What have you been reading lately? At a meeting, you can soon see who the frequent readers are, since wide readers often think and speak well too. They win the admiration, respect, and fellowship of others. After all, reading expands the mind and many people consider it one of the most satisfying pleasures known to mankind, combining, as it does, mental agility and physical relaxation way above the scale offered by television.
The act of reading is primarily a mental activity, since you read with your mind and use your imagination to depict the setting of the action thriller you are reading. You use your mind to imagine the pain that the main characters in the story are experiencing as the plot unfolds; or you contemplate the various arguments and ideas theorized by the author of that self-help book you are reading.
Reading effectively helps you to develop a broad range of vocabulary through reading different kinds 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 general idea of what the sentence is trying to say.
Reading makes you more alert and more curious about new words. Some readers develop 'the dictionary habit', which means that every time they come across a new word, they try to figure out what it possibly means from the context. If they cannot do this, they refer to a dictionary.
Likewise, reading develops intellectual curiosity by exposing you to a variety of subjects. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. As in other forms of education, you learn by actually doing and as you are reading you automatically learn about the subject matter of the book too!
Reading trains you to have an active and open mind. Merely understanding the writers idea is not enough, you have to make a positive response to what you read. Be an active, not a passive, reader. 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 read. A practical part of active reading is the drawing of conclusions.
Now let me introduce you to the concept of speed reading. All of the above applies three, four, eight, nine, even 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. You would certainly become well-read in your subject far more quickly than others. Just imagine how that could help you at work or in school or 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 book that you are reading.
Reading is a wonderfully stimulating mental activity. It expands your understanding and ability. You have so much to gain by discovering the joy of reading. So, go on and take down a book right this minute.
The act of reading is primarily a mental activity, since you read with your mind and use your imagination to depict the setting of the action thriller you are reading. You use your mind to imagine the pain that the main characters in the story are experiencing as the plot unfolds; or you contemplate the various arguments and ideas theorized by the author of that self-help book you are reading.
Reading effectively helps you to develop a broad range of vocabulary through reading different kinds 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 general idea of what the sentence is trying to say.
Reading makes you more alert and more curious about new words. Some readers develop 'the dictionary habit', which means that every time they come across a new word, they try to figure out what it possibly means from the context. If they cannot do this, they refer to a dictionary.
Likewise, reading develops intellectual curiosity by exposing you to a variety of subjects. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. As in other forms of education, you learn by actually doing and as you are reading you automatically learn about the subject matter of the book too!
Reading trains you to have an active and open mind. Merely understanding the writers idea is not enough, you have to make a positive response to what you read. Be an active, not a passive, reader. 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 read. A practical part of active reading is the drawing of conclusions.
Now let me introduce you to the concept of speed reading. All of the above applies three, four, eight, nine, even 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. You would certainly become well-read in your subject far more quickly than others. Just imagine how that could help you at work or in school or 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 book that you are reading.
Reading is a wonderfully stimulating mental activity. It expands your understanding and ability. You have so much to gain by discovering the joy of reading. So, go on and take down a book right this minute.
About the Author:
Are you interested in speed reading for yourself or a dear one? If so, please pop along to our website focusing on Speed Reading.. This article, Learning Speed Reading has free reprint rights.
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