Active reading. Lesson 1.1

1.

1.1 Active reading
Vasiliy Gorbachev
Adriatic College

2.

Anyone who reads a lot here?

3.

Been there?
You read an
assignment, then
just in a minute
you realize you
have no idea what
you just read...

4.

Question 1:
Why do you think this
happens?

5.

Question 2:
What can we
do to prevent
this from
happening?

6.

All these techniques are known as
Active Reading

7.

Today we will learn
how to read actively.

8.

Are you a good detective?
Imagine, for a moment, that you are a
detective. You have just been called to
the scene of a crime; a house has
been robbed.
a. See what’s on TV.
What’s the first thing you
should do when you arrive?
c. Get the basic facts of the
case.
b. Check what’s in the fridge.

9.

What is a fact?
A fact is...
■ something that we know for certain to have
happened.
■ something that we know for certain to be true.
■ something that we know for certain to exist.

10.

Practice Passage 1
On Friday, October 21, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Judith Reynolds,
owner of The Cupcake Factory, arrived at her establishment to find
that it had been robbed and vandalized overnight. The front window
of the shop at 128 Broad Street was broken, and chairs and tables
were overturned throughout the café area. Additionally, the cash
register had been pried open and emptied of money. The thieves
attempted to open the safe as well, but were unsuccessful. Ms.
Reynolds used her cell phone to report the crime to the police. She
also phoned the proprietor of Primo Pizza, located at 130 Broad
Street, as she noticed that the door of that restaurant showed signs
of forced entry. The police department is asking anyone with
information to call 555-2323.
1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory?
2. When was the crime discovered?
3. Where did it happen?
4. What was stolen?
5. Who called the police?
6. What other businesses were affected?

11.

Did you mark up the passage?

12.

How did active reading help?
The answers to the
questions
have all been underlined,
because these are the key
words and ideas in this
passage.
1. What happened to The Cupcake Factory? It was
robbed and vandalized.
2. When was the crime discovered? At 8:30 a.m.
on Friday, October 21.
3. Where did it happen? 128 Broad Street.
4. What was stolen? Money from the cash
register.
5. Who called the police? Judith Reynolds, owner
of The Cupcake Factory.
6. What other businesses were affected? Possibly
Primo Pizza.

13.

Practice Passage 2
Instructions for License Renewal
A driver’s license must be renewed every four years. A renewal application
is sent approximately five to seven weeks before the expiration date listed
on the license.
Individuals who fail to renew within three years of the license expiration
date
are not eligible for a renewal and must repeat the initial licensing process.
To
renew a license, you must visit a Motor Vehicles Agency. You must present
a
completed renewal application; your current driver’s license; acceptable
proof of age, identification, and address; and proof of social security in the
form of a social security card, a state or federal income tax return, a current
pay stub, ora W-2 form. You must also pay the required fee. If all the
7. What documents does one need to renew a
driver’s license?
8. What documents represent proof of social
security?
9. How often must one renew a driver’s license?
10. How does one obtain the renewal form?
11. True or False: You can renew your driver’s
license by mail.

14.

Possible marking

15.

Check the answers
7. What documents does one need to renew a
driver’s license?
Completed renewal application
Current driver’s license
Acceptable proof of age, identification,
and address
Proof of social security
Money to pay required fee
8. What documents represent proof of social
security?
Social security card
State or federal income tax return
Current pay stub
W-2 form
9. How often must one renew a driver’s license?
Every four years.
10. How does one obtain the renewal form? It is sent
five to seven weeks before current license expires.
11. True or False: You can renew your driver’s license
by mail. False: You can renew only by visiting a
Motor Vehicles Agency.

16.

GETTING THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Summary
Active reading is the first essential step to
comprehension. Why? Because active reading
forces you to really see what you’re reading, to
look closely at what’s there.
Like a detective who arrives at the scene of a
crime, if you look carefully and ask the right
questions (who,what, when, where, how, and
why), you’re on your way to really
comprehending what you read.