| We vary in our speed of reading to an astonishing | | | | once." What factors play in upon your act and the |
| degree. | | | | reading which ensues? |
| The vice-president of a large software company | | | | They group as follows: |
| says, "It takes me a couple of weeks to read a | | | | 1. The interests that lead you to read the book. |
| book such as my boy of fourteen reads in an | | | | 2. The habits of body and mind that you use in |
| evening. Probably he could tell you the gist of it as | | | | the act of reading. |
| well as I could, too." Contrast to him a woman I | | | | 3. The momentary conditions under which your |
| know who thinks nothing of reading three, four, | | | | interestsand habits of reading operate. |
| or even five fat books in the course of a day, all | | | | These momentary conditions fall into three |
| of which she retains with considerable accuracy. | | | | important rough classes:a. Conditions of your |
| Even more widely do we vary in our speed of | | | | surroundingsb. Conditions of your physique andc. |
| skimming. Every experienced newspaper editor | | | | Conditions of your mind. |
| races over hundreds of thousands of words | | | | 1. On interest, your aim in reading should decide |
| every week and manages to hold in his memory | | | | the reading method you use. Some reading should |
| quite enough to give him his bearings about a | | | | be done just lightly, some reading needs great |
| thousand and one news items for as long as | | | | amount of attention. I repeat, your aim should |
| these are of value to him in his business. | | | | determine your method. |
| Where do you fall between these extremes? If | | | | 2. Your habits. Habits of body count no less than |
| near to this lady, my little article cannot be of any | | | | habits of mind in reading. Posture and activity |
| use to you. If, on the other hand, you find it hard | | | | must be carefully analyzed. Do you read to fall |
| to read, let us say, 65 to 75 pages of a fairly | | | | asleep, or to stay awake? How is your posture |
| serious non-fiction book in about two hours, these | | | | when you study? |
| points will almost certainly help you. | | | | 3. Momentary conditions. Lightning, noise, fresh air |
| If they do nothing more, they will surely assist | | | | or movement. What are the momentary |
| you in discovering the causes of your own slow | | | | conditions which affect your personal style of |
| or unsure reading. Some of these causes are | | | | reading and learning. Try reading with classical |
| beyond bettering through drill and training. For | | | | music first, then swich ober to "headbanger" style |
| example, defective eyesight. Most of them | | | | music. Which one do you prefer? Or rather, total |
| fortunately may be improved. Your problem is to | | | | silence? |
| ascertain which call for such treatment. | | | | So, next time you really want to achieve |
| A simple outline may clear matters here. Suppose | | | | something in your reading, pay attention to points |
| that at this very moment you pick up a book and | | | | mentioned above. |
| say: "I must read Chapter VII in this work at | | | | |