the words, “The roots of a family are…” Below the ground, the roots spelled out the final word for the message: “ Love.”
It won the contest. The judges didn’t know Nick’ physical condition. He won on merit (成绩), the same way he does everything else in life.
【小题1】How did the Santonastassos treat Nick?

November not only marks the publication of Toni Morrison’s eagerly anticipated(期待) eighth novel, Love, but it is also the tenth anniversary of her Nobel Prize for Literature. Morrison is the first black woman to receive a Nobel, and so honored before her in literature are only two black men:Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian playwright, poet and novelist, in 1986; and Derek Walcott, the Caribbean-born poet, in 1992. But Morrison is also the first and only American-born Nobel prizewinner for literature since 1962, the year novelist John Steinbeck received the award.

Like Song of Solomon, Love is a multigenerational story, revealing the personal and communal legacy() of an outstanding black family. As Morrison scholars will tell you, Love is the third volume of a literary master’s trilogy(三部曲)investigating the many complexities of love. This trilogy began with Beloved(1988), which deals with a black mother’s love under slavery and in freedom. Jazzy(1993), the second volume, tells a story of romantic love in 1920s Harlem. This latest novel looks back from the 1970s to the 1940s and 50s.

The emotional center of Love is Bill Cosey, the former owner and host of the shabby Cosey’s Hotel and Resort in Silk, North Carolina, described in the novel as “the best and best-known vacation sport for colored folk on the East Coast.” We get to know Cosey through the memories of five women who survive and love him: his granddaughter, his widow, two former employees, and a homeless young girl.

The latest novel, Love, had been described in the promotional material from her publisher as “Morrison’s most accessible work since Song of Solomon.” This comparison to her third novel, published in 1977, was an effective selling point.

61. What would be the best title for the text?

A.      Toni Morrison’s latest novels

B.      Toni Morrison and her trilogy

C.      Toni Morrison and her novel Love

D.     Toni Morrison, the Nobel prizewinner

62. What can we learn about John Steinbeck?

A.      He was a black writer.

B.      He was born in America.

C.      He received the Nobel Prize after Morrison

D.     He was the first American novelist to win a Nobel

63. The similarity between Love and Song of Solomon is that they both _____.

A.      belong to the same trilogy together with Beloved

B.      concern families of more than one generation

C.      deal with life of blacks under slavery

D.     investigate life in 1920s Harlem

64. The novel Love mainly describes ______.

A.      the best-known vacation spot for blacks

B.      the life of an outstanding black family under slavery

C.      the miserable experience of the five women in Harlem

D.     the memories of five women about Bill Cosey

Romance does not have to fizzle out（失败） in long-term relationships and progress into a companionship/friendship-type love, a new study has found. Romantic love can last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier   1  .

"Many believe that   2  love is the same as passionate（多情的）love," said lead researcher Bianca P. Acevedo, PhD, then at Stony Brook University (currently at University of California, Santa Barbara). "It isn't. Romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, minus the obsessive component（过度成分）. Passionate or obsessive love includes   3  of uncertainty and anxiety. This kind of love   4  drive the shorter relationships but not the longer ones."

These findings   5  in the March issue of Review of General Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association.

Acevedo and co-researcher Arthur Aron, PhD, reviewed 25 studies with 6,070 individuals in short- and long-term relationships to    6  whether romantic love is associated with more satisfaction. To determine this, they   7  the relationships in each of the studies as romantic, passionate (romantic with obsession) or friendship-like love and categorized them as long- or short-term.

The researchers looked at 17 short-term relationship studies, which included 18- to 23-year-old college students who were   8  , dating or married, with the average relationship lasting less than four years. They also   9  at 10 long-term relationship studies including middle-aged couples who were typically married 10 years or more. Two of the   10  ncluded both long- and short-term relationships in which it was possible to distinguish the two samples.

The review found that those who reported greater romantic love were more   11  in both the short- and long-term relationships. Companion-like love was only moderately   12  with satisfaction in both short- and long-term relationships. And those who reported greater passionate love in their relationships were more satisfied in the short term   13  to the long term.

Couples who reported more satisfaction in their relationships also   14  being happier and having higher self-esteem.

Feeling that a partner is "there for you"   15  or a good relationship, Acevedo said, and facilitates（促进） feelings of romantic love. On the other hand, "feelings of insecurity are generally associated with   16  satisfaction, and in some   17  may spark conflict in the relationship. This can manifest（表白） into obsessive love," she said.

This discovery may change people's   18  of what they want in long-term relationships. According to the authors, companionship love, which is what many couples see as the natural   19  of a successful relationship, may be an unnecessary compromise(妥协). "Couples should strive for love with all the trimmings（修剪）," Acevedo said. "And couples who've been together a long time and wish to get back their romantic edge should know it is an attainable（可达到的） goal that, like most good things in life,   20  energy and devotion."

(   ) 1. A. scholarships      B. friendships        C. relationships     D. companionships

(   ) 2. A. obsessive            B. romantic           C. passionate        D. companion

(   ) 3. A. feelings              B. factors              C. consequences    D. barriers

(   ) 4. A. contributes        B. helps               C. prevents           D. speeds

(   ) 5. A. occur                 B. take                 C. write               D. appear

(   ) 6. A. find out             B. work out          C. take out            D. bring out

(   ) 7. A. separated            B. classified          C. divided             D. cut

(   ) 8. A. alone                 B. lonely              C. single                   D. unique

(   ) 9. A. glanced              B. glared              C. stared                   D. looked

(   ) 10. A. findings           B. examinations     C. experiments      D. studies

(   ) 11. A. unpleased        B. disappointed     C. satisfied            D. desperate

(   ) 12. A. referred            B. associated        C. contended        D. conflicted

(   ) 13. A. compared        B. comparing               C. added                   D. led

(   ) 14. A. reported           B. said                  C. believed           D. hoped

(   ) 15. A. takes               B. makes              C. means              D. depends

(   ) 16. A. higher              B. lower                      C. no                    D. much

(   ) 17. A. environments    B. states               C. air                   D. cases

(   ) 18. A. views                      B. expectations      C. remarks            D. statements

(   ) 19. A. progression       B. change             C. results              D. choice

(   ) 20. A. produces          B. satisfies            C. requires            D. consumes

Old Bear

Kevin Henkes(2008), under 40 pages

Target Audience: Preschoolers

Price: $3.8

Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations(插图) show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book!

Half-Minute Horrors

Susan Rich(2009), 120~160 pages

Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~6th grade)

Price: $9.6

Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators.

Leaves

David Ezra Stein(2007), under 40 pages

Illustrated by David Ezra Stein

Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers

Price: $3.4

Content: It’s Little Bear’s first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again.

Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’

Eileen Spinelli (2003) , under 40 pages

Illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Target Audience: Preschoolers

Price: $3.5

Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother Tappleton reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other.

1.Which book has the most pages?

A. Old Bear         B. Half-Minute Horrors

C. Leaves           D. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’.

2.What can we learn from the book Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’?

A. We should always keep things in order.

B. We should try to make more delicious food on Thanksgiving.

C. If we don’t work hard, there will be no food.

D. Family love is the most important thing.

3.If you like reading horror stories, which book would you like?

A. Old Bear         B. Half-Minute Horrors

C. Leaves           D. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’.

4.Who are the main readers of these books?

A. Adults.                B. Old people

C. Little children          D. Middle school students.

5.Where can you probably find this passage?

A. In a travel guide.         B. In an advertisement.

C. In a science textbook.     D. In an official report