[Thinking Organization Techniques] Vocabulary is not a one-way ticket. The blueprint of words completed by the receiver, Part 2 #MorningReadingHabit

Part 2: "Literacy of the Listener: Aligning Premises and Rewriting"

Are you aware that you only 'think' you understand?

You open your smartphone while drinking your morning coffee and read an article aimlessly. We all have those moments, don't we?

Can you explain the content of the article you just read in one line?

"Um, let's see... I feel like it said something good."

Actually, I do this often too. The moment I finish reading, I think, 'I see.' But as soon as I close the screen, it vanishes like mist.

Today, I'd like to think about a small habit to break out of that state of 'reading but retaining nothing.'

Can you see the 'premises'?

For example, suppose there is a sentence like this:

"When discussing the ethical issues of generative AI, the problem of bias is unavoidable."

You can read that and nod along, right? But wait a second.

• Is generative AI something like ChatGPT? Does it include image generation too?

• Whose issues are these 'ethical issues'?

• What kind of bias is 'bias'?

In reality, the writer assumes that 'you probably understand this much.' But that premise doesn't always match the reader's.

Something I want you to try

When reading an article, try lightly tapping with your finger on words that make you think, 'Wait, what does this mean?' You don't actually have to tap; just mark them in your mind.

Those are 'premise words.'

You don't need to look everything up. Just by being aware that 'I don't understand this part,' your way of reading will change.

It is not shameful to move forward without understanding. In fact, it is a greater waste later to just let it slide by pretending you understood.

Try rephrasing it into your own words

There is one more thing I would like you to try.

Once you finish reading an article, try to rephrase the word you thought was most important in your own words.

For example, suppose the word "recursive" appears.

• "Ah, like something that repeats, right?"

• "Like calling itself? I've seen that in programming."

• "Like that infinitely repeating feeling when you face two mirrors toward each other."

All of these are correct. The important thing is not to copy and paste someone else's words, but to link them to something within yourself.

When you do that, the word transforms into a "usable vocabulary."

Can you say it in one line?

Finally, please remember this before you go.

After you finish reading an article, try summarizing it in one line.

Ask yourself, "What was this article trying to say in the end?"

It is okay if you cannot summarize it well at first. In fact, realizing that you cannot summarize it is what is important.

"Wait, I don't actually remember it that well."
"I thought it was good a moment ago, but what was it that I liked?"

That sense of discomfort will change how you read next time.

Reading is not a passive act.

The writer throws a ball, and the reader catches it in their own way and rephrases it into their own words. That collaborative effort is true "understanding."

If you want to increase your vocabulary, before memorizing new words, try cultivating the habit of making the words you are currently reading your own.

Just by pausing for 5 minutes in the morning, what you read will stay with you.

Next time preview
Have you ever had the experience where you interpret the same words differently depending on whether you are feeling irritated or calm? Next time, we will look at how emotions affect understanding and how to deal with those fluctuations.

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