Use a stopwatch to test your current reading speed. Set the timer for 1 minute, pick up a book you've never read before and start reading. When the timer goes off, count the number of words you've just read. Do this several times and with different types of print materials in order to arrive at your average reading speed.
Determine the comprehension value of the materials you have to read in any given day. For instance, is the material of an instructional nature that requires you to memorize details that are critical to the performance of your job or to operate a piece of equipment? These reads shouldn't be rushed. On the other hand, most magazine and newspaper articles can be skimmed because you're only plucking out the main points necessary to understand what the story's about. As for the pleasure reading of novels, the speed with which you zip through them depends on whether you're reading to see how it comes out or whether it's a literary masterpiece you're enjoying for the beauty of its words and turns of phrase.
Pre-read every newspaper story, magazine article or book chapter by reading the first paragraph, any random paragraph in the middle and the very last paragraph. If you feel you've grasped the core points from these three abbreviated selections, move on to the next article or chapter. If it's not clear to you or if the material really whets your appetite for more details, go back and read the entire thing.
Learn to efficiently skim content. Glance at each paragraph for only a few seconds. Pretend that your brain is mentally snapping a picture of that paragraph. Close your eyes and try to recall as many key words and concepts as you can recall from that brief glimpse. With practice, these snapshot moments can train your brain to look at an entire page and understand what it says without individually reading every word and sentence.
Avoid re-reading unless it's a literary passage that so inspires you that you just have to go back and enjoy it a second time. As you read, move a 5-by-7-inch index card down the page so that the material you've previously read will be covered up. This will train your brain to keep moving forward and absorbing content faster.
Highlight key words and concepts in reading material for tests when you read it through the first time. This not only trains your brain to pick out key words and phrases when you're reading anything else, but will also make it easier to review for a test the night before.