What is the ultimate goal of all reading activities?

The ultimate goal of all reading activities is comprehension. Comprehension refers to the ability to understand, interpret, and analyze the text being read. It encompasses making connections between ideas, drawing inferences, and critically evaluating content. When readers engage with a text, the primary purpose is to extract meaning and gain insight from it.

While vocabulary development, speed reading, and phonetic awareness each play important roles in the reading process, they serve as components that contribute to achieving comprehension rather than being the ultimate goal themselves. Vocabulary development allows readers to understand more complex texts; speed reading focuses on increasing reading efficiency, and phonetic awareness helps in decoding words. However, without comprehension, none of these skills serve their intended purpose in enhancing a reader's overall understanding and engagement with the material.