The Speckled Band: read-along
The Speckled Band as a read-along for the projector: 12 pages, 1533 words, level 15, beyond grade 8.
Page 1 of 12
One morning in early April, I was awakened by a sharp rap at my door, and I discovered Sherlock Holmes standing beside my bed, completely dressed, although it was only a quarter past seven. A young lady had arrived, he informed me, in a state of extreme agitation, and he considered it necessary that I should hear her extraordinary story. In the sitting-room, a woman dressed in black, with a thick veil, rose from her chair as we entered. She was shivering, not from the cold, but from terror, and when she lifted the veil, I observed that her face was gray and drawn, and her eyes had the hunted expression of a frightened animal. Holmes calmed her gently and ordered a cup of hot coffee.
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, 1533 words, about 11 minutes aloud
- A classic tale, a little spooky
Related
About The Speckled Band
A frightened young woman comes to Sherlock Holmes at dawn. Her sister died in the night two years ago, whispering about a speckled band, and now she hears the same low whistle in the dark.
Words to preview
- manor (MAN-er)
- big country house
- ventilator (VEN-tuh-lay-ter)
- air hole
- ferocious (fuh-ROH-shus)
- fiercely angry
- stepfather (STEP-fah-ther)
- mother's husband
- agitation (aj-ih-TAY-shun)
- great worry
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 The Speckled Band take to read aloud?
It has 12 pages and 1533 words, so about 11 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 The Speckled Band?
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.