How to Double Your Reading Speed in Ten Minutes

Set the timer to count down from one minute. Open a book and start the timer as you begin reading. When the time goes off, count the number of lines you read. Next, count the number of words in five sentences of average length. Divide the total number of words by five to get the average number of words per line. Multiply the number of lines you read by the average number of words per line to get your words-per-minute reading speed.

Place the ruler flat against the page of the book and horizontal, so that it underlines each line. Move the ruler down the page from line to line, never staying for more than one second on any line. Look at the line being underlined by the ruler and read it -- but give yourself no more than one second to do so. Do not worry about comprehending what you are reading, just focus on sticking to a maximum of one second per line. Use the ticking from the analog watch to time how long you should spend on each line.

Reduce the amount of time you spend on each line gradually, so that you are reading faster and faster. Your goal is to read two lines per second.

Read chunks of words all at once, rather than single words one after another. Do this by focusing on every second word, and when you are comfortable with that, move on to every third word, and so on, always working to go faster.

After practicing these techniques for ten minutes, read a new passage for one minute to test how your reading speed has improved. There should be a significant improvement. If your reading speed has not doubled, keep practicing and it soon will.