Picture yourself sitting at home in a quiet reading book, ignoring the world around you, engrossed in a tale. You read the brief introduction of a book, instantly became interested in it and now you’re in the middle of an absolute page-turner. But, there’s a hot debate - physical books vs. e-books vs. audiobooks. Does the device you’re using to read affect your reaction to the book?
Generally, reading uses several areas of the brain, including attention span, reasoning, reading fluency, memory and language comprehension. Reading is known to strengthen communicative ability, vocabulary and increase emotional intelligence and social perception. So, whichever way you’re reading, there are definitely benefits.
But, let’s look at the pros to reading with your eyes - that’s physical books and e-books. They can help to retain information better. This is because when you can actually see the words; your attention is held more closely. Add to this the fact that with physical books you can go back and find any part you missed, especially if your mind wanders, which it likely will at some point or other.
On the other hand, there’s the audiobook. Headphones in, you’re switched off from life and the story really comes alive, almost like watching a film- in your head. From a scientific perspective, listening to an audiobook is likely to help you develop a greater sense of empathy as you hear the emotion of the narrator. We can more easily understand inflection and intonation. Hearing the story engages different parts of the brain, heightening the intensity and imagery, making you enjoy it more. Yet, going back to attention span, with an audiobook it’s true that it’s much harder to go back and listen again.
All in all, it seems that there are advantages to both physical books and audiobooks. Perhaps, next time you find yourself browsing bookshop shelves, also consider the format. It may just change your whole literary experience.
【小题1】Which of the following best explains “engrossed” underlined in paragraph 1?| A．reading aloud | B．keeping in mind |
| C．absorbed in | D．being absent-minded |
| A．Reading contributes to mental health. |
| B．Reading may enlarge our vocabulary. |
| C．Reading can improve social contact skills. |
| D．Reading engages different areas of the brain. |
| A．Is It Worthwhile to Read Audiobooks? |
| B．Advice on How to Read with Your Full Attention |
| C．The Function of Reading Books with Ears as Well as with Eyes |
| D．Is Reading with Your Ears Better than Reading with Your Eyes? |
| A．A fiction. | B．A textbook. |
| C．A magazine. | D．A guidebook. |
