Question 1

Compared to normal readers, speed readers

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compared to normal readers, speed readers
...

Question 2

Compared with normal readers, speed readers

Accepted Answer

Speed readers have briefer fixations, meaning they spend less time on each word and move their eyes more quickly to the next word. This allows them to read faster while still comprehending the material. A faster saccade or larger fovea does not necessarily contribute to speed reading ability. Remembering more detail may vary among individuals and is not a defining characteristic of speed reading.

Question 3

Speed readers save time partly by keeping each fixation short. How else do they increase reading speed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Speed readers save time partly by keeping...

Question 4

Compared to poor readers, good readers are more likely to

Accepted Answer

Good readers are better at suppressing irrelevant meanings and focusing on the intended meaning once the meaning of the ambiguous word becomes clear. This helps them comprehend the text better.

Answer: D 
 Good readers are better at activating and considering multiple meanings when encountering an ambiguous word, which helps them understand the text in a more nuanced way. However, they are also good at suppressing irrelevant meanings once the intended meaning becomes clear.

Question 5

When most people read, they do so by seeing a "window" of about __________ letters.

Accepted Answer

The "window" refers to the number of letters that can be seen and processed at a glance during reading, which is typically around 11 letters.

Question 6

Research on reading indicates that we typically read short, familiar words

Accepted Answer

Research on reading has shown that skilled readers often process text by reading multiple words at a time, rather than focusing on individual letters, syllables, or single words. This ability helps in faster reading and comprehension.

Question 7

One factor that sets a limit on the maximum information a speed reader can absorb in a given amount of time is that

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that the average person can fixate their eyes on about 11 characters per fixation, limiting the amount of information that can be absorbed in a given amount of time. Option A and B are incorrect as there is no evidence of neural or eye muscle fatigue at that speed. Option C is also incorrect as speed reading does not involve speaking the words aloud.

Question 8

Which of the following best distinguishes speed readers from normal readers?

Accepted Answer

Duration of each fixation is the key difference between speed readers and normal readers. Speed readers have shorter fixations, allowing them to take in more information per glance.

Question 9

Good readers and poor readers are asked to read the sentence "He dug with the spade" and then asked if the sentence included anything related to "ace." The __________ readers promptly said no, presumably because they __________.

Accepted Answer

Good readers are better at suppressing irrelevant meanings and focusing on the intended meaning of the sentence. Therefore, they are more likely to understand that the sentence "He dug with the spade" does not include anything related to "ace." Poor readers may struggle with this task because they may be less skilled at suppressing irrelevant meanings and understanding multiple meanings of words.

Question 10

During reading, the eyes alternate between fixations and saccades. Reading--in the sense of understanding the words--occurs during

Accepted Answer

Reading, in the sense of understanding the words, occurs during fixations only. Saccades are the rapid eye movements between fixations, during which no processing of the text occurs.

Question 11

When we read, we read a "window" of letters that may include letters in the next word as well as letters in the word we are focusing on. What happens when people are prevented from seeing those letters in the next word (i.e., are only allowed to read one word at a time)?

Accepted Answer

When people are prevented from seeing letters in the next word, it can cause a disruption in their reading flow, leading to slower reading speed.

Question 12

When people are made to focus on only one letter in the middle of a sentence, they typically can

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is due to the way our visual system processes information. When focusing on a specific point, such as a letter in a sentence, our peripheral vision still allows us to perceive several letters around the focal point, both to the right and to the left, albeit with decreasing clarity as we move further away from the focus. This is a result of the distribution and density of photoreceptors in the retina, particularly the cones, which are responsible for detailed central vision, and the rods, which support peripheral vision.

Quiz 8: Cognition and Language