Speed Reading — 2020 - Level 3 — 300 wpm 

Now do this put-the-text-back-together activity.

This is the text (if you need help).

For billions of people around the world, January the 1st, 2020 seemed like a great day. It was the start of a year that sounded like science fiction - 2020. Many people had great hopes for the year ahead. Few knew what a rollercoaster ride 2020 would be and how the world would change. The year has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has brought hundreds of thousands of deaths, economic chaos, lockdowns and masked populations. Another huge event was the death of George Floyd at the hands of U.S. police in July. This sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and global protests. The year ended with Joe Biden being voted in as the President-elect of the USA.

Different people will have different memories of 2020. Our reporters asked people around the world to tell us what they will remember 2020 for. Ahmed Hussein from Lebanon said he would never forget the massive explosion at a Beirut port in August that killed at least 190 people. He said he thanked God none of his family or friends were hurt, but was sad at the destruction of his city. Lucy Baxter, a nurse in the UK, said her happiest moment came with the news of the vaccines for COVID-19. She said she could see light at the end of a long and dark tunnel. Ayumi Miyamoto of Japan was saddened by the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics but is happy they will go ahead in 2021. She said 2021 would be a good year.

Comprehension questions
  1. What does the article say seemed like a great day?
  2. What does the article say 2020 sounded like?
  3. What does the article compare 2020 to?
  4. What kind of chaos does the article mention?
  5. What movement does the article mention?
  6. Where is Ahmed Hussein from?
  7. Who did Ahmed Hussein thank?
  8. What is Lucy Baxter's job?
  9. Where could Lucy Baxter see light?
  10. What did a Japanese woman say 2021 would be like?

Back to the the year 2020 lesson.

More Activities