The information I 【小题1】 (collect) in the last few years leads me to believe that speed reading may be less   【小题2】 (use) than most people think. The claim that you can read and comprehend (理解) over 30,000 words per minute is overstated. One researcher proved this in a study 【小题3】 irrelevant and illogical sentences were added to the text. The “speed readers” tested didn’t notice the irrelevant lines – the readers who read slowly spotted them immediately.

I’ve interviewed people who have attended the introductory sessions (课程) 【小题4】 (offer) by some speed reading courses. 【小题5】 (them) stories indicate that improper methods are sometimes used to sell the courses. Here is how: First, you’re asked to read a passage from a book 【小题6】 which most persons know little. Your reading speed and comprehension are tested during this exercise. Then, after about half 【小题7】 hour of instruction, another reading test is given. But this time the reading is the one most Americans know well – such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Not 【小题8】 (surprising), persons attending these introductory sessions find that their “exit” speed and comprehension are better than their “entry” 【小题9】 (perform).

I’m one of the fiction readers who appreciate the beauty in good writing. Occasionally I’ll read a passage or sentence over and over again just 【小题10】 (let) the beauty of its construction soak in (渗透). Good writing must be read carefully and thoughtfully to be appreciated.

A new study shows students who write notes by hand during lectures perform better on exams than those who use laptops.

Students are increasingly using laptops for note-taking 【小题1】 of speed and legibility (易读性). But the research has found laptop users are 【小题2】(able) to remember and apply the concepts they【小题3】(teach).

Researchers performed experiments that aimed to find out 【小题4】using a laptop increased the tendency to make notes “mindlessly” by taking down word for word 【小题5】the professors said.

In the first experiment, students were given either a laptop or a pen and paper. They listened to the same lecture and were told to use their usual note-taking skills. Thirty minutes after the lecture, they were examined on their ability 【小题6】(remember) facts and on how well they understood concepts.

The researchers found that laptop users took twice as many notes as those 【小题7】 wrote by hand. However, the typists performed worse at remembering 【小题8】 applying the concepts. Both groups scored similarly when it came to memorizing facts.

The researchers’ report said, “While more notes are beneficial, if the notes are taken mindlessly, 【小题9】is more likely the case on a laptop, the benefit disappears.”

In another experiment aimed at testing long-term memory, students took notes as before but were tested a week after the lecture. This time, the students who wrote notes by hand performed significantly better on the exam. These two experiments suggest that 【小题10】(handwrite) notes are not only better for immediate learning and understanding, but that they also lead to superior revision in the future.

It is necessary and important for us students 【小题1】 (balance) study and relaxation . You see, National Day 【小题2】 (come), and I’ll make good use of the time to relax. Also, I come to realize that if I can rest well, I will be able to study 【小题3】 (effective) when I come back to school.