Snap Language

Interpreting What You Read | Part 1

Reading is more than simply understanding words and paragraphs. You must be able to interpret exactly what the author means.

For example, example, let’s say you have just done something that upset, and I say, “That's great... thank you very much!” You must interpret what I am saying beyond just understanding the words I used. There is a “hidden” message in what I am saying. It was not by accident that I responsed to a negative incident using positive words; I wanted to create an effect.

Writers often choose ways of communicating their messages that you must interpret. If you miss out on certain cues while reading, you cannot say you fully understood the content.

Objectives

In this portion of the course, you will learn two important tools readers should use to better understand what they read:

• Identifying transition words and phrases to understand the relationship between ideas.
• Identifying and interpreting figures of speech to understand the writer’s intented meaning.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transition words help writers connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. When you read, transitions help you understand not only the ideas themselves but also the relationship between them.

Activities

Figures of Speech

Figures of speech are everywhere in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It is important to know the difference between figurative and literal language so that you can interpret a speaker or writer's intended message rather than what the words actually mean.

Activities