Speed Reading — Tortoises - Level 1 — 100 wpm

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Try the same text at a reading speed of 200 words per minute.


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We all like birthdays. Some of us have 120 of them. The world's oldest land animal just had his 190th birthday. It is a giant turtle called Jonathan, who was born in 1832. Some scientists think Jonathan might be ten years older. He could be 200 years old. Jonathan was born in the Seychelles. He was born before Britain's Queen Victoria became queen, and before the invention of the postage stamp and the *.

Jonathan had a good birthday. He had a three-day party, with a special tortoise birthday cake full of his favourite vegetables. Sadly, Jonathan did not get to see anything because he is blind. He also cannot smell. However, his ears are OK, so he could hear "Happy Birthday" being sung. Also, he still has plenty of energy. He also likes to relax in the sun. His vet said: "On mild days, he will sunbathe – his long neck and legs stretched fully out of his shell."

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