April 23rd is significant in history, as it marks the birth and death anniversaries of many great authors. For example, the renowned English playwright William Shakespeare and the Spanish author of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes, both passed away on this day in 1616. In 1995, UNESCO designated April 23rd as World Book Day to honor books and their authors, and to encourage everyone to open a book and enjoy the pleasure of reading.

Reading and comprehension are the foundation of all learning. Cultivating good reading comprehension skills from a young age not only lays the groundwork for future writing but also becomes a key element in exploring other fields. The new 108 National Curriculum Guidelines, which will take effect in August this year, will impact educational policies for the next decade. The new curriculum emphasizes "competency-based" learning, and fostering literacy is central to this, making the development of reading comprehension skills even more critical.

KUMON's Chinese language program aims to develop high-level reading abilities. The curriculum includes subjects such as science, geography, history, biography, philosophy, and literature, with various literary forms like poetry, prose, essays, and novels. This rich and diverse content broadens children's reading horizons. Through KUMON's Chinese materials, children will gradually develop the ability to read longer texts, with the length and depth of the materials increasing as they progress. Additionally, by reading a variety of texts, children will improve their ability to quickly grasp the main points and purpose of an article. We hope that after understanding and interpreting the content, children will think critically, form their own viewpoints, and develop the ability to analyze.

As World Book Day approaches, KUMON encourages everyone to open a book, enjoy reading, and find reflections of life within its pages. Through this, we hope children can develop a correct view of life and values by appreciating the practical benefits of reading.