In order to determine the range and extent of adult reading in the United States, a Reading Activities Survey was conducted on interviews with 5,073 adults randomly chosen from 200 locations around the country. The survey was part of an effort to develop a test of adult literacy based on practical reading situations in which adults might find themselves and was part of the Targeted Research and Development Program in Reading, Project I. Each respondent was interviewed concerning his reading activities for 1 day. Questions concerned kinds of materials read; sections of materials read; kinds and variety of reading activities which were connected with work, play, school, or church activities; and time spent in reading. Newspapers were most often read, followed by mail, magazines, and books. Respondents varied in age from 16 to 60 and represented several educational and socioeconomic levels. General activities related to reading included travel, commuting, recreation, and free time. Only a small portion of respondents reported difficulty in reading any of the materials, leading the author to conclude that readability is not a problem for most adults. (MS)