How to Study

Second, make sure you know what’s going on—this involves the plot
and the development of the characters. On a chapter-by-chapter
basis, you may find it helpful to keep a sheet of paper on which you
can write a sentence or two on the plot development and note any
new characters introduced.

How Fast Can You Understand?

“When we read too fast or too slowly, we understand nothing.”

—Blaise Pascal

Are you worried that you read too slowly? You probably shouldn’t
be—less rapid readers are not necessarily less able. What counts
is what you comprehend and remember. And like anything else,
practice will probably increase your speed levels. If you must have a
ranking, read the 500-word selection below, adapted from Exploring
Feng Shuiby Shawne Mitchell (New Page Books, 2004) from start
to finish, noting the elapsed time on your watch. Score yourself as
follows:

45 seconds or less very fast

46–60 seconds fast

61–90 seconds high average

91–119 seconds average

120–150 seconds slow

151 seconds or more very slow

The guiding philosophy of feng shui is that everything in the

universe, including every one of us, is made of the same basic

energy. This universal energy, known as chi (pronounced chee),

is alive and has intelligence. Because on this fundamental level

everything is in relationship with everything else, whenever

anything changes, everything else also changes as a result.

Chapter 3 ■How to Read and Remember 61