Reading is one of the world's lost arts.  In the past, before we had television, reading was one of the most popular activities for people of all ages.  Nowadays, kids prefer playing video games, watching television, or surfing the internet.  It's quite a shame, since reading is one of the most productive ways to spend one's time.

    閱讀是不衰的藝術(shù)，老少皆宜，一本書隨行，可以暢游世界。在電視之前， 閱讀是人們鐘愛的活動。如今，孩子們愛玩電腦游戲，看電視，上網(wǎng)，相對于閱讀這個最有用的生活方式來說，當(dāng)今技術(shù)帶來方便的同時(shí)，似乎也在無聲地剝奪美好的最初。

    People read all throughout their lives.  Preschoolers learn their ABCs through picture books.  Primary school children learn their first stories in the form of fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as The Pied Piper, Goldilocks and the Three Bears,Hansel and Gretel, and The Tortoise and the Hare.  Through those books, they improve their literary skills and learn important morals as well.  In high school, students turn to more advanced material, and in their English class may read classic novels such as The Catcher in the Rye, Slaughterhouse 5, The Great Gatsby, and  A Farewell to Arms.  In college even if language is not one's major, one will still continue to be reading, though the reading may not be as fun as reading fictional novels.  Every subject including medicine, engineering, science, or finance requires the student to read textbooks to learn.  Even college graduates who are working at jobs must continue to read to train for their job, or to learn information and do research.

    人們終生閱讀，樂此不彼。小孩子通過畫書學(xué)會了ABC,小學(xué)生從童話故事里讀到屬于他們自己的第一個故事，也開始夢想書中神話一般的仙境。到了中學(xué)，閱讀開始拓寬，可以探尋自然科學(xué)和社會科學(xué)的方面，哪怕是小說等。到了大學(xué)，不僅要通過閱讀去接近專業(yè)知識，還要繼續(xù)閱讀不同的專業(yè)，以書寫論文，畢業(yè)后為了工作成就，也要大量閱讀，擴(kuò)充知識面，即使我們的專業(yè)不是語言，但通過閱讀，我們都成長為語言運(yùn)用的高手。

    Every book is a teacher.  The best part about these teachers is that you can choose them yourself.  You can choose their subject matter, style, length, and pace.  Reading, like any other skill, improves with practice.  The more you read the better and faster you do it.  Reading experts can use speed-reading techniques to read at breakneck paces.

    每本書都是一位導(dǎo)師，這種導(dǎo)師最好的地方是，你可以選擇他。你可以選擇他的題材，風(fēng)格，內(nèi)容和長度等。閱讀豐富的人，會養(yǎng)成很快的閱讀習(xí)慣，在書海里泛舟，變得高效，敏銳，雖然一目十行，精彩的亮點(diǎn)總不會錯過。

    In a competitive society, it is important to stay on top of information and trends.  To find out about what's going on in the world you must read the news.  In the past this involved reading a newspaper, but now the Internet abounds with news sources.  To keep up to date with trends, one can subscribe to magazines and periodicals.

    在信息時(shí)代，競爭激烈，要掌握全面的咨詢才能在職場穩(wěn)操勝券，你可以看雜志，期刊，報(bào)紙，現(xiàn)在網(wǎng)絡(luò)信息為閱讀提供了全新的效率和方式。

    For the working class, who are struggling to climb the career ladder, reading just might be the ticket to ascending more efficiently.  The reason for this is that knowledge is power.  In order to become a better employee and please your boss, you must be armed with more skills and knowledge.  If you are interested in being the leader, you must make sure that you know about the latest technology and techniques involved in doing business.

    對工薪階層，在職場爬梯，閱讀是升職加薪的通行證，因?yàn)橹�識就是力量，為了獲得老板的重用，你必須有全面豐富的知識，才有好的工作能力和知識底蘊(yùn)。你要想成為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)，更要知道最近的科技進(jìn)展和商業(yè)運(yùn)作的模式。

    These days, it's expensive to travel.  For those who cannot afford the cost of airfare and lodging, a cheap alternative is to read a fantasy novel or a novel set in an exotic location.  Take a vacation in your mind.

    當(dāng)今的旅行是人們熱衷的話題，但是旅費(fèi)也很昂貴，如果你有想象力，取一本愛看的書，在自己的陽臺上，可以周游世界，津津有味的閱讀，是對大千世界的回望和熱愛。

    It seems that every generation gets busier.  In our hectic lives we need some enrichment for our minds or we will turn into mindless zombies.  If you're feeling like life's got you down, pick up a self-help book such as Chicken Soup for the Soul and it may help you sleep like a baby again.

    繁忙的生活，如果不給心靈營養(yǎng)和慰藉，生活會生硬，人會變得僵直而缺乏趣味。如果你為工作而變成了僵尸一樣的機(jī)器，我建議你讀一下"心靈的雞湯",晚上的睡眠一定會讓你享受久違的香甜。

    We are a species that needs mental stimulation. If you stop reading, you deprive yourself of a God-given privilege.

    人類的精神需求是必然，如果你不閱讀，或者停下來閱讀，就自動剝奪了自己，那天賦的美好權(quán)利。行動起來，現(xiàn)在開始讓我們捧起書本，因?yàn)殚喿x是亙古不變的時(shí)尚！