Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Entertainment and Arts > Books
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 08-17-2011, 02:11 AM
 
207 posts, read 533,690 times
Reputation: 186

Advertisements

I want to become a better reader. Sometimes it really frustrates me when I read adult books and I run into alot of words I write down and I try praticing but it becomes so boring. Should I just skip the adults books and just read young adult books until I can read every young adult book without stopping to look up a word?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 08-17-2011, 02:59 AM
 
Location: Aloverton
6,560 posts, read 14,400,128 times
Reputation: 10164
Quote:
Originally Posted by PinkAquarius View Post
I want to become a better reader. Sometimes it really frustrates me when I read adult books and I run into alot of words I write down and I try praticing but it becomes so boring. Should I just skip the adults books and just read young adult books until I can read every young adult book without stopping to look up a word?
It's worth a try. I love the idea that you want to be a better reader and respect this tremendously. Those are, basically, the magic words. Any writer worth two cents is cheered by them and wants to help. Any writer who is not, professionally, I dismiss as useless, traitor to the trade.

One suggestion I would make is the Townsend Library: Our Books (http://www.townsendpress.com/catalog/tplibraryandblufordseries.aspx - broken link) . Many great adventure classics, professionally edited for accessibility and appeal for younger readers. I have personal knowledge of that process. Best of all: $87 for 87 books, no joke. I bet your reading skills would take a great leap, and they would be understandable yet present you expansion of knowledge.

Whatever you do, read at the level that just challenges you, so that it's fun while learning. At whatever age level it was designed for. If you feel you are gaining, you are. Best of success and enjoyment to you--a world awaits.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 07:54 AM
 
Location: Bourne, MA
30 posts, read 96,163 times
Reputation: 37
I also think that's it's great that you want to be a better reader. Definitely keep it up, practice makes perfect. Some books are just a hard read, even young adult books. I read the Harry Potter books to my nine year old and find them a difficult read. If you can afford one you might like to try an E-Reader, I have one and love it, especially the dictionary, because, when I come across a word a don't know i just tap on it and the definition comes up, (no more looking it up in the dictionary), the e-readers also allow you to download books from the library for free, that's how I get most of my books, instead of buying them.
Ask you local librarian for some help. Good luck
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 08:28 AM
 
Location: Oxford, England
13,032 posts, read 24,556,154 times
Reputation: 20164
First congratulations to you. I think it is wonderful that you are wanting to improve your reading skills. Keep it up, practice does make perfect. But do not forget that reading should be fun too. There are literally millions of books out there , and whatever YOU have an interest in or love there will be books written about it.

Reading like everything else is something which does get easier as you go along so do not be discouraged.

It truly does you credit that you are trying and my advice would be to just find things you enjoy reading.

Vocabulary expands as you read more so don't let a few "big" words put you off. Language skills come easier to some people but the important thing is to keep at it. I can't even remember a time when I did not read and I think my vocabulary has just expanded as I have read more and more.

It is natural and you can't expect to know every single word in the English language, at some point we ALL have to learn them. Part of the process and IMO part of the pleasure and fun of reading. I actually quite like noting down words which I am not always familiar with and then finding out later what they mean.

For example I read a lot of Historical fiction and specialised reference books and a lot of the words are often alien to me , simply because it is often a very narrow field.

Big words should not intimidate you and do not let them put you off. We all have to begin somewhere. Even the great giants of Literature needed to acquire the vocabulary necessary to write.

I just take note of it and I find writing things down allows your brain to process things a lot easier.

I think you will find that if you really enjoy a particular book , the reading will just flow. I know some writers could put me to sleep quite easily and others just spur me on reading.

Just find authors and books you love, which suit you. Look at new words as a challenge but not one which cannot be conquered. Relish the idea of learning ( and using) those words. Try writing things , if only a journal or a blog. Writing helps you to develop language skills as much as reading does. Like with exercise the more you use those "muscles" and the stronger they become, the easier it is.

See words as your friends rather than your enemies . Anyone can become a wordsmith, it just takes a little patience, persistence and a little work. But mix all those with fun and pleasure and you have a recipe for success in my opinion. Words are extremely potent, a perfect way for Human beings to express how they feel, what they think, who they are so try to see words as a positive not a negative.

But most of all have a lot of fun. Books to me are a perfect way to escape our daily reality, of travelling and meeting people we would otherwise not meet. They open a new world of wonders and endless possibilities. Reading is a great levelling field. It brings together people of all classes, colours and creeds.


The world becomes an instant book-club for those of us who cherish books. I constantly find myself having discussions with other book lovers all over the world, people with I often have little else in common. It brings you together and allows us to embrace our shared humanity. It is a common thread of shared pleasure and shared joy.

So Kudos to you and all the best. Remember that none of us are word perfect. Not even people with hundreds of books to their names. We are all involved in a learning process and that is the true magic of it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 08:55 AM
 
2,319 posts, read 4,782,169 times
Reputation: 2108
I can empathize with you. All through school I had a terrible time reading. I remember in elementary school and junior high my friends were reading adult books, but I just couldn't. It made me feel dumb. Not only could I not understand the books, I couldn't retain much of what I read.

A boy, several years younger than I, gave me some R.L. Stine kids books. Oh, I loved them. I could read them and understand them. From there, I read a few classics that were understandable like The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, A Christmas Carol, Little Women, To Kill a Mockingbird and Jane Austen's books. I also discovered that I love Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dover series) and John Jakes (North and South trilogy). Now I read everything except cosmological physics books. I just can't hang with those folks.

Along with those books and authors, I really like young adult / adult books like I Am the Cheese, The Lord of the Rings Series, The Wizard of Oz, and the Sherlock Holmes books.

Good luck to you, and I'm sure your reading will improve with time and practice.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 11:21 AM
 
Location: Austin, Texas
2,754 posts, read 6,082,882 times
Reputation: 4669
You mean "I don't read that well."
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 11:25 AM
 
Location: SW Missouri
15,853 posts, read 35,010,812 times
Reputation: 22693
Quote:
Originally Posted by PinkAquarius View Post
I want to become a better reader. Sometimes it really frustrates me when I read adult books and I run into alot of words I write down and I try praticing but it becomes so boring. Should I just skip the adults books and just read young adult books until I can read every young adult book without stopping to look up a word?
One thing that helps me a lot when I am reading a very difficult book is to read words I don't understand out loud. When you HEAR words, it activates a different part of your brain and you tend to remember them better. Whenever you look up a word in the dictionary, always say it out loud. Then you have two places in your brain where the word is stored instead of just one.

Keep up the good work. It takes time to increase your vocabulary and be able to read better. Find a subject that you really like a lot and read about that. Being passionate about what you are reading makes it more interesting and helps with learning new words.

Good luck

20yrsinBranson
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 11:30 AM
 
Location: SW Missouri
15,853 posts, read 35,010,812 times
Reputation: 22693
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrummerBoy View Post
You mean "I don't read that well."
I'm sure you didn't mean for that to sound as rude and insulting as it did.

Remember that scene in the Wizard of Oz?....allow me to paraphrase...

Oh - oh - oh! You ought to be ashamed of yourself - insulting him like that, when he came to you for help!



20yrsinBranson
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 11:40 AM
 
Location: Oxford, England
13,032 posts, read 24,556,154 times
Reputation: 20164
Quote:
Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson View Post
One thing that helps me a lot when I am reading a very difficult book is to read words I don't understand out loud. When you HEAR words, it activates a different part of your brain and you tend to remember them better. Whenever you look up a word in the dictionary, always say it out loud. Then you have two places in your brain where the word is stored instead of just one.

Keep up the good work. It takes time to increase your vocabulary and be able to read better. Find a subject that you really like a lot and read about that. Being passionate about what you are reading makes it more interesting and helps with learning new words.

Good luck

20yrsinBranson
That is a great tip and I agree.


I think reading out-loud is actually a fantastic way to improve reading and comprehension skills. We are very verbal animals and the sound of words somehow make the words stick in your mind. The brain seems to process more often when speaking and hearing are also involved.

I still read out loud about half an hour every evening, I find it helps me with speaking as well as writing. It gives you a certain confidence and also teaches you rhythm and the cadence of speech. I find it very satisfying.

Some "big" words seem far more natural when spoken and then they become a part of normal life. It certainly works with foreign languages. Speak a word and you get a feel for it. It becomes more familiar, less frightening in a way.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 08-17-2011, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
29,627 posts, read 34,107,821 times
Reputation: 76625
Something that you pick up on the more you read, as well, is that you don't necessarily need to know what every word means as you're reading. Many times you can pick up from the context what the author is getting at, if the characters are angry with each other or happy with each other, if the description of the thing is positive or negative, etc.

I recently reread all the Sherlock Holmes stories, which may be a fun read for the OP. They're not difficult, and they're a great introduction to other Victorian literature.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Entertainment and Arts > Books

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top