Odysseus and the Cyclops: read-along
Odysseus and the Cyclops as a read-along for the projector: 12 pages, 1770 words, level 15, beyond grade 8.
Page 1 of 12
The cave smelled like a thousand wet socks that had been marinated in cheese, and any sensible sailor would have turned around at the entrance, but Odysseus was inquisitive by nature, and his curiosity had already cost him ten years of wandering since the war at Troy. A ferocious storm had carried his twelve ships far beyond every chart his navigators possessed, and on a steep green island dotted with goats he had noticed a thin column of smoke rising from a distant cavern. He left eleven ships anchored in a sheltered bay and chose twelve volunteers to come with him, carrying a goatskin of exceptionally dark wine as a gift for whoever lived there. His companions urged him to be cautious, but Odysseus insisted that Greek tradition obligated every host to treat travelers generously, which turned out to be the most catastrophic prediction of his life.
Keys: ← → or Page Up and Page Down turn the page, Space starts and pauses the voice, Home and End jump, F fills the screen. Tapping the right side of a page goes on; the left side goes back.
How to use it
- Press Full screen (F) to put the book on the projector.
- Press Read to me (Space), or read it yourself and turn pages with the arrow keys or a tap. Pick the Pace that suits the class.
- After the last page, three questions come up to talk about.
About this book
- Level 15, beyond grade 8
- 12 pages, 1770 words, about 13 minutes aloud
- A classic tale, a little spooky
Related
About Odysseus and the Cyclops
Odysseus and his crew are locked in a giant's cave behind a boulder no army could move, and the giant's idea of dinner is them. A fake name, a barrel of wine and a flock of very woolly sheep might get them out, unless Odysseus's mouth ruins everything.
Words to preview
- Cyclops (SY-klops)
- one-eyed giant
- hospitality (hos-pih-TAL-ih-tee)
- kind welcome
- embers (EM-berz)
- glowing coals
- reckless (REK-less)
- carelessly bold
- fleece (fleess)
- sheep's wool
Questions that fit any book
- What happened at the beginning, in the middle and at the end?
- Which page was your favorite? Why?
- How did the main character feel at the end? What tells you?
Questions
How long does Odysseus and the Cyclops take to read aloud?
It has 12 pages and 1770 words, so about 13 minutes at the Steady pace and a little less at Quick. If you stop to talk on the way, plan for more.
What reading level is Odysseus and the Cyclops?
Level 15, beyond grade 8. The library numbers its levels from 0 to 18 and puts the level of a book on its cover; levels above 13 are beyond grade 8 and have no grade. A level is a guide for choosing, so look at the pages yourself.
Whose voice is it?
Your browser's own. Read to me uses a speaking voice already on the computer, so it sounds like that computer and works without a sign-in. Voices differ: some light each word as it is spoken, and some do not, in which case the highlight follows a steady pace instead. Some browsers use an online voice; if yours does, the browser, not us, sends the words of the page to its speech service. If no voice is installed, turn the pages and read it aloud yourself.
Do students need an account?
No. Nothing is asked of anyone and nothing is sent to us. Project the page, or share the link and let students open it on their own screens.
Is this the original text?
No. It is a retelling in Peabody's own words at this reading level, so it may differ from the edition you know.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. The voice is your browser's own. No sign-in, no ads.