Some people argue that printed books are no longer necessary in a digital era when data can be accessed electronically. Other people claim that printed books still play an important role. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
(From IELTS-Daily.com)
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Technology has radically changed the way humans are able to access data, and this has impacted our interaction with printed books since much of this material is now available electronically. Does this mean there is no need for physical books?
It could be argued that printed books remain important for young and old alike as they do not provide the same distractions which are present when reading using a mobile or tablet. Phones and other electronic devices have a wealth of other functions which could easily distract people away from what they were supposed to be doing. Take, for example, a high school student who was supposed to be reading a novel for a language subject but found themselves playing games or surfing the web.
I do feel, however, that printed books are falling out of fashion as they cannot compete with the huge repositories of information which are at the click of a button or the swipe of a finger. The sheer number of digital options poses a threat to physical libraries which, owing to space constraints, can only hold a finite number of publications. Children are becoming accustomed to finding their favourite books online nowadays, rather than opening a book with their parents. These huge online databases do not only hold text versions of books but now allow readers to access materials in other languages and even as audiobooks, providing the reader with much greater choice and flexibility to acquire information.
It is true that digital devices can be distracting, but this does not detract from the idea that each device can hold the equivalent of millions of physical paper books. Therefore, while books still play a role today, they are likely to become redundant in the future.