英国语法学家Michele West曾高度赞扬过阅读对语言学习的重要性，他认为，一定数量的材料积累可以使得习得者具备一定的语感。但谈到英语阅读，想必没有人回喜欢，因为可能要面对许多陌生的单词、冗长且复杂的句子。 

但在远东学校的六（4）乘风中队却有这样一群孩子，他们十分热爱英语学习，每天都抱着英语文章不肯放下，要说其中的秘诀之一，应该和每天固定的英语“悦”读时光有关吧。 

        让我们一起走进乘风中队，来看看这样的“悦”读对他们的英语学习有何帮助吧。

        本周孩子们阅读了被称为“世界新七大奇迹”的泰姬陵的故事。在了解到泰姬陵的由来和它的建造者沙贾汗背后的故事后（原文在文章末尾），孩子们就沙贾汗本人到底是个浪漫的君王还是残酷的统治者展开了激烈的讨论，有人认为他很浪漫，因为他为了纪念自己的爱妻而举国之力建造了这样一个奇迹。而也有人认为他很残忍，因一己私欲而下令砍掉建筑工人的手脚。这样的讨论并不仅仅局限在口头，孩子们纷纷拿起画笔，图文并茂的展示了自己对这个故事的理解。

      “I think the Tja Maha is a nice place to visit, you can enjoy its beautiful sights and think about its history. “

       ——“我认为泰姬陵是一个旅游的绝佳目的地，在这里你不仅可以欣赏到美丽的风景，你也可以思考它自身的历史”（学生：陈芷墨）

     “ I think Shah Johan was a romantic person, because he made an unique place for his wife to be buried, it showed how much he loved his wife. “

     “我觉得沙贾汗是个非常浪漫的人，因为他为她建造了如此独一无二的墓地，也展示了他对她的爱。“（学生：徐宜娴）

     “Maybe he is a cruel king, but he is a romantic husband. “

    “也许他是一个残酷的君王，但却是一个深情浪漫的丈夫”（学生：余悦）

     通过这样的泛读，我们的英语阅读不再局限在一道一道的练习题上，而是更宽、更广、更深，更是充满了趣味。文章变成了我们了解世界文化的桥梁，语言成了我们向世界发声的工具，学会用批判性思维去思考才是我们每日“悦”读的真正目标。

    大家是否也想加入我们的开放性问题当中去呢，那么一起来“悦”读吧！

      Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, in the 1600s. He wanted to make a beautiful place where he could bury his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Mumtaz Mahal was only one of Shah Jahan’s wives, but the liked her the most. After Mumtaz died, the Shah built the Taj Mahal. It took twenty-two years to complete all of the work the main building is made of white marble and the main roof is white and round. It is one of the most famous things to see in India.

The Taj Mhal is beautiful. The Jumna River flows beside the north wall, but inside the walls, a smaller river runs through a pretty garden.

Some people who study history think that Shah Jahan was also a cruel man. They say that after the Taj Mahal was completed, Shah Jahan killed the man who made it. He did this because he did not want the man to build anything more beautiful than the Taj Mahal. That was not all they found out. Stories also say the Shah cut off the hands of all of the artists who took part in building the Taj Mahal.

As for Shah Jahan, when he died he was also buried in the Taj Maha, next to his wife. (212 words)

                                    （供稿：教师 王弘）