3. Reading books, underlining unknown words...

3. Reading books, underlining unknown words, finding them in dictionaries and later...
(see point 2)
Seven-eight years back I had a student who once had told me he had to 'survive'  7-10 opening pages of almost any new book. 
Then, as soon as he learned the author's vocabulary, the rest of the book 's could be read without a dictionary.
I'd tried to check this statement and had to agree with my student.
The readers' notes, underlined words or written in pencil Czech equivalents on the pages of the English books that I borrowed from the library, proved this observation. 
I have thought about reading English literature by learners of English and now would like to share with you a few ideas.
Here are a few general goals for reading literature.
1. Getting information (the most used these days)
2. Entertainment
3. Other.
Reading books in English brings an additional goal: learning a real language used in real life by real English-speaking people.
Here are some pros and cons, though.
Well, literature written by a English native speaking (and writing) author is certainly a big bonus for a learner of English.
But one has to be careful: English is so hugely different in all pats of the English-speaking world, in all kinds of groups of people, in all spheres of human activities where folks speak English.
Another readers' 'headache' is the time when the book was written: English changes slightly almost every five-seven years and changes more 'dramatically' every decade.
So, if you still say: "How do you do?" meeting an English-speaking individual for the first time, instead of 'Hi' or "Hello', get ready to receive an ironical look, at the least.      
That's why I recommend you to choose a book that was written 3-5 years preferably by a writer who started her writing career not long ago. 
Otherwise you are in danger of familiarizing with the language which was used decades ago.
( Or, which is the best choice, read newspapers. )
All right. Let's assume, the book is chosen.
What to do next?
To read for comprehension or understanding each word and therefore, learning the language?
English publishers came to the answer to this question very wisely a long time ago.
They adjust the books to the levels of readers, i.e. the same works are published for the readers of various levels.
That simply means that the same story can be offered with the authentic vocabulary, initially used by the author and several versions of the same text adopted for readers of different levels in accordance with their general knowledge of the language.
I'm afraid, I cannot help you here with the decision making.
One thing I know for sure: nothing is more frustrating that underlining every other word in the authentic text and, on the other hand, reading a primitive text where every word is clearly understood.
Whatever your choice is, always remember: reading is an educative process and apart from any purpose you may try to follow, development of your command of English is one of the most significant goals of reading any English text.
Try, perhaps, to find a balance between a generally informative and linguistically educative reading.
Define the vocabulary you use in your native and learn the same vocabulary in English: it will help you express your ideas easily in a foreign language.
Remember, contrary to a popular statements of your educators, advocates of the method of  thinking in English for speaking English, you always unconsciously create your phrases in your native before producing them in a foreign language unless you speak English 6-7 hours ever day for at least one year...
Remember also, which method of reading you take for yourself, 
                                                  You are responsible!
Till next time, bye-bye.
 George