Passage Summary: People are reading fewer books on average, but bookstores are making more money than they used to.

Reasoning: The average number of books read per person has decreased over three years, yet bookstores have seen their profits rise during that same time.

Analysis: The paradox here is the tension between declining consumption and increasing revenue. To resolve this, we need a factor that allows bookstores to thrive even if the 'average' person is reading less. Perhaps the price of books has skyrocketed, or bookstores have diversified their inventory to include high-margin items like coffee and stationery. Since this is an 'EXCEPT' question, look for the one answer choice that fails to provide a plausible explanation for how bookstores could make more money while people read less.