reading & comprehension

1. Reading & comprehension
Course – Diploma
Subject – English Communication and Life Skills
Unit – III

2. What is Reading Comprehension?
• Reading Comprehension is the act of understanding what
you are reading.
• Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation
of what is read.
• To be able to accurately understand written material, we
need to be able to (1) decode what we read; (2) make
connections between what we read and what we already
know; and (3) think deeply about what we have read.
• One big part of comprehension is having sufficient
vocabulary.

3. • Readers who have strong comprehension are able to draw
conclusions about what they read – what is important,
what is a fact, what caused an event to happen, etc.
• Thus comprehension involves combining reading with
thinking and reasoning.
• Reading comprehension is one of the pillars of the act of
reading. When a person reads a text he engages in a
complex array of cognitive processes.
• Content area materials such as textbooks and newspaper,
magazine and journal articles pose different reading
comprehension challenges for young people and thus
require different comprehension strategies. The
development of reading comprehension is a lifelong
process that changes based on the depth and breadth of
texts the person is reading.

4. Why is reading comprehension
important?
• Without comprehension, reading is nothing more than tracking
symbols on a page with your eyes and sounding them out. People
read for many reasons but understanding is always a part of their
purpose. Reading comprehension is important because without it
reading doesn’t provide the reader with any information.
• Beyond this, reading comprehension is essential to life. Much has
been written about the importance of functional literacy. In order
to survive and thrive in today’s world individuals must be able to
comprehend basic texts such as bills, housing agreements (leases,
purchase contracts), directions on packaging and transportation
documents (bus and train schedules, maps, travel directions).
• Reading is a multifaceted (having many sides) process that develops
only with practice. There are certain aspects of reading, such as
fluency and word recognition, which can be learned in a few years.

5. What is your purpose of reading?
• I’m reading …
to understand the material
to get good marks in class
to pass the test
for pleasure
because I’m bored
to understand tomorrow’s lecture
to prepare my presentation
because my professor requires me to
to fall asleep

6. Active Reading vs. Passive Reading
• Reading is not just reading the words on the
page. When you read, it is important to first
know why you are reading – to have a
purpose.
• When you read for pleasure you read for the
main ideas and for the storyline. You
remember only what interests you. When you
read for an assignment you are reading to
absorb information, this type of reading
requires a higher level of focus and takes more
time. In essence, active reading is LEARNING

7. • Active reading simply means reading something
with a determination to understand and evaluate
it for its relevance to your needs.
• Simply reading and re-reading the material isn't
an effective way to understand and learn. Actively
and critically engaging with the content can save
you time.
• A passive reading approach would be sitting
down after dinner and starting on the first page
of an assigned chapter and reading straight
through to the end. Lots of students do this with
highlighter in hand, but then the page ends up
almost completely highlighted and the reader
doesn’t know what is important!

8. ACTIVE READER PASSIVE READER
An active reader reads with purpose,
interest and attention.
A passive reader is an individual who
does not pay any attention to the
reading. They are often daydreaming
and they are the complete opposite of
active readers. Passive readers should
be encouraged to be more interested in
what they are reading and taught of the
benefits of being attentive and active
readers.
Active readers have a good collection of
books, or go to a library often, or
perhaps does a lot of reading work.
They can read books, documents or
newspapers without getting bored
(unless they are reading about
something that doesn't interest them a
lot).
Passive readers don't read a lot. They
do selective reading. They will only
read books that only interests them,
and they do not like to read a lot. They
only look for the things they need to
learn in their reading.

9. ACTIVE READER PASSIVE READER
Active Readers are patient. Passive Readers are restless.
Active readers are able to remember
details, they ask questions, compare
and contrast, etc.
Passive readers are not engaged in
the material, they don’t ask questions
and are not able to remember the
details.

10. Pronunciation and Enunciation
• The act of pronouncing words is called Pronunciation.
In other words, the way in which a word is pronounced
is called Pronunciation.
• Pronunciation is simply the way in which a language is
spoken.
• Enunciation is to pronounce the words clearly.
• Pronunciation is how to say something where as
Enunciation is how clearly we say something.
• Enunciation and pronunciation are English literature
terminologies. Enunciation is act of speaking English
concisely and clearly. On the other hand, pronunciation
is a practice which helps to speak words correctly.

11. Importance of Pronunciation and Enunciation
• You need to use proper enunciation and pronunciation
to make your audience to understand you better.
• Pronunciation and enunciation have to do with how
you use words. Both are very important to successful
communication, especially in public speaking, because
people will pay closer attention to what you say and
how you say it when you are speaking publicly.
• Pronunciation has to do with saying a word the way a
dictionary would tell you it should be said.
• Enunciation has to do with saying all the sounds in a
word clearly. To do this well, you must move your
tongue and your lips fully.

12. • Distinct enunciation and correct pronunciation are valuable aids
to the enhancing of the communication of the speaker and to
the creation of impression, interest, and attention on the
audience. Hence, pay careful attention to your enunciation and
pronunciation.
• Good communication in English depends of proper
pronunciation. Regional dialects can differ but clear
pronunciation is paramount to making your message
understood.
• Poor pronunciation can cause a negative first impression. People
who cannot pronounce English properly are often thought of as
less literate or intelligent.
• Good pronunciation entails enunciating the words correctly.
• Volume and pitch are other factors that contribute to
pronunciation. Your message must also be loud enough to be
heard, and the tone of a message contributes to the meaning as
well.

13. Reading Techniques
• Skimming - reading quickly in order to find out what the
text is about. Skimming can also take in features such as
headings, subheadings and illustrations to obtain an
overview of the subject matter.
• Skimming is a fast reading technique. It helps us read more
quickly. It helps us decide if the text is important or not and
whether we should read it in more detail or not.
• It is a technique used to quickly identify the main areas of
the text or obtain the gist (point/idea) of the text.
• Skimming refers to the process of reading only main ideas
within a passage to get an overall impression of the content
of a reading selection.

14. • Skimming is a technique used to get the main idea, not
all the details. It is certain that while reading, we leave
out parts.
• We comprehend (understand) only 50% or even less
than that of what we are reading and as the speed
increases comprehension decreases.
• It is usually done with material you know nothing
about.
• Skimming is one of the tools you can use to read more
in less time.
• With skimming, your overall understanding is reduced
because you don’t read everything. You read only what
is important to your purpose.

15. • Scanning – Scanning means looking for particular piece of
information. It also means looking for specific keywords,
names of information.
• For example, scanning a telephone book:
• You are looking for it quickly.
• You know what you are searching for (key words and
names).
• You 'see' every item on the page, but you don't necessarily
read the pages - you ignore anything you are not looking
for.
• Scanning is used to find information, it is a fast way to look
for something.
• It is often done with material that you know something
about.
• It is a technique used to locate a fact or specific bit of
information without reading every word.

16. • Meta guiding is the visual guiding of the eye using a
finger or pointer, such as a pen, in order for the eye to
move faster along the length of a passage of text.
• It involves drawing invisible shapes on a page of text in
order to broaden the visual span for speed reading.
• For example, an audience of customers at a speed
reading seminar will be instructed to use a finger or
pen to make these shapes on a page and told that this
will speed up their visual cortex ( a part of the brain,
located at the back of the brain, which is responsible
for processing visual information), increase their visual
span to take in the whole line, and even imprint the
information into their subconscious for later retrieval.
• It has also been claimed to reduce sub vocalization
(internal talk/speech), thereby speeding up reading.

17. Critical Reading
• Critical reading means that a reader applies certain
processes, models, questions, and theories that result
in enhanced clarity and comprehension. There is more
involved, both in effort and understanding, in a critical
reading than in a mere "skimming" of the text.
• To the critical reader, any single text provides but one
portrayal of the facts, one individual’s “take” on the
subject matter. Critical readers thus recognize not only
what a text says, but also how that text portrays the
subject matter. They recognize the various ways in
which each and every text is the unique creation of a
unique author.

18. • Critical Reading involves:
What a text says – restatement
What a text does – description
What a text means – interpretation
• For Critical Reading a strong background knowledge is
required, Who is the author? Who is the audience?
When was it written? What is the purpose of writing?
• Critical reading is the process of reading that goes
beyond just understanding a text. It also involves:
• carefully considering and evaluating the reading
• identifying the reading's strengths and weaknesses
• looking at the 'big picture' and deciding how the
reading fits into the greater academic context.

19. SQ3R – Studying Method
• SQ3R or SQRRR is a reading comprehension
method named for its five steps: Survey/Skim,
Question, Read, Recite/Recall/Remember, and
Review.
• The method was introduced by Francis Pleasant
Robinson in his 1946 book Effective Study.
• The method was created for college students.
However, it can also be used by elementary
school students, who can practice all of the steps
once they have begun to read longer and more
complex texts.

20. Survey or Skim
• SKIM through the text quickly to get an overall impression.
• Before you read, Survey the chapter:
 the title, headings, and subheadings
 captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps
 review questions or study guides or handouts
 introductory and concluding paragraphs
 Summary
The first step Survey or skim advises that one should resist the
temptation to read the book/text/assignment/chapter and
instead glance through a chapter in order to identify headings,
sub-headings and other outstanding features in the text. This
is in order to identify ideas and formulate questions about the
content of the chapter.

21. Read
• When you begin to Read:
 Look for answers to the questions you first raised.
 Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or
study guides.
 Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.
 Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or
phrases.
 Study graphic aids.
 Reduce your speed for difficult passages.
 Stop and reread parts which are not clear.
 Read only a section at a time and recite after each section.

22. Question
• Formulate questions about the content of the reading.
For example, convert headings and sub-headings into
questions, and then look for answers in the content of
the text. Other more general questions may also be
formulated:
 What is this chapter about?
 What question is this chapter trying to answer?
 How does this information help me?
• Question while you are surveying.
• Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this
subject?"

23. Recite/Recall/Remember
• Recite after you've read a section:
• Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just
read, or summarize, in your own words, what you read.
• Take notes from the text but write the information in
your own words.
• Underline or highlight important points you've just
read.
• This may be done in oral or written format.
• Test your memory - but don't worry if you can't
remember much.

24. Review
• After you have read and recited the entire chapter,
write questions in the margins for those points you
have highlighted or underlined.
• Review basically means revising and remembering the
points.
• Read the text in more detail. Use your own words.
• Using your notes, mentally go over the material within
24 hours of covering it.
• Review again after one week.
• Review approximately once a month.

25. Analytical Reading
• Analytical Reading is paying careful attention to
each word and its importance in relation to other
words in the sentence or the paragraph.
• Analytical Reading requires an inquisitive mind.
• For example: Reading mathematical problems,
scientific formulas and certain definitive
statements or key ideas that require a
questioning mind.
• Analytical Reading helps in decision making, for
investigations, mentally organize information, etc.

26. Let’s Pronounce words
A B C D E
Bed
Bed sheet
Pillow
Kitchen
Drawing
room
Balcony
Terrace
Fridge
Fan
Light
Test
Taste
Paste
Brush
Comb
Exam
Apply
Bald
Chin
Change
Believe
Five
Live
Leave
Leaf
Leaves
Fever
River
Give
Dive
church
judge
Rolled
Helped
Carried
zoo
sheep
Spatula
Rolling pin
Bowl
all
arm
alphabet
agree
answer
after
around
as
a
asleep

27. Reading 1 – One more wish
Ronny was a young boy who studied in college. He
was always praying to god for some wish. As soon as his
one wish was fulfilled by god, he would make another
wish. Ronny was a young boy and so he was full of energy
and excitement. One morning, while he was praying to
god, god came and stood before him and asked him ‘Why
do you just make wishes Ronny? Why don’t you work
hard to fulfill your wishes?’ Ronny was shocked and
surprised to see god. He became nervous. He said, ‘I want
to get good marks in my exam next month’ God replied,
‘You will not get good marks in exam if you don’t study
regularly from now, I don’t help children who don’t work
hard’. Saying this god went away.

28. Ronny sat on his bed. He was confused because he didn’t
know how to get good marks. He decided to start
preparing for his exam from that day only. He used to get
up early in the morning. Nobody used to wake him up. He
started studying sharp at 5:30 in the morning. Then at 7
he would go for a bath and get ready for college and take
breakfast. He used to leave home at 8 o clock. After
returning home at 3 o clock he would take lunch and rest
till 4o clock. Then he would start studying from 4 o clock
to 7 o clock. And then again sit to study from 9 to 10 at
night. His parents were shocked when they noticed the
change in him. Ronny had stopped wasting time when he
used to study, writing in bad hand writing, not learning
and being irregular. He did everything on his own.

29. When his exams were about to start he again
made a wish to god. He said to god, “God, now I
have done hard work and preparation for my
exam, now can I make a wish to get good
marks?” God smiled and said, “Sure my son, you
write well in your exam and I will help you”.
Ronny was very satisfied. He slept peacefully.
When his result came, he had scored 93%. His
parents were overjoyed and so was Ronny. He
thanked god.

30. Exercises:
1] Make sentences with all the underlined words in the passage:
2] Answer the following in Yes or No, write complete sentence for
both.
1. Ronny was energetic.
2. Ronny prayed to god for wishes.
3. Ronny had very bad handwriting.
4. Ronny didn’t thank god in the end.
5. Ronny was very small.
6. Ronny had exam after six months.
7. Ronny’s mother woke him up in the morning.
8. Ronny went to school.
9. Ronny didn’t stop wasting time.
10. Ronny was didn’t eat breakfast.

31. 3] Answer the following:
1. What did Ronny pray and to whom?
2. What happened one morning?
3. What was Ronny socked?
4. Why was Ronny confused?
5. Why did god not help Ronny first?
6. Why did Ronny make a wish to god again?
7. Why did god agree to help Ronny later?
8. Why were his parents overjoyed?
9. Why Ronny slept peacefully?
10. What change did his parents notice in him?
4] Write about one wish that you want to make
to God.

32. Reading 2 - Let us go to AMUSEMENT HUB
There was a big shopping area near a city called ‘Amusement Hub’.
The city was very small but a clean and green city. Most of the city was old
and had many old buildings so it was a known tourist place for all in the state
and country. This shopping area was in the basement and in the outskirts of
the city. The shopping area had many sections and parts. It had things of
everyone’s interests. There was a big restaurant in the shopping area called
“Fusion” which had cuisines of all kinds. So all got food and snack items also
of their choice. The shopping area also had a ‘Sitting Area’ where people
could sit on tables across each other and talk or discuss things. It was made
so that people could spend time with each other without spending much.
There was only an entrance token fee of Rs 20 per head which was valid for
three hours.

33. The shopping area had a small ‘Game Zone’ also which
had games of all kinds of all ages. The shopping area also
had a ‘Reading Zone’ where books, magazines and
newspapers were available in different languages. The
shopping area had a newly made ‘E-Zone’ which had
huge screen TVs all over half room and the remaining half
had fifty computers with 32 inch monitors for Internet
surfing. There was a nominal charge of Rs 25 for entrance
per person which was valid for four hours. There was a
big Zone on the right hand corner of the shopping area. It
was ‘The Sweet Tooth’ this place had all kinds of sweet
things available for all those people who have a sweet
tooth. Puddings, Ice creams, chocolates, jelly, cookies,
jams, pie, sweets, biscuits, etc.

34. The left hand corner of the shopping area had footwear
of all kinds for people of all age groups. From kids to
people walking with sticks and having white hair, all loved
buy footwear from there mainly because footwear was
comfortable, durable and cheap. The upper right corner
was a hub for women. It had various segments having
jewelry, cosmetics, toiletries, bags, and apparels. The
lower right corner was a hub for ‘All Kinds Of Hobbies’. It
included learning how to decorate things and a house or
a place, gift wrapping ideas, painting, craft, drawing,
collecting articles, making the best from waste, etc.
“Making the best from waste” was a live corner where
people got waste articles and things from home and the
experts taught them and helped them make something
from it within thirty minutes. The central part of the
shopping area has common items needed by all.

35. There was a room called “We Need” which was made
especially for customers. Every customer could go and say
what he/she further needs and of which type. There were
people there who would listen to them and understand
their requirement and fulfill it for them as soon as
possible. So ready? Shall we go to Amusement Hub?

36. Exercises:
1] Make sentences with all the underlined words in the passage:
2] Answer the following in Yes or No, write the complete sentences
for both Yes of No; if No, then write the correct answer:
1.The shopping area was a known tourist place for all in the state and
country.
2.‘The Sweet Zone’ was a big Zone on the right hand corner of the
shopping area.
3.The upper right corner was a hub for women.
4.The lower right corner was a hub for all kinds of hobbies.
5.There was a room called “We Need” which was made especially for
customers in the Centre of the shopping area.

37. 3] Answer the following in short:
1. Where was Amusement Hub?
2. How was the city?
3. What was ‘Making the best from waste’?
4. What were the charges for E-Zone and ‘Sitting Area’?
5. Altogether how many zones (not rooms or sections) were there in
Amusement Hub?
4] Think and answer on your own:
1. What is the meaning of Amusement?
2. If given a choice what would you buy from the apparel segment?
3. If given a choice, which section of Amusement Hub you would visit
first?
4. Do you think we should have such an Amusement Hub in our city?
Why?
5. Why do you think the section “We need” was made?

38. • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_comprehension
• www.k12reader.com/subject/reading-skills/reading-
comprehension
• www.slideshare.com
• www.powershow.com
Recourses/ References