ZXTape! 0Created with Ramsoft MakeTZXLESSON1 S  / #2I"Introduction to the first lesson","______________________________"," " #3u" ","- The aim of this course is to"," increase the efficiency and"," effectiveness of your"," reading."," " #5"- Your goal is to spend less"," reading time while com-"," prehending the ideas and"," meanings of the reading"," matter in hand."," " #7"- The necessary techniques for"," reaching your goal will be"," developed by this course;"," the most important being a"," shift from single word read-"," ing to reading 'ideas'."," " #9"Reading efficiency presupposes","a purpose. Different skills","are deployed according to that","specific purpose; eg. your","reading-rate and method varies","whether you engage in reading","newspapers or fiction, business","reports or technical books."," " #;"Efficiency will increase by","using such skills as skimming","scanning and reading select-","ively; eg. titles, captions,","summaries and conclusions. The","effectiveness of reading will","also depend on how critically,","analytically and comprehensively","you read."," " #="Important for speedy reading is","the grasping of ideas. Word-by-","word readers very often have","a lower comprehension than","faster readers. To help you","gaining speed and high com-","prehension, this course will","train your concentration, memory","and your visual reading (which","means less eye movement),","your understanding of syntax","and perhaps even increase your","vocabulary."," " #?"Each lesson will contain timed","'flashes' of numbers and words.","The numbers will become longer","and the words will become","phrases as the course continues.","These exercises will train your","memory, concentration and","control eye movement."," " #Av"The text passages are timed and","vary in length and complexity.","They will direct your attention","towards different practical","skills. Each one will be","followed by a comprhension quiz.","Your reading speed will be modi-","fied by how much you have","retained and your effective read-","ing rate will be graphed when","you choose the option 'Progress","chart'."," " #C" ","It is important that you record","your progress file on tape when","asked to do so. It is needed","for the next lesson. Make","certain that the recorder is in","RECORD mode and that the","cassette is wound past the","leader tape."," " #En"Do NOT rewind the TEXT TAPE","between lessons and do not","attempt more than one lessons","in one day."," " #G"By the end of the course we","hope - and expect - that not","only will your reading speed","have increased, but also your","understanding of the ideas","expressed by an author."," ","---" $^1"An influential man.","___________________"," " $`"The man who influenced modern","times perhaps more than anyone","else is Johann Gutenberg. He","is generally considered the in-","ventor of the moveable-type","printing. By the middle of the","15th century (1455) the first","printed edition of the Bible","was publised in his workshop in","Mainz and the printed word began","its triumphant progress thhrough","the world, revolutionising the","history of man."," " $b"The Chinese had used moveable-","type printing since the 11th","century and a great many printed","books had contributed to the","dissemination of learning","throughout this vast empire; yet","it never penetrated the","occident."," " $d"Gutenberg describes in a letter","the need for his invention:"," "," 'For a month my head has been","working - a Minerva, fully armed","must issue from my brain.","Like me you have seen playing","cards and pictures of saints.","These cards and pictures are en-","graved on small pieces of wood","and below the pictures there","are words and entire lines en-","graved. A thick ink is applied","to the engraving; and upon this","a slightly damp piece of paper","is placed." $f"Then this wood, this ink, this","paper is rubbed and rubbed un-","til the back of the paper is","polished. The paper is then","taken off and you see on it the","picture just as if the design","had been traced upon it,","and the words as if they had","been written. The ink applied","to the engraving has become","attached to the paper, attracted","by its softness and by its","moisture."," " $h" Well, what has been done for a","few words, for a few lines, I","must succeed in doing for large","pages of writing, for large","leaves covered entirely on both","sides, for whole books, for the","first of all books, the Bible.."," " $jn" How? It is useless to think of","engraving on the pieces of wood","the whole thirteen hundred pages."," " $l" What am I to do? I do not","know, but I know what I want to","do: I wish to manifold the","Bible, I wish to have the copies","ready for the pilgramage to Aix","la Chapelle."," " $nL"In a later letter the solution:"," "," 'One must strike, cast, make a","form like the seal of your com-","munity; a mould such as that","used for casting your pewter","cups; letters in relief like","those on your coins, and the","punch for producing them like","your foot when it multiplies","its print. There is the Bible!"," " $p"After Gutenberg invention, the","art of moveable-type printing","was spread throughout Europe by","the end of the 15th century.","The extent and speed with which","Luther's doctrines transforemd","the face of Northern Europe was","only made possible by the new","printing process." $r"But at the same time the reform-","ation also hastened the decline","in printing during the next","century. Unlicensed printing","was forbidden by the Pope as","many printers were suspected","of heresy."," " $t_"Very litle changed in the tech-","nical development of printing","until the early 19th century,","when 'The Times' introduced a","new printing technique, com-","bining steam power with the in-","troduction of the cylinder","instead of the old screw-press.","This speeded up the printing","process enormously and mass","circulation could begin."," " $v7"The impact of mass printing not","only led to a rapid development","in the sciences, but the dis-","semination of ideas kindled","world-wide revolutions: power","was wrestled from the hands of","the few as wider circles of","population got better education","and access to more and more in-","formation."," " $x"It took nearly 500 years for an-","other major invention to be as","influential; Fairchild's","invention of the silicon chip.","After the second world war","printing could be done electron-","ically - the computer age","dawned." $z"In conjunction with telecommun-","ication processes the power of","this new means is as yet hard","to assess, but it will certainly","speed up man's development.","Immense storage facilities for","information on tiny 'chips' -","rapid access and potential world-","wide link-ups between data banks","have not only diminished our","globe to pocket size, but it has","again concentrated enormous","power." $|~"At present those who know how","to tap the vast pool of in-","formation and knowledge are in","a supreme position."," "," " $~"---","693 words" %#"Gutenberg invented the:",2 %O"1) Printing cylinder","2) Moveable-type printing","3) Screw-press","4) Book" %'"First use of moveable-type?",2 %d"1) in the 9th century","2) in the 11th century","3) in the 13th century","4) in the 15th century" %+"Next great advance in printing:",3 %V"1) the word-processor","2) colour print","3) the printing cylinder","4) news-print" %("Gutenberg's workshop was in:",1 %6"1) Mainz","2) Frankfurt","3) Strassbourg","4) Bonn" %,"1st printed ed. of the Bible was",3 %]"1) published in 1435","2) published in 1445","3) published in 1455","4) published in 1465" %#"Fairchild invented the:",3 %@"1) Computer","2) Transistor","3) Silicon chip","4) Data bank" %)"Moveable-type printing spread",2 %w"1) through Europe by 1500","2) through Europe by 1600","3) through the World by 1500","4) through the World by 1600" %("Gutenberg got his idea from:",3 %M"1) Graphic art","2) Revelations of St. John","3) Playing cards","4) Icons" &R)"have`","many`","less`","said`","bore`" &S)"role`","vote`","grow`","loss`","been`" &T)"huge`","last`","know`","cost`","soon`" &U)"does`","more`","vast`","slit`","seen`" A-9 LESSON2 XSX8Z#23" WHAT TO EXPECT"," ____ __ ______"," " #3"This course has been designed","to increase your reading speed","as effectively as possible.","Three things are particularly","necessary for effective","learning:"," " #5E" 1) that you know what you"," are expected to learn."," " #7a" 2) that you are continu-"," ously able to check"," what you have learned."," " #9" 3) that you interact with"," the material you are"," studying rather than"," learning it passively."," " #;"1) What will you learn?"," " #=v"You will learn to avoid some bad","habits and learn how to deal","with the main causes for slow","reading, eg."," " #?U" a) unnecessary eye fixations"," b) word by word reading"," c) bad vocabulary"," " #Av"Lack of concentration and","difficulty in remembering is","often a result of a combination","of these factors."," " #C."Each lesson contains a routine","that will flash 20 numbers and","20 phrases on the scren for a","very short time. The phrases","as well as the numbers become","longer as you progress, and","this will help you to see larger","units at each 'eye-fixation'","when you read (more about this","later)." #E"This will enable you to read","'idea by idea' rather than","'word by word' and this will","shorten the distance between the","message of the text you are","reading and your brain.","The option 'Memory' allows you","to display up to 24 digits for","any length of time."," " #G6"2) How will you check what you","have learned?"," " #I"As the number of digits and the","length of the phrases","increases, you will notice that","practice will enable you to","shorten the time needed for you","to grasp them." #Kf"A constant score with shorter","display-times and longer phrases","is therefore good progress."," " #M"The odd numbered lessons also","have longer texts where the com-","puter measures the time you need","to read them. Some multiple","choice questions are displayed","which measure your comprehen-","sion."," " #O"You can see your progress in","effective reading speed","(adjusted for comprehension)","by calling 'progress chart'.","(Option 6 on the Menu). The","even numbered texts are","timed, but the score is not","going onto your progress chart."," " #Q5"3) How will you interact with","the material?"," " #S"After reading the instructions -","which you are advised to do at","the beginning of each lesson -","you can repeat the exercises as","many times as you wish."," " #Uv"If you want to repeat any old","lesson, use a different name to","avoid confusing your progress","chart."," ","---" $^"Fable."," " $`"The frogs wanted someone to","govern them, and sent a deputat-","ion to Zeus asking for a king.","Seeing how simple they were,","Zeus just dropped a piece of","wood in their pond. The frogs","were frightened by the splash","an dived to the bottom."," " $b"When they noticed that the wood","stayed quite still, they came","to the surface. In the end they","treated their king with contempt","and jumped up and squatted on","him."," " $d"They felt it was undignified to","be ruled by such a thing. Again","they sent a deputation to Zeus","saying their king was too easy-","going. Loosing patience with","them, he sent them a water snake","which ate as many of the frogs","he could catch."," " $f#"AESOP"," "," ","---","136 words" $h $j $l $n $p $r $t $v $x $z $| $~ %)"Aesop stated the moral to be:",2 %z"1) Dynamic leadership is bad","2) Indolence better than tyranny","3) Be satisfied with your lot","4) Democracy is best" % % % % % % % % % % % % % % &R)"four`","time`","cure`","fail`","June`" &S*"keep`","keen`","keel`","knee`","these`" &T."about`","found`","local`","while`","small`" &U."never`","those`","stand`","which`","turns`" * LESSON3 !S!/!#2"Learning a new skill, like","learning to play a musical in-","strument, requires a certain","amount of time. Progress is","rarely continuous." #3R"Usually periods of little or no","progress are followed by sudden","leaps."," " #5+"Learning effective reading is","similar to learning to play an","instrument in this respect.","There may also be additional","problems with bad habits (like","speaking the words when you read","them for example) which first","need to be unlearned - a process","just as difficult as learning."," " #7~"Therefore you must not get dis-","couraged if your progress chart","does not show a continuous and","constant improvement." #9"It is likely to display periods","of little or no improvement, but","after working through all the","20 lessons you are likely to","at least have doubled your","effective reading speed." #;V"This will save you time and","increase your enjoyment of","reading as an activity." #= " ","---" #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^1"The trembling Earth","-------------------"," " $`"There they lay; curled up and","bent forward, huddled together,","stretched out or knocked over.","A tranquil but uncanny sight for","the beholder. Men and women,","children and thir pets immortal-","ized in bedrock, lava and dust."," " $b"The scene is Pompeij where","archeologists had started dig-","ging through layers of time","and excavated the legendary","city, buried in ashes and","cinder. House after house,","street after street, temples","and theatres emerged." $du"It seemed like unwrapping a mum-","mified body, layer by layer,","marvelling at its excellent","preservation."," " $f"Once a hustling and bustling","town, brimming with life,","suddenly wiped out of existence,","obscured for centuries under","the thick blanket of volcanic","deposits." $h"The population had no time to","flee, being overwhelmed by a","cloud of poisonous gas before","being trapped by the flow of","the lava or the rain of ashes","and fire."," " $j1"Pompeij went down in history as","one of the great volcanic","disasters, witnessed and","dramatically accounted for by","the Roman writer, Pliny the","Younger. Less than 150 years","before the tragic eruption of","Mount Vesuvius, a violent earth-","quake had damaged and destroyed","much of the town." $l"The same area has been subjected","to death and destruction many","times since Pompeij's","extinction, both through","volcanic eruptions and great","earthquakes."," " $na"Endless villages, towns and","lives have been wiped out all","around the globe for centuries." $p1"Most earth-tremors are associ-","ated with the movement of the","earth's crust and therefore","occur in regions where one con-","tinental shelf drifts into","another. All the high mountain","ranges have been folded up by","tectonic movements and there is","no reason to believe that it","has stopped." $r\"Pockets of volcanic activity","show us where the deep-seated","ruptures are most active." $t"You can follow the danger zones","by locating all the volcanic","outlets around the world: the","west coasts of North and South","America, the Alpine-Himalayan","range reaching from the neck of","the Mediteranian to Malaysia," $v"the so-called 'Pacific ring of","fire' including submarine ridges","and islands as far apart as","Iceland and Hawaii, Japan","and New Zealand."," " $x"Inside the earth there is enorm-","ous pressure on rocks, and","fluid forces created within the","mantle beyond the crust from","within cause the rocks to","fracture." $z"These faults then slip again at","intervals when the pressures","have reached the tolerance","treshold. The results are","quakes and volcanic eruptions","releasing the inner strains."," " $|"Many volcanoes can be found on","the seabeds and sometimes","explosions are triggered by","water seeping into a pocket of","red-hot magma or molten rock." $~f"When either a tectonic slippage","or an intrusion of water occurs,","the earth starts to shake and","heave, sending shock waves","around - and through - the","earth. The convergence of","different waves lead to deva-","station; fissures may open on","the surface swallowing roads,","bridges and houses; the ground","may be raised or sink several","feet." $"Huge sea waves are likely to","form, speeding across the oceans","and rising to immense heights","when squeezed into bays and","narrow straits where they will","cause great damage to anything","along the coast."," " $"Scientists still know relatively","little about earthquakes and","volcanic activety. Sometimes","the build-up of pressure along","a particularly obvious fault","can be 'measured and observed'." $"For example: in the region of","Pompeij the level of a small","coastal town has risen over","three yeards during the past few","years. Lately even steam and","gases have leaked through the","surface vents." $"But it would be very difficult","to predict the next event there.","There are so many tremors","measured all over the world","(about 150 000 are recorded","every year) - any of them might,","or might not, announce the next","big stress release."," " $;"Some theories indicate that","man's intrusion into nature","ultimately effects the balance","of the earth's forces. If","for example great masses of","water are dammed up or drawn off","rapidly, the sheer rise and","fall of pressure/volume exerted","on the crust of the earth could","trigger tectonic movemnts." $"One example is the draining of","Lake Baikal, the largest fresh-","water lake in the world. Its","shores have receded between 40","and 60 metres in a decade and","a hitherto tremor-free region","has become an active earth-quake","zone."," " $"It is a known fact that tidal","forces have an effect on the","processes which release energy","in the crust of the earth.","Therefore earthquakes and","volcanic activety could be","induced by the tidal pull."," " $"The stress release inside the","earth may follow cyclic","patterns, probably associated","with climatic changes, solar","activety and decline or advance","of glacial ice." $w"Signs supporting this hypothesis","have been detected in volcanic","ash-deposits in different","layers of soil."," " $"Luckily for mankind, great earh-","quakes and volcanic eruptions","need a long time to stoke up","the force needed for a big","explosion. The worse the","previous tremor - the longer","the recovery period."," " $ "And man is optimistic.","Relying on his good fortune, he","settles in the region just","devastated by quakes and","volcanic activety. The slopes","of the volcanoes will be trans-","formed into fertile land and","the next disaster may not strike","for generations." $F"Man does not give up. He","battles on and tries to conquer","nature. In many instances he","seems successful. He has","learned to understand a great","deal about he pattern and inter-","dependency of nature. But he is","still far from predicting or","steering the mysterious forces","inside and outside our planet."," " $"---","907 words" %)"Pompeij's population died of:",4 %a"1) Starvation","2) Lava from Mount Vesuvius","3) An earthquake","4) Poison from gasous clouds" %&"What is tectonic movement?",2 %~"1) Erosion of mountain ranges","2) Movement of the earht's crust","3) Release of volcanic matter","4) Movement of glaciers" %+"What causes volcanic eruptions?",4 %j"1) The rise of magma","2) A blockage in volcano's vent","3) Ocean floor spreading","4) Water intrusion" %+"Quake devastation is caused by:",2 %e"1) High winds","2) Converging shock waves","3) High rise buildings","4) Pressure in earth's crust" %,"Prominent feature of Lake Baikal",4 %g"1) Beautiful shores","2) Yellow water","3) Volcanos under the water","4) Rapid sinking of its level" %,"The Moon influences earthquakes:",3 %n"1) Not at all","2) Full moon triggers them","3) Tidal pull releases energy","4) Tidal waves prevent quakes" %+"Geologically active zones show:",3 %r"1) A cyclic pattern of nature","2) Seismic patterns","3) Geological changes in region","4) The next earthquake" %("Layers of volcanic ash show:",2 %z"1) The climate was different","2) Links climate - eruptions","3) Direction of the winds","4) The whole earth was ocean" &R."first`","flows`","motor`","smash`","lemon`" &S."apple`","money`","could`","right`","three`" &T."phone`","breed`","House`","April`","lapse`" &U3"caused`","feared`","pilots`","behave`","useful`" LESSON4 S 3 #2"HOW DO YOU READ?"," " #3b"Are you a slow or a fast reader?","Compare your effective reading","speed with this table:"," " #5T"Words per minute"," "," 150 slow"," 200 below average"," 250 average" #7q" 300 above average"," 350 medium fast"," 400 fast"," 500 very fast"," 600 exceptional"," " #9"Whichever speed applies to you","now, doing the exercises and","following the advice given in","the introductions will help you" #;}"to improve your effective","reading speed (ie. reading speed","adjusted for comprehension - the","only one that matters)." #= " ","---" #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^'" ANECDOTE"," --------"," " $`y"In 1818 the composer Franz","Schubert dedicated his","variations on 'Le bon chevalier'","to Ludwig van Beethoven."," " $b" 'Schubert had an unhappy","experience when, in 1822, he","presented to the master a copy","of his Variations for four hands","which he had dedicated to him." $d"The shy and speechless young","composer contributed to his own","embarassment, in spite of the","fact that he was introduced by","Diabelli (a famous composer and","friend of Beethoven) who","interpreted for him his feelings","towards the great man." $f"The courage which had sustained","him as far as the house foresook","him completely in the presence","of the prince of composers." $h"And when Beethoven expressed the","wish that Schubert himself","should write down the answers","to his questions, his hand was","as if paralysed. Beethoven ran","through the Variations and dis-","covered a harmonic inaccuracy." $j"He gently drew the young man's","attention to this, but at once","added that it was not a mortal","sin; whereupon Schubert com-","pletely lost control of himself," $l}"perhaps as a direct result of","this kindly observation. He","rushed out of the house and","bitterly reproached himself." $n_"He could never again summon up","the courage to present himself","before the great man."," " $pY"A. Schindler: Life of Beethoven"," ","This anecdote is almost","certainly untrue."," " $r"---","213 words" $t $v $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %,"The variations were written for:",3 %1"1) Violin","2) Harp","3) Piano","4) Orchestra" %)"Beethoven expressed the wish:",4 %"1) Schubert should stay","2) Diabelli should write a waltz","3) Schubert should play for him","4) Schubert should write answers" %+"Schubert lost his cool because:",2 %"1) Beethoven admonished him","2) Beethoven found a mistake","3) Beethoven didn't speak to him","4) Beethoven didn't react at all" % % % % % % % % % % &R3"people`","warmer`","remain`","unable`","define`" &S3"colony`","reform`","senior`","dispel`","is now`" &T3"better`","device`","screen`","access`","Mozart`" &U3"vision`","second`","serene`","lovers`","engine`" LESSON5 S4#2s"At the end of this lesson your","effective reading speed should","have increased by at least ten","percent."," " #3A"When you have completed the","exercises, read the timed text." #5"Then call the progress chart.","If you have not improved your","effective reading speed by this","amount, it suggests that you","should practice more flashing","of the numbers and phrases." #7y"Do not abandon a lesson before","you can score at least 15 out","of 20 at a speed of 10 milli-","seconds or less."," " #9"You may repeat earlier lessons","and as long as you do not start","the tape recorder after com-","pleting the timed text, your","progress chart will remain","unchanged."," " #;"---" #= #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^J"The origin and early development","of capitalism.","--------------"," " $`"During the latter part of the","Middle Ages, several events","were paving the way for private","enterprise and profit-making."," " $bc"A weak central government made","the rise of powerful and in-","dependent city states possible." $d"Italy was in the forefront of","this development. The Crusades","opened new trading routes whose","success was ensured by the de-","velopment of sailing ships and","improved navigation."," " $f"Especially the Italian princi-","palities of Venice and Genoa","surged to dominance as merchant","centres. The way to the Orient" $h"was opened up after the defeat","of Constantinopel, the all-","powerful trading capital of the","east. Venice now had access to","India, Persia and China and its","growing wealth led to ever","increasing independence."," " $jo"These late medieval societies","were perhaps more open to","different cultural influences","than any other." $l"Therefore cultural, intellectual","and scientific life culminated","in wealthy trading centres like","Florence, Venice and Genoa." $n"This development was absolutely","central to the rise of capital-","ism. Rich men were making","profit from selling and buying","desirable merchandise - often","on behalf of his fellow citizens","in towns and rural areas."," " $p#"Banking was born in Venice."," " $r"Without a banking system large-","scale trading would not have","been possible. The banking","system would not have arisen","without the invention of","currency." $t"The Lydians, a people in the","northern part of Greece, had the","good idea of introducing a","measurable unit of value into","their bartering society." $v"Metal coins first appeared in","Lydia in the reign of Croesus -","they were a durable, divisible","commodity and accepted as a","standard of value-measurement." $x"To prevent abuse, from now on","the governments affixed public","stamps, similar to the present","gold markings onto certain","weights of metal." $z"Croesus should perhaps rightly","get the title of the first","capitalist, as his indescribable","wealth even left us with the","saying 'as rich as Croesus'."," " $|"Commonly acceptable currencies,","banking systems, ever extending","trade and private profit-making","formed the base for the develop-","ment of capitalism."," " $~"More and more wealth was con-","centrated in the hands of a few","families like the Medicies and","the Fuggers who turned to in-","crease their profit even","further." $"One of the first centres of","large-scale production seems to","have been the cloth manu-","facturing in Flanders and","Florence."," " $["The new mercantile ideas brought","about new attitudes towards","religion and politics." $"John Calvin (1509 - 1564) is","usually regarded as the embodi-","ment of the PURITAN spirit of","the early capitalist society:" $"thrift, hard work, self-reliance","and frugality were put forward","as ideals which sanctioned the","spirit of capitalism, profit-","making and utilisation of the","profit."," " $"By the end of the sixteenth","century, the age of speciali-","sation began which brought about","the large-scale production of","one commodity. The decline of" $"the Church, the rise of the","nation states and the banking","class, all contributed to a","rising output in production and","the accumulation of surplus in","the hands of a few."," " $"The growing capital was used as","investment in private","enterprise, relying on growing","markets and the rational","development of technology."," " $`"The expression of capitalist","ideals is shown in the 18th","century ideas of Enlightenment." $"Adam Smith argued that economic","growth depended on the division","of labour and that the improved","labour skills lead to specialist","occupations. The key to the","latter was market growth."," " $"Thus division of labour, private","capital for financing trade or","production in order to gain","private profit as well as an","expanding market are the","hallmarks of capitalism."," " $"---","582 words" $ $ %'"Why was Venice so powerful?",3 %L"1) Rich people","2) Cultural openness","3) Banks","4) Servile population" %&"What happened in Flanders?",2 %k"1) 30 year war","2) 1st large-scale production","3) Invention of cotton wool","4) Invention of currency" %'"What does Calvin represent?",2 %]"1) Hooliganism","2) Early puritanism","3) The tolerance principle","4) Division of labour" %,"Serious specialisation began in:",4 %p"1) The early 16th century","2) The middle 18th century","3) The late 18th century","4) The late 16th century" %)"What did Adam Smith advocate?",4 %d"1) Abolishing slave labour","2) Abolishing child labour","3) Steam power","4) Division of labour" % "Banking was born in:",3 %7"1) London","2) Dusseldorf","3) Venice","4) New York" %+"In early capitalism wealth was:",2 %u"1) Owned by the Church","2) Owned by a few families","3) Owned by the landowners","4) Owned by the industrialists" %,"NOT a hallmark of capitalism is:",4 %X"1) Division of labour","2) Private capital","3) Private profit","4) The nation state" &R3"orange`","banana`","grapes`","basket`","unfair`" &S3"little`","rather`","double`","appear`","hardly`" &T4"easily`","impact`","rumour`","cheese`","another`" &U8"vicious`","back-up`","threats`","outside`","figures`" B LESSON6 S"2#2T" ","Here are some useful questions","to ask yourself when you are","reading."," " #3"- What is it about?","- Where is it leading me to?","- How does it relate to my"," reading and experience?","- Do I already know this?","- Is it true?"," " #5}"Asking these questions occasion-","ally will prevent your eyes from","gliding down the page without","absorbing anything." #7"Just as there is a limit to how","much food and drink you can","digest, so there is a limit to","the amount of information you","can absorb. These questions -","in spite of being simplistic -","will warn you when that point","has been reached. Then take a","rest."," " #9O"Do you find it difficult to","concentrate?","Are you easily distracted?"," " #;"Tension is often the cause of","both. There are many good","books on relaxation describing","easy exercises everyone can do." #=u"Skim through a few of these","books in a library and see if","you can find some exercises you","would like to do." #?e"Time spent doing them is rarely","wasted. They could even make","you feel better in general."," " #A"You cannot FORCE an increase","in reading speed. Moving your","eyes as fast as possible down","the centre of the page will not","have much effect - except","frustration when you recognise","that you didn't comprehend what","you just read."," " #CF"Flashing the numbers and phrases","will increase your visual span." #E"Practising quick reading with","some light literature trying to","make use of the increased span","should help in breaking any bad","habits like word by word read-","ing. Read as fast as you can." #Gq"It is important that your","practice material is easy to","read. Don't go back over text","already read."," " #Ir"The important thing is to have","a range of speeds and knowing","when to use which.. More of","this later."," " #K"---" #M #O #Q #S #U $^" ","During the past few years a de-","creasing turnover has badly hit","the furniture industry in most","European countries." $`"One factory after another went","into liquidation and the number","of employees in this sector was","reduced drastically."," " $b"The furniture industry is very","sensitive to the ups and downs","of the market and therefore","dependent on the general climate","of the economy."," " $d}"Apart from the general recession","several reasons have contributed","to the near-demise of the","furniture-industry."," " $f"A thorough process of rational-","isation in production was","started too late. Costs of","material and labour have in-","creased very steeply and the","industry has not invested enough","in new design, machines and","innovative production processes."," " $hb"Most of the firms are small to","medium sized and do not share","buying or selling strategies;" $j"they know little about their","competitors and each is spending","proportionaly too much money","and energy on those activities."," " $l"The changing taste of customers","were not sufficiently recognized","and foreign imports competed","successfully at the medium and","upper end of the price range."," " $n "Only those countries which re-","organised their styling and","production speedily, and","accommodated the new trend and","sinking demand by supplying good","design and quality at com-","petitive prices, were able to","sustain their industries and","exports."," " $p"A particularly fast growing new","market has developed for quality","wood, self-assembly furniture,","which gives Scandinavia an edge","over its European competitors." $r" ","---","232 words" $t $v $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %*"Which point is most important?",2 %"1) Quality market is too small","2) Self-assembly is en-vogue","3) Scandinavian furniture leads","4) People love shabby furniture" % % % % % % % % % % % % % % &R8"succeed`","attempt`","failure`","heading`","exactly`" &S8"private`","worried`","average`","salvage`","how odd`" &T8"in turn`","even so`","thirdly`","history`","company`" &U8"worried`","pricing`","rectify`","texture`","plastic`" , LESSON7 %S%&/%#2" "," How"," "," "," fast"," "," "," is"," "," "," p"," o"," s"," s"," i"," b"," l"," e"," ?"," " #3"It has been computed that if we","optimize our visual span to","read four words in 20 milli-","seconds - something the tachis-","toscope flashing the phrases" #5\"will show you is not impossible","- our reading speed would be","12000 words per minute." #7W"This would enable us to read","'The Trial' by Franz Kafka in","about five minutes.." #9W"However, if we want the words","to be cleared by the brain we","need more time."," " #;"This will take about a fifth of","a second for every four words","which means that we could read","the same book - and understand","it - in less than half an hour."," " #="When you read, your eyes make a","number of fixations along the","printed line. A slow reader","may move his eyes like this:"," " #?R"* * * * * * * * ** * *"," ","A fast reader something like","this:"," " #A'"* * * * * *"," " #Cs"enabling him to 'process' more","information between each fix-","ation. The reading becomes","more fluent."," " #Eg"To practice making use of the","increased visual span the train-","ing with the tachistoscope gives" #Gn"you, read light material which","interests you, but where you","will not need to learn anything","new."," " #I"Do not force the speed, but try","to increase the visual span and","move your eyes in approximately","equidistant smooth jumps. Avoid","breaking the rhythm by going","back over text already read." #K " ","---" #M #O #Q #S #U $^1"Let there be light!","-------------------"," " $`"And God spoke; 'Let there be","light!' and he created the sun","and the moon and the stars, and","it was light. This is one of","the most powerful pictures in","literature." $bQ"Light has fascinated human","beings through the aeons of","their history."," " $d"Utter darkness is something none","of us can easily conceive - let","alone cherish. Most dark spaces","will show at least a shimmer","of light, be it as weak as in","the depth of the sea in the","form of glowing fish." $f"Most people dislike the darkness","and many are intensly afraid","of it. Darkness has been","equated with Evil for centuries;" $h\"the Prince of Darkness, Luzifer,","the fallen angel, thrown into","the darkness of Hell." $j"Ghosts and witches make their","appearance in the darkness of","night. Monsters live in the","dark, often in subterranean","holes, whereas heroes and","fairies are children of light," $l"gilded with its shining armour.","In peoples' imagination the","cloak of darkness hides mischief","and sin, murder and deprivation."," " $n"Those few people who have spent","some time in utter darkness","emerged with high signs of","sensory deprivation. Life,","growth and well-being all depend","on light. Man realised this","very early on. Some of the" $p"oldest religious idols","worshiped, were the sun-gods","and moon- godesses. Rituals","centred around the shortening","and lengthening of days in the" $r"summer and winter solistice.","Even nowadays, who does not","enjoy sitting in front of an","open fire looking into the","leaping flames? We are like","moths drawn to the light."," " $t"But the existence of artificial","light has become second nature","to us. How could we imagine","the excitement our forebears","must have felt when they learned","how to harness a fire?" $v"How powerful they must have felt","around that flickering glow","which spread light and warmth","during the cold hours of dark-","ness." $x"We accept natural sunlight and","artificial light as a matter","of fact. But it was the","flickering torchlight of kindle-","wood which enabled the stone-age" $zb"artist to paint and engrave his","monumental pictures on the walls","of his cave dwelling."," " $|"Only much later was animal fat","burned in stone lamps; and life","became incredibly enhanced by","the use of oil lamps and","candles. Now man was not","dependent on natural light","alone."," " $~5"The old testament tells us about","chandeliers and the ancient","Egyptian kings were ceremonious-","ly laid to rest in the deep","shadow of the pyramids and rock","tombs by the accompaniment of","thousands of little oil lamps,","which were essentially the same","as those in use in the 18th","century."," " $0"The old Egyptians were a great","trading nation and their most","important port was Alexandria,","a centre of trade and culture","for many decades. To facilitate","shipping movements, particularly","in stormy weather, they erected","one of the eight wonders of the","world: on top of a high tower at" $A"the entrance to the harbour","a huge fire was kept burning at","night. This was probably the","first lighthouse. Today light-","houses fitted with modern equip-","ment are as important for","shipping as they were in ancient","times. The swirling beacon","reaches out like a helping hand","over the dark waters."," " $"The Romans understood how to","exploit artificial light","spectacularly - in niches and","arches, lamps and candles used","to glow and play with the","architectonic splendour, high-","lighting freezes and sculptures." $"Later, the castles of the","wealthy and the churches of","the Middle Ages were ablaze","with the shine of candles,","moving gently over objects and","faces, making them radiant,","alive and vibrant." $"Stages were lit with dramatic","effects, bringing to life","characters and their weird","environment, enhancing and","shading, shaping and weaving a","web of illusions."," " $="But for centuries the poor would","rise with the lark and go to","bed with the setting sun.","Until very recently the comforts","of artificial light was spread","very thinly indeed. And the","dangers of torches, oil lamps","and candles were real enough","until the invention of gas","light. The 19th century saw" $Y"the dawning of a new era:","suddenly streets and public","places were illuminated with","gas light. The safety and","relative cheapness of this form","of lighting changed life enorm-","ously. This form of artificial","light provided a cheap and","commercially viable source of","heating and extended the working","hours into the night."," " $"But while our great-grandparents","still toiled away by the light","of paraffin lamps and hurried","home through gas-lit streets," $"we live in true splendour:","brilliant, hot or cold, dimmed","or powerfully beamed electricity","has transformed the world.","Another genious has murmured..","'let there be light..' when","Edison invented the electric","filament bulb."," " $;"The compass has long ago re-","placed the starry guides in","the skies and in our urban","connurbations there is hardly","anywhere a cranny left dark","enough to hide in. Colourful","fireworks and not shooting stars","enchant and excite us. The","brightness of our cities blacks","out the twinkling firmament;" $"the fluorescent glare in office","and factory imitates constant","sunshine. Millions of people","seem to thrive in and are drawn","to the artificiallity of neon-","lamps, coloured and stark, rest-","less and cold, yet magical","and alluring."," " $"Nowadays business is conducted","irrespective of time and place,","plants are grown successfully","with the help of special","spectral booster lamps, sports","are enjoyed indoors and at","night."," " $"More effective light has been","harnessed in the form of lasers,","very coherent, monochromatic","light beams. We can regulate","any amount of light we want by","the flick of the thumb. Have we","now achieved complete","independence from our natural","light source the sun?" $"Don't we worship it as much as","any living being before us?","To all intents and purposes only","the form of worship has changed,","the craving remains. Stretched","out on the beaches around the","world, in motionless adoration,","bared bodies soak up the sun's","elixir to gather the strength","to survive another spell in our","artificially lit habitations."," ","---","991 words" %*"What depends heavily on light?",1 %E"1) Well being and growth","2) Fairies","3) Religion","4) Shipping" %*"Egyptian kings were buried by:",2 %G"1) Torchlight","2) Oil lamps","3) Bright sunshine","4) Candle light" %*"Eight wonder of the world was:",3 %l"1) Cave paintings in Albania","2) Invention of paraffin","3) The light-tower in Alexandria","4) Diamonds" %("Today business is conducted:",2 %f"1) In the daytime","2) Independent of natural light","3) With the help of lasers","4) In the shade" %,"Who invented a new light source?",1 %1"1) Edison","2) Bell","3) Chaplin","4) Marconi" %*"Before the event of gas light:",2 %{"1) Everyone used candle-light","2) The poor were in the dark","3) Houses always burned down","4) Life was more romantic" %"Gas light removed:",1 %`"1) A lot of danger","2) The need for candles","3) Unhealthy living","4) Crime in the streets" %,"Electric light was soon adopted:",1 %"1) Because it is safe and cheap","2) Because it is easy to instal","3) Because it looks nice","4) Because it is free of charge" &R8"product`","no need`","in fact`","dialect`","freedom`" &S9"coxitis`","languid`","lantern`","pay up!`","it might`" &T="quagmire`","recently`","frontier`","invasion`","shake-up?" &U="planning`","credible`","internal`","vigorous`","new team`" A-9 LESSON8 z Sz )| #2" ","Skimming and scanning are","important skills for reading","efficiency. To get a general","view of a book, an article or","a report you skim; for","particular information you use" #3"skip-reaing. Your selective","reading procedure will depend","on the PURPOSE you have for","reading a particular paper or","book."," " #5"For books:"," ","Read the title, contents, index,","summary subheads and some","material at random. That should","quickly establish the relevance","of the reading matter."," " #7"If you look for particular","information, eliminate all","sections that do not obviously","apply. Check publishing date","for up-to-date information."," " #9"For newspapers:"," " #;"Headlines and first sentences","usually summarises the story and","sub-heads reveal coverage","extent. Magazines show the main","theme mostly AFTER a dramatic","introduction, skip-read."," " #="Unpublished inter-organisational","reports and material is","frequently less structured and","therefore presents difficulties","for skimming. Look out for sub-","heads, key-words and graphic","displays."," " #? " ","---" #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^" " $`"In the late 1940's a number of","American congressmen were","campaigning against modern art","as being politically subversive." $b<"Modern art was part of the com-","munist conspiracy."," " $d"A group of American artists sent","a telegram to Pablo Picasso","asking for a statement","'EMPHASIZING NECESSITY FOR","TOLERATION OF INNOVATION IN","ART'." $f0"They enclosed a prepaid reply","voucher."," " $h"Picasso did not use it."," " $jB" 'The point is, art is sub-","versive. It should not be free." $l"Art and liberty, like the fire","of Prometheus are things one","must steal, to be used against","the established order. Once" $n~"art becomes official and open to","everyone then it becomes the","new academicism. How can I","support an idea like that?" $p"If art is ever given the keys","to the city, it will be because","it's been so watered down,","rendered so impotent that it's","not worth fighting for."," " $r"---","144 words" $t $v $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %,"American politicians saw art as:",2 %^"1) Government propaganda","2) Politically subversive","3) Depicting beauty","4) Apolitical" %#"Why did Picasso refuse?",1 %|"1) He thought art was subversive","2) He wanted art to be academic","3) He didn't care","4) It would hurt his reputation" % % % % % % % % % % % % &R="probably`","expected`","recovery`","prepared`","no means`" &S="compared`","remarked`","there is`","enormous`","pressure`" &T="operates`","selected`","has been`","forceful`","real ale`" &U="princess`","interior`","labelled`","adequate`","globally`" LESSON9 Q)SQ)OAS)#25" ","Which reading rate?","-------------------"," " #3V"When you first approach a","report, an article or a book,","first scan through it." #5z"Read the introduction and some","random passages until you are","clear about how much of the","material is new to you." #7"Try to form a mental picture of","what to expect. Then decide","on how thoroughly you need to","read it. This must depend on","the purpose:"," " #9"If you read for entertainment,","skipping a few boring pages will","not matter; but if you will","be taking a decision based upon" #;s"what you read, a few boring","paragraphs in a report could","mean the difference between","riches and ruin."," " #=4"Typically there are four","discrete options:"," " #?@"1) 'Pogo-stick' reading (jumping"," from place to place)." #A8"2) 'Straight' reading (from"," beginning to end)." #C="3) Several quick readings","4) Careful working through." #EY" ","It is often desirable to switch","between these techniques or","combine them."," " #G"Where you need to absorb new","material which you need for","further studies or for an exam,","the following is a good","approach:"," " #Ia"Read through the material with-","out worrying too much if you","don't understand everything." #K"Often something that is","explained later will clarify","earlier passages. Then go back","to the beginning and carefully","work through it. Have a sheet","of paper available for any","notes or diagrams you can make","to clarify what you are reading."," " #M"If what you have read is","important, write a summary.","Then going through the text","again, check that your summary","is accurate."," " #Ox"What is learned by rote is","quickly forgotten. Your aim in","all your reading must be to","understand the message." #Q5"Without understanding speed is","meaningless."," " #S"---" #U $^@"Has the situation of women","changed today?","--------------" $`"Nowadays you read and hear over","and over again how the life","and situation of women has","changed completely over the past","50 years or so. Statistics","support this claim: the rising","tide of girls who study and","make a career for themselves;" $b'"the relationship between men and","women relying on partnership","and sharing; women's financial","and emotional independence","expressed by living alone by","choice and being as permissive","as men. But do these data in","themselves prove that funda-","mental changes have taken place?"," " $d"Historically all cultures have","determined roles for their","people influenced mainly by the","need to survive. And western","role specification for men and","women still differs from those","of some other societies." $fc"One could argue that the biolog-","ical differentiation in the","sexes predestined their roles." $h"Woman was much closer linked to","life and its protection, and","gradually she was pushed to","accept the role of protector","of life and hearth as 'natural'." $j"Man's role was to provide,","defend the family and territory;","he was the representative of","the outside world and the","contact person between it and","the hearth-bound, rearing","female."," " $l"This separation of roles forms","the basis of the rules of our","western society today. Over","centuries women were conditioned","to endure subjugation and were","denied their self in order to","establish and keep the principle","of a male dominated society." $n"Religion was a powerful promoter","and abetter of this position."," ","The male domination principle","was not always expressed as","crudely as that. Woman often","had seemingly great freedom," $p"Laws and institutions developed","in accordance with male think-","ing and attitudes: women were","considered man's possession","with no rights of their own or","direct influence on the affairs","of their country." $rx"Nevertheless, there were many","powerful and highly influental","women 'behind the scenes'","throughout history."," " $t"Social class had very different","effects on women, and behind","many a great man's decision a","woman's hand was descernable.","But the hero at home and at the","front, peddling an image of","strength, wisdom and supremacy","- did he fare so much better in","real terms?" $v"How often did he not curse his","fate of being condemned into his","straight-jacket? Perhaps art -","this act of creation - was his","defence against the strict role-","determination, his answer to the","act of giving birth."," " $xX"The German philosopher Schopen-","hauer expressed male thinking","through the ages when he calls","woman a 'mental myopic', a","person with very limited","reasoning power in contrast to","man. It is therefore not at","all farfetched, I think, to sur-","mise that the specific role-","determination in western","cultures helped to produce a" $z"fluid transition into the div-","ision of labour for capitalist","society. Women were an","important force in the labour","market of the industrialising","19th century. But as a counter-","point to this external","importance the image of 'wife","and mother' was pushed harder." $|{"This image is still deeply","rooted in our attitudes today.","It is still seen as her","'natural' place in society."," " $~"Another factor is perceived as","natural: the unequal struggle","based on anxiety and hostility,","which developed between the","sexes for control of their own","and each other's activities","and attitudes." $"In western society conflict is","regarded as a 'normal' part of","social progress; therefore the","struggle between male and female","is perceived as 'natural'." $F"Today's changes in woman's","position seem more to be changes","in character than anything else:","new standards and expectations","are being created which have not","'freed' woman from her basic","dilemma: how to combine her","prime sexual function with that","of a self-determined human","being. On the contrary, it has" $"been argued that women's liber-","ation has cost them dearly.","Taking on employment and a","family has increased the burden,","because man has not abandoned","his role yet. Thus women's","responsibilities doubled, their","working hours increased and","often the conditions of work at","home deteriorated. Stress,","depression, anxiety and infer-","iority feelings increased."," " $"The so-called 'golden oppor-","tunity' of education brought","more disappointment and dis-","crimination: the stereotype","belief in woman's irrationality","and illogical mind bar her from","many jobs and make her an","under-achiever. Who proclaimed","her to be illogical?" $&"Man, because she does not","conform to his expectations."," ","Although on paper equality has","been achieved in a number of","areas, the male world has found","ways around this imposition.","And, of course many women have","accepted the established model","of life concerning their status," $z"autonomy and pay along with the","prevalent belief that anything","a man does is intrinsically","superior. Her anger, frustra-","tion and alienation in a world","where women's achievements are","still belittled, breaks out in","fierce feminism and rejection","of all traditional values; or in","ruthless pursuit of slipping","on man's mask and closing ranks","with him."," " $"And both have unwittingly","usurped the worst expression of","man's supremacy - sexism. Those","who reject the whole traditional","package have de-facto accepted","that this model of society is","unchangaeble! Those who want to","outshine man in his own domain","and compete for status, power","and money accept the same","establishment-model - and their","own final humiliation." $"Both are rejecting their female","values and embracing the princ-","iple of male superiority, the","symptoms of which are racism,","capitalism and imperialism."," " $R"Like men, women in these camps","miss the point: it is not a","question of supremacy of gender,","but one of being better at some-","thing. The lines have to be","redrawn, not along the male -","female gender distinction, but","on the basis of persona, the","human being, whose ultimate","welfare both sexes are concerned","with."," " $#"A redefinition of 'battle-lines'","in the feminist movement would","be a worthwhile objective for","our society. Because of her","biological difference woman has","had a multi-role experience in","history and therefore developed","a wider spectrum of self-","expression. This makes her" $"actually better equiped for","change and more flexible than","man. But woman have to re-","discover and regain their self-","esteem without falling into","traps. As they have histor-","ically attempted to deal with" $S"the quality of life, their","attitudes will influence society","as a whole."," " $"Women have been more concerned","with people than sex defini-","tions. Women have to try and","alter the style and priorities","of institutions, reduce alie-","nation and increase commitment","to other people." $"Men and women have to recognise","a person's androgyny - the male","and female element within all","of us - and respect the human","being in order to change the","rule of sexism and stereotypes."," ","---","1111 words" %'"Many statements claim that:",3 %"1) Woman's place is the kitchen","2) Women are now more aggressive","3) Women's situation has changed","4) Women are irrational" %,"Role determination is said to be",1 %w"1) Biological predestination","2) To defend territories","3) Vital to protect life","4) Due to men's great strength" %"Woman was:",2 %~"1)Given freedom of determination","2) Subjugated to accept her role","3) Main benefactor of new laws","4) Protected by men" %&"Society sees as 'natural':",2 %}"1) Woman's desire to break out","2) Struggle between the sexes","3) Growth of western culture","4) Women's love for peace" %+"Many women suffer from anxiety:",3 %~"1) Because they are free","2) Because they are imprisoned","3) Because of increased burden","4) Because of need to compete" %,"Worst symptom of male supremacy:",2 %M"1) Is womanising","2) Is sexism","3) Is child bashing","4) Is paternalism" % % % % &R="laid off`","reported`","computer`","feminist`","explicit`" &S@"explorer`","junction`","impatient`","carbuncle`","discussed`" &TB"no change`","old guard`","will move`","will help`","difficult`" &UB"to please`","very sexy`","knowledge`","character`","currently`" LESSON10 SGv#2"By now you should have noticed","a marked improvement in your","effective reading speed. We","hope you took our advise given","in lesson 7 to read some light","material consciously increasing","your reading speed." #3"To practice what was suggested","in the instructions to the last","lesson, we suggest that you","select a book on a subject that" #5Y"interests you, but where it will","be necessary to vary the rate","at which you read." #7W"Perhaps something in your own","subject where only some parts","will be unfamiliar." #9 #; #= #? #A #C #E #G #I #K #M #O #Q #S #U $^=" "," Important numbers."," ------------------" $`Z" ","In science and mathematics there","are subjects which suddenly","become 'popular'." $bc"Prime numbers - a number which","is divisible only by one and","itself - is such a subject."," " $d"Part of the reason for this is","that from being a small part of","pure mathematics, of interest","mainly in a philosophical sense","they have now entered the world","of applied mathematics. In" $f"fact, the most secure secret","codes known - for example the","ones needed to launch a nuclear","attack - rely on the difficulty","of splitting a very large" $h/"number into its components of","primes."," " $j<"So in a sense life itself","depends on the sequence:"," " $l%" 1,2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19....."," " $n"---","113 words" $p $r $t $v $x $z $| $~ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ %#"What is a prime number?",3 %h"1) The most important number","2) A magical number","3) Divisible by 1 and itself","4) A rare number" %*"Earlier it was of interest to:",2 %Y"1) Spies","2) Pure mathematicians","3) Moral philosophers","4) Applied mathematicians" % % % % % % % % % % % % &RB"displayed`","Beethoven`","direction`","convinced`","of course`" &SB"forgotten`","amplified`","price war`","meanwhile`","explosion`" &TF"intercede`","open-ended`","aggressive`","understood`","impression`" &UG"consequent`","production`","by the end`","digression`","head start`"