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What have you been reading lately? At a meeting, you can soon tell who the frequent readers are, since frequent readers are often quick thinkers and good public speakers too. They quickly win the adulation, respect, and fellowship of others. After all, reading expands the mind and many people think of it as one of the most satisfying pleasures known to mankind, being a combination, as it is, of mental agility and physical relaxation well above the level offered by television or the cinema.

Reading is primarily a mental activity, since you read with your mind and use your imagination to depict the storyline of the action thriller you are reading. You use your mind to imagine the pain that the characters in the story are experiencing as the plot unfolds; or you contemplate the various arguments and ideas introduced by the author of that self-help book you are holding.

Reading effectively helps you to develop a wide range of vocabulary by reading various types of books. A skillful reader recognizes a wide range of vocabulary. The reader may not understand exactly what every word means, but he/she will have a good idea of what the sentence is trying to say.

The act of reading makes you more alert and more curious about hitherto unknown words. Some readers even like to employ ‘the dictionary habit’, which means that every time they find a strange word, they attempt to figure out what it means from the context. If they are stumped, they refer to a dictionary.

In the same way, reading develops intellectual curiosity by exposing you to different subjects. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. Just as in other forms of education, you are learning by actually doing and while you are reading you are automatically learning about the subject matter of the book too – like a free by-product!

Basically, reading teaches you to have an active and open mind. Only understanding the writers point of view is not really good enough, you must have a response to what you have read. Be an active, not a passive, reader. Try to develop the habit of drawing your own conclusions, the habit of active thinking, of agreeing or disagreeing with the author. Always keep your mind open; understand and consider the ideas that you have read. A practical part of active reading is the development of one’s own conclusions.

Now let me mention the concept of speed reading. All of the above applies between three and ten times over, because speed readers can read that much faster than the average reader! Consider that! – Being able to read, comprehend and remember all those books and articles. You would surely become well-read in your subject much more rapidly than others. Just think how that would help you at work, in school or in college …

Allow me to share four basic rules for effective reading and better comprehension:

1) Try to read more and more every month. Remember the saying that practice makes perfect. 2) Develop the habit of reading for main ideas. Look for the subject and predicate. Do not waste time on details or little words. 3) Learn to read with focus and concentration. Think of what you are reading. Do not let your attention wander somewhere else. Good readers read with understanding. 4) Learn to budget your time. Experiment with your reading time. Try purposely to read faster. Give yourself a time limit on a specific piece that you are reading.

Reading is a fantastically stimulating mental activity. It expands your understanding and capability. You really have so much to gain by learning the joy of reading. So, go on and take down a book right today.

Are you interested in speed reading for yourself or a loved one? If so, please visit our web site called Speed Reading.

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