Purpose is necessary in any kind of reading activity. It helps in developing time saving habit and leads
towards accurate answers for the questions raised. The reader attempts to establish the purpose by trying
to answer questions such as: “What am | supposed to remember (or talk about or recite) after having read
this?’ or ‘What sort of questions am | likely to answer?’ This experimental research was carried out to test
the hypothesis that purpose based regular tests (using scanning techniques) serve as practice activities and
in turn enhance not only comprehension but reading speed also. The results show that comprehension is
not an automatic result of reading. The reader recalls only what he thinks is expected of him, and when he
is not very clear in this expectations, he retains nothing of real value. Speed reading phenomenon is
associated with reading comprehension and purpose.
