Exercise 6. Answer these questions about yourself:

1. Which is easier for you to get the news from:

a) a newspaper? b) the television or radio?

2. Which is more interesting for you:

a) to read a biography of a famous person?

b) to watch a TV program about a famous person?

3. Which is cheaper in your country:

a) a paperback? b) a ticket to the cinema or theatre?

4. Which is it most important to have in your home:

a) fiction books such as novels, short stories and books of poems?

b) non-fiction books such as dictionaries and encyclopedias?

c) a mixture of both non-fiction and your favourite fiction?

Exercise 7. Read the following text and do the activities that follow:

TEXT 1

Books and Readers

Nowadays there are quite a few people who think that as more and more people have television sets in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read a novel, when a play or a film on television can tell you the same story with colour, picture and action? Why read the biographies of famous men and women, when an hour-long television programme can tell you all that you want to know?

However, television has not killed reading. Today newspapers and magazines sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a rather cheap way to get necessary information for many people all over the world. Although it is true that some books with hard covers are quite expensive, many books are published today as paperbacks, which are reasonably cheap. For ex­ample, in some countries a paperback novel is almost always cheaper than an evening in the cinema or at the theatre, and you can keep the book as long as you wish and read it many times.

Books in the home are a wonderful source of knowledge, information and pleasure, and some types of books should be in every house. Every home library should have some good dictionaries, and a geo­graphical atlas of the world with large clear maps. It might be expensive, but a good encyclopedia is useful, too, because in it you can find information on any subject you are interested in. In addition, it is useful to have on your bookshelves other non-fiction books such as history books, science textbooks, cookery books, books about medicine and health and the like. It is also important to have some fiction on your shelves, too. Then you can relax with a good story, or from time to time, you can take a book of poems off your shelf and read the thoughts and feelings of your favourite poet.

SPEAKING TASK

Exercise 8. Answer these questions about yourself. If possible ask another person these questions and discuss your points of view:

1. What newspapers and magazines do your family read? Say a few words about them if you have

ever read any of them, of course!

2. Is reading important in your life? Why? Why not?

3. How old were you when you started to read? Who taught you to read?

4. Is reading your hobby or a necessity?

5. Can you live a day without reading?

6. Would you rather have a big library at home or borrow books from the library?

7. Do you ever lend books to your friends? Yes/No. Why?

8. Can you tell what books you have on your bookshelves at home? Do you have more fiction or non- fiction?

9. How often do you use dictionaries and encyclopedias?

10. Your school library is probably not a very interesting place. What could be done to make it more interesting and useful?

11. What are your favourite kinds of books?

12. Do you have favourite books or writers?

13. What was the last book you read? Why did you decide to read it? Did you like it? Will you recommend it to your friends or parents?

14. Do you think books influence people in some way? Yes/No. Why do you think so?

15. Do you prefer to read a book first and then see its filmed version or, see it first and then read? Why?

16. What or who influences the choice of books you read?

17. Do you ever reread books or do you think that it's a waste of time?

18. If you like to reread books, what makes you do so?

19. If you have read an interesting book, do you want to share your impressions with somebody (your friends, parents) or do you like to keep them to yourself?

20. Some science fiction writers say that in the future books will be replaced by the computer. What is your opinion about this?

Exercise 9. Read the text using the glossary that follows.

TEXT 2

For some years now people have been arguing that as a result of the popularity of television news, newspapers will soon lose their importance, and they even disappear completely. The news on television is inevitably more up-to-date, and often more interesting, because of world-wide satellite television. Why bother to buy a newspaper? But people in Britain are still buying them, and for several reasons. First of all, people enjoy reading something while they are travelling to and from work, whether to find out the details of the news, or perhaps just to be entertained.

Though an increasing number of people are listening to a personal stereo instead of reading, the newspaper remains a favourite way of spending the time. Secondly, some newspapers contain far more detailed local news than any television programme. There may be more detailed local news or sports news, or political news. And the third reason is a political one too. Most television channels try to avoid any obvious political view of the news. So it is only in your chosen newspaper that you can enjoy reading about your political party in a way that pleases you.

As an editor I read a huge amount. I’m always using reference books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, manuals, catalogues, and so on. But I read a lot for pleasure too, and I particularly like poetry. At home all my books are arranged in alphabetical order (I know that’s a bit strange!). I’ve got loads of novels, murder mysteries, science fiction, etc. But there is non-fiction as well; I read quite a lot of biographies. My husband says I’m book-crazy.