Would it help you if you could read twice as fast as
you read now How about twenty times as fast, and with better comprehension The
human 1 is capable of seeing and
understanding material as fast as one can turn pages, and some people do read
2 fast. John Stuart Mill, Theodore
Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy were all 3 fast readers, 4 have been many
others. They were what 5 known as gifted
readers; those who read very fast with excellent comprehension. Gifted readers
come from every walk of life, for reading is a skill not
6 to age, occupation, heredity, or intelligence. The only
reason that you may not read fast now is because your natural gifts may have
been smothered in school. The 7
reading is taught in most public schools is the same technique
8 a century ago.
9 , the average American reads at about the same rate today
as 100 years ago. Most people read 10 100 and 400 words per minute, the national average. But slow readers are
severely penalized throughout life and are simply unable to
11 because of the tremendous volume of reading required
today. In theory, the only things that should decide reading
rate are the student’s background in the subject, the purpose for reading the
12 material, and the ability to turn
pages. Some readers, tested in difficult textbook material, have read
thousands of words per minute with 13 comprehension. That’s over a dozen pages per minute. Yet some of
these same super readers 14 to read at
the rate of only 200 words per minute. So it is certainly possible for the
15 reader to increase his or her
reading speed considerably. What limits your reading rate Poor
habits, such as sub vocalization, regression, prolonged fixation, and 16 eye movement. These poor habits cause tired
eyes, boredom, low speeds, and low comprehension. It is not ability 17 you lack, it is training. Because we are
taught to read at 100 to 400 words per minute, we are led to believe this is our
"normal rate. " But these rates are no more normal than 10 or 10000 words per
minute. Improving your rate only 18 proper training and time. A book
19 give the kind of help necessary to make a dramatic
increase in your reading skills. But, 20 you can get some professional help from a well-trained, rapid reading
instructor, there are some positive steps you can take.