Speed Reading — Eating Bugs - Level 5 — 200 wpm

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Try the same text at a reading speed of 300 words per minute.


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Bugs have become a familiar sight on dinner tables. They are a great source of protein. People are worried about the damage traditional livestock farming does to the environment, as it is generally unsustainable. Insect farming is more environmentally friendly. One kilogram of insect protein needs about 10 per cent of the resources used to produce the same amount of beef. We may have to eat insects in the future. This is because of the increasing world population. By 2050 this is expected to be 9.8 billion, up from the current 7.7 billion.

The insect farming industry is growing, with hundreds of companies creating meals made from bugs. Supermarkets around the world now stock food made from insects. There are vending machines in Japan where you can buy a can of insect snacks, such as dried tarantula and scorpions. However, not everyone is excited by the idea of insects as food. An Israeli insect farmer says there is a "yuck factor" to this. He said people will get used to the idea and will find insects tasty. He said: "I am convinced it will soon be widely accepted, just like eating raw fish in sushi was embraced."

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