Too many parents stop reading bedtime stories to their children once they start school, according to a report to be published today. They drop the habit believing they can leave it up to teachers to improve their children's reading and comprehension, it will say.

　　英國最新公布的調查結果顯示，許多父母都在孩子上學后停止了給孩子睡前講故事的行為。這些父母認為，孩子上學后就應當由老師來幫助他們提高閱讀理解能力。

　　The report, by the National Literacy Trust, will claim that parents who stop reading to their children once they start compulsory education at the age of five are jeopardising their chances of success. Research shows that children brought up in a home that continues to regard reading as a source of entertainment are far more likely to achieve higher reading standards in national curriculum tests.

　　據英國《獨立報》1月15日報道，英國國家文化基金會最新的研究結果表明，停止給孩子講故事的行為將有礙他們學習成績的提高。研究顯示，那些在上學后繼續在睡前聽父母講故事的孩子更容易在全國統考的閱讀理解項目取得好成績。

　　During the first four years of a child's life, a majority of parents (53 per cent) read to their children every day or night. By the time they reach the age of five to eight, this tails off to 37 per cent. Between the ages of eight and 12, it falls to 21 per cent.

　　在孩子上學前的四五年里，53%的英國父母會在每晚給孩子講故事，當孩子長到5歲至8歲時這樣做的父母只有37%，而當孩子到了12歲，睡前講故事的父母就剩下21%了。

　　"What is needed is some recognition that the importance of parental involvement in their children's reading habits does not decrease just because they enter school," the report concludes. The research goes on to show that parental involvement in reading has a more marked effect on a child's ability than any other factor - including social background and class.

　　研究報告總結說：“值得家長注意的是，父母培養孩子的閱讀習慣不應該因為孩子入學而放棄。研究證實，父母是培養孩子閱讀能力中最重要的因素，比家庭背景和社會階層都重要?！?

　　The report, part of a nationwide Family Reading Campaign mounted by the National Literacy Trust and the BBC, will also show there has been a decline in enjoyment of reading over the past five years - particularly among boys.

　　這項報告基于英國國家文化基金會和英國廣播公司舉行的全國家庭閱讀競賽的調查結果。報告顯示，英國人在過去5年里的閱讀興趣有所下降，其中男孩尤為明顯。

　　Fifty-five per cent of 11-year-old boys now say they enjoy reading - compared with 70 per cent five years ago. The percentage of girls has declined from 85 per cent to 75 per cent in the same period. Thirteen per cent of youngsters said they disliked reading - compared with an international average of 6 per cent.

　　目前，僅有55%的男孩表示喜歡閱讀，而在5年前有70%;同時，喜歡閱讀的女孩也從5年前的85%下降至75%;此外，13%的少年兒童表示不喜歡閱讀，而全世界這樣的孩子有6%。

　　Julia Strong, co-ordinator of the Family Reading Campaign, said: "Sharing books together has so many benefits for families.

　　"Parental involvement in reading has more of an influence on children's achievement than any other factor."

　　英國全國家庭閱讀競賽負責人斯特朗表示：“父母與孩子一起讀書有很多益處。父母為孩子培養閱讀習慣是孩子取得優異學習成績的關鍵?！?