'The book is most valuable as additional material for a group of students needing reading practice; it offers the students interesting texts and relevant exercises.' ARELS Journal

Preface; Acknowledgements; How to use this book; 1. Faster effective reading; 2. Obstacles to faster effective reading; 3. Hints for reading practice (part 1); 4. Hints for reading practice (part 2); 5. Money; 6. Diamonds; 7. Canning food; 8. The Olympic Games; 9. Auction sales; 10. The planemakers; 11. Dreams - what do they mean?; 12. To be or not to be a vegetarian; 13. Making leather; 14. Cats; 15. The history of chemistry; 16. Electric fish; 17. Dried food; 18. The United Nations; 19. Pottery; 20. Pasteurization; 21. Modern surgery; 22. Smoking and cancer; 23. Rabies; 24. Vitamins; 25. Bringing up children (part 1); 26. Bringing up children (part 2); 27. Etiquette (part 1); 28. Etiquette (part 2); 29. Social classes (part 1); 30. Social classes (part 2); Answers.