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Trying to read a lot of material during a busy day can be tough, especially if the material is not in your first language.
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Let's take a look at a few different techniques to help you read more but spend less time doing it.
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[1. Read as often as possible]
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You don't always have to read articles or books to improve your reading skills.
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It can be as simple as reading the menu, billboards, street signs or just reading anything you see in English every day.
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If you do enjoy reading, set aside a few minutes a day to read a book.
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Like anything in life, practice will make you a better reader.
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[2. Read things you're interested in]
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Just because you're reading in English, it doesn't mean you have to read things you have no interest in.
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In fact, reading about something you're interested in can speed up your reading and understanding of the text, especially as you may already know a lot about it.
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Think about what you like reading in your own language.
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For example, do you support a football club?
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You could read their latest match report.
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Do you like to know what the Kardashians are up to?
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You could read about the latest episode.
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Whatever it is you read, thinking a little about it or having knowledge of the content can help you greatly.
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[3. Practise scanning for specific information]
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Sometimes you might not have time to read everything but you may need to find specific information from the text you're reading.
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For example, let's say you're thinking of going on holiday to Sydney and you want to find out about the weather several months ahead.
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Using your favourite search engine to look for a travel page, scan for the keyword, and here it will be "climate" or "weather."
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Get to the right section and find the information you need.
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Make a mental note, or if you're reading a paper, highlight the area for later.
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[Remember]
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[1. Read as often as possible]
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[2. Read things you're interested in]
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[3. Practise scanning for specific information]