Building a strong foundation. -- Getting the essential information -- Finding the main idea -- Defining vocabulary in context -- The difference between fact and opinion -- Putting it all together -- Structure. -- Start from the beginning: chronological order -- Order of importance -- Similarities and differences: compare and contrast -- Why do things happen? a look at cause and effect -- Being structurally sound: putting it all together -- Language and style. -- A matter of perspective: point of view -- Diction: what's in a word? -- Style: it's not what they say but how they say it -- How they say it, part two: tone -- World power: putting it all together -- Reading between the lines. Finding the implied main idea -- Assuming causes and predicting effects -- Emotional versus logical appeals -- Finding meaning in literature -- Drawing conclusions: putting it all together.