One way is to analyze the characters. Figure out their motives, personalities, and how they change throughout the story. Also, pay attention to the setting. It can set the mood and influence the events. Another important aspect is the plot structure. Understanding how the story begins, develops, and ends is crucial. For example, in many short stories, there's often a twist at the end that you need to be aware of while reading.
Read them repeatedly. Each time you read an English poem or story, you'll notice new details. For example, in a poem, you might catch a different rhyme or a hidden meaning. Also, look up unfamiliar words.
Read a lot. The more English fiction stories you read, the better you'll understand. Start with simple ones and gradually move to more complex ones. Also, look up words you don't know immediately. This will help you build your vocabulary and thus your understanding.
You can learn new vocabulary easily. Every time you come across an unknown word while reading an English short story, look it up. This way, you'll gradually expand your vocabulary.
Reading English short stories also exposes you to different sentence structures. You'll see how native speakers put words together to form complex and interesting sentences. You can then imitate these structures in your own writing. Moreover, it helps you get a feel for the rhythm and flow of the English language, which is important for both reading comprehension and writing skills.
Read slowly and carefully. This gives you time to process the words and the meaning. You can also break the story into smaller parts and understand each part before moving on.
One way to enhance your understanding is to read the story multiple times. The first time, just get a general sense of the plot and characters. On the second read, focus on the details, such as the descriptions, the language choices. Another helpful tip is to make connections. Connect the story to your own experiences, other stories you've read, or current events. This can make the story more relatable and easier to understand. And don't be afraid to research any references in the story that you don't understand. This could be historical events, mythological figures, or cultural traditions.
Read them multiple times. Each time you read, you'll notice new details. For example, the first time you might just get the basic plot, but the second time you can start to pick up on the characters' emotions.
Firstly, you can expand your vocabulary. When you encounter new words in the short stories, look them up and try to remember them. For example, if you read 'The Gift of the Magi' and come across words like 'penury' (extreme poverty), you can learn it. Secondly, you can understand different sentence structures better. Short stories often use a variety of sentence types.
You can learn new vocabulary easily. When you read short stories, you'll encounter various words in context, which helps you remember them better. For example, if a story is about a detective, you'll learn words related to investigation.
Also, try to analyze the story's structure, characters, and themes. Ask yourself questions like why the author made certain choices. Discussing the story with others can also give you new perspectives and improve your understanding.