[Junior High Reader 4] - Super Reading - Tiered Reading Weekly Plan

Author: Luo Xiaojun, Huang Qiong, Yan Jingqun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Green mountains and white clouds, lush green leaves and red flowers, flowing water and chirping birds. The Creator has used the earth as a canvas, wielding the brush of seasons, freely painting beauty. He has taken the mountains and plains as a lute, and the rivers and seas as strings, playing melodies of nature. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the clever human beings on this beautiful planet have ingeniously created breathtaking wonders. So beautiful is nature, so stunning are the landscapes. If it lacks the touch of humans, does it not lose some vitality? What are you waiting for? Pack your bags and, during your holidays, go with your parents to see how wonderful the world outside is! Travel is the window through which we come to know the world. Let us open this window of travel to see the Great Wall of China in Beijing, the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, the Eiffel Tower in France, and the Statue of Liberty in the United States. Travel broadens our horizons; travel cultivates our temperament; travel makes us love this world even more. Maps are the ones who fall in love with travel first before they learn to dive into them. At home, there are all kinds of maps. Single sheets, compiled into books, hardcover, paperback, round and three-dimensional, flat and wall-mounted—countless varieties. Once the travel destination is decided, all kinds of maps are gathered out. Leaning over tables or lying on the ground, one studies them carefully, repeatedly sketching out the major cities and towns with a red pen. Maps become more interesting the more you look at them. It's interesting that after looking at the terrain of each country for a long time, it gradually transforms into something else. India is a diamond-shaped kite flying in the sky. Austria is a small violin placed horizontally. Japan is a leisurely fish between the Pacific and the Japan Sea. Uruguay is a drop of water accidentally spilled on the ground. Argentina is a delicious ice cream cone. Chile is a long strip of wrung-out cloth. With just a little imagination, every country on Earth can be transformed into a fun object. You fill this "object" with mountains and rivers, accurately draw the locations of towns and cities, and then carefully place it alongside your passport and set off. The moment you step into the land where your passport has been stamped, you are amazed to find that the map, which was lying flat in your luggage, has suddenly expanded countless times and stands before you in vibrant life. The distant and near mountains gaze at you affectionately, neither parting nor tiring of the sight; the sparkling rivers express their warm welcome with the sound of flowing water, a welcome that is endlessly delightful. The big city and small town you once circled with a red pen have all miraculously come to life before you. Although you are standing firmly on them, your heart still feels as if it's in a dream, even a little anxious, fearing that they will vanish without a trace like a spring dream! Living in this three-dimensional "map," you patiently verify the knowledge given by books and carefully explore the information they leave out. You explore, you think; you chew, you digest. When you pack your bags and leave, you no longer bid farewell to unfamiliar land. It has become an unforgettable "close friend" in your memory. At this point, when you talk about this country, you already have your own unique perspective. India indeed resembles a kite, but it's a kite that cannot take flight. It struggles so hard, yet the heavy population presses down on it, making it impossible for it to rise, no matter how hard it struggles. What about Austria? It is undoubtedly a small violin. The entire land is filled with strings, and people gently step on them, filling the air with beautiful music. Uruguay truly resembles water—it's crystal clear, delicate, and lovely. Both its customs and national conditions are deeply cherished and remembered by travelers. Saying Argentina is like ice cream cone is well-deserved. On the surface, it presents a prosperous and lively atmosphere with singing and dancing. However, the daily devaluation of its currency casts an indelible shadow over people's lives. Just like ice cream before it melts, it is beautiful and delicious, but once it starts melting, it becomes messy and sticky. Comparing the flat map with the three-dimensional map and forming a new perspective is a game I never tire of playing during my travels.
—Excerpted from "Composition and Examination"
After reading the above, you must have felt something. Write down your thoughts or what you want to write at this moment in smooth, flowing prose. Record these, and they will undoubtedly become a valuable treasure in the future.