4.Speed-reading is a crucial skill in the Internet age.We skim over articles,e-mails and tweets to try to grasp key words and the essential meaning of a certain text.Bombarded with information from our electronic devices,it would be impossible to cope if we read word by word,line by line.
But a new trend calls on people to unplug and enjoy reading slowly,using the linear pattern,left-to-right sequence.
A recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington,New Zealand,where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smartphones.They sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour.
Unlike traditional book clubs,the point of the Slow Reading Club isn't exchanging ideas about a certain book,but to get away from electronic devices and read in a quiet,relaxed environment.According to the Journal,the Wellington Book Club is just one example of a movement initiated by book lovers who miss the old-fashioned way of reading before the Internet and smartphones.
Slow readers,such as The Atlantic's Maura Kelly,say a regular reading habit sharpens the mind,improves concentration,reduces stress levels and deepens the ability to empathize(有同感,起共鸣).
Some of these benefits have been backed up by science.For example,a study of 300elderly people published by the journal Neurology last year showed that regular engagement in intellectual activities like reading slowed the rate of memory loss later in life.
Another study published last year in Science showed that reading novels helps people understand others'mental states and beliefs,a crucial skill in building relationships.
Slow reading means a return to an uninterrupted,linear pattern,in a quiet environment free of distractions.Aim for 30minutes a day,advises Kelly from The Atlantic."You can squeeze in that half hour pretty easily if only during your free moments-whenever you find yourself automatically firing up your laptop to check your favorite site,or scanning Twitter for something to pass the time-you pick up a meaningful work of literature,"Kelly said."Reach for your e-reader,if you like.Kindles make books like War and Peace less heavy,and also ensure you'll never lose your place in the book."
(Note:Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TWELVE WORDS)
78.Speed-readers read an article byskimming over it and catching the key words and essential meaning.
79.What do the members of the Wellington Book Club usually do?They usually turn off smartphones and read in silence for an hour.
80.Slow reading will benefit people's future life because it canslow the rate of memory loss.
81.According to Kelly,what are the two advantages of e-readers like Kindles?Being less heavy and marking the place in the book.