My Reading History

First of all, I do consider myself a reader in both Mandarin and English, nonetheless, I read Mandarin more. However, most of my favorite books are either in English or translated from it. One of my favorite book is the animal farm, because while the story itself is an absolute marvel－animals taking over a farm－it precisely depicts and mocks soviet society. The ingenuity of its plot, how all characters and events can be related to a certain person or event in the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin’s rule, is simply ingenious. It is, in my opinion, one of the best satire I have ever read.

As for how and why I have become a reader, I think it is because I have had much training in reading in both languages since I was a child. My parents encouraged me to read, and later on when I started attending school, they strive to promote reading in both languages. With all the encouragements and resources I was exposed to, and considering that reading was only for entertainment at the time, giving me little reason to say no to reading, it was hard for me not to make reading a habit.

Nonetheless, after entering middle school and high school, there is little time for me to do much extracurricular reading. In fact, reading seemed to have existed only for the purpose of examinations in high school. But, lucky enough, I am able to pick up the habit of reading once again after entering college. All in all, I believe I am a reader when situation allows, otherwise I read as much as I can.