Unit 1 Why Read Faster Book III 泛读教程.docVIP

Why Read Faster 　　The most obvious and practical answer to the question “Why read faster?” is to save yourself time. How much is your time worth to you? Suppose you could do your required reading in one-half or one-third of the time it takes you now. Could you find something to do with the time saved? Most of us could. 　　Think of the time and money that could be saved by schools, businesses, and the government if people read more efficiently. A reading expert once figured out how much money would be saved if every American over fifteen years of age were given reading training for a month. Computed at fifty cents an hour, the savings in time required for all the reading in the nation would be worth about five billion dollars.　　It is amazing how many readers will plod along at one-third their possible speed all their lives. They think they are going to miss a word and forget it is ideas they are reading for. They miss the view of the forest because they look at the trees so hard. They make reading such slow, hard work that they hate to read. They feel themselves getting eyestrain, losing their train of thought, dozing off, and finally giving up. These readers cling to some old wives’ tales bout reading fast. Beverly Harte Gray, a former Evelyn Wood instructor, lists some of these false ideas and answers them in this way.　　1) Fast readers understand and remember less than slow readers.　　FALSE. Fast readers are alert, active, and efficient readers. Vast research as well as records kept by speed-reading teachers prove this notion to be untrue. On the other hand, slow readers tend to be passive and unskilled. Their comprehension or understanding is often low because they work too far below their potential to remain alert and interested. As a result, their minds wander.　　2) Only very bright people can read fast.　　FALSE. Research and the records of hundreds of teachers show that anyone with average intelligence (and good eyesight) can read and understand simple m