Reading Experiences, Essay Example

My definition of a good reader has to embody a few different criteria that I believe are very important when reading anything. The number one thing when considering a piece that makes a reader good is whether they understand the context of the material, no matter what it is. If the reader does not understand contextually what the piece is referring to, it will be nearly impossible for them to truly analyze a piece of writing.

Another major thing that makes a good reader is vocabulary. A reader with a large vocabulary can better understand any piece of literature placed in front of them. Readers with smaller vocabularies are not necessarily at a huge disadvantage; pending they are willing to put in a little work, which is the most important quality of a good reader–the willingness to learn, and to research anything not understood.

I was always a very inquisitive child. My first reading experience was a children’s book about natural disasters that I pulled off the shelf at the library my mom took me to. I was in first grade. Since then, I have been an avid reader–being familiar with everything from Shakespeare, to Romantic poetry, and even politics and philosophy.

This has had a very large impact on me as a whole. I felt at an advantage reading inside school, probably due to my vocabulary and comprehension. As a result, I became a better writer as well. This has been integral in my educational experience. In addition, I have developed the skill of speed-reading. This has greatly benefitted me in comprehension, as it is a much more effective way of sifting through information quickly, while retaining the maximum possible.