• Unit 2: Reading to Comprehend

    Unit 2 reviews reading skills discussed in ESL002, focusing on making inferences and evaluative reading. Distinguishing fact from opinion and using your prior knowledge as you read will help you better comprehend the texts you read. In this unit, you will practice these skills to improve your comprehension of short articles in English.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • distinguish fact from opinion on common topics; and
      • use active reading skills for inferential comprehension based on information available in the text.

    • 2.1: Reading Between the Lines

      These materials include reviewing reading skills used to approach non-fiction and fiction texts. After reading the lessons, you will be able to test your understanding by completing different practice activities.

      • Reading Skills Review Page

        In ESL001 and ESL002, we learned about and practiced active reading strategies to help you identify different types of text as well as find the main idea and details. This unit in ESL003 will show you how to "read between the lines" or make inferences about what you're reading. This strategy helps you pull together what the writer is telling you to come to a conclusion about the text you're reading.

      • Distinguishing Fact and Opinion Page

        In ESL002, we learned about being thoughtful readers. In this unit, we continue to look at this by focusing on the ability to recognize facts and opinions in a reading passage.

      • Making Inferences Page

        Good readers string together clues from the text and their own background knowledge or experience to make inferences. This lesson helps you as a reader understand inferences and make your own!

    • 2.2: Reading Between the Lines – Let's Practice

      Now that we know more about inferential reading, let's put this knowledge into practice.

      • Inferential Reading Skills Practice Book

        The activities will allow you to see how well you understand making inferences and distinguishing facts and opinions. If you have a difficult time identifying reading strategies and narrative elements, you may return to review the information in the Let's Study section and then try these practice activities again.

    • 2.3: Reading Between the Lines – Let's Apply

      Now that you know how to distinguish fact from opinion and make inferences, let's see if we can easily use these skills to understand a short article.

    • 2.4: Putting It All Together

      You have learned more about reading strategies to help you become a better reader. You have also learned about making inferences and distinguishing facts and opinions. This section will help you review what you have learned in Unit 2.

      • Let's Review Unit 2 Page

        Watch these videos, which review the reading skills you learned in this unit.

    • Unit 2 Assessment

      • Unit 2 Assessment Quiz
        Receive a grade

        Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

        • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
        • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
        • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.