We know how important it is to take a comprehensive approach to learn English. Therefore, in addition to daily replenishment of your vocabulary, performing grammar exercises, and training listening and speaking skills, it is also important to find time to read English literature. So that you do not waste time looking for interesting works, we have prepared for you a selection of English-language books for students of all levels.
1. Hound of the Baskervilles
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The Dog of the Baskervilles is one of the most famous detective stories by Arthur Conan Doyle about the investigations of the beloved Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. An exciting plot and intrigue, the simplicity of the text, and the author’s skill will definitely make it so that you will not be able to tear yourself away from the book.
Even if you have watched a movie or read a book, we advise you to read the original version in English because only the original language conveys 100 percent of the shades of feelings, thoughts, descriptions of people, and the general mood of the original work.
2. The Old Man and the Sea
The Old Man and the Sea is a wonderful story by Hemingway, which everyone should read without exaggeration. This is a story about human strength, awareness of the beauty and majesty of nature, and understanding of your place in this multi-level world. Read so as not to go far into the sea of life and, of course, for the sake of refined English.
Often students have to write an essay about it is of this book. But it can take a long time to read and then express your thoughts in writing. Therefore, to enjoy the fullness of the novel, you can delegate the writing of the same day essay to experts
3. Number the stars
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Number the Stars is a children’s book about a child’s tragedy. American writer Lois Lowry tells the story of 10-year-old Anne-Marie-Johansen, who helps save her Jewish best friend and her family from the Nazis. The book is written in the first person, which makes the events even more terrible when you see them through the eyes of a child.
4. Forrest Gump
A book about severe life challenges. Winston Groom talks about the most critical events in American history of the twentieth century through the lips of a guy with mental disabilities. And also about the American dream and about how many problems, sorrows, and disappointments a person can go through on the way to it.
In many countries, this book is also present in the school literature list that requires students to read it and then write an essay or review, so do not forget about special services such as the-essays.com that can help you.
5. The Picture of Dorian Gray
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No wonder this novel is a must-read for school. After all, it depicts in every aspect why you should not perceive the visible as the only means. External beauty is not always equal to internal beauty.
You should not idolize and erect on a pedestal, just a beautiful, outwardly person. Because very often, such beauties are empty, rotten, and black inside. The book is not only instructive but also rich in new vocabulary.
6. Three men in a boat
A humorous story by Jerome K. Jerome, where he uses lexical turns, phrases, and remarks to show the psychological portrait of each character very skillfully. Three gentlemen, who, in fact, are the main characters of the story, on their journey remember what it means to be young, want adventure and laugh heartily.
7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
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Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s tale tells the incredible and truly mysterious story of a boy in a body of an older man. Benjamin is not like everyone else – instead of growing up, getting old, the opposite happens to him. It reveals the problems of the importance of each period of our life, the bias of people, the complexity of family relationships, and the loneliness of a person who is different from others.
4 reasons to read more fiction
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1. Developed empathy. Reading fiction develops empathy and helps you imagine yourself in the place of another. This is because the brain processes reading and elaborating real-life information in the same way. The left temporal lobe, which is responsible for language perception, makes the brain think that it is doing what the hero of the work is actually doing. This phenomenon is known as embodied cognition. As we read, we literally move into the character’s body. Through fiction, we stop focusing on ourselves and begin to understand the behavior and motivation of others.
2. Freedom from stereotypes. The literature demonstrates the laws by which society operates and increases tolerance towards minorities and the oppressed. For example, in one study, fifth graders read excerpts from Harry Potter. The teacher helped them analyze the text, which traced the loyal position of Harry Potter towards Mudblood students who were born in Muggle families. After three lessons, the children became more tolerant of immigrants, homosexuals, and refugees.
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3. Resignation to uncertainty. Stability is a myth, but novel lovers are of little concern. In the experiment, 100 students from the University of Toronto read one of eight stories or eight essays. After that, everyone filled out a questionnaire assessing the level of their emotional need for certainty and stability. The results showed that participants who read stories had a better understanding of chaos and instability. This means that they think broader and approach problem-solving in a creative way.
4. Rich imagination and creative thinking. The author writes only half of the storyline. The reader writes the other half. So spoke the classic of English literature Joseph Conrad. A good writer doesn’t really tell everything, but only the essentials, forcing the reader to use his imagination. The appearance and past of the characters, the setting, the smells, the timbre of the voice, all of this we, as directors filming the book adaptation, often think out the details on our own. If you find it hard to fantasize, take on fiction. Retreating into a fictional reality is useful for anyone experiencing stress, but a book is the most effective remedy.
Recall that you can find all these books in your city’s libraries and educational centers, where there is an extensive electronic library with adapted and original English-language books. In addition, each student can take a book he likes from popular international publishers.
