Entering the Accelerative Learning State, Stating your purpose, saying the opening and closing affirmations. As a beginner you should be doing each of those steps.
Activate the book manually until it gels. This is necessary if you want to develop your PhotoReading 'muscles'.
Use the system on a number of non-fiction books first before using it on your textbooks.
To have activated the book with your mum asking the question you would still have used manual activation to go back to the book and find the answers.
Alex