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VOA慢速英语2015 How to Raise a Reader

时间:2015-04-18 14:59:07

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(单词翻译)

How to Raise a Reader

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

For some people, the warmest memories from childhood come from being read a great story. But reading to children does more than create warm memories. It develops children’s language skills and increases their ability to succeed in school and, later, work.

A new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics says reading aloud is so important that parents should start as soon as their children are born. And they should continue to read aloud even after their children can read by themselves.

Doctors say parents should read books that are not too long and on the right age level so children will not lose interest. They say parents should also point to and talk about pictures in books for infants. For young children, parents should ask questions about the book.

The AAP report also suggests that doctors offer books in the waiting rooms of their offices. During regular checkups, doctors can then watch a child’s language and literacy1 development, as well as the parent-child relationship.

One mom in Washington, DC says she has seen the benefits of reading to her children.

“Why are children’s books so important?”

“Oh my gosh! We read books every day.”

Elizabeth Lyttleton has three daughters. They are ages 10, eight and two-and-a-half. Ms. Lyttleton says all her children learn from books – but in different ways.

“I watch the language in my two-and-a-half-year-old, who is now getting a big language explosion, so much of it comes from the books that she reads. So much of her capacity to identify the world around her comes from books that we read together. With my 8-year-old, it’s now the broadening2 horizons. The oldest now truly reads for pleasure and can get absolutely lost in young adult books.”

Do children still read for fun?

But children like Ms. Lyttleton’s daughters are becoming increasingly rare. Researchers find that the number of children who read for fun is dropping fast.

The company Scholastic3 is a major U.S. publisher of children’s books. Every two years, Scholastic publishes a report on American reading attitudes and habits. The 2015 report says only 31 percent of children in the U.S. read a book for fun almost every day. Four years ago that number was more than double.

Ways to raise readers

Scholastic also identifies some ways to develop a love of reading in a child. One is simply to have books in the home.

Elizabeth Lyttleton, the mother of three, was lucky. Her mother wrote and illustrated4 children’s books, so the family always had plenty to read.

“We had bookshelves full of, full of … full of kids' books. And they’re still there when we go to my mom’s house.”

Another way to develop a reading habit in children is to read to them. Researchers from the Scholastic company found that 80% of children surveyed -- of all ages -- say they love being read to. And children ages six to 11 whose parents do not read to them anymore say they miss it.

The Scholastic report also suggests permitting children to choose their own books. Of all the six to 17-year-olds in the Scholastic study, more than 90% said their favorite books are the ones they chose for themselves.

Funny is good

A book does not have to be serious to be good for kids.

Elizabeth Lyttleton says one of her children’s favorite books is called “Four Hens and a Rooster.” It is a big picture book about hens that must defend themselves against a bullying5 rooster who is trying to take over the farm.

Ms. Lyttleton says the story is awesome6 and empowering in a bizarre7 way.

“It is hilarious8 and awesome and in a really bizarre way super empowering to little girls. My oldest now will read it to the youngest. And … and … she gets it. She sees the adult humor in it but is also getting the power message in it.”

Amanda Ingram is a fifth grade teacher in Washington, D.C. She says the book “Holes” is popular with her students, many of whom are African-American. She says the book is funny but it also deals with big social issues.

“But the book that I’ve noticed has really made an impact on students is the book ’Holes’ by Lewis Sachar. The book is really funny but also very serious. It touches on race relations and economic struggles as well as environmental issues. And I’ve noticed that the students really connect with the character and really learn a lot from his experience.”

According to Scholastic, 70% of kids in the U.S. between ages six and 11 want to read books that are funny. The same study found that 54% of children want books that allow them to use their imaginations, and 41% want to read a book with a good mystery or problem to solve.

Not just for children

Of course, adults can enjoy children’s books, too. And many adults find that the books they read as children taught them lessons they still remember.

Amanda Ingram, the fifth grade teacher, says her favorite children’s book is “The Little Prince.” She says it introduced her to big philosophical9 ideas.

“And my favorite children’s book is ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This book has special meaning to me because my mother was a French teacher when I was growing up and so she read it to me in both English and French and it was the first time that I was exposed to these kinds of bigger ideas of philosophy. And I think that it just has these great world topics and lessons that kids can learn at a young age but they can also revisit the book at an older age.”

Vera Song is also a teacher in Washington, D.C. The book “Around the World in 80 Days” by Jules Verne left a deep mark on her. She says it taught her she needed to be brave and adventurous10 if she wanted to travel the world. She says she thought of this book often as she traveled from China to the United States to become a teacher.

“So, he decides, like, ‘I’m going to do it.” So, he travels a lot. And that just inspires me. Like, it’s time to take the challenge and be open-minded. The world is large. So, I think that is a meaningful book to me.”

Did you have a favorite children’s book when you were little?

If you have children in your life, what do they like to read? Please share in the comments section.

Words in This Story

illustrated - v. to explain or decorate a story, book, etc., with pictures

pediatrician – n. a doctor who treats babies and children

awesome - adj. informal extremely good

bizarre - adj. very unusual or strange

empower - v. to give power to someone; empowering is the adjective.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 literacy L3tyN     
n.识字,有文化,读写能力
参考例句:
  • I can't believe that he failed the literacy test.我无法相信他识字测试不及格。
  • The literacy rate there is the highest in Central America.那里的识字率居中美洲之首。
2 broadening 99e73caddb68488fd89ca305e35785d6     
加宽
参考例句:
  • Traveling with the bands was a broadening experience for the musicians, who were usually self- taught. 和这些乐队一起旅行使那些平素全靠自学的乐师们开阔了眼界。
  • This variety of controls contributed to a broadening use of the toolbar. 这种控件变体扩展了工具栏的用途。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
3 scholastic 3DLzs     
adj.学校的,学院的,学术上的
参考例句:
  • There was a careful avoidance of the sensitive topic in the scholastic circles.学术界小心地避开那个敏感的话题。
  • This would do harm to students' scholastic performance in the long run.这将对学生未来的学习成绩有害。
4 illustrated 2a891807ad5907f0499171bb879a36aa     
adj. 有插图的,列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
  • The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。
5 bullying f23dd48b95ce083d3774838a76074f5f     
v.恐吓,威逼( bully的现在分词 );豪;跋扈
参考例句:
  • Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
  • All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 awesome CyCzdV     
adj.令人惊叹的,难得吓人的,很好的
参考例句:
  • The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
  • That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.
7 bizarre 9tlzb     
adj.奇形怪状的,怪诞的
参考例句:
  • They saw a bizarre animal in the lake.他们在湖中看见一个奇怪的动物。
  • The building was of bizarre construction.这建筑构造奇异。
8 hilarious xdhz3     
adj.充满笑声的,欢闹的;[反]depressed
参考例句:
  • The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine.在他们又拿来更多的酒之后,派对变得更加热闹起来。
  • We stop laughing because the show was so hilarious.我们笑个不停,因为那个节目太搞笑了。
9 philosophical rN5xh     
adj.哲学家的,哲学上的,达观的
参考例句:
  • The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
  • She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。
10 adventurous LKryn     
adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的 
参考例句:
  • I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
  • He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

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