There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.' - Joseph Brodsky.

Reading
Introduction Reading is one of most absorbing hobbies. It Sharpens one's comprehension. Build one's self-assurance and skill in dominating a page of print. Also helps in developing good vocabulary Reading Techniques Five techniques which you must master to be a better reader are Reading more, and for longer period of time,(read an entire novel or a complete magazine in single evening). Reading always, and everything, with a calm, sure, confident sense of urgency. Reading with keen awareness of the structure of a piece of writing. Reading flexibly, (adjusting your rate and style of reading to what you read and your purpose in reading it). Reading so that you interpret more of what you see in less time. What to Read? Learning to read, as you know is a continuous, never ending process. If you do very little additional reading, or if you read only material that offers no challenge to your comprehension, your reading will be of very little use. You should neither read only for entertainment, nor only for information, but you should also read for intellectual growth, mental stimulation, enriching your background of knowledge,. increased wisdom and for broader outlook and a mature understanding. Read books in fields you have little or no acquaintance with, books that will open for you new horizons of learning, books that will help you explore new areas of knowledge and experience, books that will make the world and people more understandable to you.

The Importance of Reading

We all are aware of importance of reading as a hobby as well as habit. Reading is one of the most wonderful habits one can inculcate. Its beneficial for not only kids but adults as well. Reading has several advantages and one must enjoy reading good books as and when possible. As parents, its our prime responsibility to inculcate this habit in our kids. This habit must be inculcated at a very tender age. Many children dont enjoy reading because parents did not employ appropriate steps at the right time. But great thing with children is they are quick learner and if they find you interested in the things they are being taught, it becomes quite easy for them to develop same interests. However, reading is one habit that can not be developed overnight. It takes time and efforts from parents to get their kids interested in this habit. At the same time, once developed this great habit stays for a life time and more so children with reading habit are found to

1) It is a wonderful experience. 2) You are in an intellectual environment. 3) Helps you feel more confident. 4) The world is all around you. 5) Travel around the world in the cheapest way. 6) Develops your personality. 7) Entertains the mind. 8) Provides food for thought. 9) Broadens horizons. 10) Brings nature to your doorstep. 11) It makes you laugh, think and analyse. 12) Takes you to a world of 'dreams'. 13) Brings about a personality change. 14) It can change your life and vision. 15) Draws you towards perfection. 16) 17) 18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) 24) 25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30) 31) 32) 33) 34) 35) 36) 37) 38) 39) 40) 41) 42) 43) 44) 45) 46) 47) 48) 49) 50) It stimulates creativity. Brings out your writing instincts. Builds vocabulary. Helps in achieving life's goals. Increase comprehension. It clears your vision. It is contagious. It satisfies your curiosity. Helps you make more choices. It makes you grow. It increases your attention span. It doesn't require any special device. It doesn't require company. Helps build literacy. Fruitful pastime. Stress buster. Removes illiteracy. You can do it anytime, anywhere. It makes you smarter and wiser. Develops a sense of belonging to people around you. It is an enjoyment when other pleasures fail. It makes you powerful. Lets you know the why and how of anything. It encourages your imagination to soar. It builds your self-esteem. It's fun to read and know trivia. Provides mental and physical relaxation. Acts as a communication tool. Intellectualy satisfying activity. Connects you to other cultures. Travel across time. Keeps you updated with facts and figures. Spreads knowledge. Provides spiritual experience. Life long learning tool.

It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options

available, aside from books. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. It is advisable to indulge in at least half an hour of reading a day to keep abreast of the various styles of writing and new vocabulary. It is observed that children and teenagers who love reading have comparatively higher IQs. They are more creative and do better in school and college. It is recommended that parents to inculcate the importance of reading to their children in the early years. Reading is said to significantly help in developing vocabulary, and reading aloud helps to build a strong emotional bond between parents and children. The children who start reading from an early age are observed to have good language skills, and they grasp the variances in phonics much better. Reading helps in mental development and is known to stimulate the muscles of the eyes. Reading is an activity that involves greater levels of concentration and adds to the conversational skills of the reader. It is an indulgence that enhances the knowledge acquired, consistently. The habit of reading also helps readers to decipher new words and phrases that they come across in everyday conversations. The habit can become a healthy addiction and adds to the information available on various topics. It helps us to stay in-touch with contemporary writers as well as those from the days of yore and makes us sensitive to global issues. Reading provides detailed information on Reading, Home Reading, Reading Glasses, Reading Comprehension and more. Reading is affiliated with Educational Games.

On many of the other pages of advice on this site I have emphasized how important reading is as far as learning English is concerned. However, there is a further, very important reason why ESL students should try to develop their reading skills: Educational researchers have found that there is a strong correlation between reading and academic success.* In other words, 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 readers can understand the individual sentences and the organizational structure of a piece of writing. They can comprehend ideas, follow arguments, and detect implications. They know most of the words in the text already, but they can also determine the meaning of many of the unfamiliar words from the context failing this, they can use their dictionary effectively to do so. In summary, good readers can extract from the writing what is important for the particular task they are employed in. And they can do it quickly! Educational researchers have also found a strong correlation between reading and vocabulary knowledge. In other words, students who have a large vocabulary are usually good readers. This is not very surprising, since the best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to read extensively, and if you read extensively you are likely to be or become a good reader! So if you want your child to be successful at school encourage him or her to read. Reading non-fiction in English is probably the most important, but English fiction and any reading in the mother tongue - if done extensively - will help your child develop the reading competence that is essential for academic achievement.
Reading is the basic foundation on which academic skills of an individual are built. The education system knows this fact very well, and hence 'it' is given a top priority in primary education. Many believe that reading is an apt measure of a persons success in academics. Most of the subjects taught to us are based on a simple concept - read, synthesize, analyze, and process information. Although a priceless activity, the importance of reading has been deteriorating rapidly. One of the prominent causes for this is the technology boom, wherein you can get whatever information you need with just a click!

Reading, however, doesn't mean making it through your school texts to clear the approaching tests. Neither is it restricted to educational purposes only. You can read almost anything including encyclopedias, novels, dailies, magazines...the list is pretty long, but that hardly matters, as long as you like doing it. Whether you like fiction or non-fiction is not important, but whether you like reading or not is! Sadly, however, people nowadays seem to have totally lost interest in this activity. Children are too busy with their computer games and television, whereas adults are glued on to their computer screen, amassing the wealth of knowledge through Internet search engines. Reading does have its loyal fan following, but the fan base is rapidly decreasing. Importance of Reading to Children They say that the right time to inculcate good habits and values in a person is his childhood. With so many advantages to its credit, reading has to be inculcated in children at a young age. Reading skills and strategies enhance the child's ability to comprehend various concepts with immense ease. It develops critical thinking skills in children by making them think, instead of spoon feeding them. Understanding the concept and critical thinking are the two important qualities of a successful individual. Other than this, reading also improves the person's vocabulary, command on the language, and communication skills. Trends show that children who read are able to concentrate on their lessons more properly than those who don't. More importantly, good reading skills are directly related to good writing skills. A person who doesn't read will always experience a dearth of words when it comes to writing. Read more on critical thinking exercises for children. Importance of Reading Books The biggest difference between reading a book and watching a movie is the scope to unleash your own creativity. In movies, the concept is conceived by the writer and director and presented before you in a specific form. On the other hand, the writer does conceive the concept of the book, but you are also given ample freedom to unleash your creative thinking and power of imagination. Reading a book is in itself an exercise to sharpen your creative thinking skills, whilst you broaden your horizons. An individual not so keen on learning history is bound to take some interest in the subject after reading the biography of Abraham Lincoln or Theodore Roosevelt. Read more on creative reading. Inculcating the Importance of Reading at Home The foremost requirement here is that the parents themselves understand the importance of reading at home. If they themselves are not aware of it, it won't be possible for them to inculcate the reading habit in their children. One can understand that people have become very busy with their day to day work, but that's not an excuse for neglecting your children or not stressing on the importance of reading for children. Surprisingly though, we also seem to have forgotten the importance of reading the Bible and other religious texts. Reading religious books also helps inculcating good values in children. These books help us in knowing about the Almighty and how He wants us to live our life. Reading the Bible doesn't just help us to become a better person in life, but time and again helps us by showing us the right path. Technology has seemingly made the means of amassing knowledge easier, wherein you can sit at your home and find out about everything happening in the world. Read more on why is reading important. Reading yields great benefits, it's a fact which cannot be questioned by anyone. This is the reason one has to understand the importance of reading and writing, and be well versed with these activities. In this world of competitiveness, it's always advantageous to amass vast knowledge, and there is no better way to do so, other than reading. So it's high time you find a cure for bibliophobia - fear of books, especially thick books, and dive into the world of literature or whatever you like to read.

IMPORTANCE OF READING

Our bodies tend to respond positively to the right stimulus. Exercise and a healthy diet can change your quality of life. The important thing is to be consistent, and embrace a healthy lifestyle as part and parcel of your life. Why exercise? Regular physical exercise reduces your chances of getting heart disease. Exercise improves sleep patterns. You will sleep soundly and restfully after your days workout. Muscles are a vital part of the human body. Strength exercises will keep you toned, strong and in-shape. As you become physically fit, you will find that you have more energy and your levels of fatigue and stress will reduce. A strong body improves posture, increases bone density and improves the metabolic rate. Can you think of 5 completely fit adults that you know? People who have no health problems whatsoever? No backache, no heart or cholesterol problems, no weight issues, no digestive disorders. How many did you count? With our stressful urban lifestyle, the incidence of health problems has become all too common. We need to reverse this trend, by taking care of our bodies. This is actually simpler than it sounds. Everyone needs exercise. Exercise is not only for those who are out of shape. Once you get into a regular workout schedule, you will see the rewards. Your body will look leaner and fitter and you will feel much more active through the day. In fact, all that extra activity will also help you get a good nights sleep! Apart from enjoying all the health benefits that go with being fit, when your body is in peak condition, your physical appearance improves too. Glowing skin and shining eyes are the best accessories for your brand new look! Chances are you will be smiling a lot more too. Specially with all the compliments that will be coming your way Namita Jain Namita is a Clinical Exercise Specialist and Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. She is currently attached to Bombay Hospital as their clinical and wellness specialist. Look forward to the following fitness topics this week:

Sustaining fitness levels Improving fitness levels Overcoming barriers to fitness

Physical Fitness Benefits and Importance | Body Health and Fitness There are so many benefits to be gained from participation in physical fitness and wellness programs and people of all ages and both genders can derive benefits from such programs so as to help them to maintain high er quality of life. The most important benefits of physical fitness

and wellness approach in the development of positive attitude that helps people to see lifes possibilities and to work for their attainment so as to make ones life personally fulfilling and satisfying. It provides the basis for optimal physiological health and gives us the capacity to enjoy a full life. The main benefits of Physical Fitness are 1. Condition of heart and lungs by increasing the oxygen available to the body therefore enabling the heart to use oxygen more efficiently. 2. Devolopment of physical fitness components such as strength, endurance , agility, flexibility, etc and improvement of muscle tone. 3. Fosters correct posture, figure, body image, and physical appearance. 4. Quick recovery after injury, illness and decrease the risk of cardio-vascular disease. 5. Reduces and controls body fat, exercise combined with a proper diet will reduce body fat and also fulfill proper nutritional requirement 6. Increase energy level of a person and helps to maintain ideal body weight. 7. Through Participation in physical fitness program, leisure (free) time is properly utilized. 8. Improve mood and reduce depression and anxiety. 9. Postpones fatigue and reduces recovery time after vigorous activity. 10. Helps people to meet challenges of life, make them self confident and postpones ageing process.
What is Physical Fitness? So what is physical fitness? Well, it is a state or condition in which both your body and your mind are healthy and physically sound (by taking in proper nutrition and maintaining a good workout schedule). It is not necessary for a person who is physically fit to have a lean body, that can be achieved by maximum calories burned. Rather, they should have strong body endurance, along with good muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. It is also important to remember that a physically fit body is generally accompanied with a happy and satisfied state of mind. Importance of Physical Fitness Gone are the days when physical exercises were meant for people serving in the armed forces (or those having physically demanding jobs). These days, a physically fit body, free from aliments of any kind, is believed to be one of the most important assets that a human being can possess. The importance of physical fitness and exercise, customized to the specific requirements of both young and old, has led to the popularity and use of exercise equipment. The easy access to gyms and fitness centers further highlights the importance of physical fitness. This has resulted in people leading longer and healthier lives, that their predecessors could not have dreamed of. Advantages of Being Physically Fit Physical fitness not only improves our quality of life, but also helps us in the long run. It increases cardiovascular fitness and body endurance. Regular exercise can also help increase the strength of your heart. Whats more, being physically fit also increases blood circulation and helps it to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all the tissues. This not only helps the muscles increase your overall body strength, but increases its ability to exert force and sustain contractions. Physical fitness makes your joints and body more flexible, and regular exercise results in a decrease of body fat. It increases lean body mass, resulting in a balanced and healthy body composition. Never negate the importance of physical fitness, and work towards achieving a healthy disease-free body!

If a sensible man is asked to answer the question as to what he does prefer, health or wealth, naturally he will answer without much hesitation 'Health' because wealth without a good health becomes useless. The westerners pay more attention to their health than the people of the orient. In b\Britain they have the Central COuncil of Physical Recreation, the Scottish Council of Physical Recreation, the National Playing Fields Association. THe function of these various bodies is to keep the nation fit, not only physcially but mentally alert also. In modern education, physcial education and training forms part of the curriculum. In singapore schools, physical training is imparted to the young with the view to keep the young fit so that the future citizens of the country will be healthy. Only by enjoying good health can we think of enjoying wealth. Physical fitness is a must to both the young and old. THe best time to have exercise is early in the morning and late in the evening. If we cannot have a strenuous exercise, it is better to have at least a free hand exercise daily. In som countries like India and Britain, the yoga exercises are practised by some people. It is said that the best form of physical exercise is to stand on one's head. Experiments have proved that this exercise enables the man to get the required movements of the inner as well as outer organs and the result is man is also made mentally alert. People who do not take regular physical exercise are the ones who easily fall ill. The diseases such as diabetis and rheumatism can be prevented if we take regular physical exercises. A body without exercise can be compared to a machine that is kept inactive. Inactivity will lead to the machine getting rusty and in the long run becoming ueseless, so also is it the case with human body. The Japanses are an envy to the rest of the world. From a very young age the children of Japan are trained in Physcial fitness and the result is tremendous. Japan has one of the healthiest populations in the world and the mortality rate in Jpaan is low. Needless to say, physcial fitness is imperative evn among women and many of them do not seem to realise the importance of this. It is a folly to be so.

Benefits of Physical Fitness Physical Fitness has many positive benefits for a persons body. Exercise provides health benefits, increases strength and energy, enhances a persons appearance, which helps with self-esteem and also relieves stress. A major health benefit from exercising is reducing the risk of heart disease. Exercise will help increase the HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol) ratio. Estimates are that 96.8 million American adults (51 percent) have blood cholesterol values of 200 mg/dL and higher. About 37.7 million American adults (20 percent) have levels of 240 or above. By having physical activity, the efficiency of the heart and lungs is increased. As a persons level of fitness increases blood pressure will decrease therefore lowering high blood pressure. Exercise also controls diabetes by increasing insulin efficiency. A persons body is protected against osteoporosis when exercising because bone mass is increased. Studies done on the bone density of broken limbs have shown that in just 2 months, a bone can lose 5 percent of its mass. Astronauts have also shown similar loses when subjected to weightlessness. By exercising frequently, a persons joints, tendons, and ligaments are more flexible promoting easy unrestricted movement. This will increase a persons sense of balance and agility. Exercise also helps expedite the movement of the nutrients to the cells and the toxins from the cells improving digestion and elimination. The endurance and energy level a persons body is also increased. Exercising increases a persons life span by slowing aging process. Muscle tone in the body is improved and weight loss is controlled making a person look and feel better. This type of feeling really helps boost a persons self-esteem and decreases depression. Physical activity relieves stress and tension from a persons body by clearing the mind. Anxiety can also be released in exercises such as kickboxing, aerobics, or tae-bo. Another benefit that most people dont think of is the reduction in health care costs. The fitter a person is, the less chance of becoming ill. As many as 12 percent of the deaths in the US may be due to diseases associated with lack of regular physical activity. Steven Blair, chief of epidemiology at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas, led a study of physical activity levels and mortality. He found that the greatest percentage decrease in the death rate occurred in moving from the lowest fit group to the next-lowest fit group. Increasing levels of fitness went along with lower death rates, but the percentage improved in longevity decreased as fitness increased. Heart diseased, strokes, cancer, and diabetes are four of the top ten causes of death. These diseases are a great burden to our health care system. A person might consider and think about the savings physical fitness can bring to themselves and the government. Our health is very important to us. If physical fitness can help us be healthier and live a longer life span, then we should consider having some sort of exercise routine added to our daily life. College of Sports and Medicine

(ACSM) and the Centers for Disease Control recommended, Every Us adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.