Heather Watson's tennis success achieved without pushy parents

Heather Watson has reached the top of British women’s tennis without the pushy parents often associated with the game’s young prodigies

Her parents, Ian and Michelle Watson, made huge sacrifices so she could get the best coaching in the world, paying for her to go to the prestigious Nick Bollettieri tennis academy in Florida when she was just 12 and later moving to the US themselves to support her. However, they never put pressure on her to win and have even stayed away from some of her tournaments, including this year’s Wimbledon, to avoid unsettling her.

Watson, 20, was born on the Channel Island of Guernsey in May 1992 and first became interested in tennis when she was watching her parents play at their club in Guernsey, and took up the sport when she was seven.  Aged nine, she asked her mother and father for £10.  Without telling them, she used the money to enter a softball tennis contest. Her parents were astonished when she came back home a few days later with a trophy, having won the competition.

Mr Watson has described how he “cried his eyes out” at Guernsey airport when his wife flew out to Florida to live with their daughter in 2008 after she began travelling the world on the international tennis circuit. However, the family remained very close. They talked every day over the internet and Mr Watson visited America as often as he could before moving there full-time after he retired in 2010.

Watson combines her brilliance on the tennis court with brains. She graduated top of her class from Pendleton High School in Florida in 2009, and says she would have studied business at university if she had not made a success of her sport.  Away from tennis, she is passionate about fashion, and describes Serena Williams and Beyonce as her style icons.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

a)                  Both parents always travel with Heather when she plays in tournaments.

b)                  Both of Heather’s parents used to play tennis.

c)                  Mr Watson still works.

d)                  Heather is in her first year at university.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a)  Why has Heather Watson’s life been so special?

b)  How did the family keep in touch when Heather and Michelle were travelling round the world?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as

a)                   enormous par. 1

b)                   worry par. 1

c)                   keep on being par. 3

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a)      Heather is a very good tennis player and she is also clever.

In addition to …..............................…..

b)      Heather’s parents had to make big sacrifices but they never put pressure on her.

 Despite …..................................................….

c)      Heather entered the softball tennis contest and won a trophy.

If Heather ………........................................, she ….......................

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

“in order to be successful in life, you have to go to university”.  Do you agree?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Youtube interview with Heather Watson

Click on this link to watch a Twitter interview with Heather Watson.

Match the expressions below to the question Heather is answering

Questions                                   

1     1  I have been playing for four months and am now in a tennis academy.  Can you give me any advice?

2     2   How confident do you feel about taking one of the slams next year?

3     3  Where do you see yourself finishing next season?

4     4  You’ve won a singles title at quite a young age.  What are your future goals?

 5  If you didn’t play tennis, what sport would you play instead?

6      6  What was your first thought after winning Osaka?

7      7  How much does the battle with Laura Robson motivate you?

8      8  Which artist or song is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Expressions

a)    have fun

b)    pleased with what I’d accomplished

c)    I would probably be a boxer

d)    win more WTU titles

e)    it’s brilliant

f)    that’s the name of the song

g)    my goals for next season

h)    try my best

New baby boom to put 'enormous' strain on NHS

Birth rates have been on the rise for a decade, due principally to immigration, with the number growing by about 12,000 a year. In 2011 there were 688,120 births in England, according to the Office for National Statistics. But this year there seems to be an extra surge.

In the first three months of this year alone, 4,600 more babies were born than during the same period last year, according to official figures. Midwives are warning that the trend is continuing and will swell births to more than 700,000 in England this year - the first time that level has been reached since 1971.

Professor Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said the increase was putting “enormous” strain on the NHS. She said: “Today’s midwives simply have never seen anything like it. I really believe we are at the limit of what maternity services can safely deliver."

Yet while births are going up the Royal College of Midwives is concerned at signs midwife numbers could actually fall in some places due to cost-cutting.  Some NHS trusts are reducing vacancies, meaning a sixth of new midwives have been looking for a job for more than three months.

Prof Warwick said: "What is so frustrating is that there is a clear need for more midwives. We're training midwives, but we're not recruiting them. That is a sad waste of all their time and effort, and a waste of taxpayers' money too."

Dr Dan Poulter, the health minister, yesterday announced at extra £25 million would be spent on maternity wards to build ensuite facilities, rooms for partners to stay overnight and birthing pools.

Prof Warwick said the extra cash was “a welcome and positive step”, albeit a small one in the context of the £2.5 billion maternity budget.

Glossary: 

NHS = National Health Service (equivale a la Seguridad Social)

NH trust = An organisation that provides health services for the National Health Service

Midwive = a person who is trained to help women when they are giving birth

Question 1 [2 points] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.
a)  Far more babies have been born this year than in 1971.
b)  This situation has happened before.
c)  There is no employment in the midwives sector.

d)  The government is investing money in improving the services provided to new parents.

Question 2 [2 points] Answer the following questions in your own words.
a)  What is the main reason for the growth in the number of births?
b)  What improvements will there be in hospitals  for new parents?

Question 3 [1.5 points] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.
a)  number (paragraph 1)
b) obvious (paragraph 5)
c)  although (paragraph 7)

Question 4 Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) Birth rates have been on the rise for a decade, due principally to immigration.

The main reason for the rise ……
b) Cathy Warwick said “Today’s midwives simply have never seen anything like it and I really believe we are at the limit of what maternity services can safely deliver."

Cathy Warwick said that today’s midwives ……………………….. .
c) The Royal College of Midwives is concerned that midwife numbers could actually fall in some places due to cost-cutting.

If cost are cut, then ……………………………………….

Question 5
Write a short essay (between120-150 words) on the following topic:

How can a baby boom affect society in the future?

Tower of London hit by theft of valuable keys

KEY
Question 1
a) True.”He then managed to grab a set of keys from a metal box that had been mistakenly left unlocked“
b) True.”the security team have strict instructions not to leave their posts”
c) True.” Scotland Yard tried to radio a night watchman“
d) False. “ They are supported by a private security firm.“


Question 2

a) The thief wasn't caught because the guards at the Tower can not leave their posts to follow him. Moreover, the police sent a radio request which was completely ignored.
b) The Tower had to spend a thousand pounds to replace the locks and an investigation has been started which may cause some guards to lose their posts.


Question 3

a) grab
b) plea
c) blunder
Question 4

a) It is said that the raider managed to scale the Front Gate.
b) Altough he was spotted by guards, he could scape.
c) A spokesman admitted that ecurity procedures had not carried out to the expected standard and that a staff disciplinary process was underway .

Heather Watson's tennis success achieved without pushy parents

 Key

Question 1

a)  False. they never put pressure on her to win and have even stayed away from some of her tournaments, including this year’s Wimbledon, to avoid unsettling her.

b)  True. Watson, 20, was born on the Channel Island of Guernsey in May 1992 and first became interested in tennis when she was watching her parents play at their club in Guernsey,

c)  False. Watson visited America as often as he could before moving there full-time after he retired in 2010.

d)  False. … she would have studied business at university if she had not made a success of her sport

Question 2

a)  She won her first competition when she was just 9, without her parents knowing that she had entered it.  She moved to Florida at the age of 12 to train at the tennis academy.  She is also clever.  She was first in her class when she left school, could have studied business at university and loves fashion.

b)  They connected and spoke to each other on the computer and Mr Watson travelled to the USA as much as possible before his retirement.

Question 3

a)  huge  b)  unsettle/unsettling  c)  remain/remained

Question 4 
a)  In addition to being a very good tennis player, Heather is also clever.

OR 
In addition to being clever, Heather is also a very good tennis player. 

b) Despite having made big sacrifices, they never put presuure on her.
c) If Heather hadn't entered the softball tennis contest, she wouldn't have won a trophy. 

Youtube video key

1      a)  have fun

2      h)  try my best

3      g)  my goals for next season

4      d) win more WTU titles

5      c)  I would probably be a boxer

6      b)  pleased with what I’d accomplished

7      e)  it’s brilliant

8      f)  that’s the name of the song

New baby boom to put 'enormous' strain on NHS

Key

Question 1

a)       False. Midwives are warning that the trend is continuing and will swell births to more than 700,000 in England this year - the first time that level has been reached since 1971

b)       False. Today’s midwives simply have never seen anything like it.

c)       False. Some NHS trusts are reducing vacancies, meaning a sixth of new midwives have been looking for a job for more than three months.

d)       True. Dr Dan Poulter, the health minister, yesterday announced at extra £25 million would be spent on maternity wards to build ensuite facilities, rooms for partners to stay overnight and birthing pools.

Question 2

a)       The main reason that the number of births is rising is that people are coming to live in the UK from abroad.

b)       New additions to buildings will provide bathrooms for rooms, rooms for father to sleep in and swimming pools where mothers can give birth.

Question 3

a)  rate(s)    b)  clear    c)  albeit

Question 4

a) The main reason for the rise in birth rates is immigration.
b) Cathy Warwick said that today’s midwives simply had never seen anything like it and that she really believed that they were at the limit of what maternity services could safely deliver.
c) Midwife numbers could actually fall in some places due to cost-cutting.

If cost are cut, then midwife numbers could actually fall in some places.

Britons want manners taught in school, poll finds

Three in four people believe manners should be taught in school, a new survey has found.

A survey by supermarket Waitrose found that good manners are slipping with 72 per cent of those polled saying people have become more rude over the last decade. The poll was conducted to mark the launch of the book How Rude! Modern Manners Defined, which will be published on Tuesday.

More than 70 per cent of respondents thought that good manners should be taught in school as part of the national curriculum It used to be the teaching of the three Rs that was considered the mainstay of a good school education, but the poll found that today most people would prefer the four Rs - reading, writing, arithmetic and respect.

Failing to say 'please' or 'thank you' was considered the most irritating example of bad manners. It irks people in Northern Ireland the most, as nearly 60 per cent of them cited it as the most irritating example of bad manners, compared with the national average of nearly 40 per cent.

Although In Europe, a kiss on the cheek is de rigueur when greeting friends, the survey shows keeping each other at arm's length is the preferred option of Brits. When asked the most appropriate greeting in a social situation more than 50 per cent felt a handshake did the job rather than kisses on the cheek or an embrace.

Women are the most keen to keep friends and acquaintances at arm's length, with a quarter of the women polled (25 per cent) feeling no physical contact was necessary with a simple hello being enough, compared to only 12 per cent of men.

More than 60 per cent of those surveyed blamed parents for the deterioration in good manners. This caused debate between the generations as only 43 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds blamed the parents, compared with 76 per cent of the over 55s.

On the plus side, respecting your elders appears to be alive and well as nearly 60 per cent claimed to give up seats to the elderly on public transport, although nearly one in four people avoid eye contact all together when travelling on public transport.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.
a) The number of rude people in the UK has recently increased.
b) British people like being close to each other when they meet
c) Changes in the educational system are considered the reason why people are losing manners.
d) People are still polite to old people.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a) What is the difference between the UK and Europe in terms of greetings?
b) What is the preferred education system for the people interviewed?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a) starting point par 2
b) to annoy, bother par 3
c) relations par 5

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a) Although In Europe, a kiss on the cheek is de rigueur when greeting friends, the survey shows keeping each other at arm's length is the preferred option of Brits.
In Europe, a kiss on the cheek is de rigueur when greeting friends, …………………………
b) More than 60 per cent of those surveyed blamed parents for the deterioration in good manners
Parents ……………………………………….
c) The poll was conducted because they are launching a book.
If they were............

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

Do you think manners are disappearing nowadays? Why? Why not?

Rephrasings 1

Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.



1. “Why don’t we play computer games?” said Michael.

Michael suggested ……………………

2. Molly said: “Are you coming to the party on Friday?”

Molly asked him ………………………….

3. They came to live in New York two years ago.

They have ………………………………………..

4. Smoking is forbidden in hospitals.

You ……………………………….

5. Although the weather was horrible, we went skiing.

In spite of …………………………………

6. I would like to have more free time these days.

I wish ……………………………………………

7. I met that famous writer a year ago.

It’s been a year …………………………

8. Wendy didn’t study for her test. Therefore, she failed.

If ………………………..

9. “Don’t speak so loud, please”, the teacher said to the students.

She ……………………………..

10. My new neighbours have got a baby. Her name is Claire.

My……………………………………………..



KEY

1. Michael suggested playing computer games.

2. Molly asked him if he was going to the party the following Friday.

3. They have been living in New York for two years.

4. You mustn’t smoke in hospital. You are not allowed to smoke in hospitals

5. In spite of the horrible weather, we went skiing.

6. I wish I had more free time these days.

7. It’s been a year since I met a famous writer.

8. If Wendy had study for her test, she would not have failed.

9. The teacher asked the students not to speak so loud.

10. My neighbours have got a baby whose name is Claire

More animals are abandoned

The RSPCA say they're at crisis point because of a rise in the number of animals being abandoned.

The animal charity say 40,000 pets were abandoned last year, compared to just 25,000 five years ago.

It thinks families struggling with money problems are leaving their pets because they can't afford to look after them.

Charities that run rescue centres say they are getting full and not enough people are coming forward to adopt.

The cost of caring for abandoned animals is also going up. It costs £15 a day to care for a dog and £9.40 for a cat.

Because some animals are unwell when they come to rescue centres, it can take a long time to look after them and make sure they're well enough to be rehomed.

The RSPCA say they might be forced to turn away vulnerable animals in the future because of the crisis.

Match the words below to their definitions

  

abandoned / afford / crisis / charities / rescue / struggling 

1. situation that is extremely dangerous or difficult
2. have enough money to buy or do something
3. organisations that give money, food or help where it is needed
4. trying very hard to do something difficult
5. left someone or something somewhere without ever coming back for them
6. save someone from a dangerous or unpleasant situation  

True or false?

  

1. It costs more to look after a dog than a cat.

2. The number of abandoned animals is increasing.

3. No abandoned animals ever go to new homes.

4. The RSPCA will never turn away animals.

5. The RSPCA also treats sick animals.

6. All of the abandoned pets are dogs.

7. The RSPCA is having problems.

8. Animals can’t go to new homes if they are not well enough.

What's the missing word?

  

1. It thinks____________________struggling with money problems are leaving their pets.

2. The cost of_______________for abandoned animals is also going up.

3. They might be_________________to turn away vulnerable animals.

4. Not enough people are coming forward to_______________.

KEY

crisis              situation that is extremely dangerous or difficult

afford             have enough money to buy or do something

charities          organisations that give money, food or help where it is needed

struggling         trying very hard to do something difficult

abandoned      left someone or something somewhere without ever coming back for them

rescue             save someone from a dangerous or unpleasant situation  

True or false?

1. False

2. True

3. False

4. False

5. True

6. False

7. True

8. True

What's the missing word?

1. families

2. caring

3. forced

4. adopt

Dolphins can 'stay awake for 15 days', says US study

Dolphins can stay awake for 15 days or more - by sleeping with one half of their brain at a time, scientists have learned.

Researchers in America tested two bottlenose dolphins' responses to echoes as they swam around a pen.

 

The mammals kept going for five days non-stop in three separate tests, and one even managed 15 days in another trial.

 

Experts think the ability is an important survival skill for dolphins. It means they can surface to breathe when they need to and keep watch for shark attacks.

 

Dolphins use sound waves to find their way, hunt prey, detect predators and organise groups.

 

 

Match the words below to their definitions

 

echoes / mammals / predators / responses / surface / survival

 

1. reactions to something
2. when sound reflects off something and you hear it again
3. animals that produce milk to feed their babies
4. when someone or something continues to live or exist, especially after a difficult or dangerous situation
5. rise to the top of a body of water
6. animals that kill and eats other animals

 True or false?

 

1. There are two halves to a dolphin brain.

2. Dolphins can’t remain awake for long periods of time.

3. Dolphins always stay awake for 15 days.

4. Dolphins hunt other animals.

5. The researchers studied dolphins in the wild.

6. Sound waves help dolphins navigate.

7. Experts don’t know why dolphins stay awake so long.

8. Sharks sometimes attack dolphins.

 

 What's the missing word?

 

 1. Researchers in America____________________two bottlenose dolphins' responses.

 2. One even_______________15 days in another trial.

 3. Experts think the_________________is an important survival skill.

 4. It means they can surface to________________when they need to.

 

 

 

 

KEY

 

responses: reactions to something

echoes: when sound reflects off something and you hear it again

mammals: animals that produce milk to feed their babies

survival: when someone or something continues to live or exist, especially after a difficult or dangerous situation

surface: rise to the top of a body of water

predators: animals that kill and eats other animals

 

 True or false?

 

1. True

2. False

3. False

4. True

5. False

6. Truee

7. False

8. True

 

 What's the missing word?

 

1. tested

2. managed

3. ability

4. breathe

 

 

 

 

Britons want manners taught in school, poll finds

Key


Question 1

a) TRUE: good manners are slipping with 72 per cent of those polled saying people have become more rude over the last decade

b) FALSE: when greeting friends, the survey shows keeping each other at arm's length is the preferred option of Brits

c) FALSE: More than 60 per cent of those surveyed blamed parents for the deterioration in good manners

d) TRUE: respecting your elders appears to be alive and well as nearly 60 per cent claimed to give up seats to the elderly on public transport)



Question 2

a) People in Europe consider a kiss in the cheek almost as a compulsory sign of good manners whereas British people keep a distance with other people or prefer just to shake hands rather then embracing.

b) Most of the people interviewed prefer a system which inclues what they call the four Rs, which means reading, arithmetic, writing but also respect.



Question 3

a) starting point, basis mainstay

b) to annoy, bother irk

c) relations acquaintances



Question 4

a) In Europe, a kiss on the cheek is de rigueur when greeting friends, In spite of the fact that the survey shows keeping each other at arm's length is the preferred option of Brits.

b) Parents were blamed for the deterioration in good manners by more than 60 per cent of those surveyed

c) If they were not launching a book, they wouldn't have conducted a poll.

French phone company rings up a bill of €11,721,000,000,000,000

It was surely the most astronomical phone bill in history. When an unemployed childminder in south-west France received a bill for €11,721,000,000,000,000 (that's 11.7 million billion euros – more than 5,000 times the gross domestic product of France) – it took her days of wrangling with helpline staff to stop it being debited from her bank account.

Solenne San Jose. of Pessac, a Bordeaux suburb, had just lost her job and wanted to end her phone subscription, when the final bill arrived. She told her local paper, Sud Ouest: "I nearly had a heart attack. There were so many zeros that I couldn't even work out how much it was."

She called Bouygues Telecom, the phone company headed by Martin Bouygues, a friend of Nicolas Sarkozy, but was told by shrugging staff there was nothing they could do. One said: "It's calculated automatically." Another told her she would be contacted about paying in instalments. Several calls later, an adviser admitted it was a mistake: San Jose owed €117.21. The company has apologised and let her off the real bill.

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 11 October 2012

Complete Solenne’s story:

“I lost my job, and was going to end my (1) p………….. subscription. One day, when I was checking the post, I opened an envelope and found a telephone (2) b ……. .

I nearly had a (3) h……………. a…………… ! There were so many (4) z……….. , I couldn’t even calculate how much the total was!

Later that day, I telephoned Bouygues Telecom, but they were really unhelpful! I spoke to several members of (5) s……….. at the company, and all they told me was that ‘the bill was (6) c……………. automatically.’

Another employee told me that the only solution would be to pay the bill in
(7) i ……………... ! I panicked! I had no job and no money to pay anything!

Finally, one day, after numerous phone (8) c ……….. , someone at the company told me that the bill was a (9) m ……………….. .. Instead of owing 11.7 million euros, I actually owed 117.21! Although the company has (10 ) a………………….. and said I don’t need to pay them anything now, it doesn’t really make up for all the stress I’ve suffered.”



Key

1 phone 2 bill 3 heart attack 4 zeros 5 staff 6 calculated 7 instalments 8 calls 9 mistake 10 apologised



VIDEO LISTENING
London 2012: What next for the Olympic Park?

The marathon task of dismantling several sporting venues at the Olympic Park in London is about to begin.

The park is the size of over 350 football pitches with 200,000 temporary seats in it.


BEFORE YOU WATCH

Match the words below to their definitions to help you understand the video

apprentice / cauldron / extinguished / festival / harness / imperceptibly / legacy /

navigating / promenade / punctuation / radically / transformation / volunteer

a. organized set of special events
b. something, usually of value, that is handed down to the future
c. large pot, usually made of metal
d. put out a fire or turned off a light
e. describes an action that isn’t noticed or felt because it is very small or slow
f. paths made for walking
g. complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone
h. planning and then following a route
i. describes an action that is extreme or completely different
j. control something in order to use its power
k. marks, such as full stops, commas, and brackets, used in writing to separate sentences and their elements, and to clarify meaning
l. someone who has agreed to work for a skilled person, often for low pay, in order to learn that person's skills
m. person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it



Same or different?

1. altogether

a) the same as simultaneously
b) the same as partially
c) the same as completely

2. acquire

a) the same as gain
b) the same as forfeit
c) the same as acquiesce

3. dismantled

a) the same as raised
b) the same as disassembled
c) the same as subverted

4. eventually

a) the same as henceforth
b) the same as subsequently
c) the same as ultimately

AFTER YOU WATCH

True or false?

1. Over four million people have already visited the Olympic Park.
2. Some of the venues will change substantially once the Olympics is over.
3. This weekend is not expected to be as busy as previous ones.
4. The aquatic arena will remain unchanged.
5. The main stadium will be sold after the Olympics has finished.
6. The riverbank arenas are only temporary structures.
7. The basketball arena can’t be reused.
8. David Stubbs says that the Olympic Park will serve no useful purpose in future.
9. The transformation of the park will be completed by next summer.
10. Some volunteers will be unemployed after the Olympics is over.

What's the missing word?

1. Slowly, imperceptibly as far as the crowds are_________________, the curtain is coming down.
2. Around the packed promenades, a transformation_________________.
3. It will remain a key__________________for athletics.
4. Many of his____________________will find it hard to return to life outside the Games.








KEY

1. festival: organized set of special events
2. legacy: something, usually of value, that is handed down to the future
3. cauldron: large pot, usually made of metal
4. extinguished: put out a fire or turned off a light
5. imperceptibly: describes an action that isn’t noticed or felt because it is very small or slow
6. promenades: paths made for walking
7. transformation: complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone
8. navigating: planning and then following a route
9. radically: describes an action that is extreme or completely different
10. harness: control something in order to use its power
11. punctuation: marks, such as full stops, commas, and brackets, used in writing to separate sentences and their elements, and to clarify meaning
12. apprentice: someone who has agreed to work for a skilled person, often for low pay, in order to learn that person's skills
13. volunteer: person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it

Same or different?
completely
gain
disassembled
ultimately

True or false?

1. False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. False
10. True

What's the missing word?

1. concerned
2. awaits
3. venue
4. colleagues



Mice 'can sing in harmony' like humans and birds

Mice may be able to learn to 'sing' in harmony like humans and some birds, according to US scientists.

 

Male mice sing complex songs to attract females, but it's long been thought they couldn't control their pitch, how high or low it sounds.

 

Duke University researchers have now found that when male mice were housed together, they changed the pitch of their songs to match each other. But some scientists aren't so sure the evidence supports the new finding.

 

The melodies that mice make are ultrasonic, so they're too high-pitched for human ears. Only a few animals are able to adapt the pitch of their sounds - something known as "vocal learning". Creatures with this talent include parrots, whales, dolphins, bats and elephants.

 

Match the words below to their definitions

 

complex / evidence / harmony / researchers / ultrasonic / vocal

 

1. pleasant musical sound
2. involving lots of things and difficult to understand
3. people who study something to learn new things
4. something that makes you believe that something is true
5. very high-pitched sound that you can’t hear
6. involving or relating to your voice

 True or false?

 

 1. The study focused on male mice.

 2. Not all scientists agree with the study.

 3. Mice are the only animals that can sing.

 4. Humans can’t hear the mouse songs.

 5. Male mice can’t sing in harmony.

 6. Parrots and dolphins can’t sing.

 7. The mice raise and lower their voices.

 8. Duke University in the United States.

 

 What's the missing word?

 

1. The________________that mice make are ultrasonic.

 2. Only a few animals are able to_____________the pitch of their sounds.

 3. Male mice sing complex songs to______________females.

 4. It's long been thought they couldn't________________their pitch.

 

 

 

KEY

 

Match the words below to their definitions

harmony: pleasant musical sound

complex: involving lots of things and difficult to understand

researchers: people who study something to learn new things

evidence: something that makes you believe that something is true

ultrasonic: very high-pitched sound that you can’t hear

vocal: involving or relating to your voice

 

 True or false?

 

1. True 

2. True

3. False

4. True

5. False

6. False

7. True

8. True

 

What's the missing word?

 1. melodies

 2. adapt

 3. attract

 4. control

New dinosaur that's part bird, vampire bat and porcupine discovered!

A new kind of dinosaur has been identified that is part parrot, part vampire bat and part porcupine.

Scientists say the scary looking beast is called Pegomastax africanus, which means "thick jaw from Africa".

The dinosaur had a parrot-like beak, porcupine-like spikes and sharp fangs, which is unusual because they also think it was a vegetarian!

Experts from the University of Chicago sayPegomastax africanus was identified from fossils found in South Africa. It was about the size of a pet cat and lived 100-200 million years ago.

Professor Paul Sereno, from the University of Chicago, actually first discovered the creature way back in 1983.

But he got distracted by other work and didn't get round to writing about it until now!

Match the words below to their definitions

creature / discovered / fangs / fossils / porcupine / vampire bat

1. small flying animal that sucks blood from other animals
2. type of animal that is covered with large stiff hairs which protect it
3. long sharp teeth
4. ancient plants or animals that have been turned into stone
5. found something for the first time
6. animal

True or false?

1. The dinosaur was small and spiky.
2. Paul Sereno only discovered the dinosaur recently.
3. The dinosaur was found in Chicago.
4. The dinosaur was related to pet cats.
5. The dinosaur looked like a parrot.
6. The dinosaur died in 1983.
7. There are no fossils in South Africa.
8. Pegomastax africanus has a heavy jaw.

What's the missing word?

1. Pegomastax africanus was ____________ from fossils found in South Africa.
2. The dinosaur had a parrot-like ____________ .
3. The ____________ looking beast is called Pegomastax africanus.
4. But he got ____________ by other work.





KEY

Match the words

vampire bat: small flying animal that sucks blood from other animals
porcupine: type of animal that is covered with large stiff hairs which protect it
fangs: long sharp teeth
fossils: ancient plants or animals that have been turned into stone
discovered: found something for the first time
creature: animal

True or false?

1. True
2. False
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. False
7. False
8. True

What's the missing word?

1. identified
2. beak
3. scary
4. distracted

Back to school

Are you ready for the new school year?

We think we are, so keep an eye on the blog as the new activities are on their way!

Do you recognise this place?
Clues....
It's in London.
It's on the south bank of the River Thames.
You can see London from above.
It's .....
the London Eye!

Ane who is the woman on the top of the London Eye?

Amelia Hempleman-Adams took the torch on a trip on the giant observation wheel on the south side of the River Thames on Sunday, riding atop one of the Eye's viewing capsules as it slowing rotated.

The 17-year-old Hempleman-Adams was the youngest person to ski to the South Pole last year.

You can watch Amelia Hempleman-Adams climbing up to the top of the London Eye capsule here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/video/2012/jul/22/olympic-torch-london-eye-video


So what more can we expect over the summer from the Olympics?
The games will be officially opened on Friday, 27th July.

London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Dates:	27 July 2012
Times:	9pm
Venue:	2012 Olympic Park and Village

Prepare for one of the greatest shows on earth as the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony finally arrives.

London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony

The eyes of the world will be on London on 27 July for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, which is expected to have a global TV audience of more than a billion people.

Award-winning film directors Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, The Beach and Slumdog Millionaire) and Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot) will oversee what is sure to be the UK's biggest-ever live show.

British Countryside Comes to the Olympic Stadium

The Olympic Stadium will be transformed into a British countryside scene for the Opening Ceremony.

The set – one of the largest ever built – will feature meadows, fields and rivers, families eating picnics, sports being played on the village green and real farmyard animals, including 70 sheep.

Titled "Isle of Wonder", the event will open with the ringing of the largest harmonically tuned bell in the world..

(Actor Mark Rylance was due to feature in the Olympic Opening Ceremony but has withdrawn for personal reasons. He is still expected to appear at Shakespeare's Globe this summer.)

Olympic Ceremony Athletes' Parade

Don't miss the chance to see your favourite athletes in the Olympic Ceremony Athletes' Parade.

The Olympic Opening Ceremony parade will feature 10,000 athletes from 205 nations.

Each country has its moment of glory however many (or few) athletes it has competing. Cheer on your country's entrants as they take a lap of the Olympic Stadium's running track proudly holding aloft their national flag.

Then, there will be events every day till the Closing Ceremony on August 12th.

Let's hope the Olympics are a fun, successful event!

Moving around in London