Exercise Your College Reading Skills : Developing More Powerful Comprehension

by Elder, Janet

• ISBN13: 9780072563801
• ISBN10: 007256380X
• Edition: Annotated
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-04-03
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

Summary

Through the familiar and motivating metaphor of sports, Janet Elder (Opening Doors, New Worlds) provides students extensive opportunities to learn, apply, and reinforce essential reading skills.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

THE “SECRETS” OF SUCCESS

PART I: WARM-UP

Chapter 1: Determining the Meaning of an Unfamiliar Word through Context

The Skill: Determining the Meaning of an Unfamiliar Word through Context

The Technique: Use Five Types of Context Clues

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Using Context Clues

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Using Context Clues

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Using Context Clues

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

PART II: BASIC WORKOUT

Chapter 2: Determining the Topic of a Paragraph

The Skill: Determining the Topic of a Paragraph

The Technique: Use the Four Strategies for Determining the Topic

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Determining the Topic

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Determining the Topic

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Determining the Topic of a Paragraph

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 3: Identifying the Stated Main Idea Sentence and Supporting Details of a Paragraph

The Skill: Identifying the Stated Main Idea Sentence of a Paragraph

The Technique: Find the Sentence That Has the Characteristics of a Main Idea Sentence

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Identifying the Stated Main Idea Sentence

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Identifying the Stated Main Idea Sentence

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter (Stated Main Idea)

The Skill: Identifying the Supporting Details of a Paragraph

The Technique: Identify the Supporting Details

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Identifying Supporting Details

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Identifying Supporting Details

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter (Supporting Details)

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Identifying the Stated Main Idea Sentence

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 4: Formulating the Implied Main Idea Sentence of a Paragraph

The Skill: Formulating the Implied Main Idea Sentence of a Paragraph

The Technique: Use the Three Formulas for Formulating an Implied Main Idea Sentence

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Formulating the Implied Main Idea Sentence

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Formulating the Implied Main Idea Sentence

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Formulating the Implied Main Idea Sentence

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 5: Recognizing Authors' Writing Patterns

The Skill: Recognizing Authors' Writing Patterns

The Technique: Learn the Characteristics of Authors’ Five Writing Patterns

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Identifying Authors' Writing Patterns

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Identifying Authors' Writing Patterns

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Identifying Authors' Writing Patterns

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

PART III: BASIC STRETCHING

Chapter 6: Applying All the Basic Skills to Paragraphs

The Practice: Apply All of the Basic Skills to Paragraphs

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

PART IV: ADVANCED WORKOUT

Welcome to the Advanced Workout

Chapter 7: Distinguishing Facts from Opinions

The Skill: Distinguishing Facts from Opinions

The Technique: Apply the Characteristics of Facts and Opinions

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Distinguishing Facts from Opinions

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Distinguishing Facts from Opinions

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Distinguishing Facts from Opinions

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 8: Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

The Skill: Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

The Technique: Base Inferences and Conclusions on the Passage

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 9: Determining the Author’s Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience

The Skill: Determining the Author’s Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience

The Technique: Ask the Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience Questions

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Determining the Author’s Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Determining the Author’s Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of the Author’s Purpose, Tone, Point of View, and Intended Audience

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 10: Evaluating an Author’s Argument

The Skill: Evaluating an Author’s Argument

The Technique: Identify the Issue and the Author's Argument, Then Ask the Evaluation Questions

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Evaluating an Author’s Argument

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Evaluating an Author’s Argument

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Evaluating an Author’s Argument

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

PART V: ADVANCED STRETCHING

Chapter 11: Applying All the Advanced Skills to Single- and Multiple-Paragraph Selections

The Practice: Apply All of the Advanced Skills to Single- and Multiple-Paragraph Selections

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Bonus Workout: Applying the Skills to Literary Selections

PART VI: FLEX YOUR LITERARY MUSCLES

Welcome to Flex Your Literary Muscles

Chapter 12: Interpreting Figures of Speech

The Skill: Interpreting Figures of Speech

The Technique: Recognize and Interpret Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Hyperboles, and Metonymy

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Interpreting Figures of Speech

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Interpreting Figures of Speech

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Interpreting Figures of Speech

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 13: Achieving Basic Comprehension of Literary Works

The Skill: Achieving Basic Comprehension of Literary Works

The Technique: Apply the Literary Counterparts of the Basic Comprehension Skills

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Basic Comprehension of Literary Works

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Achieving Basic Comprehension of Literary Works

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Achieving Basic Comprehension of Literary Works

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

PART VII: COOL DOWN

Welcome to the Cool Down

Chapter 14: Interpreting Graphic Aids

The Skill: Interpreting Graphic Aids

The Technique: Interpret Bar Graphs, Line Graphs, Pie Charts, Flowcharts, and Tables

The Trainer: Applying the Skill of Interpreting Graphic Aids

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Interpreting Graphic Aids

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Interpreting Graphic Aids

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

Chapter 15: Organizing Information for Study

The Skill: Organizing Information for Study

The Technique: Mark and Annotate Textbooks, Take Notes, Make Outlines and Study Maps, and Write Summaries

The Edge: Pointers from the Coach about Organizing Information for Study

The Replay: Remembering the Essential Information from the Chapter

The Practice: Apply the Skill of Organizing Information for Study

Three Sets of Practice Exercises

PART VIII: GRAND SLAM: PLAYING IN THE BIG LEAGUES

Welcome to the Grand Slam

Transition Words and Metacomprehension

Chapter 16: Applying All the Skills You Have Learned

Selection 1: “Four Types of Computers” (computer science)

Selection 2: “Achieving What You Really Want in Life” (study skills)

Selection 3: Excerpt from The Man Who Listens to Horses (autobiography)

Selection 4: “Burglars and Burglary, Robbers and Robbery, and Hot Products” (criminology)

Selection 5: “Repressed Memories: Truth or Fiction?” (psychology)

Selection 6: “Choosing a Mate” (sociology)

Selection 7: “The Great Midlothian Sawdust War” (essay)

Selection 8: “To Robert Frost” (poem)

Selection 9: Major Sullivan Ballou’s Letter to His Wife, Sarah (letter)

Kudos from Your Coach

Appendix 1: A List of Word Parts

Appendix 2: “Tackling the Test”: Test-Taking Strategies and Tips

Appendix 3: Suggested Reading That You’ll Enjoy (bibliography)

Index