The multi-layered nature of literacy continues to surprise me when I explore texts. When I reread, I’m often amazed by meanings I’ve overlooked—and I think of myself as a close reader. Interpreting text can be like peeling an onion or opening those Russian dolls. International comparisons (pdf) show Finns overall have excellent reading skills, so we’re not inclined to doubt our skill at comprehension. Yet a third of us fall into lower levels of literacy even while believing we are good readers. The toughest texts to interpret are those employing irony and sarcasm. We’ve seen evidence of this in recent debate about education cuts, with student demonstrators carrying a banner that read, “Shove innovation up your ass.” I interpreted this as sarcasm, but many who saw the banner did not.