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Grade 11 Assembly: Reading Stars Sharing Session

May 22, 2026

On the morning of May 21, Grade 11 students gathered once again in XMT Annex for the weekly grade assembly. The theme of this assembly centered around "reading." Two “Reading Star” candidates, Ricky and Ariel, shared their wonderful insights and experiences about reading.



First, Ricky gave a talk titled “The Usefulness of Useless Books.” He shared the various types of books he enjoys reading outside of schoolwork, including Liu Cixin’s science fiction, Shen Shixi’s animal stories, Keigo Higashino’s detective novels, Chinese historical fiction, and even math-themed novels. Although many people consider these “useless books,” Ricky believes they offer three major benefits: cultivating interests, building and expanding knowledge, and collecting meaningful quotes. He encouraged everyone not to focus solely on textbooks, but to also read some “useless books,” as they often subtly shape our thinking and soul.



Next, Ariel offered practical advice on “How to Start Reading Again When You’re Busy.” She pointed out that rebuilding a reading habit is not difficult—the key is choosing the right approach. She suggested starting with genres you enjoy, such as humor, memoir, non-fiction, or fiction, and prioritizing shorter books. If time is tight, audiobooks are a great option—whether in the car, before bed, or on a walk, you can easily “finish” a book. She also noted that audiobooks are narrated at a comfortable pace, allowing you to stay engaged without needing to be fully focused. Some books, she added, are even better experienced as audiobooks. Finally, Ariel shared her own method of reading reflection: after finishing a book, rate it out of ten, write down your thoughts (no matter how informal), and look up some quotes from the book to spark further thinking.






Finally, another candidate for the "Star Reader" award, shared her insights on reading The Golden Bough. Written a century ago by British anthropologist James George Frazer, the book examines the elements and ideas commonly found across different civilizations, covering cultural phenomena ranging from magic and religion to science. Sophie presented a video analysis she had made, in which she distilled Frazer's insights into the early forms of beliefs such as magic and divine kingship in ancient civilizations into a single sentence: "Humans see the world just as they see themselves -- we understand everything through an innate common sense." She further connected this idea to the concept of the "first principle" in Aristotle's Metaphysics, extending it to explain scientific inquiry: "Isn't this exactly what scientists throughout history have been doing—trying to fathom the world through human logic?" It is this seemingly stubborn and primitive worldview that has driven the development of science and the progress of society.



The sharing session resonated deeply with the audience. Many students realized that reading doesn’t require long stretches of time, nor does it have to be “serious” books. As long as you find a style and content that suits you, reading can become an easy and fulfilling part of daily life. The assembly ended in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere, marking the beginning of the upcoming May Reading Star selection.


(Written by 11(6) Ricky ,11(7)Sophie  Pictures by 11(10) Grade 11 teachers   Supervised by Dongsheng Zhang    Reviewed by Qian Zuo)