The Dao de jing is very short, but it will require more than one reading for you to hang on to any but its vaguest ideas. Your readings select some passages and comment on them in preparation for class discussion, but you are responsible for reading the entire text.  It's not long; I recommend you read it straight through rapidly, noting down any clear points which emerge from the vague language.  There are a few simple questions which you should be asking of the text on first reading.  What is the Dao?  How does it differ from our concept of "Nature?"  What characteristics does it have?  If these characteristics are facts, what values does the text urge on us, and how are facts and values linked?  What are our imperatives?  What does the text want us to learn (what facts; what skills)?  I will assign a homework exercise that will lead you back through the text for a second reading after we have discussed the text in class.