Summary Of Why Reading Counts By Cynthia M. Leary

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In Cynthia M. Leary’s article, “Why Reading Counts,” the author discusses reading problems in America. Once people leave school, many of them stop reading. In the article, Leary stresses the many excuses people use for not reading. First, people claim they don’t have the time to read. Second, others argue that reading is “too hard.” Finally, some believe that reading is a waste of time.
One of the many excuses people use to avoid reading is that they don’t have the time. They say they don’t have time to spend hours with a book. There are more important things to do and are too busy rushing from “work to home, from meeting to shopping center, from errand to errand.” Leary disagrees; she says there is time to read. She explains that people make time for things they find important, like jogging or going to the gym. If they believe that reading is important, they would find the time to read. …show more content…

Cynthia mentions in her article that people don’t want to do the hard work reading requires. They’d rather avoid such a “daunting” and demanding task. However, Cynthia states, “Reading is worth the work it requires.” She compares reading to activities people want to do that are also hard, like learning to play an instrument and tennis. People do them, not because they’re hard, but because they want the satisfaction that comes from it. The power and knowledge that come from reading are worth the effort.
Some people believe that reading for pleasure is a waste of valuable time. They say that spending hours on a book is unproductive. Most people only read when it’s needed for school or for a job. Cynthia argues that reading may be the best possible use of time. She professes that we must read in order to make sound decisions. We must read to know about the scientific developments and ethical issues that impact our lives. She states, “Books shed a light that illuminates our problems and

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