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■ Preview the selection.

Short Stories: Because short stories are short, they do not offer clues like chapter titles or illustrations, but you can still preview them. Here’s how:

• Ask yourself what the title tells you about the story.
• Research the author on the Internet. Determine what types of stories the author usually writes. Find out other information, too, such as the author’s background and interests.
• Read the first few paragraphs. Look for details about the main character, setting, and conflict. Also consider the language: Is it easy or hard to follow?

Novels: Novels are a great deal longer and more involved than short stories, so there is much more to preview and learn.