Saturday, December 10, 2011

Quantity Reading: Learn More in Less Time


To do well in your exams you need to cover a lot of substance in a limited amount of time. For you there is ‘Quantity Reading’. Quantity Reading will help you think on the essential parts of your reading material and leave out the unessential parts.
For example, read the following part:
Edison is considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He is credited with numerous inventions that contributed to mass communication and, in particular, telecommunications. These included a stock ticker, a mechanical vote recorder, a battery for an electric car, electrical power, recorded music and motion pictures. His advanced work in these fields was an outgrowth of his early career as a telegraph operator. Edison originated the concept and implementation of electric-power generation and distribution to homes, businesses, and factories – a crucial development in the modern industrialized world. His first power station was on Manhattan Island, New York.
Now read this part:
Edison prolific inventor. 1,093 US patents. Patents in United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Inventions contributed to mass communication and telecommunications : stock ticker, mechanical vote recorder, battery for electric car, electrical power, recorded music and motion pictures. Advanced work outgrowth of early career as telegraph operator. Originated electric-power generation and distribution: crucial in industrialized world. First power station: Manhattan Island, New York.
In the second paragraph, we have left out the unnecessary parts of the first paragraph. Have a close look! The things in the second paragraph are the ones you need to remember. Quantity reading not only increases your speed, it also helps you concentrate on what you are studying and understand it improved. If someone reads very slowly, his/her concentration usually gets derailed.
SQ3R = Reading System
S = Survey. Before your start your reading, skim throughout the text. Look at the titles, sub titles, illustrations, captions, graphs, diagrams and other elements. This will give you an idea of what you are going to study for the next hours.
Q = Question. Turn the titles of the chapter into questions. Try to think of questions with why, who, how, when, compare, describe etc. For example, if the title of the chapter is ‘The Fall of the British Empire in the Subcontinent’, you can turn this into the question—‘Discuss the reasons behind the decline of British rule in the subcontinent’. Forming questions will give you a better idea of what you are going to study. Then start reading and try to find the answer to your questions. For example, if the title of the chapter is ‘The Human Body', and subtitle is 'Blood’, the question may be ‘ What is blood ? What are the elements of blood ? What is the function of blood?’
This PART from the book contains the answer to these questions:
The opaque red fluid which flows throughout the blood vessels, is a transport medium of the body, bringing in to all the tissues the food and oxygen they need for growth and repair. It distributes the secretions or hormones, manufactured by the important glands of the body, to the organs where they are needed to carry out their individual functions. It removes the waste products from the tissues, transmits carbon dioxide to the lungs where it is liberated and carries remaining materials to the kidneys for elimination from the body. Blood helps to continue the body temperature and keeps the other body fluid in a state of balance. When the body is invaded by disease, blood is the first line of defense against the infection. Another vital function it performs is to prevent any increase in acidity or alkalinity within the body. Each drop of blood contains 250 million red blood cells, 4,00,000 white blood cells and 25 million platelets suspended in a pale yellow fluid called plasma.
So the answers to your questions are:
What is blood? Blood is the opaque red fluid which flows throughout the blood vessels in the body of human beings and many other creatures.
What are the basics of blood? The elements of blood are red blood cells, white blood cells, patelet and plasma. Each drop of blood contains 250 million red blood cells, 4,00,000 white blood cells and 25 million platelets suspended in a pale yellow fluid called plasma.
What is the meaning of blood?
1. Blood is the transport medium of the body, bringing in to all the tissues the food and oxygen they need for growth and repair. It distributes the secretions or hormones, manufactured by the important glands of the body, to the organs where they are needed to bring out their special functions. It removes the waste products from the tissues, transmits carbon dioxide to the lungs where it is liberated and carries remaining materials to the kidneys for elimination from the body.
2. Blood helps to maintain the body temperature and keeps the other body fluid in a state of equilibrium.
3. When the body is invaded by disease, blood is the first line of defense against the infection.
4. Another important function it performs is to prevent any increase in acidity or alkalinity within the body.
R=Recite. Read ithe material aloud to yourself. If essential, read again and again. It will help you absorb the substance properly.
R= Revise. Revise what you have read. Try to revise the substance you have already covered at regular intervals.

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