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Learn about Modal Verbs

Date: Jan 13 2012

Themes: Hobbies, Tech

Grammar: Modal Verbs

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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With bookstores closing all over the US, some believe it’s the death of the book. But that doesn’t mean people aren’t reading. New electronic devices like the iPad and the Kindle are making it possible to ditch all your heavy hardbacks and read on a small, lightweight computer. But is this new kind of high-tech reading really the same? Marni believes that reading on an eReader just isn’t the same as reading a traditional book. But Amy thinks eReaders are the way of the future.

如果全美的书店都关闭,某些人认为这是图书的末日。但这并不意味着人们不再读书。新的电子设备(例如 iPad 和 Kindle)可以让你丢弃笨重的硬皮书,并在小巧、轻便的电脑上阅读。但这种新的高科技阅读方式真的与纸质阅读一样吗?玛尼认为,在电子阅读设备上阅读和阅读传统图书不尽相同。但艾米认为,电子阅读设备是未来的方向。

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amy

Amy

Marni

Marni

Amy:  Check out my new Kindle, Marni. Pretty sweet, huh.

Marni:  Yeah, I mean, I guess, if you’re sort of into those things. But for me, I like a real book.

Amy:  Really? But these things are so convenient. I mean, eReaders are really great if you’re on a trip, you know, you don’t want to lug around a big heavy book. And you can download so many books for pretty low prices. You can have online book groups about whatever you’re reading on your Kindle…

Marni:  For me, it’s just not…I can’t give up that tradition of cracking open a new book. I love the way it smells. I love the way it feels. And I love being able to just kind of toss it off my bed. At night when I’m going to sleep, I don’t have to worry about breaking a book, whereas a Kindle, I would just constantly be worried that I was gonna drop it. It’s just not for me. I don’t know.

Amy:  Think about this. Think about all the times you’ve moved to a new house, and you’ve had to take boxes and boxes of books. For me that’s always the worst part about moving, is packing up and unpacking all my books. And now I’ll never have to do it again.

Marni:  That never bothers me. There’s something I love about looking at my bookshelf and seeing all the books that I’ve read or want to read. I just don’t think I’ll give them up.

 

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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Amy recently bought a Kindle, a small electronic device for reading eBooks. She loves it and thinks that eReaders are the way of the future. They are convenient and easy to take with you wherever you go. They also allow you to download many different books at low prices.

But Marni doesn’t like eReaders. She prefers traditional books. To her, the experience of reading on an eReader is not as satisfying as the experience of reading a regular book. She says that if she had an eReader, she would worry about breaking it. She also likes seeing all her books lined up on her bookshelves.

Do you prefer traditional books or eReaders? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

 

Comments

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 julito

julito

Argentina

CRISTAL.   Wha can we do? this is the era of digital libraries ,we all love print books  but by  buying  Ereaders at least we are eco-friendly  and therefore  helping  our environment  

03:55 PM Jan 13 2012 |

kotlesya

kotlesya

Belarus

I like all kinds of the new technology and I adore  gadgets so much. :) My preference goes to the traditional books, because they remind me about my childhood and I like the smell of their pages ( not saying about the content of the books of course). I like eReaders so much as well ( specially the once that imitates the “natural” pages of the real book.Smile 

03:51 PM Jan 13 2012 |

manu_wj

manu_wj

Italy

new technologies about all is fantastic, I love these kind of things, but I believe it’s impossible to read in a sort of “electronic screen” for 5 minuts.


I tried once but my eyes told me to close them.


A book is a book, with its cover and pages. I’m not a grat book reader but I guess that one can fall in love for a book. 

03:50 PM Jan 13 2012 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

 Oh! it’s okay     clever move for libraries to make….

03:28 PM Jan 13 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Snoopy, I didn´t ask her  but for sure libraries are electronically backing up  their books.

03:26 PM Jan 13 2012 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Khaethe, get your library now , while you can…(:


Soon, owning a library or a bookstore will be  like having a museum or antique shop

03:13 PM Jan 13 2012 |

1 person likes this

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

yes..even I love them with their yellow fragile papers :D even they become more valuable by passing time..hahaha lol

03:12 PM Jan 13 2012 |

khaethe

khaethe

Philippines

i still want books..and im a book lover! and i wish to have my own library lol :)

03:10 PM Jan 13 2012 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Julito, whats her (your librarian friend)  take on E-readers?

03:09 PM Jan 13 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Snoopy, good point, I have a friend  she is a librarian  from her I have learned that  the paper of the book , yellows and eventually is destroyed  due to the contact  with the  shelf (wood) this is one of the cons.  

03:01 PM Jan 13 2012 |

jesse.silva

Brazil

I always loved to read, but lugging books was always a problem due to my lifestyle. So I think the eReaders can be very useful for me… The bad part is that I can’t have a Library in my house cause would be no books anymores after Kindle hehe.

02:52 PM Jan 13 2012 |

snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

Advantages:


Those little gadgets are very convenient things. I’m an owner of a second generation Kindle (a gift I treated myself).I love my kindle, it makes reading very convenient. I personally like its Wi-Fi feature, I couldn’t live without Wikipedia and with a (Kindle) e-reader it’s so easy to navigate through this resourceful website. Also, the Wi-Fi feature allows you to have electronic-books delivered to your device wirelessly, in a matter of seconds, how cool is that? Those gadgets are not bulky, they are relatively light and slim, and can fit easily in your backpack, or purse. No more scratching your head over those obnoxious words you don’t comprehend, the kindle’s built-in dictionary is just for that purpose. Also, you can easily resume to your reading without the need of a book mark, because as soon as you turn your e-reader back on, you’ll be right on the page you were reading. I also, like the privacy one can get with an e-reader, many times on a bus; I’ve seen people being disturbed by a nosy passenger just because he/she could see the book’s title.”Oh! I’ve read that one… this is a lovely book” and start ruining the story for whoever was reading the book at that time, with an e-reader you are safe,  no one could tell  if you are reading  a Harlequin Book. Another advantage is the amount of paper and trees we are saving using an e-reader, it’s an environmentally friendly product.


Disadvantages:


A lot of businesses are now closed, which means a lot of people have lost their jobs. It’s now, a matter of time before your local public library closes its doors, too. Also, those gadgets are relatively pricy not every one of us can afford them. Disadvantages can also vary from one person to another; it’s a matter of personal preference. Some folks don’t like the digital reading idea. People claim it’s not the “real thing”, it’s straining their eyes. Others miss the sound of turning a real page, feeling the texture of a book as they slide their fingers over it. They will also miss, the “smell” of a traditional book, some claim that the scent of a book adds life to its content, it stimulates their imaginative senses. Also, the appearance of an old-looking book with its pages yellowed with time, a book that has been passed around from generation to the next, from Grand father to son and to grandson and so forth, it’s sometime viewed as a torch that keeps tradition alive and bonds families together, a memorabilia that needs to be preserved. For those who love their real books dearly, they dread that e-readers will come and vaporize their beloved paperbacks. They will miss walking around the libraries’ bookshelves; they will miss reading pop-up books with their children.


Both (real books and Electronic books) have their pros and cons. One is collecting dust and termites, the other is pricey and batteries operated. In order to satisfy both side of the debate, I say let’s keep both. Technology is moving a little too fast for me, and it’s invading every aspect of our lives. Let’s maintain the equilibrium between digital and real world, embrace both accordingly.Cool

02:49 PM Jan 13 2012 |

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

:D I think if there wasn’t any book stor here..I really would die…I use to read books at nights…can’t fall to asleep without it…it works as a sleep pill to me :D


and yes..thanks Enghelab St and its bookstors..LOL

02:49 PM Jan 13 2012 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

Ahoo, you are a really book-worm..  Thanks to you Enghelab St  book shops  are very prosperous.    :)))))

02:45 PM Jan 13 2012 |

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

:D yes..so to follow traditions is more acceptable in this case…..I really can’t stop myself when I go to a bookstor…we have a street in Tehran called Enghelab St. there you can find thousands bookstores…I love go there…watch windows…skim over new books..and each time I go there,back with many books…I really can’t stop myself to not buy them…I LOVE READING BOOKS..of course not e-books :D

02:40 PM Jan 13 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Ahoo,   yes, Yes,   I also use to highlight  in yellow  .I t helps me a lot  to find  the subject that I like it most.

02:34 PM Jan 13 2012 |

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Hi dear julito,that’s right…and one more thing,that people like me who are bookworm :D and use to write notes in their book,can’t do the same in their e-readers :D I use to note anything I like to remember while going over what I’ve read,or sometimes like to write the sentences related the subject in margin,so e-readers take this chance to be a bookworm like me :D

02:25 PM Jan 13 2012 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

Hello  Ahoo, I agree that  both have its pros and cons.   Electronic devices  are widely accepted now, however, the satisfaction that  we have when receiving or  give a book as a present and  the giver has written  down a few words of love  or encouragement  is  not possible  to have with  this high-tech  gadgets. Am I wrong ?

02:16 PM Jan 13 2012 |

1 person likes this

Ahoo Golzar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Both have they own advantages and disadvantages…and none can replace by the other…in recent years due to lack of enough time and sometimes space,the e-books became so polular…but even with many fans they made,the traditional way is beloved by many..and I think,those who cares about the value of a masterpiece,likes to keep it in their bookshelves,even it be a hardbacks…:D

01:51 PM Jan 13 2012 |

1 person likes this

SantD.

SantD.

Brazil

I do prefer traditional books, mainly paperback books, because for some unknown reason I have a hard time reading hardback books, I can’t adapt myself to them. I like the feeling of something “concrete” on my hands. And a brand new book smell is so good! 


On the other hand, eReaders are practical as well. It’s easier to take them with you, they’re so light. And the book group is an awesome idea, must be great to chat with people who has the same reading interests as you and can talk about the plot and who you think is the killer in the story for example. Just watch out for spoilers! Too bad Kindle is expensive in Brazil =/

12:25 PM Jan 13 2012 |

2 people like this

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