But burying one’s nose in a book has always been somewhat isolating―with its unspoken assertion that the reader does not want to be disturbed. So what about a device that occupies the evolving intersection (交集) between? “Strangers constantly ask about it,” Michael Hughes, a communications associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said of his iPad, which he uses to read a mix of novels and nonfiction. “It’s almost like having a new baby.” An iPad owner for four months, Mr. Hughes said people were much more likely to approach him now than when he toted (携带) a book. “People approach me and ask to see it, to touch it, how much I like it,” he said. “That rarely happens with dead-tree books.” With the price of e-readers coming down, sales of the small devices are rising. Last month, Amazon reported that so far this year, Kindle sales had tripled over last year’s. When Amazon cut Kindle’s price in June to 189 from 259, over the next month Amazon sold 180 e-books for every 100 hardcovers. Social manners surrounding the act of reading alone in public may be changing along with increased popularity. Suddenly, the lone, unapproachable reader at the corner table seems less alone. Given that some e-readers can display books while connecting online, there’s a chance the former bookworm is already plugged into a conversation somewhere, said Paul Levinson, professor of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University. “I think, historically, there has been a stigma (耻辱) attached to the bookworm, and that actually came from the not-untrue notion that, if you were reading, you weren’t socializing with other people,” Dr. Levinson said. “But the e-reader changes that also because e-readers are connected to bigger systems.” For many, e-readers are today’s must-have accessory, eating into old notions of what being bookish might have meant. “Buying literature has become cool again,” he said.1 Why does the author say that readers are somewhat isolated?A Because they imply that they don’t want to be disturbed.B Because they like to bury their faces in the books.C Because they are lonely people in nature.D Because they make contact with others.2 What can we conclude from Michael Hughes’ words?A People are curious about him.B He has just had a new baby.C He never uses his iPad to read.D People come to him to ask about his iPad.3 What is new in the e-readers compared with the former bookworms?A They can read alone in public.B They are the lonely, unapproachable readers.C They can launch a conversation while reading.D They like talking while reading.4 What is the author’s attitude toward e-books?A Positive.B Negative.C Indifferent.D Biased.5 What is the main idea of the passage?A E-books are reviving again.B E-books become less expensive.C Readers are not alone anymore.D E-books make readers less isolated.

Volumes have been written about technology’s ability to connect people. But burying one’s nose in a book has always been somewhat isolating―with its unspoken assertion that the reader does not want to be disturbed. So what about a device that occupies the evolving intersection (交集) between? “Strangers constantly ask about it,” Michael Hughes, a communications associate at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said of his iPad, which he uses to read a mix of novels and nonfiction. “It’s almost like having a new baby.” An iPad owner for four months, Mr. Hughes said people were much more likely to approach him now than when he toted (携带) a book. “People approach me and ask to see it, to touch it, how much I like it,” he said. “That rarely happens with dead-tree books.”
With the price of e-readers coming down, sales of the small devices are rising. Last month, Amazon reported that so far this year, Kindle sales had tripled over last year’s. When Amazon cut Kindle’s price in June to $189 from $259, over the next month Amazon sold 180 e-books for every 100 hardcovers. Social manners surrounding the act of reading alone in public may be changing along with increased popularity. Suddenly, the lone, unapproachable reader at the corner table seems less alone. Given that some e-readers can display books while connecting online, there’s a chance the former bookworm is already plugged into a conversation somewhere, said Paul Levinson, professor of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University.
“I think, historically, there has been a stigma (耻辱) attached to the bookworm, and that actually came from the not-untrue notion that, if you were reading, you weren’t socializing with other people,” Dr. Levinson said. “But the e-reader changes that also because e-readers are connected to bigger systems.” For many, e-readers are today’s must-have accessory, eating into old notions of what being bookish might have meant. “Buying literature has become cool again,” he said.
1 Why does the author say that readers are somewhat isolated?
A Because they imply that they don’t want to be disturbed.
B Because they like to bury their faces in the books.
C Because they are lonely people in nature.
D Because they make contact with others.
2 What can we conclude from Michael Hughes’ words?
A People are curious about him.
B He has just had a new baby.
C He never uses his iPad to read.
D People come to him to ask about his iPad.
3 What is new in the e-readers compared with the former bookworms?
A They can read alone in public.
B They are the lonely, unapproachable readers.
C They can launch a conversation while reading.
D They like talking while reading.
4 What is the author’s attitude toward e-books?
A Positive.
B Negative.
C Indifferent.
D Biased.
5 What is the main idea of the passage?
A E-books are reviving again.
B E-books become less expensive.
C Readers are not alone anymore.
D E-books make readers less isolated.