If I Could Fly

Reading has at all times and in all ages been a great source of knowledge. Today the ability to read is highly valued and very important for social and economic advancement. In today’s world with so much more to know and to learn and also the need for a conscious effort to conquer the divisive forces, the importance of reading has increased. In the olden days if reading was not cultivated or encouraged, there was a substitute for it in the religious sermon and in the oral tradition. In the nineteenth century, Victorian households used to get together for an hour or so in the evenings and listen to books being read aloud, But ,today we not only read, we also want to read more and more and catch up with the events taking place around us.

Reading skills are essential to succeed in society. Those who are good readers tend to exhibit progressive social skills. A person who is widely read is able to mix with others. He is a better conversationalist then those who do not read. He can stand his ground. Reading broadens the vision. It is in a way a substitute for travel. It is not possible to travel as much one would like to and reading can fill in the gap created by the lack of travel. Having confidence in reading only comes from the daily practice of reading. A good reader can interact with others in a far better way because reading has widened his vision and point of view. Thus a widely-read man is a better conversationalist and is able to see the other side point of view.

Educational researchers have found that there is a strong correlation between reading and academic success. A student who is a good reader is more likely to do well in school and pass exams than a student who is a weak reader. Good reader can understand the individual sentences and organizational structure of a piece of writing. They can comprehend ideas, follow arguments and detect implications. Good readers can extract from the writing what is important for the particular task they are employed...