公务员事务局法定语文事务部文件文件.docVIP

. ... 公務員事務局法定語文事務部 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES DIVISION, CIVIL SERVICE BUREAU 文訊 WORD POWER 第四十四期 二零一一年六月 Issue No.44 June 2011 As Teachers, as Companions What are the joys of childhood? While the pleasure yielded by toys and games has an undeniable claim, we cannot over-emphasise the importance of good reads. Reading is good for both leisure and learning, whether alone or accompanied. Almost all traditional fairy tales conform to a pattern, opening with “once upon a time” and ending with a victory over the villain or a happy reunion between the hero and the heroine. In the fantasy world of these tales, young readers meet improbable characters like fairies, witches, giants, dwarfs and magical animals. Narrated in a happy tone, fairy tales make good bedtime reading. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Adventures of Pinocchio, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are children’s all-time favourites. Set in a morally black-and-white world, they win the trust of parents, most of whom consider it undesirable for their children to be exposed to the many imperfections of the adult world at too early an age. For toddlers who cannot read on their own, parents read to them by their bed. Fairy tales usually have a moral to teach, so parents may take this opportunity to inculcate positive values. Children enjoy hearing books read aloud, even if their parents just keep repeating the same story. Despite a predictable plot and familiar characters, intimate moments shared between parents and children during storytelling are precious experiences irreplaceable by playing any audiobook. Storytelling is a time-honoured way for parents to educate and amuse their children. Fortunately, great writers like Aesop, the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen have left us a rich legacy. Otherwise, parents would have to scratch their heads over what to tell their children each time. Animals play an important part in children’s stories. Personified, they talk and behave like us, showing