paz wrote:According to Arguelles and Nation, to actually enjoy a book you need to understand at least 98% of the vocabulary.
I don't agree with this. If you already know 98% of the vocabulary you sure won't have any problem following the story, but to me that means that your reading skills are already at C1-C2 level, unless you are talking about really simple, adapted texts for beginners or intermediate learners. I have read a couple of books in my native language where I don't think I understood 98% of the vocabulary, because a lot of it was technical, related to agriculture, fishery or car manufacturing.
For me, extensive reading is not about never having to look up a word, but to be able to follow a story without looking up every single new word you come accross, because you will be able to deduct the meaning from context. I have read lots of books where my understanding ranges from, let's say 70% to 90% and I still have enjoyed them very much.
Last winter I read my first 400-page novel in Russian. I knew perhaps 50% of the words in the first two-three chapters, and I had to look up a lot of words. As my reading progress, I could understand more and more, having to consult the dictionary less and less. With 100 pages to go, I could read long sections without looking up a single word. Sure, it was not the same experience as reading in a language I know to an advanced level, but I did not expect it to be, and I could still enjoy the book, more and more as I progressed.
For me, enjoying a book is not about knowing all the vocabulary beforehand, it is about reading something that engages you and makes you want to continue reading. Your vocabulary will increase and your understanding progress as you go along. As Brun Ugle says, "almost by magic".