The proliferation of book clubs, some 50,000 in the UK alone and who knows how many more worldwide, is quite a remarkable literary phenomenon. Participants of different ages and backgrounds gather on a weekly or monthly basis ostensibly to discuss books chosen by the members, but the primary attraction for most people, and the factor behind the explosion in the number of groups, is not literary, but social. Human interaction with some added mental stimulation in a relaxed environment is integral to their success.

The social aspect apart, the spread of book clubs can also be attributed to the low cost and the availability of books, and the fact that compared to, say, the cinema or theatre, the clubs provide cheap entertainment. The Internet has played its part as well. Once seen as foreshadowing the end of reading, not only does the Internet allow people even cheaper access to books, but it also acts as a conduit for readers hungry to join a particular reading club. A further draw is the number of people who read for pleasure. With reading being listed as the most popular major leisure activity according to a survey carried out over a four-week period in 2002 in the UK (65% constant since 1996), there is no shortage of willing participants.

The clubs vary, ranging from cosy get-togethers in friends' houses, with or without set rules and with or without food and drink, to more formal, official set-ups in educational-cum-literary establishments tike libraries, sometimes with literary functions with guest speakers. The overwhelming majority are of a more unthreatening easy-going nature. People come and go, but the cohesion of the groups seems to live on with new ones springing up to replace those which have faded away.

From the literary point of view, the focus of each group is different as it turns solely on the make-up of the members and their predilections. There are reading clubs which specialise in football, romance, horror, can focus on one type or they can be eclectic, combining different types of fiction like romance with, for example, cricket. Some may even dress up in the style of the characters or the time that a story took place to bring a mystery or an old classic to life. With such a variety of choice, book clubs are sure to survive and expand.

 I. Read the article. Choose the correct answer according to the text and write the correct letter А, В, С or D.

1. The increase in book clubs has occurred mainly because they


a.
perform a social function


b.
solve the social problems of the participants


c.
cater for people from a variety of backgrounds


d.
fulfil an intellectual need


Вопрос 2
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2. The number of people who read for pleasure in the UK


a.
means that the cost of books will be kept down


b.
ensures there will always be a pool of readers to supply book clubs


c.
means that cinemas and theatres are losing money


d.
shows that the Internet has some benefits


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3. Which of the following best describes most book groups mentioned by the writer?


a.
restrictive


b.
formal


c.
informal


d.
small


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4. Books for discussion in groups are


a.
dependent on the chairperson's reading list


b.
restricted to one type


c.
dependent on member preference


d.
limited to several different authors


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5. The writer of the article thinks that


a.
book clubs have a certain future


b.
the variety of book clubs will increase


c.
book clubs may not survive


d.
book clubs will expand slowly but surely