I am a working mom raising three young children while holding down a job.
I used to enjoy reading paper books, but as I juggled work and parenting, I couldn’t make time to read. That’s when I happened to discover audiobooks.
Talented voice actors read the books and fill them with life. I listen to books about culture and self-help books, but I especially enjoy listening to novels. My biggest source of energy these days is listening to audiobooks for two or three house every day, during my commute or before bed. I listen to an average of 40 to 50 books a month.
With movies, every scene is shown visually, so there is less tension. But audiobooks engage my imagination, making them feel more vivid than any movie.
hold down - to stay working in a job
juggle - to try to do two or more jobs or activities at the same time, because you do not have a lot of time
engage - to interest someone in something and keep them thinking about it
swamp - to have too many of something, or to give someone too much to do
나는 직장을 다니면서 세 아이를 키우는 워킹맘이다. 예전에는 종이책을 즐겨 읽었지만 일과 육아를 병행하다 보니 도저히 책 읽을 시간을 낼 수가 없었다. 그러던 중 우연히 오디오북을 알게 되었다.
훌륭한 성우들이 생동감 넘치게 책을 읽어 준다. 교양서나 자기 계발서 등 다양한 책을 듣지만 특히 소설을 즐겨 듣는다. 요즘 내게 가장 큰 에너지 공급원은 출퇴근 시간이나 자기 전에 매일 두 세 시간씩 오디오북을 듣는 것이다. 한 달에 평균 40~50권의 책을 듣고 있다.
영화는 모든 장면이 시각적으로 보여서 때문에 긴장감이 덜하다. 하지만 오디오북은 상상력을 자극하여 어떤 영화보다 더 생생하게 느껴진다.
- It’s not to juggle work and parenting. / My mom had to juggle work and parenting when I was young.
- My children are my biggest source of energy. / Working out has become my biggest source of energy.
- A good book should engage the reader’s imagination. / The teacher always tried to engage our imagination.
A: I’m so swamped at work that I don’t even have the time to properly read a book.
B: Why don’t you try listening to audiobooks?
A: Oh, that’s a good idea.
B: It’s great because you can even listen while you’re on the go.
A: That makes sense.
B: I also listen with my eyes closed before going to sleep at night.
