我想说的是在读够了杂书之余,我尽量把功课学好。是不是下面这样好些?
Besides reading quite a lot books that wouldn't have helped me with the college entrance exam, I did my best at school.
besides似乎用的不好。
你在besides后面用了reading,besides就当介词用了,相当于in addition to. 你觉得reading可以当did的宾语吗?
How about this:
I not only read quite a lot of books that... but also did my best at school.
OR
I read a quite a lot of books that...,and besides(副词), I did my best at school.