Fluency Practice

Time yourself as you read through the passage. Try to read as fluently as you can. Record your time. Then answer the questions.

Tony Wheeler of Lonely Planet

Tony Wheeler was born to travel. His father worked for an airline, and for the first 16 years of his life, Wheeler and his family lived in many different countries.

In the early 1970s, Wheeler married a young woman named Maureen. Maureen loved to travel, too. Before settling down and getting jobs, Tony and Maureen wanted to travel. They took a year-long trip from London, through Asia, to Australia. On the trip, they visited places like India, Iran, and Afghanistan.

When Tony and Maureen arrived in Australia, many people asked them questions about their trip. To answer these questions, Wheeler wrote a guidebook called Across Asia on the Cheap. The book told people about different countries-the weather, customs, and places to see. But unlike travel guides in the 1970s, Wheeler's book talked about places most tourists did not go. He also wrote about unusual things to see and do. The book was very popular.

Tony and Maureen started a company called Lonely Planet. They continued traveling and wrote guidebooks for each place they visited.

Today, around 450 people work for Lonely Planet. The company has over 500 guidebooks, a website that shows travel videos, and smartphone apps to help travelers all over the world find their way.

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