目前，我国的大多数英语阅读教学采取传统的阅读教学方式，学生缺乏自主，阅读材料选择单一，学生很少享受阅读的快乐。这样就导致学生不能在文章中快速识别生单词的含义，不能快速抓住文章的主旨大意，久而久之，使得学生的阅读理解能力无法得到有效提高。持续默读（SSR）指在指定的一段时间内学生在教师的指导下自由挑选自己爱读的书进行自主阅读，没有考试，没有阅读技巧训练，教师也不讲解，而是与学生一起读书，以营造一种阅读的氛围（陈则航，罗少茜，王蔷，2010）。Krashen指出，自主阅读是语言学习中最有效的工具，读的越多，越会读，写得也越好，词汇量也越大，对复杂语法结构的把握也越到位。本文旨在探究持续默读的方法对中国西部地区的高中生英语阅读能力会产生什么样的影响。本次实验选取了宁夏回族自治区吴忠市回民中学的两个高一平行班作为研究对象，共120人，年龄均在14-17岁。9班为实验组，共60人。12班为控制组，也有60人。从2014年9月开始到2015年1月底进行实验。针对实验组开展了持续默读的教学，每堂课给他们15分钟时间阅读他们自由选择的自己喜欢的阅读材料，可以是报纸，杂志，简易小说等等。而控制组在这15分钟时间里阅读指定的阅读理解材料。两组的授课老师为同一人，课外作业都是完成指定的练习内容。实验结果表明，通过持续默读，不仅提高了学生的阅读理解能力，而且激发了他们的阅读动机，培养了良好的阅读习惯，让英语阅读成为一种习惯。大部分实验组的学生表示，通过持续默读的训练，他们掌握了英语阅读的技巧和策略，越来越喜欢英语阅读。由于阅读给他们带来了极大的快乐，因此，他们运用英语的综合能力得到了提高。

At present, most of the English reading class is delivered in the traditional way, in which students are lack of independence. The reading materials are simple and limited, students can rarely get pleasure from reading. As a result, students can neither get the meaning of new words quickly, nor they can grasp the main idea of the passage. This is why students have a low reading ability. Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) refers to students reading their favorite books independently within the specified period of time, no tests, no reading skills training, no teacher's explanation. Of course, students choose their favorite books freely under the guidance of teachers. In order to set a good example and create a friendly reading atmosphere, teachers read silently together with the students during this period of time (Chen Zehang, Luo Shaoqian & Wang Qiang, 2010). Krashen points out that the independent reading is the most effective tools in language learning, the more you read, the better reader you will be. This research aims at how to improve Senior High Students reading ability using Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). The subject of the study is Senior One students from Wuzhong Hui Senior High School in Ningxia Autonomous Region. There are totally 120 students，whose ages are from 14-17 years old. Class 9 is the experimental group with 60 students. Class 12 is the control group with 60 students. From September 1st, 2014 to January 30th, 2015, students in experimental group are given 15 minutes to do SSR, while students in control group should read certain reading comprehension materials in this period of time. Students in both groups are asked to finish the same homework after class.After the research, we can conclude that students’ reading ability are improved in the experimental group, and their reading motivations are greatly inspired. Most students in experimental group agree to read more English after class. Above all, students’ integrative competence is improved because of the pleasure given by SSR.