The document discusses reading and its importance in second language acquisition. It defines reading as a process of decoding, interpreting, and understanding text through negotiation between the reader and writer. Reading provides exposure to the target language and opens up new worlds through bringing prior knowledge and cognitive development. The document also lists different genres of text and characteristics of efficient readers, including identifying the text purpose and applying appropriate reading strategies. Finally, it discusses four types of reading assessments: perceptive, selective, interactive, and extensive.