The document discusses the importance of reading for learning English. It outlines some problems that Vietnamese students face, such as an exam-focused education system and reliance on teachers. The document then defines reading as the interaction between text and a reader's skills and knowledge. It describes two types of reading: intensive reading, which involves carefully understanding details, and extensive reading, which focuses on pleasure and information over speed. Extensive reading is argued to be important for developing taste for the language and building background knowledge to support other skills like writing.