Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. Instead, they’re a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book. The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey or while you’re hanging out with the family.
Before getting into the recommendations, we need to determine your English reading comprehension level so you don’t pick a book which is so challenging that it’s stressful or so simple that it’s boring.
If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you’re already familiar with the story. If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options, as they’ll be guaranteed page turners and that will increase the possibility of your getting all the way through the book. For advanced readers, science fiction, classic works of literature or contemporary prize winners （Booker, Nobel, Pulitzer） are good options.
The most important thing is to pick a book that you’re really interested in. When I pick up a new book in Chinese, the first few chapters are always really hard to get through, as I have to get accustomed to the way the individual author uses the language. But after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story. Some of my favorite Chinese-language eye candy are books that are series like Brothers by Yu Hua or The Dancer by Hai Yan. I like them because there’s always a lot of action and story development to keep me involved, which helps me make it through those first few chapters.
Another great way to keep yourself motivated over the holiday is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve and discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or e-mail. I’m currently doing that with my friend Laura. We’ve been doing this since we were classmates in Chinese at college.
Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton or British writer Agatha Christie; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. But really you should just find a topic or author that you’re interested in, and the rest will go from there. Happy reading!
－from 21st Century （January 21, 2009）

Title	Enjoy English language literature on vacation
Theme	Find a good book to read on your journey to a ___________ place.
____________  of proper books	●Beginners may pick a children’s book or a book whose story is  ____________ to them. ●Poplar books might make it____________for intermediate-level readers to read them from cover to cover. ●Science fiction, classic works of literature or contemporary prize winners may be _____________ for advanced readers.
Ways to keep up your ____________ for reading	●Choose a book that is interesting enough to ____________ you in the story and help get through some difficult chapters . ●Read along with a friend a book you both feel interested in and _____________views on plot lines or vocabulary to achieve your common goals.
Books ________	●Harry Potter series ●Narnia series ●Works by Michael Crichton ●Works by Agatha Christie ●_____________ fiction by Stephen King