EFFECT:
You display a collection of cards used to develop reading and writing skills. Each card contains a picture and the word for that picture.

The cards are mixed and placed down on the table. While your head is turned, three spectators cut off packets of cards and hide them in their hands. When you turn back, you ask one of the spectators to peek at the card they cut to.

No one but the spectator could possible know the word of symbol. You ask them, if they would like to concentrate on the word or the image. “The word”, they reply.

You immediately begin to reveal letters in the word until finally – you reveal the word in total! They table their cards as you turn your attention to the next spectator.

You ask them to peek at their card. Again, you are not near them and it is impossible for anyone to see the card but that spectator. This time you ask them to concentrate on the image. You begin to scribble on a note pad or business card until finally you reveal the exact image they are thinking of! For the final spectator you decide to do something even more impossible.

Before they even look at it, you begin to write on your notepad. You place the pad on the table and ask the final spectator to turn their packet face up on the table. They do and reveal the image of an “UMBRELLA”. Slowly, you turn your pad over to reveal the word “UMBRELLA”!