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Answers to Readers' Questions on Getting Good Grades
Read Faster
The following 16 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Not a very good quiz
- I do not have a good vocabulary for reading
- Difference between skimming and scanning?
- What is a superior method for fast reading?
- Can't read more than one word at a time
- Studying for AP tests
- Wants to read philosophical articles rapidly
- Failed test because I can't read fast enough
- Hard to retain all the reading in college
- Gets a pain from concentrating
Not a very good quiz
Question
October 14, 2009
I did not think this was a very good quiz im afraid.
danielle - UK
18501
Answer
Sorry. We'll try to improve the quiz.
I do not have a good vocabulary for reading
Question
August 8, 2009
I want to know i do not have much vocab for understand the reading skills so what is the solution for this.
Pappu - Australia
18130
Answer
The more you read, the more you can improve your vocabulary and your reading speed. Start by reading books or magazine articles and stories about things that are of interest to you. Don't try to read difficult material. Instead, start with simple stories that you can quickly read. This will not only be enjoyable, but you will also learn things from what you read.
Set aside some time each day for reading. The more you read, the better you get. And the smarter you get.
Difference between skimming and scanning?
Question
February 24, 2008
dear school of champions
i am a student of the state University of Papua. i have problem about the meaning of skimming and scanning in reading text. when i read the article about skimming and scanning, i still confused with both of them. in my opinion scanning and skimming is the process of speed reading, scanning is the first process before skimming, is it? could you give me the specific example in a reading text? thank for your help.
yours sincerely
risia - New Guinea
15430
Answer
I can see where there can be confusion between skimming and scanning.
When you skim read, you quickly look over the written material, often just reading the major sentences and key words. This is done in order to get the gist or main idea of the material. Sometimes parts of the first sentences are sufficient to understand the whole paragraph.
When you scan the material, you are looking for specific items of information. Suppose you want to study about a person. You scan the material rapidly until the spot the person's name. Surprisingly, you can do this very fast. Then, you read that specific material more carefully.
Both are good methods to speed up your reading, but they have different purposes.
What is a superior method for fast reading?
Question
September 20, 2007
what is supierior method fast reading
dayanand - India
14416
Answer
Reading groups of words at a time is a good method to increase your speed. Try not to mentally pronounce words, but instead simply understand their meaning from looking at them. Reading down a column in a newspaper article is a good method for practicing reading groups of words.
Can't read more than one word at a time
Question
October 17, 2006
Hi, I dont understand how reading more than one word at a time is possible. I tried doing it but it just made no sense. Am i suppose to look in the centre of the paragraph and let my peripheral vision read the sides?
Also, would reading a 200 page book within an hour be possible with speed reading?
Callum - Australia
12185
Answer
If you verbalize each word while you are reading, and silently say them to yourself, then you need to read one word at a time. But if you scan over a sentence faster, you usually skip the short words like "a" and "the". You may not say each word, because you are moving faster. Try scanning a sentence with your finger, just fast enough that you can still read it. You don't have to say the words for your mind to register the thought.
It takes some practice, but it is worth it to try to avoid reading and voicing one word at a time.
Some people are able to read a 200 page fiction book in an hour. That takes a lot of skill and concentration. I certainly can't do it.
Studying for AP tests
Question
April 14, 2006
Hi! I was serching the web on tips on how to read faster, but at the same time comprehend. My problem is that I will be taking AP tests in may, and I am very concerned beacuse I have beenreading alot but at the end I feel a lack of understandment. I sometimes readword by word just to try and understand more, but then sometimes I find my self reading and not understanding at all what is going on. I really want to pass these tests so I've set in mind that this week of break I willbe reviewing things we have covered all year however I need your help since it will be alot of reading. Dont get me wrong I do understand what I read, just that sometimes I feel that right in the middle I drift away or get lost in passages like I will be understanding and then I'm lost. Inside me I;m thinking I need to read read faster and understand, but then , I do read and at the end finish by not understaning a thing.
Help please as soon as possible would be great, some tips or rules on ways to read faster and comprehend,
Thank yOU,
Susana
Susana - USA
10849
Answer
When you need to read a lot while studying for an exam, it is important to read smart instead of just fast. Some ideas are:
Skim through the material, mainly reading the first sentence in each paragraph. Usually, the rest of the paragraph is elaboration on the first sentence.
Then go through and mark important sentences or phrases. Also mark areas where you have problems understanding the material. Write your questions in the margin or in a notebook.
When you finish a book chapter, make a rough outline of the concept of the material. This outline and the highlighted parts of your book are then your real study guides.
I hope these idea help and that you will do well in your AP tests.
Wants to read philosophical articles rapidly
Question
December 2, 2005
Comprehending philosophical articles seems to be hard especially when one switches from natural science to social science, which is my case, and it takes a lot of time to make summaries. Please advice me how can I balance both reading speed (improve reading speed) and comprehension in such materials?
Christopher - TANZANIA
9240
Answer
Certainly, it is difficult to read material that is difficult to conprehend as a rapid pace. But you can speed up the process by taking several steps.
Many advise readers to first quickly skim the material, actually going too fast to really read it. You might read headlines and skim the rest.
Then, if the material is well written, you can usually get the crux of the article by reading the first sentence of each paragraph. Going through the article rapidly, just looking at those sentences will give you an idea of the important points. Then you can try to re-read the material at a fairly fast pace, slowing down for what seems important.
I hope these ideas help.
Failed test because I can't read fast enough
Question
November 19, 2005
I am taking an exam in 3 weeks that I have failed once because I could not read and comprehend fast enough. I need help ASAP. Please
Thanks
Tina
Tina - USA
9017
Answer
Some can read faster by following along with their fingers. Others seek out key words. And others mouth the words while they read. All methods can help.
If you know what material will be covered and understand the concepts, it should be easier to go through it more rapidly.
Above all, don't get nervous and try too hard. Have the feeling that you are well-prepared for the test and try to be very methodical in going through it. But also, keep an eye on your watch, so that you can pace yourself.
I hope you will do well and pass the test this time.
Hard to retain all the reading in college
Question
October 26, 2005
This is my 5th semester in college and also the hardest yet, I have not been able to do well on any of my tests, there is so much reading and it is hard to retain it all. I need a new way to study, what do you think?
adam - USA
8708
Answer
You need to read more effectively. Super-skim the material first, perhaps noting key words in the first sentences of paragraphs. This can give you the gist of the material. It is also good to get an idea of what is important to remember. This is also what will be on the tests. A good teacher will usually give hints in class.
It is good to take notes in every class, especially on things that seem important. Those notes are essential in your study for tests.
When you read the material after the super-skim, read rapidly and mark the key sentences. You can often skip some material that seems like filler. Often this is in the middle of paragraphs. You want to be able to finish your reading instead of getting all extraneous information.
While it is fresh in your mind, make some notes. If you have the time, you can go over the reading again, looking at the "filler" material.
Retention has to do with understanding and review. With a good system of taking notes and marking the text, you should be able to rapidly review your material for your tests.
I make it sound so easy, but it does take a lot of discipline. Once you get up a good study routine like that, class work can become easier. The whole idea is to study smart instead of studying hard.
I hope those ideas help. Best wishes in getting top grades.
Gets a pain from concentrating
Question
September 13, 2005
dear sir,
i m in class 12th.. i tried ur advice..but got accustomed of two habit ...in one try to read with concentration but this creating the toothace physically(higher concentration but pain) ...in second no pain but poor concentration.....
tell me which one is better....
also tell me if a person has not the good reading skill ,how skimming will help him .....will not it aggravate the condition...
plz reply asap......
saurabh - India
8112
Answer
Some people may clench their jaw or grit their teeth when they try to concentrate too hard. That could cause a toothache. That may mean you are trying to concentrate too hard. You need to use other methods.
Although concentration is important in being able to read faster, it is only one part of the solution. One thing to realize is that you need to quickly know and understand the words to be able to read rapidly. If the words are easy, then you don't want to read slowly. Easy material should be read rapidly. But if there are many difficult words, then you need to read slower in order to understand the material.
The best thing to do is to practice reading fast when you understand most of the words. A good place to practice is when you are reading a fiction story or things in the magazines.
Since you want to improve your reading skills and be able to quickly go through material you need to read, you should try to improve your understanding of various new words. Note that many intelligence tests check your vocabulary, so it is a good area in which to improve. Mark or write down words you do not understand. You can use a small dictionary to check the meaning of the word. Another way is to use your word processor Thesaurus feature that will give the meanings for you. Although doing this is extra work, it is worthwhile in the future, as you will greatly improve your reading and grades.
If you are good at reading, skimming can speed up the process, because it is a good method to pick out key words and get an idea of what the material is about. Even if you can't read well, skimming and then reading more carefully can help.
I hope these ideas help you in reading faster and becoming a champion in school.
Summary
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