Chapter 3: Reading Comprehension
Reading Strategies
Strategy 1: Prediction
- During the pre-reading phase, students are encouraged to identify what they already know about the topic and use that knowledge to predict what they may learn from the reading.
Example 1:
近⽇，⼀份上海校园学⽣零⽤钱调查报告显⽰：有86.7%的学⽣平 时有零⽤钱，⽽且随着年龄的增⻓，他们的零⽤钱越来越多。
- This passage is a survey report about the amount of allowance students receive. It is highly likely that students already know something about the discussed topic, “零⽤钱”, from personal experience, and also because it may be widely talked about among peers.
Example 2:
美国的教育重视让孩⼦⾃由发展，注意发挥孩⼦的想象⼒。中国的 教育不太考虑学⽣的特点，对每位学⽣的要求都⼀样。在中国，升学 的压⼒很⼤，使许多学⽣变成了只会死读书的考试机器。美国⽼师认 为，学⽣，特别是⼩学⽣, 应该在轻松、愉快的环境中学习，⽽不应该 让他们感到有太⼤压⼒，可是很多中国家⻓对此不以为然。他们认为 ⼩学的基础⼀定得打好。如果基础打不好，将来就没有能⼒跟别⼈竞 争。
What do we learn from the conversation?
(A) The man insists that his daughter should pursue her physics degree.
(B) The man thinks his daughter will be unsuccessful if she gets a business degree.
%%(C) The man advises his daughter to think carefully before making her decision.%%
(D) The man doesn’t have money for his daughter’s studies.
This passage is about the major differences of opinion between Chinese and Americans on the topic of education. Students may have years of experience in the American educational system and/or some experience in the Chinese educational system.
The word “不过” in the man’s statement expresses that his daughter should consider her decision carefully.
If this article were preceded by the title “中美教育 的差异”, the prediction strategy would enable students to glean important information from the title and to more effectively focus on the main ideas before, or as they finish, reading.
Strategy 2: Skimming
- Skimming is a fast-reading skill that does not require reading word by word, but it does require a high degree of concentration.
- It may involve reading only the title, subheading, illustrations, and the first and last paragraphs of a passage, or the first, second, and last sentence of each paragraph.
Example:
中国的传统节⽇有春节、元宵节、端午节和中秋节等。
春节是农历的新年，是⼀年中最重要的节⽇。过春节的时候，家家 ⼾⼾放鞭炮，亲朋好友互相拜年。结了婚的⼦⼥带着⾃⼰的孩⼦回家 看望⽗⺟，⽗⺟也会给晚辈们压岁钱。全家⽼⼩，坐在⼀起，热热闹 闹地吃饺⼦。
农历正⽉⼗五是元宵节，也叫灯节。元宵节那⼀天，⼈们在门前挂 上灯笼，围在⼀起吃元宵。农历五⽉五⽇是端午节。中国⼈有端午节 吃粽⼦、赛⻰⾈的习俗。农历⼋⽉⼗五⽇是中秋节，这是中国⼈全家 团圆的⽇⼦。中秋节的晚上，⽉亮⼜圆⼜亮。全家⼈围坐在⼀起，⼀ 边赏⽉，⼀边吃着象征团圆的⽉饼。
- Students should then pay attention to the first line of each of the following paragraphs.
- They may also want to take notes on the activities of each festival, such as
- “放鞭炮” ➤ (set up firecrackers),
- “拜年” ➤ (pay a New Year call),
- “赛⻰⾈” ➤ (the dragon boat competition)，
- “赏⽉” ➤ (admire the full moon),
- ““吃饺⼦” ➤ (eat dumplings),
- “吃元 宵” ➤ (eat sweet dumplings),
- “吃粽⼦” ➤ (eat glutinous rice dumplings), and
- “吃⽉饼” ➤ (eat moon cake).
- By skimming, students will understand the overall idea of the passage.
Strategy 3: Scanning
- Scanning is a helpful technique when students are looking for the answer to a particular question.
- It involves moving quickly through the passage seeking specific words and phrases.
- It is useful for determining whether a particular piece of information will answer one of the questions.
- While scanning, it may be a good idea to look for organizers such as numbers, letters, steps, or the words first, second, or next.
Strategy 4: Understanding main ideas
- The main idea of a passage can usually be found in the title or the topic sentence.
- The main idea may also be found elsewhere in the passage—for example, in the body or the conclusion.
Example 1:
旅美的中国⼤熊猫美⾹⼀直受到中美两国⼈⺠的关注。当地时间7⽉ 9⽇，熊猫妈妈美⾹在位于华盛顿的美国国家动物园顺利⽣下⼀只⼩宝 宝。动物园的专家和⼯作⼈员都⾮常⾼兴。⽬前，熊猫妈妈美⾹正在 精⼼地照顾这个可爱的熊猫宝宝。
Which of the following is the most appropriate title for this news story?
(A) Chinese Pandas Living in the United States
(B) People of the World Love Pandas Very Much
(C) The Panda Is One of the Scarcest Animals
%%(D) Panda Gives Birth at the National Zoo%%
Example 2:
电影和电视对⼈们⽣活的影响很⼤。⼈们看了电影和电视上的⼴告 以后，很容易就去购买⼴告中的商品。看了新闻或教育性的节⽬，⼈ 们可以学到很多新知识，知道许多新事物。看了娱乐节⽬，可能会让 ⼈觉得世界上的⼈⼤都很有钱，⽽且⻓得都很漂亮，这就容易使⼀些 ⼈对⾃⼰的⽣活感到不满意。⼉童看了电影和电视以后，可能会去模 仿⽚中的⼈物，还可能因此⽽学坏。
Which of the following titles most appropriately describes the main idea of this passage?
(A) How Do Movies and Television Educate People?
(B) Watching Movies or Television Induces People to Buy Certain Products
%%(C) The Influence of Television and Movies%%
(D) Children Try to Imitate Acts They See on TV or in Movies
Strategy 5: Ignoring unimportant words
- The reality is that, when reading a text, students may often come upon words or phrases that are unfamiliar to them.
- Before resorting to a dictionary, though, students should first try to determine whether the word or phrase is a critical piece of information or not.
- In order to show an emotion or to emphasize an opinion, writers may use synonyms to express the same or similar meaning as another word in the passage.
- Thus, understanding one of the synonyms allows students to guess the meaning of another word within the context.
Example 1:
对昨天发⽣的事情，她⼀直感到惶恐和不安。
- In this sentence, after the verb “感到,” there are two adjectives with similar meanings. Knowing one of the two adjectives provides a reasonable clue for the other, and for understanding the entire sentence.
Example 2:
最近⼏年，市场上的化妆品越来越多，⽐如说，防晒霜、去斑霜、 美⽩⾯膜什么的，应有尽有。
- In this sentence, the key word “⽐如说” introduces all types of cosmetics, “化妆品”. As long as students know one of the items after “⽐如说”, it is likely that they will understand the sentence without necessarily recognizing all the items on the list.
Strategy 6: Guessing and analyzing
- Guessing the meaning of unknown words from context is a very important strategy while reading. Analyzing the meaning of sentences is also critical.
- When an unfamiliar word or phrase is encountered, students should not stop. On the contrary, continuing to read through the entire passage often helps to decipher the meaning of those unfamiliar words and phrases.
- Once students feel comfortable with the new words, they can look them up in the dictionary to check their guesses.
Example 1:
⻨克的中国朋友⼩张，⼯作特别忙，根本没有时间管⼉⼦。为了孩 ⼦的教育问题，⼩张的妻⼦⼩夏常常跟他吵架。要不是⼩夏觉得单亲 家庭对孩⼦的影响不好的话，她早就跟⼩张离婚了。⻨克⼀直以为只 有美国的家庭才有那么多的问题，其实，哪个国家都⼀样，真是家家 有本难念的经。
- Looking up the proverb “家家有本难念的经” in the dictionary may result in the definition “Every family has skeletons in the closet.”
- However, contextual clues provide detailed information regarding “家庭” and “孩⼦,” which yield a more direct definition of this unfamiliar proverb: “Every family has its own problem.”
Example 2:
驾驶时禁⽤⼿持电话
Where would this sign most likely appear?
(A) In a parking lot
(B) In a supermarket
%%(C) Above a highway%%
(D) In shop for mobile phones
What is the purpose of this sign?
(A) To remind people to stop carefully when parking
(B) To call for people to keep quiet
(C) To prohibit cell phone use completely
%%(D) To remind people to comply with a driving law%%
Example 3:
台湾⾼⼭族⼈，性格豪放，热情好客。他们喜欢在节⽇或者喜庆⽇ ⼦的时候请客和举⾏歌舞表演。⾼⼭族节⽇中最有代表性的⾷物是⽤ 糯⽶做的各种各样的糕点和糍粑。
- What does the word “豪放” mean? If students have learned the word “性 格” and the grammatical structure of topic + comment, they can guess that “ 豪 放 ” is a description of a certain personality, which is enough to understand the first sentence.
- Even though students may not recall words such as “糕” and “糍粑,” if they remember that the radical “⽶” means food, they may guess that the unknown words are names for types of food
Strategy 7: Detailed reading
- When students read the text for the second or third time, the focus shifts to the secondary ideas and the details that support the main idea. Detailed reading is a slower and more careful reading process.
Example:
今天的孩⼦⽆法理解他们⽗⺟创业的艰⾟，⽽只知道去分享⽗⺟创 造的成果。这些孩⼦, ⾐来伸⼿，饭来张⼝，⽽造成这⼀个后果的竟是 ⾟⾟苦苦了⼀辈⼦的⽗⺟。⽗⺟经历过了⽣活的艰⾟，就不想再让⾃ ⼰的孩⼦去吃苦了，于是把孩⼦像⼩皇帝⼀样⾼⾼地捧在⼿中，孩⼦ 要什么，他们就给什么。孩⼦变得越来越⾃私，⼀切以⾃⼰为中⼼。 这种情况引起了社会学家的⾼度重视。
Who should take responsibility for the children’s attitude problems?
(A) The kids should take responsibility for the problems.
(B) The emperor should take responsibility for the problems.
%%(C) The parents should take responsibility for the problems.%%
(D) Society should take responsibility for the problems.
Strategy 8: Inferring ideas
- Inferring means drawing conclusions from the evidence or premises offered in a piece of writing. Often, the writer implies something and leaves it up to you to infer the rest.
- This involves combining and sorting out what is read.
Example:
尊敬的宾客：
欢迎您来南京友谊饭店。南京友谊饭店是⼀家历史悠久的四星级饭 店，建于1956年。本饭店地处市中⼼，环境优美，交通⽅便。⽆论您 外出旅游，开商务会议，还是探亲访友，我们都热情地欢迎你们的到 来。
南京友谊饭店总经理
王必成
What is the purpose of the manager’s letter?
(A) He asks the guests for their advice
%%(B) He is welcoming the guests.%%
(C) He asks the guests to stay longer.
(D) He asks the guests to pay attention to the good service.
Strategy 9: Determining the writer’s attitude
- Identifying the writer’s point of view, or his purpose and attitude, can help students comprehend the underlying objective of the text.
Example 1:
从前，有⼀只⻘蛙住在⼀⼝井⾥。有⼀天，⼀只⼤鳖从海⾥⾛来， 路过井边的时候，它看⻅了井底的⻘蛙。⻘蛙很热情地对⼤鳖说：“⼤ 鳖兄弟，你看，我住在这⼉多快乐呀！世界上再也找不到⽐这⼉更好 的地⽅了。你看吧，我⾼兴了，就到井边玩玩，玩累了呢就回来睡⼀ 会⼉。在井⾥，我是主⼈，我想做什么就做什么, 多好啊！”
⼤鳖听了⻘蛙的话，就⾛到井⾥，仔细看了看，并不觉得井⾥有什 么好玩的，于是⼤鳖说：“⻘蛙⼩弟，你⻅过⼤海吗？闹⽔灾的时候， 海⽔不会增加多少。闹旱灾的时候，海⽔也减少不了多少。难道你不 觉得住在⼤海才是真正的⾃由和快乐吗？”
⻘蛙听了⼤鳖的话很不好意思。它终于明⽩了⼀个道理：原来世界 很⼤，⽽⾃⼰知道的事情却很少。
What is the purpose of this story?
(A) The story tells how the frog bragged about his well to the turtle
%%(B) The story teaches that people ought to have a broad and far-reaching vision of life.%%
(C) The story tells how the frog lives in the well and thinks of the world based only on what he can see.(D) The story tells where the frog and the turtle came from.
Example 2:
只要你⾛进⼤学的电脑房，⽆论是什么时候，早上也好，晚上也 罢，总有⼀批⼤学⽣泡在⽹上。虽然有⼀部分学⽣是在寻找学习资 料，但⼤部分⼈却是在⽹上⾃得其乐。我问他们⻓期下去是不是会影 响学习，那些学⽣告诉我，其实他们也知道整天上⽹，确实耽误了不 少时间，但是他们已经习惯了上⽹。如果有⼀天不上⽹，他们就会觉 得全⾝上下不舒服。⼤学⽣是这样，那么中学⽣为什么也喜欢泡在⽹ 上呢？我看主要是好玩⼉。⾯对⽹上各种各样的内容，好奇⼼总是让 他们很想知道下⾯是什么，到了下⾯，⼜想知道再下⾯的是什么。从 ⽹上的内容看，⼤多是⼀些新闻、⼴告什么的，对学习真正有帮助的 资料其实很少。
事实证明，学⽣⻓时间呆在⽹上难免影响学习，对他们的⾝体健康 也没有好处。不少⼤学⽣在这⽅⾯都不能⾃我控制，何况是中学⽣ 呢。所以，我要劝劝⻘年学⽣，最好以学习为主要任务, 不要过分沉 于“⽹海”。
What is the purpose of this passage?
(A) To find out why students spend so much time on the Internet
(B) To find out how students can make the best use of the Internet
%%(C) To advise students not to waste time on the Internet%%
(D) To discuss the function of the Internet with students
How does the author feel about materials on the Internet for students?
(A) They are useless
%%(B) They are not helpful.%%
(C) They are helpful
(D) They are very helpful.
After skimming and scanning the text, students should try to guess the opinion of the writer, which can help them understand the topic of the text.
- The main idea can be found in the first sentence: regardless of the time of day, “有⼀批⼤学⽣泡在⽹上”
- The writer expresses his opinion by using certain phrases and by modifying key words.
In this case, the modifiers are adjectives and adverbs, such as 好玩⼉”, “主要,” “真正,” and“其实”.
- These words tell us if the writer is for or against certain behaviors.
- The writer may also use some words to indicate the appropriateness or the frequency of something, such as “⼤多,” “很少,” “总是”, “整天,” and 过分”.
Assessing the purposes of these words is helpful for understanding the writer’s attitude. The purpose of the passage can be inferred from the final paragraph: Because surfing the Net directly “影响学习” and “对⾝体健康也没有好处”, students should therefore refrain from “沉于‘⽹海’”.
Review Tips
- Do look at the questions first before reading the corresponding passage. You may be able to find the answers as you read.
- Do read the text from beginning to end without interruptions. This helps you capture the main idea of the text as a whole.
- Do not waste too much time on deciphering new words or a single sentence.