Reading FasterThe only way to read faster is to read faster,and it is a serious

Reading Faster
    Good morning, boys and girls. Today, we are going to talk about how to read faster when you are doing reading comprehension. Sometimes you are complaining about the speed of your reading. Especially when you are taking an exam, you find it hard to read the materials fast and when you read fast, you can’t get the required information. Today I will focus on how to read faster and faster.
    Actually the only way to read faster is to read faster. This may sound like double talk, but it is a serious suggestion. The fact is that most people can read faster simply by making a conscious effort to do so. In fact,you probably can read faster without any loss in comprehension. Your comprehension might even improve.
    The following are some guidelines from the" Just Do It"school on speed reading.
    First, get your body ready. Get off the couch. Sit at a desk or table and sit up, on the edge of your chair, with your feet flat on the floor. If you’re feeling adventurous, read standing up. When you feel your body ready to start the reading, breathe in and out deeply for several times. This makes you feel better.
    Next, set a time limit. Use a clock or a digital watch with a built-in stopwatch to time yourself. The objective is not to set speed records,so be realistic. For example, you may set a goal to read a chapter in an hour. If that works, set a goal of 50 minutes to read a similar chapter. Then use fewer minutes to continue. Test your limits. The idea is to give yourself a gentle push, increasing your reading speed without sacrificing comprehension.
    Another hint from the" Just Do It" school is to relax. It’s not only possible to read fast when you’re relaxed, it’s easier. (3) Relaxation promotes concentration. But remember,relaxation is not the same thing as sleep. Some students may be too relaxed and when they are reading,they fall asleep gradually. So focus on the reading material and relax when you find it difficult to comprehend.
    You may begin the experiment with the" Just do it" method right now. Read the reading comprehension material as fast as you can. After you finish, come back and reread the same paragraphs at your usual rate. Notice how much you remembered from your first sprint through. Many people are surprised to find how well they comprehend material even at dramatically increased speeds.
    You can also read faster by moving your eyes faster. When we read, our eyes leap across the page in short bursts called speed-reading. Speed-reading is also a sharp jerk on the reins of a horse—a violent pull to stop the animal quickly. Our eyes stop like that,too,in pauses called fixations.
    Although we experience the illusion of continuously scanning each line, our eyes really take groups of words, usually about three at a time. For more than 90 percent of reading time,our eyes are at a dead stop,in those fixations.
    Your eyes can move faster if they take in more words with each burst—six instead of three, for example. Our eyes also make regressions. That is, they backup and reread words. Ineffective readers and beginning readers make many regressions. While they are reading,they often read back to reassure what they have already read.
    When you’re in a hurry, scan the assignment and read the headings, subheading, lists, charts, graphs and summary paragraphs. The summaries are especially important. They are usually at the beginning or end of a reading assignment. This is especially important when you are taking an exam. During the reading comprehension,you don’t have to read through the passage, for it is too long. You may read the titles, subtitles, the first and ending sentences of a paragraph, and the summary paragraphs. By doing this,you get the general idea of the passage and then you may focus on the questions as well as the details.
    Another way to read faster is not to vocalize. It is common when you are reading,you read it aloud or silently,but you move lips as you read from one word to another. Obviously, you’re more likely to read faster if you don’t read aloud or move your lips. You can also increase your speed if you don’t subvocalize—that is, if you don’t mentally"hear"the words as you read them. To stop doing it,just be aware of it.
    And also you may practice reading faster with simpler material at first. That way you can pay closer attention. A cautionary note about these techniques is that speed isn’t everything. (8) Skillful readers vary their reading rate according to their purpose and the nature of the material. An advanced text in analytical geometry,for example, usually calls for a different reading rate than the Sunday comics.
    You can also use different reading rates on the same materials. For example, you might sprint through an assignment for the key words and ideas, then return to the difficult parts for a more thorough reading. That is the method we should use in everyday English learning. When you comprehend the passage in our textbook, you may skim the passage to get the main idea and key words. (9) Then pay attention to the questions that follow,and focus on the answers where they appear in the passage. (10) Also you should pay attention to the difficult part of the passage.
    To sum up, as we said in the beginning, the only way to read faster is to read faster. Practice makes perfect. As you are practicing reading more and reading faster, you will surprisingly find you cannot only read faster, but also comprehend better. That is all for today’s lecture. Thanks for your attention.