[MeteorMarc]

Looking up unknown words during reading is not very effective for gaining understanding of a foreign language. My personal habit is to look up words only if I can remember having wondered about its meaning for at least five times.

[jobigoud]

The two techniques, intensive or extensive reading, are valuable. Usually I lookup every word during the first few chapters of a book, to make sure I have a solid base for the story, then only lookup words that I've seen many times before.