Reading comprehension success - LearningExpress 2005
Lesson 1. Getting the Essential Information
Building a Strong Foundation
You may not have thought of it this way before, but critical readers are a lot like crime scene investigators. In their search for the truth, they do not let opinions sway them; they want to know what actually happened. They collect tangible evidence and facts and use this information to draw an informed conclusion. Separating fact from opinion is essential during a crime scene investigation. It is also a crucial skill for effective reading.
When you read, look for clues to understand the author’s meaning. What is this passage about? What is this writer saying? What is his or her message? At times, it may seem like authors are trying to hide their meaning from you. But no matter how complex a piece of writing may be, the author always leaves plenty of clues for the careful reader to find. It is your job to find those clues. Be a good detective when you read. Open your eyes and ask the right questions. In other words, read carefully and actively.
The five lessons that follow cover the basics of reading comprehension. By the end of this section, you should be able to:
■ Find the basic facts in a passage
■ Determine the main idea of a passage
■ Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from context
■ Distinguish between fact and opinion
Lesson 1. Getting the Essential Information
Lesson summary
The first step in increasing your reading comprehension is to learn how to get the basic information. Like a good detective, start with the basic facts. To get the facts, be an active reader and look for clues as you read.
Imagine, for a moment, that you are a detective. You have just been called to the scene of a crime; a house has been robbed. What’s the first thing you should do when you arrive?
a. See what’s on the TV.
b. Check what’s in the fridge.
c. Get the basic facts of the case.
The answer, of course, is c, get the basic facts of the case: the who, what, when, where, how, and why. What happened? To whom? When? Where? How did it happen? And why?
As a reader faced with a text, you go through a similar process. The first thing you should do is establish the facts. What does this piece of writing tell you? What happens? To whom? When, where, how, and why? If you can answer these basic questions, you’re on your way to really comprehending what you read. (You’ll work on answering the more difficult question — “Why did it happen?” — in Lesson 2.)
► What Are the Facts?
Let’s start with a definition. A fact is:
■ Something that we know for certain to have happened
■ Something that we know for certain to be true
■ Something that we know for certain to exist
Much of what you read, especially today in this “Information Age,” is designed to provide you with facts. You may read, for example, about a new office procedure that you must follow; about how the new computer system works; about what happened at the staff meeting. If you’re taking a standardized test, you’ll probably have to answer reading comprehension questions that ask about the facts in a reading passage. These facts are not always easy to determine, especially if the writing is dense or complicated. To make it simpler, ask yourself these questions as you read: What facts am I expected to know? What am I to learn or be aware of? What happened? What is true? What exists?
Practice Passage 1
Jump right into the task of finding facts. The following brief passage is similar to something you might see in a newspaper. Read the passage carefully, and then answer the questions that follow. Remember, careful reading is active reading (see the Introduction), so mark up the text as you go. Underline key words and ideas; circle and define any unfamiliar words or phrases; and record your reactions and questions in the margins.
On Friday, October 21, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Judith Reynolds, owner of The Cupcake Factory, arrived at her establishment to find that it had been robbed and vandalized overnight. The front window of the shop at 128 Broad Street was broken, and chairs and tables were overturned throughout the cafe area. Additionally, the cash register had been pried open and emptied of money. The thieves attempted to open the safe as well, but were unsuccessful. Ms. Reynolds used her cell phone to report the crime to the police. She also phoned the proprietor of Primo Pizza, located at 130 Broad Street, as she noticed that the door of that restaurant showed signs of forced entry. The police department is asking anyone with information to call 555-2323.
1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory?
2. When was the crime discovered?
3. Where did it happen?
4. What was stolen?
5. Who called the police?
6. What other businesses were affected?
Remember, good reading is active reading. Did you mark up the passage? If so, it may have looked something like this:
You’ll notice that the answers to the questions have all been underlined, because these are the key words and ideas in this passage. But here are the answers in a more conventional form.
1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory? It was robbed and vandalized.
2. When was the crime discovered? At 8:30 a.m. on Friday, October 21.
3. Where did it happen? 128 Broad Street.
4. What was stolen? Money from the cash register.
5. Who called the police? Judith Reynolds, owner of The Cupcake Factory.
6. What other businesses were affected? Possibly Primo Pizza.
Notice that these questions went beyond the basic who, what, when, and where to include some of the details, like why the proprietor of the restaurant next door was called. This is because details in reading comprehension, as well as in detective work, can be very important clues that may help answer the remaining questions: Who did it, how, and why?
Practice Passage 2
This passage includes instructions for renewing a driver’s license. Read it carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Instructions for License Renewal
A driver’s license must be renewed every four years. A renewal application is sent approximately five to seven weeks before the expiration date listed on the license. Individuals who fail to renew within three years of the license expiration date are not eligible for a renewal and must repeat the initial licensing process. To renew a license, you must visit a Motor Vehicles Agency. You must present a completed renewal application; your current driver’s license; acceptable proof of age, identification, and address; and proof of social security in the form of a social security card, a state or federal income tax return, a current pay stub, or a W-2 form. You must also pay the required fee. If all the documents and payment are in order, your photo will be taken and a new license will be issued.
7. What documents does one need to renew a driver’s license?
8. What documents represent proof of social security?
9. How often must one renew a driver’s license?
10. How does one obtain the renewal form?
11. True or False: You can renew your driver’s license by mail.
Before you look at the answers, look at the next page to see how you might have marked up the passage to highlight the important information.
Instructions for License Renewal
With a marked-up text like this, it’s very easy to find the answers.
7. What documents does one need to renew a driver’s license?
Completed renewal application
Current driver’s license
Acceptable proof of age, identification, and address
Proof of social security
Money to pay required fee
8. What documents represent proof of social security?
Social security card
State or federal income tax return
Current pay stub
W-2 form
9. How often must one renew a driver’s license? Every four years.
10. How does one obtain the renewal form? It is sent five to seven weeks before current license expires.
11. True or False: You can renew your driver’s license by mail. False: You can only renew by visiting a Motor Vehicles Agency.
Practice Passage 3
Now look at one more short passage. Again, read carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Today’s postal service is more efficient and reliable than ever before. Mail that used to take months to move by horse and foot now moves around the country in days or hours by truck, train, and plane. First-class mail usually moves from New York City to Los Angeles in three days or less. If your letter or package is urgent, the U.S. Postal Service offers Priority Mail and Express Mail services. Priority Mail is guaranteed to go anywhere in the United States in two days or less. Express Mail will get your package there overnight.
12. Who or what is this passage about?
13. How was mail transported in the past?
14. How is mail transported now?
15. How long does first-class mail take?
16. How long does Priority Mail take?
17. How long does Express Mail take?
Once again, here’s how you might have marked up this passage:
You can see how marking up a text helps make it easier to understand the information a passage conveys.
12. Who or what is this passage about? The U.S.
Postal Service.
13. How was mail transported in the past? By horse and foot.
14. How is mail transported now? By truck, train, and plane.
15. How long does first-class mail take? Three days or less.
16. How long does Priority Mail take? Two days or less.
17. How long does Express Mail take? Overnight.
► Summary
Active reading is the first essential step to comprehension. Why? Because active reading forces you to really see what you’re reading, to look closely at what’s there.
Like a detective who arrives at the scene of a crime, if you look carefully and ask the right questions (who, what, when, where, how, and why), you’re on your way to really comprehending what you read.
Skill Building until Next Time
Here are some suggestions for practicing the skills covered in this chapter throughout the day and even the rest of the week. Try them!
■ Mark up everything you read throughout the day—the newspaper, a memo, a letter from a friend. Underline the key terms and ideas; circle and look up any unfamiliar words; write your reactions and questions in the margins. If possible, share these reactions with the writer and see if you can get answers to your questions.
■ Develop a “detective’s eye.” Begin to notice things around you. Look at the details on people’s faces; notice the architectural details of the buildings you enter. The more observant you are in daily life, the more enriched your life will be and the easier it will be to comprehend everything you read.