Hit the Books
Every society has its own ways of saying things. One popular expression in the United States is " hitting the books". It means studying a subject with great effort.
A student who hits the books spends long hours preparing for a test. They read their books carefully, and then read them a second time, and a third time. They make sure they know all the material the teacher has offered and prepare for every possible question. They study every night. They are " hitting the books".
In the United States,most children begin school when they are five years old. Public education is free and most children go to school near their homes. School in these early years is fun. The children learn to read and write. But they also play games and go on trips. There is no reason at such an early age for them to hit the books.
This situation changes as children become older. The subjects become more difficult. Students must learn world history, math , and the life sciences. Tests become more common. Pressure is growing for the students to hit the books, study hard and advance.
However, most serious students only really begin hitting the books for long hours when they reach high school.
High school students who hope to go on to college must take a national test called the SAT. The test has two parts. The first part tests the student's ability with numbers and mathematical skills. The second part tests the student's ability in the English language.
The SAT test is very important. A high school student who gets a high score on the two parts of the test has a good chance to enter a top American college. For this reason, many students hit the books for months to prepare for the SAT.
All this adds up to a lot of work and " hitting the books". Knowledge is something that is not easy to get.