Acknowledgments The authors thank Laura Le Dréan , executive editor, whose feedback was invaluable as we developed Advanced Reading Power, and Gosia Jaros-White, associate development editor, who helped us clarify our ideas and stay on schedule. We gratefully acknowledge the gentle pressure from the many teachers who have wanted us to write an advanced level book for the Reading Power series. We have made every effort to respond to their concerns. We would also like to thank friends and colleagues, including Anita Belt and Jane Stevenson, for their helpful input and encouragement. We acknowledge the influence of Tom Cobb, Averil Coxhead, and I. S. Paul Nation, whose work was essential in planning the new vocabulary development units. Finally, we wish to thank Richard M. Ravin for his outstanding work in researching and drafting the reading passages in Part 4. The publisher would like to extend special thanks to the following individuals who reviewed Advanced Reading Power and whose comments were instrumental in developing the book. Jennifer Altman, University of Washington English Language Program, Seattle, WA; Mary Hill, North Shore Community College, Danvers, MA; Helen Kallenbach, Sonoma State American Language Institute, Rohnert Park, CA; Alessandro Massaro, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA; Susan Reynolds, Seminole Community College, Oviedo, FL; Ishida Saori, University of Hawaii at Manoa, NICE Program Outreach College, Honolulu, HI Advanced Reading Power: Extensive Reading, Vocabulary Building, Comprehension Skills, Reading Faster Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Pearson Education, 10 Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606 Staff credits: The people who made up the Advanced Reading Power team, representing editorial, production, design, and manufacturing, are Christine Edmonds, Ann France, Gosia Jaros-White, Laura Le Dréan, Edith Pullman, Jennifer Stem, and Paula Van Ells. Text composition: Rainbow Graphics Text font: 10/14 Stone Serif Text, Illustration, and Photo credits: See page 311 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mikulecky, Beatrice S. Advanced reading power : extensive reading, vocabulary building, comprehension skills, reading faster / Beatrice S. Mikulecky, Linda Jeffries. p. cm. ISBN 0-13-199027-6 (pbk.) 1. Reading (Higher education) 2. College reading improvement programs. 3. Vocabulary—Study and teaching. 4. Reading comprehension. I. Jeffries, Linda. II. Title. LB2395.3.M53 2007 428.4'3—dc22 2006032213 LONGMAN ON THE WEB ISBN - 13: 978-0-13-199027-2 ISBN - 10: 0-13-199027-6 Longman.com offers online resources for teachers and students. Access our Companion Websites, our online catalog, and our local offices around the world. Printed in the United States of America 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-VHG-11 10 09 08 Visit us at Iongman.com . Contents Introduction Part 1: Extensive Reading Unit 1: Choosing a Book for Extensive Reading Unit 2: Reading and Discussing Nonfiction 12 Unit 3: Reading and Discussing Fiction 14 Unit 4: Responding to and Reporting on Your Extensive Reading Books 22 Part 2: Vocabulary Building 25 Unit 1: Strategies for Building a Powerful Vocabulary 26 Unit 2: Learning New Words from Your Reading 31 Unit 3: Inferring Meaning from Context 36 Unit 4: Word Parts 47 Unit 5: Collocations 62 Part 3: Comprehension Skills 73 Unit 1: Previewing 75 Unit 2: Making Inferences 88 Unit 3: Understanding Paragraphs 105 Unit 4: Patterns of Organization 134 Unit 5: Reading Longer Passages Effectively 155 Unit 6: Skimming 170 Unit 7: Study Reading 183 Unit 8: Summarizing 200 Unit 9: Critical Reading 216 Part 4: Reading Faster 239 Unit 1: Learning to Read Faster 240 Unit 2: New Technology and Its Impact Around the World 255 Unit 3: People Who Have Made a Difference 271 Unit 4: Inventions That Are Changing Our Lives 287 Appendix 1: List of 2,000 Most Frequent Words 303 Appendix 2: Academic Word List 308 Appendix 3: Record of Books Read 310 Contents Introduction To the Teacher Advanced Reading Power is unlike most other reading textbooks. First, the focus is different. This book directs students' attention to their own reading processes, while most other books focus primarily on the content. Second, Advanced Reading Power is organized in a different way. It contains four separate sections that correspond to four important aspects of proficient reading, and therefore it is like four books in one. Teachers should assign work on all four parts of the book concurrently. The four parts of Advanced Reading Power are: • Part 1: Extensive Reading • Part 2: Vocabulary Building • Part 3: Comprehension Skills • Part 4: Reading Faster Advanced Reading Power was designed to meet the needs of students who are enrolled in pre-college programs, college bridge programs, or advanced reading classes at the post- secondary level. Consequently, emphasis has been placed on the development of skills necessary for academic success, including building academic vocabulary. The purpose of Advanced Reading Power is to develop students' awareness of their own reading and thinking processes so that they can be successful in reading college-level texts. To accomplish this, the book addresses the various reading skills in a direct manner, calling students' attention to how they think as they read. Many students have a conceptualization of reading as translating, and that can interfere with their ability to read well in English. In Advanced Reading Power, students acquire an accurate understanding of what it means to read in English and gain confidence in their ability to deal with college-level reading assignments. In order to allow students to focus on the process of reading, the lexical and syntactic content of some exercises has been controlled. In other exercises, however, students practice working with authentic texts of different types, including excerpts from college textbooks. Student awareness of reading and thinking processes is further encouraged in many parts of the book by exercises that require them to work in pairs or small groups. In discussions with others, students formulate and articulate their ideas more precisely and thus acquire new ways of talking and thinking about a text. When students are asked to write sentences or paragraphs, they are also asked to exchange their work with others and discuss it so they can experience the connections between reading and writing. The success of a reading class depends to a large extent on the teacher. You can enhance your students' learning while working with Advanced Reading Power by providing the following: • an anxiety-free environment in which students feel comfortable taking risks and trying new ways of reading. Introduction V • enough practice so the students can master new strategies. • friendly pressure in the form of persuasion and timing. • positive examples of how to approach a text. • a model for the kind of thinking that good reading requires. • an inspiring example of an enthusiastic reader. Note: A rationale for the approach taken in Advanced Reading Power, specific suggestions for using it in the classroom, and a Sample Syllabus can be found in the Answer Key booklet. For a more complete explanation of the theory and methodology see A Short Course in Teaching Reading Skills by Beatrice S. Mikulecky (Addison-Wesley, 1990). To the Student Using Advanced Reading Power Since this book is different from other reading textbooks, it must be used in a different way. Advanced Reading Power is divided into four parts. Instead of working on one part at a ti me, as you would in most books, you should work regularly on all four parts of the book. Part 1: Extensive Reading. The more you read, the better you read. In Part 1, you will have an opportunity to develop the habit of reading extensively—that is, reading many books that you choose for yourself. This will help improve your reading fluency, increase your comprehension and expand your vocabulary. Part 2: Vocabulary Building. Research has shown that a strong vocabulary is an essential aspect of reading ability. In this part, you will develop strategies for expanding your knowledge of vocabulary, particularly words used often in academic texts. Part 3: Comprehension Skills. Reading is a complex activity that involves a wide variety of skills. Your ability to understand and remember what you read depends in large part on your ability to apply these skills to your reading. Each unit in Part 3 focuses on an essential reading skill for you to explore and practice. In the Focus on Vocabulary section at the end of each skills unit, you will also have the opportunity to learn some of the academic words from the unit. Part 4: Reading Faster. Reading rate (speed) is a crucial factor in academic performance, but one that is often overlooked. Reading faster allows you to save time on reading assignments. It also makes reading more enjoyable so you are likely to read more, and it leads to better comprehension. In this part of the book, you will work on improving your reading rate. Reading questionnaires What is your experience as a reader? What do you know about reading? v i Introduction Questionnaire 1 Reading in your native language ( For each statement, write T (true) or F (false). 1. It is always necessary to read every word of a passage. 2. It is a good idea to say the words aloud when you read. 3. Reading more slowly improves comprehension. 4. Knowing every word is necessary for comprehension. 5. As you read, you should always look up the meaning of words you do not know. 6. To read well, you need to know the pronunciation of every word. 7. Learning vocabulary is the only way to improve reading ability. 8. Learning grammar is the only way to improve reading ability. 9. You can read all kinds of texts (books, newspapers, etc.) the same way. 10. Reading in different languages requires some different reading methods. Questionnaire 2 Reading in English For each statement, write T (true) or F (false). 1. It is always necessary to read every word of a passage 2. It is a good idea to say the words aloud when you read. 3. Reading more slowly improves comprehension. 4. Knowing every word is necessary for comprehension. 5. As you read, you should always look up the meaning of words you do not know. 6. To read well, you need to know the pronunciation of every word. 7. Learning vocabulary is the only way to improve reading ability. 8. Learning grammar is the only way to improve reading ability. 9. You can read all kinds of texts (books, newspapers, etc.) the same way. 10. Reading in different languages requires some different reading methods. Were your answers the same in both questionnaires? Compare your answers with those of another student. Do you agree? You should have written F for every question in both questionnaires! If you marked some answers T, then you may need to learn more about reading. In Advanced Reading Power, you will discover more about the reading process and will have opportunities to re-evaluate your ideas about reading. Int roductio n VII PART Extensive Reading Introduction to Extensive Reading Questionnaire Answer the questions below on your own. Then form a group of two to four students and compare your answers. 1. Looking back at your childhood, what do you remember as your first reading experiences? 2. What kinds of reading material did your parents have in the house when you were young? 3. Do you remember having books or other materials read to you as a child? If so, what did you like best? 4. When you were able to read on your own, what did you enjoy reading? 5. Did your parents or other members of the family like to read? If so, what did they read? 6. What kind of reading is important in your life today? For example, do you read a lot for school or for your job? 7. About how many hours a week do you usually read materials of your own choice (magazines, newspapers, novels, nonfiction)? 8. Do you have a favorite writer in your first language? A favorite book? 9. What books have you read in English? 10. If you could easily read anything in English, what would you like to read? Would you like to . . . . . read English faster with good comprehension? . . . increase your vocabulary in English? . . . improve your grammar in English? . . . improve your writing skills in English? . . . succeed in academic courses in English? . . . gain broad knowledge of the world? If you answered yes to these questions, then extensive reading is for you. 2 Extensive Reading What is extensive reading? • reading a lot — at least one book every two or three weeks; • choosing a book that is interesting to you; • no tests on comprehension or vocabulary; • reading at your own pace. You will benefit most from extensive reading if you follow these three essential rules: Rule 1: Enjoy! Rule 2: Enjoy! Rule 3: Enjoy! (Source: "Rules" adapted from J. Bamford and R. Day, Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, p. 5) Because extensive reading is enjoyable, you will read faster and more, which makes it more enjoyable, so you will read even faster and more. This is the cycle of positive reinforcement that leads to the positive effects on comprehension and general language skills listed on page 2. What the experts say about extensive reading "Extensive reading is the most efficient way to help students change old habits and become confident second language readers." Prof. Mary Lee Field, Wayne State University, Michigan ". . . reading for pleasure [extensive reading] is the major source of our reading competence, our vocabulary and our ability to handle complex grammatical constructions." Prof. Stephen Krashen, University of Southern California "Extensive reading may play a role in developing the capacity for critical thinking so important for success in higher education." Prof. Richard R. Day, University of Hawaii and Prof. Julian Bamford, Bunkyo University, Japan "It is clear from these studies that extensive reading can be a major factor in success in learning another language." Prof. I. S. P. Nation, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Extensive Reading 3 UNIT Choosing a Book for Extensive Reading Where to Find a Book Ask your teacher, classmates, or friends for suggestions, or look on best-seller lists or the Internet (http://www.NYTimes.com or http://www.Amazon.com , for example) for titles that might interest you. Then go to a bookstore or library to see what is available. How to Choose a Book 1. Choose a book that interests you. Your teacher and classmates may have good suggestions, but choose the book that is best for you, not for them. 2. Choose a full-length book, not a collection of articles or stories. Reading a whole book by a single author allows you to become comfortable with the writer's style and vocabulary. 3. Avoid a book whose story you are already familiar with because you have read it in another language or have seen the movie made from it. Knowing what will happen may make it less interesting for you. 4. Evaluate the book. To find out about the author and the genre (type of book), read the front and back covers. Read the first few pages, to find out about the style and subject. 5. Check the level of difficulty. If a book is too easy, it may be boring; if it is too difficult, you may become discouraged and stop reading. To find out how difficult the book is for you, count the number of unknown key words on a typical page. (A key word is a word you must know in order to follow the general meaning.) Five unknown key words on one page means the book is difficult for you. No unknown key words means the book is easy. Hints for success in extensive reading • Set a goal for yourself. Decide how many books you would like to read during the semester. • Make reading a part of your daily routine. Set a time and place for reading. Read for at least thirty minutes at a time so that you can become involved in your book. • Carry your book wherever you go and read it whenever you have time. • Keep a journal. Write about your reactions to the book or any thoughts that are stimulated by your reading. • When you finish a book, complete a Book Response Form, following the form on page 24. Then make an appointment with your teacher for a book conference to share your thoughts and reactions to it. 4 Extensive Reading [...]... (1 = easy, 10 = difficult) Why? 24 Extensive Reading Vocabulary Building Strategies for Building a Powerful Vocabulary UNIT 1 Good reading comprehension depends on understanding the words you are reading The more words you recognize and understand in a text, the better your comprehension will be What do you do when you encounter (meet) a new word in your reading? Ask another student about the meaning... difficulties or problems in reading Read aloud to your reading circle a short passage (about half a page) that you especially like or that you find surprising 6 When you finish a book, tell your teacher and schedule a book conference 22 Extensive Reading Book Presentations A book presentation is a brief (about five minutes) oral report to the class about a book that you have finished reading To prepare a... d 20 Extensive Reading 5 The sun a flaming bronze b c d 6 The rain a the drum and gush of water b c d 7 The sky a stir of mist b c d B Compare your answers with those of another pair of students If you disagree, look back at the story and explain your choices Reading and Discussing Fiction 21 UNIT 4 Responding to and Reporting on Your Extensive Reading Books Sharing your experience of reading with others... method for putting words in order Many students prefer alphabetical order, though you may also order words according to other categories, such as topic or source (words from extensive reading books, words from Advanced Reading Power, and words from other course books) 2 Use two pages in the notebook On the left-hand page, write a word, the part of speech, and the word in syllables Under the word, write... characters in the book? What was your favorite part? Reading Circles A reading circle is a small group of four to six students who meet regularly to talk about their extensive reading books and compare reading experiences Instructions for Reading Circles 1 Form a group with about four other students 2 Take turns telling the other students in your group briefly about your book (not more than five minutes)... Why or why not? What evidence does the writer give to support his ideas? How do you use the post office? 5 Do you ever buy things over the Internet? Reading and Discussing Nonfiction 13 UNIT 3 Reading and Discussing Fiction In this unit you will practice reading and discussing fiction with a short story titled "All Summer in a Day," by Ray Bradbury Before you read, discuss these questions with another... flute-like songs of birds to investigate the scientific mysteries of bird song and how it sparks the human imagination (256 pages) Choosing a Book for Extensive Reading 11 UNIT 2 Reading and Discussing Nonfiction In this unit, you will practice reading and discussing nonfiction with an article from the New York Times, "Why the Internet Isn't the Death of the Post Office." Before you read the article,... no need to prepare notes in advance of the conference Your teacher may ask various questions, including: Why did you choose this book? What was your reaction? Did you enjoy it? What do you already know about the subject? Does the book relate in any way to your own life? If so, how? What are your favorite characters in the book? What was your favorite part? Reading Circles A reading circle is a small... more slowly, and let Margot out Reading and Discussing Fiction 17 EXERCISE 1 A Write any unfamiliar words that made comprehension difficult and write their dictionary definitions Compare your words with those of another student Do you have any of the same words? B Discuss these questions with another student You may look back at the story if necessary 1 Did you enjoy reading the story? Explain your... dictionary Skip over the word and continue reading Analyze the word for clues to its meaning Compare your answers with those of another student and discuss these questions: • When do you use these strategies? • What are the advantages or disadvantages of each? In fact, a good reader does all of the above at different times, depending on the word, the text, and the reason for reading it In this unit you will . parts of Advanced Reading Power are: • Part 1: Extensive Reading • Part 2: Vocabulary Building • Part 3: Comprehension Skills • Part 4: Reading Faster Advanced. about reading. In Advanced Reading Power, you will discover more about the reading process and will have opportunities to re-evaluate your ideas about reading.