[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"exercise-107":3},{"payload":4,"id":15,"user":16,"level":22,"course":23,"activity":24,"activity_slug":25,"title":6,"topic":26,"tone":27,"stats":28,"created":30,"score":31,"is_favorite":32,"public":33,"is_external":33},{"text":5,"title":6,"choices":7},"I used to think reading meant one thing: a paper book, a quiet corner, and a long stretch of time. Then my phone moved in and politely (but firmly) demanded a share of my attention. Now I read everywhere—on the bus, in queues, even while waiting for the kettle to boil.\n\n(1) ..........\n\nThat doesn’t automatically mean we read *less*, though. It often means we read *differently*. A lot of us now mix long novels with short articles, message threads, subtitles, and the endless scroll of posts.\n\nOne big change is how we choose what to read. In the past, you might have picked a book because a friend recommended it or because it caught your eye in a shop.\n\n(2) ..........\n\nThe upside is that you can discover writers you’d never meet otherwise. The downside is that you can end up reading what the system thinks you’ll like, instead of what you might actually need.\n\nAnother shift is the way we concentrate. When you’re reading on a screen, there’s always the possibility of a notification popping up.\n\n(3) ..........\n\nSome people solve this by turning on “Do Not Disturb” or using apps that block distractions. Others go back to paper when they really want to focus.\n\nBut screens have also made reading more social. People share quotes, argue about endings, and join online book clubs with strangers from other countries.\n\n(4) ..........\n\nAnd if you’re learning English, that social side can be a huge help: you see how other people interpret the same paragraph, and you pick up new vocabulary without it feeling like homework.\n\nOf course, not all reading is equal. Skimming headlines isn’t the same as getting lost in a novel, and reading comments isn’t the same as reading a well-edited article.\n\n(5) ..........\n\nThe trick is to notice what kind of reading you’re doing and choose it on purpose. Sometimes you want depth; sometimes you just want quick information.\n\nSo has technology ruined reading? I don’t think so. It’s changed the *shape* of it.\n\n(6) ..........\n\nIf we can control the distractions and use the tools wisely, we might end up reading more widely than any generation before us.","Reading in the Age of Screens",[8,9,10,11,12,13,14],"It’s not just books either; the definition of “reading” has stretched to include all sorts of digital text.","Some people say audiobooks don’t count as reading, because you’re listening, not looking at words. (distractor)","Even if you ignore it, part of your brain is already wondering what you’re missing.","That’s why it helps to set aside time for “slow reading”, the kind that needs patience.","In fact, it has made reading more available—if you’ve got a screen, you’ve got a library.","Now an app can suggest your next title based on what you clicked on last week.","That kind of conversation used to happen in classrooms or living rooms, not in comment sections.",107,{"id":17,"username":18,"first_name":19,"last_name":20,"image":21},20653,"bengisu-sonmez","Bengisu","Sönmez","https://api.useofenglish.ai/static/img/users/default-profile-picture.jpg","B2","Reading","Missing Paragraphs","missing-paragraphs","Create an exercise about the influence of technology on reading habits","Casual",{"times_played":29,"num_favorites":29},0,"2026-03-04T15:08:40",null,false,true]