J. Roth

English 201

 

Scavenger Hunt #1

 

Critical Reading—from Practical Strategies for Critical Thinking, pp. 3-60

 

In this section, please locate the following terms and study their definitions:

 

Text

 

Context

 

Diction

 

Denotation

 

Connotation

 

Figurative language

 

Simile

 

Metaphor

 

Symbols

 

 

Some important points from this section of our text:

 

“However, critical reading also requires an active reader to move beyond a personal response or a statement of personal preference—“I liked this” or “I didn’t like this”—to a more reasoned critical judgment based on an awareness of rhetorical strategies” (Rehner 19).

 

“Two of the most helpful strategies [to achieve balance] are to write about a text [our journals] and to construct a mental map of a text [a “tinker-toy” sketch]” (47).

 

Concerning writing about a text, please re-read pp. 48-50.  Pay particular attention to the illustration on pp. 49-50.  It would serve as a Reading-specific journal entry.

 

“If your written responses only retell the story or focus only on your past experiences, or if you are unable to decide upon main points when mapping a text, you need to read the text again” (52).

 

“By being consciously aware of the need for both involvement and detachment, you will improve your chances of understanding and learning” (53).

 

            Rehner, Jan. Practical Strategies for Critical Thinking. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.