Enjoy real words in the real world

We are swamped by the vast amount of entertainment around us, but isn't it time we started thinking about reading again, instead of wandering around in the virtual world all the time?

There are so many ways to read and there are more benefits than we can imagine. You can read a newspaper, an online website, or even the subtitles of a television programme. If it involves text, you are reading. And all these mediums are easily accessible.

The main benefits of reading are obvious. It improves your language skills and enriches your vocabulary.

These effects are more apparent when learning a foreign language. Reading is the most effective way to familiarise yourself with a language.

Don't be discouraged if it seems to take a long time to improve. If you persevere and read consistently, the benefits will come unexpectedly.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up a book now.

Jerry Wong, Hang Seng School of Commerce

From the Editor

Thank you for your letter, Jerry. Young people in particular have access to so many different forms of entertainment and education. From online gaming and social networking, to e-textbooks and tutorials over Skype, technology has enhanced both leisure and study time.

But there is one thing none of this new technology can replace - not even machines like the Kindle. That's the magic of opening the pages of a book you've never read before, and stepping into a completely different world.

Opening that first page is like opening the door to an alternate reality. Whatever the genre, and whether it's fiction or non-fiction, each page you turn reveals a new bit of knowledge.

E-books are all very well, but until they can imitate the physical motion of turning pages, and recreate the smell of new pages, they can never equal the joy created by a real, paper book.

Karly, Deputy Editor