Penguin Readers Easystarts

Penguin Readers Easystarts are a standard series for starting extensive reading, and for measuring your progress. Most of the books have about 900 words. If you can finish one in 9 minutes you have reached a speed of 100 wpm (words per minute). If you can finish one in 4 ½ minutes then you have reached a speed of 200 wpm.

In FESS, we recommend that you read many Easystarts as soon as possible at the beginning of the 1st year, in order to reach 100 wpm. Then by the end of the 1st semester you should try to reach 200 wpm.


The number in ( ) after a book is the number of words. YL = Yomiyasusa Level. (See the Orange Book or the SEG SSS website.)