Transcript Document

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 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 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: Definition
2. Restatement
3. General knowledge
4. Related information
5. Examples
6. Comparison
7. Contrast
Definition
Sometimes 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 sixtyfirst 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.
Restatement
More 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 Knowledge
More 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 Information
Sometimes 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.
Examples
Examples 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”.)
Comparison
When 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.
Contrast
The 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 beginning
London’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 2
In the middle
Just 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 end
Doctors 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 end
Good 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