BASIC READERS（BOOK FOUR 彩色英文原版）

　　《Basic Readers》是美国现代时期一套广泛使用的标准化英语阅读课本，在美国学校一直使用到20 世纪70 年代。《美国学校现代英语阅读教材》由芝加哥大学阅读研究专家、世界阅读学会首任会长威廉·格雷教授与著名教材专家威廉·爱尔森共同编写。从选文篇幅、词汇难度、故事内容、课后练习、插图使用等方面，编者都做了精心考量。《美国学校现代英语阅读教材》以综合培养学生的朗读（oral reading）与默读（silentreading）技巧为目的，让孩子们学会阅读，并通过阅读为今后的人生阶段打下基础。对中国孩子来讲，这是一套循序渐进地进行英语阅读训练的优秀读本。适合从学前阶段开始，向小学和中学阶段扩展训练。本册为第四级，从本册开始正文中加注了单词解释，建议阅读前可以先熟悉这些词汇，以减少阅读中因生词而停顿的现象。课后也出现了阅读理解问题，建议学生认真练习。有些题也可以口述做答，训练英语思维与口语。同时提供配套英文朗读免费下载，让孩子在阅读精彩故事的同时亦能更好练习英语发音。 This set of textbookreaders was used in the schools of the United States till 1970s. It was thefirst reading series to enforce strict vocabulary control over selections.William S. Gray， a renowned educational psychologist and reading authority fromthe University of Chicago became a senior co-author with William H. Elson increating this series.The authors haveattempted to provide an interesting， purposeful， and comprehensive readingcourse for children. To achieve this purpose the authors have assembledmaterials from the worldwide field of children’s favorite readings. Thus basicreading attitudes and habits are developed through the purposeful use ofinteresting and significant content. Using this series of readers， the childrencan learn to read first， and then read to learn in their future life.

　　威廉· Ｓ· 格雷（William Scott Gray， 1885- 1960）美国芝加哥大学博士、教授，曾担任芝加哥大学教育系研究生院阅读研究专业主任，及世界阅读学会首任会长。在近40 年的时间里，他一直是世界阅读研究的权威学者。他在芝加哥大学的博士论文题为“小学阅读的标准化测试”。他带领的研究团队，将阅读技巧训练与阅读效果检测相结合，并将学术研究成果应用于学校阅读教材的编写，《Basic Readers》便是他与另一位教育者和教材编写专家合作的成果。 威廉· Ｈ· 爱尔森（William HarrisElson，1856-1935）出生于美国俄亥俄州卡洛尔，毕业于美国印第安纳大学。作为一位教师与教育管理者，他在教育改革方面做出了很大贡献。1907 年他建立了美国第一所技术高中。此外，他还是一位著名的教材编写者，除本套教材外，他编写了多套美国学校使用的现代教材。这些教材除美国外，在全球34 个国家销售使用，累计销量超过5000万册。

PART I  THE OUT DOOR WORLD 01 Bunnyboy Learns a Lesson..............................................005 02 Mishook, The Brown Bear Cub.......................................014 03 Six Little Sheep..................................................................024 04 A Day With a Partridge Family.......................................026 05 A Bird House for Rent......................................................035 06 For All Little Birds.............................................................042 07 Peter Rabbit Saves the Columbine..................................043 08 Lions and Dragons............................................................049 09 The Tinker Plants a Tree...................................................051 10 Whisperers.........................................................................057 11 The Wind............................................................................058 12 The Wonderful World.......................................................060   PART II  LITTLE AMERICAN CITIZENS 13 Anne Randolph, a Brave American Girl........................065 14 Sally’s Sash......................................................................070 15 The Song of the Flag.........................................................075 16 Jonathan Bartlett, a Pioneer Lad.....................................077 17 How Andy Helped His Team..........................................084 18 Safety First in the City.....................................................095   PART III  BOYS AND GIRLS OF OTHER LANDS 19 Alice Travels In Jungleland..............................................107 20 Moni and His Goats..........................................................120 21 Tonino Takes His Pottery to the Fair..............................131 22 Ting Fang Wins the Sandal Race.....................................147 23 The Little Toy Land of the Dutch....................................158   PART IV  STORIES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW 24 The Miraculous Pitcher....................................................163 25 Rumplestiltskin.................................................................186 26 A Dog of Flanders.............................................................200   PART V  BUSY WORKERS AND THEIR WORK 27 Benjamin Franklin’s Iron Stove.......................................213 28 Oranges, America’s Golden Harvest..............................222 29 Sheep-Shearing On Nantucket Island............................229 30 Earning a Playground.......................................................238 31 Rob’s First Blackfish Drive...............................................244   PART VI  FAMOUS HEROES OF LONG AGO 32 Beowulf, The Brave Prince...............................................255 33 Sigurd, The Young Warrior..............................................270 34 Roland, The Noble Knight...............................................290   PART VII  HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS 35 Halloween..........................................................................315 36 Remembering Day............................................................317 37 The First Thanksgiving Day............................................318 38 A Surprise Christmas........................................................333 39 The Christmas Fairy and Scrooge...................................342 40 A New Year’s Leaf..........................................................359 41 Hearts Were Made to Give Away...................................360 42 Who Shall Be May Queen?..............................................361