Reading: Introduction Exercise Answers

Reading Skills for Academic Study

Introduction – Exercise

What sort of things do you read?

What do you read in English?

Read some of the following texts. There are 30 different written texts.

Try to identify the type of text. What TYPE of text is it?
Who is the text written for? Who is the AUDIENCE?
Why was the text written? What is its PURPOSE?
How is the text STRUCTURED?
What is your OPINION of the text? Which of the text types do you like reading? Which of them do you have to read (even if you don’t like reading them)? Which do you never read? Why?
Why do you usually read this kind of text? What is your usual OBJECTIVE when you read these texts?
And lastly, how does your purpose influence how you read? What METHOD do you use?

Some suggestions:

Text	Type	Audience	Purpose	Structure	Objective	Method
1	Novel	General	Entertain		Enjoyment: what happens	From beginning to end, following characters and story.
2	Recipe	Cook	Instruct	Ingredients/Method	Information: how to cook	Carefully, need correct ingredients and procedure.
3	Instructions				Information: how to repair	Carefully, need procedure. Make notes if required.
4	Business letter				Information: what do they want	Carefully if relevant.
5	Textbook				Information & ideas	Selective as required; in detail when necessary. Take notes if necessary.
6	Index				Information: find relevant pages	Quickly find relevant information. Then read text in detail.
7	Academic article				Ideas: conclusions	Read abstract, introduction & conclusion; read main part if details needed. Take notes if necessary.
8	Sonnet				Pleasure	Slowly and carefully. Repeat many times. Maybe read out loud.
9	Advertisement				Information – what & how much	Quickly unless interested, then details.
10	Local newspaper				Pleasure – pass time	Quickly find interesting information. Read carefully to pass time.
11	Local accommodation				Information : what is available, where & how much	Quickly find relevant information. Then read in detail.
12	Personal letter				Pleasure & information	Quickly find interesting information. Read carefully to pass time. may read again.
13	Novel				Enjoyment: what happens	From beginning to end, following characters and story.
14	Poem				Enjoyment	Slowly and carefully. Repeat many times. Maybe read out loud.
15	City briefing				Details: how your money is doing	Quickly find relevant information. Check regularly.
16	Dictionary				Details: find the word	Quickly find relevant information. Then details.
17	Job advertisements				Information what is available, where & how much	Quickly find relevant information. Then details.
18	Menu				Information: what you want to eat	Quickly find relevant information.
19	Rail timetable				Train times & prices	Quickly find relevant information. Need to check regularly.
20	Telephone directory				Someone’s number	Quickly find relevant information.
21	Text (SMS) message				Pleasure & information	Quickly read for information. Needs quick reply.
22	Television schedule				What is on, when?	Quickly find relevant information.
23	Weather				What is weather going to be like?	Quickly find relevant information.
24	Contents page				Find relevant information	Quickly find relevant information. Then in detail.
25	Memo				Information: what is required?	Carefully if relevant.
26	Play				Pleasure: what happens?	From beginning to end, following characters and story. May read out loud.
27	Holiday advertisement				What is available: where, when & how much?	Quickly unless interested, then details
28	Theatres				What is on, when?	Quickly find relevant information.
29	Travel				What is available: where, when & how much?	Quickly unless interested, then details
30	Cinema schedule				What is on, when?	Quickly find relevant information.

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