Second-hand bookshops are very popular in the UK

Whenever I travel I see people reading something, books, magazines and novels. Why do people like reading so much?   Katie, China

The UK is well-known for its reading tradition. Some people like to buy books to read, others prefer to borrow books from the library.

Reading facilities are readily available throughout the country; every local community has at least one library that residents are entitled to use and it's free of charge.

People seem to enjoy holding a book, magazine or a newspaper in their hands whenever they travel. No wonder that the UK is one of the biggest consumers of books worldwide.

But what has made the UK a reading nation? What is behind this reading tradition? Yang Li and Jo Reffin find out.

Download and listen to Li's report 点击此处下载录音材料

Download the script of this programme 点击此处下载文字材料

Test your knowledge with this quiz 点击此处做小测试

Do you have a question about Britain?
你有没有对英国的疑问？

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