author's thought. But in reading, express that thought as accurately and naturally as possible, regardless of commas, dots and dashes.

One interested in thought presentation in reading, should give attention to the matter of emphasis. For relative emphasis is helpful in making clear which ideas are of importance and which ones are of little consequence. Naturally the amount of prominence given a word or phrase is determined by its relative importance in the sentence where it stands. Usually words are given emphasis which designate new ideas. Phrases and sentences which form a climax should be read with appropriate cumulative emphasis. Words which express or imply antithesis are given prominence. This rule is illustrated by Julius Caæar's famous remark, "I would rather be first in some small, Iberian village than second in Rome."

Emphasis can be secured by increasing the volume of speech or by decreasing it. An expression may be made to attract attention by means of inflection, and by means of emotional response. Words and sentences may be made emphatic, too, by pausing before them, after them, or before and after speaking them.

One should seek to realize keenly the relative value of the ideas spoken. Then emphasis will largely take care of itself.

Vocal inflection should be of interest to teachers and students concerned with the phase of oral reading considered in this article for inflections in reading are determined by the thought of the sentences read. If a reader does not make the thought expressed by a sentence easily comprehensible, one of the first things to observe, is whether the inflections are right.

Generally, wrong inflection is evidence of wrong thinking, and when the thinking of the student is corrected then the inflections will right themselves. Sometimes, however, a person forms the habit of raising his voice or lowering it so much, that this hinders clear presentation of thought. Occasionally, too, a student has inflected the words wrongly so often before he understands a sentence that he has become accustomed to the inflections and goes on inflecting the words badly from habit, after he has grasped the

thought correctly. It is well, when a student has inflected a sentence so as to bungle the expression of thought, first to question regarding the meaning of the sentence, and to discuss the meaning until it is clear. Then have the student read the sentence again. If still the inflection is erroneous, the teacher should construct a similar sentence, a simpler one when advisable, and have the student practice that until the inflections are right. Then let him try again the difficult sentence in the book. If his voice still plays traitor to his mind, or if the teacher cannot think of a simpler sentence, have two or three other students whose phrasing is unusually good, read the difficult part, after which the student on the floor should be given another opportunity. Usually by this time, he will be able to read the sentence well. If not, tell him which one of the following rules regarding inflection, he has been violating, and ask him to set about trying to apply it, so that he will soon be able to present correctly similar arrangements of thought.

The rising inflection is usual in oral reading when one pauses before a complete thought has been expressed. Lack of certainty, excitement, entreaty and the trivial are expressed by the rising inflection as is also questioning.

The falling inflection is generally used at the close of a finished declarative statement. It is used to express certainty, directness and earnestness. Words of affirmation, command and authority also, take the falling inflection.

Inverted words and phrases are given the same inflection in a sentence that they would be given were they in their natural position. Occasionally, the voice rises at the close of a declarative sentence, when for good reason attention begins to be concentrated, as the last of the sentence is spoken, on an idea in a preceding part of the sentence, or an idea to be expressed in the following sentence.

Inflections are straight in expressing dignity, simplicity, and truthfulness; they waver upward and downward in expressing mischief, and double meaning.

The length of the inflections varies greatly. It is determined by the thought expressed, and by the vocal gamut of the speaker.

A broad vocal range should be cultivated, for long inflections are expressive of mental accumen, reflection and earnestness.

Inflections are gradual in reading passages where mental serenity is evident, and abrupt in command, antagonism and excitement. Keep the end of a sentence in mind from the beginning when reading, as this affects inflection and enables one to make the whole sentence more easily understood.

When a reader has learned to make the words and groups of words express thought effectively, attention should be given to the paragraph. The purpose of the paragraph must be kept in mind continually while it is being read. The main thought should not be forgotten. Study the thought between the lines, for that will influence the reading. The importance and complexity of the thought will determine the rapidity with which the reader passes along, as well also the emotion with which the paragraph is permeated.

When one is preparing a paragraph for oral reading, the experience of which it treats should be compared with ones which the reader has experienced or has observed in the lives of others. If the reader is unacquainted with such experiences, he should inform himself as accurately as opportunity affords regarding their nature, and should take time to imagine what the situation described would be like.

When abstract truth is being read, the reader should keep in mind one of the concrete experiences from which the abstract truth was drawn. Using the memory, the imagination and keeping in mind concrete illustrations in reading the abstract, give a spontaneity and vividness to the expression of thought which good readers find helpful.

The matter of studying a selection as a whole has naturally found its place for consideration toward the close of this article. Yet a good deal of thought should be given to the study of a selection in its entirety before beginning to familiarize one's self with the parts. The theme presented, the spirit which the author intended should be dominant, the plot development, climax and denoument; attention to these makes a difference in the weight

one gives to the various thoughts as he proceeds. The life experience out of which the selection grew, the historic period to which it belongs, the setting, the nature of the characters presented, these are among the things a good reader considers as he goes over a selection as a whole before preparing to read appropriately the smaller thought sections. The need of consideration of a literary product as a whole is well shown by Kipling's "If.”

From what has been said it is evident that often, considerable time must be taken to prepare a selection so that the thought can be presented adequately. A reader who is known as one of America's best, and who makes satisfactory though-presentation of choice literature his chief interest, says that he works at least three months on a new program, before he thinks of reading it publicly. Evidently the ordinary instructor cannot spend that length of time in studying and in teaching a selection, but he can encourage students to work as long and hard as opportunity affords to get the author's point of view, and to let the words of the selection unfold to them wealth of thought that a piece of our best literature contains. Teachers can strive, too, as time allows, to master fully the thought expressed in the selections used by their classes, so that each time they teach a bit of choice literature, they can better help their students to read it appropriately.

It is helpful to understand the evolution of reading so that one knows when he is able to interpret a selection well. When first read, the thought and the relative value of the thought in literature is usually not fully evident. As one studies a selection, the thought reveals itself little by little and much of it comes to seem emphatic. At last one feels that he has grasped the author's message, the true thought values become apparent, and finally one is able to give an easy, accurate presentation of the thought in the selection.

The necessity of taking plenty of time when seeking to master the thought expressed in our choice literature Ruskin emphasized in saying:

"When you come to a good book you must ask yourself, 'Am I inclined to work as an Australian miner would? Are my pick

axes and shovels in good order, and am I in good trim myself, my sleeves well up to my elbow, and my breath good and my temper? And keeping the figure a little longer, even at the cost of tiresomeness, for it is a thoroughly useful one, the metal you are in search of being the author's mind or meaning, his words are as the rock which you have to crush and smelt in order to get at it. And your pickaxes are your own care, wit, and learning; your smelting furnace is your own thoughtful soul. Do not hope to get at any good author's meaning without those tools and that fire; often you will need sharpest, finest chiseling and patientest fusing before you can gather one grain of metal."

There is more to be said regarding the nature of good oral reading. But the instructor has done much toward teaching reading well, who has taught a class to give to others as accurately as is in their power, the thought which an author intended should be gotten from the production read.