You are on page 1of 191

goo!

improved performance

cal!l9[)!)' reading

teach YO'I,ll'$I1!fr

OOA'IAl·nt

• improve yOlll' reading ,@f1'iC'i.~'ncy

• aJrl.atyziS' t'ij',dmOre effectuvely

• m$::imlze youI' time'

'I t·e~h

YWi:$111r

®

teach

y,o,ulrse,II'f

'\.. ~

,

®

teach

- .. - - _. -

'yO!U rself

\. ~

speed readlin,g ~ina ikonstant

r@" over OOyooF$, mOffei 1t1a!l 40 I'1IllliOO .~ :haveleaml ~ 700 ~1$ )he teach )'tlY" v~ W1lti1 i~ reJSlilrS.

00 ~re you ~·tp 100 1,!i,1j~11~~!l1 yaurBUl'

for UK ocoder enqllii!li~: please tcIli1liCl ~r:i! Ud., ~ 31.1 MI!imfI Pari'. AbI~.Ib::oo OX14 4SB. fme,pnolile: ,144 (0') 1235, ,B2m'O. ,Fa;c ,+44 (OJ '1235 ,40045A.lille5 an open ,from O!H)l'H8;JlO\ M~ m SiLtlJuJay, MIll a, 24·ltvllr iltes:sao:e aiiS,werinrl sei¥ice, ':{o;u can aso (lIIdi!'i" Irnoughi owr website wwwJnam~,ks,com.

For USA" ordSr eQ!I~llies: ,!;If~1li ~Ol'!~ 'kGra'l~ill CIJS'tomI!r Ber'\!lct!:$,P{] 1~S45.I8l1eilicl!~ OlHlA~(]&tS, LQ 1li1'eph~I1fl~1';soQ!-n2·4728, ~; Hi14 .. rns.5i4\\'i,

FOr 'G;aJ]ada QT~r e~[lillies; Ij;fl~ Q!IiI'I:act MlDGraw-Hilil R'yerSOl11 Ltd, 000 Waf~ St. MatJ~. Onrmrio l U-J gBS", eamd;i, rlJl~hDlil!l: 005 400 ~_ F:~'~ 400 5000'.

LOii)!,..,iln(lWllMrM thIJ,atl'tltnr1tlUve source tmself.!llfilliled teamil'lll! - wilh ImQife Ii~, 30 liI'IiL~on 'oop!e$' sQili woridwide - '1M Teach Yoiii5e/Jseries iOOilltles over 3001 'tildes irllhe, tiel&! ailqllBge5, dafts;" hobbies. bll!SiAm. oompiitir.g aIld ,9!illICittiOfiL

British lJbmy GlJIMoguinfl tfr PlIbbUon {]a/';!; a t::I:laIogl!!!' reoonil for 1hlsUlle 1\5, a'ilii~ from Tli1e IBliI!stl Ub~_

~Q!~f'Sli~Cin;I'N~oofil!!!

Hr:$'! pulitisJ1edliRI UK, 1008 by Hodder' :He;adlille LId"> 338, 1:~5t.oli RQad, L~m:IIM rMi1 3BH,

firSif:p~!I&slwd lin US 1'91jl~ by'~!iI~l;Jral)i' Books:.. a ElLVi~on or TOO McG~HllI Gompanle:s. '1 PrllJd'~nUaJ PI\1$, 130 EasllRmolph Str@i!il. ChicalJ~, I L 6OO(Irl. USA.

The 'T.each '{l)1J~ name is a reciSlete(ll'!rij(\e nit of

,fl~r 0& SIIlIlUhtiJlll.itd, -

GJp)1ii(j1rt ©2000, 2im1im ~I

fIl'tilt AJI righlS- !t!St!M!d. rio part 01 this ~iJ:bIil:3tion may be ~eprod'IJ~ or~n:litled if! any ~a~m or I:r!I' iJJi1Y PJlei!IliS'. eledliOllic Ofme~. intl'ulllmg IPhalOOlilY. Jl!COrdi"ll, 'or ;amy iIl'torfli'lation SlQr<!ge al11l1 flI!t!iiwl'!l~m. 'HillilWi p!!nnlssiOl'l Iml WIi1i!lm from 'Ilh~ pwWohsr (Ii ~r ~oomC'J' ~rom mEl Cilt,pytIgtll: L:loellslmgl,AgM!:',j' IUlrnll(!jjJ. ~lI!rt:IIQr ~~ o:f&l!irlh 1itMCe> (focr 1~~rograpNc: reprOOlJIClioo} Imy 100 libtiimed 'til,orn 'tlile c!:!Wt1ght l!~msiDIi #\g$ncy li,irni'jW, tit 00' TOlttmlilam QrIlriliaoo, l.oodom wn 4LP~

JII ,!IS:. A111i01i-ts reserved- ~~pl as jl!emlitiliii! iIIiideF 1Jie urntt8d Slialtlis IGQpyjj~l1-t lid ()1 t9i'(i, Ill) pari clll1~ .,ubiicallOClI maa)' ~'I~~ Qr disl~ib!lloo in any roon Or I1i CIDf means, 'otstortd m a da~~e ar lliiitrill.'l'ai ~1'r1~ 'I'l1lm'!J:1e Pf<Io~ 111*111 pennlS1$i(lO of CQn~eil1pOrary Books,

iT~1 iWTi<iJ'."$~ Ymlted~ C(l,Ven'1I)'" E~d,

Pl'iiitOOl iUl Great BlI'i13iii,ror H~r it. SlattII1'Itolill5cluC3~OMI. ~(lNi$I(Ifi ¢ H~~liml' L~,. 33Uus'l'oo fki,ld, lLond\m N1N1 JBH !;jI'Q:Pl; &~ LId .. Raadinl!l, Bmfs'hlffl'.

IllrIJIi'essiGrII nl!lrnber 7 6 5, ./I 32 1

Year 20092Q1!1820012tHOO200:52eIH

:2003

02

03

InbaldiYi!ilton 1.

i:i1U(l!:luc~IQI1I til' speed readlingl 1

n(!)w w ~~~ 'ltl~s,tmok 3

'll'eIClllIenllly asked quesltions £)

lililft fl"'!II~IUi;P readlllVI '~tem 7

ialrodl,:II:1&CIfI to 1he:livHrep syslenn8 stal)l 1: prepar,e '9 step :2: pUi:vl:e:w1 0,

stel) ,3: pflSsive r,ead:ino 13

slep 4; aclNe reading, '14

slE!P 5: S!el:B~tj,'lie reading 16

r~~.dilllJ ~m 18V61~ ilf moollincg 18

~ea(llnlJ w,1~ a lPiur:p:~e' 21

summary 22

spIed I~ta;dlng 24

1'aCl'O:rs cofl:trlbulttn.gl to Si'8llid :2S

where ,are ')I<I'U '1J0Vi'? :'IJ

irl~ril'asilil[l Y(I!ur b~ic nl1lidiniQ ra~e29

hvw to use a paceJ' 30

ski.nlmil1!g 3JlJd ~liInillg 33

speed reading alld ~li:'I1ing tin message 36

b5Ihi1;g'll~11 speetl readers 37

e:xa:roiSleS t® ill@rWlse 'yourspaed=readlngl

ral.ea!l!l1Iexib~lily :38,

speed·r,eadijng g rapltJ 42

summary 43,

II~ cillllni ihewQrds - developlllllGI your

wcatb:tlilal1 4S

wIi'llincreas:lng your IJocab1Jlary sp9f1<1ls up,

YOUIF readillg 46

how to iUlCrtl'ase Y'Ollif voca:brull3iIY 47'

lh<9S(l urea illf it aU - ,roo~s" sidf~,es and

pmi;(es 4B

s,peciaJ~ wcabulary 00

05

Oli

lUi

,a;o !!!:Ei!1tr:a~ III1IXI

U'le Im;p.ol'tance IO~ OOJ1Cerntrali(lill siress and rnemo:ry

tr~s r~(r i:nillUoVin!il V~l!Ir ii)o!'l"CIenlrnlicltl !.p:etitils.es, till il'lc~Jse .slid. ill'f'li,~~Oiliei

c~~e~trralJlo!il SlUlIln!ii3iiJ! mllli!lilllry mCriIllory m,yths

shol1t·1.emll~ ilillernl:lilediarb~, 1I!Iiul r,OIIil:!;I-llliml

merrmry Jio

how Iift~m{l:ry WlJ,I'k5 72

tfGhflICjUI!!Sr<C'Ir rllrn!i!mberrlaQ 'wool YIJU' lread r4,

FIlldil-:Se:rusOry real!:lingl82 ~QrglltlililiJ ,63

summilry

31 b.ook is: :81 book ita book

r,eadillg differlif'll tyil8sar matefi'3l (0\1'

drnleilf8lM reaoons 'CriliCaJ lre.a~intl SUI1il!lfI'IiltY

'fOil!:' e,V8!!1 !!'!'!:!Ii'8ffcfJiClilV!! re!!di~t speied.readllliij OOSI~&

~,eadll~g f,Ciii' ufll!:ielSlatr!d~ilg e~rcl~rng y~ur ~~

,!'JeaA1i~g Iif1Cirre ~h>alil (J1ii(! nrliie '~It :a Umel hOMl 'Ill' IP'reve:nrt and! 'C1Jre ,eyestrain lI"J!l'adir1lgrIl"O'm .a) PC mOr'litof

e)'e I'1IUi1riiHCii'l

s!Ummlary

diS1J11titlanllllnd Si!llIU~]ifnli i~~k of 'l;loncelil1rntl:~n ~!Jysic.al distr.mtiolils ern'lliirlll1mBnta~ issues

w@rk rli5trac'ti'lrl~

dearililij" your desk '01 ,d~!iitr'lG'ti{l:ns :S!Jmm~ry

IrRll-wutl:dl ,l1Iadingl

lin~om1la:tiiO:Fl ~fiH!IM9~ 1P'~o:ril:izill~ aoml! pla:n1ndngl

87 9S 97·

98: gg

1m 102 109 U1 114 116 117 118: 1HJI 122 123 124 1::15 125

12:.7 128 U9

copingwilh, mee1i mgiS 1i~d~n~1 !!nform!lroor'lfasl

new lobs" pn*~. and cI&efllS

;;I, lP,lanfoll' redu(ljf!lJ yl)l!If nlaJdin.g1 e'!laluiltijllg your pmgres$ 5Ull1firllialY

11i)wocking alld IIU.dltlng lor' allll1ing behne ym.l OOgili

managIng ti:m~

sUlmmrary

11 ulltullmormallon ·:and 5,PIJed plUliC81 ret1 'Ihe maikhn,gs Qf 1\:I!'Ig!.la~e

,crtlioa11lall.{jiuage 10f cn1:t:lcal readi'figl establishing .JOur 'cum:ot re~dnniO nue

12: '.hat n a:d1'

!llJIiaialirn.es ~or '~i;iIYr .~~ ·d~y progfaJmnrle ~ej~.chsomeon~ 'else the basics !!If speed lreading

~t.~ II to ;tof e'lreo~v~ readrrri.'O taWn, II further

Index

.1Iiti!oO'wledgem,s'I'lJlS

~o Mo.FliiST~1l'1ar 8Jild Oluns f@m:m

Have . y(l,U ever piclted up a book on speed ,reacijl'lg a.tid. th(lugbr~ 'J W8Ut to. l,tla:rn how to read faSI: but I d'on"f have: the cim~ ro read 3 book di;~S si21e 'm find out how ~o!'? Read on, iludyouwiU findtll:a,t is not 3 ll!rob~~!D.

Iintroduction to speed reading This book has three levels of i!il,fon:n;:l,tloiil.:

1 What yoll, fUll!&' to know abouf s:peed l'ead:il.1~ tD increase yom Itea,di!.l~ eHidclfi,cy.

2 What would! be ve[)' useful wr yOil '[0 know about speed read,ill1~ and memOIFY, bu~ is nm \!i~31 tiO' ~nc:~se' yom e:nccrJvenessiOlit fhis stage:

.3 'What wouM be nioe :foryou m know, but is cen:ainl}'

['JJQ,t vital, .

What YOl.il1 wii~~ ,achf9ve' lin less 'than 60 Im:inutes

U rollJ, read afil:ll a\.re.r~g.c ~<l!d.ing .l'a,m of 250 WOi!:1U per m:M:um,~' you will be able ['0 Jearn dIe basks of sp€ltJ(lrcaJdi:ng in less than an hom.

After tlle,1irst halif' houl!'

Once you have spent 3.0 rnin!i4u~:;1 with the book yo,u wiu know the 'basks: o.f speed readiof;" YO'1Ii1 wi Il be ~:~Ie ro practise YOUT lilew skills when r~adin;g tbe rest ofth~ ooolk:,. fillisbing it ina :frac:tion of the time you would have. taken pl)evioudy.

Fim things ililfm'

One 0;( the main re<lsonspeo:pre read s.lowly is a lad .. of purpose and toeus. Here al'~ sOnl.e: qUll'StiO'llS, you should liIsik bef'Ore you Sl!'a~~ reildinc; any book, Takfl So httl,(!, rjme to answe.r '~hl:n1. You may halo'e some qlUestlll)RS eo add re [he foUow.in,g list;

• Why are you reaidilJg this oook~

-Whav. makes you think rou need th:is,boQk:?

• Is mis bookrhe best p~are [0 find wbatlfOu are ]ook:lng. fOlt? .' How long do you intend to spend on the book?

.. 'Whcl:l. Me' }'Q~ g:omg, re lime the imOl'lIl.!aitioll. llOUi findil:i this book? ..WhaJU do yon already knowabouf speed :r~ad!in:s:?

.. Wh<'i't do you expect fliom ~his beok]

.. How w:m )'OU kaow when you na.\lc achiesed ymuglQaJ?

Th~s book w.iU ulk~· )fOU th~Q·ug:h3 SYfl,tem of [leadii:ijJrill.'lt will give you the tools, you. n~ed to be' :tIble to lncraase YO'lia,r rcadilllg mt.ein M{), impO'ctanr wa:ys;

"'YOIl wil~ read fasu:rt: a~d re:membtl![ wbat you read.

;; You 'W'in fmd what you Hi~-d to read without always navLng,

to read ,an endre book. -

Speed [,eading is ;abour Rluch mo.r,e tban rea.dng fa:st.; ir is abol!l!f :read.illiS: 'sIDiln .... SiI1'l.3:r1i: ~'Cad:in,g ]5,:

"' De1tcrminiiIlg w:hatt' it is; thi'!:[' you. W'llllt from .my [leadi.ng

material.

• lteadi:ng as dfici.endy as PQssible.

"' king able to reeall Lilformacion when you need iI' ..

Th'e a:i.m of this book. is to help you rna·stec reclLni'qti(!s tnat· w:irul en a blie you to' .read and absof'll morn iruofma:don ~D lesstlme d'l,t!i:n: bdQ~. ¥Ol.!, sheuld fmd ,that you. s:pe:!ld less tima ~ei'!ldiJlg lbecau~e you ma.llag,e .iRfurm:lrion moifC qllkk~y. The "l~lJg~ around! to it' :pile win be ]essth:I;~<lremng a:nd e.u~er to get' around til). Also. when y'Ou ]];ave learnt bow to read Jl!Q:!'i!-:ii.cti,OI:i ~rerial iaSit.c'l i3Jn.d RiliOlI'C e:ffidendy~ Y'Q1,Ji 'w:il[ flm.d that you nan.uaJly apply e:f£ici~!ll Fending r,echNq)ues. [,0 'y'Our JClSI!l:[le :read~ngw:ilih.oult losi..ng me enjoyment of a good MiOZY.

M w.h:b ,a:n~rthi.ng n.ew, speed rca,ding eakes pracd~ - bur not t:be type that feq)lliresyou tn put aside ho~t's, e:aclltday. '¥oll~3im shouM be 'to in.\i.lude s:peed~;r.eadmg, reehnlques in your' daily £{l'udne and in ~ doing ~ome mQr(! llW::U'f' ·of w:h;Jt ro,l.l read and bow yllU .rcad it, .

IHow to use this boo,k;

Thi~~ho()k IS dJesl~ed to be a w'O.rkbookand <I :re:OOrc!!lc-e bg;ok dl:ru~ wiU h.e:lp you dJt'vclo1p your spced.'·irgad~ng ~lkms as }!UlI [earn.

Eaclrticl:l:l1p!ter. nl<1y he .der:,l)ed to. i[lde:pcm1~li!dy. Thii wiU Q\i'i.k(j it easy for YQuro ~.OC<l~C 1thilln(orrna[i:o]l, you need, Becomi·.,s , .. eeussemed [(I m.ov.iflig f~~e1y3:r01.llld .8. book i.lutJe~d ofooading II~ £'rom fronr [0 b.1Clk ~ a!!l important habit to dC'¥fd,op.;, m<l:ny 3ur.llOrs do [lot putr~e lnfo:rmafion iaJip~Qc~(lly dl;~ righr order w:sui'ty,)~.

I ~Iat: hr:~g~ ~U5 to~. !T!Q~ti[l]p(lr~nt I!UlJlc of c:f('(cl1il!c reaaifJJg: _ .~ll:,e y![)U1 OWfil .rc,ru:lulg rules,

A qllh:k g1Jldie to readiin;g t!J:i~ bo.ok fa.s:t and :eH:li>ctiiv~dy 1 F1!kk through ~he book to get. .. feel for its stfl.l.~~,,,e.

2; Roead d'11e t;<l!hl~'of c;:onmn:f~" then ~Ighli.ght: rhe cha:prers ylYlli want[ to rea:d. tlii1.d rlIar.'.k in what ord!e,r yO'll 'W'arl:t ~o fie ad them.

3 Read ",lithe $1,][nmar~~oS,

.. Cooitinueto read this inl:r,oducti('m;~twm oon yOIl wffiia:L

you wili aclJJie'Ve by re<'!di~g eaeh ,.haprer.. <

:5' FinaUy,. i§;m.dyrhe fi:vc·'Stcp sl/'s:tclUand use ~. JJ!!'! the r~Sit ·of [h.e book,

If Y{)H. want omy ~~b!!MSICS o~ :speed read!iJ',il I..cad rhe fuUc(wingdl;ap~c.rs;

1 The f~\i"'h~OO:p R¢:;l:di~g S~tsr.e!ln 2, Speed. Read:ing

U y.QIlf W.<Ut[ .~hru' slciills ~od~vctop yom s,peed and imJprQ'Yll Y01Jif'litlemory

n.t:lld rbe: roU()~4flg chapters: ;5:' M.an·Ql'Y

'7 Your.E;yes ;find Effective R~d:i~g

At> you prog~ th:r.(lug;n: the ooo'kl,ea",nin:s: new spe.rd-lI'e.1!diID,g :~IciLls~ r.e.rne:mbcil" to p,racrisc ehem o!llhis book. It pfm"id!l!'S yo.u w.ith the QP:po[1tuni~:!I' to p~,acli..~~ your new S:kiUs50 th:u: you w:iilll benefilt rrorn win .. r )"Qulear.n much mare .qlliiCMy~

3

Chapter 1: 'The five~st:ep readiingsJstelm

- -

This cl.1.:aJpter CQ,1jf!,ir.5. one: 'of the core ~«ihil:iqiJIe{'i. of [he beek, R.c~di.ng it will gi''lfe ')'01.1 theskllls rhat wIn help yO!!;!;,

• Empty your i!l-'~myq1.lickl.y..

• So·ftthr.(l,ugb pil.es of' pa~rwmk di.a.~ have' b~ilf up over the re:at~ ..

• Reil.d beoks that yO'u."ve been wanting fO' read fur years .

., Oet duough your readin.g ~twork iu l:l qugn~:f of the ~mc it Clur'ttXldy takJi:'$ you.

Chapte'f 2: ,$peedl readling

In this chapter you will leaI'll. bow to' tii!.1k,e afl..exiiib]e ~PPiirui(h W' YOllr readiug, low to fiod lnformatiol'i. fast and how' ['0 ex:h:act the .me$S~ .&on1 dM:i docnmem 'widlOllt wastillg, time.

Chapmr' 3: It'S aU in the words ... dav·e.oping yourvocaibul811Y

'The bene!::' ym.i[" 1'0Cl1bUiI~ry is:. rni:! fu!!,t!CJ: you will be ;1l!ble- '~O read, This ChaplCl' is ,especially useful if }"ouare re3lding a second 1l1ing':!l~~e or Htmte' mal1~l;ta] yQU O!!~'coverililg i:s r:ec!h:nicaJ] (l·r spcc~a.bzed.

Chap,ter4:: Concen,tralionl

'Without cOIlc.cn.trnriQ:!'l there wili[l be. no mem.o:ry. Th~~ is a practical cbapf.~r with exe:rcises to h,e;.lp YOll inc:ru.asC!' YOUI c.onc:entTI!itiQI1~ wherever you have' '[0 werk,

Chapter 5: M,em.ory

If you do not rememhcr whaJt you read, you may as well not begin reading. This chapter wiI] give you a:ninsig]uinto, how youm:' ~.cmo.iy works 3Imd what may be happening when ltdees llIot. A :selection. 'of appm.l'u;hcs m remembering whatyQt! <1i1'C readLtig is .iE.cluded ill ,tbJis c~pttt. Look ~f dlem,a]i anti clhoose those w:hi.c'll, 'You ,co:uld use ;f:(I.F: cliJie di£fer'e:flt ty~ ofreadif.lS! you do"

Chapter 6,: A book, is a book i's ,fj boo'k .or is. it:?

Ev<e:ty type of rC:;I!dlih,g sh.ou]d k; a,ppwaiCbed djffucndy" In this: ,~hapteil' you will .find different stratcg~s t'\\.u will :makel',eadi:ng

II newspaper i:n ten minutes a cinch and ,reading for work a, doddle.

,Chapter 7: Your eyes ,and e,ffec;tive treadingt

YO'lIr ~y~ are rmu' mostt Impcrtant read:iiil,groot The cb.llpter willhelp you tab care of your ¢y~. prevent eyesrraiaand improve your .ftladillg rare by ~ncrea;s:illg what you can per,ceilfc 'within your yi.sua] span. Thls chap~el[" 'h<w .e)("'¢:rcis~~ andpra,er:ical ideas ro make }'om' eyeswerk better -fur YOUI.,

'Cha:prter& DIs,tractions and solutmons

Wher,evet Y'01.l ace, what:e'i"t~r you aee doing. there wUI be something to di$"!;ra-cr you,. Thisch'l'lpter Linksd,oseh' with Ch'lpt~~r 4- rfConcenrrntionj and Chapter 5 (MemQrw).,Th,e :fewer [be disuactions:; the faste~r a.nd m.m,ep['Od~cthl"e' your re'S:di~g 'wiJIl be. SQJIilJ~OIl!tS ~(ia ill.l.lnber o.f diffc:r:ent disH.u:~ti()ntS <liU dC'S!Criooa.

Chapter 9:: ReaJ-wor\ldlreading

MOSif ~ding is, done under pressure - i,n one way or 301,lo':iler,, time ls the c[iticOI] faeren If people ever glve you. documents t'l) read aad then stand wai,ting. w:hi le you fi:nicsh :theft\" this is, the chaprerro read.. It win also h'elp you prierlslze your readms ,and :p.r,e\l'"fn-t yorurse~f fr.o1r!11 b~com.ing an inoormat10n ~uttle.flleck,

Chaipter' 110~: Woi'1king and studying for a l'iN'ing

If )fOU do any kind ,o.f !![l1dying, and also have a fun-time job or 'look a foor ,3 .family you w,m fmd this cihapt~.r!le-r:Y nseful. In ~t yO'liJ, w:iU filind way:s to s:m:.:piiiy a.nd oq'li:lJlhZ!e your read:IElg and redlllce the risk of paoi,(;king a week bemr,e an eXII ~--' Wi" how~\!~r; you have 'Qn~y a week to £,0 umiJ the ex~m there is a strni1egy' in thi$ ,cil,aprer that win help you make [be bes[ use of mat time.

Chapter 11: Useful ildormation and speed pra.ctice test:

This is,a ,supponand re'fe.re:n~e chapter with .. ddlirio!1aJ,1 :information that will help YoOu increase your ... ,oc;a.bulary and :make ['(ladi:ng easier. You. may wa!l~ t'o- l'ecordin a :Ilo'lcbool an)' ex~mimJorm3ti!oin YO'U c~ ~;;:;r:QSS d:lat b,elps you, extend your vocahulary;.

Flr:eq;uently asked qjuestions S~(d nliliJ~f!g eaises q,tn~·.stions:

t< W,b:a:t :is the fash;:s,t possib~e r.illOl:diog s.p~ed?

• h ~i~d ~~dii~~ (lu)' to leun?'

• How dei I mai]lJUli.n, curu::clilJ.t~rion whikJ; ,~a:dillg dry (lil;

t~hnita,1 mat!eri:al?

• How do 1 r,~maml;Jer w!llaitl madwbenl ~('1~d irQ?

You will di~(:Q'\!'€lf theaaswees 'to some of tlwe~e br rea.d:ingt!l:is haole n~ answer lj(j, [~~]!I"$t f~, th<l!twe· .(Iii) not know what lffile limit is to [1\e ra:re' <\lilt w.hich pt'Io"le can read .. The iCu:a:ren~:uc;ofd ho]de!f can read a book fbe size of Wur and .Peace,' la 2,il mJltl1!!Lfes ~H,d aec{U''altreJy ajj~~r que:;dQ~SOfi it, Ability to. ~M'!.Ve!t quest:~ons. is t:h,e ,]mPO~f,3l'J.t rhmg.Wbry spend pr('Ciolls [:im~ rea(img-- if yOll do not nave a way of fe:rn,em.berilng W~Si~yOU W<liijJtlO distil, fr.ol1'!, d1!~ i!W!<l!t¢tja~:? Rememoo.riJlig th:ld.r!iQ:!:m<!tioi!l~ ra~t: or f~criQn~kllilg afl:~r }"QI1 ~H1V~ 111.'i .. die ">iiU be cxp~ol1~d, in Cb~p:t>erJ.

Speed r~adin:g ~se3.sy: only ooe"'fifth of' f.hereadirllS strn~egy ,presented in tbe ne)rtdtapter requires practicc" the rcs1=. ·of the SYSOO!fml wUl wO'rk j;U$,t by m.!ildng: 1l$cof b.

Chapmir' 12: What: next?

How will )'1)1Jl! <liPP]Y what yO!1iJj ha.ve ]e3:rned? 'This cillapter ",m bc]~ you de~gn <! ll·d<ly pW~rfammc' ~hatw:in ,assist yuuin i:nrt1~gm~i:l:lg whar 'vou hll.vt fMl'!I'Hlid ill~() Y(ll!JJr day·!l:g·d....-y .'lICJti.v:itks. Also. d1ere are ideas on h.Qw' irl~) read~ semeone else,

I:~ere. is :1InQ~ffi'i.e:r im·PQrra.j],t mit"': _ Ha.V(i fun,

lin lIiiIis, chapter you wllllleam: '" atlQut the 'rhi',e .5t'ejps: IPllffPam, pre,Vi~ p~Ni'i'. active, selKtiV~

.. hQW 'to' read ~or ~evDls O~' meanlngl

• abQut re:adr.ngl wlUli Si PlJ!'fJ'0$8

IlntroduQtion to, the five ... s1ep sysla·.m:

By the time y(lg ooltlflete: the five steps in the system yO'll will

n:nI'G! ~

., ExpJor'ed the material in least three times. '.' Rea . .d what you Deed to have ['ead .•

., IDliegralied the new kuowloogeimo wh:atyou 9i~ready know . .. 'Gainl1id. an aeeurate recall of the iDfu:I'mation.

.. Foun.d the lnron.na;rion you r,~qu.i:fIe .

.MOO'r impolitallldy" :you will ha.vc'spem <I. fm·~t1():1J! uf the rime. 'you. mi,glu p~heJ:Wise have spent l~ilr.I1~l1g rhese skills,

To avoid sHppin;g hack inee old IC'OIding habits, d.ollely {oUow' the f]Vte-S;liep, system ol!ldin~d in this book, • Once you are' familiar' will! ityollJ ean adaprir m any type of read'ins - articles, newspapers, memos, books, magaz~ne:i! and so on ~ by

comb~ujng aoo omitting steps, -

I The five:-!l'tiep syst'e:m has .. one- (.-lllCr-.tiding rule:

A[waysk.n.ow ,wlry you are :rcadmg somed~ing.

h a.oeslili"t :1l'I,atte'.i what yOUJ reil~ofi:i~ fQif i'~3.dillg .so:meEh:ingw'hethc.r· it' is because somaonc r·eco·rum.e~ded ~to:r Il;imply

because you want to - as long as you ha\l'~' a mason. -

The filv'C' steps in ,the' system are as follows;

J Prepsee,

2: Preview,

3 P.3ssi'll'e :readifl!g. 4, Acti'i'1emldll'lg.

S Selliective l'(!',ilding,

Th.is sysre'lilil is based Olll 3. process that simply asks you eo highlight and eliminate' .. A~ Y(l'l.:! u~:e the ~'y,$JWill., yeur a,im.is, to highl~ght ~reru; io'rifmthC![ stiltl.dy and eliminate those that YOlu are eertaia YOll do not need.

Depending ,on how much 'YOU \vantfrom the book, Sle~ 1 to 4 couM take between S and 40 mirrutes fm ·a b.ook ,of 300 pages,. !h,e dine that .Y'Oi!I\. spead on SteiP .s will depend on how much detailed ilifQtmatio:n YOU wanlt from the materia],

Steps 1 w:) 'VoIiU now be QUdira~d .. Read [M:ough dIil> section once, then usi,ng ;) E:o~.~fi.cti.on 'book on a suhJiect YOllA are iir:It:e~-esrod in trY' tn(l' synellJl oue .. fOIr the mO:!t1cr!J1!:" ri):r;get ahi::lI.it ttyi.ng ['0 ~'ead f:ast. We s~a:[Jgct to ilhatl,:rlcc.r.

Step 1:: Plrelpare

Oll~ of the r'C-350m why .fcadi:llg c..lrl be. fn.asrmting lisa. lack of cOfu;;ellu'a.ti@1li. This has as much to do with your rhol\!lgbts as rou!," ,iiln:f,g·lI:ndin;gs. One' of the setioi;is d.ist.rl'l.ctions is tension .. ~n YOH are ap'p.l'ooching.1\ lars,1i vnlu.me of ,r,eading"e-s~ci:d:ly :if the' subject is n(lW ro you, tenston may rise, On(l Wily ttl dlminish i.nl:l:i;]l tel:1lSl0ifll is t@ esea bljs;h -d'laf you 8 Lreacly J!,;;nOl.Y wmcdlii:ng <'ibout the subject. AfiQt:h(:r~ to use jf you know thar '~IOIU do not know very much •. is ee fonnuhne qUe$tioi!ilsrlitat 'wiI.I h,dp yo'u im.pmvc YOiur knowlei!gc' aJJlJd ~~h~fiW 'y'Ollr objective.

The main pUl'pose of the ]nep[uiltion slltep is wi)' build. tile f[,a~ewol'k onro 'Which. yon will fit e'!i',~r~'1l:ting you learn as you. r~d. The fr,a,me1lj1',Q(ik can be: madle up of facts Q.[ qu(!~m:iQIl$.

Thought: ~rmim(lm

Compa~e' the expe:rle:t;,oe ,of pmparfng to, R!latl a tWIt to seeing sometningyou have naver seeil OOf(II;8, When you see :something i19W yen:! mltlYa~ 'firs! take $l)m8liime to ,es1a'blish what ¥,QU ;tlm lookJIng at. During toot 'Worldngrout' lintEl you oornpare wtJat you are :seel:ng with what you a~read¥ knoW' ymil you '~rnd something lnm is,si!l1~laJr; whlcli"l wm help, yOu mal«! sense 0,1 wlti:at y,ou :are, looking ,at Ilf you fiM .oothlngl that 'comes close you;willr begin, to <l!S<k q,lLl!3$~i(iO$ n:artmally.

IPrepa:liing to read 11$ doing Iha saIne,. Wln.~n you loo~ at the titre or the, subject Of what yoo :are i\.bout to roadl, allow your.seff iii! !Jlitl& ~imar 'to think at 'what: }i'QUI a:im-adyl<now ~hat: cernes ;(;l\)S.ilji 10 what you are looking em il1 rlil'l,thl'rngdoes,ask questions Tn a struG;tu~edl way:

QJ\lestiol1~ a re lInpormnt;witbout dlem ,on willi. fin.di .illiO aJiSiWtifS. for ,eve'ry piece Q~inforlDnion youpiace on youii" Jr,;uncwork ask ql1estions ~ who, what" where, when. wb:y, how. Th,ere is :Jil'i:i stl.cn dl~tlg, iOIIS a siUy 'quesripu. QII,l'esuQu$ dla,~ .are labelled as s\lc:b Me ge!ij¢r;aiUy the: 'ones that au d~€fi.ctllit to a:llswe:r for somc' 1'~;'i$i)IiJI.. Tbi.f.Ik back to when. you were' a. ,chiJId and you ,.,sk~d :3 per.fectWy good q ucs!tiQ:Il_ If your parents could [!()!f;, Oil' di.d .nnt'W'SlD't to, al."ilSWe.~· lr, drud they SQy~ 'DQIi~t ask such sJUy qjuestions', t¢<'!ving you .feeling bew~ldered and.igllorant? Ai:ways ask questions. It is bener not to find the al'!$'W~r than ogvlirmask ,till.e '~l~e"$rion, The mere youkn'ow and the mere ques.tions.you a.sk!, rhe mmerou will be abJe to miillke' s.c'me ,(Ii! rhe subj'e<:r.

Q

',-6,

, I

Tl¢pJiC~r<liil'.ion S[3:ge helps you focus Q~ the t<isk:

.' WriH~: dGowti, wl:la( you i'i.hi"e-adyknow aoout the subiecr; !key words are s:1)l,H.ident.~

.. Decide wh.u: you wanr from jhe book. is it genell,"a.1 information, CI1QlIgh to w,rlte ;31 repore on or ;si:mply the answer 00' a specific 'qnestion?'

.. Alwul/'li: ,~. YQ'iJir5e~f 'EheUl d:i:ree q~t1iQillS;

D, Why am ~. J.'¢"adi.ng dl.is in the ~iir:5!t P;13iOe? 1 Wbaf dol a.1readr :know,?

.3 What do I need to know:

Gettingyollrself inee alearning StalW is i.mPOfMlta:. This, wil I help Rlaiximum eonceatrarlon. Chapter 4. which. deals wirh coneentraricn, providesa aumber of methodlstliar wm hcdp )Inti mens on whar you. baye to do, whether you 'aF'!! surrounded by distrnction~ at home or in dle' :mid:st of :lJul},heu:l at: [hoe affk,e.

,St:ep ,2:: [Pireview

The 'pl~.rpOii!e of PLev:icw:i~:g a !book is to become farai lia r with t1t,s stU:U::W!lte.

.. Wha,t cl)Q!}lj·it I,QQl\: l.i.1k!~~'

;0 Are there summaries OrCdJRdu~iQ.H$?' .. Is it aU ~exd'

.. Me rhere ally picm:res! • What size 1:8. me print?

.. Do~~ ~hc font selected make :it e-iiSY t)O read? iO 18 f~~e text brokien 'up' :intQ $e<.~[iO'M?

.. ]s it a ,~eri~5; o~ pa:{'3.grn.pbs?

for a JOG-page book, d:,u~' Qvcr,view should t~lk:e a'bo1llt:~11) minutes,

;; h.a,d tbe front and. back covers, the insid!e flaps. and rhe table (lif c-o(tllC);n;fs; and havea look at the index,glo.ss;],ry and! bibliography.

.. Det'e.rnJii[J~ thestructure of the 'book: cbapeer headings, suI\)..

headings, p[cEiI!U'.es. graphs, 1,;3::rt:oOlliS· <l!pd images;, .

!O E!limmarte the piO!!I'il:$ of '(M book that yon tm: 5'l.U"e YOy, d.on"y n~dl.

'" HlghNi8,1bit aiil:ca~, you thi:r-!lI:: yQu. d)o, n~.,

• Re'!3ffirm your decision ,abouf wh~t you want nom the boot. .. If it 'becorne.~ cI.ea.1: thall: the book does l!i"Ot '(;Qnra£n what :V'Ol'I n~~pll'i: it away. You. wi}'[ ba.vII: sa'l!'td }I"ollJiisdf hours of wOIL'k.

ThC'J:¢ ;is a vast a.mouf.l.i: of'imor.mation you eangleea from each of tiliI,e$ltages of !I"OM p.review. Here are som,e idetl:S3'bont: what ycu.llshou]d be lii:!oki..ngfur during this stage:

The ,oov'er

The c:over ill the frrs!; !;;aU lura book" ,Any picture on the front ~$ dl}~ign{.-d ro attract yOll.l1' attention; ~t is tlllc-tefo:t{! impo.rMftt :Eo. ~M!k bey,ond the picture to .f~nd ouf wbIl,ther 'tilite book wiU be' usefulto you.

IBac!k"page' blurb

This shQuld giv,e a g()odi lmldicadotl of what rhe book cQ:!1tai[bs. It ,o~ OOIl~lI;ins prornlses, such ii.s~ '!If you t~d. dtis book you. wjiJ1 get •• ,' ,- you. ~y also be abJe'!o gauge ~he book's ,r,e-adabi:l.it}'1 if the ~·d(-pag,e bl.urb .LS wcitre!1 ill comp~ex ~l(liIl,~,Ilig:e.,. ~hc rest of tbe hook may be th~ ~mA!'" If Oll ttl n ::, other band it is deiit. sr:ra~gbt'lornr31'd and easy to IlIndcrslam:ll; there ~Si ,;Ii Itletter chance of the. book being ·cas)!" readin:g.

Ilnslde fta:P.S

M@st hard-back b@ob and even so'rne :Sloft~·bi.'iicks halve inJonnatiOD on the Inside of tke IliOVe:rS" This usually consists ·(If silmmar.ies, biog:r.O!pbi'C~l jn:fQ.rm,all:iou and II. p,not,og-taph {jf the ,Si~;tb.o:r. Readi.oc tffitls wm give: y@u irlfo:['m;aiti.on abouli: ,the audlOl aH.di what: point of view liey m:igh'l be takin,S.

Fo:rewor:d

l:'Jw fo['ew'Ord~, hardly ever i"eOld, .is probaMy' the most imporraut seedon to 'covet at die prevrew sM§e~ Another cxp~tt ~Il. rbe field 1l5U:o!!Uy wrlres it. ~t win almose always ,co,nrta:i:f.1 :infor.ma.ri·on .about the 3lWthor aJrLd rhelr experience ~n. dlefi~ldfh@y are wdti:Qg .in.

Toible o:f conlel1,ts

The C:()l!tenf5; aable is iinllendie,d to help YOli .fhul. rOlIU'way truough.a. book and is Ukely to be the section to w.hich 'You rillet' mi):Ilt o.ft.e:nJ. 'When you !ltiotke:3. first'pass ar d1.e taMe o.f eonrenss, make notes' a~ you go. If you [{nowt.hat you do fliOit needthe

,contents of a ehaprer, make a no'tJe about why you think y.g~ dg, net need: Ir, Forih~ il,;haptcfs iha:t YOll do want" 1l0['C wh,a,tit Is you expect to find Oil qlll.esrniC}J111, YO;1iID wanrr·aJ1J$we.r,s to.

Glraphii,cs" pilc1:ures and cartoons

These In;ay be exce[len'[ SOU(';trul of i:nformat:io!:! •. They eont.ain information. abeuethe topic in a pictorial format., S;ince; most of us remember plcturesbetter dlan words; they will. helpyou r'~m~mber Wh.3t you are reading. Do no,tiu~,1t glance at gt''IlIphs :and pkriiU~;, ,~rudy thcRl; reed t'Re rides aJ:I1ld alll.y exp]a:!lat~OiIJiS provided and work out h,o",.. tJney wiU fit into the framework you ~n to build :in Step 1.

Tables

Th¢5e ,are wdul :~U~ can so.mttimt.s be conlusmg wkbout background knowled,ge ;about wha.f they cenrain . Look briefly at the 'tables without .anempting: to memorize or fully undersraad wIllit t'hey cOl:llta:in. If 3. hri.e.f ~xplalfl,OItiJQn is attacfled 00 the table d.1.e'El li'ead. that •. but: w~t]~our s;pellding .m.ilCEi. lime on h. The io.fo:rm~Hio·m. wilm b~omc clc.uer ,at Step 4\ ~ Acriv,~ reading.

Index

Nexc tQ therable -of mDtents,lliais ~!> rhe mesr valuable !i~c;ttiQ[I in the book. Th~ii:1.de~ win ,give you demUea ill.fDlfm,artiQfi in a different forma.t from d.1~ centenes table:

.. If Y?IJ an mooldng.forinfo!:'mO!ri.?~ on a, s,pedffc aspecr ~f the !l.Ubl~ctoli' an O'lIf.lswe:r to a s;p~cli[c ql]mil;.lt)Il.)I'Q(I may finda

.f'Cfle.r.ellce ~,o itt w~[h~li.1It :furtbe:r ,[.eadiJ:I,g. .

.. The wndex wiU give you a V.ef}' clear indication of the derall l'Ei .. t!' bOOK has 011 },0I1[' subjecr.

Glliossary

Th:i$ ~¢(ti,Qn ~!i useful to skim d'IJ.ri:ng :r.11,1$' ·s~p ,~nd you wm ceil'taiD:ly ~.iRd ~[m.O!!it useful :iQ Step 3- Passive reading, when you are srudying the :Inngua,ge oJ d,,~ text. While you are readil'l8 th(;: S~iOIii8 YOll! have sf:lected the' glo.ss;u:y will be invaluable - p~ac:e a Illil.rk.e:r at the start of me section so rha:1:' when YIl:iu, need ~o determiee the ,me4'lning n[a, word )'Oil]. win be able to find i.t qu:ickl.}'. If y-oy are ~ttldfiDg fmm 'tIu: boolk", eheck whellne.r you may phamcop,y rhe g~,o~ry 00 that you can add. norestQi~

ea!liliy as you worJ::. .

B'lbliography

Tb,e' bib'JiQgraphy nm:y ill!.d~~ some of tdu:' boo;ks tie ~i!.Itho[' IIlIsed ~~ refer·ellce du:riligfhe: d,evdopment of dIe book, It will also ~iv;e an .[dea of wEiat ~e'i'e:1 the book ;is, pitched ,at. If ~hc lilOoli:s:·,lkled in thebibl:iogNphy are 3i]l fum:iUar to you, the book may ll'Ot 'be S"l!llffidendy <!dV~ulccd! fer yOiLll' aeeds, ,If they are new ttl y(!'131 tffil.em, :it wi]] be a good guid;e fOJ: further $lilldy.

On d!,e, basis of the ]nfol!.'matiJem gaw'reiI during this !S,I!~p,)I'Ou wiJI be able to think I.tior,e deady ,a'bout wha~ the Ui.xt cozers, At dlI.s !l,t;3F, review l'Ollir' pUirpose.~s ~t sril.1 the same as 'YOU staled liIeFol't\ }Iouprcviewoo the book Of has, if changed because of' Whall: you have ~eoal'n~?

At th_~ sta1ge you shollld,,]w ~giin ['0 be able to srrerehjour knowlllil,geand !ll1d1e.f,!ltandi.ng of whac rhe 2!!!ditQr 'is trying to $ilI.y. U~ oow'C¥leJ~ die author'is pomt is srillaot 'cJe>illr" try 'to decidJi;: what ~5$1[lDlpd()i[ls the author is making ..

AI. 'too oftc~". spe(Jia.list:s 'Will writ:e- Oil [:heir pSl1'tocldar subjecl'[ fo:rgtiuingrhat: many of tbe people who win be .!)i'J:ading, ir wil~ Ilot b3;veilad rhe years 'of training., reslfan:h an~ cxpnsur,e to the Sllbfll!!d tbat [:htey have La,d. As, a. C:Qrnie-qU~fi",. dle :la,l'Il!l,!i!ag.e m .. .y be c:omplex an.d1 basic exp~~.patiQns may be: lac:kiDjg. If this is the ca:$~~ rons,lder what ql;lt'Stiofi<S; YoOU might ned to answer be:fo!l'~ you, coo c!i!u1.ti;n~,e: with the text. With I:hQlSC': qtl~slioru; in mind carry' on ,to Step 3.

Step S: Passive' reading

Now l~aJt Y'01,l, are prepared and ~now cbe slrnC:tIi.U'e Qf tllt:. book. dds step will [ammadzc you wj:rb rhe language: and the organrizarion. or the 000:1.::. Is it fun of jar,goOn? Is t'be author a ''1inguafai'i'? How is the jnjmmadon organized~ Axe there a. ~Ot ,(j{ ~x3mples.? Does dw book rake you dtfOUgb a sre:p-by-step pI'OCeSS?r

.!I<no,w:ing !how a boot is o'"8~.ni2led will he]p you to identify key ideas:and sen'!:,i:i:oCil5 ~I:l Step 4 - Acti\i\i:l reading, The inromlariO'll may be: ~rranged .in a lIM!mber of way!l~

.. Ch...ro:oological ,.., First. sooond~ third 01' by date,

~ Ex::ru:n,I.es - ]f theile' seem to be swrics in the text" then perhaps the stodes aJII!: tIRe evidli:ll~~ for .a;rgumell~ that the auihO'i states elsewhere,

" Ad,vantages anddisa:d,Y3:Dfag:es - To, iiifl,COver. this Stl'ucrul!~ leek f:or word:s like 'bur', -·on lh~ ,m:her hand' .3Ild'h·o·wev'er',.

14

• Process - A~t:ivity A leads I:o:laiv~ty 13 and Q1!li roacti . .nty Co ... MO$,t ~mFOn'lll!l.t/~eO'Lsrift!pgrtWll~ _. Does :tile· .~Udi·O!r pb:.e·dl.e con'! of the information .31 rhtl start or a:t the end? Most newspaper. stolti~s'!tliiU have the l:nos[i:i1i:'ponant infcrmaelon <!ttJ.oe stan of rhe soory" f:D][owed! b}r thcdet.a:j] !1ece~a;ry tJO say mOre aboUlt, the act~il.l inc~dent and pewnapcsfinally COI'tlm.cml:' from. those ~nvol:,,~d 0'( the opinion of ehe f,Oilll.[[l~Hst •.

The passJvc: readi.JiJg step works best if you. thoroughly completed Step 1 - .Pr~p.1'll''C·.

hshoilld f;ak.il onl~' between 1 I) and 15 minutes ·[1) read a. 300· p~g.e boo;k pftssi;v.el.y~

~ Scan the pages ar a nne ·oJ about ;l page ~veTy one to two seconds,

• H~g:hLight WX1!ds: tharstand ou~. They rna}' be fiamts •. lo:ng or tedmica:l werdser wOil"ds in bo1d. or iMlic.

•. Docid)~if ,tbe [allI,gl!l3:ge is [~cl:i.Qi~], :nOIl1l·-tech.fl.tCaJ (~[ uerfriendly. Are you fam~[jar with :ii::?

• L()uk Oillll: fo.r words th:u: wil] give'you. 81. ~ltJie w ~,Qwthe i:[lront1~u:i(Jn ~s :s,ttuctu:red!. ,s,rar[ ]ook~[Ig for lkiey ja,eas.

~ .M3.ke 3. note of' where the key 3~m.fmts $~ern to be,

An ,@xpedment and an, ImpgiUlilt: lII10te

~fy'Ou ~r..I'\;OW Wli'iiBt you wE! tooklngfor, you ·wilI ·f.lru:! it If you know why ya<lI: ale readinsl the ,bQok ·you wfJl kno:w ·w,hat: you·ate ilooking 1m: You win notloe words ml!allng 10 your aRiili of interest. .

1ty fhis. look aroond .and noilOlll eVerylhf.ng'18d:. O,nlly :red. Notioe, Iilo,w .man},sltl-ades of red 1here me'. Now, close· your eyoo; and remember e\i',erythlng bllu$ in th~ 100m ., ... ·Vlilhat did yoo Infl~ic'El?·

Step 4: A.cti!ve readiln.g

The maLllpufposc·of aJrtill'ercadi.llg is ~o idcrnify the 1];13.1:n ldees of a text. There are tworeasons why :thfs ma:y be a ·cba:IDlenge::

.. Youm.iglu n(i!; kncI"wellollgh ahout [he (ext .or tile aUi:Iil.or ~Q' :r,ecognize· wbat the :id~aJs or OIrgJUments are, This ~ m~e beiog :asked wtl...etbel!: you ba.w; .~ny qUle.srions SlibolJ't 3. sUfbj.ocr yoili know morhi:fligabo'ut _·Jl'OU dOl ~m know enough liO lmow what qlU1::SilkiM wasik:. The more thOll)!IJ:g:hly you can:}' oue

SrepsI to ,3. and the dearer your purpose is, [he easier it will be to .!i.od main idca s ..

9 The second c'haUeng,e is that you may not know where in rhe text the ma inidees are iikel.y ro be explained, A1t:holllgh t:he main i.dea of m,OSl; well-written material is in rhe first sentence of the para.g:raph. it m,lY be i.n~h(': middle or ar the end lmtead.

Finding the main idea

J(no\Y:ing tnt [ypc of material yQIP are reading will help you determine where the main idea is Hkely to be. A [cxt written to inform .v:illpwh3 bly have the key semence at the sraet of the paragraph. If' t:hcpourpose is to cnterram then the key mOifn'J;::ui:om. will more than Hi<dy be at the end (like the punchline in a joke). If the [ext is there ro persuade you, you may find key lnformation at rhe start or in the middle, During Steps 1 and 3,loQk fo,]j the [ccarion of keyinfurmatton;. this wiU help yOIl ro

.d'nenn.ine the n:<bture of the tt'.Xr'. -

Fo'r more detail

This is tneFir."1 rime fOil wm be &c~irlg anything resembling reading:

• Detc'rmioc the type of material you are reading.

• Read the firsepaeagraph ofe'llery chap[et and the 'iirs,t and [am: sentence ofevtty !paragraph •.

• As you progress through dIe' u:;a,beg,in to idemi.fy wbeu '[he main idea isllkdy [0 be and fceus mere attention on those secnons,

• Avoid reading entire paragraphs, Thi~ will slow you down.

The keyquestion toask during this srep I.S:

• What point is the 3ud1ior [tyillS to make?'

CrQ$5 om, highlighf. unde·rlint,.ci.tde and fake notes as you read. Later In t:hi~ book you will Learn how to mind-map (see p, 75}. The more tho.roughly you do thill, the easier selecting w har you real1,' need. to read Will be.

Ana1YS$ your readingl

Befort you laun.ch into' Step 5 ~ Selective reading, take a lirrlc timc to think about what you have read se far;

Q

......

~ Did yQl!W hOlVCOl:rJiy diH.i~.ltY w.ith the cot!~~~[,vQCabulaJ~ or contmllt ()If [lhJ~ book?

'~Dild dl,e material r()~ :r~d. eyob any thQughts or feeii:flp; rhar 'W~f~ Opt (If the (ll'diri:<ilty?

'I What·\!taS yonraitli.tud,ebefo:rc yon stareed r.endlil1:g? Has ~~.

Cil1:<!Ag:OO now:1

'. As YOll wen~ r:hroogh S~eps; 1 1'04 dfd you become less

inte!l'l!st-oo ill ~be :m:at-eri:a~, Oir mese :i~~ueswd.?

,~ How :ml.l!~h tim~ did :YUU! ~perld?' CuuM you ba"eredu~ i:t~ '"' Did )IOU get: d:l'~w:l':i: i:llm anypartktlil.\1i:r SOCtkil1l?

.. nid y(lu find. whO'!It~'ou w.erie iookJQg ~od

'"' Are yotlr notes ,:lea,[,?

Thetih.ird qt!es[~om".oiJll an:hil!lde~ ]SVf::ry im.po.rra.t.'Ilt. If you f(\~i fle,§adll'e abeerrhe task. yoU! mmi.v<lIrJona:nd concentration w,irnl. di:m.inl$b .. :rid $~Iecri~g wh,n you need ~o !)e<l:d"c~'I;!if<!.tdy may ~ !:Hore (i:i£fkldt~o accOOl,pIisll.

8dQreyou be~in rJ1:e nex~ step1W,i.jt,c down q~esrio~8 that ),O'1ll wou~d lUte [l(l ~8ive answered by wila[ Fot! ~n:re[ld[o re11ldi.fOlr ~l'!':ampJc. yOY :m,ight Mk:

.~ Wh<!l~ W!el'e~he main poirtt'S the :a~tffitor"vas rryingto pUit ~cro!>s:?

ThQYoh!t experlm!l!n~ {dl:!n't aociW:ally db this IlomlaH }!''O~ wali'llt to, w.9!$lil'! ,Ilj grEiM~i!'Ill otti:Mii'i ,and petii'(.a~

Ilmag'in!31 yol!.l ·areto take a 1ilrlp hm Lond,on to, EdillOUrgh. ¥oll.lwim usa OQ~fiItry road~· :asr~ ~$ p(l$$ible, Imcagf!1l€l you hav*iI !l!1Wi!l!!' take11l1 suelt'la IiriIp bmora, butstlill you d'oolde mot ~D takfl!lJ Ima;p. ~, youramll'ai/I in Edi~biUtgh, eheck ¥OUft!rrte. incliu:dlnglt:ie time ta'k.oo by det'QiUl"'S a:Jiildi by !;l:;;lkltng (J'lfOO'~I'Qns. M!ak:(l ~e: ~rip,.~ $~()nd time ~sjng ;01, map, and then compaJa Ula dUfaml'iioo in Um.tl belW'8erll th~ twojouffiey$.

The :same applies to 'readlil"lg!. The 'lirst fm':!lr :sti9p5.~rom proparMion to ac,tive rea.din:gl,r;:rwle a map f'QI!' }'IOU to,ftJU()w. When you klnow wl'le~ you are g:o~ngarndll1lQw yoo are gol1'll91 to get: 1ihe~e, tha task is much easier to accOIinpU:sh.

Tile PUfpo!.l(lo;f the fi~st fo·'!u step's is co aUow you to se]ect. what you need or want' W readOli.fid hdp yon read, It mt~liipdy.

Duri:ng the Iirsr four steps, you have decided what i:r is you o;l1::lIo'[ [,0 r.C';;l,d~ W'hl3t answers Yl)!l. are Iooki:llil; for' <!InC! wha~ yo. inrel"I!$1i: in. the subject is •. Yo,iIl. have seudted ehe structure of {he book, yuu ,are fai!trli~.i~r with iit!l langua~e~ Y{IU haver,ead some of the ,(iOl!lreilt~ gi.ving yOU! <'In c:!u::e]~eiit undcrstrmdhlg of wl:i:iii: lI':hc. book contains. YOU! can now select tbe' sections you scaU)' need '~O read withO~f worrying aboutwhethct YOIl :have missed Sinj'thiJiI1li-

"lnteLlige:ndy' refees to you:r ini.ri3.lpurI?Q~. ReadingintdUgendy win hc]p, you distillglll:S!h, belCiV:een what y01U: need to :kr:!O'w~ wh~r you would like to. knoW' and w:hat it would be futi to .know.

To selecc wh,u }fOil] need to read 00 '£,1;1111] [:h;e purpose yOy set fOor

YO'1!l.tSt:!:1f dmingyou!" p_cparnrion:: .

~ R,~view the aeees '1ml mad.c-in S'!;~p l.

~ Add anyre]evan[' in:fo·r:matioll ro'u galoed as fut!, W~~' read:ing;. -

~ Answ'er the question ':00 I aJr,eady h,i),Ye w'b.aJt I WlIS, loo:kill,g fod'

~ If you do. stop.

~ U yuu d,on;t, n:view ehe key' "Words highl:igh~ dlU:il;'lg S!I".ep 3 - P<J!~ive Il'cac:litng • and £c~,at rhe ,qu.e:stion: 'Do I na!le> what I W;].fir?"

~ YOlli millet:: nl)te--S diuring, Step <4 -, Activ,e ft.3lding. Re'V~ew them ,!lnd a,galn ask whe'tlle:r you hat.ve what YoOU want.

~ U 'yoo, decide m"~li'(filI need mnre mfonl1!ariom~ go. 'Ebro!JJlgb the boo,l and. r~d 'the pieces of wxt you ident:i£ecl as rdeva.nt:' duri:ng the :61'5:[' four steps ..

~, ]f 'YOU decide yOU! needto read the' entire book. yuuwi]l be a Me to rea.,ditlnl1ch faster because, having, comp~eted rbe first four ~,t:e.p:'i, of the five-sl!1~p' s!r"stel:'U; you w:iU Iko()w what: ~he book oon,t~:ins and what to' e'xpcct.

By now you w;m be faroi.Ua.r with the layoulr~ In.ngu3ig:e ,and ctl-lUent of the book. You willi have spent ;';lJppmNima:te~,r ,4Q...S'O mlnures wirhdil.e hook aad you wil havea good idea of' what' it ~()\nt;ai:Iii:S,.

nUl:1k c<iirefully' a;gain a,boU!t what 'in!:octIy Y01l1 wa.nt: from. the m~re:r.i:11. The mengtb ,o·f time you spend ,on St,ep' 5 depends Of! how much }'IOU decide l'OIJ need. Wher:Brugr youw:ant to. readit all or j1i15t: Qiie paragi::'aph on o~epage in oeechapter; that' will be ,~n !:Ilto.rmed decision aDd YOu w.in Dot have wa.SI[OO llonr tilll!.!.

o

, ......

18''i'hinlk aboUit 11Ih!' fliVrE!"'\$l'eP ~mI ,and apply il~ 1.'0' ~he re-st of Ills

~ f:' book,

!f' ~--~~------------------~~ aID

~ One of rhe biggest comp:lain.ts iPQople :m~e !tbOIl,t spee,d.~.r,e.adin,g

"tl boob is mal th~ are 'too big and tale 000 IODg to read, Use

i Wh3if you learn 3iS you learn iot to increase the ,HUe at whi.c:h y,o,u J :r,e.adi this hook.

Did )!'.ou kno,w?

Ilif you know' oo1hingi abOut a sub]ect befom yo1i1 $tM ilt is almost, im;POMlb1e ;.0' f$memDel' what you mad. llIe fl\ilEj,..slep syst.em tlel'ps you oolt<j iii framework 0" kino,wI&d'giE!. Jifiaikifig IfE!tenti:on and recalll easter.

Read i nigl for levelsot meaning

The pu:rp~ o.f ['fie five-step sYSI[,em :is m ena,blle ,.OIU ~O< gadlCiI" as m'ucb i:llfo~m3it.iOllas poss~ible' before yOl! select whatylOl!. W,lIU 0.1' hsve (0 read, Depending on li'0~l' malerial, y,~Utf n~a.sontS and ~he~mount o,him,c: you have ;l,wilahle. you can use t~e s;y~t,e'm :1i:1. d~ffll!fell.t WilIys •.

The more yen.:! u~d~f$,ta.ndtllite ~Olil:telillt of what YOl!1are readiing, tb~ ;~U~r yOW" I;omprehension win be w.ben yO'll read in mQ:ie depth, TIle nature ·ofihe meani.ng y,[lU gamer from tile five~step process will depend on wl:iac YOIl are lookmg for.

You can G;/!t d.iffer,:e:llll' leyels ,of n1Mning froma mxt .. !Each level :requif(:sa diJf~'~Ilii: type o~ re.adin,g:

'"' Uleral ~~g - Tbi,s is me: ,e.xa,ct Iitl.ealllimg: of d:u::' t.ext. mt ma.i~I.y consists of' ma.s. figtll'fS,. dates and names, Dis iBro.rmOl,rion Ina,y hsve to be m.emQriz~d and ~f~;l.t'lnOr be changed 0[' f;-e~nterPI~['ed.

'. Implied! mcming - This iruOi[,ma.tion ~5 not state·d dil,il:C;tIDy. mt may require ,IHa]ysis. If the aurthOf S<l:y$~ "It was a her and beauriful day', they imply th~t: the SUD was shining: tor some (If dl;aJi!: ,d~;~.

.. lmifem:d meammg - This takes a little more ar.ud'ysis. It reqaires yot! ~,o ,qU>e$[~OB [he o\1ill.u~.or aDd examine more d~p~y Wh3!1:[iIl~ mota~l.

Take this ;smiemoent: llhe human mind is [likEl~ oomputel;" the 1Jooble, is, thB!t. a. oompUiler' OO!T!l35 WJ~h a lil'umufill. cur mi'ru::is, doni't

'.' Tile Uter:al meanrln,g of rhissenrence is d.at compore:rs ,come with maf:luals.

• The :impliedmea~g is tfl:atlh.el'C! is some: similariry between me way a computer s~rsrem work5 ,00Hd the wa.}! ,our minds .i!~I1:i~o. f-~.n'c[~,OiIlJ.

'.' Tile, inferred meaJnmg is '[har we know nKlw i], !;Qmpu~~r works because ""'4; h"ve a manual ,3S a guidie b\!lt\yC will rUl~'Ver know how our minds wo:rk becau~ we don't have a, ,g'uLde retake us t~:roug'h 1:he int!ic"d~s of its functiens. ~f ~here ,\,¥i:!rl.l 21. maeual we wOIJ!l.ldn''r b.v~a. problem ar aU.

lllf~~[ed :~~~_in~ ~.m b~ as ~i~erse~s }fO_~I~,i~,a~inarion. Hrend and u'l1pliM rnCaf.lU'lg, are a bt.t~.e more Ie--stn~fed.

To demonstrsce howYOliiireliild.img d1iffe:rswhe:f1 r'OD I,oak for diffe'[~nt level s of :mean.ing,read the fo]l.ow:ii:'lg 'f~xt dm:c times. :Finlt, 100k o:n~.'Y for Htcni meaning; then fol' implied mearung,. Fimlily J1e.adi~ wiJih your .mi:ml wide OP!!111' fo,I" ink-r[\(\d meanjag, givi:n:g the ~;xt aSfI'I!<'lIlIr)" diiffere'llitinterp!.'et<uioi:ls, 3.('; youcan,

,j'A ma:nager' needs to understa'nd "at: ,all people' are diiffemnt' by Morris Taylor (plrin,tBd withtl1e author"s peJimission)

Those who, talks, IPsycMI'ogy m degroo revel '11m ncrma]ly study (or ,at ~east [00, in Ui€l ·sam~, room as) 'wha~ litt'e iis IkioiOW\fl, andtaughl ,about lite topIc: of Indivl~al Diif:!.f1I"eIiIGels ... a l1Iopefulty 5~f~ ,explana'lory term.

Th~ Will also expliQre v,ariatio:n~. on tine theme ,of ¢la$$i~1 ,oondltloli1~ng (a la P,i:!,v!ov·$· DQ95), aJ'Id~hey 'Win C,oilltii'i1.ilEii 'tilimugtl! toO -, ~Q names, 'fEiw- beha~Cluriism. $OO~al I~mlng, ,and ollBf impilrtant~rt~s, about .oowand why humans bella ... ,€! iiil! particular waY'S.. And pemap5 1tneywill tearn ,!'t nittle about personaUly theo:ryand ~.hen about how W$ (mls)ibeha:ve filii' grtlUPS,

lhose who study {il"lthir'opdl:ogy' - in pMJ(ll,llar, cli.II~tllJraJll imthroPQ~IQgiY - willi mad about 'Hl,liIII1lm Unll\ilersals': those ,observable, (:and non-observable} behavio!iJl'S tha'l cam! be p:mvel"l (Ci:arl we, QVcar'?) as, ooouiilfng inl any and every hU!!1ll:afil, ber:ng or. at ~he very I~t. in! broadl culwral: gJlOLiip'S: ...

COlilid It be that', bliKli!ll!se of IndMdua.11 rrJifI!:!ijrsnces ('and, '['Or that maUer;. ,euibJraI difremnces)\ there a:re not ,9$ many Hum.UIi Unlw~s as we might at tJlr$t think?

IlliImaflwl Kant (w'ho\. I hOpei. 'Will pardon ,flTY tOilgUie-in-chee'k paraphI'OO!ng.) H~ ~ha!t doling 'good' was Dnly 'good' if iii: was donE!' f'Or llhe sakE! of dorng 'good"

An'on forman discussed H'aywQQdi' ·, •• we Itntrtnslc m:o,ti\l·atiotl is gell'lEuated Iby'1he p;s~hol'Ogi~~ am1lnl:sma!lls&J1!sdon o.f .d&a~lng wUn iii! ~k '"fur Ms, awn sake ... "' "'.

Joh~ S~ddcn said' ' .•. 1he 'bigl ~htrngl that worries me is lltnat wi''ten )I.OUf 'l'eaoher glves you a goJe! $itall, white you' mIght t:B$! goood, ~he other mlldren In the C'lass might feel that they Ilost aut.· ...

It used to b@ Ule, case that 'when psychologists 'talkedalOOlut i'n,dependent 'ViUlabies inl thefl E!'JCpeiim~m$ triey would ,dbcuss ,at'!'!!011!g o~har 1hinIQs '~t~miIJlu$ materials,'" Now we !':i@ a r more ot ·strmu'lus..:ro~oonte~· ..

Shak!ili~p€lar8 .said 'Nothingl Is ~good Dr bad exoopt th!nkingl m~es, it so"·

So oould it be thaI any' one out of8Jse~: ,oistr:cP.<y (7) gold slm-s on a sheet has IJiiJtIe:or r'ilomeantJrngl ,ax:ceptthat Wl':Jil!:h we as <I group \and th\l!$ 'culbliirally) cihO(lSU ~o imparl to' ;[t? And' 'Wourd that allOW me to, ~ett seMil:lly tnat.~lhe, m@antngl oif'a geld star has as, fJi<uch to, do wilh cul~re:1 ~nfiluences. as It hilS to do wi~t'iI any' other ~eo'Y o~ human beh:a:.vlour?And doeswha:tev,er me:a:lili~ we Ilm,porI: to a, gora st{l!r apply !Jnivtsnally to ~!'Y'On8' who e\!',sr 'gets, 008 even if tihe c:onte·:ds; ,an;! net Slinlllar1

Or - as IlJemlfilg said - irs every.o!iOEil di!fk!lliem~

.And~ooy!d 'being different' Ilts~l~ be· a bel'lavJou~aI' IYnIv'emili?

And that makes, I'I"!iEI wcfU::h31f - is; ~here r:aaJly 3ri1Y ,diffel"snc:e betwat~:tlla gold star and il. ,md bead , ..

II real!y 00 wj'sflII Imew ... but II OOI'i't

(SQurne: Moms. iiay,tor [1991), from dlfsctmions on Uiile·lDemTng !:\aQ'lronlc N~: dsn.list@d'&min9'·ces;,.clem!SOfI·.9du)

Before YOll carry QIl~ what was the key id\e~. in tbetext? Was the <!Inhor trying to inronD; peT$uadc or enJ~errn~ll you ?\Vhc~e' wa.'" the key ()eni!:{tnc:e~ Did the key sePf~llce dnlil:ige depending on

what mean.io8, ygll!! wei'C .]ooking for? - -

Thls exercise emphasizes that you wal find. what yon waI'!~ ro l'ind.. ~f is ~sy to plaa: y,~ur own lnt1e:rpr.:e:tatioo on what you are [cadiing 3ind thcnp.(,~\i'ent: duu gelttingin the way of why You are J[e;1.d~llg ~11 d'i~ lmfs,t p]:a~~ .. ~~ is importafi'E' to make S'Il!ire yOUT purpose iscleae,

Reading with a. purpose,

The m,ore defined yOUf pnrpo.seis:,[he easier 'your read:ing w~l.I become. He:l"eal'C ,~ fmw rhil:l.gcs to keep in milildas you readthae wjU help')'Ql!I.mtl.il:"l:t3,in and constantly !:'eti.n.e yO~H plli.rpose:

., AppHc3ItffioH -'WhUe you .re;:!.d. r:hink of why you are (',((adins the te;;:~. Witten are }'ougoioG ,to <i!1ppl.y it. what wi]!, applying the me-VII informaltoilil feel like, what will dti1'l.gs I.ooll;: J:ite 31fter' you l1"ve ,aPIt]itrl it? How milch of your own knowledGe will beilldlldi~d i n what you are ieBl:rJl!ing:?'

• PrOOl(;rfon - lts you r.eaJd~'J?redjc:t w·bat you ddm'k tbc' ;~n.lr'ho:r is goOi:n,g to sa}'. As a !:Ine Qif argu:ltlent beg ills; p!l:cdict whar I:'}iHl oOutcome migl.t be. You. do this 1l'I.r1ttlI'aUy w~tn you read a, good dl~tectiy'(l novel, You can do j,t .iUS!:3S effec'Ei.lI'oly 'W!ile'll yon read nOililc.ficltion. Prooicr what rhe nut'hof is s3.ying and check yom' :predict~(l,n.

.. LJift'ef'actimli - R~~(Ung is,a twcr'W'aiy activhy. The author bas a message [!hat yoOU ,could si.lliI.pb' aOii;ept. but Ih;~u: would !lOl:: necessarily mean YOlI learl1ed anything n.ew.kI:a:eract.ing ,with the 3Ut'l10:r is the b-.esr way 1::,0 enseee YOIl I.earn and are sb:ic t() ~ppl,y wha,t you read. Be c:r.itica~ :i>ut (j',pen-minded, ahout wh:ilIt you rn3d.

~ Slatuti-o:n- M,lfiY [lo[!~fi\~rio.:Ii'[ 'ooo..b atc wdtle!l as a. solution to a proble'll1. This parrteular book Js aboer speed read,img. The problem is, "How '(;:;U1 ~op]e leaJrn how w read any !ltI3IlI!:ria[ they come ~ctoss eas:i~y, qru~ddy and ,~fAdelltly?' As you read" try to answer ~he ql.lll:'-sciOifl without wai~iQg for: the' :i1!I~W(ir to 'be rt'v~aled. ~o yQ~ .. 'allse for a. moment .now and

,ask YOlllrse/.f;; .

-, Based Oill w'ha.t: I ha.v'C learnr Sil fa.r~ whilf~;l:nl dO' now' m :Jtea.d. faster, more <efficiently O:ln.d D}O~ ,easily tllat I didn"t do beforeband?

.- Wbat C~ill ~. Chil:fJ!g¢a.holll:t ~be wa.'lI' I think ;:!:nd read ~bat wi!.! :mabr,eadi!lg3n. ,elljOYI:lb['i:! 'rli.xpe:rlencc?

21

22 ~:g: !!1 '!II iD$)i :.' 'f

i i

:;,III

...Wba:t is good Slbollt r.lle way I read now?' - Wib,a~ is in~.J:f~ctill'le?

- Wh.at chaUe~ges do j {.acer

,~ HoW' can I solve [bes~ prQb~r:m!i based on what I have learnt so far?

.E\I',~J~,.li1i(ln -T~ke' So :~frW mOm~tll!'S to stop a~d s:ummar~ what: you Il3i\!',f; iiea:mt from eseh C:haptt.r. As YOIl read the bookthink how WhoH you. learnt in each c~ptcr fits in with the ",baI;Hic:r you ba,ve Jilst road .. The more l:il:lkS you CO\n~['eale between Ch"'P~fS and i&e,3S fhe beKer },O'Ul!'lllIldierstandblS and recall wiD be"

SlImlmary' - 'Tlhe five-s1epsyst:eim

Step'

1 - Plt'e,pare

.. Del,',eJ:mine why ,OU are n~3.d~ng and exactly wk1llt, YOll want fro:illJ rh:e book . • ' What js;your purpos;il!~

• When wiiU you use the lnlCinnation?

2,- Preview

~ ,F'a;IniJ:ia.rl2!e 'Y0l:l:i's=1J widi the structul'e of the book .

• ' Go, thr()lughth~ book 'lJUickl,y; tool ail: its ,st.rll~r,eJ p.al'Clgra,phs, chapters, cartoOIllS" _ gfaphii,cs: aad general ,la:YOiif.

,3, - Passive, lleading

• Sk~lI!. ((I find. ]Qey words, and fa.milla~ yourself 'With the language.

YalliI' fami1ilUlty w~th the languege .il'3. f.i;~r d1ete:rminiJl(g the speed ;111: which yOUi 'win be 3,ble to read,

Time for aoo .. page

ooolk .

This step should take 110 m.oil'i! than S mitllJte-s.

A' nmr ................. :I..1iI".,.,.. ~I,~ ""';""'[eS .t,F.r"''U.:.I''IoJJIj,I·~~r ~,U "U Jl J!' 1.1 . .II.IJHl!1iI ' .•

4 - Active readilng.

.. To familiarj~ yourself with the contents of l1rie book t¢.<'Id [:hIe first patagr.aph of each c;na.p.ter and the' first seneeaee ·(I·f each p.ataJgi:'3.ph (it n~S$a:ry).

5 ... Selective IreadEng .. Read only what }'Otl. need to r-ead.

.• AI.wa.)rs <'Is.k:.

- Wh.}" am I reading tius?

- W~.c·rt aml going ltc:;, use

'[bAli ~lllOltff!..atioD?

- Dg· 1: ha.ve what I l'I.eed?

I'llii tihls; chspmtf yol:.!lwll! lea~:

• how to irlcma.&eyotilf basic ~~

• MSt s. pacer .Iis SliIdi how to

use it

• h~w WI ~klirn;il;Jii!d ~

• hO'!N io ,get ·tII;ta· lm&SSEIge .wha1:slows d01iYn aJI'td speeds

up !/Qill!rlftldif!g

leau!i[!;g ~Q ~<I,d f,,~t~;:i!1 .~ C:h~.I~ellsfuf1g •. W!l:.j]e YO'lJ. le:am this imp;.roviCd vu[s;iaD of s~ed :read:ing. aJlife'ti:!:I1ie of habit. wi]] conu-:allt[r :intc!!'le:re whh dll~ 1.I.l~r:l1:ing prootss.¥oll win be deve~opUng ;ailJd $E:~Il1ti~.g new h:ahir p!1lluerlJs. ,AlrhoUigh dris w.i]i ",ql,lir,~ peaerice if will be easy and enjoy.able.

Speed Ie<!di~ j:s, ]jjOit jUCSf aOOU~ reading words fa:srer '~I:I<'lI~ yo~J. did IbeJowc. Ir'S:3bou[' being ~,b~e u) read at ;), sp-eeiCll <!PPfopfjat.e for the mSlteiri.lIJ 'You. .rule .reading. ]f YO'lU :read roo :d,g"""ly yonr [[Ilindwi.Ilw:lliI1.dl':1', you ffillY become bored and VOll, won't i':t.~t:mbe.r .allJ}'rhil1g,. U' yon read tun fa:s:t you wiliU!:-.ed!'!Cl;: dl~' chances O'J :r-e'De,mberirlg, Wh?f yQ~ Wi3!lli W F~iIn~mber~YOli wiU ]:i~(;Q:m" fCi,JI~Ih'!ll~d <'i]!).d- $l[~d snd [h~IS even less ~,ikje~lI'to

]:1i~11l:1:noo:rm .

The mO't¢A.¢xiM\(): yQl~ ·flre wirh yonrreaJdi:~gj [he f'il~ter. fm] w:ili !be ~1b'.lc ro r~~,d :aind the mo~ i.nfQJ'ID~t~(ln ytn1 wil]r~ta]!!l.

If Y(llll! W~~J t'QiThl,Cf~<'l&'L'l your rca,dillg :ra~e aod! increase fUll! comprehcru>ion, dlCD. it is iInporran~ w read ,,,hell. De more YOill :reardj d~e bener YOll. win ~Qm~ at n~cog:wjz:illlg when }!OU eau ~ .. d f<liSl: and w.hc:I1 '['0 sl.ow down.

:Fac1orsCointrilbuting to speed

.. Clmt:y ofpllu:pose' - Str~:p [ of i!"h~ fi¥e"$~gp $Y~~~m ~s pi['epm:.at~(ln, A]w:;Jyskll'i.Qw why you <\'ire re~dil'l\g sO\lli1If'~hing;. The d~:ilret YlOor l~I1:rPOS!(l'~. dle f~stJe,r you will be able ItO reOld.

.. Mood -, Uy'Q'uare £eeJi!ltil tir~CI~ re$~m~$~~m"allli.e:l'!lf 0:1:' i.r.it'~t\'1hle yon are u:ni:ikely Hl b~ al[)l~ teread as quickly 3iS w~en you are <1ler~.f:resh. h'l.trup.py and nda:x:ed. Howl!;ve~ you mil.y not a.l.ways ~e alc'n~ frf,51:J~ haffilJJY and rulallted whc~ you have [II) re .. d, L¢~~l1:illig ~.ow OCI :rec:Q,gl1li,ze; and ma:IJa,Qie fO~U' fee~inp $'I) that }lOIlJ can conce:llitrntefcgaldlleos~ (If hlfw YOi:lD!ii~[' be fce]i.ns; at t~e. ti~cis nO~o!]\v<liY.s e~s,y; These are some gt!ideruin~\.S [11 Ch:llp"'~r4 d.1:atm.S1Y belp.

.F3m~LiariIty '\V:Hbthe 51i!bjecf-rl,1~"ltoo temrliim(lto.1D' =U you are .. Iread:y famiHar with the .sl.'Ibjea you will bn'Vc a han:u!;w1o:!:'k on whkh~o ib!lllHd.touwiJ] I!O't have ~o $WP 00 Ith~n" abour what ~he words m~ht :m.'~,m,a[ld you a!rem.o.~eli.kdy to be a ble to :t'e,,,di q~i~!;!:q'Ui.dd.y;.

• Diiffi.culity 01£ !l'he (.ext - SO\m.c books ~rc' diffic~ik to im:;ld C'\I'C:11. if }'1O~inoe .familii1i:rw~rh IFi,twl'mi[lolos)" and <)om:teut.

.. U~iUl.q amd s:b'ess: levels ,-, DQ ,,·ou !lil)tio~ th::'i[' when ,IOIlJ absohnely :have to fe<!d siOm~i!:h~ngi:lil1~l1ooiatiel}'~ fOU can't

25

read quk~ly? Str.ess wiU slow y()l~ d.ow.n.TI'a.e cha.pre,rs Din ,~o'n·~C):nt!;"l]orrn and memory (Chapte!:~, 4 arid S) wiU~oQk ail: stress more dosc]Yllnd afk!: WOi:YS fot 'you ~'Q reduce Y{liU:r

stress ~ell'els. .

FleRiI poopiJe

In the mld'.dle of an ~ercr5e dUJilng a speed~.readlngolassi one of lihl) i$tri..id:ent$ $!l.lid:d~n~y pi.;I'I: down his book" sat back aJriId forded: hi'S .arms, .Elflnoyoo., II asked hllm what~ was WI'O'.ng. He ~ht1!,lgg~d, llooked at ~he indfrviduall next to lli1~l'I1IaJ1id said, 'He's readili'l;gi taster th~1 ~ ~m,' For the ms1: of the s~i()n hssar at the, ibOl.ck of the noom and ma.da: n9\!II'SiPaper,

Speoo1 ro.adiiilg i~ a lV~ p(lrooiJ~1 p~~~i()~.E\i~oo€l reads wi~h dijneNl~t Ileve!s of knowledgE! and experience. ,~ven if you are 1~Iit:lg with SOffil13o!'!e ,else YOIi.! wil.l pi!01bab!y' leam at differool ral:es. Avoid! QOimpariing Y01Jir :skim wijlil .anyof'l!1l '!1II~~':s,

F<l!CitOll\'>ilffcc.tiJl!g iea:rniJ'IIS to read "lluid:ly:

• A gpod ;Hlrimde t!olW'.ilrrds r~adi:ng. A desire relaarn how y'OI:l can imp.!'"o!;'c YOli.U l':c<!clmg ilndcomidcil' wha~ i,t' is rhat 'yot! wHl g¢'~frym. :SI?C~d! re,,..ding.

i F~~l';l:~H.a:~ity '~~t'b the' lla,ngua~e l:c]l~l'[ed [0 f~e sl~Jbfoc~' and a g'ood. vocalb:l]~,<Ir~r.

~ Good backg,mlllil,d knowle:d\ge of' rile subj!eCf or; I.f }fQ.1il. do no. have that yet,.iI is'tl:a:~gy .f()I.r bui,kli,og the biaclgl:ound ktlliowl~dig:e quidl}';.

~ Practice - If YO'1!li ccan :se.t <:'IIside 1)" mi,lll,nesll day .for 30 da.ys )tQywiUfir'id that the speed atwhiiCt! yOu cOin read, the .l!ecO!l I comprch.ens;iQn <'IifnJd. the flax. hi U~r 't)~' yt1i:l;I:r iII~ad:irag quidld}!' ~mprove.

There aJr.e many W3.}'S wpi.ckOli.arinfQ[ln'H~,(lXl, at Y<lryt!lg $pl;\~di$.

Rieadi'ng ~!,I'~:<lf won:! illt a booik 01:3 rticle is oru}' Ilccesstu)! " u

have a spedflcr:e:1l5(lfifo·t rmlding .from. ~tjH~Q f:il'lli!lb. ,l:I;l

y:O:JllJ dlfCid!ewherher YOll need. ro do~his;, YOll needto .knowwbar irrfo·rmuii!rtion ~here.il!Jdi!J!g milte["]ill con~;<I][ls. Aft:er¥o~n ha'le gone thl:(l'ug'h S;"~ps 1. ro 4 or Gll,aptcl' 1. {p,l'f:p;i.mr:i(ln~ p:.re'Y~aw~ p.1i!!i$:i'l'e: [ea,d~l:Ig :a~d active leJldlng)'. you 'WillU bCre<ldy to selIf!Cr['Whi'li' YOIili want to read h~ mOIre depth, Now is II:he time' t10 s:peed rc3id ..

Whe,re are yO!1!J no'w?

8eIorrc you caa iln:pro'Vc so.moE!'ti:ring you need ~o know YCHJr nan:inl], point, That W.m help ]'01:.1, to establish wh .. r wri]i be required to ~'<lk~yoL1 w,n.er,e you want ro go. One wot)' to do this is to <'!!ik yourself rh.,ese th!!eeqij,e;sdOll1iS:

• Where arn I now?

• Wlierll! do I want itO get' ~O,?

~, HDlW wiU I know when I have g.Ot there:?

To pur: these questions snether \'lSi)':

", How fastt do yo~, 'C~rrelU~y read?'

• How fast do yuu wane [0 [iead~'

• How win )'IOU, know when yQL1 h~'I'e reached yoU]: s;m..:l?

WE :15 not easy OCI dcr:ermme' aooua.tely hm!li' fasr YOXl ~ead;lNery[hing Val! [ieadis di:ffefet1,t;. um pi(.'(;1.! of ru:ate,n;El1 ~ wriniii1'll with If,nymg ICY'flk of complexitY .md y.ou will be reading each ol'!cwidll a differeJ:lJt p~. To deterJu:m-e' an aJ!I'ill'~gc readjng :fa~. YOy, ~'edrlo read mOl,e than one type of rexr.

For the pllrpol'le of ['his e!.1Cie[1cil$~" gathet togef1R~r si!x: dir:re~'el!lit types of marer.ia[ Y'OIlJ might read, The ex,,:mpl.les should vary in (;om.p~.e'xi'~1f' 'but yo~ sheuld be fumiLiar wi'~h the SUb1 eel'S of ~<lJch" If you do nor have .app:ropr.iatc ,ma.reriial to hand and you would s~iU like all f:stiiJnaH~ of YO'lIirread.ins speed, neee fhil'~ a pi,ere of sui:ra.Me text hai been ilFl.duded ili1J Chapter 11 as ,01 speed practice 'te,st .. The:ex~ra.c[ is from The ,Energy Ad:va,nta:ge 'btl Dr 'Chris tenD (see pp. 152-7)<.

MeasUiring)"our readin,9 rate

R~d li'hraugh this procedure' beJQ:re shntkag to measure YOliU own r~te:

1. Gather all you!:' m'ad:ing mat:e'cials ,Of go ['0 C'I1"rpte't: 11.

2: Set ,il timer tor 2 miQu.~ (;:cdrhmil,gh you arewo:r.khlS out your E$3.d:i.lilg nne m ~.e~mS of words pe'.l' mil'l!Jlrre'. YOIl will ncm1, rime to W<lmI u:p; 1 minute d!Qf~' nor glve you th~ time but 2 minuOO'S wHI).

3, Theil, I:'.ea:dlog as you norJn!!Uy read, wltheue doing anytmng dl,ffe:r,e-Jld), at -a 11. read for good ,oomp'.[lehe!!l$ion . .for 2 nrinutes. 4 Wh,en t:be timer s'!!op.;; you:

'CO'Ullli: dl~ num'ber of words on three full. lines '!;I.E te~X't; - iJi!.'idc' the' tot.a.ll!1!umbe:r by 3;

;2,.,

001l1U: the [ii:flmfu~r Qif UiW~ y-01l1 r~ad;

[lilul!tiply thellU!m:!Jer o:f .lines by tire avern!¥!' l1!ll!I1tl,ber of words ~Iint;;.

w:I1'J,pl!e: Nu,mbcr of words on .3 fllCd] U:nes = 30

lDivkfuil by ;3 fOE a!'II'e!<lgew~ille - 10

,m:f rou read SO liaes (SO X 10), ~ 500

281

5: Oivrudc that fi;llHe by 2 (relllenibeJ' you ~re :Iooking for YO:J)l[ w,orols iP'Cf.f1l'IIhil!loo :readil1graoo; you ~<i!d fO'J 2: minYlf~ ~o' y(li~ need tod~'f,ide t\be IlUIUbe:r Y'O'lili ca&Clli~:aJ[f<l: ,3 bo'!lle by 2),.

EX:jlmplc::[)~~id:efi.ii:iJ~ ,6giitthy 2. (500 ... 2) ,,,,,250

6 Th<l;J! ~:ig!lmi!j;r(l!l;!!!f aN,~rllg~ roadi!:'!;g fO!Jte fOir th~ lext you

read, - . - - -

'7 If you have (]ruo5en~'our own materlia]. doth.c' same with all si:x texts you gaitheted $0 rhal!:y--ou h<l,v~ a wQrdsp~r m~llll!le

(WrM) :rat-,e for all s;ix texts, . ~

8: Theaaddall !i:hc fimd WPM!! wgether and divi.die rhe result by 6. 'This will gi,ve YOiIill3, :[\e,flectlo,1'Ji of you:!' CiIJi[['erlt ['ea.d~llg .fate acress a IU.l1mbe:r. of d~ffe,l!el1it texts,

9iP~o~ YQMff¢<ldiil;iJ,g f<l,~(lQl'n rhe glfl!p~. <If the ~'!'!dO'I this chapter.

10 Fina seek y01!!!f oomprebemi,Q[I, ]f you read the exfl',::ICil:

fro EUif!'Tg)i Ad:M~fl;ag!l!' ,<Im;swe~ the ([Uf'{jtion~ peovided,

If you used your OlW:n teX:t5~ t8ike a few lnlfLlitIJt:e5 - to :rccan whar you. C..ll!l fmm ¢OiIcllil ~e;xl:.. Check y,o'U.ri:n.fQrm~~kn:a. s,g:illil1;s[: the SoC':cttioru; yoOU . read ..

R.emember to fill io the date and, move j:~pona:rlt:l thetinlie of day you read, AIL Qermiil:'l. times of dllY YOUI readbetter than at other rim£:s. When you have c:iJJa,fllied 'your iSipeed.·',re.a.dillg: pr(lS~~ ({IF ... Wo~k yiO!;!' mighit b~gi!l! tQ not~Q~ ;,l! p;'!·tf¢w.. If ~ssib.lc:,. fend ma~rit1irn[ih<'ll~r,c.qll:iRS maximum CiO:JiiiCll:~rra"-ion3t O:Il!C of the t;ixnes rou :idel1itify as bei:l1iS: .Dliost lP'rod'lIiC[~\I'e.

'P:loui!l1liS: }'Qllr r~d:ilil;g ra'~~ will gi.v~: yOY 0'.1111 i:!'Id:i~".fruO~ of your spew·'K4!di!!1!g P!)Q!g:rcss. U y>Qt!I n~j\d:i.ng :rat>e hegim: to d:ropat' :ilny p~!li1'r~ YOUJ[" pmg-f~S.s graph w~11 fen yO!ilI at what t~mt~ (If rh(l day you. :are'[le.:ilding mOISt e:f.fectiY1el.r:.

Stop t(l:adiilllg Iddil boot m:ow and! dl~rermi~~ y-O'lllr C"Urr~~t'r~.adiJ1Jg ,rate. ~iSi;ng eiti:le[' t~ sn:: texts O!f y()iUi~' cho]ce or the texrin Chaprc'.r 1 [ ,

Comparison: e)(e~I!le

~f you read t1lele.xtraL')t~lllm'ffle CllfN'flr Adlo'a~ YQu 'Cca~ do a, c~mpariSQn e)lisrcise.Whe:n ,YQl,lj h~;ffl'f!!ii!istledllrreadlng and haw Bl'ISw-eJ.l3d as many qu~tiol'ls as you can, ~read the, ,qUestiO:M you dlren't lOr cOIU!dn't a:r>swer; then go, thr;ough the te.xt. again. iI1Iis 1ime the purpose ot reading is to fi!l1d the aJilsw~rs; to 1h:e qlJe:stiOiI'ilS. Remember ~o tim€l YOUffie'J~.,

A1tBr l"O~1 have; dlonethal. 'oon~ider '(h,e foltiOwlng q;u:estiions~ .. VVlnat s~rategy d1d you user?

.. Were:you, looklin9 for :I!!sy 'words?

.. [lid you rea'lj more ~hatl! 'W~ !'eql:lir,edlfo:r eac:nl answer'?

.. Weroyoy saUs:fled tha,t you found We' ~\:j!! ~!"I$wer betcne mov,lngoT1l?

'0; How lfiydti\,fasi(@f did you move Ilhrougn the liij;(f; ~he second 1inm,e oompared to tli'te' first 'time you ffladi it'?

.. Was 1ihe Ireadii'ng ftlisEer when you had a ,cINrlYdefin~d pu~ or dldl yeu 'lind you were s1m tem,ptadl to lread mom

thBlii was feqJUlili>ed1 -

Illncreasingl youlr basi,creading rate

Two of the main :!:'e·<i!SOIlS: WI.! n,!:t'I!d eo read slow])' <Ire tlha~:

• We tend with. our earsiastead 'of wilh our ey,es (more on this .in Cha.p~u.r 7).

,..We inc easily distraered by whar is on ehe page' and by ..... har is iIjloing on aroun.d lli$.

'The IpaiOer

A simple tool th,a~ wHI help YOll id:itninate man}, of YOlU" speedread:l[!Jg p,[Qbl.ems is 3, paeer, A pacer can be YOUE: finge:r, a (::llQPlSt.i.c:k.3 pencil, or ~n ~. ;a.n.ything YOIl, tau 'Be to h~~.p, :f0~' focua your altmition Oil dle words on tbcpage: boy Imming trag you read ..

A p.acer helps (0 ,el.im'in<iiit:e: IDost d'istl:'acli~fiS~ ,;lflld.iJt ~flvolv,es ~~, e:xt:ra sense ln the: readilng, PfQC¢$$. Usi1~g a pa,ce.r adds a kinaesthetle, physic",] d.tmensi,oi:'i. t:o your J:ieadL[lg. You are actusl1y dQing ,somerll:ing as well as simply read;ing. l"01!il arc invol.vrui:'iF; yo~.Ir hands as we]!,

29

Ain experlman~

He'ffliS,a,n e.)(per1lmerl~:fQr ''\i'OUlto try. Find $gmOOfil~ 'willing to 'take = part .Askllha1: person to draw ti cilfOle In the' a£r I!JSlng U1:eiil' .eyes.

N Notice, the; eyu llinovemel"l.ts. Are~hey slJiIooth or Ierky? DQ tM)I' create aM olrole, or does it look like they ~ cl.ittmgcuN9s,? N'ext. ask: tnem to draw a, circl@ il'l 111(1 air wlthlhelr own finger-and Ills time to f:(III(1w their finger wi~hl~heir ,own eye$, Wa1Chl~hel'r 'eyes. This time, do you notrce thatllelr eyes ~ moving :smoothly.

q'l.llickly and d"lllMberatelfl .

Using .<1J :paQt.r helps ymu'reading in several W.:iYS:

• lt encourages your eyes, eo foclIs_ on more t:F!an ene werdata rime- [his immediatdy increases you.! I:e;ld~ng rare,

• The' pacer focuse.s yo,n 011 what you 3,r'ere.adiHg ins[·e,ad of aUownng }.!\QlJf eyes ee jmnp amund die pagl! at all}'rilil1:S that a'ttrllct's your attention.

A. pacer will also h(dp you:

• Move to new' ~lll'CS smoQt:h.ly ann easlly,

• Prevear you Il)s,in.g }fOUI:" place.

• Prevent sub-veealizarion 'ltihe'lfoi«, inside }'Ollll:' head caused by reading w:ith yVlllr ears' by speeding up the :P"~C: ac wlilkh you read and 3J~I.owillg: you to seemore r.ba:1li one word at a riiiil1C.

Haw to use a pacer'

J>:lace yOIi.!ii' p~cer on. ebe fifSI!: wQrn on r:h~ 1inc:lInd mo'Vei~ smDoi!'.b~y .ICiI'OSS tlire :pag:e 00 the COQ of the l:imlf:. then rerum it ro the next ]inc',

Use fOUl" p,;iI.;:cr eo read rhe boxed ]pIaJmgra,ph. Place the' pacer (HI the ,dotted litil,~ ~tI,d mO\l'C it s:liI:1ooth]y .dong the litili): across rbe p'ag~. Re-read this paragr:aph ·sever.al dm~s. until yuu fed thae you have the rhy~hm. ,smooth and bs:t - also; move the pattrjust a. little bit q~.ickcr than }'Ou think you can :read ..

'What was different aiJoU!tr.e.arling wir'h a pacer? How did you feel? How .much ra!lre.r did 'YOll feel you. l'earl~ Ho .. i>' do you feci

about oomprehe:n:sioll.?' -

Practise the <i'loove .:I!t lean ren rimes eo get used to the rhyrbm, Ar'~YOIl still readiag with y()iU~Pi!(e:r?

US'e <! pa~C!F to .read rh,eremainder of this book. !By the !time you h:r1W! fillished the book IUsrng if will have becesae a baiojt and yo~wm 1be wen Ollll1jU~ W'ay ee becolming an expen ~p(lcd ru~cle:[,.

IDifferent: types of pa.eing

The pa .. cing }iQU are using now is one !bask method for guidinG: }'OlU ·cyc across t~e :ltage. Tbere a:n: d:iff~~eillt methodls of pacing f(lr di.f{erent ~yp~s of material a~d n~ad.e:r needs.

T&ehnreall m:alerlal with which you are urdamrlitlir

Place the pacer under ·eve:l")' line ~nd move it .$i£(.o;;1d!Uy across the P<lg(l fr·om the beg1ullilllG: to th·e '~!ld (If t"flcn Line. This meiLbod ensur.es Iffiu!litfO!l. mj~ Ilm.b:illg..

·Techli1irca~ mate:rialiUilid you are fam~nar wfth

Place YOUT pacer under every second Iine, This method encourages y.ou to r·ead more thain {In,," Im.e at 3. time ..

Look at rhe space ito front of you. Notice rha·[ your view is .quite w.ide. W~,elli yo~ learned how ~.!i) read you weil'e: ta.llgb[oo iQ(:u$ on omLy one thlng:;:u ... rime instead. of ·~eing enc::oQl:!:!:ag~d. to see what you are capable of seeing in a ~in,gle glanc;I): .. Readling, more 'thall. one line at a time QQtJles wirhpraedee .. In Chapter 7 w·e e'xplo:re the eye~ and hew they work. You w:iLl fin,d an exerelse :iR fh<!~ ~llia~])[ell" (p]). 1 ).I)-1:Jl) that wiU help you read meee than one ]ine 3.[ ill dJl.1C .•

i

:tilJ i!I. S'

,ii:j

32

Very famliliar' '!1ltliterial

UytJU ilI~ v,e.ry :f;,utliHarr with tbe n:~adi:f.lg nla.te'!"ial! and if you on]y need [0 have :a g,CltoC'.l'a] ~de:a a,bollt' what }'(IU OlJr-e reading; you can run f.h~ pacer down euhee tliu~ sid!): or the middle' 'Of the page,

'[J]timat'e,n,.,~be mo,re 'YO~I, ,exp~rimte'rIlt1 1ih~ mere 8exib'ie yout r~,<!Jding will become and j'oll1wiH de\i'~kip rh,e ab~ljty to cl:!<1i:rig~' Crom one tcdulii,que loanor:hcr as YDU read.

:Hi!i!f$lQ i'iil,crea:s:e ~'Our s~eedi

• hi:5b YO'll!CSe~f' ~ [t lSI easy to st.W in ,;1 (:omfof[' zolle. of reading dowly. Dna: you break[hr(l~ rn/1: ba.de:r of bel~evwng that' )'OU csn O'n~y remember wha.t you resd ""PU!". YOll. hear 'ell'e'.ry 'wurd~ YOllf ,enjoymt:I.1:E of reading and YO'Mf pace 'Will increase.

• Pracdsle o~eD - U~ everything you read !I$ a practice med ium, Spt...M read the hrform.aJttiQn on bottle :labels Dr die bh.a.rb 'O'1i!I the back ,of it c.c'fe<!] p:;1,Cke[:. :~steil,d of ~U$t· :r,e:<lidling as YOI1!1 have pleviiQu~1Yt read. wix:h. rhe p"l!irpQ$~ (i,f p:r.actisilliS: reading as ~S~ as you can for good (iQm.prche:nsion. Use a p;ac~r.

• BuDd. the' ~.pte'.\(t &is:t ~ 'The' first fo~.r Sife-,PcS of [he ~uV>e-.ste:p !i:y$teH'i (~ti CM,pmer' 2) wil~ makeie easier EO' speed read :1nything 'YOIl read, and to do that several times ifancr dilOlnif you 'Were fC(ldi:og le for the fjrMrime.

• The fane$" you g,o tie less; )'Ou wilm'fflcalize - hI lffi'ie;neXT. secticn, on si:+;:im:ming and scanr:d(lg~ weshaU dlscuss bu,Uding speed and maillta:htin.g ~t.fbyw:ifh '~!h~ exercises d.a:il~' unt:i] yon kd. thar ~.Ileya te Ii'II matm".a~ pare of' your' rcadi[1:g. stram!fY-

.' ,E1iminillte (If d!~eaSle distcacrlous- 11'1 Chapre'I' .9 'We' shal] discuss distJ':al!:tionsand :s.ugg~$1t some :!>o]ultions to dle:m that will <"IIlk,WYOlI tQCOinOii:lur.a.te more easily. The morill yO'll are sble to' COO(C1l1Lu"aJ[:e" the faster' yO'll wwll he able to read ..

'. R~d aoovely - Thetechniques YOIl, l1SC' diull'illg: Swp 4 ('.a"dve r,e3di.ng) should be used while 'you speed read in. S'tcp :} (~'h~C'tiv,e mad.ilnsd. Take notes, .mark .a,~d 'bi;ghlight :n,::lev,~l!'ir S~CriOIlS. make' C'Q!PITI!;;o.ts :1$ you read, bui:ld. mind-ma.ps, (exE~ained em p. 751'and tbink abeut tb~arg'lll!l:nentcS3s you read. If you must do ,any I<![ki.og ilitside your head whileYOQ!l re:l'~ •. ch. :o05e eo 'make it 11. dl.'lh3.~~ o.r 4iaWog,ue: ,on aspects ill :d:u::' top!c wIth ~be author; Th,e more .u;tl'vdy y.oUlI read, rhe better Y'Ollll:' !llldc['Srandin,g and WOJ1lg~unill compre:betlsionwiU be.

~mpli)rta. things to, Ire member about speed readlnl

Speed readung i$ IIi!otjul$1 watling fast all 1Jhe time'. ;fue te,chnicai COnle!"l~ ,o1~b,e malarian,tltie 1~~i!1t illijZ~i' yoyr~lm'!iUruit:Y WJ~h ~h~ su:tJjoot ,and, pmieularUy, }/,(:ilii' plJlr'pQsuln, readili'ig! 'Oi3!nlaJleocttheo speM :at 'w!'llla!'! you Mad!. The keV t:o.speec! ,reading is havill'l,'g1 the. c:hoIloe to read as fast or as slow as you w~sh.

Now re-read the in~t~io!1~ .~!J(I;' me<Js!l[ning ~'(I0;f jf(;'l~Hng rate ~pp, 27-8) <l1!i!d £o~low them w rakA1 1l11l0dler s,peed-l:eadiug lut't1Is'U.relmelf[. Use the piI,C:illg, tC"c~ique.

Skimming ,and scannirngl

Inthis seCth)!l~ w,C cOJl;5;udlC:a: sk:imm~J)g ant scan!1!!]g.t

~ What ar~ th~l~ a1'H:1 what ~s dliC d];ffefcn'clC between them? • When should weY,Se' theIT!!~

The diftw;::oonce 1b~IMccn skilllmll.lg and sca[!ITi~ ,is tilil;<I~ Wfilll] you, scan. foriniormatJ:orty'iQU arc looking £'Or :somtil:blllg 'Ver.y spocifj.c~ JiQr e~<J:r~i1pill~ .. ~~(lp']ulo]i)e n;tUnbe:ri er an ,i}[Isw..er I!iO a pllnkt.l:lar queselon, Ypu ge'!l!end.ly ~top Q;!'.I!O!:;YQ~I ~''''ve it, Sltm;mIiIlg is used' WilileJll y'¢:ilgiI'€ sefi,k~ilg more 'Oof a, genera~ tJ:·npress!.0i11. (If what tro,~ tUXlt is ::lIOOIl't. YO:UlOOll]d sk~IT!" whole ~e,!t if )'01$ ~ill~ed rD., b[~:[~Ofl1lWOlddp!!:obab]y nor skim a whole ~]cphonc d~iI'ectory to fiocliYOl;lf!1llm.bcr.

iIiIy this ~el'illm,_t

:1!ri!d:iI@ f.;')llowift1(j1 pleoce ot ted there arJeS!1X: J~se' words - you l'iIave 45 seconds ~, find 1hOO1;

Thlill history o,fspeed, readingl dat~ lba¢'k~o ~he. b~lnli'lilng <O'f ~he oenl:ury whe'.r:I the ~l.!mili'of prilnt-ed maltma:ll e[i(ploded, 'ThriS< ~ulted ailk~ I'm thea.biHI,oonm:er:1!1: of the lr\g,tiatllO'f IldJe ,r.eadfng. IMIOiI'e In~orJillla~ior:1! ,eogL!1f.ed ~e~ of~h.e trme faw faster than ~he¥ could read it

The Iifstc:leveIDpment IR spee<:ll re a ~ingl <:am;e, ~romit!u~, Rovw: ,Air FomEl', lbe!ie'l,!'~ ij~ er r\Qt~ PUO't$ !'I~oo:ad ,i"() be traf;rned to :spot enemy pl~ before tli'i;.ey WElll'i.t fnto baHle, trair!i!1gt:ookp~a~E!c on III

21

barons dev~e 'called a tacliJisl:o:sc:ope<. The. mru::!hlne flashed: bug,eD I m1, ~l'I1iage of thl1lt p:lal'le <lit 1he p~lot. ',Cl:ra: ~ractlon of a ;Second all'l.d the, time al~wedb&CruTl:e SlmaUer and s;mal~r;~I:1.ey ~Oil!Jl'ld that a'fter a while the pil~ts were able to l'fl;Cognize enemy p~a;nes~r(Jm fer '9ri;!ater distances, attar great6rspoods than they di'CI bef'ore" The Wchno:logy wars trallsr~rred to 1Jlie :shld:y Q~' reading. First a aiingll€il w-Ofllwas filuhed en tl:ie t'!J;:hi~Qpe,. then two ~hen thr.ee and fQYr' !iemar words wlfte~l:ashed ,e! a ~ime. Rea,dlil'lg rates ~!'I~d 'to ,aJ::I,oot400' 'woms a mrll'1lu1ie'Mtn the arid of ~he,· machrne. The great dr,awbac.'k of" tile' tachistoscope, was h)rung 1Jt.:iat it was n01 [po:rt:a.bla" Once people stopped pracUotlng dasu! on iii: their readJng rates droppe<l mp~dly~,

l~; wa~ beUeve>d fer a 1\0111,9 i;lil~ufll!er tfme :si!'i~' ttlose 1llrst $X-P(t.nmenm that 4i(liI)i iN.p.m. was tilef.ast8;S.t IIii;ek!lJ]lJ [possib~e Madin,Q SJp6d. But wee have come to i'&iIlJilil.EI that we af@cspaltKle of~'ar rlfI1lffl tnan we' ever thooght po,sslb!e, -, il'lf,aC1 we have no idea wnat ~he fastest [poo$lbJe madirlg, ra.le lis because we stl'll OOfll'~: Ii1l'1de~tand the zukl infl"nittl c~~ty of ,our mind~,

• Did y'ou f:iit:ui fhe si.x.j.ap:an(:"se w!mds in 45 sl;e::on.ds?

.' Did ynn rind! any Sp;1nish words as wel.l?' (Ihereare three iIi. the pilSSllCge. )

• Did you find 01 word tlndi eealiae it wasll.o,i·Englis..h bur .~f W3sn"t JOIp.an'~$~ either and niQ'i;!"i ·en wi[h:ou~ Cl(Iuurillg it, ·or did YOll jusr ]ook COif' six {ofei.gn words?'

• Did }lOti pick up any meani.ng fJ,om. (he re:x[! -Djd'tllc;bisro5co:pe" set YOl1l iatreli1![llonf

6 DM)\'IOu :noti.cielM facntaI error iii. [he :Ilrsr P.;il'l:~gIaph?

IFar youii' inki'.rmati:On

Japm'!~ words In the ,Wi; .aJkJ.~ oogeJ; hyung;. daw, neJruru, ZJJId' ,S,pardsh. words in ttle kud: baroos. raffl8r, aiquJler

Wbar you have: j1.aSt d!l}n.e i:Ssc.atming. A$ ~~ .... e3dy eXl?la.i:D.¢'d~ d'i~!l, t~chni,que is, used when you are iuoki:ng for speclfie :information 511c:h :as ali :a:jiJ.$wer il'iO a p<!!!ticular questio..Qor a telephone !11il1m~f in a di:ucw.ry. You have to krnO'Wil':KOlcdy w'iult you are looking. for, If you dlmilJ't know japanese or Spanish ir would ba'lt: been very difficult fo·t you to' determine which l!aDgt!~;e! rhe

fo,reign wtl.fd::i: bc[ong to, - .

SkimmiQg is readi'i!l;g '~fh 0'1 dif:fure~t pl,.irpo~~ This ti:rn~, $~:I1J.d 45 seconds 0:1:11 d u ~ rexit: ro find out wh:at it is; ~:l1:er311y about. Don~t read! it word! for wurd. j!llSt ·:skiLn' OV(:!:' tbe rexr, !!'e~di!lg ~nough fO get the m~~$a.ge"

Haw did yOl! do,"

~ DM 'roll aorlee all nine fbreig;IU, WQ[lds;?

• How mw:::1:"! of the' text d~d you read and hu~'II' muc:h didyoy

dJifr a::!I'cd - .

• Al'\e you sOitisf:ied~hat: you hilV~ a gC~le:ra:~ ldea of whatthe text

~;S;lIbOU:f?

~ Wh;)lr. else dkl }'onpick LIp?

~ D~d 'rac[hi~:toStoptl' get yon~OItrcIUion!

Skiml1l,lm.g is used during St-cp ,3 or the f,iv,e-stoep &ystem (p.a:ssive ~eadingJ. You I:i~e skimming when. 'you know wiltlt yfnl ti.I'B ~oQki[l~ fm and. wan. 3i genc'!1iII1 :im.l'.r,nss:mQl1 of w.b![ d~!:l 'rexit (lont'<IIllns.

Th,e;r,e are diff)e;irenf rypes of skilnming eo use d.~pendi1l,g 01'1 'WIl£l~ you!: purpose' !Sl

• Skinlm~f1g,Eo overview - TIle' purpose of t!b:is m.e,rbod is '~l) !~el' an outline; of what them;ate'riA'll is a beur, You wi]] be ]ooking more at $t:rU:C~Uf{: rh,m C(mrent., nilS mcr1lod. is UIS!:d. m()'Sdy in Step ,2. (preview) 'Of d~e £~'1lC:-.s,tie'l' SYSil:e'JU,

~, Skirnmi,[Ig lO· pt¢V.~;f:;'\:V - TI:dsIS used whcmt yon know jlotl are' ~goi:ng eere-read Jhe mate:r.ial Your" purpose :~s to glr~hc:r as mucn biliCkground infof!:nation as youcilrt 00 the subiocr w~rhGill!u' :!ip~nd:tn:g: t!OO :much ti:meO!ll1 .It.

• S:.kil~:mi:ng to rev.lew - 'YOU Wlotdd. use t~:ismethQd when yC}U have :akcO!dy .:ead the litl<lt.c:rial<t!ld }"Qu:rr PU[pQlS~ IS to refamlliari:u yourself with ~hc I:Onh'l:D1JI:.

Suco~ssfltd 5i~dmmling

Skimming f(lril'lfurm<iI~U~IS el'i,s~~r w~en you kfiO!'W Whlf;l·e.~iu~ information is [[i.cely to bfMth.i:Dli the' o'l'e,ral] scheme oft'he piie~e you are ~'eaJdi!lg .. Whih:l' YOll aee ~;p!;\~d fcadi~ loo!lk fOcI' d:l~ core i!!l]mmadoln. Once yo Ill. hil.ve da,rmea your p~rpo:sel fo'r sld:mmiIilg l1IRd YUIl lialloW' wiha.t you iUie[oo,kiQg fol;.Vou wi!] b~· a!b]e {Q identify t~igg~[ words th<l!t hold r]1¢.,,~llI}Vai:l~lfllfu['mariorl,

~, who

, Whii't

~, ~.he[e

,~ why '" wben ~ how,

The fOUQWlll,g word:!! pre-empt a cotu:r,adicrion o:ra:r$ll.lneot J!.i,nS'~ the ,case:

• but

.. Hone the I~ss

• how{:ver

• yClt

,~ 'Q:n the ,oibe:r hand.

IPra~'Ce 00x

Plrac1ise using these, words by ,going thl'OLYgh news:paper or Ilir'Iag,.az[n€i arlilel'es with the' Plilrpo5!e' of ia@in1~ng the' 5Ws and how, Mdi ~ny OOfI~radlictlon!l, as quriCkly as you can.

Speed reading and ,g;ettingl the message

Wh<'Il you read you .;:oll'l'erl: ,tffil,e ;inifo:r.:mQttoll. embcdd~din ,groups of w,i)cds lneo ideils~ ~ma8¢S,. thou.ghrs" f~lili1~Il' and aICt,monc$. On!); PlU::I)ose 0':£ re-ad:iJi'llg is: t'JO get th~- n'U!SS:llS,c fmm rhe \voiid:s. This does !tOt nece,ssatll:lily mean yeu itavle to read a1ID the words. Wh~1l you speed read - es,peciaUy wbc~ }'oust'a:rt teread more rhanone line <)J!C a tbue - you may i:mi.tiiil]ly become confused 'because the words are plcsented to you in an erder diJkr~nc from. tha'l: :iIl:te[JdJi;\d~ When you read W~[:h YOM CyCSyOil will find th,at this docs not presene a problem becc}llIS(,l )'QUI brain weeks out wl'iaJf the sentence means, regardless ,of w:h,at mde:!: the wo"(\ds arein,

'YOlli br,s]" is a~wa.~'S :ttryi:rJ!g~Q ~i.'Ik.e· sense ·of ~n:Fm:matiO:Il! if recl;i!l'~-$. When the info:rma.don ynu ale .!.'eadi:ng is nOit complete )'·oM bralnwill narurnUy flll in '~b@: bla.tt!ks and organize the in:fo![m;ati.(ln so dun yuu can make sense of it. Plrat, read the loUowlng seneences mn loudilnd wo:rk!iju[ whirl' Itbey m~an:

··We·U tw~n[y minutes in b~ there ..

.. ler's dinner for ronligilll: S'O out.

• Reading vlSU3"' a,ctivity done s~owl.y is I.)n.l~· the'"

Now look at [he next barch of sentences and get the meaning from rhem as qu~ckly as y~m can by looking ~r[he whole sentence and idenlltying the key wOi'ds:

• Speed- H:OI!diII~ have if you a purpose is easy.

• Havc y,N holid:t.y you been on rhis year?

• The improve is to best 'way to practise.

Which was quicker, reading with },Ollr ears or reading with your (:ycs?

Yoa don't ha v e ro haverhe words U~~ the !'ighr. o,d~r ro get the message,

lMalklingsure Y'ou get the light messa.ge

Wh<lr if you speed read a text using all the skimming and scanning methods you know and get [he message, only to find that )'OU have missed out one crucial word that changes the entire meaning of tlH; passage?

In the fQanowl11l9 s.enl~ifice:

An. effectl .... e speed nt,ad~r neVe( reads withoUil. something to writ.€!: with, aliways. reads with a purpose and never reads every 'Word.

If you miss, OUit the word 'never"., you get:

An effectiV'f)spBed r'Illadel' mads wilhou! somethll'llg to write 'Wi~h. always Mads with a purpose and mads9very wont

TIle sentence makes sense buc the message is conrrary to ehat i,ntend(~d. Practice, a clear purpose andu.sirlg !tht' five-,step system will. help )'OlJ understand the meaning, .

Bilingual speed readers

One challenge for bihnglJ,iI!l readers js wanting to develop speedreading 5kifls in thc;:ir Iil.t'w lar'igwlge before they are rorally f1w.:nt. Alse rhe reading the)' might be required ro do may be: f!S.irly complex,

] have hadforeign sradents in I'ny ,d.Ol!:SS-C:~ who could. speak their second ~a:nguage Auenllybu[ had becon:1l.e highly frlilstl"<1J'ted with

the msel ves because they were unable to read their second la.nguage as ~<1!Sl as their riJ!s:r. language, Spca.k~ng. a second language i~ diHen::nt from reading, Yuu can choose rhr: words you use wh,!o:11i }"OU speak, butnut the wo rdS:Y01] rend in. :iI new passage,

SIlcr:d rending :1 second language is f~dl of challenges. The first is vocabulary, Ano~hl['r aspect of r'C'~ldi!'lg a second language that wW slow you down is [,raflsla('~!'lg into your fim language as yOUi go, A~ ] ongss you do Ihis you 'will not be able to reacb high speeds,

Then: an: a. few 'thing:!! you can do '[0 begin incn:asii'ig your rCild~i1lg rnte fo!:' ,1 fo.C'~gtl hmguilg,e;

• Learn (he rQQts"sruffixles and prefixesof thenew language. '. Practise speed-reading t~oChn:~~;plcs on v·try simple bODh.

- Sc.lt'cr a . .flew childlren's hooks and! speed read them using [001s and techniques ),('U ar-e presenrly dcvdoping.,

A,roid moving [0 another l,cYcl until you. are comfortable with the speed ,It whic.1l you are reading and sure that you \!nderSla[1,(~ whae ~'O~I ar,~ n:adillg without ha.ving ro rranslate it into your .firs~ l:ii'i1,gl]nge.When you can do tha[ you are rcady to move on to more complex marerial.

• For practice, use the live-step system with. every book, even novels. This win give ~'OU .\H (Ivi.''1'311 picture of WP<l[ you are :reading and will. make eornprehensjon much easier,

• Readas many novels as you can, The story wi.1I ofren distract you f!"Dm tile complexity of[ilelaligl..iage.

.. Set: OUi[ with the inr~'m tlf enjoy1ng the 1.'[:,i1mjl~g process.

Frustration causes stress and S]cH,"'S you down.

Exercises 110 iincrelase ,your speedreading rate and fl!e,xibi lily

f'm .aU£hefollo""~illg exercises, usebaoks YoOU are iooking forward to reading. Even if rhe books are on SUb~elC~S you are unfamiliar with, make sure you om: interested in dlD$~ sub~ec[s.

Wh,tn you are c()·mfnn:ab]e whhthe difft~rClU exercises, begin us,ing m.n!;Ti[l1 thar you erlioy readingless. This m.ay include !lOin!; materia] you have In read for work: or SlU.dy filar }'Oll are norpa rtieularlyirueresteel ill. Whi.lcpraCtlsi.ng on such nll<ll'·~rial make sure thae you set verr fi.rm time ]i.mits. lf you don'[' 'yoll win become bored ,and wanr 1:0 move on to sm:nethi.ng else.

Trea,! these exercises ;a,s ga:rn¢s <J,nd~hanenges:., .DOll' de ehem for ,UIY more than 1. (I n1.in.UI-tes: at 3 rilme unlessrou cea.l]ywant to.,

Y'tarm-up ,stretch:ing

This is it shorr S·mtnllff: W,3:r:m-up exeeciser

• Read fOf good (I)ro,[~hcll1$ion for 1 .millUitC. ~, iPUt 3. mark ilI,t the poiillt you reached,

• ,Ackl half .. pag~ l,:O,wlia( ~'OU ha.lre al:rt'!~d'Y read alild mark ehat poiUrH.

• No'w go ba,ck to th;eocglnni.ll:g and read (for good comp'fChensio(l)mtth.e: second made.illl 'J!. minuw,

• Make sure you make your maik.,

• Onoc}"oll. an; comtoetablemaehlng the second flJaJ:r:k add another han page and! read fmm the beginning 00 the rJilr·d muk in 1 mi:nute.

~ Add ,anomer i1<l!]f p.ag~. Read to '~he fOll.nth IlHIIk in 1 mintne. • .A.dd another bid£ p~ge~ Read to rhe :fi.&h mark in 1 minjufe.

~ ,If at ,t11js ,point yo.ll :f.i.nd, d13t 'you are not 'reading' ~ ke'Cp hi m:i.n.d Itbat 'til<lf is 'the p'oint or d:ri~· 't~erdse. Ma~;{t sure rb:i1:t you see ,eV'l;l)' w():r-d jusr si;iffici.;frfldy tIQ, ucoo,gniille tbat .it is, an ElliglislllWOfcL This, exercise wiH he~1?' }'()!:!~et used to !i!(:ejnglreco~lili:Sl[lg mere than one word ata time,

Stre,tching speed and comprehens!jlon

Th.is ,quick exercise will hdp wmp.rove yQur memory and increase ymll: speed: .

1 Using. a, pacer, read (lne p<1g:c as faS'[ as y01'~ can,

:2 Stop and write dowl1ev:e.rrthing you remember from WhJlt

you jlJ!S~ ,re.1;Id. -

3, Read f:live pages Uke: [hi .s ,evf'ry d.a,y~ g.r'adlJa.lly iIllcl!(la,$~ng dlJC num ber ofT page!i y-ou read b:Jen:c yO'lil. Sl'QP ro l(l1.'<li~1 what YOlll, read.

4 Start with a su:bject familiar to yQu, fhe:Q - <11$, Yol1!l: notice that you,r ,ability; confidence ,iifid. ,Coo:mJ'(ilrt'a:[';e :imp.rovlng - take on 1D00,e ,chal.leng:ing m:lii'e.riat

The next stage 'is as: follows;

,) R,eiid fot 1 m~Dut:e and) OOlun bow many lines yeu have :read. " C.onlinue readi~g k'.r ~~o~:l:ie.r' :mbliufle·t read~D1gtw,o' .IID~ m(llfe

liban you dtd !the fi:rst ti:m,e. -

= N.

i

:1

:~ iCI

"I ]n the Ilext Hi:IHUM read J01,[r Iines more rhan you did in rile firsr minuee, then six, 'Wi/lili e~gbt". thea 'I~lt.

8 Alwa:ys read for g;otJdi co:mpre>iHmsioo :and ,;.oc;aU. As SQQ:fi as you tHink you don't !JIllId.ersta:lild er Ii~rnenl Doer dtc' text; cUlJoolidan: lait t'hatlc'VIi:11 until YOI!l i1Tl!!comfor;tll,b~'[!~lhe'n speed IIp gradllaUy~

,Read]ug: quid:1Y[lr:\lquires ,co~JCentIat~oIii. ,If rot) dan"IE i,mdcrsra,:lldJ er rem-embet wllt<!it you read Y1lJU ma,Y'find yOlJJtr co:nCCI;luralHM'1! drifting, bec.nll~c you are booom:il:lg disappointed and 'p;e.dtans:

bored. ' , . "F,

As ,;rO~I 'COlllo~ntmii!oniMp.oves\. s,t:rettn. yt)lu:sdfby ¢;;trend:ln,g the l~!JIi!l[uC :rrip to 2m,jmllltles, then to 4" and 6, ,1I,lId 8 , ..... nd &0 (J1l .. ,

F1i'li1ldin,g Ikey sentences

This, wChn;iqu~ I;S, fO!: the pans. of the re:K:l that yOu. are

al:ready {ilirJ)f :fa: a:rwi£h w'hen you jlist want' to be sure' you

BI:!Ve missed tlotruogo;l.u::

10 Readrht: 0[511; semellc@' of tile ~t~g:l'l1pb.

• Skim the _res.t of the pa'[<!!~~aph f.or key. WOlds. ;a,nd if nec~';$sary read the las~ seneeoee of the paragm.ph.

1~I1I,creasin,9 speed ft:e;xibiUty To .im.prove }fOtU' :fil!xi.biJity!

.. SeJect: ,a t-ext on ,:1 S[I biect &.m~U~ir' to you.

..Start .I,ea.dingslmvly ar flrst, atmo'St word foiC word ..

• A-s 'fOU f~njs:h th~ £:irsr pifJlrngrapl" speed up roum:' IeaJdilUg rase unnl 'Y'QU are reading as fast as you can f,o,r good comprehension •

., Once 1''0'0 tilirl:k 'you ~re beginning to read .taste:!: than YQIU can oompr·ebend, slow downa. bit.

• Then begin to practise fJex:ihle r-etl,d:1n:g. To do 1tb~s,('¢a.d the r'ir-st sentence of the: para~ap.h ,relativel., ,s~o:w,ly ~J)d~:poodup 0.5 you g.o thfoU~h dtlt'! p'31',agRph. Otl~): slo~flg down wli~n .foucome to SKi:~oru y(l'u ii:m not' fanuhar WItl:!.

.. WheH you ha;'fe: rea,d ... book 011 a famruUail' subi~d fOil: a while-, ~hil.ng~ to a book 01;1. an unfamibar subject and staiU: ,again.

• O:lInp;l!~ rhe two eXpe'fi~:I1lces. Wha.tdld you Mricii? Did 'you fillld m:i;lii: readmg dl.e f'atuillal' book was 'Itluib ea.sier ~han reading the uIlJa:miJiia:r book? Did the spc~d lilt: which :you read

du: uafamiliar book increase as yOU! began to notice what W,].'O easier or more ch~~.~lcngln:s ro rCRdr

!Pradic€I be:x - noltel ,exert::llse

NO\,le~s are a good S.QurCQ of pracl!ios to ciit:lve'lop,nexilDilirly in lP~cing" At th!l1t$itart of thie rnovel you mf:g,htrind1 thlat you pase l..uilc:lareverylin;6; aI5 you g:et famiiliar willh tne plo,t ')"01:.11 might paoe IJl'1!cier ellery t:\l'\!\Q liinelli, When ~hie story ~"ltY9J~t$ gQirl9 ;lind y.ou :!ir'@ I:Dtitking lor ths extri~i'r'l9 bits In between the dlesc:rlp,tlonr }'\orU mlght fl;nd th,iilt you mn the pace'! do'W!l1 the middl~ of the pagr~ 1 until Y>OII.l! comsto the stlctuons of nUl 1J(l(]J,; that realily carry tM :5toify, Your etljoyme:nt ot ttle boo:!\: is nol I'essened ln .my way at all; in! 1ac! you m.ay find th<lt you Ol!ctUOlllty 1j~li:5h more I1Qved's ttn~n you !.J!s!?d to.

Metronome pa,eing

You Can Duya small c:]~ctr()n~c mcrronome Ude~lny one with il 'tick' d"lat is HOt: too loud.} at ... '!:I1' music store qll.uted:u~;lply - .ut will be ;l good il'lyesnn~[Il:.

Do dl~S exercise for .2 minures, then relax for 5 minutes:

1 Sc-trhe mt~],Onomt ~H irs slowest speed and read one ljne per "rick',

2. E,;'ety p:l;g.c (H~ ha~f page increase (he pace' ofthe metreaorne by one rick. or more if yOU! arc c:ornfo(t.abtl!' about it.

3 Thl;!n relax,

4 Repear rhis uneil you reach the fastest speed on the

uterroncme,

Tile merrcnome will reach (1. s,pt:ed ,nwihic;:n yQ~ win .nOt be able to r'C"Jd e"i"~ry wo.rd. This (~x.e[eise "pushes' your e'yei;lind !bril~11 to s!!!l;1Il1d abserbmorethan one word ar a fume. and gmduiIHy stretches your <lbi]it~'.

]J yuu. drive on a mmOr'l'!'fll' ·[:If 85 miles per hopr <!n:d i1:~fali1 approach a town you suddenly hav€ to n::du(;!l yom speed [0 30 m.pJl .• y()U might thi:nk: ym1 arc Lrjlvelling .~( 30 lmti~ rhe'!"o!ucr;' soop you ami inform YO[l [hat YOoU were lIraveHing at -:to Or 50 - much f11ster [han yonthO:~lg.ht. The s.:~mi.b.rity ~t'I¥('tili driving and speed reading dots[I't sr:op there, When u:n\l'dhng ar 90 m .. p.h, you have to concentrate and dnn't have rime to look at the scenery; WblfFl speed [ta.ding rOlJ are re.<!id~ng sofol:st tha~ your m~nd doesn't want to wander as much as lE can 31'30 m-p.h.'.

41

Readieg I , ,
.5,P;;"(:d. I
,

I I
I I
I
i
I
I I
I
lW:I-11GO, I
-
I I I
WOI-l roo
,
9D 1.-100.0 I
i I ! I I
801-900 I
-
I ,
7(}l-ElOO'
60]-700 I I
I I
I 1 I I
SQ:HiOO
401-.500
3$1-400 I I
I !
,
301-350 I
I I
Hi-30G.
I I I
:Wl-250
15(}-lOO I
I
Dlltc/(ime
....
I M. well as providirl,g you with information on your speedreading P.fQg(es5~ d:'l'c spetd·read:ing gr,Iph will h.?lp you [0 remain motivared. Put as, much informario» UUO ir as you need. Measure your reading rate for rhe duration of your 21",dar programme (se,~ Chapter 12, What Next:, pp. 160--3)

II .In the bottom row enter the dale and time when mealiii~n~ing your re<lding,

• Each riJtle you measure bow many words per mi.nute you are .reading place a markin the app.ropri<ue box, Add allY tllm,lghrs, 'or ideas aboutyour p:rogress ~n a llote~Jo{)k 5-]Xcifi.cally· kept for

your rc~lding development, .

• Wben your reading nne surpasses 1200. write your own numbersin the blank spaces above ] 101~1:WO to record ir,

• Take speed-reading measureraents at differem times of the' day and under difkrent conditions (these include mood, rime pressure and so on).

Summalry

What sl!ows 'you d.own?

The follcwing arc examples of 'speed sroppers', wDth suggested ways of preventing rhern from slowing Jour reading.

.Sub-voe<ilizing [reading with yOIl'!' ears] is usimg the voice

inside yOUi' bead. The faster you make yourself read1the- less 1'01.1 win sub-voeahze.

• Voca!ii.ziJig - ]f yourhps move as you read you are vOCSIIJizin,g yuur texe, literally speaking si.lerirly te yourself This slows you down even mote [han sub-vocahzing; you. arc limired nor only by the pace at which you "an speak, bur also by how nut you can move your I.lp.~ and ke-ep silent.

• Habit - M(J.$t habits ale below the. I.evd of yourconscinus <lwa:ren¢ss (you are not aware that )fOil have dt.em)l. They are ,easier- ee :reclt'ify when 'you beeome aware of them. To extinguish vocalizatton, read with a spoon between your teeth and you will soon SlOp trying to move yoW' lip!; while you read, Don't allow children to do this asit could be dangerous.

What speeds you up?

t Increase concentration by bloc .. i:ing our noise Of interference (:for more abeurehis, ~ Chapter 8. Dislra.ccions and Solunons),

43

'I 8;,

i

A-

i

44

i i

.. ,Poem '00 the task, IJsing more than one sense by ,re:ading, a<;cively ,~fol' more ahout Ith~~ $i:!1C Chap~r S, Mematy).

oO! Puib your reading .spc:ed 'EO faster ~han you [ttti.nk:. ycu can.

read (use apacer], . ,

• Don't worry about m.i$s:ing out £'00 many woi'"& (read with your eyes ~!:'iSlt!1d o.f your ears Or-yOUf Ups).,

• Have ~ dictionary handy to look liP words you. are un:fa:mU~ar with before youstnt sp~ reading .(tor ~chniques to increase )'O'ilr vocabulary. see Chapw.r 3~ It's AU in the Wb,rds).

You don't have to read wo.rds in ,the right orderro "get tbe message' but you do ,bave to make sure yot! caoch the words that

catqtbe $l1¢$sage. -

Leamin~ how to, speed read a second. language is eas,y" it just takes a little 1onger~

Now ti:Jat yl)lli have lm,p.roved yo~r base speed~reading rase, it is time rocoD!i~der aaorheraspeca ofincreasing your reading mOO'. The advice in the: next chapter 'is es:peciaUy use:hd if Engliish is your second lallgu;a,ge 0,[ if you: W'QuJd like to illc.n:ase }"tIm vcx;abulary.

< c..~ .~ O(OoUJ

n<"m 'D)CDc..-

C-OUJ= 5.:'0 I ::::I

"" _. II .

"'::::J

~(C

'< o

C

....

In this choapter 'you wiili ie~;

• 'the difl'elVl'1t typ§ Q1 vocabulary

• how to il'flcr:ease yoor vooabulalry

• how· words are made up

• how toj:!eal Withl 5peclati>l:OO ~~

Why increasing your vocabulary speeds up your reading

The biggotr )tour vocabulary, the faster you will be able [0 read. Hesitating at uflfamili.n words stops you. and makes you try to work out the meaning of the whole passag~., not iust· the word. Thi.swasn:s lime. Several q!.lCscions m:ighr arise wh~n yOLl come across a word you do nor understand. What does [his word mean? Does :it change t.he context? hi i.t impornmr to m}' undersranding of the text? These Q1l£'S[io.DS go through yOU! mind very q1J.ickly~ The trouble is that when you haveanswered them you may have f.orgotten what you have been n:a.di'l'!g., 11u.1' become rca! rime wasters if you. have to return to rhe begioning of

a passage <lIn.d start again. .

You have three ddferenit levels of vocabulaw knowledge available to YOUl, your. spoken vocabulary '.g'l.!ncrally the most limieed of [he rhree), your wri.tt:en vocabuJa!y and your re.cognb:ed. vocabul<'!f}" (fhe largess of the three], M.os[ people use between 2,000 a.nd 12,000 words ia speech. Writtel1 vocabulary is 'bigger than spoken V'ocabui.a:ry because you have more rime [0 rhink about Wh3[' 'YOU want tc say and can go ov.er what youhave wrirrenand edit your text until you are happy wirh jr. Most people use betwC'cn .2,000 and. 2$~OOO diJre:renf words 1n their I iferimc (or writing, By [O!f the largest set of vocabulary yOu have at your d.isposal is i'our recognized vocabulary, This is ehe words Y(lU recognize within a context but do not ordinarily use. Words you recognize are sometimes dHfku.lt to define dearl)'. Youhave a sense- that )'01.1 know wh<l/I[ the word means in the ccntext that you read or beard it, but canner define itclearly,

Your recognized vocabulary is also known as "passive' vocabulary ~ }'Ull know the words but don't use them.Wrin:e'n and spoken 'i'ocabtllary is your "aqivc' vecabulary,

The a i:m of this chapreris te COI1:vert your passive voca,bulary mro active vocahulary, The purpose of the exercise :shoul.a net be ro lea rn the most ·obscllre words In the Ianguage so that you baffle or bore your friends and e-vet-d.¢("re.1is·ing audie-flce of IilJfenCf"$j. instead, it should be [0 learn the language rJia.1i: wiI.I help you express four ideas and understand others de::.:rly and precise 1y.

How to increase your vo,cabulary

There are several ways to increase your vocalinda.ry. You should approach {hem gradually rather rba n deciding thar you want. to .)eMIl 1,000 new words in one day 3.0£1 locking )lourself In a room until you have, Unless you happen to leaI'n best dun way '(and h .. ve the time and genui,nc inclination to do ir)rh,e.re are other, more useful strategies.

A better way of extending your vocabulary may bi: to break (he cx~rds:e up into. 30-minute chunks. Pi,ki:ng fiye words a day from the dictionary rnigJu not work for e .... eryone. The foUowing arc a fc,:w different ways of iacreasing your vocabulary, Your choi.ce will be determined 'by hew you like to gather information:

• If you like readingalor (and you have the rime}; then read books with compljcatcd language Use a diroon~:ry as YOIl go but before you l,oQk an unfamiliar word up [:!'y '1:0 #gun: out whar it' means yourself. This w~y you will learn the language as you go. Make note of the new words you learn as YOll do

~L .

~ If reading is not you.r faveurlre :activity but eommunicaring and speaking fa people is, then a imto meet people w he you know have a good yocabulary and talk to them, You can pick up a. ]O't 'in coneersauiou. [f you hear a word you do nor understand bur don't want to ask the person who says it what i[ means, then make a menral nore ro look ie up later. It is worth (,emern~ri:llg that :manypeople use a 'word because rhe'lI' know ir fits the oontextbut do not really know what the word means. U you hear a particularly obscure word. think twice about asking for a definition; the speaker .mighr feel ;.wkw<1rd if they a re not entirely sure <1 bout its meaning.

• A. third W03I)' of iru:::r-easing your vocabulary is to, use new h;ulgu.~ge .. i?'ick 3. word a day and use ir whenever it is approprlare, Try not to make it obvious that }'OU are t.rying out a new word by 'l.isin,g ir in every sentence unless you are in an environment where you can relax and play with language,

• A good way [Q increase your active awareness of language is ro carry a vecabulary notebook wieh you. Whme'l'eTyoll hea.l' or read a word that you do not understand at rhat is !JDfilmil,i.!.I:. write down the word) your understanding of it and rhe context you heard Or read it in. Then, when you have the ChcOlTlCCj look the word. lip to check whether your guess

148-

~t

I i.fl. 'JI. I iIr ...

~' '

i

~

was accurate This is an ~~d3nr good exercise fo,r rum:ing passive vocabulary inro active voca bul,a,ry; it tm;;Qurnges YOIl ((I think about the ddinition of <!Ii w.i)rd you think you know [be meaning, of.

• Relax while you learn. If you get a word wrong, don'e w(},rry about ir, The more youpractise~ read and use new ]3 nguage in conversaciontlhe: benet your vocabulary will booQm~.

~ Use yout imagination while you learn new language, Imagine y,ourself USLll,ga new wQrd and think about the response y?U m~ght expect i.f you u!ii!d ~r ~Ilappropriatel;y. Imagine Wh:lt '[)'~ word might mean. basing that Of! yem knowledge of other words, Imagine what th~ W(I,rd would mean if you could give it' any definition you like, Take time to play with langua,ge:.

The source of it all - roots, suffixes a:nd prefixes

alit.: of the easiest w,ays of learning more language and of becuming able to recognize new words and work out rhei:r meani.ng -is hylearn:ing how words are made up.

Didyoo know?

A quarter 01 the wwds h the ;Eng11sh 'lfmguage eomE:I dIredly from o1tiw langllajJ$$. This· accolUnt&torDle diversespe'llil"ig of many words 'lIlI'G use. However, imuch ottheEngIi$h language originates irl, latin, or Greek. ~ mot!l,5IuffiXBS s.nd prefb;,Els 1hat form the baSIs of our language are almost all Latln and Greek.. How much, ,easiarlt ;19 to learn a new word :If you :know the mots of the word. Here ,Is a !ad you might not beawar:e of: 22 roots ,iUld 13 pr:a'fixes arE! found I'll 100,.000 words fn an unabridged dictlcnary:ThB~: means that If you knoW' 22 1'1)01:$ and 13 prefilCes you may be abla to work out Uie meaning or too.ooo words.,

To get you stan«!, in the tahle opposite there are twc~\I't' reor words. the-i.e d.(lfi.l'I~tio.ns and some words made from t.he root words with their definitions. YO'lI! win notice thar a particular £00£, prefix or suffix may be used In several words. U you know the roots, working out the rest 6f the meaning can be easy. In Chapter 11. there is a larger collection of roots, suffixes and prefi:xes, (pp. 148-S0~.

e- 0UiI

ro<:- talk

dl'CUm!oq!iJaO.loos circum - around loc-talk

Root Dsflnltion VQeatutlaw
obi agaf.nst obloquy
e~ 9:./ 'oLl1 eoctmdlte
arch Irru1e1chfaf ~
ami 8salnst aT'ltipathy
paff1 teeling pathQlogy
,s" an ooIncU apalhy
greg nock eg~bu$
phon 50000 ewpi'nQol(lU$
et:.I. welJlgood eulogy
caco oot,~ cacophony leq, 100, log talk

etocution

elreum

around

'hJfiidtion ob-agaln8t loq ~ languag:e

'ex- out

an - no/not

.arcI'!, - rule

an1il - .agafnst path-,.semng

path-i.iing olog)!' - $tudy Q:f

a - no.llnot

P~1h = fooling

eI-OW

greg - fIook

eu - welt/good phon - soond

eu - we1Vgood log- talk

'ca(lQ-not ~ phor-i ~ sound

Car.ry the p.rdb::W!luffixes and roors Ij~t around with YOll: fen' a few weeks - make a copy of tf if yOU!' p.fe~r. lnsread of ]oQkjng up an unfamiliar word :in. the dictionary" try m use yOtH' knowl.Mge of plC!.fixc.s. suffixes and reots to work out dle meaning of the word.

Owing Slep3 (passive reactjng)and Step 4 .(active reading) of the flve-,stap system lOOk f« Ynfam111{l( ~$ as IPatil of the ikimming exerciSe, then lock them up before you beglir:l Step 5 (selective roodir19~.

50

lJ:,

;ii' ".

.~

1

o w

Specialized 'vocabu:lary'

De...elDping an understanding. of spcciaJmd voca builary nctdi!; 10 be dealt wiith ~n ,away dWel:'¢Il[ from normal v.oca,'bulary. ~~~ta(lr) words you, do not understand in the text make senSe WIthin !ibe e<mtex1: of the sentence.. USlla]~ you can read on wimout knowing COO'Ic;dy what a wnrdmC!lnS; you. win still undie[St'Sud what the' sentence or par.a.gr·apn. m.e.AD$:, Not undc",mndm.8 s.peciali~. Jan.guage:, ~an make: j,t im~iMe Ito understand :any oJ the teen, espedaUy if the eadre piece revolves

around that enewerd, .

The more ,fa[Uiliar YQU are with the specialized; «xt~ the fastet you wiU be: able toread.l\e:Go.ming fa.miJ;lal'· with rhetext mig'~,t take some tim~ depending OiR ,the ·,tev-elo.f !knowledge: yOU ~df:eady have. [f: you foUl)wa few simp]!} steps, the learnin.g p..rocess can become much. easlee

• During Step 3 (pass:i,¥e' reading], bigbJlght'd the wordsYO\l do, not understand especiaHy :if th'Cf look as ·if they ma'Y be

part of a speciaUst vOC\ihula:ry. .

.. li.you art: aUcwedt e,GpY the'glossary nom me book Ul there is one). If there isn't" use Ii good speclaJ.list dlc::tionary (most' sl;I,bJectl have: ene], If tihe dimonat}' belongs to yQU~ yeu' couJd hir;bl. ig1u ~~ch~rd y~u. h. ad. di!._fic.· _-ulty'- w.jlh •• :AI~ce. rna. ·-livel.y~ when wod:.ing hum a dlcllonary YOIl ,could wnre we word ill.

a 5epar31J(i; oook 'o:r place ro;trkersOn. the pages: so' that' you. can go back and :findthe. definition -q,ui{:ld,)" ;i,gain (you shQuld analnly do this: ~f tic dktiumlr.y is, nOlI; youxprQpt1!rty).

... Ouc,e you arc famillat Wirh the voc;abut.ny; talc,e' a bit of timli!! to tbiDk bow each word fits ·in with any ideas you have an the su:bject. Think about h.'?W else yQU could, \llSe'me' vocabll!l.ary~ Coosid~r how th~ woro is made up. Does the root, .umx or p,refu: give: yQiU an idea of whaf the, meamng: CXI~ be? 'In what other C(inkX! .mi,gh~ you Co:pl'C: across the word?

• If you. hav~ tu time" look'u.p tbe speci.a.list~ocabula'Ym.-:an ordiruu:ymaionary .. You may be surpriSed ,by diHeMnCC's in. H1eaJ1ling and mte:rpKi:ariQR fro.mth<J!t; in :tbe speci.OllJjst dicri(ln~ry. Dothi$' especially if you do not.unde-mand .the de.finitionin. the specialisf dictiona:ry. Very .oit,C!o. 3, lc-vt~ of kn()wl~~ is assumed in the $~ist' dicrim'lary 'and definirio·ns may not be ootIlplete:; An m:dittazy dkripnary assumesa bare knowledge (If th~ S-ubjecti so. if the word is. in :onet me defini.tion may be' mote b~lpfu:l. Enq-dopaedic.

dictionaries ate good because they very otten have pictures next eo the deflll:ition .. You can cxpJ()re :and bave ,fun With these ..

~ Can yOIl1 .6:nd a pict1l!re that iJ]u~ttafe$ c:he word?' If 00, remembeeing the definision wiD. be easier;

~ The more you readen the' s:'U,bij,ecr. duo; more ta:milia:r YOII wi][ become with the j'anguage' of the subiiect.

H' 1bat doelln' worl( ••• ,

•• ' and I~ yOU! stilll have problems with .8pooial~t l!Ulguage. att'eod as many talks and leclufe$ Qn the S1.Jbfect asyolJ can, Speak to, experts on the $ub~C'! and, ~nstead of asking them onlY what a 'word meiilln$ (you will more 1hu Ilk.ety gat a dtctIonary d.eflnl1ion). ask them how thewoJd fit$ Into the subject asa whole.

Summary

1 Pay attention tQ new words.

2. Kec~ ;l small }'1?'l::book irl,which ro wrlre down flew ~c::rmmology (with lts meaning] r:har you come acress in readingand conversation,

:} USC!' your new vocabulary,

4 Become familiar w~rll the roots of words, Ifyoo understand the I'oor. you wi 11 be able' to work iJi~Jit[b.e mea,nlng: of many words. Many good dictionaries 5.110,\10' dle roots ..

e o ::l o (I)

::l r+ '-I

m ...

-.

o

::l

Iln,~!s chapter "you WI:Illleam; ,the impei1ru"1CE1 of COOOQlllratio:rli

• Ule dltfelen1 ~s. of con~nb'aUon

• ~"fQr irrlipP'J'Ymg your ,ooncentration ._en::~ to Inc~ coli'lCOO:tration,

The imlportance of concentration

• The lint: rule of acqll.1ir.ing. kllow~.ed.ge: Pay attention.

Wirbo~n~ooo~ru:rati(lO dlere is no !Ritm.(I'ty. Some ideas (In how to oonee:nt:l".Site :andavpid t\he distrl1ction~ that break up your cOru:c'ntra[tioDwliJ. he presell,ted ill Chapte'l 8. D.lsEr'acnollS' and So~!ldql1s.

Concentration does .not come easily to Ina;ny~ fOir two ~Ca:sOIl~: 1Wec3;n be very ea;sUl' distracted.

1 There 'ca!'! bem.l!ch to d[str.alct 'uS.

[lnpr<lving concenttatiOllisn't ea:5~. W:e certainl.), do n.ora.I.w.a:ys h,.ve either tbe ~im.eo, des:l!!''C to mecU~tea:ndp:ractiseab5o.lllte co:ncentra:riion. for ~~·verOl.l h()tjJr-s each dOlY. F(I'tn!EJaidy~ th(lreo:tre other ways to achieve better' c-o.ncenttatioDskUk

Focused attention

Anmrkm bas certain denn:itepmperties:

• It ls dynamic_ Try focusing on ose tb[ng: on.!y and notice how lQng it isbef9.re your mind wander..: ... The aim 'Of m.e-clitadcin ls to ,~nab]e YI)1$ tQ :focus ·on (m!'!til¢m.~i1t of $o~ing without losing attention •. Peqple train and practise .£o.r yea,r5 ·to achieve

Ihi~. .

'II AtteOlti.on. is uI'I,di.vid,ed. If you tned. to listen LIO mere than. one' C"onversatiJ:ln at a time Oil" tn read a boo.k and d:rive a cat s.imuLtaneously· you w(lu]d find .l!hactai:tly chllUe.nging.

• Attention follows In.terest. Bo.redam wll.l emngu!s:h .attenrion in a m.omeot, Ahova.Y$keep in mind 'What ~I in i~for mer'

~. AWinnon is :m:aihta:ined bra.series· of djsco·vmcs.Be ·;a:wam ·pi what is new aoou:t w~atY9u are l.earning. How. !Qrn:n do yQ~

~-e:[ that <Ahar' .reeJi.ng? . ,

Sometimes we ha .... e to. f:Q'lCC c~r,iehl'es to pay atte'ntion.This ear! be IlApt:easam and i.n-eikdivC" .Silru:e am~iQn Jas:r;s forMly a kw se;con~s 'in those circumstances and has til) De ,eonst.ant:1y

telnfoi\l;l(id. '

There are several kind!!: of attentiom

,~ VO~L:Ulita:ry" attentioR - This is what YOUi display when you are totaU, absarbed by what. you are d.oi:Qg and disttacted by

sa

18

.

i:I

nothing. When you voluDt.arily p:1!y :ltte.ntiofl to .someth:ing you do so. narurany~ 'You dOIJ.'t bave ttl force yoursdf to' concentrate; you find yournelf absorbed .in the task.

• AUlOpilo.1 .". This oocuf.$when you find yourself I1.E' '~our destination. bu~ do nor know how y(!P got there. It also h;appens when yon reach tbe !!pJ:! ,(i.£ a !book and realj:te you have not r¢rn.embe:red ,anydliJ!.g <1ihhough you know you. read ev,ery wnrd,

• D.is:pened atlientioD. - Unfortl:J.lflaooly mOSE of us, suffer from this more man we would lib. Having tooma~1 ~b~llg5, going on. siml!dtaneousiy causes dispersed a!lJrelltiQD. as does ,II lack of Hllterest-. ·Wft.e.n. this happeM you fee~ ss tho\l!p yotl! C<iinnol cencentrate at ant everything :a.ttrncts your att~Jition and you can't focus on anycili.n,g for longer than ar few moments.

The aim is to. be' able to oonnol'lO,hmtary attention so' t~at even in s,jtuarioo!ii wneI"e Y'i)U would normally find it difficult ~I) con~nat., YOIl are able to focus your arre,ntioll willingly and fuUy.

Divided attention - when II works and when I doesn't

.Attention is iii H~Mr activity. If you art!:llread:y carrying out 3. task u~jng one sense or if )'t)u are doill.gso.mething that requires a hIgh level. of attentiofl,~ )"(in witl be able eo do only one thing, at. :ei time. for lnseanee, :i;[you <!i:l"¢ dri~ing in dangerou:s condisions you will notice that ),oura,ucnrion tQ' driv.ing is, total. If me radie ls Oil" yOll will. probably not hear it. If. on the other hand, the r-oad its dear' and the conditions are good, you m:ay be able to drive. listen, to rheradio and have Si cQ[)ve.r.sa.ti.a.n at' ehe same time .. The moment a dO@ runs into the read rOllr attention will shift entirely to drivlllg,wimin. a fraction of iii 5eeo-nd.

Divided attention does nor a~wi1Ys work while you are reading, Reading US(!$; mi! 'II'.isual and~ fOot' many people, the o:l!Mhruy sense, It limits oo'Jllversation" inhibi:t& other auditory actlviti.c:s Like listening to tlbt: radio aed prevents foonsing on other visual actiiviq because your eye.s am' .focused M .. pag,e.'. One r~a.$M we find conce.otrahon wb~le reading cbalieRging is because :ilt is so singly focused. As a resale it c~n become 7 tedi!ous fairly quickly, espocia1ly if w~a~ is being. read. is: Ullllilteresring.

Reading and C'anymg out anothct acli.vlry at tbe same time is almostim.possi.bl.e. If only ~o dcmDMtrate the pOint, it is 'Worr.h makingan experimeiH~

Ex.pet1m&ri1:

1 Select: ,s. fairly Ifght boolc. ,put a reooidtlig tapa In a cassettepJayer 50 that you canrooord What: you ar:9 listening, to and make y<lurs~1 oomiOlUbte'.

2. Put ill radio on fairly loud. than begin to rafid,

3 Try to mad and listen to the radfo a<1lt1e' same tim€!,

4 After 5 miMes !lltQP ~rng. stop the tapa aoo sw11ch aft the mdio.

5 Wrlte down '~ir!9 you can remember 1'mflili Dn:! bopk and from 1t1e radlo", keepIng the :two ~.

6 Coun~ the number of werd.5 you re.a.d arid ch,ecik how fast you read. Then skim the book: to e~ how at.:crur.a1e1y 'YOLI remembered what' you reacl.

7 Repliay the tapa and check how ,accurately you remembered what you Ilheard.

Trythis our in ~vcnd different situadcns: le'a:d:ing and ~i$lCriing to a c~,versatioIlJrcad.ing and watching ~devisiio·n;, reaJc.i.ng and having aco:ll:ve:rsatiun. Some c:ombinati'iltiS will be more d~ffiC'ulr than odl¢rs,

The: purpose of this experiment is [0 notice: wh,at distracts your art't':ririon mosr, I.f you discover that you can read and ,ompl~lt-e another taskat the same time, men. you wiH have develop1!d anothee skill that!, if nothing; else. wi.n aid y<mr time: management,

MOllt in:iporlalldy~ C"nioy the game'.

,Interest and. motiva,tion

The more you are inl~~c$~>d in wh..a~ you are doing, the easier ~[ 15 eo concentrate. Remember when you 'were last so' engrcssed in what you were doing that you losr :traik of time, NOIthing distracted your anenn.on. You were It<ltaUy intercst¢d and !notiv'l'red to reach a. goal. There ate [hue wol'lh here to take particular note 0& interested, motintcd and gnat

Wben you know what you are after {a goal) and why you are doing it (m.orivatt), then the desire (h:nerest:) to. ecmplere the task SUCt."eSSfiiUy malws tor total eencennaeion,

~. howeve~ th:: task ~ paniculady boring and ~[ ~~ hard to nnd 'elmer mOil WlIOon. or lnte.res.t" men Uli::' psocess 15 the challenge,

10, I'''''

56 8:

I

o ;I

You will need ~o make!- the d~i$ion, /Q( eumple, tbatt .. Y(l'lIJ.f goal is. to Enish this task <l"- quickly as possi,biie.

• Yom motiv:at:ic;m is tha,t 1'0<1;1 can g(l~ hont¢ $OQ:m1lr or ~~ 'gn

w.ith a more intc'resting task. .

• Your Inite.rest is deve1op~fig :I. :S'YSt-tm dial w~u ,aUow yO!'u to get th.rough ooriog marer.i:al fl1srer and mo(c ~fIl,N;;ri vdyeve'ry rime youar-e faced with .it.

There are two main ways ln which ro,Ilt;I:lIl,Uaflon call be ii11~t:i1JJpt~d~ hyintemal distra..::tio!ls and e:x:temal distractions. In Chapter' 8, Uisn:aerions and Solu[~olt~" we shan discuss exte .. nal di:&lractiom in detail. Here. we -win look ar lnrernaldjsuactsons and how W r,edu("(.'; $iU~.$S - Que of the greatest contdbut.ory fact,ofS to lack of concentration,

FilEll'I'I8miJtr1lh11i

ACQ~ to It!QSS informatloJl can be iStl'MSfut; dealing with mass inicrmstTon by using powMful ,c:tIOOSErng ,end reading sWdegifl$ mdtJiO$$ ~. V&fy oftlffl the prQbl!ml isno1. what we have, to do, but the rneM:9 we MVEi at OUr df$~ to, do it" (the how).

One of [he bIggest des.r:ro!i'¢ts ·of memory is sness. When you're stressed you release hig,h ]eve]s of Cio.rri;so~ into your bloodsrream .. Com50lisa hormone that: affects you in a numOeJ' ofW':l.lys~depend.ing on li:bc amount .rd~~d moo your body .at anyone time. Cortisol destroys gllJ.co!'ie. your brafn'ssollfce .of klod.

If you nave ever been. in an ,accident or witnessed somerning t1'<liuma:tic yeHI. may ilal'e gOt through the ex:peri.ence.~ wholly' or partly aware of it, bUI bec 1:.UlabJeto n~mem~t anymmg :lb()~t the, incident a:fte:..wards. Bio~ogicany 5~kin& YOIl would have e'xpc:dt:ncod an enQnnop$; amount of stress, and your body would ha.ve released large quanr.ir:ies of corrtsol tbaf!;V(!iitr Slr.t~t ro your hippocampus and destroyed the glucose. With reduc.ed food your hta:in did ti,!)!\: kaye what W'a:S neeessarr ~o lay the memQry do\V1lc:o.rrecd.y~ so although yO!) saw ¢\"!lryrhiillt ,:,.. and maybe even spoke to peopleand walked around - rhe nl.e:mol1ies, were llot laid down in ::lin}' f(:J.frn that Can be mea-Lied or th-ey were d.istort·ed or encoded ,inwha.t is k:no,wnaS" 'statedependent meml)ry~.

State~de~ndE!nt: m!BmO!l)i' has much to do with thel:aw 'PElI1~CEI ~hMfnaWlU~ $QmEl ~$ durmg ex:a~ They

study In the CQl11fort a.their home; and then wrlite ft::le exam in sO blg.,t'l.ill. omolal-looking hall. The ':state' they were inlwhetl'l the:y .... $'Iudied is differM1: frl:im tM onEl!~hey arEi In dmnQ the uam.

67

i

3:

I Extra Inklnnatibn

Stat.dIEipendM~ memQry oceUI'S When you !'9fMmb.er:$O~n9 Inl a particular sta:I:.e, and o\!:&n mty recslilitwhen you am ina slmi:faJ" staI&.ilf you dosolfl8l!hing wlmlIDY,OU aJl& drurJ(, for i~. you may haY'$' "klrgo1,t~i1' your Eilnil~r11lg behavfotlf by the momirng; but Ihe next time you are ootaJ:Id lhave orie.tOQ many. YQU wiil.probably be abteto rretall tha'ewn~ of the prevIous night 01.iIt

Anoth~r" and 1~S$ e'J(m'm~~ in.sfOl!~,C¢oc~urs 'when YOU;lI>e unde'J i:t Moderate. amount .of' stress. If ),011 are ~bo'l!t eo gjJU.3. spt;ech~ m«~a ia:q;!:!gJ:ml!p of people or introduce . your partner ito yuur

bess for thrl :first om'" '1"'l.l! - 'f~Ja ~'lr1,.,i- .{' .. - .-'. - - ~n . ri .

__ . .., . _ _ _ .'._.' __ .. "J' ~Y y t"'~ .... ~.~~ •. ~~. __ .~ y ... ur

b.ram-you ka.ve aU tbe: dfta:ils rhat' you need for the oocasiQIl bue you can't quileliler the ideas, names o.r words .:strslsht.

Some medi.cai ~pem beHeve Ih8it rortiSQl can affect:)our brain chrom.,icaLlyand .• do .. m.·· O" .... 5Jll.bde· di3ma.· !l;:C. in. lh. e. w ... ng term. Becall~ ·o.ffhelcve~ .of ~lUSS in most (if our liv,~ .~ .. haVel- It

constant drjp of co.rtisol. into OUI' bodies -, This cO.l'tJsol goes [Qund OUf sysremand 1:000, OUT bl'abl.s~ dcsn:oysgluclJSe and (urns calcittm inro free radicals that d(:st!tQY braiQ cells from l:h.e inside our. This can cause age-rdated m.emory lo.ss.Peopl:e ber;w~1l 40 and SO, "~'l!r$ old ~ali' £«1 that the,Y .~ RQ,t thi;l1king as fan: and clearly as rAe)!' dlldi befere, If clns Sliru3,uon IS left unchecked, ~t CQu1d have seeious oonsequences.

No ma:rrerWM'l::3ge y0lJl3:re~ jf YOIl take care OJ fOllr hody and mindby·t:aking :r.eglll:a:r exercise, eating· h.e-althily~ exei[C~iDg YOUE:

Htind;l\cl:ax.mg :!Inden]oying life." YoUrmernory will becorr.u'!: more ,dear. more c.reartive~more ac:uve:md:more 3JOctI:r:3Ire.

Those w.ho a.daprmeir nf.esry1~w:iU find. very l'ittl.e wiU happen

th 1...... '. . '.. : .. ~ .' b . d ..I1~ . ''-,...:1'' "

S.t r ..... 1' nonce ovem'6""t •. ue COllstant:' ,sn.~krrn:1JKY aChiOlll

wilil.be liewouded. ·The.re ls no magic pm tka,t can be' taken IOIf instant m~mQ:ry - if one were' put on th~ :market you should appmachii[ waril!!, or ~l1Cn avoid it, You hay:e the natural ca,padty to be brimant if you chOOse. All ~ttakes Is a little dfi€lI1; Ciom!lllOn. sen$~ and me hi.owltdgt andbr.lief' 00.' you MVIC w.bat I.t rakes,

s

Reac;tingl to stress

Stress arises when yOIi:r situation eurweighs your p<!'lCeived a,bility to deal with it, Perception of your ablilitt will val)\' day to daYt moment to moment. 'Perception' isfne operative word here, You may have no meee to do on Tuesday than you had on Monday but ~liI.Se yOi\:ll mood (Ii!' your environm.ent is djfferenr~ what you have to do ma), seem more [hall it :really 'is. The perception dl!at youcan!l;ot: cope wwU increase, regardless of rbe realitY gf }!'"'gUT Cll¢'~t surroundings,

Thought. experimant

Imaghle two pOOfile· waJlidlil.g dcwn a str.ee't Both of ~~ see the same street, lpeople and events. Boths" a bus, narrowly mlssingl a cyclist. both see, sonl80n8 'getti!'l(l1h6Ir bllQi snatched, boll see a eoople fighting and a child crYing. WhElfl' they ~ch Itre end of the !;ltmet, one Is tense and huslrated and the other slhrugs and says 'lhat~ life."

1lhe very nexl:day, the ,same two ~~ 'walk down the same street. l1IoUce 1he :Same ttJings and their reactions are oppostte-. h 008 who feU q.~lt(l< relaxed ~he dary before, notices the same eventsandi'reelS u;pset by them. and t!'Ii1I CIne who previously was agitated remains qolte calm,

S1mss lis cllIat.ed by tt1.e way you ~polid to a situation ra~herthan lM&ill.IBtion Itself; The film lin a potentially stressful eI1virt'lnil1(if1t i$ tokM;:U$ on tJ(i.W you can deaJ wllh the situation and Improve it. rather thanl fOClls.ingon how not to get .~ I~ it.

There are a num.be,[of stressors that may aHectyo'ur eoncemraeiorn

.EI:I.vironment _. Noise, chaos and pelluelon .

• ' Socia] - Peopl~~ dd:tdlncs, financial problems.

.. Physl0JQgical - A<:he~ pains, poor nl:ltfitio,n~ lack of exercise.

By far tbe most dcminant and potenrial]y damaging SllI"eSSOI'S are your thoughts,. The mtelJm~tatiot'l we place on. asituatiQn increases stress, .As Shal:C$pear'e wrote, 'There is nod1:ing either

good gr bad, but thll'LicinS makes :it 50." .

In some s:iUlSItions. we respond to our na.tural instinctS and run born snessfuJ ~~ruaJi(lns. Most stress comes from s,iruallOill.S we C3000r run.fl:.o.m or fight W'.ith~ insread W~ have: to sit: still and smile whik we boil ill$.id:e.This is when dama~ .may OCCllil' and

this is what we have to deal with if we are ~o 'oon«ntrat<e fuUy and e~i;vdy.

Tips for improv1iing your con!centrati,on

'nil following are different ways ,of deaHng wi[hand reinterprethllS seressfu] siruariens .... nd improving your concentration.

Break. the' routine

If YOll were abJc- to do only one thing to improve: your :i: conoorurOltiolil, rhen breaking your routine should be the choice,

Taking a, break wiUimprove your m.e:mory~ cencentraelon.mecd

and. abi]~ty and 'eQOIJbJe you ro ,continue for Dluch ]on~,r t,b~1l f.UU

could WIthout ODe. A break f;rom whar you, are dOn'lg Will give

you [h'e o,ppo.rtunity to reassess yourrask, think' of new ideas

and' approaches and will ultimately he~'p you eo be more pC(lducrivt'!and reduce you:r stress levels,

Yow: booy is hormone drive-nand. works. on a cycle ~hroughQut thi'! day; When YOIl.fce] tbat you 'need' a cup 01 tea 01' cfif~ or you,st:.an' ya,wIIing O~ making m~SfakC$ yom- body is teJling you it lS, time to SlOp and rest, lisren to yow body;. but doo't f<iib the coffee [see Chris Fenn's book The Energy Advantage). The longer you put a break . (liff~ the more difficult lit will be to get back HI w(lrk after you nnaUy decIde 'to tab one. If you. ~ve a tot to d,C) .il: is better to take pl1enty of little breaks and have small snacib rather than working waugh rhe who]e morning and ,$Wpping fo·l' -;1 fuU lunch .. :If you do that you ma;y ha.ve mOn'l co,ncernratioD problems than you nOl'r:naUy do fn the afternoon.

C,arro1 or stick.

One way to encol:H'age' you:rseU to increase yOUf' ronamtradon is to make sure that you, r~ward yourself well, If you work iI), a co-nvcnno,nal environment' you .may not fee] mat you are fuUy recognized O[ rewarded fur your effort$,Jn;s~d rif waiting for a reward fot yout W'o.r.k te come &om somewhere ekc~ take the responsibility of giving YOlI!LrseLf a reward, At thc~ginn~Llg of the day determine what you are gOiHg tQ;lcoomplish and what yO.Ul reward to younelf will be. Vary'YoUl rewards . .Make rhem dings rhatare goodfo,[' you and rhings that you [liEaUy WOlO.tanym:ingl'.1Ingiingb(lm .an e'ltening aerhe iltbea:tre or in a steam

room. to a.proper holiday f(it ·.finlsning 3. b~ prolecr on time . .If you. find reading achor¢ dli.5 kind of :incentive is espeOal.ly useful, Make sure you have plenty of reascas to treat: yourself.

'v '~I t_~'1 L ." . . " ...•. '111' • d

rou W11.u;c', nap,pl'e[;. -your monvanon W:lw, mcreas-e an _ yQ:ut

stress ~ev~d~ will Kdlil.;e·.

Rid yourself .of ,clutter

One environmem y-ou. can central ~s YOllr d~.sk. A single piece of p<1!pe:r Q!!'l your desk maya'it:r,act your arrention 5'eveta! times a day. if each p:iece·of paPC'f has a deadlin¢i1lt.a.chedl to itt Y0ll! wi]] hsve a desk full of alasm docks goi:ng off ,every .fi'lle miilii!l:tt'"s, alerting you to me pressure you are under, interrupting your co,ncentr.3'rion. indueing cHronic stress and c!1)1sing long-term damage to you.r capacitY ~o J~(lncell.trare.

If you hav,e ac:'le,ar desk, Y-OUf envrronmenTW'ill look and ,.feel under control. You m<l·Y havea great· deal to do but Y'ouwiU be aMe ~o' rackle th~ tasks one ,at a time with a dear' mind, The perceprlon that yOW" environment is QUt of eonrrc] w.iU diminish i.f it loolos Olgani~ed,

R$\l! pe.opfe

Ii!. del;egale In '009 of my cf:as:ses had a. noval method of ~ing effectively with unread ctuHer. He wwld place everything that came onto his desk into 'OM pile !n. a nay in the comet If'he ,needed it. he took it out of 'hi pile' and U1en rep1aced !t.on ~:op If 'he, Iknew he wol11d .need it again. Gradualty all the p:pper.voik ~d documents that he dkj oot f'!e&d and dldi 11'10'. have to read wOli'oed their W8¥ to the OOUomiQr ,the plle. Every tflf88 morrlhs· he would take the ootlom half of tI'iIe pile and. without gotng tlil:o!JQh ,It •. tl"l/'(l.W tt away.

Hf$ argumGrd' was Hila! if ha did not i'laoo It In three months he would not need .It: at all. and 1t1at if it was fIIaJly mpommt someone would ihall9 sent Ihlm: another copy. $0 the naw ;copy 'would belfn lila mp haH of the pire.

He is'very au~ful in busine&&. S!nce he adopted !this !iitrategy he has quartered t.he aJTIOI:.lnt of' reading h@ does lbecausa people know that ,if they want hlm to pay attention tosome1hlng they. must take the time to call.,lm., As a r:esun. his desk is always' (lies ,-so Is his mlnd.

Music as, an aid to concerrb"ation

Sounds rna:ts.urmund you canertner make or [break yom working elli'!(JronineEit. HaVe Y(l'll ever been in an office: and found r!tt,t!' sHe.m,~c sn unoomfottnhl,e mat yon felt: you mlJ~ whis'pe:r even althoijgh yQIJ, .knoew' y(ilJ didn.tt: hlilveto? 0.11 the otbe'l hO;\l'ld, have you eves eaeered iii room SQ' ,fun of music an,d noise that YOIl felr\V:ithin mo,m~~ thin you h .. dte h,~ .... ve? These 3:r!lCxtfcm.es;, thcu: Is agreat d~3J. of va ria tion between them. OUI response varies a:swill; a sOllg might come on the r,adi.{! one dayand without hesitation W~ switch it(lff; OJ) (!!nQthe-r Q«;O)siQU we :fuel the urge to turn it up nil .fun brast and sing a]Qllg.

Muieis O! pbe:!1:omelfl,any po.w,edu[ force - so much $(I that at one l~m(: in 'Cni:I'J:a certain ohortis and .sQunds; w~r.e banned by t~,efUiEerf> of II'he tiHleOOcause tbey reared the effect the ~und had OQllepupuJariOcIl (froro. T1Je &~r:t:t '·ower .of ,Milr$l·c by [)aviid 'fame~ Turnstone Press., 1.984).

FOiL th~ PmpO$cs of·dll.s ~ook we sbaH loo.ko.nly ;I! t ,music mntwill htJPYOllf Le\i'eils of,ooncenU<lDdllJ:. H~ lbelo,w are a few pieces of mnslc tbat have been tested and pro~ to aid com;:el;l~r.itioo and lea.ming.. These panicuhu; ..pi~ win enable y{;l~ 'oore[,,~ p.h)'SicaUy' but [',emam. mel1mUy 3ffie.n'.,

Tile im~QrtaHt thiwg about music is th.u you should enjoy Ol:od ·app.r~iate what ispEayi.ng., If YOIl. play mU5ilc. ynu. d:on'f like w,~ilC'. you try. to Concelltr3t'C, an )'Q!iJ w~U a!;hieve: will be <l;g!tah,Qr.'! <iI!!ild ~netea!\cd $tr'¢'$~.

The m:uskYOilll. S'eIJ!c:t sbould have C'c:fla,ln properties:

• The music should be n~3:ti\l'd,. g,ende but not so gel:u:ie that it

puts you. t:ll: sleep. .

• The- musk should have nQ words;.

.• The volume 1ihould be fa~dy low agcl unGlnl:'1lSive. • 'There should 00 p~em:y (:Ii ·vaner.y;

Some. suggestions

~8ac:h ~ Largo hom. Harp.siChord Concerto in F Minor

• Co:relli - Largo from ·CoI!!;crto Number.? .in DMi[j~ Op.Ll$ 5

• Vi.Vllld~ ~ LargO .from. Concerw in D·Maior for Guitar and. £,trings

'61 I

i

,

If

;:11

5:,

112

I I

Bra,in, Mod ... ea,ting tor maximun1 QDncentration Every (en and molecule in. yo,ur body changes and develops nccordlngro what you pu,t into it. This incledes the air YGU breathe, the liquid you drink and cs,pecially the ,food you ;:at,

If you h.a,ve to '(li1Ctl~r:rn.t.e' for an extended period ef time, the ideal earing :partern to follow is linl,e and off~n - of the right' stuff. bru our fast-food :;I(!cietywc rend 00 plek Ill' what WCi call 011 rite: run. Snacks often include h.igh--$Ilga,r foads thar redu,ce

our energy levck, .

Keep 1his. hi mind,

rn Oh!aptef 5, Memory. a number of passages to altow you to practise dl:ffarent memory tec:hntQ,.les have ibiwnl 1n.cr:ud'etI, They am ,about f;ood and energy. 'Pay pardoular att·entlon to, them ,and .ma~e :Wr9 that the m~ tachnl.ques yOu U~Ei work on them becaiJ$Q ,they COfiIta:ln us8fullnforrnailon.

Exeroise's to increase, and im:prove co,ncentratian

lhll.re is no o[lething you can. do ItO sl1ddenl}rmakc cooce:ntraciQg in any ImVirommcn.t ,easy. Concot.:.nrrn.rion has 00 00 developed and im,pr,ovedi. Here are: some: exercises you can use to increase c(mCclltmtion!IDd. decrease stre-5S.

Breath~ng

.A1mou,gh m05t: of your brain ce:lI,s would die widlin 3~5 minutes without QXfg,cll~ yOUi ean Ii .... e a whele lifetime withm:n breadting properly and not be foUy aware ofdtccorueq:uenccs. YoUr' body uses ymu breathing as a signal 00 tell yuu Whcfisom.ed:dng is wrong. When yon are recii:ng stressed or threatened younotice it first in ,.'yoU! breathing; wilteD you arc ,feellJllg rired Y?lli ya:wn t,O take m more .ur; w:hen yQua.re rn a t()Qm wlth poor ventiladoniC is not long befor,e }'OU !feel iUneasy. g,et a 'headache or £«J tired, These :5i~]s should nor be iJg;n.ored.

Correct bIt3d:d:ng relteves a number of ()omplaint:s. including stiffne-ss~ tension;' j,rrrrabitity, headachee, fatigu,e and depression, Good brea~hi!l.g h a bits contri,bul'C ,r;Qruidemblyoo 'Yom ability to eencemrare and [0 redneing YOIU' stress: Jeev.els.

There are ~~] ilrc.a.trul:1g exercises that doo'ttalCe loog to .do and dttit, you can do in ,3ny eJl.viJlOnmell~) all of whi~Jh will he1p you. increase and maintain eoncenrration, These exer'dses are quirk to lea:m.Pr.i!cti~ them for a Jew minutes every day.

A. good habit: to de've1o'p is to practisea. bU3rn.in,g exercise :beJore you begin a ~ding sessimi:

.. Select one of the exercises outlined MJO'W. " Sit for a momenr and relax,

.. Practise the b,'Cat:hiIlG ,ex.ercisc' seleeted,

.. State what yot:! W<'!~f ~() Olch:ieve and what your purpose is. .. Bsgin relldill'l.g.

This, routll1lewiJI rake only a few moments and your body wi" very :soon relax naturnUywnell you settle down to read, irlc[easing, your ceacenetation ~nd decreasing teasien.

DJaereet b:reatblng ~ercl$o

J.f YOUl are in a -.situ,niQi1 wb.-t~e irc;tn.'t' be obviou!ithat you are car.rying out a breathing. ,exercise!

• Take a :sl,cw, d~ breath,

.. Hold i:t' f.or the count of'S and slowny exila]e.

• At each i..Q-br~,ath make SflJlI'rl you are breathing into YOW" abdomen. rather dum your chest. To check this youwollM normallyplace your hands em YOW' abdom.ea and find out whether it is .moving or not .. When you, are ~n too-public;' a siruarion to do this. focus your awar'C!leSS ,l}nyOili' w:tilir' - 3;S yeu breathe ),'OU should feel a: ti,ghtening of your clothmg.

• Take thl'e() or ifol1f breaths lfke 'this and thenrcLax.

• Accompany the b.readting with a good s:rutch if you. an.

;Reallpeople

Scmetfmes YOOlteel" as if ooly a stretch Will eo, A ~oUeaglle of m~a isa trainer and ooooh who l"G'Qularly glves talks to large !l1'Qi,iPS olf poopTa. When she feels a little, n&r'V()ij$ 01' e)i:C~9d .she gets an, o.veIWMlmllAg urge to, dretch.II"Ii$Madof deprtvTng' Mr'!.etf of 1hiB pleasure. ~9he gets the whoI'e room tosmnd liP mdstrelch wJth Iher. 11"te group al'ways feels that thislia part of tt1e courso, and slnce they tand to feel betIalr for il'l 00 ,000 .oompafn5.

1J yot!' can't 'find a quret place, get QIIeryone to ,joIn in. Try it at the next a;pproprtate Jneetingl. UgeJ ~ 9XC?JS8lil!!:,e 'It's warm li'l hemland we've aU beef! sltting for a while. let'S get someen8lgy by ~mO\dng. standtng up, for ill whiie W1d .sIret.chlllg, I It w~ ~ 'tlme.

63

I

.

If

:l!

'e,1

1.-.'

'Qu~ck breathing o,eitclu·

If you have only- a: few m~nutes~ rhis yoga, b[ea:thing exercise is wolllfur.fu.l fOi. re1:iJ)[i~g ;;Jirl.dfocli$i(Jg~~t is especjSJ]I.y good if yO'll have beenrushlng, ;and h;ll.ve a rime Umiil: to stick te:

,~ Close yOil1f'~ .fora. .few.mQ'metu.$"

.. Pla.ce your dghlll'bum,b on your right nostriland block ll:.

,~ IBrealihe:in deeply and slowly through Y>PU.£ ,Ie'h nostril (o.r 6

seconds,

.. Block beth no:rtri:lsand hold for .6 seconds,

.. UnM(jCkyour lei:[ nOSiuH on1y and slowly exhale. .. Pawe fOf 6!1leconds,

II Then OOO'l'i:mlC by breathing in thfOUg~ your right llo5tdl.

dosing bot',h~a.nd {J'xhalng through your right nostril.

iO Co:~ui[nre to do dIis for as long as you fee] .cemfcrtable.

Stimulating alel'tQe:ss

If Y(HI are b.!(:I~Qmhtg dred and. you still have nnl~htrO do, du:: .fo;Uow.ing e'.lGe[\d.se wiU b.eJp increase your alertness an(lw;lu you up, You can dothis eeeereise in pub.lie.

.. Srand O[ S;~[ Ill' :str:a~ht.

• Breathe il!!! oomplelely and naturaU,. (iaro YOUf abdo:m.e:~). .. HoM you[' breath for 3. count of 6.

, Purse ~our Ups and blow out short bursts ofsl:ir faIrly fOI«iuUy uatil you bve {(Irany exhaled.

• Breathe' to. diee.ply as:ainand mpeal! tll.e e:x!er,cise seven] time!!.

tfthat dQ8Ui1't wor:k .•••

n bruthl'ng eUf(:;ls8$ don't work b YCU, don't pUSh at H:Jern. When you 1e€t!. you noodto .relax a bit, just 31tback and OJoiSe )'O'ur QY.eS for ~ moments.

BEI[IOg present ,alild.in perspective

Is. wandefin,g mindis a symptomofl.<IIc:k of a:t1cmdol'l and ~,Q.w coml«ntratioll. B~.ing p.r~~m: doesn't ~]wOlly$,oome ~ a tt!lany., It is easy for ym.u mind :to wander off ttl fo:re:ignland,s snd times, The only way to rearn h9wtO remai.nplI'cflc:nr 1S to become aware of when YQU arenot pr~ef!,~.~{~i$ a~,~eff;i~e yQU. can do :iOl pl\i1b~i.c or in priV:3,te. :hiis very .re]axtngand 'vcilyefrecti'ft.

., Sit or ,$tmd stU] for a moment,

~, First. close yoOur e)"¢$ if you can and notice what you' C3in ooar., How many conversations, can you make· out?Wbat are people S<lying;? Can you heal' <lilly traffid What is, rhefunhest sound you can hear? What is the c]osestround yoOU can h~r? Wbat,is:di.e most famiJ.iar er dle masl; fotcign or uRns,u3.1 wund?-What is tile most Of ~ea&tp}(lOli$;:tnt sound? Identify

~very sonnd you can bear. -

OI' Next', notice what you can fed. How dose arc peQpte- tQ' YOIl?

What doe$ tlilt! ADm benes·tll roOUr feet: fcern like?Wh3E do your. elethes fed like on YCII.'!,? Is rherea breeze? 1£ SOJ' what direction is it c,om:ins from?

'Ii! With your eyes open now, notice the colours, How ,many cliffe,rent shades ofred Of bh:i~or mange can you sed What ,is tbe moot common colour in your view: Whar.is the least comrrroncelour 'in yoarviewl Now notice the :s;hapes you can see, If Y()luo<wcrve-d yow nuroull.din,gs and had to des(:ri~ them in tennS· o.f slll.apes o!li1:ly~ and 11.01.' what 'i!h~ obji@!Ctsrealmy are, how would you describe: them?

.Pinally, appred,ate your sur.mnndings.

You m8Y notiee[!ha~:~ 'no matter how noisy or' chaotic your surroundings mightatfirst seem, when you really pay ~uen'!iQn and beeeme present you are surprisedar 'rhe ~ewd of comfort ;iI.nd re1axation you generate, This could sim,ply be the resuh: (If knowing. yo.ur !iiUrKllt!lding$, for what ~hey are' msteadof m~king intetp[ie[arion~ of them.

[10. this e:x;,er-:cis-e Q&~n, especiaUy -when yo.U are fcel~[jgth.a.t your euvi:r:onmenf ~s to be getting out of ,control.

Delibera.te action

This e~li.e wil.! be useful, if y'OU ha.ve only 3, :shon piece to read. and can"t-seem to focus ,your mind on h::

• Carry ,out one of the breathing exercises, gi,vlng},!purseU' time [0 sit still. for a w-Me and·g:arhel',.yclJ.r .thoU!ghtsfi!r,sr.

.. Then, take the material you want ro read and for 5 minutes f~ad as slowly ,liS you call without allowb~g your Itlwd [0 wander. :If yOu, lccl your mln,d is dt,i:fting~ brin~g ~t 'back.

" If ro'uc mind drlift;5 'Very .mud'!" read eur !ou,d f:O·r a sborr. time, After a whiJeyour ,anemion wiJI fOcus. Your nateral ·d~ire [0 get throu.gh the m;u~rf3:1 and .finish what you started win take (lV~ and yoor rcad:ing speed \!tin mc:;rl!nse.

Mienia,l numbers

YO!!! wj~l be surp.rised bow eas]~rYOl1 CSill be distr~cred w.irilo(Jt: rea:~i:~;i['!g vhatit is ha:ppe[]i~g. Try ~hi;s .~impJc expedmenl:

• C01!l!!lJt from, :1 to 26. Netlcear WMf. :lJiumberaIlio"ber thought

~~s i!iW' yOil.!il' h£'Oia.

M,Ul¥ people: wHI ha,!!'e ,t:llThorhe;r tl:lolJg~r ~n tffiteir In'rlds by the time il:hey reach j,. When you are (lOliUlti:rlfg it is ea:sf ee i~h~llk of orilcr: r.hi:ngs ana sr.i]lktll!:p going b~(msec()l1n1:i.ng Jnutl 1 fill 26 iSi ;a simp.I:e: exe~cIDse'.,W1l!ell rOitli are .rc:;'Idi.IlS, thJi'tmf!(llra]~Ile:rgy ~ded to foclls yOil.l!f anenrlon inc:re.1lses ~~d d.rifri.ag Ii'hO'tlS;11U can oon.t[i.b~t~ ~C) a tll,ck (:If 'C:;QI)!~t)([lit:r a tio'~.

You Hliglnlih too Uged!!e lQ,UOMng ,experiment to lll'Crease )'Our o!l~mtion;

~ Sirl1lldt.o!noo1Jsl,y ,count fmm '1 to .2.6: aad ,!;O thQo~h 't~.e !l,lpll:ah!:I: fro:m.A to Z: 1 .,,; A - ,:2; - B- 3- - C -4- D - s- E !Iud so Gn.

,~ ]:m;ag~.nc "-he mil.!lmhft[s ;1$ C or! the tigbt side of YoOlrlI bRin

3nd~h.e .lelt[cfSOililJ rElic .lcJr si

.~ Tbc~ SfW~ll;:h ~des;~magiIaie ebe numbers on tne: left side of

'lI'Ql;ll' b.rOl!~n. aJ~d the ]~tIV~1;1l Oil the, rjghJ~'

How fast C'.o!!~ you {lQt .How fa!' ean Y:0I1!l go belo.Ic Y()!l1I .['·eal:ize yOijJ[ :;lin~ntiQI'I ]rua~ dr.n£;Wd? WhIm yQ'll:C~:f1 .~Q ~hrul,llgh IDUi a~pbi8ber {illld up to 2!6)fJUfn:t1y gOiit.l~. forwards, riy. [his o..<IckwanIDs,

When. ~!OI1 feel },ollrcoooentf3[ioilllJ dlrUrti~! do one af tffil.e ear]ie'f esereises <\ few t:imes. Th:is: can be qUil[lC mcdita~i\le and l:e]a:xing.

Time olul

The stress J:ieacrnon p.reventsco.llc!,m,tJ'a:don and :inbiliMts HI.emory. Wbe!1 ygt!J! ~e] Y'IIJ'U .!.lie ~e<J,~tir!g ('II) a lltl1~Sllf!l~ $i~,,!~iQn,

'. Sit back m.rn m,omentilJl!d do r!()~'bir~g;. J usr b[Cathe <!l~d

relax,

,~ Take stock of what needs to be done.

,t !Be aWll!re oJ the time you hOlye aV<li~".bw.

"', .I[)Gc~dc W.ha:f C'.ollrsl'!ofac[~on you l.1iI::C' gOling ee t1'lke. >t' :[1IirepilI>e yourself •

.. ' .ACiI:.

WOny~flg, about h!l)w youwiil dQe~;n"'tbh:!g y,()U h<!v1:l~Q dQ ~SOl

disrrnctioll inits~~f 3.nd~lchiJe\l'l:lsllrtl.~. ~ .

Sumlmary

Tips tQrelieve srress and fa~ilita:t¢ concentration: ] Take breaks.

2, FoJlow the brea[hi:ng ... nd r~l<l:xi:lilg exercises, :3 K.f],OW your goal and purpose,

4i Manage your enyiron!lW!e:nr.

S Be fin~ with pcopl.e w'hQ dema,nd yonr attemi.on unnooes~arHy.

6 Devc:lop 0'1 I(l,ut:ine llliaar ~[lc]lJdifl:l;; rcS[ and recovery in rOllr r,r:.:u:liingaod worki:ng.

7 E!'l~oy wh::.tyou do ~ ;r1YW<iu:d yO'uf$df ohell and gen~mu:'lly. 8 Pr:icrisc king present,

11iiI.1s ,~pler ~ou 'will leam: ,. ~'I~pooess

.. the dlffer9nt'~ 01 memOl".\i .. how mem.ory 'WOIb and

whim It does:lr~

... tedhnlqUM;fQr fflmamberillg wMt you read!

• ,how'to in,'oIObie, ~r~ses ,a:syou read

Good concentration is 'rh.e first step to ill good memory. Ar-the end of .. paragraph, chapter O{ entire ~ok. have you ever' had to go back to the begLnl'lin,g because you. could notrernem her what you read? NQ matter hew fan yOiU !reading speed" unless )"'OiL!. ren:u:lt!~ what you read rQ;i~ w~n ha.ve wasted your rime'.

To, remember infnrmarion fur ,a long time you must revise. Revision ~ 10 be fast. If would be&ustrn.nn,g '(0. find. )!onrself spending.as much rimenyipg ro f:eVise a~d recall what YOllread as you did ,reading it in il'he first place,

In this, chapter we 'look at the· memory pr~$S. how it w'Od:$; and how to get ahe best from,' your memory while yo'u read,

Memorym~hs

There is a da.t.lge:r rha,t modern livi:n;g ts ov~doading the human: memory system. With maSS ,communication growing" more being p,ri~ted rha,n ever bcfm::e and the emphasis, of SUCCflSlS moving from physi.cal strength ro menta] ])o,wer, we have to devel:op $kUIs tba:t help US k~ up - 'let: alone get ahead, The main factor co,nrriDllr.in:g to overload is 'oot ne'C'C'SSari.ly the amount of information we sre fa~wi[h. but raehee 'Om attimde W!;v,u'ds; it.

NOImaily we oruy become a'Ware of our memory when we :FO'rgct something. This iisa. big issue in. readiR$' because most peopJe find that remem.beriog'what dt~ want from what 'they read is e.h<:liUenging. This is ma~n]y boca,usethey' .. roe U()T Ils,lag an appropriate reeeneion and reesll strategy.

There are some basic prindpL~,s about memory that sflOl.dd be ool1si.dered first:

• M.cmo.ry ~5 not 8i stan.d.a~Il'ne systie,m •. It relies' on perceptioa, alt:ent~on and reasoning.

• Memory 1$00t a system 'fhc''it is based on Isolated facrs, EVleryfhing you remember is intierconneaed to other pieces 01 luforma,ti,ori in yOttr memo£), •

• Memow rettieval relies g;:r¢llIdy Q,D assoc~ a non. The mere organized your memory iSl die easier it' will be to r:ecaU inior.mari.on.

... New lilionnadon_ is no,t stored sepal'"uc::ly rJ:om Qid .informadon. Old knowledg,e helps; Plake sense of fleW in~ormiloon <3:lld 'vice ve:rs:a,which is one reason. wby ~f is easiee to read materialy.ou kn.ow' something about,

.. ~,e'mory Is :not mdl" designed to store' ~nforma'l'iorl;, ~t :LS designed for me.

0; WI!!' 5~:di: abour.m,emo.ry' as if ~[' 'Were an objec[. We describe ourselves as haviog 3 goed, bad or average memory!. like having good or bad ]un.~, Your memory is not a lhj~g - at lcast. his; a:.rraillly nor <'I. single thiag, Ir Is .<'1 series of processes rh.at are tl1iling plaee inyoul' brain, all the dme.

• 'YOUlt memcrrcan betraiaed, It has beensaid that there are no good or bad n'1~m.ori~s~ill!lt trai:ntld crunrralned, Wldl very few ,ex.cep'tioM. and harrins ollanic damagc. cve,rycille Is born with a memo,y (hatean :bt dev-eloped.

The more J'ouuse your memory. the st.ronger it will become, ~ny (,:If IM- :plrQMem ]X1ople hilv'e with their memories as they age are dtlJe[o lack of: meatal exerd.sfij Jack .Qip;h:ys:i(:al. e:X¢t(;iSt\ poor mll.trl:ltion.exctssive stress and pom c:op.ing !nrntegfes.

The basic ,guiddme for [mp.mving 'YOllt !It'IcmolY<ind abilitY il!O coacenerate is that what is good fur the ~ody is aJlso good for the mind. $tTessis a major' fa~fOt in memory loss, (You may want re review [he information about stress ill. Ch:1l.pte:r 4~ Concemearlen.]

Did ~UI !(nnw?

Memory seems ~c be trans~erab~. An intellesting'9xpenment has, bean camed outon rats. Sciemtl:Ms made the ratsmght8f1w of the d!8I'k by :swiJ;chfng off the ligli!1s andgMng them a mild e!actrfc 5hack at tiIi1elHmlltUme" AHIN s, whme. every trmllJ the lights went out thtirats "'an for cOvet. A smelll amount or protein thought to carry memory was ~hen extl'acted tn::rn the 'frlghtenecl' rats' brajn5 and injected into rats witli1 a, normal response to 1ha dark l(Jley didn't romd it ~. all). The normal rM:$ then \l'6f'Y quickbr becemetrl:ghtened of the dark" witham eYer having bee.rIi exposed to theelectrk: shook.al the same tin:1e.

,Short-term, intennediate·and long-term memory

Almose all of us at some point feel thst auit memory i.s .most e.ffective ~n the snort term. SOilIlfti:mes. we go 't!l:trO:\ilgh phases or rimes of the day wl!efl we seem I:Q be urnablc Htt'elaLn orl'OCQU

anytmng. .

Short .. term memory

TMs pan of t.he memory syssem holds information farooly ,;'i ~ew seconds, U y,o,u did Dot haw this facil:iqr. e.very piec:e of inf.o:rm:ation yOllgained by sight. he.a:ri.ng, smell,; touC'hor tasre would be remembered and accessible, This. woul.d make galh¢ri.ng new in.f,o:rttUItion very diffiC!lilk because of ~l1t'erktence. 11 you want ,w' remember wha.E Is if) your short-term memory ),ou ha:vc ropay au.em:ion to it al'l~ mkeaetien so that you remember it foil' <II ['ongerperiod of rime,

Intennediate m:emory

This. i:nrorm:adon is retained for a luatte.t of hours, Have }'OU ever d!oneQr noticed semething, been interested in it and decided th~f ),ou were going m remember ~t bttause it was i:nt:eresli:l:'Ig. only to find a few hours later that !i'oncould nor quire remember what it was: This is: the intermedia.1;e memo,ry at work. In:foTm.arlon rhar is necessary f'Or' the time being js s:tQred in. tbis, proCI;$$. As soon as it is no ]OIiF required, it is discarded. This is wh.~u ha.p.pens when 'yOU forger people's names, 'You meet ilienl(l,1lCCl:. theya:re remembered while yau see them, but afrer the event you might' not (blok about. diem. tor' a while arrd when you meet. them again you canacrremember rn.dr name, You mighl;rccaJI. where YQ1;Ji met them and wha:r they were wearIng. beci;lust: your visual m.emory is stmn~r than YOU[' ,md.it:orY .memory (mo[e on [hiis Ia:le.'" but' you may 'WeI.! have forgonen 'their na:me.

L,ong-term memory

This is rhe aim for most' reading. YOUI: shorr-rerm memory will fCtain informacion long enough: .for )"on iI1) .make sense of what 'you, are n';;lding.'ntcnncdi~lte memory win !I"~tain infQrnlaJt.ion lQ~ enQug'h fO:l:' yOP. to make sense of the c:haprnj'~ btu your i'OJlg-u:,.:.m luemo.ry win .belp you remember and make 'Sen~~ of ,tho¢: whole book.. !L~g-wm m.emory t~uires revision and applialti.on .

Leng-renn m~mory works w:ith sh'Qrt..,rerm and intermedi.uc memory. As you. n:ad you are :relying on. 'ald" lalowl.edge stored in YOW' .Iong-temt memory to enable you [0 make links and associatioos witb new ,1nform:ati.on. AU three systems are Wtal[y jnterJiDk~ and gaps or weaknesses in. ;any ene of them .w:i~l prevent the WIH),Je system from working effectively.

71 3

ell

3

~

sa,

!.-II

How imemo,ry works

There are many models of how the memory systemw(lltb. Baskally~ YOUl mem:0f}' is divldedmrc duee parts:

~, Acqllli5~tiDD - Absorbirig infonnation ..

-", .Ret:corioo. -KeepinginfurmariQJ} in yo'ur bead. • B:ecncval- Gettmg ~nformation outagam.

The- .m~m.o.ry may booornc ttllavailable at .<tll}' pomt. The uQub1e is. you 01:.:11 .know if is una vai13blt: when you t.ry toreteieve somtthm:g - perhaps wben you are stand!ing ~n. fro.llt of'a peJ:son whose n~uru.~ Y'O'l1 hav~ (Q'il'lQrren,. try.ing w· introduce them to someone else wbos:enamc youba:ve also forgotten,

There -It[¢some bask me--Lmo'ryr1l1es to fal10w at eachphase to help YOM I.ememkr.

IMen1loJY acq~isition

I "The firs'!: rule, cfa.cql1!sfrio:n is: POl,)' atte:ntion .. -Most (lErhe time:' we forget scnte'lhing because we diid not have! [neoppo.rlUlli~' ro remember i.e ~'l we fi!l'stpii1!ce,H;tve you eser been told tile' ride of a book. m11y to ~aHze two seconds later IDa!!: :Y0ij have fotgo'tt-en. it? The cham::e:s:are tha.r _ yuur attention was -5m11,ewheM~@., The same ph~JH)fi'h~,lionOt:Xur$ when you read. If you have inter.osl. talk going on. imide yom head! $lcing yomseLf whether you are like[y 'te :rernemi'6oe:r what you are {eading o.r n()r~ you wiU probab1y not remember much alilU.

1 The sooondru]c oJ acquiSition lS; Plan. .Befon .you he~. tl-'l!l1i!koi w.bc~ ycn.nue likdy to' use the :inio:nn3tLon yuu ate reading .. Then:)decid~ wh.ich m!nnorytooJ (dbc~edlaft't in ~be cba~.[) .win he·]p best when. the time: co-mc:!! to usc: the:rnfo:rma:hcn In the fufl-llie.

3 The third. rule of acqll~S!iri(}n ~s~ BemterestOO.. Even. if d1il: mareil'ial'1 seems dull, find something in it tb:at:intere!iu YOIl, If you are bo(\~d,[!h.en. p~ru of yoW:' b:r~inwin g.o to sleep and lOde pa.ylD[g atltenti.o.n e:Yell mm:e difficult:.

4 The .flt!ai mleof aQ)wsitionis: Be ,attive. Read a·cti¥el.y~ Think about Wh;3~YOIlMi:l.d. Wh~n you. {oUOIN. tile £i.ve-srep system and you pn:panto[ead. spend so,me time- thi.nking abQilt what Y(lu aJr-eady knQW en the subic:ct. As we saw at rhebeginning. Qj this clIapre-r, your ~e-morydoes not work tn iscrnatiio;n,. The [l')lUe CQnnecrions you .male.1! between new and (1M :i!niQfmaliQ~ me :culer it will be' to understand what you arere:adi:Qg., Undeil'stand:ing.is the ,key eo ·U::Il'le~~ring ..

!Mem,ory nrte.nition

ICe,epiing imotJI1;atiO.n in yoW' head Jsone tJUn:g; keeping .it mere in sud], iI w.ay war. ·YOIl. can Rtri!):ve :i,t Lakl' is a d:i£fe~1: matteL

Yourmemo.ry thrives; on assoQariOl) and ord~[; The better or,ganize:d your memory ts, ~h~ easier kw:iiI be :\:o retrieve informafion wben.you, need it. You do not: have to keep ,everything, .in yClllI head. You can be [ust as orgaDlzed. on paper, 50 r:hat you win know where to find .infurmation when YOIl.n.ced it.·The siQ'lplc: memory tools outlined ill the· t!~ section wiD help yoo organize y01U" tca:din,g so that remeval is easy;

Rebear-sal I1.M revislen ate needed before :inro.rmatioD can be eifecriv¢lyl'ctained in rhe memory, There are several w,a.ys you can aehieve ehis, The least effeqivC! IS. rote rehearsal. Unf~)[tufia.tely~ most of' ll!$ ttSed, this method rh.wugb school when we an,empted to memorize te.Xl :for exams or rests. Thil$. iis 'iindfccri.ve· because' <1S soon. SiS the memo",' is int·enere:d wi!th in any way the information dis;lppoea:rs. ,Fg,r iRSt:3.nce.wher.i someone gins YOIl a ~eI,ephone n.um:ber aJid t~ asks youwh~m you put the key~, you will probab1y forget the telephone number since the faa that you have lOSt dl'e keys, wiU take: your mind in several .different" directions. M~:QtO!Y interference and fotge1:tmg win hoi! discussed later in dU.!l chapWI'.

The mere Dm.t you have to think about,punderstand and work at what you arettyi:ng [.0 remember; mtl better :the dtance you will have of rememberin.g Et.

Memory retrie~1

One .rtUl)nwhy '\VC: have dJ:ffi.cu.lty retrieving infmmatio!l is [hiU :be rerrieval method u$~d i~ inappropriate. Memories ~e:s~C)re:d 10 several pam of our bmw. When we tty to r¢me.mber what our .hont door looks liik~, sc:veral,a:re.as of our bmiD will be activated, "We might:

• ~ an mtllmal pi¢t1:iR: of th.e door (visual).

• Hear' the scmnd of it ,d~os:ing ,(auruJt.ory).

• RecalJ the last ,time W~ wa.1ked. through .it ~kj[laes.tberic and pro'priooeptive}.

• Reme:nibet the .feefin,g 0.1 the ]351: rime Wt locked oW'seif our. (emGti..onal).

• SmcD 'the' fresh coat of p.nnt· wh~n, we painted it Ian (olfactory) ..

.s:

When we trY to !retrieve :hlform.nic!11 we oft:en use emly one access poinr..lf YOll. carl re'1';teafe the w.hQIC' e'l(perieill~ as }!'Ou reme:m.bcmd.it. ~r wiU be e;l5~cr f'Or YOI1 10 n:call, more illttQrmarion.

There are difkrellt types of memQry n~l:rie\pa:!" depend:ing on how tbe iMcrmartion is p.rcSlcnted to, you. The casi,cst ]n.f(lrll'nlliO'D to. ~(lmemb~ris ~nfo:rJUa!l:iQIl y(lucanr.::~~. The muhipJe~hojce ~ecr.ionin. all exam .may be easier rhan~q!lesd:oil1~ where' you have :to provI,de the ,answe:r,.!Recognizing someone"s ra.cc l!i o.ne:n ,easier dl:E!nrettlil,llT:l~fing their flame. You m~Ght notke I!:h:u :s:onlf'times:wheIlVou are lookmg forinfmmaf~o:n, yQU know you havefiead before, fOil might know whereie is~ yDIU can see if on (he page a'!1dwhcRyoufind ehe page y(l!il, recogni:re thl.1: mKr. a:1.tiln,oIJSb you CiUlIlOI: ue:an the ~ll:form;3dol:l. hself.

Rccal!l!is: wb£nyCitl :life-given no ']116 :at all, If relates, for example, to. a pcrron'~ name rather ~hanllle.ir face. Mosr iniformario.n that you forget .~ thc;i~ocu;m a tion you, :n;ood to recall,

Techniques; for remembe~in9 what you read

ner.e are IDaill·Y waY,$i wri/;'imenJiJet what you read. Some are listed !below:. The aim i$ f(J be C:Qmfo~table wIth. aU of them and be able to use the :rigbt one fDr the. :ma~~riiliyou are rcading, EveryOJ1(l is diffcrnnt; SQI1X~ti:m~ii[ wt[lfi aU [h~ ,apptoa¢hes.

Linear

Ma.b notes as you Mad OJ' arre,r each S!N:[10n. These should i:ndllde rOOf' ewn thiOllp.ts. :ideas and erose-references, The more you i nelu de YCill![ Q\Vn ideas, the stronger your loug-teem memory will be.

Keywords

HighUght W~ WQ~. thar carry the message .. If you do make nates SepanIrdy. eIii5u:re~hekey wordsare cerreee -you do not want it li:stoJ wo:n:h that make no ,$CrlSe to you when Y(ll!lteview dtein€onnation in me f!l[U[¢.

, warnlngl

Be ,careful I when youl lilghllght. TI'ie«l is a ,dangerlhal as you go U1rougilthe text YOUI will highllglh,t (Nerythfng. whichl means H'iat aU you will hava is, the same text underlined. ,coloured. dfrdled and theretOire mere difficult to read. Try to $'Iiok to highlighting only a few WOfds p!9f ·S$fi!~OOQll and perhaps only one seliteflee par paragraph.

Margin reading

.Many people are brought Up' 00 believe rbar books are to be kept itt per:fect~ondiriiQn.. Unl~ll book is being presented as a priceless antique, it is .i'i form of communica,tion from We a."l.nhUf to the reader. You. nan W fake. ownership of a book by writing in it or ma:ikIDg it. As '\11CIIJ as undulining., circling :and bighlighting CSSMtial aeeas, )lOll can note your opinions, whelh.er: "you. .~ or disegree with what is written and mark what 'YOU do or don"t understand. Then you. can dosomethi[lg: about that "not ~randing·. This should on[y be done if the boek belongs to YOIl, of eeuese,

Contexl-ma!pp):ng

This technique is based on quesdons and answers .. As you go thrQugh the rext, look for the answers to the when, wbtt wheIie. who~ why and how questions. W:r.ille the allSWeil:$ on an index card. or on tbe text itself. You wiU oft·en. discover that you have all the il)f(lnnatib:D y,l).u need wben you. :reach the end of it.Wn order to recall the informat~on lak.~ all you ha v,e ro do. is ask the questions again and the answers w.illibe 'triggered.

Mmnd .. :mapping

TMs Jill another W<!!y 00 make .notes:

• Wri:tc' the key Idea in the c.t:iu:te o,f a horizontal (landscape)

page •.

• The' main ideas form thick branches, from.m~ centre. 01 Secondaty ;d\e:a$ flow hom the main. Ideas.

!II Tertiary Ideas ,flow from the. seco.ndaQ ~deas'f

• Continue until you ilieacb me finest relevant derail

!! Use as milny C()~0<1l1'5 as possible (~ith some material you will. need n'lfe at least), and. use:9Ymbo~ or pictllres instead of words as far as P<luibl~.

• Use one word 01' idea per lme.

75

I~

o ~

76 I:ndexing

I This technique lSi good for researchr

~. Drswa Hn.e down. the middle 0.£ alliumlx::r of AS cards . .:i! .~ Write 'QCR'lic:pt' on the 1eh and 'definition' on the rigln.

.. .A.s YOIl read amd you comaacress the: key CQna[JpIS~ wr:ire ill f~w :key WQ.rds; t.bat surnmad~ the eencepts Oir idess and in diQ other column note down any tefmi.no]qgy (with de£lnid.ons) [hafis :nI'lW Hl yOll.

• File the cards under subject neadin,gs.W'hcu }''Ou read i'lllotne.r book on dIe same ~liJibjCCf, use the same cards and add! ~o and Q expand Q\Hi r.he ill:formsf;ioD. you h3:",.e;llrt;ldygarmu~roo.

U'I

Testi!ng memory te,ch'niques

four pieces of' :re:a: follow~Eachis :li:pproXtmale~y 500 words long. Read each as rnst as; you can for good comprehension, using: any of. ih¢ ~~h~iqt!e$ Qudine,d aOOvt'.

·.AvQid u1!~ng a .memary .stnnegy you are already filmi]iiu with; you ll~rca:dy .!mow how W(lU ihu works or othetw.i8~.

.. Apply mlerec~ulique to eaehseeelcn of text.

~. Gi'\!'¢ y(!ltJ:r.$~Wf a m<l!~mym ,~.f 1 minute ![:g·read ~~c'h pitte;o:f ·~eXJt.

e, W~en. you hav~:. c!Omp]~~ed~, readi~g .. and. followill~. the g~lIde,hil'l(t$ fnr C2ch. oochnlqu~\~ t01ke SOniC' nme ro wnre .as mUlCh as you can remembee :about each piece of text. 11Ie more dct<!~1:s you. eaareeall, the better. Once yuu are saeisfied, move on to the next one ..

The most i:mportant pan: of any .memory technique is to make sure mar youa:r.ra:llge the kmow1cdge· yonan!: g::1.rheringintO 010 order that suits you; Theaut:!mr wru~1 srnllCl'Ilair,e -i.nronnation in 3i way fb,u ma~-es!lensc to tbem; you ha yea diffe.r·ern ~eve] of knowJedge and <l:dil[ercm: ba..ckgrollndl .. Mak(l: sure mar: me n~w information is incorporated .into wha~ you already kn.ow and is; <li'_ - iR such a way rharlarer (>:n~ wh;en yuu want to use if,

. md;(lS sense {O you.

·n.t .followinG sections QfnrXf have been 'Very c3(~ful]y kl~d .. They g.-ive yQ~ an ~m~ight into. the body .rhythms a~.d eyel¢$; tffil;a,t have an im:mell5e ,effect ,OIl. your' aMity to concenerate :at different times of ·the day; ERjoy the exercise. Remember to Rad 3;S fast as you call. f.or good Oi)m]lr¢llt~n$km, and 00 use a pacer ..

Extract ~rom . Th~ Energy Advantage ,!3Y JDr C;hris Fenn (pnn,ted 'with the auihon permISSion)

'Text 1

Syncl1forljse your bio.togrool rhyithms

It's atamilfaJ" pan~e«l<. There.am times during the day When YOOi QI'Q firing on a'l cyUndei's - feeling particularly aJlvEi and {DOUsed, ~oo,pIJl'}lg W$1l With YQur 'work and sh~nlng at b1iJsiness meetings. or oomehow coping withtlie &!m-aiids of $OlaI1 chirdmn that WOiUld otherwise leave you fr:anJM. Yet. ft1ere lUll olher times in, the !l"Mle day - ·wIle{!. you find yourself making :simple Inexplicable errors;. and unable to ccncen~me Of ihJnk Glearly: The perl:O<d of faUg/,Jo and yawnrr:l.QI that can dEl!S(l:end around mid~aft~, Js ,21 commoo 1)(:Cutii'9nc9. but a. couple ot' ho1:Jr's later we seem tohalra ,pepped up aQE!ln and round! a 9Qooncl. wind. Mosl 'pec;pTe biitli&\J8 '!hat this spaced-out 1ee-l[ogl re:stJ1ts 1rcm the h!lrg:e mEial 'they hru:l fur lunch, !his is, true. to sam!,! exteM - a fullstQ~ac:h d'ms cause 9i di'ilerslon of blood. supply .Q .he fnt·ast/ne, whTch ,cuts back on lltie fIIew tattle brtW'R. But tnave you ever notwed that you don't get qui:le the same eff~ :after <Ii I'mge br:eaidast,?' "Jh.e mid-afternoon leth9lgy also occurs if' you omy have asmaa snack fOr lunch. So What's going 'On?' What 'we eal is only partly to 'blame for the cl"lange [n eer mood and ,energy 1911181'5 thl'01lJghoUl; Ule day; cur mind - and body ootMtie6, i!If'e also lrulad b,y Mtural cyd:es and thythm$.

lune In to your b[oiogical Glock

Since the b9g1nnll'!g of Ume, o:MllSatlCns ,have s.ettheir rotItines and pace of life b.y the external cycles of the SUn im.d Moon. Only ~ lI:1ave 'we' realised that we have our own internal crooks whi~ aTso playa. vital role in our ev,eJydayUves. Our'bodias foruQW 8 Pl'&-Pf'OQrarnmed s~nce so tl1at the essentlid fi.motiOM of sl"p,.wakafulness., growlh\ "",parr and rMillb(l11sm occur during U::iEl most apflroprlate times oJ day ,or i:':Ilghl

You may' be,'amllf~lI" 'with the term cin:::adianrhylhm whlchrewrs, to the biolo,glcaJ cycle that ooQ.jf.$ over 34 hoU1&. OriginallY it was, ttlougittltlat our circadian rhythm w,as :slm,ply ,a dallY ~t.nalIoo bEltwMn be[(qg ~ and asleep, but ~ now shows that tt1ai'98f9 other rhytlnrns wiNch haiol'€li a powerful ried on how we 'reel and how emc.ent!y w'e 'perform throughoot the day. So, Ito maximise yoor ~IlY perfcrmance" you shou1a tune In to your in,;ernalolock.l

Q U'I

The ex:aC'l: sUe Of the· !body dou::Jk. In ~umaM Ihasyet to be detanrllnad, but In mtSi and. other mammals it is. located inl two smaJi: gro1.llpscd cells" one oml either s1de aithe brain, cWledthe ~J,Ip~llhasmJl1jc !1Iu~el (SeN), The s~h19 OIf t\h.EI. Q!o~ in 1h!:s area is s!lgnlflcam,t because the ·cell$ are part ot a.larger aJi'OOI known as thehypothalJamus, a region o~ the bm'ln that alSo ,controls lbody lemperallum,.tood and water, int~ke. hormone secretJ.or;iemd .se(JWaI.drtYe. When the SeN were 1mrJ1101Jled, H: wast"O'Uflid thattha l"aits' cycle<s (l·f fQ&C;Iing, drirnk~n.g and s.oaxual activity wer!!!' destroyed.,

Ted 2

Tune h'i! tOy¢lur bioJogical clodk(continued)

Wherwer the ci'eek is IbealEWJ rn cur bodies, there [;s ne d'cubt that It !sa ~I$tl.'¢ated d~cei ''tickfiig' away and (;(lntr'Ollli1g what we feel ~ and Wilh.erl we faGl. lit ih€l $~ ·c:yole is ·OM ·of the body's most iPOWooJJli mylhms 1:tIat makes JJS ~·9i9~,ruert dur,[ng the da!!l .and $.!$~ 1M n!gllt Howe\llSf:. a Biitishstudy carried oUt at Moo.emster lJIoivenJty· :SiJggestsrJM!8t our cycle:. dooo not QXac~Jy cO[lnc[da with the planet's 24-hou.r day. Kept Ina. ruQm with ¢omin~oos artlkiall~ht. and !'lone· oHhe daily e\d~:maIw_ ·as a guide. the bodies or tII'i.e MaJ:'idMstert&!lt group adjusted ma 25- hour cyCl~.

Thrts happens .to mElny of IJsat waekendSi.W.tooutalatm clocks, deadHnes and appOintments, sta.ylng up late ot1l Frfdayor spending hall 01 .~nday In bed,ow rhyIjh!1lS f'ree-rl.!!'l into 1t!.e n9Jtural 2§.tlQur cyCle. POOple- who are' p.Qrt!clJfsl'ly OOI'lsitiWl find themseM!s f:eefilng sluggish wllh the 'Motu:lay morning blue'S' as 1hey ~ tqwoi'k ~ightly' 'i~Hag9edi'" p~rEl $~r'fI:'ag~m blindness caused by retJnaI dlseasi:l ofian ~ose synchrony With t!hefrfamily,. friends and cclieagul5Isa.s theIr dailyrhyti1m fWe-ruli16 on a 25-hour cycle,.

;Research has dilo'Mli1at there are d~sHnct varist!ools. ruled byther (;i~adrao rhythmS, ill ourphysiloaJ and menlaJabmtles. This Is because durl~' ea.c'IlI compr.eta oycl&, body tempemh:lre, urine produdfon, IS\leds of glucose,cholesterol and other· substances aU Me and fa:Il: OlifJillood. mInd amd 00dy :ar&~stam~~lng ~l'uQliJgh(llm the ·da'y ~nd night.

Putting it aU together - a'l:ypic:al day WQyld beg~ ~g7 a.m, Hsvln·g $unkto Its Iowe:stPQ~.nlsom9 time between 4 a.m. and B a.m., our body t'emperature begins tortse, rapidl:y. Th~ affac1s our I

metabolism, which also sums to speed~p because emyroos (controllingl \lario!Jscheml<;:al IProcesses in the body) wotik footer when the temper.arure is higher, 'Th!3$E! in tum kick-start tll1e release of 1he roi.J'$jn9 hormone' cortlSol,and we il!ea.ch our p.Mk mental. ~rformanC:EI $():me time !between 1 a.m. and 12 noon, This is the bast time fer tackling probl'Elms, - the OOSS ()r an [mportllllt piece o~, work After midday is not B good time for making decisIollS. Our body tern perature starts to coo.1 off again. hwels at adrar.alinta ,and other I\mmc:mes 'decrease, and mental !ilb~itY' gl!lflen;lll.y g,ats put on the, back-burner, This !!:l: Vllhen m05~ people foeel l'etnarg!lc and ootr:(ifl 9J d9finf:te drop in e1'flcler.cy.

P,oopfa, Who warik ill Medi'terr8Jletm (;ountries liav·e the lligl1t idea, when they break, ,off and halr'e a,slesta., It happerlsto CQirn;ide wilth t~ holt,$${ part of the day- but It makes sense to s.yncmmntse wi~ your bodf~eyelesramher thaI'! ftghti:ng agaTnst them. After 3 p.m. oW' mmtal abil~ b$9i'i19, to pIck up agaIn and we 'can wOr:k W$II. From 4 p.rn, to 7 p.m. we are at our physical pMk, thm'iks to a rise in levels of the hormones oo!'adrenaUn and oo!renaJfne {tll1e new names fer theGEI ~ ii"lor.eplne,phrine andeplnephrille}. Th6$EI affoot opUmaB neMlrunrn.ioningand ITIIJscte 00-0 Klinatio n which h&lp:!il, manuall workers to lperform W&'I I, oot. thls, is tll1.e tIme, to ctlaJlmge f·or a game of squash or ~ngage in st1fl1e form 011 ex8f'Oise. From '7' p.m •. onwa:rdis. the body cocls down ,along wftth the metebollC rate and Imls ,of varioos hormones unlffl we we back tcour !0W$S.1 ebb at ,3 am, With. Ut11i knewludge Jt is 'poS3~bla to oo·hadu!e imporl:al"llt. bus'lness J'li.H.thig:5 (lr conference calt:s to take adVantage of these .peaks. As, well as cIrcadian rhythms, there are01iher cyeloo w!:Uoo lInay ha,VI!lI a ~Of19 immediate eflect on eur mood and overall heatlb.

Text' 3

Forget the fake fats

In between Indulgingi In theso...ca!lled fllrbldceII'I! foods, manY' ch.Js go on the diet trindmill, which. until recent~. meant E!i,Ming asa PEI~EI oordboardrllke' fat-~roo foods. A few yearo; ago., IRks lowcalorie manna. from heaven; came; th€lfaka hit revoIutlon. These ,t:ake fats are substariOO$ {$i)me aresyn1hesU;ed from sJ.igQi$ or Prot,ajos) that ca.n provide too creamy mouth-feel of fats but without 4th. Cafories, Suddenly tho€! su.permarket she'lves [held no fears and tMI'8 were no 1TI()f'e'!o:rb[:dd!!ln ~oods. 'ChOcolate. cream cakes, bisooits,gat.eElux, ice cream. custards and puddings Inow camewithoutth:efat. ThetheolY Is that ihesefOods would replace

0' en

the greasy. OaJorie-liadM :aLlet'MUwaS and we coula IndurQe In all ~js guilt 'ree goodness and keep the bathroom sca!es In cheek. The· l~aJlly Is· ft'lat it hasn't: worked ol!l:t: Illke this. 1iIntl food IMustl)l has been exparnllng 00 the profits fn:lm the liow-fat rev·oiution - but lJf1!fortun~1y $Q have we. .AccQrdmg to UK gOll«nmlm~ :statistilcs, 16 percent cfwomen and 1·3 pei' cent of men am now obese - double the ~ncldEu'l:Ci9 fiv.e years ago - whirs! almoS'! haM ttie po,pl.t1:Mlon is overwelgtlt.

In 'tM' [I'ast 1We. years;, the average UK dress si.ze f'Or women has i'o~aood fro~ 14 t'o 16. llte, food Industry has; done an elOO&llent J;ob lin braTn~washln:g liS to aeespt jus.t one' me~g€l; fat'is bad. As a result we have ditched QV'8fY arlher hea:lth or il'1l!1triUcmaJ co!lsideraUon in pursuit. of the IbeUeUl'lat i!.I'lythrng 'tow fat' maJ(es U$ thin and. that fake tats, are somehow "healthy' foodS" ThetO(ld Iindustry feeds this bel~f by spending a fortune ,onttie' l'esemoh and ~el'opment ,0" an ever increasing number ofsyflthetic fats and "at5Ut1s1iltutas 'with which to PrOOu(;9 new foods Md add 'to the ever expand!lng range. of fat-ff&EI d€Jlrghl:;i.

lhela'l.est Mdpolentlaily most dwmlagl.llQI of the fake fsI:es rs called Olestra, It is, I1lad~ 'from. vegetab~ oil .a.nd ~; but~h.e mtllet!:ul'es are too lru'g:e an<J1 tf9htJy' packed tD be absorbed by 'the body. so it ,passes straight thl'OOglil. Whijst other fa'kfli fats Can"! be heated beyond a certain perot befOll'Ei' breal<Ing d'own, Olastfa can be ,used In fryi:lg. ma1':!lng f(l(J(ls as greasy as you like butwilh 1he reassurfng 'I!mowladg!f) that mt w61 pass sUaight through yo .... body. Olasim.ll1as I"eCEIOtly ·beeo. app!"lJiied 10.' YS!EI. Q!l~ in SflaQJ< f,oods rn .America (atthough it may ·soon !be pennitt·e(j for <II range of ol!ti1etfried foods and a cookIng 011 for home USle). This approval ocooil'ed despit.e a blaze, of contn:l\ftIrSY ,WId op(Xlsition tram he8ltih professionals, but ,IS .yet to IOO-sarlot!Qnad b~' 'It:ie UK Minjs1ry of AgriOi.iIbJ~ R'st!:ef1oo and faod. wn,y all the furore, ·YOOI :ma-y ask.

Olestra's uniqU9 sell1ng peNnt Is ~ha!t: .It passas &tralght tlhi"ough your body, but Wlnen eaten in large quamltl8s. I.t: esuses what is channmgly desmbed as 'ana] leakage'. IndiViduals, woo Oa,ve beentryilllg Olestm have complained Ihat It teaks, leading to' stained! underwear ,arndi an oily toffal. Ne¥ertOOl$$$" tI!~ US food and IDIllQ Adminl$tnition has allowed its IJ&I!!J provided that Ol:esl:.ra·oorl.!&lnlng foods carry the governmmt health wamlng 'OIas1ra may cause abdominal cmrnpir1lgland[ Ioo$e. stools'. What rs more. it takes with it Ule valuable fat~S(:lh.mle vtl:amins A, D. E; ,and K !i\$ WGII as thoa camt.en.cld5, Io"JIiIiIlch, Iptay sueO a v!1aJl Im1e in protecting the bodyag;a~$t free radloaJ d.aJrnnage.

~4 ~

Forget fake fats (~ontlr:ruedJ 'I

&, tleI'Q we l:1ave a ;:;y(l~h&tic Sl.Jj:lstanoo wl1l()'I1. beca,U$'l' it is not .a

abS(lrb$d itsaH" inhlbitst\"ie, ~tlon of other nutrients wht:eh

am lIU5hed ow of the, 00dy and down the toilet !lilhat a CI'alY S'liluatioJil~ QIas!ra and otheitake fatsshcM.Jlld ~Clt !oe 'Seen as the

mirade CUIle forthe growil'l;g oOOsity prdbl!emL ,Synthetic fpoos,arSi

(la$pl,y uMulinlUl'IilIg because they sendtheo W~15pi:a 'to the

Ib:raI~li, The messages, to ourO\Ppet!t:E! C$iI\t!'(!o g$t garbl!ad and! confused wMn ill food WijI ~ia.te witlii,fat doesn't corl!a[nany:

W&IQsetcn,l(:h wJth mBlhunget' becal!JSe1iha5fignals" released after =

eating. 100 longer gukfe and dlreet us tow,ams making tlie best U1

tood choices. We iJoo upeidlng 'mi:lntally', relying on low-fat

label$; to guide IJ$ thmugtitoo 1000 maze.SWdles have shOWll

~haUhe '1Ite"andfat-fiee l00dsam $I.) d~~ng tt:Jat W~ @:I'l.d up

eatt.ng $(Ii"J'HiIlhing to oompensate, (ID'he same is true otfood's ~faC1.med usrng arI1fi1ci1al swseteIUI's. Sema people becO:n1e

add~lad to theml in an effOrt ~o sat!lsfyl!helr I1!Md for sweetness.

The solution ~i8S rot 'ill another can of diet drill'l~, or :sugar~~ yoghtut,but to ,machrot' mal' foods w!I1icll are ,nawraliy $'w£tet.)

Many of 1fie fiood's eontaining 'fakafats are, h~1y prooassed.

fQCjl:JilirllJl a oocldall of ,emulsifiers, s,tabllis:ers:, Umi~nand ~avO'IJ1iI.ngsto il9p1icarlel;l}e mooth·1ool i!Ild UISte· of the lost 1st -

whiCh fs af!,Q'Iher reason filOt. 'to eat them. itrs time to cpt~fo'r a

(luamy dl~ amd net dlsph:v;:e real foods. with jXlcrmitdlm of .~~

goouine arilcfe,. .

The be$t way to C()fiItro~ fat intake is to, Imak& tile nawrally IrOI\!\H:at (but mJl!ri~t·rich~ foods woo! as, m.:~s and v~bles:. cereal's, bread$. p.uta and rice the comers,tcoo ofyoyr Hling habit" Th!m a>(id In and enj.oy smaller,amounts of foodswhk:h ~ h~hl inral but p;rovide as many of those OI'!i\.9ga.,.;3 fatty acids as possible,. Finally. if yoU enJoy f,L'){Ids wIth saturated, ~ats,. there is :00 need to e:limil'l!l1ie ttIam from your diet - Gr worse, tMI glll~ty w,h~m you do eat them. SlfI1i.Ply cho-o$.e the best. Wh.y ootHefor" ,11 chemlcaliy sw-eetened lW'uood tat dIilC!CO'Iate; bar whTch taetes ~ ·artfficlal whan ~ (lat1 mUsh f91. top qUality Bel:91&il·ar SWiss cttooolate7 OJ1ewingl onl'1iJbberis&<i. half.:fatchMS9 is an insu1t to yow taste budsoornpan;!d with enJo¥lng a r:eafJyexeelh:r!'i'lt bLltsmali pjecEI of yOW' favc:n:.ll'ita ·~and:~heftMSl: - ChE!d\jar. StiRon, Brie' (l'r Parmesa:n. We mourd bEt:ta!kfng ;en over our focd, Ilks H1e Italians and Fmnch, cooking ,iI; wlith 10'll'a. ap~liating lin; qy,aJi:iy and 'aatilng ~t fer Ills flavour!

Q c.n

Now answer r:h.e rol1owi:ngqu~stions: • How did you do?

., What diHel''e.noe did you find In. eHeet.iveness of ~II'H:I

technlq1!leS?

., Did you find that you were stipP'lnS back ro old habits? .. Did any of the' teehniques slaw' your reading dC.WOf

When s¢Jecr.ing the best :mcthods for remembering what you read. it is impoiil\~nt to ttm.mnhcr dtat everything ygu read i;$ diffe.rent aQd 'I!acb rype of reading material needs .:.1.diff.ercl'I:t nt¢moty' a.pprDacn - depending on what· yourprupose is. how fami:liar you arewith the' information and how muchdms you have to f(!,ad it,

It is most :im:portant t.h<'l th~ techniques you. select should Iacilitate fjoodr~caUand ffiI.igh reading spceds.Pr;u;:eise :and e'xp~·dmenr w~th different types o.f text. Remember that th,e more involved you au; WirhY'OI1I reading the bener your recall, understanding andeeraprehension wiU be. The way to do this is, to readwith more than just your eyes.

MuHi ... ·sensory readiing

DQ you r-¢member your front door? Do you remember wbat it sou.. n Dds.'. like. wbe~ r. ou c)~.·. " i.r?w. ha.· t d~s .. fres ... h pai;n~ 9.~~.: like.? What docs Il feellike to be loebd out? Wh;1cco]our IS It? MU]h:~

.sensory reading uses, as many of yOUII' senses 3.5, 'Possible to belp you make sense .1)£ and absorb i,morma,t1lon.

Here are some ideas 'On h,ow w, i.nvollve yoOm ot:her senses as you

~~ .

'" S~gbt -[mlligine what you are reading til your m:lrud, create a film ofthe sroryyou are bei~ mid.

" Hearing~· Speak to people about the' subject, 3skquesriOll;5 as you read .. teach ,some.(l!!l!C' else". make up rbymes and srories,

.. Touch. - Draw p.ictures and .symbols :rep.rcsen'tl~s: the: informat:ioD. U the illfQtrrtlaDOO issometMng you can dO:, do it instead of j'ust n:adiog about It ..

The more senses you involvciill. Eeamilllg newm£armaril)n~lhe easier ir win be to recall ~r because the information wnt be ae,c'ess,lble v~a mote than one function of YOut brain.

The five-step :sY,Stem. and memery-supporr t<echn:iq.ui,lS work if you. si.m:p~y usc them., Ute more you practise and the more you become 3.warc' of memory" the better you wi]] became at spe-ed readli:ng ..

Vi'sua.1 and auditory memory

Most people remember films far more accurately than books. Vlsual memory' appear.s to be: much stronger than aud~tory m.emory.

To acti.,,~~(! your visual m.emory fOr what you read, U$I'l you:r imaginadon to pictur·e what you ale re-ading in as much, detail as p055~ble. This can b~ pan"ic:u:Iarl'y' ,chan~ging with nonfiction Dla~e:fial~ de~i1d:ing 011 wb:at [b.e subiect is. The-more Y()U can p£Grufie what you read" the easierit will be to. rec.;-a;U latea:·Clr.I . . Aliso, you winrea]ize' as you deve[op YOllr VlsI,13dmemor)i" that 'tbe 'picture iJecu:me-s clearer as your andersraading of the $UbjliC[ grows.

Forg~Hing

Uli$ul'ptisingly, forgening [5 the most fru$tr,ahog pan oJ reading, Your a,bUity to eencemrare ~nd the memorj' eeehniqae you. cheese will help y(lij~m.(lmbe:i what you read. !But sometimes, fllrg~[tin-g happens in spirt· of them.

OllI diffi~hiesin T,!);tri~ving 1.lIlJormBtlOn glV<:IlS avery gcod idea of how our memories work. Memuries are gh~!1iiV';lilable (we know we have rc~d soIti.Mhing, or seen it; we esn remember where we were when. we encountered i1 ia the first place" bu[ is!til~ th~y are noraccessible (we [usr canner quite remember i,r :fully·). This phenomenon is $OilH~rime$ called 'on the tip of the tongue'. The lcng-rerm memory is .organiz,ed in caregcries, much like a mind-map; one thing :reminds you. Qf dte lU-X[ and. so on. If the :Iinks between the a."sQciar:ion!l are broken" me information may becomei~l;a~(:ce,~ibli(l or you may :forg,et: it entirely;

Factors, conrtribulh1g 10' forgetting Lack. of attention .(1he pickpooket effect)

.. Problem - If you have been pay:in,g attention as you hayti ~ili reading; y'Ou· will know that aneneion is ehe flrsr rule of acqulsiticn. You are pay.ing fun ,attention. to a task when ycu do not notiee what is gain,s on around you a t all. Paradoxieallj; daydreaming is one of ehe few activities we carry out 'Wiih6uU artension, Next rime you notice yoUII' mind is w.andcrin& norice how muc,h of your surroundings y'ou werre paymg' anCIl'l:ilOD. ee .• Old you' noriee the notmta.llloise. around you or see peop&: m(I"I.[ng about? What' 'Was. :it Hke to be totally unaware of everything except the tbou,gbil:$ ;lJ hand?

• Work 3rOWid- Increase yourcoooeotradon. Chapter 4 p:ro'Vided rOll with 3. number of exercises and ideas on how Y(l1l.!i can do II:his. Chapter .9 will give· YO'll. ideas on how to diminish distractions,

Interfie:renoo

• P1i(lblem ~ buc:rfe.r·ence can be rcuoacdve or PI:'OilCri.Vt!.

Retroactive .interferenu oom~ from new information }tOil arc: reading. If you· dunk of telephone numbe.,(.:s. u:ttoacnrvc inrerre.rer.II,;e; is involved when you CIHlnQI;: rem.cmber. YOlllLlr O:Jd mlepb0 ne DW11.ber becays(: your IiI.¢W one has taken OYeii'. ProactivB imerfei'ent:e is whm old in:loimlati.on mrlllderes wiID new informarien. T1Unkin,g ·of your telephone number again, thisjs invonvedi when you ca!1.filo'!: remember your new IllUUbex because your old one keep.llcom.ing jure YOUf mind instead .

., Work around ~The best way to work around. retroactive and proactive ~nterfelence is to - rest between different pieces of work..Thts gives yOUI mind lime eo consolidate new woormation, separate out oM .and ~haps i:ntegTlUe ntW lnfClrma.tioo with ruttCDr know]ed.ge (unless h is yoar ·[e~ephone Hum.ber).. Amr you h:ave taken. a break, revise the text to maka suee that: you. b!lvt no~ .i;onrused. oM and new information.

Lack 01 ilnt:&'fest or .liQotivatlon

-Problem - If you are nelfher im:etesred nor motivated, rememb~riillg what y·ou :readwill be a.lmo5timpoMiblc:. TIredness contributes; to this. Even .if you are working Oil. something fOil are in.te.rest,edin~ tharintlltes[ will soon f.uie ~f yOY arc tiud..

• Wo.rk ;around - It is important to find SDHlCth:ing to motivate you, no P'ia:fli'ii' ho.w 5maU or ~mingJy untebted to the task it is. There mlilSt be K1roeiliiing in it: for you. And rake breaks. Take them as often 3iS you feel you need them, but for at lease 11)..15 minutes every hour to heur and a. half.

Insufflden1: Unks or 8i88OciatioM

., ProbJem- If the subject is particularly new '0 yO'iJ~ maJtiD.g sense .0£ the ideas may be difficu[t. If Y'G'Ucanil\ot: makesense ,of ·th¢: ideas yOIlJ. wml!J find j~ .~ diffjcult to .remembt:J:.

.• Work around - As you foUow me five-step system. you will. be bu:ilding a inuncwol'k of knowledge. Theb,ggel' th·e framework. becomes, dl.e easier it win be to form. links: <ind :associations roc new knaw~edg~. S.pend as much time as you

need. on Step 2, (pr-cv,iew); this $,tt\i.p anoW$. you itlo build II, !>~tlcru!.'c fQr t.he material.

Ensufllcient: revision

~ Prob[cm - Memories are made of mem{H'), traces. They fade i:f fhe-y are not reinforced,

• WQrk al'ound- A basic guideLin(:is to revise. seven times in ten days -o.r develop ;1, very good ft.1ing system. 'To ~emetnbc!t what you read in the :Iong term, use the hlfOirm;lt~(l'n. A:s mentioned under MemQry m,yth~ lilt: memQry process is

designed forr-lum. not jliSt fot storage., '

Summary

1, .Mos~ of what we beli.eve about how our m,f!inoties work is based on myth.

2In.fo.rm,adon ove.]oo:d Ilas become a SOUfCCO.( ~~ b~'Ulse we have not' learned new cuping. strategies,

3 The fogt rurue.s of memory acqlli:sil~on=

= Pali' a~[clldon

- Plan when Y'O'l;l! have to dio.

Be interested ln 'What you are do:ing

~ Be active - use aU of YQy:r senses wh~m Y:O!l read.

4 Ur!der~tand:ing ]s the k;(fY :1:0 .. ooll'l.e,mbei:iing what fOg aee

readi"n,g. .

S E:;;:pedmem with diffen~r!t way$; Qf rem~:mber~ng what you te<i!d. Eo!!(:n text ty.pc shol1ld be a.pp:roached differently.

Q c.n

Il!1IiIIlIls chapW you 'Willi IGam:

• how to rood dltfeJWrt .~ of melerial s:

• how to, e\i'atuMe teld: by critical .readlng

Re,ading different types of mate,rjal for diffeirent !reasons

YOIl~\!'e looked ar the f1ve-ste:p re,aai:ng system and consldered speed readiagand memory' dmre]opmcl:u:. Now ii's .. ime ['0 look ~t whar YQ~ n~~d and haw ~ a,ppJy the differ.erlt eeadiag mc.hn.iqucs !riO ensure you s:e~ most: out ,of them,

The way yoo a,p:!'O<'l(;n <l d~menr (book, newspaper, memo or wharevcr) should. be driven by your pur(lQ51e,.W~1' <Ir¢fou readblg it? When wHI yOg 1.1~ lhe 'i~rormat~(l,n neXf~

l'oohn ~cal mlaterial

This type ofre,",ding 1Pl0! y 1:>e r>lid)' easy beta. use !nOS[ [ccn.lllca] writing i~ W~U srrucrured, Alsn, you .rarely hav·e to read <lind rtWIcmber eve.r~thiitlg about r:he text without be~rlg able to refer to it I.<ttero'll win en you need it .. Apply tilii~ nv~~oo~p $ymml Jn lts l;!:I1ti.rery fQit rhi.s~yptl of lltlldil'1gand use <a memory t.ecb'ni(IUC thas l,.o:rks well for you. Try ml.nd·ma:ps, If you don'e ]~kc .mi.nd!maps, try a pf~-marte;r.::plaiped b~IQw. These retll.niques allow you to see bow inft;lIrlTlation. ideas and practices are 1inked and. what: eff~a rn.ey IHI.·",e on each otne'r.

IN fl!n-'fiction for :Iieisure

This is pernaps- tbe easiest .of an. nen-fiction reading S~lnp'1y because yO'll O!f'Calready l'dax{ld and In.mrened .in the subfect {in die Ideal posirive learnlflg slate}. .. Most nen-fieuon, like 'DecbnicaI w:n:'.iting, is faidy well srruerured so the five"iit¢])P['Q¢SS caa be readily applied,

It: is easy (,0 become absorbed in 'work-related' read'irlg and not put time a~ s idc for lef!J.ur'~ mading :a~d. knowle'lge gathering, OncG yOll are oomfun:able with, speed resdingand th,~ five-slep sys[cm you ma.y find that this ~;8 the: ideal rype of m.\'Irerial to practis.e on. Enioy caking rhe rime for r:hris typ.e of reading. If you h"'i.o1lmu~h work to do, you, IDay feel, urla':lwfortable Qr guiJty about ta,kfng timeout for" 'e:isure' [\1l'<'Iding. ::ilbeir non~fii.Cnon. A good wa.y ItO gerarcurrd this i!l ro make iricreasingYOl:.!.r!)eadipg skillpart o:f your purpose, with l~ei:[!tem:iO:rJI ofmlGQmin:g able to read work maeerial more llffero.iv¢ly. I£yoll on~r ever read t,ext that is diffirul..- 01' thaI bores you. }N:mr ~ssion :fofre<ldi.ng wili SlOon be $l)1btl'oed. Maketiime tor·e-.adwhat: rOil 'want fa read.

17

Ii

.. fI

I

I'

(Ij

Reading for research

Th~ g{loo dili:lg; abQ!:!~ n~ading; for ~rchis: th;li ),0,1,11' p'!lrPQ$~ Js nO'rm.a]]y very dearly defined and you are looking. for sec· .uiu: speei1ic. Ap,p1]Y the fivc~(!p system :and. follow th.¢gullid.e . ss :forl;lliad±ng for study ~D. Chaprer 10, W';odci:ng and Srud:yiing fOlIa. Living:. If )'Oli:lare .studying and wo.rlimu,g at the

~~~r:l~:r!~ :J~l~:~!: ::iJ:~o!:ds:t~~o~:~:aw;

,Reading fo.r wo.rk

This section is, p.a:rti\~u1ar[y concerned wlim mail and memos. The rule here ts:-Be: $dective. The Rouble with (he. reading you db, "(or work iii that there may be <In Clttivityattached to every

documeor, Before YOIl read anyt'hi:ng - espociaUy if it is Long, and )'(lo1,i think ir may take you a while Or if it seems ro land on your desk o.ften - ask a few- qU~dOflSi:

.. Who wants you to read it?

.. Wby do tht;l"y W!Uli: 11'0.11 eoread It?

.. What are you likd.y to bave to do with- the information as a

result of reading?

O~ ;'<JU Ilav,e estahllshed thar there ,Ol~ geod reasons fur rca,ding documents take the foll-owing $[~PS: .

.. Dcdde how m,ucb, tUlle you will de'Vl)l~ U) reading i.n.~ming mail or memos,

~ Pr~view me documents with one thing in mind: can this .go in the b~D.~ Then sort them into two piles, one of which gees straight: ]nto the bill and the other requiwei\i further anenrien,

.. P.usi'YII! read or skim. all of the doc~n[S In rhe further attentiQnpil,e and ask caequesdon of' each: can thIs be filled or does it r-equire a.;tion? Pur the pUe fo·r fIJin; aside t~..ady Ito file.

.. Acdvely read the remaining pile. Use 'Post-it acres or: wdw the actioDltbat <'I.E"¢: to he taken dir«il:ly onee the docnmear,

.. Fln311y~ plan the acrimu into your day or WC'Ck. Then put the relevant dQc;um~nf$ into the appropriate file SO 'that y~i!J!can. rudiiive t~ easily when you need them.

Rerni801bw'thE! dear de!Jk policy - OI1~ have PClptlfS on your desk for th9 jnb you am CUrTWltly wci'king on..

Newspapers

Hare tha.t t'hisS(:Crion doo~ not apply' to thecasual, relaxed read of rhe Sunday mQJ;.mns pape[ unless you. want i~ to.

Read~l'Ig 3 .newspaper shou1d beapproa.ched with the same p.re.p;aration as any other reading:. The five-step system works very wen for papers, bowey.e.~ it may not 00 necessary to' use: all five 511:eps, lnorder:. You. can rHd ;;1 pa:pnve,ty qui¢k~y ib-y foJlowing three Y'~l'y simple :steps: .

1 State y,oUfptttpose - Are you .readin.g to gain ian ovemew Qf the wholcrm.pe'.l' ,or are you looking fur; api1lrticiular story?

:2 Pre:v:icw and p;l$sivl! read. the mti:re paper by looking: iIi[ t:ht: headlines ad .reading the fint paragra,h ·ofany story' d:Jat I.oots interesting. Cir<;le meanides Y0l:li wou1d like to return to.

3- A.ctivdy read me selected articles .tor the i.uorm'.!'.u:ioll you

want'"

To read neW$p<lpers effectiv.elY::

... Set a· tillle limit and stickro it:.

• R¢ad $wry oontlnuoairions. (Qhen OJ) otber p~ges):lS you rome: to them .. This is a good ind:ica.rion Q.f how mU'Ch:attenri:on you paiY to <reading apaper, If you. C(lme to t~seooDd part (If a soory:S¢Vet<!:] p~ 1a;[er byt CaIlIlO[ t¢1l1e.mber the d~fajls ·of thefirsi::part" take .;1 brea.k.

• S:i~ most gof the Jacrs are nmmaUy int!he first few parag,raphs of a. Sj[cry~ smn: u.a:di~ eaeh s~nry you sell!a .fairly th.oroughly-at the be,ginmf.lg andthen speed up and skim the rest, picking up infoM'latloll you idenrify as; re~evant.

.. Ask l'OIll'.s.clf! <

- Wbat is tbe' position of~be papel with respect wpolitical sland

- Have ycu previ.ollsl.), read artid:es by 5peci:fk joumalis,t:s before? Do you Uke ~he:ir ~t)'le or approoch?

Is.<rhis the best paper to read {'Or your purp~?

UnUk.c most· other forms, of wririn;g~. a .nil'lws.p3pct.r smry -;can be broken lnt'O parlS qu:ite usny .. A. naI.rat~vetsJkcs you from ehe <beginning ofa Slory to 'we end ilnd. ~{ pans <f£Te!TIissed OU[ $(1I;nc of me meanwng g~s with it . .A .newspap<ris not as unified ;15 l,Bat •. A sto.ry can be. read willi sectioas m~sed! out of ie - you ttl""}!' ]~ <~mc detail but me' ~tl)ry wm lifilfi;lln. me S3mL'l •. Vt![j' iinle interpretation can. be ma:deOif moS[ newspaper stories; they :iI~ rea]even_ts involving rea] peop!e- - often gm';en an edli$DI,iai, (flavli)-U~'J styJe or angle by fhl: paper Olnd the writer.

Magazines

Maga~ne'S ~es~i~lly~iP¢Ci;l.l jn:oor~s'[ or :trade magazines] are slightly different from newspapers .. Anewspape:r ~s 'One of many soutce~ ·of news. If YQU. miss anything frOl1l me Pdper~ you will prQbaibl.y b¢ ~!bl¢ it:<J g~t tb.e ~ory £rOm the ~elevJ5~On~ radio or Inrernet. MOl'lt magazines come 'Out nn[y once :a :montihor osce a quarter. A magazin.e· sh.ould be treated Jikea shortrtxtbook. FolJow ;tU the S1~psof th(!fi~swp ~d:ing system to gee tile: best out of it. If there is informadon In the map z lne w.n YOU, are likelyro need apin there ate :SeVetal things YQU can do to m.a!k:e ~feMHy a~iblle;

92

I':

r8 ~

I' III

8'

1!f'

I'

II

IQ en

• Read the magazine with an adhe5~ve lIotepad to haad, As, you findarricles jnu are interested in, note the page n.umber and dtleand write a. brief SWll:ma:ry (i I;IS1 a. senteace or two) on a adhesive note. Slick dl('t .n.ote on. 'the 'front ·of the magaz.inl!' and file the magazine in 3, file dedieatedto 'interesting a:rti.des·.

., If y.ou don't want to keep the: whole ma.gazine~ tear out ~he relcva:nr pa.g~ or photocopy the articles you wanfJ and flle those away with. a brief summazy ot what tbe article is about.

.. A v,ery useful '(lIOOC 'of iiltfOrn:1:a.tiOD you could put on an ad.hesl"Ve' note is .wby you r:i1Jm.lg:n,t tile' ani.c.1e'mi.ght be useful JareT ,Olli. When you retur! to ill "rides at alarer date YOll will find. it easier to'place them ln order of pr'iodty. Going thrQugh the-file to see what you n.o ionge'l' requireand can t]u,(jwaway wil.1 also. beeasier with this cxtta :informatio,n .(i·n each.

• Be p'icky~ Most:maga:zine reading. i$ for inter'e.s,tt. YOU3Ie unlikdy to be tested on :it bllt' 'YOllmay want to talk about" it. Select rhe articles that in:terest you and think about bow wbat 'YOIl read fits: into y·cur existing knowledge,

Novels

The mose y>o~ read, the faSler YO''bli will become. Speed-reading skjlls will give you thil choice to read ass]ow,ly or asquickly as you like.

n YOIl. enjoy Hovels and you want. to l'ca.d more of them, you may find tbis smu:cg,y tlseh:d:

., Preview the book ,thoroughly (excluding 'the actual ~tQry) - loot at the front and back eevers, read any aililhor~s. notes, bi,ography or foreword" tilk,ca. good look at the author's photograph if-there is one. Do you ILke the aut:ho;['s stYle~Do you Liike the 100k of tbeaurnorr :DOC'S the b a c:k pag,e blurb intrigue: you? Wll;at 'rou doll atrhi$ p'oint '.ViM shape your aUh:ude to'war'lh the book Your :aH'itud\e win affect Wh.elhcT you. are Uk¢ty to enjoy the book or 1I0~.

• N1ext •. read thefint pag,e. Does it' grab yOW' a:ttention?

• If j;t does and the book passed yOW' preview teSt, then read on and enjoy the book. If no" tfJen skim: thtt book pidcing up key words and reading the fmt few senreaces of each cbapte,t; :11 tiM beok sriU doesn"t ca.tcb you:r imagmation, you. ,an,hoa:sc not 1:0 read .it.

• U YOIl do decide to lead thenovel b1ll1t you. don't have much rime, then pracri~ '-on-line selective reading' (see .~ box

You might also like