In the United States, "hitting the books" means studying a subject with great effort.

    One of the greatest challenges for students is taking tests. Students 1 long hours preparing for a test. They read all their books carefully, and then read them a second time and a third time. They 2 they know all the material the teacher has offered and prepare for every possible question. They study every night. They are "hitting the books".

    In the United States, most children go to school 3  they are 5 years old. Public education is free and most children go to schools near their homes. School in these early years is 4. The children learn to read and write, but they also play games and go on trips. There is no 5 for them to hit the books at such an early age.

    This situation changes as children become older. The subjects become more difficult. Students must 6 world history, physics and the life sciences. Tests become more common.

    Pressure is 7 to hit the books, study hard, and advance（升级）. However, most serious students only really begin 8 the books for long hours when they reach high school.

    High school students who hope to continue their education at a college or university 9 take a special test called the SAT. If they get a 10 score on the test, they have a good chance to enter a top American college. For this reason, many students hit the books for months to prepare for the SAT.

    All this adds up to a lot of work-"hitting the books". Knowledge is a prize that is not easy to gain.

    You eat to stay fit and keep your body working, right? Then reading is food for your mind and soul. Reading informs you of what's happening around. Reading encourages you to think and imagine, think out of the box and imagine the impossible.

    In the past, people just read books, only books. Today, we have books online, which makes reading easy. The web, our new storehouse of information, is just a click away. But this is in no way has stolen the magic of reading books, the sound of their pages fluttering(翻页)and the smells of___You can lie in bed with a book, but with a computer you possibly can't. No matter how you read, reading is important.

    Remember those bedtime stories? We read fun facts about animals, plants and the universe.  We ask “why” and “how”. In books, we find the answers. Children who are introduced to reading at an early age seem to have a better understanding of phonics(语音学).They master language skills easily, have a richer vocabulary and have greater reading abilities. Children, who grow up reading good books, mostly stand out. The way they think and act is very different from those who have never been introduced to reading. Reading not only adds to their knowledge but also shape their personalities.

    The more you read, the more creative you will become. Reading develops vocabulary,  improves language skills and sharpens(使敏捷)your problem-solving abilities. Reading gives you knowledge and makes you more confident. The more you read about others' life experiences, the better decision-maker you will become.

Reading about the importance of reading can lead you to read more and more. So choose a book you like and don't stop reading until you reach the end. And even after that read as much as you can.