Reading Techniques(adopted from College English --- Intensive Reading,

Shanghai foreign language Education Press)

How to Read a Text Reading in Thought Groups Using Context Close for Word Meanings Reading for the Main Idea Recognizing Important Facts or Details Looking for the Topic Sentence Reading for Full Understanding

Reading with understanding depends on the interplay（相互作用） of three factors: vocabulary, structure (grammar), and meaning; in other words, successful comprehension depends on one’s actual command of the language. But generally a good knowledge of reading techniques or skills will not only make reading easier, but also help improve reading comprehension to a certain extent. It is advisable to read a comprehension passage at least twice: the first time, to obtain a general impression of the text, and then a second time to concentrate on the important details. Sometimes a third reading is necessary --- to check items that caused difficulty. 

阅读并能够理解所读内容要依赖于以下三个因素的相互作用 ：词汇、结构（语法）和意义；换言之，成功地理解要靠读者对于语言的实质性掌握 。但是一般说来，读者所掌握的总的阅读技巧方面的知识不仅能使的阅读变得简单，还能对阅读理解程度的改善方面有所帮助。 对于每篇阅读理解文章至少读两遍是很可取的一种方法：第一遍获得文章的总体印象，第二遍将注意力集中于细节。有时在必要的情况下，可以增加一遍以检查文中出现的难点。

Learning to Read --- in College (1) The Timkens sent their child Laura off to college with a check for $ 7,000 in tuition and thought that was the end of it. But soon after they received a letter from the dean of studies 。(2) “We are happy to announce that we have started a remedial reading class for college freshmen and strongly advise that your daughter Laura participate in it. If she doesn’t, it is our opinion that Laura will not be able to keep up with her studies. The cost will be $ 250.” Timken read the letter. “I thought Laura could read,” he said to his wife. “So did I. I think the problem is she can read, but she does not understand what she reads.” “What did they teach her in public school and high school?”(3) “I have no idea, but if the college says she needs remedial reading we’d better see that she gets it or $ 7,000 will be thrown away.” A few days later they got another letter from the dean.………………………………………………………… (omitted)

Comprehension --- understanding what you are reading --- is important; but the speed with which you read is important, too. While making constant efforts to improve your reading comprehension, you should try consciously to increase your reading speed. And to read in thought groups is an easy, yet effective, way of picking up speed and fluency. Keep on practising this skill until you can apply it automatically. Then you will be able to acquire sufficient speed to read fluently with good comprehension.

Take the following two sentences as examples:

所谓理解就是弄明白你所读的内容，这一点很重要。但是阅读速度同样是非常重要的。在你付出不懈的努力来改善你的理解能力的同时，你还应该努力有意识地提高你的阅读速度。按语义群来阅读是一种既简单又行之有效的方法。它可以改善你的阅读速度，增加阅读的流利性。 坚持练习这种技巧知道你能应用自如。最终你将能够在实现正确理解的同时，获得理想的阅读速度和流利程度。

以下面两个句子为例：

The little boy, Johnnie, had been up with a packet of mints, and said he wouldn’t go out to play until the post had come.

From the second floor flat she could see the postman

when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came.

The little boy Johnnie --- had been up ---with a packet of mints --- and saidhe wouldn’t go out to play --- until the post had come.

From the second floor flat --- she could see the postman ---when he came down the street --- and the little boy from the ground floor ---brought up her letters --- on the rare occasions --- when anything came.

The Young and the Old

Someone said to a man, “Travel and see the world.” He answered, “Why should I? People are the same everywhere. They are born. They are babies. They are children. They are adults. They grow old. They die. While they are alive, they have the same emotions. They feel love and hate, happiness and sadness, security and fear, pride and shame, comfort and discomfort. That is why I do not want to travel I can learn everything here. I’m going to stay home.”

The man was right. He was also wrong. People are the same, but people are also different. They all have the same pattern of life --- birth, youth, old age, death. But these stages of life have different values in different values in different cultures. (1) also, while all people have the same emotions, the causes of these emotions are different. A situation that may bring happiness in one place may not bring happiness in another place. ………………………………………….(omitted)

Reading Comprehension

1. The man didn’t want to travel because ______.

A. he was too old and in very poor health B. he could not speak a foreign language. C. he thought he could learn everything about life without

traveling D. he preferred to stay home to enjoy his old age.

Reading Comprehension

1. The man didn’t want to travel because C .

A. he was too old and in very poor health B. he could not speak a foreign language. C. he thought he could learn everything about life without

traveling D. he preferred to stay home to enjoy his old age.

2. The word “ security” in the first paragraph might mean ______.

A. safety B. care C. danger D. freedom

2. The word “ security” in the first paragraph might mean A .

A. safety B. care C. danger D. freedom

3. All over the world people are the same because ______ .

A. they have the same habits and customs B. they have the same stages of life C. they have the same emotions D. Both B and C

3. All over the world people are the same because D .

A. they have the same habits and customs B. they have the same stages of life C. they have the same emotions D. Both B and C

When you read a comprehension text, you will inevitably find some words you don’t know. Sometimes you take time out to look up a new word in the dictionary, but doing that too many times slows down your reading. In fact, you can often figure out meanings for new words or expressions without using the dictionary. Loli at the context of each word or expression --- the sentence that the word or expression is in and the sentences that come before and after. It is usually possible to find hints or clues about its definition from the context.

Context Clue

1: Definition2. Restatement

3. General knowledge4. Related information

5. Examples6. Comparison

7. Contrast

DefinitionSometimes a writer knows that a word is unfamiliar or strange to many readers. To make the word easier to understand, the writer may include a definition of the word in a sentence. This context clue is the easiest one to spot ( 认出 ). Look at the following examples:a. All other birthdays are called sing il (born day). The sixty-first birthday is called huan gup (beginning or new life).b. The harbor is protected by a jetty --- a wall built out into the water.c. Jane is indecisive, that is , she can’t make up her mind.

RestatementMore often, you may find a restatement, which tells you almost as much as a definition. Look at these examples:a. He had a wan look. He was so pale and weak that we thought he was ill.b. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a naxious gas which can cause death.c. I am a resolute man. Once I set up a goal, I won’t give it up easily.

General KnowledgeMore often than not, the meaning of many words can be readily ( 容易地） guessed if you use your own experience or general knowledge of the subject. Look at the following examples:a. The door was so low that I hit my head on the lintel.b. Mark got on the motorbike, I sat behind him on the pillion, and we roared off into the night.c. “We have found that no one in the freshman class can add, multiply, subtract or divide simple sums… Therefore, we are setting up a special remendial arithmetic course, …”

Related InformationSometimes you can make an intelligent guess of the meaning of some new words or expressions if you put together related information from the surrounding text. Just look at the following examples:a. “She went to school for 12 years and she can’t write a sentence?” Timken said. “They made an illiterate out of my daughter!”b. Timken was now angry … Once again he flew into a rage.c. Just before the exam Carl’s hands shook and sweated so much that he could not hold a pen. His heart beat fast and his stomach ached, even though he knew the subject very well. He really had a strange phobia about taking tests.When you come across a new word or expression in a comprehension passage, you are well advised to notice how the word or expression is repeated later in the text. Generally the more often it is used, the easier it

is to understand.

ExamplesExamples can also give you some clues or hints to the meanings of unfamiliar words. Study the following sentences:a. Select any of these periodicals: Time, Newsweek, Reader’s Digest or The New Yorker. (From the examples, you can easily figure out the meaning of the word “periodicals”.)b. She is studying glawcoma and other diseases of the eye. (This sentence does not tell you exactly what “glaucoma” means, but it does tell you that “glaucoma” is a kind of eye disease.)c. They had been putting in place the tools of my new business: currycomb, brush, pitchfork --- everything … (Using the clue “my new business” as well as the word part “-comb” you might figure out that “currycomb” most probably means “a tool used to comb a horse”.)

ComparisonWhen we compare things, we see how they are like each other. So comparisons in writing can give you clues to the meanings of unfamiliar words. Look at the following examples to see if you can get an idea of the meaning of each italicized word.a. The snow was falling. Big flakes drifted （飘动） with the wind like feathers.b. the hot-air balloon took off. It was as buoyant in the air as a cork （软木塞） in water.

ContrastThe use of a contrast can give you a hint to the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Sometimes a sentence tells you the opposite of what a new word means. Look at the following examples to see if you can get an idea of the meanings of the italicized words.a. Jane was talking with others while Eliza remained reticent all the time.b. Most of us agreed; however, Bill dissented.c. Peter was not frugal since he spent money so freely.

Reading Comprehension

By “reding comprehension”, we mean how well one can read. If a student is “good at reading comprehension,” then, he or she is able to read with a high degree of efficiency and obtain maximum information from a text with minimum misunderstanding. We are going to suggest ways you can improve your reading comprehension.

Reading for the Main Idea

What is the most important element in any paragraph or passage? Without a doubt, it is the main idea or the central idea, which gives the paragraph or passage a purpose and direction. Naturally, the first step to improve your comprehension is to practise reading a bit faster for the main idea.

When you are reading paragraphs for the main idea, try to force yourself to read a jit faster than usual. By doing so, you will find it easier to concentrate on ideas and the relationships between ideas. The slow reader usually cares too much about individual words and thus may actually comprehend less than the quick reader.In reading paragraphs, you will inevitably come across some words you don’t understand. Don’t waste too much time worrying about them. Just continue your reading. The most important thing is to understand the material as a whole and one or two unknown words won’t make much difference. ( 有关系、重要）

In the previous classes, you were given practice in reading for the main idea. Generally, in a one-paragraph selection you read all the sentences to find the main idea, while in a longer passage you put together the main ideas of the various paragraphs to determine the overall main idea. To understand the main idea thoroughly, however, you must recognize the important facts or details which help develop or support it. These facts and details give you deeper understanding of the main idea. They may prove a point, show a relationship between ideas, or serve as examples to help you understand the main idea more fully.

Recognizing Important Facts or Details

Here are some ways to help you recognize important facts or details:1. Read for the main idea. If you have identified the main idea. You can more easily recognize the important facts that support it.2. Keep it in mind that not all facts or details are equally important. Look only for the facts related to the main idea.3. To check on your understanding of the material you have read, review the facts or details which you have decided are the most important. Then consider if they support what you have identified as the main idea. If adding up the facts or details does not lead logically to the main idea, you have failed either to identify the main idea or to recognize the important supporting details.

Looking for the Topic Sentence More often than not, one sentence in a paragraph tells the reader exactly what the subject of the paragraph is and thus gives the main idea. This main idea sentence is called a topic sentences or topic statement. The topic sentence states briefly an idea whose full meaning and significance are developed by the supporting details. It may appear at the beginning, or in the middle, or at the end of a paragraph. Sometimes a writer wants to give strong emphasis to a topic sentence. He may place a topic sentence at both the beginning and end of a paragraph. This can tell a reader that the idea in this paragraph is more important than other ideas found in other paragraphs.

Sample 1.At the beginningLondon’s weather is very strange. It can rain several times a day; each time the rain may come suddenly after the sun is shining brightly. The air is damp and chill right through July. On one March afternoon on Hampton Heath last year it rained three times, there was one hail （冰雹） storm, and the shone brilliantly --- all this within two hours’ time. It is not unusual to see men and women rushing down the street on a sunny morning with umbrellas on their arms. No one knows what the next few moments will bring.(The topic sentence in this paragraph is London’s weather is very strange. All the other sentences illustrate the idea with supporting details.)

Sample 2In the middleJust as I settle down to read or watch television, he demands that I play with him. If I get a telephone call, he screams in the background or knocks something over. I always have to hang up to find out what ‘s wrong with him. Baby-sitting with my little brother is no fun. He refuses to let me eat a snack in peace. Usually he wants half of whatever I have to eat. Then, when he finally grows tired, it takes about an hour for him to fall asleep.(All the details in this paragraph are cited ( 引用） to support the main idea: Baby-sitting with my little brother is no fun.)

Sample 3.At the endDoctors are of the opinion that most people cannot live beyond 100 years, but a growing number of scientists believe that the aging process can be controlled. There are more than 12,000 Americans over 100 years old, and their numbers are increasing each year. Dr. James Langley of Chicago claims that, theoretically and under ideal conditions, animals, including man, can live six times longer than their normal period of growth. A person’s period of growth lasts about 25 years. If Dr. Langley’s theory is accurate, future generations can expect a life span （寿命） of 150 years.

Sample 4.At both the beginning and endGood manners are important in all countries, but ways of expressing good manners are different from country to country. Americans eat with knives and forks; Japanese eat with chopsticks. Americans say “Hi” when they meet; Japanese bow ( 鞠躬 ). Many American men open doors for women; Japanese men do not. On the surface, it appears that good manners in America are not good manners in Japan, and in a way this is true. But in any country, the only manners that are important are those involving one person’s behavior toward another person. In all countries it is good manners to behave considerately toward others and bad manners not to. It is only the way of behaving politely that differs from country to country. (This paragraph begins with a topic sentence and ends with a restatement of the same topic sentence.)

Reading for Full Understanding

Here is a short story intended for you to practice your skills in reading for full understanding. First read through the whole story to obtain an overall impression, and then, reread it and answer the question the question of questions after each section ( 章节） .

The Hitchhiker

John Henderson was driving home late last night from an exhausting business trip. (1) He had put off visiting the company’s new headquarters in order to get home before midnight, and now he was having trouble staying awake. He turned up the radio and tried to concentrate on the news --- something about a robbery --- but his eyes kept on closing. His wife was back home in Dayton, and he missed having her company on this long trip.1. Which of the following statements is Not true?[A] Eager to get home after a long business trip, John Henderson lost no time in driving towards Dayton, though it was very late at night.[B] Originally he planned to go and see the company’s new headquarters, but later on he changed his mind and went straight home instead.[C] He was so tired out that he had great difficulty keeping himself awake, even though he had turned on the radio and forced himself to listen to the new.[D] He hurried home late at night because he had promised his wife that he would get back before midnight.

The Hitchhiker

John Henderson was driving home late last night from an exhausting business trip. (1) He had put off visiting the company’s new headquarters in order to get home before midnight, and now he was having trouble staying awake. He turned up the radio and tried to concentrate on the news --- something about a robbery --- but his eyes kept on closing. His wife was back home in Dayton, and he missed having her company on this long trip.1. Which of the following statements is Not true?[A] Eager to get home after a long business trip, John Henderson lost no time in driving towards Dayton, though it was very late at night.[B] Originally he planned to go and see the company’s new headquarters, but later on he changed his mind and went straight home instead.[C] He was so tired out that he had great difficulty keeping himself awake, even though he had turned on the radio and forced himself to listen to the new.[D] He hurried home late at night because he had promised his wife that he would get back before midnight.

It was then that he noticed the hitchhiker at the side of the road. Without even thinking about what he was doing, he slowed down and stopped the car. (2) He couldn’t help feeling sorry for the young man who looked so wet and miserable in the rain. “Get in,” he said.John remembered having to hitchhike home from the university before he had a car. He couldn’t stand sitting at the side of the road for hours, waiting for rides.2. At the sight of that young man, John Henderson offered him a lift without any hesitation. It was because ______.[A] he felt sympathy for the young man[B] he thought the hitchhike would do no harm to him[C] he knew well that it was not at all a happy experience to wait for hours, begging for a free ride[D] both A & C

It was then that he noticed the hitchhiker at the side of the road. Without even thinking about what he was doing, he slowed down and stopped the car. (2) He couldn’t help feeling sorry for the young man who looked so wet and miserable in the rain. “Get in,” he said.John remembered having to hitchhike home from the university before he had a car. He couldn’t stand sitting at the side of the road for hours, waiting for rides.2. At the sight of that young man, John Henderson offered him a lift without any hesitation. It was because ______.[A] he felt sympathy for the young man[B] he thought the hitchhike would do no harm to him[C] he knew well that it was not at all a happy experience to wait for hours, begging for a free ride[D] both A & C

The hitchhiker got in and immediately John was sorry that he had picked him up. The young man had a strange face and very penetrating ( 锐利的 ) eyes. His clothes were old and dirty, and his long hair needed cutting. (3) The hitchhiker lit a cigarette and said he was going to Woodsville but when John asked him other questions, the young man avoided giving him any personal information and changed the subject.3. John regretted having picked up the young man because[A] the guy had a very strange look and his sharp eyes made him ill at ease.[B] the guy’s dirty clothes and long hair made a poor impression upon him.[C] the guy failed to answer any questions about himself.[D] all of the above

The hitchhiker got in and immediately John was sorry that he had picked him up. The young man had a strange face and very penetrating ( 锐利的 ) eyes. His clothes were old and dirty, and his long hair needed cutting. (3) The hitchhiker lit a cigarette and said he was going to Woodsville but when John asked him other questions, the young man avoided giving him any personal information and changed the subject.3. John regretted having picked up the young man because[A] the guy had a very strange look and his sharp eyes made him ill at ease.[B] the guy’s dirty clothes and long hair made a poor impression upon him.[C] the guy failed to answer any questions about himself.[D] all of the above