open (FILEHANDLE, '<', 'some.file') or die "Can't open some.file for r
+eading.\n";
while (<FILEHANDLE>)
{
  print;
}
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Update: In general, I almost never have a statement like $_ = $var. I'm sure that I've done that, but in very,very special situations.

To read the first line:

my $first = <FILEHANDLE>;
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