A Silent Force Reading Passage
A Silent Force Reading Passage
Paragraph A:
According to mythology, Saint Augustine was the first person to be observed reading silently as opposed to aloud or semi-aloud, as had been the norm previously. Reading has advanced significantly since Augustine's time. It was once a menial task performed by scribes and priests, not a sign of civilization as it became in Europe during the Renaissance, when it was viewed as one of the characteristics of a civilized person.
Paragraph B:
How should individuals be motivated to read more? It can be readily accomplished by fostering early literacy development and encouraging young people to borrow books from schools. There are schools with classroom libraries in addition to school libraries. It is ineffective to wait until students are in high school to encourage a love of reading; this must begin at an early age. It is frowned upon to read comic books, periodicals, and lowbrow literature such as Mills & Boon. But what people, whether adults or children, read is of little consequence. Importance lies in the fact that they are reading. A person who reads a comic book today may get the confidence to read a more significant book in the future.
Paragraph C:
In modern society, there are also factors conspiring against reading. It is not considered cool by a younger generation that is more familiar with computer screens and Walkmans. The seclusion of reading is not particularly attractive. Students that read extensively at school, college, or university are known as bookworms. The term denotes the disdain with which certain circles or subcultures regard reading and learning. As with all such attacks, this critique is motivated by the insecurity of the illiterate and semi literate. Criticism is also a technique, like all bullying, of keeping peers in place so that they do not step out of line. Peer pressure among adolescents is so potent that it frequently thwarts efforts to alter attitudes toward behaviors such as reading.
Paragraph D:
Literacy levels currently have a significant impact on contemporary societies. While the Western world has experienced a notable decline in several areas, other less developed nations have advanced and, in some cases, surpassed it. For instance, India today has a huge number of educated workers. Therefore, European nations cannot continue to rest on their laurels as they have for far too long; otherwise, they risk falling farther behind in the global economy.
Paragraph E:
Putting aside the negative overtones, does modern Western civilization stand Canute-like against an unstoppable decline? I doubt it.
Paragraph F:
Reading is problematic in part because it is a skill that is undervalued in most developed countries. This mindset has consigned substantial portions of the population in the majority of Western nations to illiteracy. People in countries outside of the West may be surprised to learn that the literacy rate in the United Kingdom and several other European nations has slipped below that of so-called less developed nations.
Paragraph G:
Without the ability to read, it is difficult to achieve anything other than the most basic tasks in the modern world. Reading as a skill is the key to an educated workforce, which is the foundation of economic growth, especially in the current technology era. Studies have indicated that by improving the reading and numeracy skills of primary school pupils in the United Kingdom, billions of pounds can be added to the economy. Reading is no longer merely an intellectual or recreational pursuit, but a fully-fledged economic force.
Paragraph H:
But perhaps the ideal solution would be to prevent unfavorable reading attitudes from arising in the first place. Bringing children to local libraries exposes them to a setting in which they can relax amid books. If elementary school children were also brought in groups to bookstores, then…
