When Octavio wants to understand his friend Linh’s customs and beliefs, he searches online, using the research skills he learned at school. Once he finds some articles on the topic of Vietnamese traditions, though, Octavio has to apply a different set of skills―reading strategies that will help him form a general understanding of Linh’s culture.

Some of the reading strategies that people use to understand informational text include decoding (sounding out words), making inferences to arrive at main ideas, identifying the most important details, and summarizing what they have read. Here’s the first paragraph of one of the articles that Octavio found. Try to notice how many reading strategies you use to understand its meaning.

_{Clear Path International / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)}

Immigrant families often keep their native traditions alive for many generations after the first family members arrive in the United States. Some Vietnamese families are especially devoted to rituals that remember and honor their ancestors. These rituals happen at a special place in the home―the family altar, which is a small table or shelf that holds a collection of beautiful and meaningful objects. On a family altar, you’re likely to find an incense burner, a vase of flowers, and a small oil lamp. On or above the altar will be photos of ancestors, as well as family members who have passed away more recently.