READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons or accent marks - and read the text out loud until you feel comfortable and confident. Then, try reading the unmarked text at the bottom. It should be easy for you after practicing with the marked texts. :-)
MACRONS. Here is the text with macrons:
Gruēs agricolae arva dēpopulābantur, quibus nūper frūmentum sēverat trīticeum. Et ille, vacuā longum quassātā fundā, fugābat avēs perculsās metū. Quem cum intellexēre fundā ferientem aurās, dēspexēre deinceps ut iam nōn fugerent, dōnec nōn diūtius ēgit quōmodo suēverat, sed iactīs lapidibus contudit plūrimās. Gruēs autem, agrō dērelictō, aliae aliīs: Fugiāmus, crocitābant, in Pygmaeōrum regionem. Homo iste nōn amplius nōs territāre velle vidētur; sed incipit iam et facere aliquid.
ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with accent marks, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):
Grues agrícolae arva depopulabántur, quibus nuper fruméntum séverat tritíceum. Et ille, vácua longum quassáta funda, fugábat aves percúlsas metu. Quem cum intellexére funda feriéntem auras, despexére deínceps ut iam non fúgerent, donec non diútius egit quómodo suéverat, sed iactis lapídibus cóntudit plúrimas. Grues autem, agro derelícto, áliae áliis: Fugiámus, crocitábant, in Pygmaeórum regiónem. Homo iste non ámplius nos territáre velle vidétur; sed íncipit iam et fácere áliquid.
UNMARKED TEXT. Here is the unmarked text - after practicing with the marked text that you prefer, you should not have any trouble with the unmarked text:
Grues
agricolae arva depopulabantur,
quibus
nuper frumentum severat triticeum.
Et ille,
vacua longum quassata funda,
fugabat aves
perculsas metu.
Quem
cum intellexere
funda ferientem auras,
despexere deinceps
ut iam non fugerent,
donec non diutius egit
quomodo sueverat,
sed iactis lapidibus
contudit plurimas.
Grues autem,
agro derelicto,
aliae aliis:
Fugiamus, crocitabant,
in Pygmaeorum regionem.
Homo iste
non amplius
nos territare velle
videtur;
sed incipit iam
et facere aliquid.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing that things do not turn out so well for the cranes in the land of the Pygmies either!
