College goers: How do you guys keep your reading comprehension up to par?

[arcenite]

I am currently reading the Odyssey and the Iliad for homework, and I have trouble keeping focus. These books are so freakin' boring, how do you guys do it? I could use some tips. I read 80 pages of the Odyssey last night and have no idea what it was about!

Bill

 

[venk]

cliffs
the movies
sparks

 

[Strk]

I keep reading.

 

[Deeko]

Better drop out if you can't handle reading. Save yourself some money.

 

[Crono]

Learn to understand the language as well as regular English and you might find it interesting. I had to read the Odyssey in HS, and just used pinkmonkey or whatver the hell that cliff site is to help me on papers and quizzes.

 

[AbAbber2k]

I'm not sure how keeping your comprehension up works exactly. I suppose by immersing yourself in information on a regular basis (ie educating yourself) would be the most logical first step. Reading boring material really shouldn't have anything to do with comprehension though. You either get it, or you don't. If you DON'T get, you go out and FIND the answers to the material you have questions about. Seems simple enough.

 

[artikk]

If you need to keep focus while reading a book, I pity you.

 

[Twista]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Better drop out if you can't handle reading. Save yourself some money.

:thumbsup: If its past that last drop out date they may not get any moolah in return.

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: Strk
I keep reading.

reading cs books stretches my meager attention span.

 

[illusion88]

Try reading a fun book. Pick something you want to read about, and when you are done reading some boring school work, then you get to read teh fun book!

yea!!!

 

[Rogue]

It helps me to read Cliff's or Wikipedia about it first as a summary and then read the book. Sort of like watching the movie and then reading the book it was based on. Don't go entirely on Cliff's though, but get the gist of it and then get into the real deal.

 

[eakers]

get the audio book and make notes as you listen
:Q

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: arcenite
I am currently reading the Odyssey and the Iliad for homework, and I have trouble keeping focus. These books are so freakin' boring, how do you guys do it? I could use some tips. I read 80 pages of the Odyssey last night and have no idea what it was about!

Bill

That is exactly why I took "Poetry" for my core literature course. I think my longest reading assignment at night was 5 pages once.

Seriously though, i didn't read anything in college and graduated just fine

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: illusion88
Try reading a fun book. Pick something you want to read about, and when you are done reading some boring school work, then you get to read teh fun book!

yea!!!

thats what i do. but i enjoyed reading the Odyssey and Illiad. heck a good book keeps me happy for hours.

 

[Sentinel]

I usually don't understand it. At all. Grade = F.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Haha, I read both of those as a freshman in highschool and understood them fine

 

[DaveSimmons]

Not enough car chases and explosions?

Try thinking about the time period / context / culture, do some surfing to learn about it. Look at pictures of the art, etc. to get some visual background.

Then as you're reading, jot down notes with page numbers as you read of the parts that strike you as interesting.

Either that or waste weeks of your life, and take your C and like it

 

[Kyteland]

I keep my reading comprehension up by reading a lot. I've only read 25 books so far this year, way down from last year.

 

[Kalbi]

Cliffs + Sparks = win

 

[acemcmac]

I havent' had and won't need a college lit class

thank god

 

[TitanDiddly]

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
Haha, I read both of those as a freshman in highschool and understood them fine

Ditto, 7th grade though.

 

[NiKeFiDO]

sure but in college its harder to concentrate on what your reading, and your always tired vs high school. at least for me.

 

[GiLtY]

I had to read Ulysses my freshman year in college... first quarter too. That was a good shock treatment.

But yeah, cliff/sparks and other supplementary reading helps a lot, but don't rely them as THE reading, read through the relevant chapters in the supplemetary book before you read the actual chapter, and then read the actual chapter -- it helps.

--GiLtY

 

[oboeguy]

Easy, do a math major.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox

Originally posted by: ThisIsMatt
Haha, I read both of those as a freshman in highschool and understood them fine

Ditto, 7th grade though.

Oh yeah well, well, I didn't take a single english course in college (aside from technical writing) and after I took the Graduate Writing Requirement exam I got a personal letter congratulating me on my perfect score, and telling me that they would be using my essay as an example for future grading