24. Reading
Reading" is the process of looking at
a series of written symbols and
getting meaning from them. When
we read, we use our eyes to receive
written symbols (letters, punctuation
marks and spaces) and we use our
brain to convert them into words,
sentences and paragraphs that
communicate something to us. In our own language, reading is
usually the third language skill that
we learn. Some native speakers
cannot read or write but they speak
English fluently. On the other hand,
reading is something that you can
do on your own and that greatly
broadens your vocabulary, thus
helping you in speaking (and in
listening and writing).
Reading is a receptive skill - through
it we receive information. But the
complex process of reading also
requires the skill of speaking, so that
we can pronounce the words that
we read. In this sense, reading is
also a productive skill in that we are
both receiving information and
transmitting. Reading is therefore a highly
valuable skill and activity, and it is
recommended that English learners
try to read as much as possible in
English. We as students can learn
some books that we consider are
really interesting for us.