Reading to Understand # 7007

Improving Reading Comprehension # 7007

Name:__________________________________ Date_______________________________

Exercise 1

1. Read the title and/or heading to find who or what the passage is about. That is the topic.

2. Read the first two sentences of the first paragraph to find what the author is telling about the topic. This is the main idea.

3. Read the rest of the paragraph to find the details about the main idea that will answer the ques- tions of where, when, why and how. These are the supporting details of the main idea.

4. After completing Exercise 1, do
Reading to Understand Exercises 2 and 3 on the next page.

Bicycling was once a popular sport in the U.S. Today, because people are tired of being bored, fat and addicted to watching T.V., they are making all types of bicycling popular again. “Tour Biking” is enjoying a come- back as solo or small groups of bikers quietly pedal along back roads to enjoy nature's sights. Another way of bicycling is bike racing for people who like speed. They whiz past cars on highways or compete in racing tournaments. A third way of bicycling, mountain biking, satisfies the person who loves both the speed of racing and the beauty of nature. These bicyclists race up mountains and around trees at speeds that would terrify those of us who like our sports slow and level. Because of its new popularity, we are seeing newer and more exciting ways to enjoy the sport as well as more and more bicycles along the roads.


	Reading comprehension is an important key to school success! All reading selections consist of three parts: the topic, the main idea and the supporting details. If you learn to identify these three parts within paragraphs, you can improve your reading comprehension. Directions: Read the selection in Exercise 1, “Bicycling Again.” Then write your answers for Exercise 1 on the lines below.
Exercise 1 1. Read the title and/or heading to find who or what the passage is about. That is the topic. 2. Read the first two sentences of the first paragraph to find what the author is telling about the topic. This is the main idea. 3. Read the rest of the paragraph to find the details about the main idea that will answer the ques- tions of where, when, why and how. These are the supporting details of the main idea. 4. After completing Exercise 1, do Reading to Understand Exercises 2 and 3 on the next page.		Bicycling Again Bicycling was once a popular sport in the U.S. Today, because people are tired of being bored, fat and addicted to watching T.V., they are making all types of bicycling popular again. “Tour Biking” is enjoying a come- back as solo or small groups of bikers quietly pedal along back roads to enjoy nature's sights. Another way of bicycling is bike racing for people who like speed. They whiz past cars on highways or compete in racing tournaments. A third way of bicycling, mountain biking, satisfies the person who loves both the speed of racing and the beauty of nature. These bicyclists race up mountains and around trees at speeds that would terrify those of us who like our sports slow and level. Because of its new popularity, we are seeing newer and more exciting ways to enjoy the sport as well as more and more bicycles along the roads.
Topic:_______________________________________________________________________________ Main Idea: ___________________________________________________________________________ Supporting Details: 1.__________________________________________________________________________________ 2.__________________________________________________________________________________ 3.__________________________________________________________________________________