The document discusses the importance and purpose of reading. It provides reasons why reading is important such as improving language skills and exposing people to accumulated wisdom. Reading involves both top-down and bottom-up processing and the interactive model where the reader combines textual information with their own background knowledge and experiences. The main sub-skills of reading are also outlined such as word recognition, making inferences, and distinguishing main ideas. Several reading activities are then presented with examples of pre-reading, reading, and post-reading questions.