“Some people (...) approach poetry as something that must be deciphered. “ approach 原意是“靠近、接近”。英语里这个词的用法比较抽象，可以尝试把approach想象成：(抱着学习、研究、琢磨的心态去)接触、探寻、解读、研究、学习(某一对象) 在你给的语境里，可以理解为“看待、学习、接触”： 有些人“开始学习接触”诗歌时，会把诗歌看待为一种需要像密文一样解读才能看懂的东西

This sentence is a little confusing because the subject "some people" is so far away from the verb "approach." Yes, it's common to use 'approach' in this type of context. http://learnersdictionary.com/definition/approach [+ object] : to begin to deal with or think about (something) When writing, consider the way your reader will approach the text. She approached the problem from a different angle. I will approach the idea with an open mind.