常春藤生活英語(yǔ)：Reading in the Internet Age

Reading a good book has been compared to going scuba diving for the first time. Once a reader dives in, the brain swims in all kinds of new knowledge or interesting stories. This feels just like being at the bottom of the ocean and seeing all of the amazing creatures1 everywhere. Reading like this opens up the mind and leads the reader to a whole new world. Reading on the Internet is much different. It has been compared to riding a jet ski2. It is fun to do, but it is really just skimming3 across the top of the water.

Recent studies suggest that we are gradually changing our reading habits. Researchers have found that people read no more than two pages on the Internet before skipping to something else. Book lovers who used to read for hours at a time now have a problem. Because they use the Internet so much, they find it harder to concentrate for a long period of time.

With emails, blogs, and forums4, we are reading much more now than people did in the 1970s and 1980s. However, reading online is different from enjoying books. Apparently, what we have today is a case of quantity over quality. Skimming the surface of the water is nice, but diving in deep is something special.

閱讀一本好書(shū)被比作是初次體驗(yàn)潛水。一旦讀者熱切投入，大腦便悠游暢泳在各種新知或有趣的故事中。這感覺(jué)就像是在海底觀賞俯拾皆是的奇異生物。像這樣的閱讀方式能開(kāi)拓心胸，并且?guī)ьI(lǐng)讀者進(jìn)入一個(gè)嶄新世界。在網(wǎng)絡(luò)上閱讀可就大不相同了。這種閱讀被比作是騎乘水上摩托車(chē)。這樣做雖然好玩，但只不過(guò)是快速地掠過(guò)水面而已。

近來(lái)的研究顯示我們正逐漸改變閱讀習(xí)慣。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，人們?cè)诰W(wǎng)絡(luò)上讀不到兩頁(yè)就會(huì)跳到其它頁(yè)面。過(guò)去會(huì)一口氣連讀數(shù)小時(shí)的愛(ài)書(shū)人士現(xiàn)在有個(gè)問(wèn)題。由于他們常用網(wǎng)絡(luò)，因此他們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己愈來(lái)愈難長(zhǎng)時(shí)間保持專(zhuān)注。

有了電子郵件、部落格和討論區(qū)，我們的閱讀量比1970和1980年代的人多了更多。不過(guò)在線閱讀和樂(lè)在書(shū)中是截然不同的?，F(xiàn)在我們的閱讀顯然是量多于質(zhì)?？焖俚芈舆^(guò)水面固然不錯(cuò)，但深度潛入其中總是特別的。

Building Your Vocabulary

1. gradually　adv. 逐漸地，逐步地

Ray is gradually recovering from his illness.

阿雷正逐漸自病中康復(fù)。

2. concentrate　vi. 專(zhuān)注，專(zhuān)心

Dan could hardly concentrate during class.

阿丹在課堂上難以專(zhuān)心。

3. apparently　adv. 顯然;看來(lái)

Apparently, Andy has lied to you.

安迪顯然對(duì)你說(shuō)了謊。

Phrases for Learning

1. compare A to B　　將 A 比作 B

John compared Bella's eyes to the shining stars in the night sky.

約翰把蓓拉的雙眸比作夜空里閃亮的星星。

2. dive in　　熱切地開(kāi)始做某事

The scientists all dove in to the research.

科學(xué)家全都熱切地投入研究當(dāng)中。

3. open up...　　開(kāi)拓……

This job might open up some valuable opportunities for you.

這份工作可能會(huì)為你拓展一些難得的機(jī)會(huì)。

Extra Words

1. creature　n. 生物;動(dòng)物

2. jet ski　n. 水上摩托車(chē)

3. skim　vt. 飛快掠過(guò);略讀，瀏覽

4. forum　n.(網(wǎng)絡(luò))討論區(qū)

Tips In Use

Once a reader dives in, the brain swims in...

(一旦讀者熱切投入，大腦便悠游暢泳在……)

Once + 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞, 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞　　一……就……

= As soon as + 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞, 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞

= The instant + 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞, 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞

= The moment + 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞, 主詞 + 動(dòng)詞

Once Kyle fell down, he cried.

= The moment Kyle fell down, he cried.

(凱爾一跌倒就哭了。)

注意:

1. the instant/moment 為名詞詞組，在此作副詞連接詞用，引導(dǎo)副詞子句，修飾主要子句。

2. 在上述句型中，表過(guò)去狀態(tài)時(shí)，主要子句與副詞子句皆用過(guò)去式;表未來(lái)狀態(tài)時(shí)，主要子句要用未來(lái)式，副詞子句則用現(xiàn)在式。

Once you read this letter, you'll know the truth.

(一旦你讀這封信，你就會(huì)知道真相。)