Last year, 74.85 percent of people read for an hour or more every day. This year only 35.32 percent of people read from 30 to 60 minutes daily. Those who read for less than 30 minutes or do not read at all account for 31.42 percent of the people surveyed.

　　It is said that work and survival pressure have diminished Shenzheners’ reading time. Another reason stated was that people are spending more time to socialize and enjoy themselves.

　　The survey revealed that women in particular are reading less. Last year, Shenzhen’s women read as much as men. But the number of books they read this year declined by 40 percent over last year. Experts worry that it may indicate the women are not keeping up with the competition.

　　It seems that people are simply buying less books. Of those surveyed, 67.3 percent said that books are very expensive. Obviously this dampens people’s enthusiasm for buying books. While over 45 percent of readers buy their books, about 21 percent borrow them from libraries.