Hey everyone! Are you wondering why my English is so good? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret (Shh, don’t tell anyone! Ha-ha just kidding): my English is good only because … I read.

　　Yep that’s right, read. Ha, not much of a secret huh? You’re probably disappointed because you’ve heard this lots of times from other people. But trust me, it actually works. Why else would there be this saying: “Read thousands of books, travel thousands of miles”? Reading can take you very far on the endless road of learning languages. So start reading. Well, you probably shouldn’t start by reading essays and unbelievably boring articles. You’re just going to fall asleep having nightmares and wake up the next morning with a sore neck. Reading what interests you will help you much better, even if it’s “Mickey Mouse”. Yes, “Mickey Mouse” will help too.

　　Now, I will tell you a story: When I was a little girl, I loved to watch TV. I spent hours sitting on the sofa with a bag of chips in front of me, watching “Teletubbies”. I was exactly what you would describe as a “couch potato”. But when I was eight, my mom started making me read a chapter of an English book before bed. I dreaded it. I never really concentrated on what I was “reading”, I just skimmed over whatever is in my hands and hoped that the time would pass faster. Then one day I found that I am actually able to understand the stories. I was so proud! Little by little I realized how interesting books can be, and how wonderful the world behind the covers is. I fell in love with reading, and I actually began to look forward to bedtime. I started to read on buses, at recess, and I read whenever I can squeeze a few minutes out of my busy schedule. Soon I was never seen without an English book and if you do see me without one, it’s probably because I’m heading down to the bookstore in search of more exciting stories.

　　Reading has really helped me a lot, and I became more and more confident of my English abilities. I got over my fear of speaking to foreigners because I know that I won’t make any grammar mistakes. I mean, I read so much that the pattern of the words and sentences are literally imprinted in my brain! And with a little bit of oral English lessons, my English improved at an extraordinary rate.

　　So, English learners out there, I suggest you start reading right now. Go find an interesting book (“Mickey Mouse”, “Donald Duck”, or whatever seems to interest you) and start reading! I’m 100% sure you won’t regret it!