There's no such rules in dictionaries, but when someone uses "it reads: xxx", it's usually something short, for instance a sign, a tooltip, or a notice.
Can I use it to introduce longer text? For instance, when I'm discussing some documents with a coworker over the phone, I'm tempted to say:
Page 42 reads: (blah blah)
The last 2 paragraphs read: (blah blah)
If I shouldn't say "it reads" here, what should I say instead?
