As China’s development continuously integrates with the whole world, English is more widely used as a world language. The understanding of technical papers which serve as the main carrier of technical exchanges has become the most concerned issue by people, and English reading ability is one of the crucial abilities influencing the reasonable uses of technical documentations. This paper aims to make some contributions to the exploration of ways of improving English reading ability by analyzing the influencing factors upon English reading ability. This paper starts with questionnaires on the influencing factors upon English reading ability and analyses of exam questions evaluating reading ability, and discovers that the subject factor, detail factor, inference factor, attitude factor and semantic factor are the major influencing factors upon English reading ability. Then, it elaborates the mathematical theories and application range of multiple linear regression models to provide theoretical basis for the exploration of the relationship between English reading ability and these five influencing factors. Next, an English reading ability test on a hundred students in the School of Electric Automation is conducted, sample data are obtained by using the test results and data processing method, a multiple linear regression model of English reading ability based on the sample data is built and the influencing factors of English reading ability have been attained, which provides a foundation for the probe of ways of improving English reading ability. Finally, based on the multiple linear regression models, a way of improving English reading ability by opportunely using intensive and extensive reading skills is presented.