READING HABITS

 

READING HABITS

Have a look at the images and think about your own reading habits. Have they changed?

When I was a child I used to read because I loved it. Then adolescence and college years came and I would read because I had to (assignments, papers, exams…). It wasn’t until I got my college degree and found a job that I started to read for pleasure again. Does that mean that when we are forced to do something, we don’t enjoy that so much? Now I wish I had more time to read what I want and not what I need or have to. I am looking forward to having free time in summer to read a good book, relax and cut myself off from the world.

1. What kind of books or texts are the people reading? Did they chose the books themselves or did someone else choose for them?

In most pictures I would say people decided to read just because they wanted to, so they chose a book themselves, very likely about a topic they were interested in. Only the picture that shows a group of students in a classroom may make you think that somebody else (the teacher/the school) chose the book for them.

(There is no 2) 3. Describe how they might be feeling at the moment and give reasons.

All of them seemed to be interested in what they are reading because they look relaxed and aren’t paying attention to anything that’s going on around them, even the students seemed focused on their reading.

4. Focus on one or two of the photos and say how they relate to your own experience as a reader in L1 (Spanish) and L2 (English or another foreign language). Think about the following things:

I like the last picture ("2005 Baimasi China 58727908") because to me it shows those moments while reading when you disconnect from the world, when nothing else matters. It’s just you and the story in your book, which sometimes feels as if it were your own story. That’s when I enjoy reading the best, either in L1 (Spanish) or L2 (English). The language desn’t matter.

- What texts do you enjoy reading in each language that you speak?

I read emails, websites, some articles, digital newspapers... in Spanish because I need information of some sort, hardly ever for pleasure. For pleasure I always choose novels in English.

- Do you choose the same kind of texts or do you read very different things depending on the language? What factors determine your choice? 

As I just said, for pleasure I always choose novels in English because that’s a good way to kill two birds with one stone: disconnect from real life and keep up with my English. That’s why I haven’t read a Spanish book for ages. I try to work on my English as much as I can, and reading is an enjoyable way to do it.

I read Spanish when I have to: emails, letters, news, websites in Spanish; but I if have the choice, I always choose English.

- In what format do you read (paper, e-reader, online etc.)?

I only read online, on a computer... when dealing with articles, information, bogs,news… If I am reading a book, it will always be paper.

- When do you read?

I only read for pleasure on vacation. During the school year I don’t seem to find the time to read unless I have to.