pull on, straighten oneself, hold on, get over, hold up, reach for, clear up, on the point of
William Butler Yeats, a famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony (和睦) that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered"little of childhood but its pain". In fact, he inherited (继承) excellent taste in art from his family — both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama (戏剧) and poetry.
Yeats had strong faith in coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favourably at the beginning. He didn't lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats's poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Price in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produced his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 70. He died in 1939, aged 73.
Teens and younger children are reading a lot less for fun, according to a Common Sense Media report.
While the decline over the past decade is steep for teen readers, some data in the report shows that reading remains a big part of many children's lives, and indicates how parents might help encourage more reading.
According to the report's key findings,"the proportion (比例) who say they ‘hardly ever' read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds in 1984 to 22 percent and 27 percent respectively today. "
The report data shows that pleasure reading levels for younger children, ages 2-8, remain largely the same. But the amount of time spent in reading each session has declined, from closer to an hour or more to closer to a half hour per session.
When it comes to technology and reading, the report does little to counsel (建议) parents looking for data about the effect of e-readers and tablets on reading. It does point out that many parents still limit electronic reading, mainly due to concerns about increased screen time.
The most hopeful data shared in the report shows clear evidence of parents serving as examples and important guides for their kids when it comes to reading. Data shows that kids and teens who do read frequently, compared to infrequent readers, have more books in the home, more books purchased for them, parents who read more often, and parents who set aside time for them to read.
As the end of school approaches, and school vacation reading lists loom (逼近) ahead, parents might take this chance to step in and make their own summer reading list and plan a family trip to the library or bookstore.
Encouraging a teen to read the classics can be a challenging task due to their increased time commitments, social pressures, and the challenging nature of classic works of literature.
Pair their reading interests with the classics.
If your teens enjoy reading a certain kind of work, ask them what they are reading and why they like it, then talk about a work of classic literature you enjoy that explores similar topics. Present them with that book and say something encouraging, such as," The way you were talking about vampires in Twilight yesterday reminded me of Bram Stoker's Dracula. I would be curious to hear what you think about it. "
Television and radios that are constantly on can dull attention spans and discourage attentive reading. Make sure your teens have a lamp that make reading in bed comfortable. Provide them with a bookshelf for their room and encourage them to collect books. Even if teens aren't reading the classics, an encouraging home environment will help them to build the literary foundation for approaching those works later.
Make frequent trips to the library with your teens.
Libraries often have summer challenges that encourage youth to read with prizes and competitions. Reading will likely become more exciting for your teens if they've set a goal to read a certain number of books over the summer.
Take your teens to the bookstore.
However, publishers are increasingly paying more attention to book design as they compete with digital book formats. Take your teens to bookstores in your area; they may be inclined to approach classic novels with the help of eye-catching book jackets and cover designs.
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A. Create an encouraging reading environment. B. Here's the copy that I read when I was your age. C. Lead your teens towards novels with themes relevant to their life. D. Describe your favourite scene from a classic you're encouraging them to read. E. However, it should be a loose goal, and encourage your teens to be flexible with it. F. Libraries and school textbooks often can't offer attractive editions of classic works. G. Fortunately, with a bit of creativity, there are many ways to inspire teens to read the classics. |
