Includes bibliographical references and index.

ch. 1. The big picture : approaching reading as a process -- Why plan, do, review? -- ch. 2. Building vocabulary -- Using context clues to define words and phrases -- Using parts of a word to help define it -- Using a dictionary to define words and phrases -- Connotative meanings -- Figurative language -- Defining words and phrases while reading -- Remembering words -- ch. 3. Understanding main ideas -- What is a main idea? -- Understanding stated main ideas -- Making inferences while reading -- Understanding implied main ideas -- The need to be flexible -- ch. 4. Identifying supporting details and using relationships among ideas -- Understanding how the ideas and sentences in a paragraph relate to one another -- Understanding how the ideas and sentences are organized -- ch. 5. Reading multiparagraph selections -- Primary reasons writers write -- Identifying the thesis of a multiparagraph selection -- ch. 6. Reading graphics -- Graphs -- Tables -- Diagrams -- Illustrations -- ch. 7. Understanding the author's point of view -- Knowledge and reliability -- Tone -- Fact, opinion, reasoned judgments -- Reading editorial cartoons -- ch. 8. Organizing the information you need -- Annotate -- Create a graphic -- Summarize -- ch. 9. Becoming a more critical reader -- Becoming a critical reader -- Keep an open mind -- Examine the information and evidence -- Examine the reasoning -- Reach a reasoned judgment -- Apply new information -- theme 1. First Amendment freedoms -- theme 2. Today's workplace -- theme 3. Violence and crime -- theme 4. Biodiversity.