Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 31 to 35.
People have been communicating by letter for at least 2,000 years. Now, however, with the speed and efficiency of digital media, the handwritten letter is in serious decline. But have we given enough consideration to what we will lose if we abandon the letter completely?
When we handwrite a letter, we write more thoughtfully. When we receive an email, there is pressure to respond instantly and we don't always think carefully about how to express our feelings, often choosing to use emoticons instead. Writing letters may be hard work, but receiving one can be one of life's greatest pleasures. There is so much to appreciate: the feel of the paper, the style of the handwriting and simply knowing someone has taken the trouble to write to you.
Texts and emails allow instant communication but are quickly deleted, while letters stay around for longer, allowing us to keep a record of our past. Many of us keep special letters written by older generations. But what correspondence will we leave behind for future generations? Nothing. However, there are signs that people have been writing more letters recently. Newspapers have reported a rise in stationery sales and several internet campaigns have sprung up in an attempt to save the art of letter- writing. So letter-writing may not be ready to die quite yet.
(Adapted from Navigate)
