How can I improve my understanding of Chinese texts?

[Milkybar_Kid]

Hello,

 

I have been studying Chinese for three years now and I have just got to the stage where I am comfortable reading newspapers and magazines that are based around my interests .

 

However I find that when I read an article in Chinese I don't get that deep of an understanding compared to when I read an English article.  Despite taking my time, reading slowly and looking up words that I don't know, when I get to the end of a Chinese article I find it very hard to answer questions or talk about the text.  Sometimes even remembering key details is a challenge.

 

The whole reading process just feels like the details aren't sticking in my head, it almost feels like it's a case of in one ear and out of the other - except for reading.

 

Has any one else experienced something similar？  Can you offer any advice?

 

Thanks 

[imron]

Can you offer any advice?

Read more.

 

If you're reading slowly and looking up many words then your brain is probably focusing so much on the process that it doesn't have so much time to pay attention to the content.  The more you read, the easier the process will become and as long as you are regularly looking up a small number of words each day, your vocab will also be increasing.  Over time you'll find that your brain doesn't need to spend so much time on the process of reading, and can spend more time on the content.

 

See also these posts of mine on Reading speed and Vocab acquisition through reading.

[Lu]

I agree with Imron, practice, practice, practice. And learn vocabulary. Especially in newspaper articles, it's easy to miss the entire point of an article because you don't understand one key word (as it might be a new concept, or a new term for something). The good part about that is that entire articles can be cleared up by looking up just one or two words.

 

Also consider reading novels, by definition those are about one ongoing topic, so that they can become easier as you keep going (as long as you find something at the right level. The wrong level and they become harder and harder to follow at about two-thirds in because the not-understood words pile up too much).

[realmayo]

Has any one else experienced something similar

Yes. I think it's normal. Also, to use the most popular four words on these forums: 'I agree with Imron', especially over how the process of reading can distract from the content.

For a new shortish magazine article I'll usually read the first 2-3 paragraphs in a detailed way, looking up vocab. I sometimes then do the same for the last two paras. Then start from the beginning again aiming to read quickly without much more, if any, looking up of new vocab. 

Also, if you can force yourself to do it, I've recently found re-reading stuff I first read a few weeks earlier to be really helpful.

[Demonic_Duck]

I think this is an issue - reading in Chinese is so much pain before you get to being able to read for pleasure. It's disheartening. There are some motivators, such as learning cool new words, the thought in your head of "hell yeah, I'm reading in Chinese", and ideally the fact that whatever you're reading is giving you lots of new information, but the main feeling is one of drudgery mixed with incomprehension.

 

What I tend to do is go once through for gist, without resorting to dictionary (frustrating because there are often significant points that I can't grasp). Then I go once through a second time, looking up every new word and making a flashcard of it (frustrating because it takes ages). Finally, I read through a third time to check I've remembered all those new words (frustrating because, well, I've read the damn thing twice already). If I have the heart to do so, I'll then go back to it a week or two later to once again check my memory.

 

I've actually recently started a new method as well, which is typing up the whole article word-for-word as I'm reading it (using a pinyin IME, and handwriting recognition on my phone to check new characters). Then I go through again and type out the 生词 at the bottom. I feel somehow this helps things to stick. I also then have a copy of the article that I can use popup dictionary software on, thus making further read-throughs easier.

 

Basically, whichever way you swing it, the whole thing's a gigantic pain in the ass. The thought of how much underserved praise I'll get for using those 生词 in conversation is the only thing that keeps me going.

[sparrow]

The advice for practicing English Reading Comprehension (thanks SATs) was to read a few sentences or a paragraph, then paraphrase it. Check your accuracy. Don't use a dictionary for this exercise.

 

I've never tried this method because my comprehension scores were decent enough for the SATs—at least decent enough according to the lazy kid I was back then. However, the method seems sensible enough.

 

Meanwhile and in addition to this, you might try to find some HSK 6 workbooks and practice exams. The Reading Comprehension sections end with questions, which is a great way to test yourself and improve. Maybe you can ask any Chinese friends if these kinds of practice books exist aimed at Chinese or Foreigners (I don't know if the Gao Kao has Reading Comprehension sections).

 

Additionally, you could try to get your hands on several 阅读 and 报刊 textbooks from various Chinese universities. I really enjoyed the ones at Beishida. I'm sure Beiyu has good ones too! I know the user ashleigh.jane is studying at Beiyu right now. Maybe you could arrange something via mail, or perhaps contact that university's publisher and see if they wouldn't mail you a few books! At Beishida back in 2006, 报刊课 is mostly Reading Comprehension if memory serves me, so those kinds of texts may be your best bet.

 

Also, try your local Chinese bookstore in Chinatown!

[sparrow]

Another thing:

Demonic_Duck's advice sounds really good. I may try that.

 

Currently, I try to get whatever I'm reading printed out on paper, preferably double-spaced. I copy-paste, but typing into a document as Demonic_Duck suggests sounds cool too (though time-consuming).

 

Then, as I read through, I make notes as I read through in the extra space between each line. I write the notes in English, but now that I think of it, I should be paraphrasing in Chinese so as to not involve English.