Ultimate Speed Reader will allow you to become a powerful and more efficient reader. It will help you develop a whole range of reading speeds so that you can match your reading speed to your reading purpose.

Ultimate Speed Reader is a program specifically designed to help you improve your reading speed and comprehension. It will also make your reading easier and more enjoyable. There is a popular myth that says fast readers don't understand as much of what they read as slow readers. In fact, just the reverse is true. Fast readers often understand much more than slow readers because they read phrase by phrase instead of word by word. Words in context are more meaningful than words in isolation. As you free yourself from the limitation of "hearing" each word in your mind as you read it, your reading speed will soar, and your comprehension will rise.

When people read, their eyes do not move smoothly across the printed text. The eyes move across each line in irregular spurts; they pause, focus, move quickly, pause, focus, and move again. Each time the eyes pause, they take in a word or group of words. The fewer pauses you make per line, and the less time you spend on each pause, the faster you will read. The more efficiently your eyes move from one group to the next, the faster you will read. Thus, your reading rate is affected by your eye span, your rate of perception, and your eye movements. The six exercises in Ultimate Speed Reader will help build the skills you need for rapid, flexible, and efficient reading.

The average adult reads about 250-300 words per minute with about a 50% comprehension level. If your beginning rate falls within the average range, you should be able to double or triple your reading speed while maintaining or improving your comprehension.

For best results, use the Speed Reader program at least two or three times each week (not more than one session each day, however). Spend about 30 minutes at the computer for each session, very long sessions are counter-productive. Your personally designed Training Program will take you through all the exercises in order. Feel free to repeat a reading selection for the extra practice or to make an easier transition to a faster speed. Remember to end each training session by reading from a book, magazine, or other outside reading material, using the Paced or Timed Reading activities to pace or time yourself if you wish.

• To register as a New Student:

Click the New Student button and enter your name in the dialog box.  Click OK

A dialog box will appear. Select a location for your student history file. 

Click Begin when you are ready to take your Assessment Test.

Complete the quiz which follows the Assessment Test. 

Your scoreboard will appear, showing your current reading speed and a suggested speed goal. 

Adjust your goal if you wish, and then click Begin Training.

• To register as a Continuing Student:

Click the Continuing Student button.

Select your name from the list of continuing students.

When the Main Screen appears, click Reading Warm-ups to begin your training. 

•  To register as a Visitor:

Click the Visitor button. (Your record will not be saved.)

When the Main Screen appears, click any of the activity icons to explore the program.

From the Main Screen, you can go anywhere in the program. Click one of the icons to go to any of the activities. We suggest that you do them in order, beginning with Reading Warm-ups. When you have finished each activity, just click the Continue Training Program button at the bottom of your scoreboard.

Check your Training Program any time to see your complete personalized program.

Based on your current reading speed and the results of your last session, Ultimate Speed Reader will recommend exactly which exercises you should do. To take one of the suggestions, just click the arrow above an exercise assignment. Assignments are checked off as you complete them.

We suggest that you begin each session with about five of the Reading Warm-ups. this exercise develops quicker perception and better peripheral vision.  You may choose to use either Warm-ups or Warm-up words.

Click the Reading Warm-ups button from the Main Screen. Click the Begin button.

Groups of letters (or words) will appear briefly in the center of the screen. Pay close attention to them!

Next you will see columns of letters (or words) on the screen. Click or type the letters that match the ones you saw on the screen.

The speed will increase with each correct answer. You can also adjust the speed with the speed bar at the right. To switch to warm-up words, just click the Words button. Click Continue Training Program from your Warm-ups scoreboard.

EYE  MOVEMENT

This exercise trains you to see groups of words at a single glance, and keeps your eyes moving along efficiently.

Click the Eye Movement icon on the Main Screen, or go to the activity directly by clicking  Continue Training Program from the Reading Warm-ups scoreboard. 

You will see a listing of the reading passage that is about to be presented. If you wish, you may click the New Passage button to select something else.

Based on your past performance, a reading speed is recommended for this passage. You can adjust this speed if you wish. Just backspace and enter the new number of words per minute.

You may also adjust the number of fixations (highlighted word groups) per line.

Click Begin when you are ready. 

Follow the highlighted text and don't allow yourself to look back. 

When you have completed the reading, a comprehension test will appear on-screen. Click the letter of the correct answer, and then click Continue to go to the next question.

A scoreboard will appear when you have finished the test. Click Continue Training Program to go to the next activity.

NEWSPAPER READING

This exercise provides practice in using your peripheral vision to read material in columns. This is the skill you need to read newspapers and magazines faster.

Click the Newspaper Reading icon on the Main Screen, or go to the activity directly by clicking Continue Training Program from the Eye Movement scoreboard. 

You will see a listing of the reading passage that is about to be presented. If you wish, you may click the New Passage button to select something else.   

Based on your past performance, a reading speed is recommended for this passage. 

You can adjust this speed if you wish.  Just backspace and enter the new number of words per minute.

You may also adjust the number of columns.

Click Begin when you are ready.

Follow the highlighted text and don't allow yourself to look back.

When you have completed the reading, a comprehension test will appear on-screen. Click the letter of the correct answer, and then click Continue to go to the next question.

A scoreboard will appear when you have finished the test. 

Click Continue Training Program to go to the next activity.

PACED READING

This exercise presents longer reading passages at a preset pace.  You may also use Paced Reading with imported text passages or with outside readings from books or magazines.

Click the Paced Reading icon on the Main Screen, or go to the activity directly by clicking Continue Training Program from the Newspaper Reading scoreboard.

You will see a listing of the reading passage that is about to be presented. If you wish, you may click the New Passage button, or you may import any text passage. 

Based on your past performance, a reading speed is recommended for this passage. You can adjust this speed if you wish. Just backspace and enter the new number of words per minute.

The reading passage will appear on the screen, and the "pages" will be turned automatically, pacing your reading at the selected speed.

When you have completed the reading, a comprehension test will appear on-screen. Click the letter of the correct answer, and then click Continue to go to the next question. 

A scoreboard will appear when you have finished the test. Click Continue Training Program to go to the next activity.

TIMED READING

Find out how well Ultimate Speed Reader is working for you by taking a Timed Reading exercise. This time there is no pacing, you're on your own! 

Click the Timed Reading icon on the Main Screen, or go to the activity directly by clicking Continue Training from the Paced Reading scoreboard. 

You will see the title of the reading passage to be presented. You may click the New Passage button, or import a different text passage.

There will be no suggested reading speed; your reading speed will be calculated and reported to you when you have finished the passage.

The reading passage will appear on the screen; press the SPACEBAR or click Continue to "turn the page" or go to the next screen.

When you have completed the reading, a comprehension test will appear on-screen. Click the letter of the correct answer, and then click Continue to go to the next question. A scoreboard will appear when you have finished the test.  Click Continue Training Program to go to the next activity.

OUTSIDE READINGS

You can use Ultimate Speed Reader's Paced Reading and Timed Reading to practice your faster new reading speeds on outside readings from books or magazines.

Click the Paced Reading or Timed Reading icon on the Main Screen.

Select outside Reading from the setup screen that follows. 

Enter the requested information about your outside reading (words per line and lines per page).

Click Begin when you are ready. If you are in Paced Reading, the computer will beep to signal page turns. If you are in Timed Reading, the computer will calculate and report your reading speed when you have finished.

EYE MAX GAME

Sharpen your perception by playing the graphic Eye Max game. No words to read here! There are three levels to the game; the challenge is to last long enough to play them all!

Click the Eye Max icon on the Main Screen, or go to the activity directly by clicking Continue Training from the Timed Reading scoreboard.

Click Begin.

Focus your eyes on the center of the screen. Four objects will flash on the screen surrounding a center object.  Look at the center object and use your peripheral vision to find the object that matches it. 

Click the quadrant where the matching object appeared. With each correct match, the objects will appear farther from the center. 

Continue playing as long as you can. The game will end when you have too many misses.

PREFERENCES

Customize your Ultimate Speed Reader training with the options available to you on the Preference Screen at any time by clicking the Preferences button on the Main Screen.

Select any or all of the Built-in reading passage categories, or select Custom passages and indicate the directory in which they are stored. Select the desired font and size for the reading passage display. View your choice in the Sample Text box. You may also choose Uppercase or Lowercase display for Warm-up Letters.