BBC 6 Minute English | DID WE READ TO SHOW OFF? | English CC | Daily Lis...

source: Daily Listening    2016年9月16日
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Do we read to show off?
What do you read when you are on the bus or train? Some people might hold a copy of a classic novel to impress other commuters. Neil and Alice discuss people's reading habits. Listen to the programme and learn new vocabulary.

0:04 Sorry, wait a minute Neil.
0:06 I'm just finishing this book.
0:08 OK.
0:10 Last page… nearly there… ohh - fantastic book!
0:15 Well I'm glad you enjoyed that.
0:17 I'm glad you finished your book there Alice!
0:19 We're talking about books in today's programme.
0:23 What was it you were reading there?
0:25 No, never mind Neil.
0:26 It's not your kind of book.
0:27 You wouldn't like it.
0:28 How do you know?
0:29 Well, I just think you might read something a little more intellectual.
0:33 Oh I see…
0:35 Well we are talking about the kinds of books people read and what they say about them today.
0:40 Yes.
0:41 Perhaps you read the works of a famous writer – the classics – Charles Dickens, Shakespeare.
0:47 People will think you are an intellectual.
0:49 You can show off by reading these books – the classics.
0:52 Or perhaps you read popular novels or romantic fiction – a light easy read.
0:58 When you go on holiday – maybe to the beach – what kind of books do you read?
1:01 And what do you read when you're going to work?
1:04 We're going to hear part of a BBC interview with David Adshead from the Commuter Book
1:08 Club.
1:10 A commuter travels to work by bus, train or here in London, The Tube, a train that goes
1:15 all over the city, mostly underground.
1:18 And Alice as usual, we have a quiz question.
1:20 Are you ready?
1:21 Yes, absolutely.
1:22 OK.
1:23 It's about classic book sales.
1:25 So these days are people buying… a) more classic books?
1:30 b) the same number of classic books?
1:32 c) fewer classic books than they used to?
1:35 Oh that's an interesting one.
1:37 Tricky to guess but I'm going to say c) fewer classic books.
1:42 OK, well, let’s find out the answer at the end of the programme.
1:47 But now, here is David Adshead from the Commuter Club.
1:51 What kind of book does he say people usually take with them to the beach?
1:57 People often think that, you know, traditionally you take a light easy read for the beach and
2:02 on the train, um, you maybe read something very different.
2:05 … if only to show off.
2:07 Exactly, to appear to others to be more intellectual.
2:10 But actually, what we find in this is that it really comes down to the individual – what
2:15 they like to read and actually we've seen this summer a lot of the book sales - summer
2:21 reads is generally lighter books, easier to get on with, to take away on holiday - but
2:27 the big retailers have seen a shift actually - people moving sort of slightly higher brow,
2:32 taking away more classic books.
2:34 Sales in that way have increased.
2:36 David Adshead from the Commuter Book Club there.
2:40 He says that people usually – traditionally - take a light, easy read to the beach or
2:45 on the train.
2:46 Yes.
2:47 He says these books are easier to get on with.
2:49 David says that it really comes down to the individual - each person is different.
2:53 But he says that there has been a shift – a change – in what people read.
2:58 Yes, he says that the shops that sell books – that's the retailers – say the books
3:02 people are buying are more highbrow – the classics, as we were talking about.
3:07 Absolutely.
3:08 Highbrow books are read by intellectuals or perhaps the people who read these books are
3:13 just showing off.
3:14 Yes, maybe they are.
3:16 Well I wonder if these people have read any books by Fiona Harper.
3:21 She writes romantic novels – that's stories about love.
3:24 Light reading – not highbrow.
3:27 She was also at this interview about the Commuter Book Club.
3:29 Now, do commuters read her romantic novels on the Tube?
3:34 Well here is novelist Fiona Harper talking about how she writes her romantic novels.
3:39 She wants people to not stop reading her stories once they start – she wants them to be hooked.
3:46 I think what it comes down to most of the time is you just want to write a really good
3:49 story because if you write a good story then hopefully people are hooked, they'll keep
3:54 turning the pages and..
3:57 And do you wonder whether they are reading them on holiday?
4:00 I mean presumably, they're more likely to read your stuff on holiday than when they’re
4:05 sitting on the Tube being looked at by lots of other people.
4:08 I don't know.
4:09 Possibly, although with the advent of e-readers, you can read anything you like and no one
4:12 knows – or on your phone – no one knows what you're reading.
4:15 And that's an important point.
4:17 That's the author Fiona Harper talking about romantic novels.
4:21 So do commuters read her books on the Tube?
4:24 Well perhaps you don't want others to see you reading that stuff.
4:27 It can be a bit embarrassing.
4:29 It shouldn't be, but Fiona says you can also use an e-reader.
4:32 An e-reader – that's an electronic book.
4:35 Instead of pages, you read off a screen.
4:39 Well if you use an e-reader or tablet, no one knows what you're reading.
4:42 So perhaps they are reading a romantic novel – no one knows.
4:46 OK.
4:47 Let's take a moment to look at some of today's words.
4:51 Here they are: intellectual
4:54 show off the classics
4:57 romantic fiction light read
5:01 heavy read retailers
5:05 highbrow shift
5:08 hooked advent
5:10 e-reader And before we go, the answer to today's quiz
5:16 question.
5:17 I asked about classic books.
5:20 Are people these days buying… a) more classic books?
5:24 b) the same number of classic books?
5:27 c) fewer classic books than they used to?
5:30 Yes.
5:31 And I said c) fewer classic books.
5:35 Well I'm afraid to say Alice that you're wrong.
5:38 Oh no.
5:39 I know.
5:40 They're reading more classic books!
5:41 Oh excellent!
5:42 Sales of these books are apparently increasing.
5:44 Well that's good to hear.
5:46 And that's the end of today's 6 Minute English.
5:48 Please do join us again soon.
5:51 And keep reading books… in English.
5:53 Highbrow classics or a light read – it doesn't matter.
5:55 It doesn't matter at all.
5:57 Bye.