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Make the rest while speed reading
So just relax, or your mind will only concentrate on the task, rather than the content
and comprehension of the material. One of the first things to remember when speed-reading,
is to relax. But getting worried about an assignment will cause your mind to tense up,
making it impossible to concentrate. If you were presented with a 200-page report that
must be read by the weekend, your first reaction may be to completely stress over the
thought, as most people would.
Stretch when your momentum seems to be slowing down. Stop, close your eyes and squeeze
them together tightly for a second, then open them wide. Play around for a few minutes by
pacing yourself through "simulated" reading of a book held upside down, page by
page, at extremely rapid speeds just to ger the feel of rapid, rhythmic movement
down the page again. With new momentum established, turn the book right-side up and
continue reading at your fastest possible speed.
Don't read too much at once. Never read more than a chapter at once. It's best to read
only one section at a time. That way, you won't find yourself looking up from the book
wondering what you've just read.
Read it more than once. The first time should be a skim (see a above), the second time
a speed reading, and the third time a thorough going over. It sounds like a lot, but it
won't seem that way if you do it this way --and you'll be glad you did!
Look it over before you read it. Skim over the headings and boldface terms --and take a
quick look at the illustrations. It'll give you a good idea of what you are about to
tackle.
Let your fingers do the walking. It sounds silly, but if you read with one finger on
the text and the other on the related figure, you'll find you can read more easily --and
RETAIN more of what you have read.
Use a reading strategy. There are many strategies for reading textbooks that study
specialists have developed, each suited to different learning and reading styles. Use the
links below to explore some of these techniques.
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