First, any habit which slows down your silent reading to the
speed at which you speak, or read aloud is inefficient. If you point out each
word as you read, or move your head, or form the words with your lips, you read
poorly. Less obvious habits also hold back reading efficiency. One is "saying"
each word silently by moving your tongue or throat or vocal cords; another is
"hearing" each word as you read. These are habits which should
have been outgrown long ago. The beginning reader is learning low letters can
make words, how written words are pronounced, and how sentences are put
together. Your reading purpose is quite different; it is to understand
meaning. It has been estimated that up to 75% of the words in
English arc not really necessary for conveying the meaning. The secret of silent
reading is to seek out those key words and phrases which carry the thought and
so pay less attention to words which exist only for the sake of grammatical
completeness. An efficient reader can grasp the meaning from a
page at least twice as fast as he can read the page aloud. Unconsciously
perhaps, he takes in a whole phrase or thought unit at time. If he "says" or
"hears" words to himself, they are selected ones, said for emphasis. A. how
to be an efficient reader B. when they want to emphasize them C. slow your
reading speed D. understanding meaning E. seek out key words or
phrases F. how to read fast G. to form words of your own When do efficient readers "say" words ______.