September 24, 2012
Are you a wide reader?
In a gathering, you can tell who the wide readers are. Wide readers think and speak well. They win the admiration, respect, and good opinion of their peers.
** Reading expands the mind **. In fact, many people consider it as one of the satisfying pleasures of humans, for it involves physical as well as mental activities.
Reading is primarily a mental activity. After all, you read with your mind and use your imagination to paint the setting of the detective thriller you are reading.
“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” Mark Twain
You use your mind to imagine the pain that the main character experiences as the story unfolds. You bring into play the different arguments and ideas brought up by the author in that self-help book you are holding.
To read effectively, reading helps you develop a ** wide vocabulary ** through extensive reading. A skillful reader has a wide recognition of vocabulary. He may not know exactly what every word means, but he will have a good general idea of the meaning of the sentence.
Reading makes you alert and curious about new words. Other readers develop the dictionary habit. Every time they come across a strange word, they try to figure out what it can possibly mean by the context. If they cannot do this, they refer to the dictionary.
Likewise, reading develops ** intellectual curiosity ** by exposing you to a variety of materials. You learn to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. As in other forms of activity, you learn by actual y doing.
Reading trains you to have an ** active and open mind.** Merely grasping the writer’s idea is not enough. You must make a positive response to what you read. Be an active, not a passive, reader. Develop the habit of drawing your own conclusions, the habit of active thinking, of agreeing or disagreeing with the author. Keep your mind open; understand and weigh the ideas that you read. A practical part of active reading is the drawing of conclusions.
Four Rules For Effective Reading
Allow me to share four basic rules for effective reading and better comprehension:
1) Try to read more and more. Remember the saying that practice makes perfect. Practicing in the correct way makes perfect.
2) Develop the habit of reading for main ideas. Look for the subject and predicate. Do not waste time on details or little words.
3) Learn to read with focus and concentration. Think of what you are reading. Do not let your attention wander somewhere else. Good readers read with understanding.
4) Learn to budget your time. Experiment with your reading time. Try purposely to read faster. Give yourself a time limit on specific material that you read.
Reading is a stimulating mental activity. It expands your reality and capability.
“The difference between where you are today and where you’ll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you’ve read.” Jim Rohn
You have so much to gain in discovering the joys of reading. Go ahead; grab a book right now!
Speed Reading
Speed may allow you to arrive at your intended destination; but along the way, were you able to take note of the things that you may have missed while speeding along the fast lane? As in driving, zooming in fast does not give enough opportunity to see and enjoy the view. The same can be said about reading.
Much of what you learn can be acquired through reading. The simple activity of getting in a comfortable position and start reading a book of your choice opens a new world for you. Reading enables you to tap into the minds of great people.
The more you read, the more you know. In the hope of reading more books, some attempt fast track reading or speed reading. It is believed that the faster you read, the more you cover.
Speed Reading may involve reading by phrases and concepts compared with the word-for-word method. It enables you to cover more pages with the same rate. However, one limitation of this method of reading is that you tend to **remember only a small portion of the main idea. ** There is danger that you might miss the important details in the book.
There is a solution for this. Few people are aware of this seldom-talked about technique in fast learning. This is based on the principle that the mind thinks in pictures.
Learning is accelerated when you “see†the whole idea of the write-up or book.
Seeing “live pictures†of ideas and thoughts of the writer makes reading experiential and unforgettable. When you see nothing while reading, you learn nothing. Fast reading becomes useless.
This technique is called ** visualization **. Visualization is vital to quick learning.
Visualization in reading is like constructing a jigsaw puzzle where pieces are put together to form the whole picture. The whole thing not only “appears,†but actually “comes alive†before you. Al of these happen in the realm of the mind.
Just going through the motions of fast reading can give you a hazy picture of the subject matter. But like a mist, this picture often quickly evaporates into thin air.
Fast reading without visual pictures often informs but very seldom impresses.
Impressions last while information changes with time. Past information is easily forgotten in favor of new ones. Impressions change you, and these are stored permanently in the mind.
For learning to become effective, it requires brief pauses to be able to visualize and reflect. Effective learning is not about how fast you can finish reading a book. It is more on how you effectively comprehend the ideas brought forth by the writer.
Visual pictures provide lasting impressions. Go after ideas and how it wil enrich people’s existence. Go for lasting impressions and insights that wil mold you into better individuals.
More Reading
Learn to Speed Read, a book by Kris Madden
An articles that dares you to stop wishing you read more books and convince you to reading more.