Why do people who are exercising stop every now an then stop to take their heart rate? They want to know they are getting the maximum befit from the exercise. You see, if their heart isn't beating fast enough they know they aren't exercising hard enough. If their heart rate is too high they are working their body too much. There is a range of heart beats per minute that provides the maximum benefit to the body. The range is based on age, weight, physical fitness which includes regular exercise. That's right, the more you exercise, the more physical fit you are.

The same is true for reading. Why do we care what your reading range is? To get the maximum benefit from your reading. If you read a book that is too easy, you don't get to be a better reader as fast. If you read a book that is too hard, or you can't follow what is going on, you don't get to be a better reader as fast. But, if you read a book in your reading range, you get the maximum benefit from your reading and gain skills that will help you over a lifetime. Remember how Miss Holbrook refers to that as "Home on the Range Reading"?