Reading as a pastime is basic to creativity and intellectual mind expansion as well as to the appropriate development of listening skills. Reasons for the decline of listening and communication skills can be attributed in part to misuse of media, to latch-key children, to decreased support from parents for reading at home, to lack of sufficient stress by teachers on the importance of pleasure reading, as well as to drugs and alcohol abuse and even to over emphasis on skills programs in the schools. Identifying problems is nearly always less difficult than finding viable solutions. Some short-range suggestions to remedy the problem include: (1) merchandising the importance of being intellectually well-rounded; (2) making time available in the classroom for pleasure reading; and (3) using less but better quality testing. A complete reorganization of the secondary education program is also recommended. (RAE)