Why is reading so important?

　　阅读为什么如此重要?

　　获得6.4k好评的答案：@Sachin Maharana

　　I couldn't help but quote Tyrion lannister from the book 'Game of thrones' written by George R R Martin.This conversation follows when Tyrion was asked why he reads so much:

　　我忍不住要引用乔治·R·R·马丁《权力的游戏》一书中提利昂·兰尼斯特的话。下面的一段对话提利昂回答了为什么他爱阅读。

　　“I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. “That’s why I read so much, Jon Snow.”

　　“我对自己的优缺点有一个很现实的把握。我的思想就是自己的武器。我的哥哥有剑，罗伯特国王有战锤，而我有思想……思想需要书本来充实就如同剑需要磨石变锋利一样，来保持它的锋利。”提利昂轻敲书皮，“琼恩·雪诺，这就是为什么我一直阅读的原因。”

　　获得5.5k好评的答案：@Pavan Kumar Bvs

　　To quote George R R Martin,

　　引用乔治马丁的话，

　　"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one."

　　“携书如历三千世，无书唯度一平生。”

　　获得16.1k好评的答案：@Vivek Patil

　　An old farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his book. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the book just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?"

　　一位农民和他的孙子一起住在山上的农场里。每天早上，爷爷很早就起来了，坐在餐桌旁读他的书。一天孙子问：“爷爷，我想跟你一样读这本书，但我读不懂，我能理解但只要一合上书本我就忘记了。那读这本书还有什么用呢?”

　　The grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

　　爷爷把煤放在炉子里静静的说，“把这篮子煤提到河边，打一篮子水回来。”

　　The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!"

　　小男孩照着爷爷说的做，但是在他回来之前所有的水都漏了。爷爷大笑说：“你下次要速度快一点。”然后送他回河边再试一次。这次小男孩跑快了一些，但是再他回到家之前篮子仍然都空了，他换成了水桶。爷爷说：“我不是要一桶水，我是要一篮子水。你刚刚还不够努力。”爷爷出来再看看小男孩。这个时候，小男孩才反应过来这是不可能的，但是他又想表现给爷爷看，只要他跑的足够的快，就能在回来之前还有水。小男孩再次把篮子放在河里装水，然后快速奔跑，但是在他到爷爷那里的时候篮子又空了。他急踹气说：“爷爷你看，都是无用功哎。”

　　"So you think it is useless?" the old man said, "Look at the basket." The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

　　爷爷问：“所以觉得这没用?看看篮子。”男孩看着篮子，第一次意识到篮子如此不同。从最先开始装煤的破旧不堪到现在里里外外都干干净净。

　　Son, that's what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out!!!

　　孩子，这就是你在读书的时候所发生的。你可能读不懂或者记不住书的内容，但是当你读了，你就会从内心到外表都会有所改变。