Occasionally Time Yourself

You can tell for certain whether your speed-reading skills are

eroding by timing yourself when you read. Chapter 5 offers a test

to measure your reading speed (and Appendix B has a place for

recording your scores on this test). From time to time, take the

test in Chapter 5 to see whether your reading speed is decreasing

or increasing. If you find yourself slipping, try to determine why

and then brush up on the appropriate skills.

Do Your Exercises

I hope you complete all the exercises in this book on your way to

becoming a speed reader. And I recommend doing the exercises

again to keep up your speed-reading skills. In fact, I recommend

doing the exercises again and again and again.

For that matter, next time you’re reading a newspaper, book, or

magazine, pretend you’re doing a speed-reading test. Apply all you

know about speed reading to the text in front of you. See whether

you can tackle your newspaper article, book chapter, or magazine

article like a tried-and-true speed reader.

Visit the Optometrist

Your ability to speed read is only as good as your ability to see

words on the page. If you aren’t yet 40, you’re in for a surprise

where your eyes are concerned (and if you’re over 40, you prob-

ably know what I’m talking about).

Starting around age 40, your eyesight starts to deteriorate. You

have trouble reading small print. You have to hold the menu far-

ther and farther from your face as the years go by, until by age 50

your arm isn’t long enough and you end up with stew when you

thought you ordered steak.

To avoid such culinary disasters and keep your speed reading up

to par, have your eyes checked regularly after the age of 40, and get

yourself a pair of glasses if necessary. You can’t speed read without

them. If your peepers are already healthy, thank your lucky stars

and then keep them that way with the eye exercises in Chapter 15.