Reading or watching?

不知读者注意到了吗? "书香鹭岛活动月"的开展让冬天的鹭岛飘着一股浓浓的书香味. 双语周刊读者俱乐部特别在上周五的英语沙龙开展读书讨论, "是否有必要重返书籍世界(Is it high time to go back to reading? )". 确实, 而今读书看报已不再是获取信息的惟一渠道. 离开了校园, 大家的读书时间变少了, 上网, 看电视的时间多了. 但这是好是坏呢? 听听大家的说法吧.

Rosa
Postgraduate student
Favorite books:
novels by Zhang Xiaoxian (Chinese)
Runaway Bride (English)

Pandora's box

Americans call the television "idiot box". Why? I don't know. Well, whatever. I'd rather call it "Pandora's box".

Relatively small as it is, the box can hold the whole world. In this box, there is goodness as well as evil. It is good, because it has changed people's way of living ever since its invention. We all have watched TV. Ask yourself how much information you've got from it, how many days it has accompanied you when you were really bored, and then you will know how good it is.

It is evil, because it has exposed people, especially inexperienced youngsters, directly to all kinds of ugliness. As the TV industry develops, TV screens begin to be filled with pornography(色情作品), violence and nonsense. Bad programs and ugly language seriously influence televiewers.

This is no wonder. Since this box holds the whole world, whatever is happening throughout the globe is transmitted into this cubic set, be it good or evil.

Frankly speaking, however, I like watching TV very much. To me, TV is still a major access to the outside world, an effective medium for knowledge learning, a valuable chance to experience society harmlessly, and an easy way to relax. I prefer watching TV to reading books, for I think watching requires less effort. Moving pictures appear to be more impressive as well.

All in all, having such a Pandora's box in hand, it is up to you when to open it and when to close it.

George Shen
Postgraduate student
Favorite books:
Gone with the Wind
Romance of the Three Kingdoms

You need to choose

Human beings can get information through their organs, such as eyes, ears, nose and mouth, even skin sometimes can receive information. Among these, eyes and ears are the major information receiving organs.

Nowadays people get most information through reading books and watching TV. Reading books only involves the use of the eyes. However, watching TV involves the use of both eyes and ears. To this point, people will think watching TV is a more effective way to get information. Actually, reading is more effective because it leaves more room for imagination and imagination will help readers to understand what they have received deeply. Someone will argue that watching TV also involves thinking. Yes, watching TV does involve thinking, but people are often at leisure while watching TV. In other words, reading is an active way to get information but watching is a passive way of doing that.

After working for a whole day, most people will relax themselves by turning on the TV and drinking a cup of tea. Only a few of them will enjoy themselves by reading books. It's a dangerous signal to modern society. After all, reading plays an important role in learning about history, the present and future of human beings. Reading will make us wise and reasonable, while television can only provide superficial knowledge due to its own limitation.

So don't ignore reading on the pretext(借口) of being busy.

Yun Huang (Alissa)
Student studying in Australia
Favorite book: Harry Potter

I would have to admit that I am not a bookworm or even close to one. Just like many people nowadays I am a typical TV fan. Looking through all those pages of thick text often reminds me of a boring dictionary. Well, think about it, colorful motion pictures and realistic sound effects do seem more interesting. But then, the moment I opened the first page of "Harry Potter", and was humorously introduced to the Dursley family (Harry's uncle), for the first time I realized there are still many magical places hidden inside books. The author, J.K. Rowling led me into a place of powerful wizards and witches, flying dragons and evil monsters and creatures. And surely, you don't need me to go into the details of the storyline, as "Harry Potter"' is already one of the best sellers in the world. Under the pen of the clever author, a world forms that people have never imagined and dreamed of living in. And kids surely agree with me. Right kids?

Aggie
University student
Favorite book:
Pride and Prejudice

I like both

Both reading and watching TV are my favorite. To me, the two independent activities are associated. They meet my needs to know more about the world as well as to seek self-improvement both internally and externally. TV shows not only entertain, but also provide updated information about the ever-changing world and open up various angles to look at human nature and society. I like watching Laws Today and Dialogue because they teach me many lessons and inspire me. Well-produced movies and TV series can draw my desires to appreciate the original works of plays, which I read for better understanding and further insight of the stories and characters. Reading allows me to talk to the writers as well as my inner self, think more and develop some new ideas. Watching TV is the window for broad horizons, while reading is the door open to my heart and mind.

Xu Zhangrong
Teacher with Jimei University

I like reading, and I always can't help to be absorbed in a variety of books.

However, I don't think the worth of other pursuits is small because the study of books excels them all. One mustn't become a pedant(学究); reading shouldn't occupy all of his spare time. It's necessary to set aside some time for relaxation, hobbies and entertainment as well. If one always stayed at home or school reading, he would be far away from the real society. While knowledge comes out of practice, sometimes, experience without learning is better than learning without experience.

What's more, there are too many books or articles, good or bad, and it's necessary to make some kind of selection. When our time is tense and money is limited, books, like friends, should be well chosen. Meanwhile, reading is not the only way to get knowledge in modern life. One can get information by listening to radio, watching TV, surfing the Internet, traveling and communicating with others.

Anyway, in a word, I believe the world would be better if everyone could enjoy reading. However, everything has two sides and maybe to have everything in books would be worse than to have no books at all.