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Do you like to bury your head in a good book? Getting absorbed in a good story is a great way to relax. It improves your literacy, and, according to some experts, it’s good for your health as well. Studies show that it can increase our emotional intelligence as we understand a range of perspectives and motivations. But despite these benefits, does the way we consume a story make any difference?

For the purist, the only way to digest a good story is with a paperback or hardback book. Being in print, it’s possible to feel and even smell the book. And of course it’s very portable. But the traditional book has had a rival in recent years from e-books, which are read on e-readers or tablets. An ‘electronic’ book enables you to store hundreds of virtual books in one place and allows you to download books directly.

The e-book has become popular in schools, too, and according to one school in London, it’s encouraged more children to read. 11-year-old Summit told the BBC: “If you really want a book, you can just get it online. It’s so easy, and it’s made me read more. I probably read every day now.” For adults, e-books are certainly a lightweight way of accessing our favourite literature on the move.

The recent lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic have certainly given us all time to read more, and in the UK at least, sales of physical books have risen strongly. Last year, some 202 million paperbacks and hardbacks were sold, and the publishing industry hopes this trend will continue now that people have got into the habit of reading more.

But for those who can’t or don’t want to look at the text in a book, there are audiobooks to listen to. According to Clare Thorpe, writing for the BBC Culture website: “There are hugely ambitious productions using ensemble casts, specially created soundscapes and technological advances… some authors are even skipping print and writing exclusive audio content.”

No matter what your reading preference, there’s no doubt we are spoilt for choice in how we access a good story.

vocabulary

bury one's head in 埋头于
literacy 读写能力
emotional intelligence 情商
motivation 动机
purist 讲究规范的人，主张正统的人
digest 吸收，理解
paperback 平装书
hardback 精装书
in print 印刷的
e-book 电子书
e-reader 电子书阅读器
literature 文学作品
publishing 出版
text 文字
audiobook 有声书
soundscape 声景
spoilt for choice 因选择太多而无从下手
portable 便于携带的

make sentences

I like to read crime stories and work out（得出，想出，计算出） the motivations of the characters.
I’ve got a lot to do so I’ve got to bury my head in work today.
The purists among us will only play football on grass and not artificial turf（人造草坪）.
I picked up a cheap paperback at the station and am now reading it on the train.
We were spoilt for choice when it came to choosing which film we wanted to watch at the cinema.