Next Activity:
Try the same text at a reading speed of 200 words per minute.
This is the text (if you need help).
People in the UK are angry that pictures on banknotes will change. The Bank of England is replacing famous historical figures with wildlife. A democratic process saw 26,000 people have a public discussion and vote. Nature was their most popular theme. This means national heroes like WWII leader Sir Winston Churchill will be replaced by animals and birds. An expert on sustainability said: "This is a powerful reminder of how deeply people feel connected to and value British wildlife." She added: "It's a beautiful opportunity to put biodiversity in our hands."
The Bank explained that images of wildlife would make banknotes more difficult to fake. It said nature was great for the security of banknotes. However, many politicians are unhappy about removing the historical figures. The Conservative Party said: "Removing Churchill from banknotes is erasing our history. Changing the pictures…is a silly thing to do." The Liberal Democrat Party leader said: "I can't think of a worse time to do this with a war…in Europe." However, Churchill's granddaughter had no problem with an animal replacing her grandfather.
Back to the British banknotes lesson.
