Good readers know that reading isn't just about knowing words--it's a way of thinking. Some readers think before, during and after reading. Here are some suggestions that may be of some help. Think before you read. Before you read the text, ask yourself the questions that why you are reading it and what you want to get from it. Answering the questions will help you choose what words you need to know and what words you can skip or scan. Think while you are reading. Can you get the meaning of the text without looking up new words in a dictionary? Are there any clues  in the text? A text will often give examples that may help you understand what some of the words mean, let's take the following sentence for example. Many large Russian cities such as Chelayabinsk and Irkutsk, have taken steps to protect their culture. The words "Chelyabinsk"and"Irkutsk" may be new to us, but the sentence tells us that they are examples of  _   Think after you read. Do you understand the text? What is the main idea of the text? Can you guess the meaning of the new words? Which words do you need to look up? Is the text too easy or too hard for you? If you practice reading and thinking in this way, you will become a smarter reader and you will learn more, faster and better. Which of the following can best be put in the blank in the passage?
countries mountains rivers cities