This is the 5644th most frequent Russian word.
предпочитает
"Prefers"
In this sentence, 'предпочитает' is used to indicate a preference for an action (reading books) over another (watching television).
Он предпочитает читать книги вместо просмотра телевизора.
He prefers reading books instead of watching television.
Here, 'предпочитает' demonstrates a preference for a location or activity (lying on the beach) rather than another (hiking in the mountains).
Она предпочитает лежать на пляже, чем ходить в горы.
She prefers lying on the beach to hiking in the mountains.
In this usage, 'предпочитаю' conveys a choice of items (fresh fruits) over others (canned ones).