Speed Reading — Wealth - Level 6 — 500 wpm

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


This is the text (if you need help).

The world's richest people saw their wealth skyrocket in 2025. According to the investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth amassed an additional $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings increased their collective net worth to $11.9 trillion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires topped the mega-rich list and accounted for a quarter of the gains. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. The Guardian newspaper said the gains were "bolstered" by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals".

Many organizations were less than impressed at the accumulation of the world's wealth in so few hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted the growing disparity in wealth. It said: "Inequality is a deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is growing. Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from the majority of citizens, sparking poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if the monstrous political-economic system that is tearing our planet...and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then humanity will be".

Comprehension questions
  1. What did the article say happened to the wealth of the richest people?
  2. Which bank said the richest people's riches grew by $2.2 trillion in 2025?
  3. How much are the world's 500 richest people worth?
  4. How many billionaires accounted for a quarter of the increased wealth?
  5. What were there booming markets in besides equities and metals?
  6. What did the charity Oxfam highlight a disparity in?
  7. What did Oxfam say was growing?
  8. What did Oxfam say inequality sparked?
  9. Who is Bill McGuire?
  10. What did Mr McGuire say could bring humanity to its knees?

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