Reading-definition Reading is a complex comple x cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or or derive meaning (reading comprehension). comp rehension). It is a means of o f language acquisition, acqu isition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Lie all language, langu age, it is a complex interaction bet!een the t he text and the reader !hich is shaped by the reader"s reader"s prior no!ledge, experiences, attitude, and language community !hich is culturally and socially situated. #he reading process requires continuous practice, development, and refinement. ☺
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Reading-definition Reading is a complex comple x cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or or derive meaning (reading comprehension). comp rehension). It is a means of o f language acquisition, acqu isition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Lie all language, langu age, it is a complex interaction bet!een the t he text and the reader !hich is shaped by the reader"s reader"s prior no!ledge, experiences, attitude, and language community !hich is culturally and socially situated. #he reading process requires continuous practice, development, and refinement. ☺
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Importance of Reading
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Reading is important because it develops the mind
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It is ho! !e discover ne! things
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Reading develops the imagination-develops creative creative side of people
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#he pen is mightier than the s!ord s!ord
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!ord !ordss - spoen spoen and !ritten !ritten - are the the building building blocs blocs of of communica communication tion..
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fundamental in developing developing a good self image.
Importance of Reading Reading is a very good exercise for our minds. It keeps our mental faculties constantly engaged. Reading hones our language skills and improves our vocabulary. Creativity stems from diverse reading and the ability to think out of the box. We need to do a variety of reading at our workplace.
#echniques to Reading 1.
Skimming !o understand the essence of the given topic.
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Scanning !o find out the specific words or details.
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Intensive Reading !o get specific details or information. It is usually slow reading done with a lot of concentration.
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%xtensive Reading & !o read at leisure.
Skimming %imming is used to quicly gather the most important information, or &gist&. Run your eyes over the text, noting important information. 'se simming to quicly get up to speed on a current business situation. It&s not essential to understand each !ord !hen simming.
Examples of Skimming: #he e!spaper (quicly to get the general ne!s of the day) aga*ines (quicly to discover !hich articles you !ould lie to read in more detail) +usiness and #ravel +rochures (quicly to get informed)
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'et us say that you are a student of economics( and as suggested by your professor) you need to buy a reference text book on macroeconomics) or to write a paper on growth *s. development. +ou go to a book store and find a lot of books) with the same title ,acroeconomics) but different authors. +ou want -ust one book which covers the relevant topic. So you uickly go through the title page) topics and the content of a few books and finally decide on one book. !his type of reading is known as /Skimming/. !hus skimming may be defined as /looking over a text0 passage uickly) in order to get a general or superficial idea of the content/.
$hen to use %imming •
!o uickly review long documents.
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!o read a lengthy Web page to get an overview of the content.
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When you have lots of material to read in a limited time.
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!o check if you find the topic interesting enough to read thoroughly. When you want to survey a text to get a general idea of what it is about.
%trategy to %im •
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Read the titles) sub titles) subheadings and illustrations. Read the first and the last paragraphs and headings and summaries.
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Read the first sentence topic sentence2 of each paragraph.
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+ou ignore the details and look for the main idea.
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Skimming is done at least # to $ times faster than your normal speed.
Read the follo!ing passage #he bac cover of a boo #hin of the / minute +0 as your reduced %haespeare for business. 0 traditional +0 might get you in the door but it !on"t help you much once you are in. #his boo is for anyone in business !ho !ants to get ahead !ithout going bac to school. 0 formal business education is great for one !ho !ants to thin in the same straight line as the next person. +ut you !ant inspiration1 creative thining and a set of dynamic approaches in less time than it taes most meetings. #he authors have sorted the great business ideas and ey issue from the rest, so you don"t have to. #hey cover all the crucial topics including leadership, sustainability and ethics. #his boo !ill !ae up your mind !ith fresh ideas and save you a bundle on getting ahead in business. Answer: !he book teaches you dynamic methods of doing business. !he book-What is on 3usiness ,anagement Question is your inference from the passage? What is the book about?
%canning %canning is used to find a particular piece of information. Run your eyes over the text looing for the specific piece of information you need. 'se scanning on schedules, meeting plans, etc. in order to find the specific details you require. If you see !ords or phrases that you don&t understand, don&t !orry !hen scanning. Examples of Scanning #he 2$hat&s on #32 section of your ne!spaper. 0 train 4 airplane schedule 0 conference guide
%canning •
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+ou start to read the book on macroeconomics that you picked up last week. +ou read chapter one and suddenly come across a word that is not familiar to you. !o know the meaning of that word) you take out the dictionary and go to the page beginning with that alphabet. +ou run your eye through the numerous words in that sheet till you see to the word you are looking for. +ou check out the spelling ) its pronunciation) meaning and also the various uses of that word. !his type of going through a text or passage to find a key word 0idea is known as 4scanning5.
%canning •
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!his is a method where in you read a particular list) sentence) paragraph) passage) or chapter with the intention of searching for specific facts related to a particular sub-ect. When you scan a particular piece of written passage you are not actually reading the material line by line) but you are searching the passage for a particular piece of information very uickly.
$hen do you %can •
When you5re looking up a word in the roster or the dictionary.
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When you6re concentrating on finding a particular answer.
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!o first find a resource to help in answering your uestions. !* schedule2 When searching the material for a specific piece of data very uickly.
Read the follo!ing passage Read the passage in 17 seconds. !he term environment refers to the set of conditions) circumstances and influences surrounding and affecting the development and character of relations outside the human beings) the organi8ations) and institutions. It includes both external environments & economic) technological) social) legal) the financial institutions) the government policies and agencies) and the product markets and the internal & the technology of the workplace) the work force and their organi8ation and the stockholders. Find the word ‘product markets’.
Intensive Intensive reading is used on shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It includes very close accurate reading for detail. 'se intensive reading sills to grasp the details of a specific situation. In this case, it is important that you understand each !ord, number or fact. Examples of Intensive Reading 0 booeeping report 0n insurance claim 0 contract
Intensive Reading •
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'et us go back to the same book on macroeconomics that you had purchased from the book store last week. +our professor has announced that he is giving a test on the topic covered in chapter 17 of the book. +ou read the chapters line by line to understand the concepts) you make detailed notes) you check out the unfamiliar words and generally try to absorb all the information given in the five modules. 3y the end of your preparation) you are thorough about the information given in said pages of the book. !his is known as intensive reading.
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When you read shorter text like a speaker5s keynote and you need to collect the key points in the speaker5s key note) you would read slowly with a lot of concentration. When you read a book as an reference material for writing a thesis or when you read an article with the intention of writing a review on it) you read it intensively. 9ll the skills of reading i.e. skimming) scanning and extensive reading are used in our intensive reading. We read the entire text since it the complete piece is centrally relevant) and thus we get to understand and assess0evaluate its content in depth.
Read the following passage From the CEO’s desk
9t Infosys) our focus has always been to sustain our relevance to our clients. :ver the past three decades) we have consistently evolved as an organi8ation to respond to their changing business needs & effectively and efficiently. Infosys 1.; pioneered the ris has already mentioned the contours and highlights of this new structure and also the investments we are making to execute our new strategy. !his) we believe) will enable us to achieve our aspirations of becoming the nextgeneration global Consulting and Services corporation. What are the key points in the CEO’s message?
5xtensive 5xtensive reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a sub6ect and includes reading longer texts for pleasure, as !ell as business boos. 'se extensive reading sills to improve your general no!ledge of business procedures. 7o not !orry if you understand each !ord. Examples of Extensive Reading #he latest mareting strategy boo 0 novel you read before going to bed aga*ine articles that interest you
#ips Remember to check the purpose of your reading and then use scanning) Skimming or intensive reading either separately or in seuenceas reuired so that you achieve the purpose. 1
To check particuar detais o! an incident reported in a newspaper artice.
"canning
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To see whether a maga$ine artice wi %e worth reading.
"kimming
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To read the instructions !or %ooking and paying !or a 'ourney on(ine.
)ntensi*e
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To read a te,t thoroughy to understand and remem%er what you’*e read.
)ntensi*e
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To read a te,t%ook chapter to re*ise a su%'ect that you know we.
"kimming
To check the names o! the research methods the author o! a research report artice has used.
"canning
8uic 8ui* The What!s "n! section of the local paper# The correct answer is# Scanning $ novel# The correct answer is# Extensive (or Intensive for revision, perhaps) $ newspaper# The correct answer is# Skimming , Scanning for specific information, Intensive if !e find it. $ te%t in class# The correct answer is# Intensive $ poem# The correct answer is# Extensive •
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The telephone directory# The correct answer is# Scanning $ postcard# The correct answer is# Intensive $ train timetable# The correct answer is# Scanning $ recipe# The correct answer is# Intensive $ travel brochure# The correct answer is# Skimming for interest, Scanning for particular resort, Intensive for detail. •
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Reading &omprehension 'evels :ne of the key attributes of possessing good reading skills will be your ability to •
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Read a variety of materials e.g. =ocuments) Reports) Complex % mails) Instructional manuals etc.2. @nderstand and remember what you have read. %ffectively communicate what you6ve learned from your reading to others.
'evels of &omprehension •
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!he # levels of reading comprehension is based on the depth and complexity of reading to be done. !hey are arranged from the easiest to the complex level of comprehension. !he levels are 1. 'iteral ". Interpretive #. 9pplied
'evel ( - 'iteral •
'iteral is the most obvious and simplest level of reading.
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It is called literal as it explicitly states what it means.
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It is an appropriate way to improve0test an individuals vocabulary.
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This e*e o! reading can hep answer the Who/ What/ When/ and Where uestions.
It involves only surface understanding of the written text.
Read the following passage •
In an attempt to strengthen the management competency development dimension) Infosys tiedup with Aarvard 3usiness Bublishing a whollyowned venture of Aarvard 3usiness School) 3oston2 to bring highuality learning programs from Aarvard to Infoscions. 9s part of this tieup) Infoscions are entitled to access "7 titles from the Aarvard ,anage ,entor A,,2 suite of learning assets. !hese programs are available for individual contributors) middle and senior managers and mapped to competencies on behavioral 0 managerial competency framework. •
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Which *enture o! 0ar*ard usiness "choo has )n!osys tied up with2 0ow many tites !rom the 033 are a*aia%e to the )n!oscions2 To what kind o! competencies wi the a*aia%e programs map to2
'evel ) - Interpretive •
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In this level the reader needs to go beyond what is said and read for deeper meaning. !he reader needs to look for relationship of ideas) see how ideas go together and also see the implied meaning of message. It includes thinking processes such as drawing logical conclusions) and making generali8ations and predicting outcomes. This e*e o! reading can hep answer why/ what i! ) and how uestions.
*ethods to interpretive reading •
=rawing inferences
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!apping into prior knowledge 0 experience
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9ttaching new learning to old information
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,aking logical leaps and educated guesses
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Reading between the lines to determine what is meant by what is stated.
Read the following passage !here are two types of companies & some struggle with being able to offer something that clients want to buy) and many times this is compounded with disappointing customer expectations via ualityrelated issues. !he marketing teams in those companies then have a -ob referred to as polishing the sneakerD. In other words) figuring out how to make something seem better than it is. Sad but true. !hen there are companies that really hit the mark in solving customer problems in new and innovative ways & with high uality & but for whatever reason not enough customers recogni8e all that they do. 1.
9ccording to the passage what does the phrase Bolishing the sneakerD mean? •
Creating ways to solve customer problems.
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Relook at how to sell the products more effectively.
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Creating high uality products for the client.
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Recognition and reward from the client for a -ob well done.
"ne more passage !he successful retailer will get both traditional and online channels to pull in the same direction towards common goals) unified messaging) seamless customer service and multichannel transaction portability. !omorrow5s retailer will also be truly customercentric & his products personali8ed) perhaps also cocreated with the customer( with pricing being transparent and valuebased. !he store will open for business anywhere) anytime( listen intently to the voice of customers) engage with them in social relationships. 1. 9ccording to the passage) how is tomorrow5s retailer going to make it truly customer centric? •
3y making the products customi8ed for the customer) probably cocreating the products with the customer.
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@se the online channels rather than the traditional ones towards providing seamless service.
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Compromising on uality and price to keep the customer happy.
'evel + - $pplied •
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9pplied reading is the highest and most sophisticated level of reading comprehension. In this level) the reader absorbs what was stated i.e. the literal meaning and then understands what was meant by that statement which is the interpretation) and finally apply the concepts to a given situation. !he reader should be able to go deeper in to the given text and understand the ideas and evidence provided by the writer.
*ethods to $pplied reading •
=ifferentiate between facts and figures.
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@nderstand the purpose behind the writing.
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Recogni8e the tone and the persuasive elements.
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9naly8e and synthesi8e the given information.
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%valuate the accuracy of the given information.
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9pply the information derived from a thorough understanding of a situation to a new one.
4roup Acti*ity (Business Benchmark B, Upper-intermediate, Teacher’s Resource Book, CUP, 2006. p 11 and 116 ! Broblem statementE •
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Fendara S' is a mediumsi8ed hitech engineering company located near *erona in northern Italy. !he company has 1$G employees) of which H are shop floor workers. Factory work is organi8ed in three shifts) from a.m. to" p.m.) " p.m. to 1; p.m. and 1; p.m. to a.m. In recent years) they have seen their staff costs spiral due to rising salaries) higher training costs and the difficulty of recruiting and retaining skilled workers) particularly for the night shift.
,raphs &hart (#endara Sl Staff Turnover per year 9?> 9/> =?> =/> ?> /> 9//=
Bhildcare problems =>
@ther reasons A>
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last year
@ffered better paid 6ob else!here offered better > !oring conditions else!here ?;>
Retired =9> &hart +# endara S' Reasons given by employees for leaving the company
;: ;< ;9 ;/ 9 9:
&hart )#endara Sl Recruitment costs per new worker.
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last year
Questions to ponder •
What do the charts show?
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Aow do they illustrate Fendara5s problems?
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From the available information) what can be done by the company to ensure that this issue is resolved?