Home > Subjects > English > English level 3 > 3.5 Unfamiliar texts > Subject content > Approaching a text
- Subject: English
- AS: 90724
- Level: 3
- Credits: 3
- External
3.5 Read and respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts
Approaching a text
Close reading tests your comprehension, understanding, and critical analysis of how language is used to communicate a message to a reader. To gain maximum meaning from texts you must learn to 'read between the lines' or use inference. See this link for an example of making inferences.
These steps will help you with the reading process:
- Read title and where it comes from to understand the context.
- As you read each text highlight areas of interest or confusion. After your first reading you should be able to answer general questions such as:
- Where and when is the text set?
- Who is involved? Who is telling the story?
- What is the text about?
- What are some unique aspects of style?
- Read the questions.
- Read text again keeping the examination questions in your mind and read carefully over the key parts of the text.
- Answer the questions by going back to specific areas of the text. Skim read to locate the answer.
- Check all your answers.
