Reading is good for more than just entertainment. Committing part of every day to reading printed books can make you a smarter， kinder， more relaxed individual. And the positive effects can be felt at any age： Even before theyve fully developed their reading skills， kids can benefit from having access to printed materials and being read to on a regular basis. Exposing kids to books， magazines， and more at an early age is a great way to encourage them to be life-long readers， and theyll reap the benefits of reading for years to come.

閱讀的好處不僅在于娛樂(lè)消遣。每天花一點(diǎn)時(shí)間來(lái)閱讀紙質(zhì)書可以使你成為一個(gè)更聰明、更友善、更放松的人。這樣積極的效果不論是哪個(gè)年齡段的人都能感受到：孩子即使在充分開發(fā)自己的閱讀能力之前，仍然可以通過(guò)接觸紙質(zhì)書和經(jīng)常聽大人給他們讀書而獲得益處。讓孩子從小就接觸圖書、雜志等閱讀材料，是一個(gè)鼓勵(lì)他們成為終身閱讀者的好方法，而且他們將在未來(lái)的日子里享受到閱讀的好處。

1. Reading can boost intelligence.

閱讀能促進(jìn)智力發(fā)展。

A study found that people who exhibit strong reading skills early in life grow up to be more intelligent. The study measured the cognitive development of 1，890 sets of identical twins. When two twins shared the same genes and home environments， early reading skills appeared to be the factor that decided which twin would be better at both verbal tests （like vocabulary） and non-verbal tests （like reasoning tests）. Because reading ability is something thats learned， the study authors concluded that more emphasis should be placed on childrens development of reading skills.

一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在童年時(shí)期展現(xiàn)出很強(qiáng)的閱讀技能的人，長(zhǎng)大之后會(huì)更加聰明。該研究比較了1890對(duì)同卵雙胞胎的認(rèn)知發(fā)展。當(dāng)一對(duì)雙胞胎享有相同的基因和家庭環(huán)境時(shí)，早期的閱讀技能似乎是決定雙胞胎中的哪一個(gè)在語(yǔ)言測(cè)試（如詞匯）和非語(yǔ)言測(cè)試（如推理）中表現(xiàn)更好的因素。因?yàn)殚喿x能力是習(xí)得的，所以研究者總結(jié)道，孩子閱讀能力的培養(yǎng)應(yīng)該得到更多的重視。

2. Reading helps increase empathy.

閱讀能幫助提升同理心。

Reading books doesnt just make you smarter—it can make you a kinder person as well. According to a study， people who consume good literary fiction have an easier time sensing and relating to emotions in other people. This effect likely has something to do with the way such books are written： Great literature forces readers to step outside themselves and empathize with the characters theyre reading about.

閱讀不僅使你變得更聰明，也可以讓你成為一個(gè)更善良的人。一項(xiàng)研究表明，閱讀優(yōu)秀的文學(xué)作品的人更容易在情感上感知他人，并產(chǎn)生認(rèn)同感。這種現(xiàn)象可能與這種作品的寫作方式有關(guān)：優(yōu)秀的文學(xué)作品迫使讀者走出自我，并與自己閱讀作品中的人物產(chǎn)生共鳴。

3. Reading can lower stress.

閱讀可以降低壓力。

Feel stressed at the end of a long day？ Cracking open a book is a good way to wind down. A study found that reading for just 30 minutes has similar stress-reducing effects to doing 30 minutes of yoga.

在漫長(zhǎng)的一天之后感到身心疲憊？打開一本書是讓你放松下來(lái)的好辦法。一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，閱讀30分鐘與做30分鐘瑜伽有同樣的減壓效果。

4. Reading may change

your brain.

閱讀可能會(huì)改變你的大腦。

Even after you put down a book， the effects of reading it are still present in your brain. A study discovered that when people read fiction with a strong narrative and plot， their brains continue to behave differently hours and even days later. This suggests that reading can train the mind and boost neural function through a process thats similar to muscle memory.

即使是在你放下一本書之后，閱讀它的影響仍然在你的大腦中存在。一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，當(dāng)人們閱讀具有大量的敘事和情節(jié)的小說(shuō)時(shí)，他們的大腦會(huì)在接下來(lái)的幾個(gè)小時(shí)甚至幾天里持續(xù)表現(xiàn)異常。這說(shuō)明閱讀可以鍛煉大腦，并且通過(guò)與肌肉記憶相類似的過(guò)程促進(jìn)神經(jīng)功能的發(fā)展。

5. Reading is an excuse to put

your phone away at night.

閱讀是一個(gè)晚上遠(yuǎn)離手機(jī)的好理由。

If youre too busy to read during the day， consider making snuggling up with a good book as part of your bedtime routine. Reading a physical book before going to bed is a great alternative to scrolling through your phone. Research has shown that smartphone use at night makes it harder for people to fall asleep and leads to an overall decline in sleep quality. Some experts say reading books can have relaxing effects， making it the ideal bedtime activity.

如果你在白天忙得無(wú)暇閱讀，可以考慮將讀一本好書當(dāng)作每日睡前慣例。睡前讀一本紙質(zhì)書是代替看手機(jī)的好方法。研究表明，夜間使用智能手機(jī)會(huì)令人難以入睡，從而導(dǎo)致人們的睡眠質(zhì)量整體下降。一些專家表示，閱讀書籍可以產(chǎn)生放松效果，因而是一項(xiàng)理想的睡前活動(dòng)。

6. Reading helps families bond.

閱讀有助于增進(jìn)家庭關(guān)系。

Reading doesnt have to be a solitary activity. When parents read out loud to their children， they can pass on the benefits of reading and encourage meaningful interactions. To help kids get the positive effects of reading， parents should stick to physical picture books. A study found that printed books， in contrast to tablets and e-readers， can promote the deepest connections between caretakers and children.

閱讀不一定是一個(gè)人進(jìn)行的活動(dòng)。當(dāng)父母為孩子大聲讀書時(shí)，他們不但可以向孩子傳遞閱讀的好處，而且可以鼓勵(lì)孩子進(jìn)行有意義的互動(dòng)。為了讓孩子獲得朗讀所帶來(lái)的積極效果，父母應(yīng)該堅(jiān)持使用實(shí)體圖畫書。一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，與平板電腦和電子閱讀器相比，印刷書籍可以促進(jìn)看護(hù)人與兒童之間最深層的聯(lián)系。

Word Bank

access /'?kses/ n. （使用或見到的）機(jī)會(huì)，權(quán)利

expose /?k'sp??z/ v. 使接觸；使體驗(yàn)

We want to expose the kids to as much art and culture as possible.

emphasis /'emf?s?s/ n. 重視；重要性

wind down 喘口氣

boost /bu?st/ v. 使增長(zhǎng)；使興旺

alternative /??l't??n?t?v/ n. 可供選擇的事物