READING THE LINES

[continued from the Last Post:]

'Reading the lines' or 'Reading on the Lines' is generally considered the most basic level, when it comes to reading comprehension or information gathering at its crudest & simplest level.

I would consider 'Surface Reading' as another apt term to describe it, since our primary interest in the reading process is just the facts.

In most instances, I would say expositional & informational writings would fall under the category.

This is in fact the level at which most of us as readers can function quite easily, as one can quickly understand the reading material at hand.

In other words, one can understand what the author is actually talking about because all the needed information is there, just as the author has said it.

To put it in another perspective, one can, with a quick glance of the eye, easily point one's finger at the text where the information is located,

In the academic context, the "answers" to the "questions" are right there in the text.

More specifically, for a student, this is the reading level that tackles most common tests like 'Objective Tests', 'Multiple-Choice Question Tests', 'Fill-in-the-Blank Tests', as well as 'True or False Tests'.

Therefore, "retelling" of the captured information when needed is also quick & easy, especially in terms of Who? When? What? Where? How many?

Reading experts like to term this aspect as "literal comprehension".

[to be continued in the NEXT POST:]