What is ACTIVE READING?
Active reading is reading with a goal. It’s reading because you want to learn something.
Sometimes we read to just pass the time. Just because it's relaxing and enjoyable. That’s OK, but you probably won’t remember or learn a lot that way. But with active reading, you are thinking about what you are reading, so you may remember more.
There are a few parts to active reading:
Look at the title. Say it out loud or write it down. What do you think the reading is about?
Look up 2-8 new words in a dictionary and write them down in your notebook. (You don’t need to understand everything! Try to be comfortable NOT understanding every word.)
What is the main idea (the most important idea)?
Identify 2 other important ideas.
Try to use some of the new words in conversation right away to help you remember them.
Tell a friend about the reading. This is important. Talking about it will help you really understand and remember it!
So now we will practice active reading using an inspiring, short online article. The exercises here will help you understand it. After you read it, do the exercises below. They will help you practice the vocabulary and grammar in the article, and to think about the ideas. The goal is to improve your English through active reading!
The article and most of the activities are for intermediate to advanced-level students. We also have two vocabulary exercises for beginners at the end.
We love to work with ALL STUDENTS - beginner to advanced!
Are you ready? Let’s go!
This article is called:
“Garbage Collectors Open Library with Abandoned Books”
INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED STUDENTS:
1. Look at the title. What do you think the article is about? Choose one answer:
A. a library that is in a garbage dump
B. a library that has books people threw away
C. books that garbage collectors don’t want to keep
Check the bottom of this blog post for the answer.
Now, please go to this link to read the article, and then come back here to do the exercises:
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/15/europe/garbage-collectors-open-library-with-abandoned-books/index.html
2. Vocabulary: Match the words with their definitions. (Answers are on the bottom of the post.)
Words:
____ 1. abandoned, discarded
____ 2. comprised of
____ 3. destined for
____ 4. landfills
____ 5. to oversee (oversaw, simple past)
____ 6. nonfiction
____ 7. ideal
____ 8. salvaged
Definitions:
A. to manage, organize
B. books based on facts, real people or events
C. thrown away, left behind
D. saved, rescued
E. made of
F. perfect, great
G. a place to bury garbage and cover it with soil
H. going to, headed for
3. What is the main idea (the most important idea)?
4. Identify 2 other important ideas.
5. Now, try to use some of the new words in conversation right away to help you remember them.
6. And very important, tell a friend or family member about this article. Talking about it will give you a chance to practice the vocabulary and get comfortable sharing the ideas. Do this soon while it is fresh in your memory!
BEGINNER STUDENTS:
3. Vocabulary. What is the best answer?
1. Garbage collectors are:
a. people who help animals
b. people who pick up trash
c. people who buy books
2. Another way to say GARBAGE COLLECTORS is:
a. garbage men
b. sanitation workers
c. trash collectors
d. all of these
3. What are different kinds of books?
a. literature
b. nonfiction
c. foreign language
d. all of these
4. Examples of nonfiction books are:
a. biographies
b. dictionaries
c. history books
d. science books
e. cookbooks
f. all of these
4. Write these words in the blanks:
library opened helps sanitation workers families
In Turkey, _________________________ (a) collected books from the trash.
Their friends and ____________________(b) could borrow the books.
But soon there were thousands of books.
So they ___________________ (c) a public library.
This library now _____________(d) people who live all over Turkey.
We hope you have enjoyed this short active reading lesson! Please check back here soon for more activities. Happy learning!
BEGINNER ANSWERS: 3. Vocabulary: 1. b 2. d 3. d 4. f
4. a. sanitation workers b. families c. opened d. helps
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED ANSWERS: 1. B - a library that has books people threw away.
2. Vocabulary: 1.C 2. E 3. H 4. G 5. A 6. B 7. F 8. D
3. The main idea: Garbage collectors in Turkey saved books that had been thrown away and made a successful library with them.
4. Examples of some important details:
• At first, the library was just for the friends and families of the garbage collectors, but then it opened to the public.
• The library is in a building that used to be empty (vacant) and has a lot of space for all the books.
• The library now has over 6,000 books of many kinds - fiction and nonfiction - and in different languages.
• There are now so many books that schools, organizations and prisons around the country borrow books from the library.
• The library is providing a much-needed and valuable service to its community.
