Can Voice over read text?

Question

I have tried everything I know. I read all the comments here, I searched, I googled ,
How do you basically get this utility to work.
I found it in the Utilities folder. Its here. I dragged the voiceover icon onto the desktop.
I followed the suggestions in the help menu.
I highlighted the text I wanted read.
I made sure the cursor was at the beginning.
I used the short cut cmd. F5
Do I need to highlight the text I want read?
Do I need to select the text?
Nothing seems to be working.
I just want to know the basics

Answer 1

Hello moh2o!
VoiceOver is not a simple utility for reading text, though it does this extremely well. It is a full spoken interface for OS X, and enables blind users to use the Mac with keyboard commands only.
To learn to use it, leaving the VoiceOver utility where it is, as Tom suggested, simply activate VoiceOver using the command-F5 keystroke, then press Ctrl-Option-Command-F8. You will hear a tutorial which gives you the basics of handling your Mac with VoiceOver.
On the other hand, if you simply want to hear your Mac read a block of text, then use the Start Speaking command as Tom suggested, or set up the Speak Selected Text command as follows:
Go to System Preferences—>Speech. Click on the Text to Speech tab. Choose the System Voice you want, then check the Speak selected text checkbox. Use the Set Key… button to choose a keyboard shortcut to suit yourself, then quit. Subsequently, you can highlight a block of text, then press the shortcut and listen. Stop the output simply by repeating the same keystroke.
HTH
Archie