Answer
Take everything together as a whole. But don’t approach the first step as something you must mechanically go through just for the sake of it. The real aim is to capture the big picture.
Without understanding, what is the use of reading? Reading is meant for understanding. If certain deeper points are not clear initially, you can leave them for the time being. First, grasp the overall flow and meaning — the big picture. Then continue reading with that understanding in mind.
That is why we say: first skim through. Even if you have only one hour to read, don’t try to go line by line immediately. In that one hour, first go through what you have planned and get a broad understanding.
After that, go a little deeper. Notice what questions arise. Try to understand those points. As you do that, more questions will naturally come — then you study further to resolve them.
So the process is:
first big picture → then deeper understanding → then questions → then further study.
