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Books can’t stop a global pandemic.But,for a short while,they can let us forget the world around us and transport us to different places,allowing us to travel in spirit.Here are some picks for this month.

RohintonMistry:AFineBalance

Mistry’s novel focuses on the lives of four central characters whose lives are on a downward spiral,from poverty to outright destitution and,ultimately,death.

Mistry does not whitewash the reality of urban poverty in India.But as readers,we become absorbed in his characters’ lives we hope with them,we fear for them and,at the end,we cry for them.

ElenaFerrante:MyBrilliantFriend

Elena Ferrante’s novels take us straight to the Italian city of Napoli.Starting with MyBrilliantFriend,the four novels chart the intensive relationship between two girls,Elena Greco (Lenù) and Raffaella Cerullo (Lila),who grow up in a poor neighbourhood in the 1950s.

Reading Ferrante’s description calls forth images of Napoli and makes us feel like we are standing in the Piazza del Plebiscito.We can feel,hear and smell Napoli around us.

PatrickModiano:TheSearchWarrant

TheSearchWarrant pieces together the real-life story of Dora Bruder,a young Jewish girl who went missing in Paris in December 1941.Modiano attempts to retrace Dora’s movements across Paris and his book is full of evocative descriptions of quiet squares and streets.

By tracing Dora’s possible steps,Modiano evocatively recreates the twilight atmosphere of Paris under occupation.

KazuoIshiguro:TheRemainsoftheDay

TheRemainsoftheDay tells the story of Stevens,the aged butler of Darlington Hall,and his ill-judged life choices that saw him being involved with British fascism in the interwar years.

This allusion to British fascism in particular is something that makes this novel stand out;it is a subject matter not often discussed or even taught.

1.Which book is set in India?

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A.AFineBalance.

B.MyBrilliantFriend.

C.TheSearchWarrant.

D.TheRemainsoftheDay.

2.What do MyBrilliantFriend and TheSearchWarrant have in common?

A.Both novels tell real-life stories.

B.Both novels take place in Italy.

C.Both are related to interpersonal relationship.

D.Both give a vivid description of the surroundings.

3.What is special about TheRemainsoftheDay?

A.Its moving story.

B.Its miserable character.

C.Its rarely mentioned subject.

D.Its skillful techniques of description.