Reading is generally an
individual activity, done silently, although on occasion a person reads
out loud for other listeners; or reads aloud for one's own use, for
better comprehension. Before the reintroduction of separated text
(spaces between words) in the late Middle Ages, the ability to read
silently was considered rather remarkable. Reading is an essential part
of literacy, yet from a historical perspective literacy is about having
the ability to both read and write.
