לומדים אנגלית / קוראים ספרי ילדים

The general subject of the unit that we are starting today is: Reading.

This unit will comprise three parts.

Today we will focus on the first aspect of this subject. We will discuss why we read and how we read.

Let's talk about it.

A page a day keeps ignorance away.

• Explain the statement above.
• Why do we read?
• Do we read only to keep ignorance away?
• Why else do we read?
• In what language do you like to read best? Why?
• Does everybody read at the same speed?
• Can we learn to read faster?

Getting ready to read

Read the title of the next passage.
What aspect of reading does it deal with?

Now read the first sentence of the first paragraph.
In what way is it connected to the title?
What sector of the population does the sentence refer to?
Why should they, in particular, be interested in improving their reading speed?

Read the first sentence of the second paragraph.
What kind of people does this sentence refer to?
What should they do?

In the third paragraph there is a list of seven sentences/groups of sentences.
They all start with a verb.
What does that imply?
Read the first of these sentences. What does it express?
Can you guess what the other six sentences are about?
Can you predict the content of the whole passage?

Reading Passage

Let's read faster!

Read the following passage and then answer the questions that follow.

1. The average college student reads about 300 words a minute. Most students aim at improving their reading speed. Five hundred to seven hundred words a minute are considered a good reading speed, but some people can even read a thousand words a minute or more.

2. If you have not been gifted with a natural talent for reading fast, you may wish to learn special reading techniques. Before you even think of taking any such course, you should make sure you have the necessary vocabulary and comprehension skills. Only then, can you move on to improving your speed by proper training.

3. An increase in rate must go together with an increase in comprehension. Simply reading more rapidly without improving basic reading habits would result in lower comprehension. To improve your reading rate, you may wish to consider the following recommendations:

a. Have your eyes checked. Slow reading may be related to uncorrected eye defects. 

b. Avoid word-by-word reading. Read more than a word at a glance. Learn to read by phrases and even sentences.

c. Don't pronounce words as you read. You can read much faster silently than orally.

d. Try not to re-read. Remember that the ideas may be explained and elaborated more fully in a later paragraph.

e. Concentrate on your reading. Give the text your undivided attention. Stop day-dreaming.

f. Try to distinguish between important and unimportant information. Don't try to remember everything. Remember selectively.

g.  Adjust your reading rate to different parts of the article you are reading:

• Decrease speed when you find unfamiliar terminology, difficult sentence structure and detailed technical material.
• Increase your speed when you meet simple, familiar ideas, unnecessary examples and illustrations, repetition of former ideas and details you don't need.

And above all, READ MORE! Lack of practice in reading is probably the main reason for reduced reading rate.

Questions

1. Complete the following sentence according to paragraph 1.

Most students

a. read about 100 words a minute.

b. would like to read 500 words a minute.

c. would like to read 700 words a minute.

d. wish to improve their reading speed.

2. Which words in paragraph 2 could describe people who read fast without having learned to do so? 
People who have "………………………………………………………."

3. What do the words any such course in paragraph 2 refer to?
……………………………………………………………………………

4. What do the words Only then in paragraph 2 refer to?
……………………………………………………………………………

5. What will happen if you read faster without improving your basic reading habits? Complete the following sentence according to paragraph 3.
In that case, ………………………………………………………………………………….

6. The seven numbered sentences in paragraph 3 are:

a. instructions

b. descriptions

c. warnings

d. opinions

7. Is reading aloud faster or slower (paragraph 3)?
Explain your answer.
……………………………………………………………………………

8.  Why might reading a sentence again and again be a waste of time (paragraph 3)?
……………………………………………………………………………

9. When should you speed up and when are you advised to slow down (paragraph 3)?
……………………………………………………………………………

10. Rearrange the following captions according to the sequence of ideas in the text. There is one extra caption.

• Faster reading and better comprehension
• Increasing and decreasing reading speed
• The importance of day-dreaming
• The average student's reading speed
• Avoiding re-reading
• The importance of practice in reading
• Reading entire expressions or sentences

After Reading

Talking about it…

The author recommends reading more.

What can parents / teachers do to encourage reading? Discuss!

Writing about it …

Write a short report on a book you have read.

You may find the following guidelines helpful.

I will never forget …………………………………………………………..

The book was recommended by …………………………………………..

At first, I ……………………………, but after the first twenty-thirty pages,
I ………………………………………………………………………………

The plot … ………………………………………………………………….

The characters ……………………………………………………………….

What impressed me most was ……………………………………………….      

I was truly touched by ……………………………………………………….

I could easily identify with …………………………………………………..

The end of the book was surprising/interesting/disappointing because ………………………………………………………………………………..

If I could rewrite the ending, I would ………………………………………………………………………………..

And that's all for today. More texts and suggestions in my next post.