READING SKILLS

Americans love to send greeting cards. For instance, over 4 million birthday cards are sent out in this country every day. Around Valentine’s Day last year, over 900 million cards were mailed. And close to 3 billion holiday greeting cards were sent out during the Christmas season.

What is the subject?

(a)  

Americans love to send greeting cards. For instance, over 4 million birthday cards are sent out in this country every day. Around Valentine’s Day last year, over 900 million cards were mailed. And close to 3 billion holiday greeting cards were sent out during the Christmas season.

What is the main idea?

(a)  

Americans love to send greeting cards. For instance, over 4 million birthday cards are sent out in this country every day. Around Valentine’s Day last year, over 900 million cards were mailed. And close to 3 billion holiday greeting cards were sent out during the Christmas season.

What are some supporting details?

(a)  

Sea Otters collect large hard-shelled abalones in their teeth during dives to the sea bottom, then each picks up a stone with its forepaws. Surfacing, the otters roll onto their backs, place the abalones on their bellies, and clasping a stone in both front feet, smash the shells open. Therefore, Sea Otters use these stones as hammers.

What is the subject?

(a)  

Sea Otters collect large hard-shelled abalones in their teeth during dives to the sea bottom, then each picks up a stone with its forepaws. Surfacing, the otters roll onto their backs, place the abalones on their bellies, and clasping a stone in both front feet, smash the shells open. Therefore, Sea Otters use these stones as hammers.

What is the main idea?

(a)  

Sea Otters collect large hard-shelled abalones in their teeth during dives to the sea bottom, then each picks up a stone with its forepaws. Surfacing, the otters roll onto their backs, place the abalones on their bellies, and clasping a stone in both front feet, smash the shells open. Therefore, Sea Otters use these stones as hammers.

What are some supporting details?

(a)  

In high school, I tried writing my own novels and short stories. After high school, I married a woman who was a fine poet and who became an editorial assistant at a publishing company. As a private joke for her, I began to write a science fiction novel. When I showed it to her, she suggested I submit it to her boss. I did and it was accepted.

What is the main idea?

(a)  

How do good readers make inferences?

• Word/text clues

• Picture clues

• Sentence clues

• Define unknown words

• Define familiar words

If you find more information here, what do you do?

• Skimming

• Scanning

Which reading skills do you use?

• Skimming

• Scanning