In what sense is reading called “a psycholinguistic guessing game”? Explain. How is one ‘selective’ in reading? What are the four levels of comprehension? Mention any two interpretive abilities with examples.

In what sense is reading called “a psycholinguistic guessing game”? Explain. How is one ‘selective’ in reading? What are the four levels of comprehension? Mention any two interpretive abilities with examples.

Reading is often described as a “psycholinguistic guessing game.” This idea was introduced by the reading expert Kenneth Goodman. The phrase may sound complicated, but it simply means that reading is not about understanding every word but about using the mind to guess the meaning based on clues.

Reading as a Psycholinguistic Guessing Game

Reading is considered psycholinguistic because it involves both psychological and linguistic processes. When we read, our brain doesn’t process each letter or word one by one. Instead, it uses knowledge of the language, context, and prior experience to guess what comes next. This saves time and helps with faster understanding.

Example: When you read the sentence “The cat chased the…”, your brain quickly guesses “mouse” based on your knowledge and the sentence structure. You don’t wait to read every word fully before understanding.

How is One Selective in Reading?

Being selective means that readers choose what to read carefully based on their purpose. We do not read every word of every page with the same attention. Sometimes, we skim, scan, or read deeply, depending on our goal.

• Skimming: Quickly going over a text to get the main idea.
• Scanning: Looking for specific information like dates, names, or prices.
• Detailed Reading: Reading slowly and carefully to understand every part, usually for study or analysis.

Example: If you’re reading a newspaper, you might skim through most of it but read an article on your favorite topic in detail.

The Four Levels of Comprehension

Comprehension is how well we understand what we read. There are four levels:

1. Literal Comprehension: Understanding the actual facts or details in the text.
   
   Example: What is the name of the main character?
2. Inferential Comprehension: Understanding what is not directly stated but implied.
   
   Example: Why do you think the character felt sad?
3. Evaluative Comprehension: Making judgments about what you read, such as agreeing or disagreeing.
   
   Example: Do you think the ending was fair?
4. Applied Comprehension: Using what you read in a new situation.
   
   Example: How would you use the tips from this article in your daily life?

Two Interpretive Abilities

Interpretive abilities help readers go beyond the surface meaning. Here are two key interpretive skills:

1. Drawing Inferences

Inference is understanding something that is not directly said. Readers use clues from the text along with their knowledge.

Example: “The ground was wet, and people were carrying umbrellas.” You can infer that it rained, even though it is not said directly.

2. Understanding Author’s Purpose

This means recognizing why the author wrote the text — to inform, entertain, persuade, or express feelings.

Example: If a passage discusses the harms of smoking and gives health advice, the purpose is to inform and persuade.

Conclusion

Reading is more than just recognizing words. It is an active mental process where the reader predicts, interprets, and understands the message using clues and background knowledge. Being selective helps in focusing on what is important. With practice in all four levels of comprehension and interpretive skills, anyone can become an effective and thoughtful reader.