Review 2
Fluency Strategy: PQR+E
Parsing, Questioning, Rephrasing, and Explaining (PQR+E) is a reading strategy to help you build your reading comprehension in stages from sentences to paragraphs to full texts. Use this strategy when you have difficulty understanding large pieces of text that you are reading.
Parsing
The first step in PQR+E is parsing—breaking a sentence into smaller parts. When you come to sentences that are long or difficult to understand, try parsing them into smaller pieces.
A Look at one way the first sentence in the passage on the next page, Movies for the Blind, can be broken into smaller parts. Doing this can make it much easier to work out the overall meaning of the sentence.
When you think of the cinema, the phrase watching a movie probably comes to mind, and, indeed, moviemakers work very hard to make their films interesting visually.
When you think / of the cinema, / the phrase watching a movie / probably / comes to mind, / and, indeed, / moviemakers work very hard / to make their films / interesting visually.
B Now look at another sentence of the passage. Parse this sentence by dividing it into smaller parts.
Movies also contain dialogue, music, and sound effects—things that people don't need to see in order to enjoy.
Sample Answer
Movies also contain / dialogue, music, / and sound effects— / things that people / don't need to see / in order to enjoy.
Questioning
The second step in PQR+E is questioning. Once you have finished parsing a long sentence, ask yourself questions about the parts of the sentence. What do you understand? What do you not understand?
Review the first two sentences from Movies for the Blind. What questions do you have as you read them? Read the example question for the first sentence, then write your own for the second sentence.
1. How are movies interesting, besides visually?
2.
Sample Answer
What sounds do movies contain that people can enjoy without seeing?
Rephrasing
Rephrasing is the third step of PQR+E. After reading a sentence, think about what the author is saying and put it into your own words.
Rephrase the second sentence from Movies for the Blind in your own words.
Movies also contain dialogue, music, and sound effects—things that people don't need to see in order to enjoy.
Sample Answer
Movies have other elements like dialogue, music, and sound effects that people can enjoy without seeing them.
Explaining (or Extending)
In the final step of PQR+E you explain what you have understood to a partner. Explaining what you understand to someone else helps strengthen your comprehension.
A Explain the meaning of the two example sentences from Movies for the Blind to a partner.
B Use PQR+E as you continue reading the passage, especially if there is a sentence you do not understand.
Reading Review: Movies for the Blind
Movies for the Blind
When you think of the cinema, the phrase watching a movie probably comes to mind, and, indeed, moviemakers work very hard to make their films interesting visually. They may use elaborate costumes, beautiful locations, or amazing special effects to tell a story. An actor's expression or movements can also sometimes say more than words.
But what about people who are blind or have trouble seeing? Movies also contain dialogue, music, and sound effects—things that people don't need to see in order to enjoy. Movie reviewer Marty Klein, who is blind, created a website called Blindspots to help people choose movies that they can follow without the help of someone explaining what is happening on the screen. He gave a rating, from 1 to 10, based on several things. A movie received a high rating if it has only a few main characters whose voices are easy to recognize. Klein also liked interesting stories without too many changes in time and place. A large amount of dialogue between the characters was better than long silences or noisy action scenes. His reviews are still online, but the site is no longer updated.
Another blind movie reviewer, Jay Forry, maintains the website Blindside Reviews. He also writes for newspapers and is a guest on radio shows. Forry gives movies one of five ratings, including, "So good, blind people like it" and "I'm glad I couldn't see it." Forry became a writer after going blind at the age of 28, and his writing skills and sense of humor are what keep people reading his reviews or listening to him on the radio. After "watching" the animated movie Up, Forry commented that he wished he, too, could have a talking dog to tell him to watch out for cars and to not "go into the ladies' restroom again."
Sometimes, though, it's nice to go to a movie without reading reviews and knowing what to expect. Some movie theaters have begun to offer recorded audio descriptions of the movements, scenery, and special effects so that blind moviegoers can follow what other audience members see on the screen. They usually receive a wireless headset to wear during the movie. This allows them to listen to the narration while still hearing the movie's music and other sounds that surround them in the theater. Jay Forry also notes that modern theaters now have excellent sound systems, something he appreciates more than the average moviegoer.
In the end, going to the movies should be a fun and exciting experience—for both the sighted and the blind.
Check Your Understanding
1. What is the main idea of the article?
2. Which movie would probably receive the best rating from Marty Klein?
3. Movie reviewer Jay Forry has his own ______.
4. What is Jay Forry most likely to say about a movie he dislikes?
5. Why does the author include this quotation: "go into the ladies' restroom again"?
6. To help blind people, some theaters ______.
7. What does lines something he appreciates....... average moviegoer mean?
Self Check
1. Have you ever used the PQR+E method before?
2. Will you practice PQR+E in your reading outside of English class?
3. Do you think PQR+E is helpful? Why, or why not?
Sample Answer
Yes, I think PQR+E is helpful because it breaks down difficult sentences into smaller parts and helps me understand them better.
4. When you are reading, do you find yourself having to translate? If yes, what do you think you can do to stop translating?
Sample Answer
Yes, I sometimes translate. I can try to think in English and guess the meaning from context instead of translating word by word.
5. Which of the six reading passages in units 4-6 was easiest? Which was most difficult? Why?
Sample Answer
"Laura Dekker: Record-Setter!" was easiest because it was about an interesting topic. "You Are Amazing: You Are Human!" was more difficult because it had more scientific vocabulary.
6. What have you read in English outside of class recently?
Sample Answer
I read some articles about technology on a news website and a short story for fun.
7. What improvements are you making as a reader? Look again at the Tips for Fluent Reading on pages 8 and 9. Write down one or two things that you know you can do better today than when you started the course.
Sample Answer
I can read faster now without moving my lips. I also try not to translate every word and focus on the main idea instead.
8. What other improvements do you still want to make as a reader?
Sample Answer
I want to improve my reading speed and be able to understand more vocabulary without using a dictionary.
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