Knowledge can be acquired from many sources. These include books, teachers and practical experience, and each has its own advantages. The knowledge we gain from books and formal education enables us to learn about things that we have no opportunity to experience in daily life. We can study all the places in the world and learn from people we will never meet in our lifetime, just by reading about them in books. We can also develop our analytical¹ skills and learn how to view and interpret the world around us in different ways. Furthermore, we can learn from the past by reading books. In this way, we won’t repeat the mistakes of others and can build on their achievements.

Practical experience, on the other hand, can give us more useful knowledge. It is said that one learns best by doing, and I believe that this is true, whether one is successful or not. In fact, I think making mistakes is the best way to learn. Moreover, if one wants to make new advances, it is necessary to act. Innovations do not come about through reading but through experimentation². Finally, one can apply the skills and insights gained through the study of books to practical experience, making an already meaningful experience more meaningful. However, unless it is applied³ to real experiences, book knowledge remains⁴ theoretical and, in the end, is useless. That is why I believe that knowledge gained from practical experience is more important than that acquired from books.

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书本知识与实际经验

获得知识的来源有很多，其中包括书本、老师，以及实际经验，而每一种都有其优点。从书本上及正规教育中所获得的知识使我们知道在日常生活中没有机会亲身去体验的事。通过读书，我们可以研究世界各地的资料，还可以向不曾谋面的人学习。我们也可以培养分析的技巧，并学习如何以不同的方式去观察并理解周围的世界。此外，我们可以通过读书，从历史中获取教训。如此一来，就不会再重复别人的错误，并且能够以他人的成就作为我们行动的基础。

另一方面，实际经验能够给我们更多有用的知识。大家都说从做中学的效果最好，我也认为的确如此，无论一个人成功与否。事实上，我认为犯错是最好的学习方式。此外，如果想要有新的进展，就必须要付诸行动。想要创新，只靠阅读是不够的，必须要去实践。最后，我们可以将通过读书所获得的技巧和见解应用于实际经验中，使得原本有意义的经验变得更有意义。不过，除非我们能将书本知识运用于实际经验中，否则书本知识终究仍只是理论，毫无用处。那就是为什么我会认为从实际经验中获得的知识比从书本中所得到的知识更为重要。