...they are ready and eager to 23 further---more books and more poems of different sorts.
答案：(B) explore
explore further（進一步探索）表示孩子樂於閱讀更多書籍與詩作，呼應 explore 這個核心主題詞；escape／accustom／appear 均不符合此處語意。
四個選項都是動詞原形，都能接在 to 後面，你會憑中文挑一個。
鑑別度高達 60。線索在破折號後面：more books and more poems of different sorts（更多的書、更多不同類型的詩）。空格這個動作的方向是「往外去找更多」，那就是 explore（探索、進一步去探究）。填進去讀成 they are ready and eager to explore further。而且這一篇開頭就把三種反應列出來了：enjoyment, exploration, and deepening understanding（享受、探索、加深理解），exploration 正是 explore 的名詞形——空格要的字，文章第一句已經先講過一次。
escape（逃離）方向相反，是離開而不是深入；accustom（使習慣）要寫成 accustom oneself to，不能單獨用；appear（出現）是不及物的，與「去找更多的書和詩」也接不上。
explore（探索、探究）、exploration（探索）、be eager to V（渴望做某事）、accustom oneself to（使自己習慣於）、of different sorts（各種不同類型的）、delight（樂趣、喜悅）。
Children's encounters with poetry should include three types of response—enjoyment, exploration, and deepening understanding. These do not occur always as 21 steps but may happen simultaneously.
Certainly, children must start with enjoyment 22 their interest in poetry dies. But if from the beginning they find delight in the poems they hear or read, they are ready and eager to 23 further—more books and more poems of different sorts.
Even the youngest children can learn to see implications 24 the obvious. To read for hidden meanings is to identify with the poet, to ask the poet's questions. This is reading for deeper understanding, 25 a thoughtful look at what lies beneath the surface. Enjoyment, exploration, and deeper understanding must all be part of children's experience with poetry if we are to help them to love it.