Nearly 40 percent of the elementary and middle school students in Chinese cities spend more time on outside reading than on TV programs, eastday.com reported today.

According to a survey, 18 percent of the students spend much more time on outside readings than on TV programs, 21 percent spend a little more time on readings than on TV, with the two up to 40 percent. Some 30.8 percent students said they spend almost the same time on reading and watching TV, 12 percent of the interviewees said the time they spend on TV far more than that spend on reading, which has the fewest number of students, and the other 17.7 percent students said the time they spend on TV a little more than that on reading.

Outside reading is an important part of the students' lives after school, and it is also an important measures for them to acquire knowledge and ability. Though some modern activities such as the computers and TVs gained much popularity among students, they still are favorite about outside reading, the survey indicated.

(Shanghai Daily 06/22/2001)