Grappling with difficult texts can make readers feel as though they're crashing a party that wasn't meant for them. They don't know the occasion. They don't know the guests. They have a hard time fitting in. In this article, Thomas Newkirk suggests several reasons why students find texts difficult to understand. Students may be unfamiliar with the genre, conventions, vocabulary, and even the issues addressed. They may find themselves adrift in the text because they're not the target audience, that group of people the author was addressing who are more in the know about the issue at hand. Finally, students may be unprepared for the length of the text and other challenges it may present. "Accept the fact that you may not understand some parts," notes the author. "It happens to all readers. Bluff and pretend." Newkirk suggests several "crashing" strategies that students can use to help them get their bearings.