Some say the Internet will kill off papers. Others say not so fast.
Are newspapers dying?
That’s the heated debate these days. Many say the disappearance of the daily paper is just a matter of time. The future of journalism is in news websites, not newsprint.
However, others say, newspapers have been with us for hundreds of years, and while all news may be online some day, papers can exist for some time.
So who’s right? I’ll outline the arguments on both sides, and then you can decide.
Newspapers Are Dead
Newspapers are in trouble. Circulation is dropping, display and classified ad income is drying up, and the industry has experienced a hard time. Big metro papers like the Rocky Mountain News have stopped operating, and even bigger newspaper companies like the Tribune Co. go bankrupt（破产）.
And where are newspaper readers going? To the Web. A recent study has found that Internet users read online newspapers for an average of 53 minutes per week in 2008. That’s highest level recorded in the eight years when the study has been done.
The study found that 22 percent of users said they stopped their subscription（订阅）to a printed paper or magazine because they could access the same content online.
Some people say the Internet is just a better place to get the news. “On the Web, newspapers are live, and they can supplement（增补）their coverage with audio, video, and the valuable resources of their vast contents,” says Geffrey I. Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future.
小题1:How does the author present the topic to be discussed?
A．By presenting others’ prediction
B．By asking a question
C．By providing opposite opinions
D．By talking about the background小题2:The purpose of writing the text is to _____.
A．try to draw a general conclusion
B．encourage readers to use their judgment
C．compare the advantages of two media
D．invite readers to express their opinions freely小题3:Some readers no longer buy printed newspapers because they _____.
A．want to save money
B．hope to protect the environment
C．don’t care about news
D．can read online newspapers小题4:What’s the advantage of the news website compared with printed newspapers?
A．it provides news vividly
B．the news is more reliable
C．it can reach more readers
D．it is much cheaper in price
