1.0. Introduction …………………………………….…………………….…….….….… 1 1.1. Theoretical Framework …..………………………..……………….…….……….… 3 1.2. Statement of the Problem …………………………………………….….………..… 6 1.3. Significance of the Study ……………………………………………..…………..… 7 1.4. Purpose of the Study ………………………………….……..…………..……….…. 9 1.5. Research Questions …….…………………….………………………………….… 10 1.6. Hypotheses of the Study ……………….………………………………….…….…. 10 1.7. Definitions of Key terms ………………….………………………………….…….. 10 Chapter Two: Review of Literature ….…………………………………….………… 12 2.0. Introduction …………………………………………….…………..………….…… 12 2.1. Review of Theoretical Literature ……………………………………….………..… 13 2.1.1. The Definition of Reading ………………………………………….………… 13 2.1.2. Successful Readers ………………………………………………..….……….. 15 2.1.3. Purpose of Reading …………………..………………………….……………. 17 2.1.4. Reading Comprehension ……………………………………….…………..…. 21 2.1.5. Reading Strategies ………………………………….…………….…………… 26 2.1.6. Pre-reading Activities ………………………………………………….……… 33 2.1.7. Schema Theory …………………………………….………………..………… 44 2.1.7.1. Formal Schema ………….………….………..………………..………….. 50 2.1.7.2. Content Schema …………………….….……………………….…….….. 51 2.1.7.3. Cultural Schema …………………….…….…..……………….…….….. 54 2.2. Review of Practical Literature ……………..……………………………….……… 61 2.3 Summary ………………………………….………………………………..………. 71   Chapter Three: Methodology ……………………………………………….………… 72 3.0. Introduction ………………………………………..………………….…………… 72 3.1. The Design of the Study ……………….……..…..……….……………………..… 72 3.2. Selection of the Sample ………………………………………………………..….. 73 3.3. The Instrumentation of the Study ……………………………………………..……. 74 3.4. Procedure …………………………………..……………………………….……… 75 3.5. Methods of Analyzing Data …………………………………………………..…… 76   Chapter Four: Data Analysis …………..………………………….…………………. 77 4.0. Introduction …………………………………………………………..…………… 77 4.1. Data Analysis and Findings ……………………………………….…………..…… 77 4.2. Results of the Hypotheses Testing ……………………………………………..….. 83 4.2.1. Hypothesis One ……………………………..………………………………… 83 4.2.2. Hypothesis Two ……………………………………………………..………… 84 4.3. Summary ………………………………………..……………………….………… 84 Chapter Five: Discussion and Implication ……………………………….………….. 85 5.0. Introduction ……………………………………………………………….………… 85 5.1. General Discussion …………………………….…………………….………..…… 85 5.2. Implications of the Study …………………….…………………….………….…… 86 5.3. Limitations of the Study ……………..….……………………………….………… 88 5.4. Suggestions for Further Study ……………….………………………….…..……… 88   Appendices ………….………………..…………………………………………….…. 90 Appendix A: Proficiency Test (Oxford Placement Test) ………………………………. 90 Appendix B: Reading Comprehension Pre-test ………………………………….…..… 95 Appendix C: Reading Comprehension Post-test ………………………………………… 99 References …………………………….……………………………………………… 104               List of Figures Subject                                                                                                     page Figure 1: Reading processes that are activated while reading ………………..……..….. 22 Figure 2:  Three Reading Comprehension Processes ……………………………..…..…. 25 Figure 3: Ajideh’s Model of Reading Approaches