1. I. Reading for the Main Idea—Skimming Skim the reading and choose the best answer. ( ) The reading is mainly about ____. (A) the place where Silverstein was born (B) the way Silverstein developed his writing style (C) the characters and situations that Silverstein created in his poems (D) the reasons why Silverstein’s poems are popular with readers of all ages D

2. II. Reading for Details—Scanning Scan the reading and choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements. ( ) 1. Why are Silverstein’s poems popular with readers of all ages? (A) It is because many people have been reading his poems since they were children. (B) It is because his poems were not only written for children, they are also able to remind adults of how it feels to be a child. (C) It is because he never made fun of both children and adults in his poems. (D) It is because he wrote in a formal way, which is suitable for readers of all ages. B

3. ( ) 2. Which of the following is true about Shel Silverstein? (A) He was born in 1933. (B) He died in 1998 in Chicago. (C) He liked to study others’ poetry to develop his own writing style. (D) His style of writing is simple and straightforward. D poems

4. ( ) 3. Which of the following is true about Silverstein’s poems? (A) They are written in an informal way. (B) They are offensive, but funny. (C) They are written for adults. (D) They have become an important part of English culture. A

5. ( ) 4. In the poem “Sick,” which of the following is NOT one of the girl’s excuses for being unable to go to school? (A) She had the mumps. (B) She caught a bad cold. (C) She had a headache. (D) She hurt her back and ankle. C

6. ( ) 5. The girl in the poem “Sick”____. (A) got very sick (B) liked to go to school very much (C) didn’t like to go to school (D) still had to go to school in the end back next C

7. III. Topics for Discussion 1. According to the reading, what kind of writing style did Shel Silverstein create? 2. Do you know any Taiwanese writer whose works are popular with readers of all ages? Share with your classmates what you know about him or her. back End