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EveryLingua Dictionary
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5StoryEveryday life1 min

What a Library Is For

A town library in an age of screens, seen from its reading room.

An opinion piece: quèshí for conceding a point, rán’ér for turning against it, and the closing pattern búguò shì … éryǐ, "is no more than …". Watch the shape: a view, a concession, a return.

在(zài)网上(wǎngshàng)几乎(jīhū)什么(shénme)都(dōu)能(néng)查(chá)到(dào)的(de)今天(jīntiān),有(yǒu)人(rén)认为(rènwéi)图书馆(túshūguǎn)已经(yǐjīng)没有(méiyǒu)必要(bìyào)了(le)。确实(quèshí),来(lái)图书馆(túshūguǎn)借(jiè)书(shū)的(de)人(rén)比(bǐ)以前(yǐqián)少(shǎo)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)。

然而(rán'ér),上(shàng)个(ge)星期(xīngqī)我(wǒ)去(qù)了(le)家(jiā)附近(fùjìn)的(de)图书馆(túshūguǎn),发现(fāxiàn)里面(lǐmian)的(de)人(rén)比(bǐ)想象(xiǎngxiàng)的(de)多(duō)得(de)多(duō):有(yǒu)准备(zhǔnbèi)考试(kǎoshì)的(de)中学生(zhōngxuéshēng),有(yǒu)看(kàn)报纸(bàozhǐ)的(de)老人(lǎorén),还有(háiyǒu)给(gěi)孩子(háizi)挑选(tiāoxuǎn)书(shū)的(de)父母(fùmǔ)。

图书馆(túshūguǎn)的(de)工作人员(gōngzuòrényuán)告诉(gàosu)我(wǒ),现在(xiànzài)图书馆(túshūguǎn)不(bù)只是(zhǐshì)借(jiè)书(shū)的(de)地方(dìfang),越来越(yuèláiyuè)多(duō)的(de)人(rén)来(lái)这里(zhèlǐ)学习(xuéxí)和(hé)交流(jiāoliú)。图书馆(túshūguǎn)还(hái)定期(dìngqī)举办(jǔbàn)讲座(jiǎngzuò)和(hé)孩子(háizi)们(men)的(de)读(dú)书(shū)活(huó)动(dòng)。

当然(dāngrán),图书馆(túshūguǎn)也(yě)有(yǒu)不(bù)少(shǎo)问题(wèntí)。很(hěn)多(duō)读者(dúzhě)希望(xīwàng)延长(yáncháng)开放(kāifàng)时间(shíjiān),可是(kěshì)经费(jīngfèi)有限(yǒuxiàn),工作人员(gōngzuòrényuán)也(yě)不(bú)够(gòu)。

如果(rúguǒ)图书馆(túshūguǎn)的(de)作用(zuòyòng)只是(zhǐshì)借(jiè)书(shū),那么(nàme)手机(shǒujī)确实(quèshí)也(yě)能(néng)做(zuò)到(dào)。但是(dànshì)一个人(yígerén)人(rén)都(dōu)能(néng)免费(miǎnfèi)进去(jìnqu)、安静(ānjìng)地(de)待(dài)上(shàng)一(yì)整天(zhěngtiān)的(de)地方(dìfang),在(zài)城市(chéngshì)里(lǐ)并(bìng)不(bù)多(duō)见(jiàn)。

Words
161
Sentences
9
Words per sentence
17.9
in the vocabulary
100 %
measured level
4
Reading time
1 min

The words from 5 up in this text

Not the hard words in general, but those at your level: all 1 of the 99 words in this text are at 5 or above. You will know everything else by the time you get here.

The word lists for this text

The words in this text appear in 40 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.

Comprehension questions

3 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.

1. What did the writer find in the library?

2. What do more and more people come to the library for?

3. Why is it hard to open for longer?