Question

due december 13, 2025 at 11:59 pm
why it matters that teens are reading less
jean twenge • 2018
font size medium
when is the last time you read a book for pleasure? according to jean twenge, a professor of psychology, digital media is changing teenagers reading habits.
as you read, take notes on how a lack of reading impacts teenagers.
1 most of us spend much more time with digital media than we did a decade ago. but todays teens have come of age with smartphones in their pockets. compared to teens a couple of decades ago, the way they interact with traditional media like books and movies is fundamentally different.
my co - authors and i analyzed nationally representative surveys of over one million u.s. teens collected since 1976 and discovered an almost seismic shift in how teens are spending their free time.
increasingly, books seem to be gathering dust.
its all about the screens
by 2016, the average 12th grader said they spent a staggering six hours a day texting, on social media, and online during their free time. and thats just three activities; if other digital media activities were included, that estimate would surely rise.
five by roxanne milward is licensed under cc by - nc - nd 2.0.
assessment questions
1 2 3 4

1. which of the following describes the authors main purpose in the text?

a. to offer teenagers fun and engaging alternatives to spending time with digital media
b. to emphasize the disadvantages of spending more time online and less time reading
c. to show how reading from digital devices is not as beneficial as reading from paper sources
d. to speculate how teenagers will be impacted in the future if they continue to rely on digital devices
back save & next

Explanation:

To determine the author's main purpose, analyze each option:

• Option A: The text focuses on the impact of less reading, not offering alternatives to digital media. Eliminate A.
• Option B: The article discusses how teens spend less time reading (and more on digital media) and the impact of this shift (e.g., "how a lack of reading impacts teenagers"). This aligns with emphasizing the disadvantages of less reading and more online time.
• Option C: The text does not compare digital vs. paper reading benefits. Eliminate C.
• Option D: The author presents research on current trends, not speculative future impacts. Eliminate D.

Answer:

B. to emphasize the disadvantages of spending more time online and less time reading