English Unlimited HAK/HUM 2, Schulbuch mit Audio-CD und CD-ROM

81 The story of stuff 06 LANGUAGE SKILLS EXPLORE LOOK AGAIN EXTRAS 38 Read the text below. First decide whether the statements (1–5) are true (T) or false (F) and put a cross ( ) in the correct box. Then identify the sentence in the text which supports your decision. Write the first four words of this sentence in the space provided. There may be more than one correct answer; write down only one. The first one (0) has been done for you. Being able to read is one of the most valuable skills to acquire because it opens the doors to endless knowledge and changes our view of the world and the people who live in it. The ability to read, therefore, plays an important role in an individual’s education and personal development. Although used throughout schooling, more and more people do not think that reading is a pleasant leisure activity. For youngsters, in particular, sitting down with a book is often something they avoid if possible. One reason for losing interest in reading is the availability of all sorts of media which seem to be far more attractive these days than the printed word. A growing number of children, teenagers and young adults alike, prefer spending their time playing computer games or watching television. Grown-ups, too, busy themselves with seemingly more exciting leisure activities rather than reading. People who understand the importance of reading point out how vital it is that we do not stop reading but learn to appreciate its benefits. Children, especially, need to be made familiar with books and their advantages from an early age. There are various reasons why reading is relevant. Children who are read to – or read themselves as soon as they are able to – develop a greater ability to understand different concepts while their critical thinking benefits from the stories they are confronted with. Generally, it can be said that through reading, they learn how to think independently. Being constantly spoon-fed with ideas does not make them autonomous thinkers. Another reason for encouraging children to read is that practice makes perfect or, in other words, the more children read, the better they become at it. The more interesting and enjoyable the texts they read, the more they will want to read in general. Furthermore, by reading, children automatically enlarge their vocabulary and improve their language competence as well as their communication skills. Readers are confronted with a great variety of grammatical structures and phrases. This has a positive effect on their spoken and written language skills. It is high time young people begin to understand that reading is far from boring or tiresome. As soon as they pick the right book or text, they will experience quite the opposite! Reading makes our lives richer and more enjoyable because it allows us to lose ourselves in different worlds and, ultimately, the world of our imagination. The importance of reading Statements T F First four words 0 Reading opens the door to the world. Q1 Reading is as popular now as it has always been. Q2 Children, teenagers and adults like spending their time with things other than reading. Q3 Children should be made familiar with books as soon as they can read. Q4 People enjoy reading because it improves their communication skills. Q5 People who think reading is boring haven’t found the right book or text yet. Being able to read Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv