Learn Chinese with 每天中文: Daily Reading Habit

Hello everyone, welcome to a new episode of 'Daily Chinese'.

I'm Li Ming.

Hello everyone, I'm Wang Yu.

Hello, Li Ming!

Hello, Wang Yu! We meet everyone again.

Yes, it's great to be with our listeners again.

Li Ming, I feel like it's been a long time since we last met.

Really? Didn't we just meet last week?

Haha, right.

But I really want to learn Chinese with everyone,

so I feel even one week is a long time.

I see. You really like our podcast, and you like chatting with everyone.

Of course! I think learning Chinese together is a very joyful thing.

By the way, Li Ming, have you been doing anything interesting lately?

Hmm, recently I met a new friend,

he's from America and is working hard to learn Chinese.

He told me about one of his learning methods, and I found it especially interesting.

Oh? What method?

Tell me quickly, I want to learn too. My Chinese also needs improvement.

Okay. His method is very simple. It's to read ten pages of a Chinese book every day.

Ten pages? Every day?

Yes, ten pages every day.

Wow, I think that sounds a bit difficult.

Ten pages, not one page, nor two pages. Reading every day, can that be done?

Haha, you have the same first reaction as me. I also thought, wow, ten pages, that sounds like a lot.

But today we can discuss this topic together:

Is reading ten pages of Chinese every day a good method, or a goal that's too difficult?

That's great! This topic is very interesting.

I also want to know, if I really read ten pages of Chinese every day, how my Chinese will change.

Listeners, what do you think of this method?

Let's chat about it together today.

Okay, Wang Yu. Let's talk about the first question.

You just said you think reading ten pages of Chinese every day

sounds difficult.

Why do you think so?

Hmm, it's like this.

I think, first, I'm very busy with work every day.

I go to the company very early in the morning and come home very late at night.

After returning home, I'm very tired and want to rest,

I probably don't want to read and study anymore.

I understand. Many people have this problem.

After a day of work, both the body and brain are very tired.

Exactly. Second, the number ten pages just sounds like a lot.

I think, if I start reading, the first page might have many characters I don't know.

It will take me a long time to understand it.

So wouldn't reading ten pages take even longer?

I might find it too difficult, and then I won't want to do it.

Hmm, both points you mentioned are very important.

One is a time issue, the other is a difficulty issue.

Let's discuss them one by one. First, time.

How long do you think it would take to read ten pages of Chinese?

I think... if there are many unfamiliar characters,

it might take an hour? Or even longer?

That depends on what kind of book we read.

Let's think, if it's a book for children,

those books are called 'picture books', they have many illustrations and few words.

Maybe one page only has one sentence, or two sentences.

Oh, right! Children's books are very simple.

A page might say: 'This is an apple. The apple is red.'

Exactly right.

If it's a book like that, how long do you think it would take to read ten pages?

If it's a book like that, that's so fast!

Maybe... five minutes? Or ten minutes?

Right. So, while 'ten pages' sounds like a lot,

the time it takes is closely related to the 'book' you're reading.

I see.

So, if I choose a very simple book,

then reading ten pages every day might only take ten or fifteen minutes.

I still have that much time.

Exactly. For example, you can read for a while before going to bed,

or read for a while while drinking coffee in the morning.

Ten minutes, not long, right?

Hmm, yes. Ten minutes a day, I can do that.

Thinking this way, it seems this method isn't so difficult after all.

Of course. The key to this method isn't the number 'ten pages', but the habit of 'every day'.

The habit of 'every day'...

Yes. When learning a language, the most important thing is to be exposed to it every day.

Read a little, listen a little, speak a little every day.

Even if it's only ten minutes a day, it's better than studying two hours once a week.

Why is that? Two hours a week, isn't that more time?

Because our brain likes repetition.

If you show it a little Chinese every day, it will gradually get used to it,

it will remember these characters and sentences.

If you only look at it once a week, your brain might remember it today,

forget it tomorrow, and have to start all over again next week.

Oh... I get it!

So 'every day' is more important than 'a lot'.

Very true.

So, we can view the goal of 'reading ten pages of Chinese every day'

as 'persisting in reading for a little while every day'.

It can be one page, it can be five pages, or it can be ten pages.

The most important thing is that you do it every day.

That's great! When you put it that way, I feel like I can try this method.

I can start by reading three or five pages a day.

If I find it easy and have enough time, I'll increase it to ten pages.

That's a very good idea.

Starting with a simple goal will make it easier for you to stick with it.

Okay, Li Ming. I think this method is good now.

But, I have a new question.

Please speak.

My Chinese level isn't high,

it's probably HSK Level 1 or 2.

What books should I read?

I went to a bookstore and many books were too difficult,

they were full of characters I didn't know.

That's a very good question,