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 Opinion Objective Method
1 Novel  General  Entertain Enjoyment: what happens From beginning to end, following characters and story.
2 Recipe  Cook  Instruct  Ingredients/Method sometimes like reading Information: how to cook Carefully, need correct ingredients and procedure.
3 Instructions don't like reading Information: how to repair Carefully, need procedure. Make notes if required.
4 Business letter don't like reading Information: what do they want Carefully if relevant.
5 Textbook sometimes like reading Information & ideas Selective as required; in detail when necessary. Take notes if necessary.
6 Index don't like reading Information: find relevant pages Quickly find relevant information. Then read text in detail.
7 Academic article like reading Ideas: conclusions Read abstract, introduction & conclusion; read main part if details needed. Take notes if necessary.
8 Sonnet like reading Pleasure Slowly and carefully. Repeat many times. Maybe read out loud.
9 Advertisement don't like reading Information – what & how much Quickly unless interested, then details.
10 Local newspaper sometimes like reading Pleasure – pass time Quickly find interesting information. Read carefully to pass time.
11 Local accommodation don't like reading Information : what is available, where & how much Quickly find relevant information. Then read in detail.
12 Personal letter like reading Pleasure & information Quickly find interesting information. Read carefully to pass time. may read again.
13 Novel like reading Enjoyment: what happens From beginning to end, following characters and story.
14 Poem like reading Enjoyment Slowly and carefully. Repeat many times. Maybe read out loud.
15 City briefing like reading Details: how your money is doing Quickly find relevant information. Check regularly.
16 Dictionary don't like reading Details: find the word Quickly find relevant information. Then details.
17 Job advertisements sometimes like reading Information what is available, where & how much Quickly find relevant information. Then details.
18 Menu like reading Information: what you want to eat Quickly find relevant information.
19 Rail timetable don't like reading Train times & prices Quickly find relevant information. Need to check regularly.
20 Telephone directory don't like reading Someone’s number Quickly find relevant information.
21 Text (SMS) message sometimes like reading Pleasure & information Quickly read for information. Needs quick reply.
22 Television schedule like reading What is on, when? Quickly find relevant information.
23 Weather don't like reading What is weather going to be like? Quickly find relevant information.
24 Contents page don't like reading Find relevant information Quickly find relevant information. Then in detail.
25 Memo don't like reading Information: what is required? Carefully if relevant.
26 Play like reading Pleasure: what happens? From beginning to end, following characters and story. May read out loud.
27 Holiday advertisement like reading What is available: where, when & how much? Quickly unless interested, then details
28 Theatres like reading What is on, when? Quickly find relevant information.
29 Travel like reading What is available: where, when & how much? Quickly unless interested, then details
30 Cinema schedule like reading What is on, when? Quickly find relevant information.

 

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