Well, if you do, did you know there are many reading than entertainment, as Brendon Smith discovered?
.
thought it was boring and preferred to spend time
watching programmes on his computer and playing
video games. But one holiday, he and his family
stayed in a cottage with no internet connection. There
was little to do in the evening once it went dark, so
he picked up a copy of The Hobbit from the cottage's
bookshelf and started to read. Two days later, he was
still reading. He read during car journeys, while the
rest of the family swam in the sea, and as soon as he
finished meals. For Brendon it was a turning point.
After The Hobbit he read The Lord of the Rings, and
then he searched for new authors.
After reading a few books, he started to notice how
his favourite authors used language and realized he
was learning a lot of new words, slowly but surely.
That had a huge effect on how Brendon wrote himself,
and as a result his marks improved at school. But what
he really liked was the incidental information in books
that helped him improve his general knowledge. It
was fun to discover facts from fiction, and he easily
picked up and remembered snippets of information
although he wasn't
trying to memorize them.
Brendon's experience is not surprising. Unlike
watching TV programmes which can be a passive
activity, reading fiction provides us with significant
mental stimulation as it requires us to use our
imaginations. The result is that reading increases
the connections in the brain. Two benefits of this
additional brain power are that we develop better
memories and stronger analytical skills, which means
our problem solving improves.
Video games also require us to solve problems and
can demand we concentrate, but a lot of activities
using computers and phones reduce our ability to
concentrate. On the other hand, reading helps us
increase our concentration as we need to focus in
order to follow the story properly. To concentrate like
this, we have to ignore the outside world and we find
this relaxing. Why? Because our brains don't have
lots of different competing thoughts. So next time you
feel stressed, don't switch on your computer - pick up
a book.
жоспар жазу керек
In the given text, we learn about Brendon Smith, who initially found reading boring compared to watching programs on his computer and playing video games. However, during a vacation with no internet connection, Brendon started reading The Hobbit and became engrossed in the story. He continued reading even during car journeys and while the rest of the family was swimming. This experience was a turning point for him.
After reading The Hobbit, Brendon continued with The Lord of the Rings, and then he started exploring books by new authors. He discovered that reading helped him learn new words, which had a positive impact on his writing skills and academic performance. He also enjoyed the incidental information in books, which improved his general knowledge and made learning fun. Brendon found that he easily remembered snippets of information from books without even trying to memorize them.
Brendon's experience is not unique. Reading fiction provides significant mental stimulation as it requires us to use our imagination. This mental engagement leads to stronger connections in the brain, which in turn improves our memory and analytical skills. Reading also helps us develop better problem-solving abilities.
In contrast, watching TV programs can be a passive activity that does not provide the same level of mental stimulation as reading. Video games may require problem-solving and concentration, but excessive use of computers and phones can reduce our ability to concentrate effectively. On the other hand, reading enhances our concentration because it requires us to focus on the story and ignore distractions. This focused attention can be relaxing because it allows our brains to have fewer competing thoughts.
So, the next time you feel stressed, instead of turning to your computer or phone, I encourage you to pick up a book. Reading can provide mental relaxation, improve concentration, enhance memory, and strengthen problem-solving skills. It is a valuable activity that offers numerous benefits both for academic success and personal growth.