Reading 101 Textbook: None. Selected writings found online will constitute the textbook. Instructor: Mba Mbulu
Class #10
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Review |
The final Extract and Explanation appear below, followed by a REVIEW of some of the most important points made during this Reading course. Review these points after analyzing the final Extract.
Class #10 Reading Extract [Top]
"(4) We don't seem to realize each other's limitations within a social structure that has de-humanized Us, and therefore fail to take those limitations into account when We evaluate each other. Additionally, We don't seem to recognize each other's limited development as a result of being dominated by a structure that has de-humanized Us, so We fail to take this into account as well.
"(5) Our objectives are trivial. This is a result of Our de-humanization, which did not allow Us to develop a practical understanding of Us as a race of People. Since We do not have any exalted/serious objectives (like overcoming the structure that oppresses/represses Us), We do not have to develop the close personal ties that would be needed to carry Us through such an endeavor to success. WE HAVEN'T DECIDED TO DO ANYTHING WORTHWHILE, therefore We instead attempt to dominate each other and satisfy Our individual desires and passions (as opposed to group objectives) and are, quite understandably, swayed by petty considerations. Thus, Our personal relationships are petty relationships."
Explanation of Class #10 Extract
It is important that the reader think about the phrases "each other's limitations within a social structure" and "each other's limited development as a result of being dominated by a structure". A reader who fails to pay attention could easily miss the critical difference between those two statements.
Item #5 gives the reader a clearer basis for understanding what is being discussed in the essay the extract was taken from. Key phrases like "close personal ties," "individual desires and passions" and "Our personal relationships are petty relationships" could lead even an adept reader to assume that male/female relations is the subject being discussed. That assumption would lead the reader to reread the Extract and pay special attention to the words that are capitalized and phrases such as "We do not have to develop the close personal ties..."
Extract taken from Spotlight On Male/Female Relations, page 14.
Review of Important Points
(1) Individuals learn how to read in order to develop his or her ability to understand and communicate effectively.
(2) Individuals learn how to read in order to learn how to think analytically.
(3) Assume a comfortable position when reading, but get out of it every eight to ten minutes. If the body is uncomfortable, reading is less enjoyable. Assuming a comfortable position increases the chances that reading will be a pleasurable experience.
(4) Practice blinking while you read. It has been noted that the higher an individual's level of concentration, the less that person blinks. In that regard, not blinking is good (it indicates that you are really "into" what you are reading). But there is an underside to this. Not blinking is damaging to the eyes because it encourages the eye to be inactive and weakens the eye's muscles. By blinking, the muscles remain active. Additionally, blinking helps keep other areas of the mind active.
(5) If you read a sentence that "loses" you, STOP! Reread that sentence up to the point where confusion starts setting in, and then pinpoint what is the source of that confusion (a term you don't know the meaning of, a confusing phrase or series of words, an unusual concept, etc.), and do what you can to clarify that confusion. Then reread the section and continue into what follows. This will slow you down, but don't be concerned about how fast you read. It's better to read one page and understand most of what you read than to read one chapter and understand little or nothing. (6) Don't worry about what others might think when you read. You are reading for your benefit, comprehension or enjoyment, not that of others, so their impression of how you sound, how fast your read, how you pronounce certain terms, or anything of such nature, is meaningless.
(7) To be an effective reader, you have to think about what you read. The person who thinks after s/he has completed an entire book will not understand or appreciate as fully as the person who thinks after each chapter. Likewise, the person who thinks from chapter to chapter will not understand or appreciate as fully as the person who thinks from paragraph to paragraph. Needless to say, then, the person who thinks from sentence to sentence will get the fullest understanding and appreciation as long as s/he interprets what is read within the proper context.
(8) Most good readers keep a good dictionary within reach. That enables them to quickly look up unfamiliar terms and double check the meaning of familiar terms. A good dictionary not only gives meanings of terms, but touches on relevant background/root information.
(9) There is no standard speed factor related to reading. Reading is all about recognizing terms and sentences, thinking, understanding and interpreting. The more you read, the better you recognize terms and sentences. The better you recognize terms and sentences, the more capable you are of following a train of thought, understanding what is being said and keeping your interpretations within supportable boundaries.
(10) A reader is not obligated to reach the same conclusions as the writer. A writer builds a bridge that is supposed to take the reader to the understanding the writer is trying to pass along. However, what the writer is trying to say means less, in the final analysis, than what the reader "understands." The better at reading one becomes, the more capable s/he is of supporting the "understanding" s/he gets.
Reread the extract!
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