SPEED READING

Reading is everywhere in our lives. You might need to read and write long reports at work. If you are
a student you will need to read a lot of books or texts. A widely recognized problem
_______________ (1) by learners throughout the world is that of slow reading. It has been proven that
the faster you read, the better you will do. Unfortunately, ______________ (2) slow readers, a number
of students fail their courses.
Speed reading is the name for a number of techniques ______________ (3) you to read faster.
_______________ (4) reading engages the eyes, mouth and brain is not new to us. Speed reading
engages these senses even more than normal reading because you use your senses and brain power
even more efficiently. However, the important facts of the text can still be understood.

The first step in reading anything is seeing the words. The main question is _________________ (5)
you see words on the page when you read. Before the 1920s, it _________________ (6) that people
read one word at a time. However, ____________ (7) beginners, all readers have the ability to see and
read more than one word at a time. ______________ (8) normal readers, a trained reader is able to
read and understand a lot of words more quickly. Therefore, it can be said that speed reading increases
comprehension.

Speed reading is also silent reading. Saying the words takes time and slows you down,
_____________ (9) is likely to cause failure. Because of this, training yourself not to say the words is
one of the most important speed reading skills you can acquire.

Speed reading is probably not going to work for you and the training will be a waste of time.
________________ (10) it works for you is a matter of luck. You have to have the right kind of brain.

1. a) facing b) faced c) face d) faces

2. a) be b) to be c) being d) been
3. a) enabling b) enables c) enabled d) enable
4. a) When b) What c) That d) By
5. a) how b) where c) what d) why
6. a) believe b) believed c) is believed d) was believed
7. a) along with b) except for c) instead of d) in addition to
8. a) As well as b) While c) Compared to d) On the other hand
9. a) which b) who c) it d) that
10. a) Whatever b) Whether c) Whoever d) Whenever