📘 Part 3: Books and reading

This episode's vocabulary

Inclined (adj.) - likely or wanting to do something.

Unsurprisingly (adverb) - in a way that is not surprising.

Portable (adj.) - light and small enough to be easily carried or moved.

E-reader (noun) - a small electronic device with a screen that allows you to read books in an electronic form.

To festoon (verb) - to decorate a room or other place for a special occasion by hanging coloured paper, lights, flowers, etc. around it, especially in curves.

The sky's the limit (idiom) - there is no limit.

Sensory (adj.) - connected with the physical senses of touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight.

Undoubtedly (adverb) - used to emphasize that something is true.

To unfold (verb) - if a situation or story unfolds, it develops or becomes clear to other people.

Condensed (adj.) - (of a piece of writing) made shorter in length.

In-depth (adj.) - done carefully and in great detail.

Attention span (noun) - the length of time that someone can keep their thoughts and interests fixed on something.

Questions and Answers

M: How could reading books make people happier?

R: Apparently, the more you read, the greater the perspective it gives you. And you start to appreciate what you have and what might be possible if you did things differently. That's especially true when you read the biographies of great people and realize the... Well, great things you can accomplish.

M: How might eBooks like people read more?

R: Naturally, if they're smaller and take up less space then you can carry them around more easily and so be more inclined to read them. Sometimes just making things more convenient is enough.

M: What's the difference between ebooks and paper books?

R: Rather unsurprisingly eBooks are more portable and available in greater numbers. I think are more accessible to the vast majority of people. However, if you're blind, then you still might need something more specialist.

M: Do people prefer ebooks or paper books in your country?

R: Quite surprisingly, most people seem to have stuck to regular books. Although many have tried an e-reader at least once. I think it's down to the difference and experience and sense of accomplishment you get from physically getting through an actual thing.

M: What can children learn from books?

R: Same things as adults, though, in a simplified format, presumably, since they're younger and less sophisticated in their thinking. If you go to any school library, you'll see they’re festooned with all kinds of books that cover everything. So it must be the case.

M: For example? So what exactly can children learn from books?

R: Anything. Like it could be how to cook or it could be... Well, if they've got a simple recipe book. It could be how to be a good friend. If they see some examples in the stories they read. The sky's the limit pretty much.

M: What's the difference between reading books and watching films?

R: Well, the sensory experience is undoubtedly very different. With books, the action unfolds in your mind the way you understand it. With films, it's unfolded for you, in the way the director and others understand the material, though, well, through sound and other parts of cinematography.

M: What benefits does reading have for people?

R: Generally it allows them to live the experiences and learn lessons from others in a condensed format. That's pretty cool when you think about it. So you save time. I suppose other positive things might include developing your imagination and vocabulary. There are loads of new and interesting words and concepts and books to learn about.

M: How could reading books help people learn more about different cultures?

R: Most obviously by raising their awareness of how other people live without having to actually visit the places. You could learn that through a documentary, but books are more in-depth since they can be engaged with over a longer period.

M: Do you think people will read more in the future?

R: It depends on what you mean by more. Because if attention spans are getting shorter, then they will not read texts, which are as long but they might read the shorter texts more often than they read the longer ones now. So it depends on how you're defining your terms.