How People Read and Speed Reading
Our conscious brain takes in 16 bits of information per second, compared to our non-conscious brain that absorbs 11 million bits per second. Can you imagine the difference? That is the reason why we hate to do stuff consciously – because it does take effort and discipline.
Our non-conscious brain structures process tons of information coming from our sense-organs such as breathing, heartbeat, and blood circulation, not to mention, instincts and emotions – all without our awareness. It’s a work-horse!
The eyes, our primary tool in reading, only take in information when they are stopped. If you want, you can verify this by holding a book up in front of someone and let them read a certain part in it. Watch their eyes as they read though don't tell them what you are observing.
What feels like continuous motion is actually move -> stop -> read, move -> stop -> read, and so on. Speed readers minimize the number of stops by maximizing the number of words taken in at each stop.
Next Page Short Reading Exercise
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