Explore reading: Book formats Have you ever listened to an audiobook? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of audiobooks? Read the text below about different book formats. First decide whether the statements (1–5) are true (T) or false (F) and put a cross () in the correct box. Then identify the sentence in the text which supports your decision. Write the first four words of this sentence in the space provided. There may be more than one correct answer; write down only one. The first one (0) has been done for you. 27 28 Americans are spreading their book consumption across several formats, and the use of audiobooks is rising. About three-quarters (74%) of Americans have read a book in the past 12 months in any format, a figure that has remained largely unchanged since 2012, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January. Print books remain the most popular format for reading, with 67% of Americans having read a print book in the past year. Shares of print and e-book readers are similar to those from a survey conducted in 2016, but there has been a modest but statistically significant increase in the share of Americans who use audiobooks, from 14% to 18%. Overall, Americans read an average of 12 books per year, while the typical American has read four books in the past 12 months. Each of these figures has remained largely unchanged since 2011, when the Center first began conducting the surveys. Despite some growth in certain digital formats, it remains the case that relatively few Americans use digital books (which include audiobooks and e-books) to the exclusion of print. Some 39% of Americans say they read only print books, while 29% read in these digital formats and also read print books. Just 7% of Americans say they only read books in digital formats and have not read any print books in the past 12 months. Some demographic1 groups are more likely than others to be digital-only book readers, but in general this behaviour is relatively rare across a wide range of demographics. For example, 10% of 18- to 29-year-olds only read books in digital formats, compared with 5% of those aged 50–64 and 4% of those 65 and older. Interestingly, there are no significant differences on this question related to educational attainment or annual household income. Some 7% of college graduates are digital-only book readers, compared with 5% among those who have not graduated from high school. Demographic differences in book reading in 2018 are similar to the patterns seen in previous Pew Research Center surveys. For instance, college graduates are more likely to be book readers than those who have not attended college, and younger adults are more likely to read books than those 65 and older. At the same time, some groups have become more likely to read books in certain formats than was true in 2016. Some examples include: Younger adults – Nearly one-quarter (23%) of 18- to 29-year-olds have listened to an audiobook in the past 12 months, compared with 16% who had done so in 2016. Rural adults – Adults living in various community types are equally likely to listen to audiobooks. But 17% of those living in rural areas have listened to an audiobook in the past 12 months, up from 10% in 2016. Statements True False First four words 0 More print books were sold than any other format. 1 The average number of books read hasn’t changed much since 2011. 2 Education level is a good predictor of digital only book reading. 3 Education level is a good predictor of book reading in general. 4 Most younger adults have listened to an audiobook in the last year. 5 Rural adults are increasingly likely to have listened to an audiobook. 1 demographic – a part of a population grouped by, for instance, age or gender. Print books remain the 129 Language skills Extras Explore 10 Now and then Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eig ntum des Verl gs öbv
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