Improving your reading skills can be incredibly rewarding, whether you’re reading for pleasure, academic purposes, or professional development. Here are some tips to enhance your reading skills:

1. Set Clear Goals

• Purpose: Identify why you’re reading (e.g., to learn, to entertain, to research) and tailor your reading approach accordingly.
• Targets: Set specific goals for how much you want to read and by when.

2. Choose the Right Environment

• Comfort: Find a quiet, comfortable space with good lighting.
• Distraction-Free: Minimize interruptions and distractions.

3. Preview the Material

• Skim First: Look at headings, subheadings, and summaries to get a sense of the content.
• Identify Key Sections: Focus on introductory and concluding paragraphs to grasp main ideas.

4. Active Reading Techniques

• Highlighting and Note-Taking: Mark important points and jot down notes or questions in the margins.
• Summarizing: Periodically stop and summarize what you’ve read to ensure comprehension.

5. Build Vocabulary

• Context Clues: Try to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context before looking them up.
• Word Lists: Keep a list of new words and review them regularly.

6. Practice Speed Reading

• Pointer Technique: Use your finger or a pen to guide your eyes and maintain focus.
• Minimize Subvocalization: Try to reduce the tendency to “speak” words in your head as you read.

7. Improve Comprehension

• Ask Questions: Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Reflect on these questions as you read.
• Make Connections: Relate new information to what you already know.

8. Engage with the Text

• Discuss: Talk about what you’ve read with others to deepen understanding.
• Write About It: Summarize or write a review to reinforce your grasp of the material.

9. Expand Your Reading Material

• Diverse Genres: Read a variety of genres and formats, including fiction, non-fiction, articles, and academic papers.
• Different Authors: Explore works by different authors to gain multiple perspectives.

10. Stay Consistent

• Regular Practice: Make reading a daily habit, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
• Varied Routine: Incorporate different types of reading material to keep things interesting.

11. Use Technology

• E-Readers and Apps: Utilize features like adjustable fonts and built-in dictionaries.
• Audiobooks: Listen to audiobooks to supplement reading and improve comprehension.

12. Reflect and Review

• Review Notes: Go back over your notes and highlights periodically.
• Reflect on Learning: Consider how the material you’ve read impacts your thoughts and knowledge.

By incorporating these strategies into your reading habits, you can improve both your speed and comprehension, making reading a more enjoyable and effective activity.

Instructions: Before you read the passage, discuss the following questions in groups of three and report your answers to the whole class.

1. List down the most pressing problems that Ethiopia is facing due to unplanned population growth?
2. Do you think that population growth has direct connection with our environment? How?