163 Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
The issue of whether the ability to read and write is more important today than in the past is a complex and controversial one. Different people hold different views due to their respective angles. As far as I am concerned, I approve the standpoint that the ability to read and write is more important today than in the past. In the following analysis, I would like to present several reasons to support my position.

Above all, the increase in the quantity of information that people can receive requires people to improve their ability to read and write. Today, people can attain much more information than they did several years ago because of the advanced communication tool, such as television, computer, newspaper, and internet, and most of such information is obtained by reading. Newspaper, for example, is one of the most important resource, and it can give people more details of news that television program cannot deliver. Without the ability to read, people can hardly hold the whole aspects of the affair.

Moreover, the advance of technology and science demands that people improve their ability to read and write. Twenty years ago, when computer science was not as advanced as that today, people always use traditional mail or telephone to keep contact. In contrast to telephone, mail consumed much more time to transport and, more important, sometimes it lost, making the telephone more acceptable. Today, along with the progress of technology and science, especially in the field of computer science and internet, people can communicate with each other by means of email, which is much faster and safer to be conveyed than traditional mail. Nowadays, email is becoming one of the most popular means of communication in the world, the communication that requires people to possess ability to read and write.

Someone might object to say that mobile phone is another popular means of communication, and this kind of communication does not require the ability to read and write, and it is also easy and fast. Probably, this opinion is partly right, at least, the ability to read and write is not as important as that to talk when people use mobile phone. But, the reality of life tells us that people will not feel comfortable if they are unable to write and read in the world that is more and more emphasizing relationship and communication because talking is not the whole but part of the communication.

In conclusion, because the relationship of people is being tighter, the way of communication is becoming more popular and various, and the knowledge and information are much more available today than ever before, the ability of people to read and write appears more important today than in the past.来源：考试大