专题05 World Book Day（世界读书日）课件（含外刊阅读）-高中英语中国文化和西方文化精品阅读课课件

Reading books brings with it numerous benefits giving people the opportunity to explore new worlds and meet new people both real and imagined. It expands our knowledge and understanding of the world around us and those far away. To celebrate the wonderment of books and those that make them come to life, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established 23 April as World Book and Copyright Day in 1995. However, it got its start long before that in Spain. World Book Day is a day set aside by the UNESCO to celebrate copyright, publishing, and reading. The day is observed each year on April 23rd, and all UN member states are required to observe the day. However, some countries prefer to have the day set on a particular day of the month such as the first Thursday of March as is the case with the United Kingdom. The day, which is also known as the International Day of the Book, is similar to other events held around the world to celebrate the reading culture which includes the International Children’s Book Day and the World Book Night. However, the World Book Day is the sole holiday whose observation is stipulated by international law. History of World Book Day Books did not always look the way they do today, with their glossy covers and creamy pages. When writing systems were invented in ancient civilizations thousands of years ago, clay tablets were used. Later, humanity moved on to using papyrus. In the 3rd century, the Chinese were the first to make something that resembled today’s books in that they consisted of numerous thick, bamboo pages sewn together. Then, in the mid-15th century, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press brought books into the industrial age, making them readily available to anyone who wanted to read them. It is thanks to than ingenious invention that we are all able to enjoy the works of Shakespeare, Tolstoy and many others in the comfort of our own homes today. World Book Day was created on April 23rd, 1995