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Secondly, studying English critical reading teaching in junior high schools can arouseteachers’ attention to critical reading and make them focus on the cultivation of students’critical thinking ability. In China, students’ critical awareness and critical thinking skills arequite weak. Students are more accustomed to accepting learning; and in daily teaching,teachers are also accustomed to transmitting shallow text meaning and language knowledge tostudents. There is a lack of text-based interactive discussion and critical thinking betweenteachers and students. Therefore, the study of critical reading teaching through texts isintended to stimulate the critical awareness of teachers and students as well as realizing theimportance of critical reading in English reading teaching.

Chapter II Literature Review

2.1 Definitions of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a concept which is introduced from the West. The word “critical”comes from the Greek “kriticos”, which means discrimination, insight, and judgment, and theextended meaning of it is keenness and shrewdness. “Kritikos” is derived from “Krinein”,which means making judgments. Therefore, although “critical” includes the negative meaningof finding mistakes and finding weaknesses. It also has the positive meaning of focusing onstrength. Critical thinking is a very important form of thinking. It plays a very important rolein cultivating students’ innovative spirit and creative ability. What exactly is critical thinking?Different researchers hold different points of view towards this question.

Dewey (1910) first proposed reflective thinking: “ thinking about any information orassumed form of knowledge proactively, continuously and carefully, understanding thereasons that support it and the conclusions it further points to.” This is the first definition ofcritical thinking.

Robert (1991) defined critical thinking as follows: Critical thinking is reasonable,reflective thinking. It focused on deciding what to believe or do. Matthew Lipman (1991) , asthe founder of the philosophy of child development, believed that critical thinking isproficient and reliable thinking because it has certain standards. What’s more, it can beadjusted automatically, so it is conducive to the formation of effective judgments.

2.2 Definitions and Strategies of Critical Reading

2.2.1 Definitions of Critical Reading

At first, Harris and Hodges (1981) defined critical reading clearly and systematically.Critical reading is one of the reading methods which refers to making judgments on thecontent of the text in the reading process and appropriately evaluating the content of thereading.

Clegg (1988) pointed out that critical reading is the reading process which can transferreaders into critical thinkers by distinguishing the texts and purposes, facts and opinions, themainstream view and prejudice.

Carr (1998) held the view that critical reading is the reflective and reasonable ability aswell as the capacity to decide what to believe or do. According to this definition, Carr stressedreasonable and reflective abilities. Besides, he also indicated that deciding what to believe ordo is also the process of critical reading. Thus making a decision is also added to criticalreading. However, readers should bear in mind that critical reading does n本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。