Writers often talk of communicating with their readers through their stories and novels. Readers, too, like to communicate about the things which they have read.This section shows you how you can use your reading to improve your opportunities to practise your spoken English.
In this extract fromThe Reading Group, Gillian explains how people all over the UK meet to discuss their favourite books.
Before you read the extract Imagine you are going to tell a group of your friends about your favourite book.What would you tell them? Try to write a paragraph, giving the most important information.
It has often been said that reading a book is like having a conversation. And it seems that many people want to continue that conversation once they have read the book. Reading groups are one way of doing so.Typically, a reading group consists of six to twelve members who meet regularly to discuss a book they’ve all read. Reading groups take place in private homes, in libraries and schools, and in chatrooms on the internet. Reading groups read contemporary
novels or the classics – and they may even specialise in the type of books they read, such as science fiction or poetry or the novels of Charles Dickens. It has been estimated that more than fifty thousand people in the UK belong to a reading group, and that more than five million Americans are members of a group.That’s a lot of readers, and a lot of talk about books! So why is there such enthusiasm for reading – and talking about reading? Reading groups enable people to share stories, and to see how other people’s responses to a story differ from their own. And from this sharing of stories, people form common bonds of friendship and community.
In this extract fromThe Reading Group, Gillian explains how people all over the UK meet to discuss their favourite books.
Before you read the extract Imagine you are going to tell a group of your friends about your favourite book.What would you tell them? Try to write a paragraph, giving the most important information.
It has often been said that reading a book is like having a conversation. And it seems that many people want to continue that conversation once they have read the book. Reading groups are one way of doing so.Typically, a reading group consists of six to twelve members who meet regularly to discuss a book they’ve all read. Reading groups take place in private homes, in libraries and schools, and in chatrooms on the internet. Reading groups read contemporary
novels or the classics – and they may even specialise in the type of books they read, such as science fiction or poetry or the novels of Charles Dickens. It has been estimated that more than fifty thousand people in the UK belong to a reading group, and that more than five million Americans are members of a group.That’s a lot of readers, and a lot of talk about books! So why is there such enthusiasm for reading – and talking about reading? Reading groups enable people to share stories, and to see how other people’s responses to a story differ from their own. And from this sharing of stories, people form common bonds of friendship and community.
- In Gillian’s opinion, why are reading groups popular?
- Name 4 places where reading groups often meet.
Answer
- People in reading groups can share their stories and their opinions about the books they have read.This sharing of ideas allows them to form friendships and a sense of community.
- Reading groups meet in members’ homes, in schools, in libraries and in internet chatrooms.
Would you like to start an English reading group? Here are some tips for making your group successful.
Start with a small group Try to gather a few motivated friends together for your first few meetings.This will help you decide what kinds of books you’d like to read, how often you’d like to meet, and how long you would like to spend on each meeting.
Choose your reading together Remember that a reading group will only be successful if everyone is motivated to read the same thing.This could be a short story, or, if you are at school, a book which everyone has to read for an examination. Don’t forget that you could choose a book which isn’t written in English – but that you could discuss it in English.
Start with a list of ‘prompts’ to make sure you have enough ideas It is sometimes difficult to know where to start when discussing a story or novel. Before the meeting, make a list of questions which will bring everyone into the discussion.These questions should allow the group members to share their opinions of what they have read, rather than ask them to retell the story. Examples of good prompt questions are ‘Who is your favourite character, and why?’, ‘What is your favourite scene in the book?’,‘How does this compare with last week’s story/ with the author’s previous novels?’
Don’t overload the readers Remember that people read at different speeds, and it is important that everyone has enough time to read the novel or story which you plan to discuss. For example, if the group is reading a novel, you might decide to discuss it in stages, looking at a few chapters in each meeting instead of focusing on the whole book.
TASK
Start your own small reading group.Ask one or two friends if they would like to meet together. Choose a book or story which you can all access easily (for example, you could all listen to a BBC World Service literature programme together).When you have read or listened to the story, each person should make a list of the things they liked or disliked and a list of questions they may have about the story. Start your meeting by asking everyone to share their likes and dislikes – in English.
Start with a small group Try to gather a few motivated friends together for your first few meetings.This will help you decide what kinds of books you’d like to read, how often you’d like to meet, and how long you would like to spend on each meeting.
Choose your reading together Remember that a reading group will only be successful if everyone is motivated to read the same thing.This could be a short story, or, if you are at school, a book which everyone has to read for an examination. Don’t forget that you could choose a book which isn’t written in English – but that you could discuss it in English.
Start with a list of ‘prompts’ to make sure you have enough ideas It is sometimes difficult to know where to start when discussing a story or novel. Before the meeting, make a list of questions which will bring everyone into the discussion.These questions should allow the group members to share their opinions of what they have read, rather than ask them to retell the story. Examples of good prompt questions are ‘Who is your favourite character, and why?’, ‘What is your favourite scene in the book?’,‘How does this compare with last week’s story/ with the author’s previous novels?’
Don’t overload the readers Remember that people read at different speeds, and it is important that everyone has enough time to read the novel or story which you plan to discuss. For example, if the group is reading a novel, you might decide to discuss it in stages, looking at a few chapters in each meeting instead of focusing on the whole book.
TASK
Start your own small reading group.Ask one or two friends if they would like to meet together. Choose a book or story which you can all access easily (for example, you could all listen to a BBC World Service literature programme together).When you have read or listened to the story, each person should make a list of the things they liked or disliked and a list of questions they may have about the story. Start your meeting by asking everyone to share their likes and dislikes – in English.
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