Is it more enjoyable to read a book or watch a movie?

[verona506]

Another TOEFL essay! Thank you a lot for your help!

My mother was always telling me that when she was a little child, she was cheating on her parents trying to read more and not to work more. They were a very poor family. They did not have a TV and reading was the most enjoyable activity ever for my mother. I grew up in a totally different environment. I had cartoons and movies at any moment of the day, but I was enjoying reading books. It was funny, because I was always choosing wrong books at the library and my mother was telling me that I would not be ever able to read a normal book, suitable for my age.
At the present I still prefer reading instead of watching movies. Usually I like to read a book and then to watch a movie based on the subject of that book. It is really interesting to observe the details. For example I have read the “Fight Club” of Chuck Palahniuk, a really good book and a really good movie as well. Since I have read the book and watched the movie as well, I can surely say that most of the simple watchers (I don’t mean critics or, let’s say, psychologists) did not really understand the point. They watched it, because of its Oscar’s, or maybe because of its protagonist. But they did not understand that the “Fight Club” is actually speaking about a disease, schizophrenia. In this case I would certainly affirm that reading books is much more enjoyable than watching movies.
On the other hand, I must recognize that people are extremely busy nowadays. The 20th century was called the century of the speed. I do not know why. Is it because people are moving faster due to the developed technology systems? Or is it because people are always in a hurry, due to their work, social life and responsibilities? Certainly less people read books now. I read less as well, in comparison to the quantity of books that I was reading in school and then during my university studies. I read less, because I do not have enough free time for that anymore. I started reading specialized books. They would rather make a documentary on the books I read now, than an artistic movie. Thus, in such situations I must admit that television is a good supplier. Television is like the genetically modified products: not so healthy, but they still taste good. I think that movies are enjoyable when you do not have time to read anymore.
The best combination, in my opinion, is reading and then watching. This scheme gives more perspectives for further interpreting and understanding.

[Kondorosi]

Is it more enjoyable to read a book or than (it is) to watch a movie?

[2006]

Is it more enjoyable to read a book or than (it is) to watch a movie?

There is nothing wrong with "Is it more enjoyable to read a book or (to) watch a movie?"

[verona506]

There is nothing wrong with "Is it more enjoyable to read a book or (to) watch a movie?"

Hm, i don't know. I found the subject on internet... Not on on TOEFL official website, but on a similar site like this one.

[Kondorosi]

There is nothing wrong with "Is it more enjoyable to read a book or (to) watch a movie?"

Theoretically, yes, when the two activities the sentence makes mention of are being compared to something outside this sentence. But you and I, we both know the comparative structure involves 'to read a book' and 'to watch a movie'. These two activities are being compared in terms of which is more enjoyable. This being the case, the OP's sentence is in sore need of repair.

[Kondorosi]

Another TOEFL essay! Thank you a lot for your help!

My mother used to tell me that when she was a little child, she was cheating on deceived her parents, trying to read more rather than work more. They were a very poor family. They did not have a TV, and reading was the most enjoyable activity ever for my mother. I grew up in a totally different environment circumstances. I had cartoons and movies at any moment of the day, but I was enjoying reading preferred books. It was funny(,) because I was always choosing the wrong books at in the library and my mother was telling me that I would not be ever be able to read a normal book, suitable for my age.
At the present, I still prefer reading instead of watching movies. Usually I like to read a book and then to watch a movie based on the subject of that book its film adaptation. It is really interesting to observe the details. For example, I have read the “Fight Club” of Chuck Palahniuk, a really good book and a really good movie as well. Since As I have read the book and watched the movie as well, I can surely safely say that most of the simple watchers the viewing public did not really understand the point. They watched it(,) because of its it won Oscar, or maybe because of its protagonist,. B but they did not understand that the “Fight Club” is actually speaking about a disease, schizophrenia. In this case I would certainly affirm that reading books is much more enjoyable than watching movies.
On the other hand, I must recognize that people are extremely busy nowadays. The 20th century was called the century of the speed. I do not know why. Is it because people are moving faster due to the developed technological systems? Or is it because people are always in a hurry(,) due to their work, social life, and responsibilities? Certainly less people read books now. I read less as well(,) in comparison to the quantity of books that I was reading in school and then later, during my university studies. I read less(,) because I do not have enough free time for that anymore. I started reading specialized books. They would rather make a documentary on the books I read now(,) than an artistic movie. Thus, in such situations I must admit that television is a good supplier. Television is like the genetically modified products: not so healthy, but they still taste good. I think that movies are enjoyable when you do not have time to read anymore.
The best combination, in my opinion, is reading and then watching. This scheme gives more perspectives for further interpreting and understanding.

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[verona506]

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Thank you very much. It is really helpful to see my grammatical mistakes corrected. I will practice more :)

[2006]

These two activities are being compared in terms of which is more enjoyable. This being the case, the OP's sentence is in sore need of repair.

Obviously, I disagree.

And more importantly, your revised sentence does not have the same meaning as the original question. Thus the two questions require different answers.

1...Is it more enjoyable to read a book or (to) watch a movie?
possible answers...

a) read a book
b) watch a movie
c) neither, both equally (un)enjoyable

2...Is it more enjoyable to read a book than (it is) to watch a movie?
possible answers...

a) yes
b) no (can be equally or less enjoyable)

It is a cardinal rule that when one corrects/revises a sentence, the meaning can not be changed.

[Kondorosi]

[COLOR=blue]It is a cardinal rule that when one corrects/revises a sentence, the meaning can not be changed.

I think it is of paramount important too that an editor recognize what the author is trying to convey, and when the intended and the actual meaning do not tally, repair be done.

(I am not anything near a (trained) editor.)