already described.



How to Gain the Full Benefit from Your Reading

The reading of this story, besides giving you pleasure, has no doubt
given you a new idea of the faithfulness often shown by dogs. But if
you are to get the full benefit from any story or poem in this Reader,
you will need to pause long enough to notice certain things that will
give you a better understanding of it.



The Crystal Glass, A Forward Look, and A Backward Look.

First, you should read and discuss in class "The Crystal Glass" and
study the Table of Contents, to gain a general idea of the book as a
whole. Next, you should notice that each story and poem is a part of
some special group that treats of some one big idea--such as Nature,
Home and Country, etc. Each selection will have a fuller meaning for
you if you understand how it helps to bring out the big idea of this
group. Before reading the stories in any group you should read and
discuss in class the "Forward Look" (see page 19) that precedes them.
And after you have read all the selections in a group, you will enjoy
a pleasant class period discussing the "Backward Look"--taking stock,
as it were, of the joy and benefit gained from your reading.

In addition, each selection is followed by Notes and Questions that
contain some or all of the following features: Biography. First, it is