Read your way to fluency

Reading text or audio books is one of the best ways to improve language skills

One thing I noticed while learning Portuguese was that reading really helped me a lot to pick up new vocabulary and consolidate what I had already come across. I chose some simple teen books first like the Vagalume series (great titles like The Twelve Hours of Terror – Marcos Rey), certainly not the archaic Machado de Assis or something like that.
The first few pages are pretty tough as there are a load of new words on each page. But you soon realise that certain authors have their favourite vocabulary and use it over and over again.
Write the vocabulary down on a piece of paper or on a tablet or use your phone. Divide the paper down the middle and put the translation or a meaning on the other side. When you have finished the book, carry this paper around for a week or so and test yourself – remembering the story will help you to recall the vocabulary.
You don’t have to choose long books, the Oxford and Longman Publishers have a great selection.
Andy you don’t have to buy new books too. There are some great second-hand virtual book stores in Brazil, where you can pick up a used copy for a quarter of the original price. And of course a Kindle can be really useful as you can mark words and consult the meanings as you go along
For the bolder, there are audio books. I personally love them since I can do two things at once: driving and reading, working out and reading, doing stuff around the house and reading. As reading or listenig is a PASSIVE activity, you can easily mix it with an ACTIVE activity without losing focus. As unlike reading a book, which uses 100% your sight, listening leaves the visual toolkit to do something else\

Give it a try there are many free audio book sites, though AUDIBLE (Amazon sister company) probably has the best paid audiobooks