The column chart above reveals clearly the statistics of reading quantity per person in seven countries in 2013.Based upon the data,the reading volumes in the U.S.,Israel and Russia are highest among the seven nations,accounting for 56,44 and 42 books per person respectively.On the contrary,those in Korea and China are lowest,taking up merely 11 and 4 books.
This tendency is rather disturbing,for reading extensively is no less necessary to one's mental life than fresh air is to one's physical life.From reading extensively,we can derive companionship,experience and instruction.First and foremost,a good book is our faithful friend.It can increase our contentment when we are cheerful and happy,and lessen our pain when we are sad or lonely.Furthermore,reading extensively can also offer us a wide range of experiences.Few of us can travel far from home or live long over one hundred,but all of us can live many different lives through the pages of books.Last but not the least,reading extensively can increase our intellectual ability,broaden our minds and make us wise.
Though with the advent of TV,cellphone and Internet,books are no longer read as extensively as they once were,nothing can replace the role that reading extensively plays in our lives.
上述柱状图清晰地揭示了2013年七个国家人均阅读量的统计结果。根据这一统计数据，美国、以色列和俄罗斯的阅读量在七个国家中最高，分别为56本，44本和42本。相反，韩国和中国的阅读量最低，只有11本和4本。
这种倾向相当令人担忧，因为我们应该知道，多读书对人的精神生活而言，犹如新鲜空气对人的身体，同样是十分必需的。从读书中我们可以收获友谊，获得经验，受到教益。首要的是，一本好书就是我们忠实的朋友。当我们开心和快乐时，书能增加我们的满足感；当我们伤心或孤独时，书能减轻我们的痛苦。而且，读书还能为我们提供各种经历。我们中很少有人能到离家很远的地方去旅行，或者活过一百岁，但是通过读书我们都能经历很多种不同的生活。最后但同样重要的是，读书能增加我们的知识技能，开阔我们的眼界，使我们变得有智慧。
虽然随着电视、手机和网络的出现，读书的人没有以前多了，但没有什么东西可以取代读书在我们生活中的作用。
