For Chinese students, they play four years and read books when bored

For American students, it is unnecessary for them to get into university if they just read what they are interested in.

In China, the college entrance examination can determine one’s whole life. Students worry along high school and get into university. They finally can get rid of fastening on textbooks and reference books, and they have chance to relax. That’s why university gets the name “a club for playing”.

After getting into university, many students have more time and opportunities to go to library for reading books they didn’t read in the high school. Of course they have textbooks in university, but it is reasonable to read what they are interested in.

At least I thought that way, but the truth proves me wrong.

In 2001, someone did a reading study among young people above the age of 20 in Taibei, Taizhong and Gaoxiong.

In that survey, there was a question about college students’ purpose for reading. It turned out that college students don’t attach much importance to the ability training of independent thinking. The rate that the reason they read is because they are bored or want to kill time is higher than other professionals.

An American friend read the survey and sent me an e-mail. He asked me a question in a curious mood，“why does personal interest account for so high proportion? Chinese college students do some reading in order to kill time? ”

“Is there anything wrong? ” I asked him back.

“In America, students cannot finish the books assigned by professors, not mention to reading what we are interested in to idle time. It is incredible! ”he replied.

     At that time, I began to muse the comparison between Chinese and American college students’ reading key order and the impact it may bring about.

Chinese high school has 6 years. The students are filled with the whole six-year textbooks and reference books for exams.

Compared with Chinese students, American high school students are in relaxing state for six years. And once they determine to get into university, they have to receive common education in the first or two years. The subsequent major courses require you read books related to your major. There is a concept in their mind: If you just read best-sellers without reading what you are majoring in the library, you don’t have to work so hard to get into university.

For Chinese students, they can choose books freely, but only read leisure books

For American students, they specialize in some books, and they are selected by books.

An American writer whose name is Feidimen describes American young generation’s outlook on reading vividly. In his book called a young writer’s reading experience, it says,“ books will come to pick you but not you to choose books after you are 17 years old (some people may delay one or two years), because you have to read under some restriction. Reading has become a kind of plan, a part of college courses or a tool of getting knowledge.”

However，Chinese young generation’s reading habits have too much irony. I don’t know whether it is fortunate or unfortunate that college students seldom suffer reading pressure from university. What’s worse, they choose their major by the score of the college entrance examination, but not their interest. So they are doomed to be in lack of positive attitude towards their study at the moment that they get into university.

In the 20th century, a multitude of subjects are born, differentiated and specialized. Every university is worried about specification and narrowing of knowledge. Therefore, American university education releases a fresh rule: universities have to strengthen common education for students. To tell you the truth, the situation that faces Chinese college students is more serious than American students does. China continues the separation between Chinese education and western education, the separation between science and art. Even if many young people can get into university, they have many possibilities to become victims-as art and science colleges have fundamentally different reading emphasis. Even between art colleges, there is no fundamental reading connection between the college of literature and the college of foreign studies.

I have talked to many Chinese students. I found out that their teachers do not notice these problems or they don’t care much about that. As a matter of fact, there are quite a few teachers list a good amount of books during the class. However, there are few students borrowing these books and finishing them.

If you still select books depending on your interest and under no pressure, you already lag far behind the American university students. At least, that they are in the same grade are being filled with useful books.