Page 162 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Unit 8: Comprehension

According to Edward Fry, the three reading speeds are study reading speed, reading and Notes
skimming speed. Grading of each of them is given below:

Speed Poor Reader Good Reader
(a) Study Reading 90-125 WPM2 200-300 wpm
80 to 90% comprehension 80 to 90 comprehension
(b) Average 150-180 wpm 250-500 wpm
reading 70% comprehension 70% comprehension
800 + WPM
(c) Skimming Cannot Skim 50% Comprehension

The ‘study reading speed’ is used for reading material that deals with difficult arguments, ideas
and notions, etc. This kind of reading aims at almost total comprehension and retention of what
has been read. A good study reader can read 200 to 300 words per minute. Similarly, the ‘average
reading speed’ is the speed used for reading newspapers, magazines, novels, etc. Here, the
emphasis in this kind of reading is on following the writer’s line of thought. A good average
reading speed is 250 words per minute. And finally we recognize that ‘Skimming is the fastest
reading speed’. A good reader is one who, keeping his purpose in mind can quickly attain the
required speed.
In fact, it is never too late to improve one’s speed of reading. And it is a fallacy that ‘when
reading speed increases, comprehension suffers’. Therefore, to improve speed, one must try to
cultivate the habit of looking at larger groups of words and of moving ahead faster. The wider
one’s ‘eyes span’, the greater will be his or her speed to comprehend. The other habit which
slows down reading speed is the practice of pointing at the words with pencil, pen or finger and
going back to words which have already been read.

Words have Nature, Like Human Character

Words have their own distinctive character, just like people. Words are arbitrary symbols of
things, ideas, thoughts, actions, feelings, etc. They eventually serve as a medium to convey the
message often by the use of words that do not literally convey the same meaning. In other
words, words can carry different connotations depending on the context, emphasis, etc. If one
can manage to concentrate on the message, one will be able to read faster.

8.4 Comprehending Passages: Wants, Hints and Clues

Clues are important to trail and nab thieves, and hints are important to comprehending a
passage. Communication is always done with symbols and signs, and hints come in that bracket,
too. There are techniques to scan passages optimally, and the following ‘hints’ may help every
professional and student alike, when it comes to better comprehension:
1. Read the passage to get its general meaning, and then pause for a while to recollect and
determine what the writer is trying to say. Go through the passage once more and note
down the main points.
2. You may come across words whose meaning you do not know. Try to make a guess; very
often, the context will help you to arrive at the meaning.
3. Then read all the questions attentively and look for answers. The answer should be based
on what is stated, implied, or merely suggested in the passage.
4. Be precise in answering the questions. As far as possible your answer should be in your
own words, and should be in complete sentences.
5. Check carefully the grammar, spelling and punctuation of what you write.

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