10 The paperless book Reading through various channels Reading is no longer restricted to books made of paper nowadays. You can read newspaper articles or even entire novels on an eBook reader, a tablet computer or your smartphone. a) Look at the pictures below. Have you ever read a book with one of these devices? b) What are advantages and disadvantages of reading texts on such gadgets? Speaking: Why eBooks will/won’t replace real books Prepare and give a one-minute presentation in which you try to convince your classmates why eBooks will or will not replace real books. Anything you can do, I can do better Recently, a magazine for booklovers asked their readers to send in reasons why eBooks are better than real books – and the other way round. Here is the “Top 4” ranking of the most popular ideas. a) Read through the chart and complete the missing titles and texts. b) Which of these arguments are the most convincing ones for you? c) Have a look at the order of the ideas, starting with the most important reason (number 1) down to the least important one (number 4). Put the ideas in the order according to your preference. d) Turn the lists into “Top 5” lists by adding one idea each. 1 eBook reader tablet computer smartphone 2 3 Top 4 reasons in favour of eBooks 1. Built-in dictionary In an eBook, references or definitions from a dictionary can be linked. You could even open websites related to an eBook with a built-in browser. 2. Purchase books quickly and easily 3. Take your entire library with you! You can fit literally thousands of books on a device that’s smaller than an average paperback. Save space in your suitcase and put your holiday reading on your eBook. 4. Updates of new information Information changes rapidly today, so some books may become outdated very quickly. eBooks, however, can be easily kept up to date. Top 4 reasons in favour of printed books 1. In contrast to an eBook, you can write on a real book and underline important passages, circle words or scribble annotations in the margins. And when you give one as a gift, you can write a nice little note on the first page. 2. No need to turn off for landing, please An eBook is an electronic gadget, which means it has to be turned off in the plane for take-off and landing. A real book has no such limitations. 3. If it gets wet … 4. An eBook will never last as long as a well-made book. (Consider the average life of a smartphone!) 140 Books Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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