PREFACE. THE FOURTH BOOK of the IMPROVED ILLUSTRATED READERS has been compiled on the same principles as the FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD. The object is to provide such lessons as are most likely to interest the young reader, while the words in which the ideas are expressed are suitable for the stage of progress at which the pupil has arrived. The spelling difficulties have been again simplified by a careful process of classification and revision. The various lists of words, which are placed at the beginning and the end of each lesson, ought to form the subject of very careful and continued study, while those at either end of the book should receive a similar amount of attention. The "Summary" of each lesson presents the reader with an epitome which can be used for dictation or transcription. It is intended also as a model which the pupils might be called upon to copy, by reproducing in their own words the substance of either the whole lesson or of a selected paragraph. The 66 Exercises" in Parsing and Composition ought to receive careful attention; while the "Questions," which are comparatively few in number, ought also to be utilised in familiarising the pupils with the art of putting words together in correct grammatical form. 66 The Publishers have to acknowledge their indebtedness to the Editor of Onward Reciter for having granted. them permission to use Eddy's First School Day," and to the Publishers of the National Reader for permission to use the dialogue, "Why should I sign the Pledge?" |
