Harry potter and The Hunger Games haven’t been big hits for nothing. Lots of teens still read quite a lot. But a study shows a clear decrease over time. Nearly half of 17-year-olds say they read for pleasure no more than one or two times a year. That’s way down from ten years ago.
The digital revolution (革命) means there are more platforms (平台) than ever to read on. Jim Steyer has been studying the effect of technology on children. He has four kids and has seen the trend most with his 16-year-old. “I start to see it in our 10-year-old as well, because he is reading less and less, and more and more attracted to some of the digital media platforms that he has access to, and that he didn’t have access to when he was 6 or 7 years old,” he says.
The studies don’t say that kids are reading less because they’re spending more time online. But Steyer is convinced that’s at least part of the answer.
“First of all, most children now have access to e-readers, or other smart electronic devices like phones and tablets (平板电脑),” he says. “ And they’re spending time on that. Many reports show the increasing use of new technology platforms by kids. It just strikes me as extremely logical that that’s a big reason.
Researchers want to know more about how teens are spending their time in the digital age. But Kathryn Zickuhr of the Pew Research Center says it’s tricky. If a kid is looking at a book, you may think he or she is reading. But when it comes to looking at a smartphone or tablet, who knows?
“We’ve heard from middle and high school teachers that sometimes the Internet is wonderful for enthusiastic students to do deep research,” says Zickuhr. “But on the other side, obviously there are many distractions on the Internet.”
However, Jim Steyer says, “Kids with parents who read, who buy or take books out of the library for their kids, and who then set time aside in their kids’ daily schedule for reading, tend to read the most — whether it’s on a book, an e-book or some other devices.”
What did Jim Steyer see in his four kids?
A.They tend to read more on electronic devices. |
B.They created their own digital media platform. |
C.They improved their reading on electronic devices. |
D.They have become more addicted to digital media. |
What statement may Kathryn Zickuhr agree to?
A.Kids are easily distracted on the Internet. |
B.Most kids pretend to be doing online reading. |
C.Most kids like to read on a smartphone or tablet. |
D.Kids rarely use the Internet to do serious research. |
The last paragraph suggests that ________.
A.parents need to spare time to read for kids |
B.parents should make a reading plan for kids |
C.parents can do a lot to encourage more reading |
D.parents working in a library tend to read the most |
What is the main idea of the text?
A.What books do teens like to read the most? |
B.Why aren’t teens reading like they used to? |
C.How can teens read on electronic platforms? |
D.When will teens turn to books for fun again? |