[FUN WITH READING 2018-20240A] Sherlock Holmes and the Sport of King

20240顏玉傑 (Yan, Yu-Jie)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: Sherlock Holmes and the Sport of King

NAME OF THE AUTHOR: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2003

ISBN: 9780194789202

Sherlock Holmes and the Sport of King

The subject of the story is about two detectives, Holmes and Watson, looking for clues about the death of John Straker on Thursday at Dartmoor and King's Pyland for finding out the murderer by their smart brains. With the information above, we can surmise that the author may like suspenseful novels concerning Holmes. For bringing surprise to readers who like suspenseful novels and Holmes, the author writes this book and wants to share with everyone. The content of the story shows it is subjective and optimistic because the author just records what Holmes has done and the story finishes clearly.

On the Tuesday morning, people saw the famous racehorse, Silver Blaze, disappeared, and his trainer, John Straker, was killed. Mr. Ross, the owner of the horse and Inspector Gregory, the Darmor police asked for Holmes's help. On the first day to King's Pyland, Holmes used horseshoes to check the footpoint and find the place where the horse went to. He kept his promise that Silver Blaze joined the race on time. For another event of John Straker, Holmes raised up some problems. Curry had a very strong taste, stronger than opium, so people would eat curry without the taste of opium, but how could the killer know the dinner tonight was curry? Why didn't the dog could bark when the stronger came? What was the use of the eye knife used by the doctor in the hospital? Why were some sheep lame? Holmes found the murderer from these questions.

The story is interesting, and Holmes is intelligent.

[FUN WITH READING 2018-20237B] Treasure Island

20237蔡宇倫 (TSAI, YU-LUN)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: TREASURE ISLAND          

NAME OF THE AUTHOR: ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1918

ISBN: 9780194791908

Treasure Island

Treasure Island is an adventure tale. At the outset of the novel, Jim was  timid, but by the end he became matured incredibly. He outwitted pirates, took over a ship, and saved innumerable lives. Jim became an adult in character if not in age. At the start of Treasure Island, Jim Hawkins was living with his mother and father at their inn, apparently intending to finish his life there. He hired Jim to keep a watch out for other sailors, but despite all precautions, he was hunted out and served with the black spot that meant death. Jim and his mother barely escaped death when Blind Pew, Black dog and other pirates descended on the inn in search of the sea dogs. Jim snetched up a pocket of papers to square the sailor’s debt, when they were forced to retreat from the inn. The pocket contained a map showing the location of the pirate Flint’s buried treasure, which Jim, Doctor Livesey and Squire Trelawney determined to find. Fitting out a ship, they hired hands and set out on their adventure. Unfortunately, their crew included one-legged Long John Silver, a pirate also in search of the  treasure, and a number of his confederates. Jim hid in an apple barren, and he warned his comrades. The battle between the pirates and Jim’s party was an exciting and bloody one, taking place both on the island and aboard. Jim escaped from the ship and discovered the marooned sailor. Finally, the victors got safely aboard with the treasure.

Treasure Island unlike other children stories includes some characters who are not examples of virtue but on the contrary led a sinful life. However, it was normal since they were pirates and it was what you expected of them. They were the villains of the story and their evil ways were not condemned. Pirates were, as Jim said, some of the wickedest men that God ever allowed upon the sea. Jim Hawkins, Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey were on the contrary characters who throughout their adventures showed virtues like courage and honesty.

[FUN WITH READING 2018-20237A] The Railway Children

20237蔡宇倫 (TSAI, YU-LUN)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: THE RAILWAY CHILDREN

NAME OF THE AUTHOR: EDITH NESBIT

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1905

ISBN: 9780194791281

The Railway Children      

Bobbie, Peter and Roberta were distraught when their father went missing. After a trip to London, they discovered the thrill of the railway and began to unravel the mystery of their father’s disappearance.

This is a story of three children, Bobbie, Peter and Roberta, who lived in a respectable suburban villa with a wonderful mother and father and a cook and servants, until one day great disgrace and poverty fell on them. Father was taken away to prison, and they had to move to a poor cottage in the country near a railway line.

Mother wrote stories to earn what little they lived on and they used to be poor and had to learn not to steal coal from the railway station, even if they had so little to keep warm by. Sometimes they argued and had crises, as one did, but in time they made many new friends, and amusing adventures happened near the railway and the canal. They developed the habit of waving to the train as it went past and sometimes the people in the coaches waved back. Their friendly habits made them one special friend in particular, who although he mostly just went by in the train, eventually got to know them, and helped them out in various ways. And somehow all the good things that they did added up together and ended up coming back to them, and there was a happy ending to it all. The story was so realistic and alive that I felt like I was with them! And I’d love to be in a part of those adventures theses children had taken.

[FUN WITH READING 2018-20236A] Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2

20240劉騏維 (Qi-Wei Liu)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2

NAME OF THE AUTHOR: Jeff Kinny

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-8109-8758-7

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2

This book talks about Greg who adopted to a new high school. What impressed me most was that their school set up a music club and Greg was interested in it at that time so he joined the club. However, just after a week, he was tired of it, so he wanted to drop out the club, but his mother didn't agree. After this, he had a stupid idea. He threw away his own instruments, so he would not have to practice anymore. When his mother discovered it, she was angry and scolded him.

After reading this book, I think that it is suitable for all ages, because the book was written with simple words. Although the book recorded Greg's life by a diary, it was not boring, but in a humorous tone to express the ordinary trifle in life. I always look forward to what the writer would like to bring us to the next page.

[FUN WITH READING 2018-20236A] Diary of a Wimpy Kid

20240劉騏維 (Qi-Wei Liu)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

NAME OF THE AUTHOR: Jeff Kinny

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-8109-8758-6

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

This book talks about Greg's summer vacation. When his summer vacation began, he just wanted to stay away from the sun and play video games in his room, just like me. But Greg's mother didn't think it was good. She wanted Greg to go outside and get engaged in outdoor activities. This caused a lot of stupid things.

After reading this book, I think that it is suitable for all ages. Even a junior high school studiet can read, because this book is written with simple words and different from the traditional material. Honestly, when I read this book, I think for this diary, the way of writing should be very boring. But it's not true. It surprise me that the diary can be written in this way.

[FUN WITH READING 2018-20233B] The Facade of Beauty

20233廖昱霖 (LIAO, YU-LIN)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: The Giver

NAME OF THE AUTHOR: Lois Lowry

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1993

ISBN: 978-0-00-757849-8

The Facade of Beauty

It is a story about the darkness that the boy discovered in his community. The community is cut off from the rest of the world, and people here all lived in happiness－except the Receiver. The Receiver knew everything in the world, he/she bore the pain that others didn’t know, and the boy was chosen to be the Receiver. He discovered lots of things he hadn’t known before, and he finally decided to escape from the community.

There were countless rules and laws in the community. They are asked to speak precisely and use correct vocabularies; everyone had one job, and the job of each one was chosen by the Observer; children who grew too slow or elders who were too old would be released. All in all, people in the community had no choice. The boy called Jonas had a special talent, and he was chosen to be the Receiver, who would be told everything by the Giver. The Giver had wisdom, and he/she would pass on to the Receiver his/her wisdom. Both the Giver and the Receiver tolerated the secrets that couldn’t be told to the neighbors. Before Jonas is selected to be the Receiver, he had thought that he lived safely, peacefully within the community. There was no war, no hunger and no pain. However, he discovered dark secrets when being the Receiver. For instance, the behavior which was so-called Release is actually mercy killing. The perfect community which he thought before had shattered. Finally, he decided to undertake a journey to escape from the nightmare. There was no explicit end of what happened eventually. The story ended up with the beautiful scene in Jonas’ journey.

The story overturned my thought. Most of people thought that utopia was the paradise which everyone was yearning for. However, I changed my mind now. If utopia’s peace was caused by the rules, it was actually a hell. No one had choice to choose what jobs they want to do, what kinds of people they want to be. How sad it was. Utopia, the real one, was brought about by everyone’s unity, virtuousness which evolved from our hearts. Although it seems difficult to achieve, actually, it might not be achieved forever, we just have to do our business and make the world better.

[FUN WITH READING 2018-20233A] Giving Is Taking

20233廖昱霖 (LIAO, YU-LIN)

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TITLE OF THE BOOK: Last Chance
NAME OF THE AUTHOR: Mark Foster & Phillip Burrows
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-19-423436-8

Giving Is Taking

The story is about a cameraman who was going to be laid off, and he had a last chance to make a film to retrieve the heart. Therefore, he went to Hawaii and wanted to take an amazing photo of an erupting-volcano. But there was a lady trapped in the volcano, so the man gave her a rescue without hesitation. By accident, the scene was recorded by the camera and the boss was hit by the film. Finally, he still worked in the company and received appreciation. The author told us to help others by using a positive description.

The cameraman was Mike, but his boss wasn’t satisfied with his film, and told him that it was the last chance to make film. If the film didn’t hit him, he would be fired. One day, Mike saw a newspaper on his desk, and there was a picture of an erupting-volcano in Hawaii. Thus, he decided to go there and take a breathtaking photo. Though the way to the volcano was full of danger, he went there desperately. When he approached the erupting-volcano, he started to take photos. Suddenly, he heard someone crying for help. He saw a lady lying behind the rock and couldn’t move. He gave her a rescue without a second thought. Although his camera was lost in the volcano, he was not upset. Soon, a rescue helicopter came and saved Mike and the lady. After arriving at his company, everyone gave him congratulations. When he was confused about the congratulations, his boss had him get into the office. Unexpectedly, the boss took out Mike’s camera and gave it back to him. Mike was stunned but happy. Accidentally, there was a film in the camera. The scene that Mike saved the lady was recorded by the camera. The boss watched it, and decided to retain Mike.

It is a positive story. It talks about the love between people, and I think that the plot like this is more suitable for children. To be honest, the words and sentences in the book are very simple. It’s a good book for whoever just begins to learn English. Actually, the story’s plot is not very attractive. We could expect what would happen next. With regard to the main idea that the author wants to tell, I think it is closely related to our life. There are a lot of obstacles and difficulties in our daily life. We should try to cry out for help. On the contrary, when other people get into trouble, we should give them a hand, too.