Reading in a second language (L2) is not a monolingual event; L2 readers have access to their
first language (L1) as they read, and many use it as a strategy to help comprehend an L2 text.
Owing to difficulties in observing the comprehension process, little research has been conducted
to determine what role the L1 plays in the reading strategies of L2 readers. Using think-aloud
protocols and retrospective interviews with 20 native speakers of Chinese and Japanese at three
levels of language proficiency studying in the United States, this study explores further the
question of when L2 readers use their L1 cognitive resources and how this cognitive use of the L1
helps them comprehend an L2 text. We conclude by suggesting that the results support a
sociocultural view of the L2 reading process.