PREVIEWING = READING SUCCESS
You've heard it a thousand times: The key to success is preparation.
That applies just as much to reading as it does to science or
sports, music or business.
Successful readers don't just start reading. First, they prepare
to get and sort information by previewing both the text and the
visuals. Previewing helps readers to organize the new information
that comes with their reading.
As readers preview a passage, they make predictions about
the contents. These predictions may be based on what the reader
already knows about the topic or on clues contained in the reading.
To learn what to look for as you read, open page 34 of Biology:
The Web of Life.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
TITLE
An amazing number of readers never notice titles. Make sure you
read the title; it will point your reading in the right direction.
For example, the title of Section 2.1 is Chemicals
in Organisms. You can predict that this section will
explore the chemical processes of living things.
INTRODUCTION
Magazines and books often begin with introductory materials that
tell you what you are going to read. Biology: The Web of Life
has two types of introductory materials.
The Big Idea: First is the feature
called The Big Idea! You'll see this feature at the very top
of page 34, just above the section title. Notice that The Big
Idea! may refer to more than one section. If you don't see The
Big Idea! for the section you are reading, look at the previous
section.
The Big Idea! for Sections 2.12.2 states "Living
things are made of chemicals with characteristic structures and
functions." From this information, you can predict that
these sections will:
discuss the substances that make up most living things
compare the functions of each chemical.
Section
Opener: The second type of introduction is the section opener,
which you will find just below each section title. The purpose
of this short paragraph is to ease you into the content. The
2.1 section opener (page 34) is entitled "You are what you
eat." After you read the paragraph, think about what predictions
you can you make based on the information it contains. One possible
response it: "This chapter will explore the four kinds of
chemicals-carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids-that
make up most living things on Earth."
What
You'll Learn: One of the best reading tools is the bulleted
list in the margin labeled What You'll Learn. The major ideas
of the lesson are listed here.
HEADS AND SUBHEADS
Most textbooks divide the reading into parts that are titled
with heads or subheads. In Biology: The Web of Life, each
part is titled with a purple head.
Section 2.1, for example, is divided into four parts; each head
is one of the four kinds of chemicals that make up living things.
Subheads: When parts can be broken
into even smaller parts, subheads help the reader organize his
or her understanding. A good example is ATOMS
on pages 3839. That part is split into the subheads Ions
and Isotopes.
VISUALS
Visuals--such as photographs, diagrams, charts, graphs, tables,
and pictures--reveal more about the reading and help you make
more accurate predictions. On page 34, for instance, you will
find photographs of beeswax, honeybees, and a hummingbird approaching
a flower. From these visuals you can infer that the content will
have something to do with honeybees and hummingbirds.
CAPTIONS
Check out the captions, too. They can give you a quick glimpse
into the contents of a section. Figure 2.1 on page 34 has two
captions. One mentions that honey and nectar are made of carbohydrates;
the other that beeswax is used to build the honeycomb. From these
captions, you can predict that Section 2.1 will explain how some
creatures use chemicals to make food and shelter.
SKIMMING
Many readers--even good ones--stop here. The best readers,
however, go a step further. They skim the text.
FIRST AND LAST PARAGRAPHS
Reading the first and last paragraphs of a section will often
help readers understand the content of their reading. The first
paragraph often (but not always) introduces the main topic of
the reading; the last paragraph may sum it up.
MAIN TEXT
Finally, skim the entire selection by reading the first sentence
and last sentence in each paragraph. Getting an overview of the
contents of the selection by skimming each paragraph helps you
figure out how the information will be presented and what you
can expect to learn. As you skim, notice words in boldface or
colored type. Bold colors often signal important information.
That's why the title, heads, and subheads in a textbook are often
brightly colored.
You have just learned how to preview a selection to get more
from your reading. Be sure to preview every selection before
you read it, not just the first chapter in a unit. You'll find
it easier to absorb information and retain what you learned.
TRY IT
1. Skim pages 3436. What four groups of compounds are
discussed?
2. Look at Figure 2.2 on page 35 and Figure 2.4 on page 36.
Which group of compounds is most complex?
Click HERE
to check your answers to TRY IT!
TOP
To practice what you've just learned, go to Worksheet 1.1
To learn about another reading strategy, go to Reading
Strategy 1.2.
Unit 1 home page
Reading Strategy 1.1 | Worksheet
1.1
Reading Strategy 1.2 | Worksheet
1.2
SUPER READ! home page
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