Question

why it matters that teens are reading less
jean twenge • 2018
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;
assessment questions

1. part b: which detail from the text best supports the answer to part a?

○ a. \one out of 10 8th graders in 2016 spent 40 hours a week or more gaming - the time commitment of a full - time job.\ (paragraph 6)
○ b. \in another analysis, we found that todays teens go out with their friends considerably less than previous generations did.\ (paragraph 11)
○ c. \of course, teens are still reading. but theyre reading short texts and instagram captions, not longform articles that explore deep themes and require critical thinking and reflection.\ (paragraph 15)
○ d. \data connecting excessive digital media time to mental health issues suggests a limit of two hours a day of free time spent with screens...\ (paragraph 20)

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A talks about gaming time, not reading impact.
• Option B focuses on teens' socializing with friends, not reading.
• Option C explains that teens read short texts (not longform) due to digital media, supporting how reading habits (and lack of deep reading) are impacted, which relates to the main topic of teens reading less.
• Option D is about digital media and mental health, not reading impact.

Answer:

C. "Of course, teens are still reading. But they're reading short texts and Instagram captions, not longform articles that explore deep themes and require critical thinking and reflection." (Paragraph 15)