MY READING LIFE / STUDENTS' WORKS
Developing good reading habits takes time and plan
An enriched life
Editor's Note:
"Read 10,000 books, and your pen will be guided as if by the gods" is an ancient Chinese idiom that can be seen in students' textbooks. China's Ministry of Education has published an action plan to further promote reading among students across the nation. With new and diverse book recommendations, the reading scene is expected to be revived not only at schools, but also across society. To contribute to this endeavor, the Global Times launched the "My Reading Life" essay contest for middle school students.
Please pick up a pen and share your stories with us at reading@globaltimes.com.cn
Participants whose article is selected will be rewarded.
In this essay, I will discuss my reading life and share the knowledge I have gained.
Harry S. Truman once said, "Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers," which is very much in line with my personal views. Reading has made my life very fulfilling.
In junior high school, when I thought my life consisted of countless assignments, these extra-curricular books gave me an understanding of the world that went beyond textbooks.
Now, as an 11th-grade student, I have a lot of work to do, like preparing for my quizzes and tests, so I don't have a whole lot of time to read. In this case, I choose to read the news as that doesn't take a lot of time. For me, the news can not only make me more knowledgeable but also help me practice my English.
Looking back on my reading life, books really helped me a lot.
First of all, it helped me with my IELTS test.
It is difficult for a non-native speaker to read three long articles in an hour. Thus, I read slowly at first and made many mistakes on my test. The main problem was that there are too many new words in an article. In order to overcome this problem, I insisted on reading a short English story every day. None of them were very long, but I greatly increased my vocabulary from them.
My favorite genre is fiction. For example, I really liked Harry Potter in middle school. The short stories I chose are very episodic. They are not as dry as science, and not as difficult as philosophy. While savoring these stories, I also learned a lot. I think the best way to find these short stories is to read magazines.
So, through two years of accumulation, my reading speed has improved a lot. I have learned a lot of new words and now have a larger vocabulary.
Throughout this development, one story at a time, I felt my confidence in reading has grown.
This experience reminds me of an old Chinese saying, Di Shui Shi Chuan, meaning water drops can penetrate stone through constant dripping.
Being there
The books I have read also helped make my life more convenient. For example, I like reading books about travel. One thing about these books is that they are full of pictures. Vivid pictures with appropriate words or a depiction of a beautiful scenic spot. What impressed me most was Niagara Falls on the border of the US and Canada. I remember the pictures in the book and the description in the text was very impressive. So, I think when I stand in front of the falls one day, the feeling in my heart will be even more intense.
When I read these books, I feel like I am actually at these locations. Geographical distance cannot prevent me from connecting with it. And that connection is just through a book. These are not ordinary books for me, but ones that help me relax when I am stressed, which means a lot to me.
My favorite quote goes: "No matter how much one has experienced, one can't enrich their knowledge without reading books."
In my spare time, I like to learn about my favorite authors, the fields I want to know about and the knowledge I lack. I remember I used to like J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter. I wondered how one person could create such a perfect magical world. I remember liking The Ferryman by Claire McFaul. Such a warm story impressed me deeply.
Here I have to mention my past. I wasn't much of a reader before. I thought reading was very boring. Large blocks of text always made me sleepy. But my English teacher helped me develop a strong interest in reading. I still remember my first year, the teacher told us to read a novel as an assignment.
As a teenager, I didn't have the patience to read. Thus, my English teacher gave us another task - to act out stories in the form of a drama. Interestingly, this method works well with young children who are not yet mature. The dull words suddenly come alive. Every detail in the book became interesting.
Since then, I have been interested in books. Because these words to me are not just descriptive words, but vivid scenes. Thanks to my English teacher, I have become a bookworm.
In conclusion, reading has enriched my life. It enables me to make more friends who share the same interests as me, and at the same time expands my knowledge. In the future, I will continue to read more books and try to improve myself. I will never forget this precious memory.
The author is a student at the Canada Qingdao Secondary School
"Read 10,000 books, and your pen will be guided as if by the gods" is an ancient Chinese idiom that can be seen in students' textbooks. China's Ministry of Education has published an action plan to further promote reading among students across the nation. With new and diverse book recommendations, the reading scene is expected to be revived not only at schools, but also across society. To contribute to this endeavor, the Global Times launched the "My Reading Life" essay contest for middle school students.
Please pick up a pen and share your stories with us at reading@globaltimes.com.cn
Participants whose article is selected will be rewarded.
Photo:VCG
In this essay, I will discuss my reading life and share the knowledge I have gained.
Harry S. Truman once said, "Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers," which is very much in line with my personal views. Reading has made my life very fulfilling.
In junior high school, when I thought my life consisted of countless assignments, these extra-curricular books gave me an understanding of the world that went beyond textbooks.
Now, as an 11th-grade student, I have a lot of work to do, like preparing for my quizzes and tests, so I don't have a whole lot of time to read. In this case, I choose to read the news as that doesn't take a lot of time. For me, the news can not only make me more knowledgeable but also help me practice my English.
Looking back on my reading life, books really helped me a lot.
First of all, it helped me with my IELTS test.
It is difficult for a non-native speaker to read three long articles in an hour. Thus, I read slowly at first and made many mistakes on my test. The main problem was that there are too many new words in an article. In order to overcome this problem, I insisted on reading a short English story every day. None of them were very long, but I greatly increased my vocabulary from them.
My favorite genre is fiction. For example, I really liked Harry Potter in middle school. The short stories I chose are very episodic. They are not as dry as science, and not as difficult as philosophy. While savoring these stories, I also learned a lot. I think the best way to find these short stories is to read magazines.
So, through two years of accumulation, my reading speed has improved a lot. I have learned a lot of new words and now have a larger vocabulary.
Throughout this development, one story at a time, I felt my confidence in reading has grown.
This experience reminds me of an old Chinese saying, Di Shui Shi Chuan, meaning water drops can penetrate stone through constant dripping.
Being there
The books I have read also helped make my life more convenient. For example, I like reading books about travel. One thing about these books is that they are full of pictures. Vivid pictures with appropriate words or a depiction of a beautiful scenic spot. What impressed me most was Niagara Falls on the border of the US and Canada. I remember the pictures in the book and the description in the text was very impressive. So, I think when I stand in front of the falls one day, the feeling in my heart will be even more intense.
When I read these books, I feel like I am actually at these locations. Geographical distance cannot prevent me from connecting with it. And that connection is just through a book. These are not ordinary books for me, but ones that help me relax when I am stressed, which means a lot to me.
My favorite quote goes: "No matter how much one has experienced, one can't enrich their knowledge without reading books."
In my spare time, I like to learn about my favorite authors, the fields I want to know about and the knowledge I lack. I remember I used to like J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter. I wondered how one person could create such a perfect magical world. I remember liking The Ferryman by Claire McFaul. Such a warm story impressed me deeply.
Here I have to mention my past. I wasn't much of a reader before. I thought reading was very boring. Large blocks of text always made me sleepy. But my English teacher helped me develop a strong interest in reading. I still remember my first year, the teacher told us to read a novel as an assignment.
As a teenager, I didn't have the patience to read. Thus, my English teacher gave us another task - to act out stories in the form of a drama. Interestingly, this method works well with young children who are not yet mature. The dull words suddenly come alive. Every detail in the book became interesting.
Since then, I have been interested in books. Because these words to me are not just descriptive words, but vivid scenes. Thanks to my English teacher, I have become a bookworm.
In conclusion, reading has enriched my life. It enables me to make more friends who share the same interests as me, and at the same time expands my knowledge. In the future, I will continue to read more books and try to improve myself. I will never forget this precious memory.
The author is a student at the Canada Qingdao Secondary School
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