Desktop program that reads words in pdf aloud and highlights the words as it reads?

Question

Requirements:

• Read aloud words from a PDF file
• Shows the PDF file and highlights the words as it reads
• Free
• Works on Windows 8.1

What I have tried

1. The past stack exchange threads I've found on this address the read aloud part but not the highlight part and also doesn't address the bolded part below if I'm not mistaken.

2. I've tried Adobe Reader Read Out Loud. I heard nothing, and as far as I can tell, the program does not highlight words as it reads anyway.

3. Natural Reader is close to what I want. But you have to copy and paste the text into natural reader which is not as ideal as a program that highlights the words in the original pdf in its original format.

4. ReadAloud, the windows 8.1 app is extremely close to what I'm looking for but is not a desktop app. However, it changes the format of the pdf when you open it into a text file. I'd like to see the original formatting of the pdf as the words are being highlighted and read. I'll be using this until I can find an alternative. In general, I've disliked windows 8.1 apps so far and am fairly certain that a desktop version similar to it and free exists.

5. I'd like to be able to zoom in on text during the read aloud and pause the read aloud.

I use a windows 8.1 laptop

Answer 1

Foxit Reader

• does not highlight the words
• keeps the format of the pdf

DSpeech

• does highlight words
• but does reformat the text