Sweden and its Nordic neighbors have some of the highest literacy(读写能力) rates in the world. The Swedes view equal access to education and knowledge as important to an individual’s future success. This is true regardless of economic background or geographic location.
Sweden has a floating library—the bokbaten—that brings thousands of books to people on dozens of distant islands in the Stockholm archipelago(群岛) twice a year. Every spring and fall since 1953, the Stockholm Library Service has rented a boat for a week, loaded it full of books, and set a course for about 23 islands. When the boat arrives, residents climb aboard to return books they borrowed during the last visit and check out the library’s newest offerings. The boat carries about 3000 books, and residents can put in requests ahead of time. The three or four volunteer librarians who take turns working on the ship say that, as you might expect, the latest bestsellers are in high demand.
There are tall wooden shelves, large tables displaying solid hardcovers, book carts on wheels, a long checkout table, and event notices taped to the wall. There are picture books for children, popular novels, large-print books, texts about history and science and cookbooks. Since island residents can order copies in advance, boxes of books are piled around the boat waiting to be delivered.
The boat started as a service for fishermen and island workers and even residents who prefer to read hard copies of books rather than e-books or audio(有声) books. But even in a nation of book lovers, the future of the floating library remains uncertain. If the Regional Library cuts funding for the boat, the bokbaten will be no more. Hopefully, Sweden’s bokbaten will continue to operate as a wonderful nod to past traditions while educating people for the future.
【小题1】What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．People in Sweden are equal in education. |
| B．Sweden’s economic success depends on education. |
| C．Sweden attaches great importance to education. |
| D．The Swedish are the most highly educated in the world. |
| A．It brings books to islanders. |
| B．It works all the year around. |
| C．Seven volunteers run it aboard by turns. |
| D．People could read bestsellers for free in it. |
| A．Bad weather. | B．A lack of money. |
| C．Books being stolen. | D．People poorly educated. |
| A．Sweden—a country of reading lovers |
| B．The bokbaten—a floating library |
| C．The feature of Sweden’s education |
| D．The history of Sweden’s bokbaten |
