Hey, it’s the end of the month, which means it is time for some recommended reading.
I spent some time catching up with my National Geographic subscription. Honestly, it has been a tough year for Nat Geo, as they’ve attempted to pivot into being something of a current events magazine. They haven’t always been successful at that, but there are usually a few good items in every issue. Here’s what I liked from the December thru February issues:
- So Great, So Fragile is a long article about threats to the Great Lakes in North America. It is really long, but still worth your time as physical geography is a common topic on the reading section of the test.
- Reclaiming History is a long article about the desire to remove symbols of the Confederate States of America from the USA. This is a great example of how the magazine is succeeding in its coverage of current events. Of course it touches on history quite a lot, which is another common topic on the TOEFL.
As usual, I read a few issues of “Science News.” As always, everything in this magazine is useful. A few things caught my eye, though. They are:
- Rats with Poison Hairdos Show a Cuddly Side is another weird animal story. These rats chew on poisonous tree bark and droll it all over their bodies to protect themselves from predators. Zoology is a common topic on the reading section of the test, so I always recommend articles about animals. Actually, keep an eye on the blog for a “research report” on the most common subject areas. I’ve got the numbers and will post them soon!
- Ice Age Hunters’ Leftovers May have Fueled Dog Domestication is a very short article that I found particularly interesting. Apparently early humans had too much protein in their food supplies. Like, they had so much meat that was free of fat that they couldn’t eat it all. They gave it to wolves and, presto, the domesticated dog was born. A lot of TOEFL reading passages deal with early humans, so check this one out.
- Early Sea Trip was Probably No Accident also covers early humans. This one is about how ancient mariners first reached Japan’s Ryukyu Islands. Update: Sorry… broken link.
Alright, so those are your articles for the month. I also read a few books, for what it’s worth. A few are worth mentioning:
- I read “Gigged” by Sarah Kessler. It’s a book about the “gig economy,” which is dominated by companies like Uber. Economics doesn’t seem to be a particularly common topic on the TOEFL, but all non-fiction has some value when it comes to improving your academic reading skills. This is a fairly easy read, and it feels something like an extended magazine article. No free versions are available online, but you can get it via Amazon.
- I also read Colin Thubron’s “Mirror to Damascus.” This is a hard book. But if you are interested in history and travel take a moment to check out a free version on Open Library. Thubron is, in my opinion, the best living travel writer. This year I will be revisiting a bunch of his travelogues in preparation for his latest book, which will be published in a few months. “Mirror to Damascus” is his very first book, written after he took a trip to Syria in his early twenties. I also visited Syria in my early twenties (but 40 years after Thubron). His book makes me feel some guilt for just mucking about when I was in the country, but I do remember my time there fondly. It was one of the happiest months of my life.
That’s all for now, but I’ll have a few more recommendations next month. Stay tuned.
