⏱️ How Fast Can You Read? Venomous Creatures, p.14
Test your reading speed on four short texts — and see if you can hit 150 words per minute.
Your goal: 150 words per minute
150 words per minute (WPM) is a realistic target for confident silent reading at your level — fast enough to read for meaning, not so fast that you stop understanding what you read.
How this works: each round below has a short text about a dangerous Australian animal. Click "Start reading" — the text appears and the timer starts. Read it at a normal pace, the way you'd read for homework, not racing. When you're done, click "I've finished reading" to stop the timer and see your WPM. Then answer two quick questions about the text — this checks that you actually read it, not just clicked fast.
Do all four rounds. Reading speed usually improves a little with practice, even within one lesson — watch your own numbers change.
🕷️ Round 1: Sydney Funnel-Web Spider
These spiders eat other insects and snails. They're found in New South Wales, especially in forest areas. However, they are also often found in backyards and swimming pools and sometimes in houses. Funnel-web bites are very dangerous because the venom can attack a person's nervous system and lead to death. However, if victims are given antivenom soon after, there is no danger.
Where are Sydney funnel-web spiders mainly found?
What can stop a funnel-web bite from being deadly?
🪼 Round 2: Box Jellyfish
This big jellyfish lives in the warm waters of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. In summer they can be found in bays and rivers. This jellyfish is the most venomous creature on earth. The only way to calm the stinging is to put vinegar on the area. When jellyfish venom enters the blood, it can cause the heart to stop and victims can die in minutes, so they need attention immediately.
What is special about the box jellyfish, according to the text?
What can help calm the pain of a sting?
🐙 Round 3: Blue-Ringed Octopus
This octopus lives in coral reefs and hides on rocks. To frighten its enemies away, its skin becomes bright yellow and its blue rings flash brightly. Their venom is very strong: one octopus has enough to kill ten adults. The venom causes people to stop breathing, so anybody who is bitten by a blue-ringed octopus should get help immediately. There is no antivenom for a bite by this octopus, but if you get help with breathing, you may survive.
How does the octopus warn enemies to stay away?
Is there an antivenom for a blue-ringed octopus bite?
🕷️ Round 4: Australian Paralysis Tick
These ticks are found on Eastern Australia's coasts. They feed on animals and birds including farm animals and pets. They are very small and have an oval body. Usually it is the female that bites people: they go under the skin and get bigger as they suck blood. Ticks can cause allergic face paralysis and strong allergic reactions. Take out the tick with tweezers or put insect repellent on it.
Which ticks usually bite people, according to the text?
What should you do if a tick bites you?
Reflection
Look back at your four results above.
Did your reading speed change across the four rounds? What helped you read faster, or what slowed you down?
Submit
Enter your name and class, then submit.
Well done
Your results are saved. Keep the 150 WPM target in mind next time you read something for class.