THE REACTIONS OF SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS TO THE SAME READINGS WERE STUDIED. THE READING REACTION ANALYSIS WAS GIVEN TO 73 SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ADVANTAGED AREAS AND TO 59 SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN DISADVANTAGED AREAS OF CINCINNATI, OHIO. RESPONSES TO THIS TEST AND THE TAPED RESPONES OF A SAMPLE FROM EACH OF THE FIVE CLASSES TO AN INTERVIEW QUESTION WERE SCORED ON A 5-POINT SCALE. RESULTS INDICATE THAT ALTHOUGH THE ADVANTAGED GROUP GENERALLY DID BETTER THAN THE DISADVANTAGED GROUP, THE DISADVANTAGED GROUP SEEMED TO BE MORE VERSATILE, ORIGINAL, AND VIVID IN THEIR ORAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MATERIALS READ. FURTHER ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT ITEMS MISSED BY A LARGE NUMBER OF ADVANTAGED STUDENTS WERE MISSED BY AN EQUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. THESE FINDINGS IMPLY THAT THE READING OF BOTH TYPES OF LEARNERS DID NOT DIFFER MUCH AND THAT BOTH GROUPS NEED GUIDANCE IN DEVELOPING THE ABILITY TO READ BEYOND WHAT IS STATED IN A SELECTION. IT IS IMPLIED THAT SOME LEARNING ASSETS COULD BE PRESENT AMONG DISADVANTAGED LEARNERS. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED IN "JOURNAL OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESEARCH AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT--LOCAL READING AND MATH RESEARCH," VOLUME 2, NUMBER 4, MAY 1967 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION, CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS. (NS)