One final and crucial aspect of this dispute has been unequivocally proven: reading is quicker than listening. The average adult reads text at a rate of 250 to 300 words per minute, according to various sources. The ideal speaking rate for optimal comprehension is 150 to 160 words per minute. Thus, it takes an hour to read a book, but only 15 minutes to listen to it. Audio books have become popular in recent years, with many people choosing to use them instead of reading printed books. Some people claim that audio books are better for listeners who struggle with reading print because they can pause the audio at any time. This isn't true though; readers can also pause or stop the audio at any time by turning off the device. Another reason people prefer audio books is because they think it's easier to follow along. This is not true either; readers can easily skip questions or sections that aren't important for understanding the main idea. Also, readers don't need volume levels or music tracks to follow what's going on in a book. In fact, some readers find it helpful if there's some noise around them while they're reading; it makes remembering details or coming back to passages that were difficult to understand earlier easier. People who make these claims never actually measure how fast you can read or how much time it takes you to listen to an audio book. They just assume it must be slower because reading is harder than listening.