Idioms & Expressions:
bookworm (someone who’s always reading a book)
head in a book (a similar expression which refers to the act of constantly reading)
She’s a real bookworm. You can always find her with her head in a book.
book smarts (knowledge or intelligence you acquire through reading and studying)
He’s got book smarts, but not much common sense.
I’m an open book (an expression which means someone is very forthcoming and willing to volunteer information)
Ask me anything; I’m an open book!
read between the lines (this expression means to find the subtext in what is being said by not taking something literally)
If you read between the lines, it’s clear that she doesn’t like you.
crack open a book/magazine (casual expression for reading)
Tonight I’m going to crack open a book and go to bed early.
you can’t just a book by its cover (an expression which means you can’t judge something by its outward appearance alone)
read him/her like a book (this means you are able to understand what someone is thinking just by looking at them)
He says he doesn’t like her but I know he really does – I can read him like a book.
you read my mind (a statement you can use to say you were thinking the same thing as someone else)
You read my mind! How about getting pizza at 8:00?
hit the books (a casual expression which means to study)
read up on/brush up on _____ (terms which mean to review some material)
I need to brush up on my history, so I’m going to hit the books tonight.
read from cover to cover (to read something completely)
The day I bought it, I read the Harry Potter book from cover to cover.
do you read me? (a stern expression which means “do you understand me?”)
Be there at 6:00 tonight. Do you read me?
read my lips (an expression people use to demand someone’s attention).
Read my lips: I’m not going to work on this project.
Part I: Group Discussion
- What’s your reading habit?
I read as much as I can – though unfortunately I don’t have much time to. I mainly read novels. If I can, I’ll open a book once a day for at least twenty minutes. That’s one reason I like vacations so much, because I have time to read!
- What are the benefits of reading?
Reading helps inspire you, give you glimpses of new ideas, helps boost your critical thinking skills, and teaches you to be patient. I think people who read a lot end up having good critical thinking skills. Good readers are, in general, smarter people.
- What’s the main difference between newspapers and magazines?
Newspapers are usually devoted to informing the reader what is going in the world or the community. There might be a little editorial analysis, but mostly, a newspaper is a report. Meanwhile, a magazine is devoted to less-timely topics. For instance, instead of telling you what the news is for that month, a magazine may instead publish a profile of a movie star or a politician.
Part II: Group Discussions (Cont’d)
Describe a newspaper or a magazine that you often read. You should say:
- What is it content?
I read The Onion often. It’s a satirical website (online newspaper) that publishes “fake news.” I like to laugh, and I like to make fun of things, so reading this website is a great activity for me. It takes headlines and publishes a sarcastic take on them.
- How does it look?
Its design is very plain. It is supposed to look like a newspaper, so its layout is very simple. Usually, the home page of the site is simply a few headlines and photos. You can click on the headlines to read more.
- When do you often read it
I read it when I check my phone in the morning, as I wake up. I try to check it four or five times a week. If I read something that I find especially hilarious, I may share it to Facebook.
- Explain how and why it is special to you
It’s special to me because I think satire is extremely important. As is looking at issues from different angles. One of the most important elements of a society is free speech, and satire is a great form of this. For example, if you have the freedom to make fun of the president, then I think you live in a good country.
Part III: Class Discussions
- Why do people only read the headlines when they read a newspaper?
Because it is easier to skim the headlines and just get a general idea of what’s going on, than it is to pick up the newspaper and read through the article. If you are curious to know more, you can always read more. But simply looking at the headlines lets you know what is going on in the world.
- What kinds of books/newspapers/magazines do Vietnamese adolescents read?
I’m not sure! This is a question for the class. I would imagine they read most of their content online though.
- Some people say we can’t believe everything we read in newspapers. What do you think?
I agree with this, because most newspapers are privately owned. Therefore they have to adhere to the viewpoint of their owner, or whoever the newspaper’s advertisers are. I think it’s very hard to have unbiased content. If a newspaper is not privately owned, then it is probably state-owned, which means it can be used as propaganda by the government.
- With the popularity of the Internet, do you think newspapers and magazines will disappear?
Absolutely. Technology is an unstoppable force. Everyone now has a phone and a computer, and most people get their news immediately from Facebook or Yahoo or another app or site. I know very few people who pick up a physical newspaper and read about what’s going on. Everything will migrate onto the Internet. Give it another ten years, and I think there will be almost no physical newspapers and magazines left, because everything will be digital.
