【正确答案】 For the past twenty years, books have eaten into at least 10-20 percent of my pocket. Now the only things of some value under my roof, if any, are my books. As soon as a new book comes to hand, I always read the preface first and then the table of contents. If it happens to be a thin one, I often finish it at one sitting. Otherwise, I often browse through one or two chapters or sections before putting it onto my bookshelf. I seldom read a thick book from cover to cover unless it is a novel. By dint of the first impression it made on me at the time of buying, I have a rough idea of what a book is about and what useful materials in it are available to me. But I have little idea which book is to be read or looked over again at what time. It is completely subject to the whims of the moment.

【答案解析】本文选自著名文学家、教育家、出版家夏丐尊的《我之于书》一文。他的文学创作以散文为主，多随笔、杂感，内容积极，风格平淡朴素。翻译时，和上题中的《背影》一文一样，需要注意汉语意合和英文形合的特点，同时结合散文语言的特点，对原文句子进行恰当整合。