Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies
B1 Lesson 3: Making Predictions and Checking Understanding
Listen to the reading passage "The Unexpected Guest."
Before You Read 🧠
Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)
Knowing these words will help you understand the story.
How to Read Like a Detective 🕵️
Good readers are like detectives. They don't just read words; they actively think about the text before, during, and after they read.
Before You Read: Make Predictions
Look for clues to guess what the text will be about. This prepares your brain.
- Look at the Title.
- Look at any Images or Photos.
- Read the Headings or Subtitles.
Ask yourself: "What do I think this story is about?"
While You Read: Check Understanding
Don't just keep reading if you are confused! Pause after every paragraph and ask:
- What just happened? (Main idea)
- Who is this paragraph about?
- Does this match my prediction?
If you are confused, re-read the paragraph slowly. This is not a mistake; it is a smart reading strategy.
Practice What You Learned 🎯
Activity 1: Make Your Prediction (Self-Check)
Look at the title and the image below. What do you predict this story will be about?
Based on the title "The Unexpected Guest" and the image of a sad dog in the rain, what is your prediction?
(Now, read the story in the next section to check your prediction!)
Reading Passage: The Unexpected Guest
Sophea was cooking dinner. It was raining hard outside. Suddenly, she heard a strange scratching noise at her front door. She paused and listened. There it was again... "scratch, scratch".
She opened the door just a little bit and looked down. A small, brown dog was shivering on her step, completely wet from the rain. It looked scared and hungry. It had no collar.
"Oh, you poor thing," Sophea whispered. She opened the door wider, and the dog slowly walked inside. She gave it a warm towel to dry off and a small bowl of rice and chicken. The dog ate everything very quickly.
The next day, the rain had stopped. Sophea took the dog to the local animal shelter. When they arrived, a man was at the counter, looking very sad. He turned around, saw the little brown dog, and shouted, "Milo! That's my dog!" The dog ran to him, wagging its tail. The man was so relieved and thanked Sophea again and again.
Activity 2: Check Your Understanding (Self-Check)
Now that you've read the story, check your comprehension.
1. Why was the dog shivering?
2. What was the *first* thing Sophea gave the dog?
3. How did the owner feel when he saw his dog?
Key Vocabulary Reference (Click 🔊)
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Unexpected
A surprise; not planned or thought about.
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Shivering
Shaking slightly because you are cold or frightened.
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Collar
A band put around the neck of an animal, like a dog or cat.
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Shelter (animal)
A place that takes in and cares for lost or homeless animals.
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Relieved
Feeling happy and relaxed because something bad did not happen.
Your Reading Mission ⭐
Practice the "Predict, Read, Check" Strategy
- Find another short story or news article in English.
- Predict: Before you read, look at the title and any pictures. Guess what it will be about.
- Read: Read the article. Pause after each paragraph and ask yourself, "What did I just read?"
- Check: After you finish, check your first prediction. Were you correct? Did your prediction help you understand the story better?