How to Activate Text to Speech in Mac OS X

To activate Text to Speech on a Mac running OS X, follow these steps:

1. Open the System Preferences by clicking on the Apple menu and selecting System Preferences.

2. Click on "Accessibility" or "Speech" (depending on your version of OS X).

3. Check the box next to "Speak selected text when the key is pressed."

4. Choose a keyboard shortcut from the drop-down menu, or create your own custom shortcut by clicking the "Customize..." button.

5. Click on the "System Voice" drop-down menu and choose a voice that you like.

6. Use the "Speaking Rate" slider to adjust the speed of the voice.

7. If you want to hear a preview of the voice, click the "Play" button next to the voice name.

8. Close the Accessibility or Speech window.

Now, whenever you want to hear selected text read aloud, simply select the text and press the keyboard shortcut that you chose in step 4.