{"id":41686,"date":"2020-03-11T14:17:57","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T13:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/?p=41686"},"modified":"2020-03-11T14:19:55","modified_gmt":"2020-03-11T13:19:55","slug":"7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-english","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-english\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Books You Should Read To Improve Your English"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Reading is one of the best ways to practice English. It\u2019s fun, relaxing and helps you improve your comprehension skills and vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">To help you pick out books, we\u2019ve <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>rounded up<\/strong><\/em><\/span> some of our favourite novels. The stories are full of adventures and exciting characters &#8211; and better yet, they are easy to read for language learners.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">So here are our top 7 books to help you practise English at home.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>1. One Day, by David Nicholls<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>One Day<\/em> tells the story of Dexter and Emma who spend a night together after their university graduation. Each chapter revisits the lives of the <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>protagonists<\/strong><\/em><\/span> on the same date for twenty years. Their relationship evolves over the years: sometimes they\u2019re together, sometimes they\u2019re chasing their individual dreams. It\u2019s a funny, <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>endearing<\/strong><\/em><\/span> and bittersweet tale of friendship and the unfairness of life.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">If you love this easy-to-read novel, watch the 2011 film adaptation that stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">This mystery novel &#8211; with a mysterious title &#8211; takes the reader on a journey into the mind of Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old boy who sees the world and the people around him in a different way.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Christopher finds himself in the middle of an adventure after he discovers the dead body of the neighbour&#8217;s dog, <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>speared<\/strong><\/em><\/span> by a garden fork. As the story unfolds, Christopher finds out the truth about his mother. He also travels to London alone and takes an A-level maths exam, all in a <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>frenzy<\/strong><\/em><\/span> of excitement and fear.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">We love this book &#8211; and the English level is perfect for <strong>intermediate learners<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bookcase-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English.jpg\" alt=\"Bookcase - 7 books you should read to improve your English | Oxford House Barcelona\" width=\"870\" height=\"652\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-41687\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bookcase-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English.jpg 870w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bookcase-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Bookcase-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \/><br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>3. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>Northern Lights<\/em> &#8211; known as <em>The Golden Compass<\/em> in the US &#8211; is the first book in Philip Pullman\u2019s fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials. It was published in 1995 and has since become a classic in the young-adult fantasy <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>genre<\/strong><\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The novel tells the story of twelve-year-old Lyra Belacqua. She\u2019s a brave and curious girl who lives in a world of mythical creatures and parallel universes. Like all humans in this world, she has a \u201cdaemon\u201d, a talking spirit animal that constantly accompanies her. Together, they <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>embark<\/strong><\/em><\/span> on a journey that is filled with danger and excitement.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">If you\u2019re looking for a thrilling but easy book to read in English, <em>Northern Lights<\/em> is a great place to start. You won\u2019t be able to put it down!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Published in 1961, <em>The Phantom Tollbooth<\/em> is still one of the best books for young adults and language learners.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The novel follows Milo, a young boy who goes on a fantasy adventure after receiving a mysterious package that contains a miniature <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>tollbooth<\/strong><\/em><\/span>. He drives through the tollbooth in his toy car and finds himself in magical places where he meets all kinds of strange characters.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The text is <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>littered<\/strong><\/em><\/span> with puns and wordplay, which make the book even more fun &#8211; and a great opportunity for language learners to practise their skills.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>5. Wonder by R. J. Palacio<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>Wonder<\/em> tells the story of August &#8220;Auggie&#8221; Pullman, a home-schooled fifth-grader living in Manhattan. He has a medical condition that has left his face <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>disfigured<\/strong><\/em><\/span>. At the start of the novel, his parents decide to enrol him into a private middle school for the first time ever.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Throughout the school year, Auggie faces many challenges because of his appearance. He\u2019s often bullied and beaten by other kids. <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Against all odds<\/strong><\/em><\/span>, the kind and courageous little boy manages to make friends.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>Wonder<\/em> made the New York Times bestseller list and was adapted into a hit movie starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson as Auggie\u2019s parents and Jacob Tremblay as Auggie.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Reading-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English.jpg\" alt=\"Reading - 7 books you should read to improve your English | Oxford House Barcelona\" width=\"870\" height=\"580\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-41690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Reading-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English.jpg 870w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Reading-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Reading-7-books-you-should-read-to-improve-your-English-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \/><br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>6. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>Persepolis<\/em> is a graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi. It uses a combination of drawings and text to tell the story of her childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The novel begins in 1980 and focuses on the impact of war and extremist religious ideology on Iranian people, especially women. Marji witnesses unspeakable <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>atrocities<\/strong><\/em><\/span> that change her life forever.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>Persepolis<\/em> was originally published in French and later translated into many languages, reaching worldwide audiences. It\u2019s an easy read in terms of language, but difficult in terms of the subject matter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The graphic novel was made into a beautiful and critically acclaimed adult animated film in 2007. The good news? You can watch it in Barcelona on the 12th of March in the Palacio Nacional de Montju\u00efc. <a href=\"https:\/\/bcu.cat\/en\/persepolis\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Click here for more details!<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>7. Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">A book that has had an impact on more than one generation of young adults, Roald Dahl\u2019s <em>Danny<\/em> was first published in 1975. It centres on a young boy living in an old caravan with his father.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">When Danny discovers that his father is a skilled <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>poacher<\/strong><\/em><\/span>, he decides to accompany him on a mission, his most ambitious one yet: capturing 120 <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>pheasants<\/strong><\/em><\/span> by feeding them sleeping pills. Their <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>mischievous<\/strong><\/em><\/span> plan leads to all kinds of complications involving a wealthy businessman, Mr Hazell. Will Danny and his father come out triumphant?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Everyone should read this refreshingly sincere and entertaining book once in their lifetime. What better way to practice your English skills?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 18px;\"><em>Can\u2019t get enough of reading books in English? Check out our list of <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/7-graded-readers-to-help-you-practise-english-at-home\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">7 graded readers for all levels<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider3\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<h1><strong>Glossary for Language Learners<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Round up (pv):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> to bring together.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Protagonist (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> the main character in a book or a film.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Endearing (adj):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> inspiring love or affection.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Spear (v):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> drive a spear or other pointed object into something.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Frenzy (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> a state of craziness.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Genre (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> a category of literature or music.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Embark on (v):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> begin.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Tollbooth (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> a kiosk by the side of the road where drivers pay a fee to use the road.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Disfigured (adj):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> ruined or spoilt, for example by a scar.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Against all odds (exp):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> despite something that seems unlikely or improbable.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Atrocity (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span>  an extremely cruel act.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Poacher (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> someone who hunts illegally.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Pheasant (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> a large, long-tailed bird.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Mischievous (adj):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> naughty.<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>Key<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">pv = phrasal verb<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">n = noun<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">adj = adjective<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">v = verb<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">exp = expression<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #055f65;\"><strong><div class=\"messagebox alert alert-info\" style=\"align:left; background:#ffffff; color:#2D346F; border:1px solid #ffffff\"><h4>Study English at Oxford House Barcelona<\/h4><i class=\"icon-info-sign\"><\/i>Interested in taking an English course at Oxford House Barcelona? Check all the different <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/english-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">English classes<\/a> we can offer you, or <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">contact us<\/a> for more information.<\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading is one of the best ways to practice English. It\u2019s fun, relaxing and helps you improve your comprehension skills and vocabulary. To help you pick out books, we\u2019ve rounded up some of our favourite novels. The stories are full of adventures and exciting characters &#8211; and better yet, they are easy to read for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":41693,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[]},"categories":[268],"tags":[987,137],"yst_prominent_words":[1340,7408,10608,3512,1044,1031,9429,1923,1246,1245,1238,10611,10607,10601,10600,10610,10597,10602,1037,1946],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41686"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41686"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41697,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41686\/revisions\/41697"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41686"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=41686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}