| Nowadays we are constantly bombarded with | | | | and sports - all of which will include reading, and |
| information, from the radio when we get up in | | | | that isn't just browsing a few web pages, it |
| the morning, via day-time and evening TV, as well | | | | includes reading books, articles and journals. |
| as our daily newspapers and an increasing variety | | | | If you have to absorb huge amounts of new |
| of magazines. Then we have the internet at | | | | information on a regular basis, you need |
| work, college or home and street advertising and | | | | techniques which will speed up the process. Speed |
| our mobile phones as we travel. As technology | | | | reading is one way in which you can deal |
| advances, the amount of knowledge we need to | | | | effectively with the volume of knowledge |
| possess in order to keep up with our lives and | | | | required to live successfully in the 21st century. |
| our careers grows at an alarming rate. | | | | One of the first things you need to decide is why |
| How can we possibly cope with the huge volume | | | | you are considering reading a particular book or |
| of information needed just to stand still, never | | | | article. It's never just to gain knowledge, it's what |
| mind to move forward? Although audio and video | | | | you intend to do with that knowledge that |
| are increasingly popular as means of disseminating | | | | matters, as this will enable you to work out which |
| information, reading is still one of the major | | | | sections of the book or article are most |
| routes to acquiring knowledge. | | | | important. Let's say you're thinking about moving |
| All of us have to study at some point in our lives | | | | to France and are browsing through half a dozen |
| and that no longer stops once we have finished | | | | books on the subject. You need to determine |
| our degree or gained professional qualifications. | | | | exactly what information you need and then read |
| Increasingly powerful technology is changing the | | | | selectively. For example, if you have (or plan to |
| day to day activities in many jobs. 21st century | | | | have) children, the sections on education will be a |
| workers have to be prepared to take on board | | | | priority. If you don't have children, or they are |
| the concept and practice of life long learning, if | | | | grown up, information on French schools is |
| they are to keep their jobs. Continuing | | | | probably irrelevant to you. |
| professional development is now an integral part | | | | Once you've decided which chapters of the half |
| of most careers. | | | | dozen books you actually need to read, there are |
| But it's not just work that demands increased | | | | two main elements you need to consider: speed |
| reading. The internet gives us access to all sorts | | | | and comprehension. Clearly reading faster is of |
| of opportunities to learn, for both pleasure and | | | | little value if you don't understand the material. To |
| career advancement, allowing us to develop new | | | | ensure that speed is increased without losing |
| skills on a part-time basis. The fact that many of | | | | comprehension, you have to develop new skills. |
| us can also work online, either in our own | | | | This does take practice and commitment, |
| businesses or as telecommuters, means we can | | | | however, speed reading can be learned |
| live almost anywhere in the world, opening up the | | | | surprisingly quickly and speeding up your reading |
| possibility of a completely new lifestyle, in terms | | | | will be extremely beneficial if you want to take |
| of activities, hobbies, interaction with different | | | | advantage of the opportunities which today's |
| groups of people and education, as well as | | | | easy access to information provides. If you need |
| location. This could involve learning a new language, | | | | to absorb a lot of information, for any reason, |
| studying for qualifications online, learning new skills | | | | you need to increase your reading speed. |