--- title: "Interpret: reading books (Bacon)" subject: "Communication English" chapter: 1 key: "semester_5/communication_english:interpret-read-not-to-contradict-books" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/interpret-read-not-to-contradict-books site: BCT Engineering --- # Interpret: reading books (Bacon) Communication English · Chapter 1: Intensive Reading - Asked in: 2072 Kartik, 5 marks; 2070 Ashad, 5 marks (asked 2 times) - Video: [Of Studies by Francis Bacon Critical Essay Line-by-Line Explanation Summary & Themes Aspiring Minds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLvXHhoooUA) — Aspiring Minds - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/interpret-read-not-to-contradict-books - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/communication_english/chapter-1 ## Question Read the following text carefully and interpret it so as to make the meaning clear: Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested, that is some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read but not curiously, and some to be read wholly and with diligence and action. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others, but that would be only in the less important arguments and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. ## Short answer Reading should aim to weigh and consider, not to win arguments or believe blindly. Books must be read differently: some only in parts, others quickly, and a few with full diligence and attention. Summaries of unimportant works are acceptable, but important books reduced to extracts are tasteless. ## Answer Francis Bacon, in "Of Studies", says that the purpose of reading is to gain understanding and judgement, not to win arguments, to accept everything blindly, or to collect material for showy conversation. Different books deserve different kinds of reading. #### Purpose of reading Bacon rejects three wrong motives: - **To contradict and confute**: reading only to find faults and defeat others. - **To believe and take for granted**: accepting whatever the writer says without thinking. - **To find talk and discourse**: reading only to have something clever to say in company. The right motive is "to weigh and consider", that is, to test the writer's ideas with our own reason and then form our own opinion. #### Three kinds of books Bacon uses the figure of food: - **Tasted**: some books are to be read only in parts, since only a few portions are useful. - **Swallowed**: others should be read quickly and without close attention, since they give little that is lasting. - **Chewed and digested**: a few great books must be read completely, slowly, with diligence and attention, so that their ideas become part of the reader's own mind. #### Reading by deputy Some books may be read "by deputy": another person reads them and makes extracts, and we read only the summary. Bacon allows this only for unimportant subjects and for ordinary books. Books reduced to extracts are like distilled water: "flashy", that is, tasteless and without strength, because the substance of the original has been lost. **Meaning in brief:** A wise reader chooses what to read and how to read it. Reading is for thought, not for argument or show, and only the best books deserve full study. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. According to Bacon, what is the right purpose of reading? A. To weigh and consider the writer's ideas with our own reason B. To defeat other people in arguments C. To accept the writer's views as true D. To collect clever things to say in company Answer: A. Bacon rejects reading to confute, to believe blindly or to find talk, and says we should read to weigh and consider. (Key point: Right motive for reading) 2. What does it mean for a book to be 'tasted'? A. It is read slowly and completely B. It is read only in parts because only some portions are useful C. It is read quickly with no attention D. It is read by another person who summarises it Answer: B. Tasted books are those read only in parts. (Key point: Books to be tasted) 3. Which books should be 'chewed and digested'? A. Most ordinary books read quickly B. Books summarised by others C. A few great books read completely and with diligence so their ideas become part of the reader's mind D. Books read only for their opening chapters Answer: C. Only a few great books deserve full, careful study. (Key point: Chewed and digested) 4. For which books does Bacon allow reading by deputy (extracts made by others)? A. The greatest and most important books B. Every book, to save time C. Only books that must be chewed and digested D. Unimportant subjects and ordinary books Answer: D. He allows it only for less important arguments and meaner books; distilled books are like tasteless distilled water. (Key point: Reading by deputy) ## Related in Communication English - [Interpret: teaching values to professionals](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ainterpret-teaching-moral-values-professionals) — Communication English, chapter 1, asked 2× - [Interpret: book for second-language readers](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ainterpret-book-for-second-language-readers) — Communication English, chapter 1 - [Interpret: machines and civilization](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ainterpret-machines-modern-civilization) — Communication English, chapter 1 - [Interpret: forms of communication and sign language](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ainterpret-sign-language-communication) — Communication English, chapter 1 - [Interpret: British survey on robots](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ainterpret-robots-british-survey) — Communication English, chapter 1 - [Interpret: choices in an age of science](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ainterpret-history-of-civilization-science) — Communication English, chapter 1 ## Related in other subjects - [Why an iron crystal but not iron piece magnetizes](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Felectrical_engineering_material%3Airon-crystal-magnetic-field) — Electrical Engineering Material, chapter 4 - [CMOS NAND, NOR (and NOT) circuits](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fembedded_system%3Acmos-nand-nor-circuits) — Embedded System, chapter 8, asked 2× - [Read records until end; show nth record](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_1%2Fcomputer_programming%3Afile-worker-nth-record) — Computer Programming, chapter 10, asked 2×