MEPX
Chapter 9 of 10All chapters
  1. 1Three levels of reading
  2. 2Structure
  3. 3Main idea and detail
  4. 4Inference
  5. 5Tone and stance
  6. 6Evidence and argument
  7. 7Words in context
  8. 8Reading efficiently
  9. 9Difficult texts
  10. 10Reading outside tests

Chapter 9 of 10

Difficult texts

Dense, technical or old.

Tactics

Break long sentences at the punctuation, identify the main verb, and restate each clause in your own words. Complexity is usually structural rather than conceptual.

  • Older texts use familiar words in unfamiliar senses.
  • Read a summary first for very technical material; it is not cheating.

Rereading

Understanding usually arrives on the second pass. Treating one reading as sufficient is the main reason difficult material feels impossible.