The Munich Massacre -...

NameMonday, January 7

The Munich MassacreBy Brenda B. Covert

It was an unforgettableOlympics. It wasn't becauseAmerican swimmer Mark Spitzwon gold medals in all sevenevents in which he competed,setting a new world record. Norwas it because of Russiangymnast Olga Korbut's goldmedal performances for thebalance beam and floorexercise. What made the 1972Olympics in Munich, Germany, unforgettable? It was terrorism.

Early in the morning of September 5, eight Arab terroristswearing ski masks burst into an apartment in the Olympic Village.An Israeli coach and weightlifter were immediately killed. Nineother Israeli athletes and coaches were taken hostage. Within 24hours, the nine hostages were dead. So were five terrorists and oneGerman policeman.

The immediate reaction was to suspend the Olympic Games for24 hours and hold a mass for the victims in the main stadium. TheOlympic and national flags were flown at half-mast. The tragedy wascalled "the Munich Massacre."

What had the Israeli athletes done to deserve murder? Nothing.Terrorists use violence to reach their goals, and innocent people areoften their victims. In this case, the goal was to gain the release of234 Arab prisoners in Israeli jails and two German terrorist leadersin a German jail. The terrorists called themselves "Black September."They acted on orders from Yasser [sometimes spelled "Yasir"]Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), anorganization that resorted to violence to attain their goals.

Though some thought the Games should be canceled, the IOC(International Olympic Committee) President, Avery Brundage,announced, "The Games must go on!"

Ankie Spitzer was the wife of Israeli fencing coach Andre Spitzer,one of the nine hostages who were murdered. She traveled to Munichthe day after the massacre. "Somebody has to pay a price," she said,"because it cannot be that people can terrorize other people and killthem."

Three of the terrorists had been captured alive and were beingheld in Germany. Incredibly, they were released less than twomonths later when Arab terrorists hijacked a jet and demanded theirrelease in exchange for the safety of the people aboard the flight!

Those three terrorists weren't the only men involved in the plot.There were other members of Black September, including themastermind behind the whole thing. That leader turned out to be AbuDaoud. He admitted his role in the autobiography published in 1999.It was called, Memoirs of a Palestinian Terrorist, and it won thePalestine Prize for Culture. Before the release of his book, it wasbelieved that another Palestinian - known as "The Red Prince" - wasbehind the massacre. He was the protégé of Arafat and was involvedin terrorist activities.

Israel quickly began extracting their price for the massacre oftheir Olympic athletes. Israel's Prime Minister, Golda Meir, preferredto bring the terrorists to trial, but that was unlikely to happen. Shesaid, "We have no choice but to strike at the terrorist organizationswherever we can reach them. That is our obligation to ourselves andto peace."

The Mossad was called in. Like America's CIA, Israel's Mossadwas responsible for intelligence collection, covert action, and counterterrorism. The Mossad asked for and was given permission to targetand assassinate terrorists. The first assassination was carried out onOctober 16, 1972, just six weeks after the Munich Massacre. Thewidowed Ankie Spitzer received an anonymous call. She was told towatch the morning news, so she did. There she learned of the firstterrorist to be taken out. Her husband's death was being avenged.

From 1972 to 1979, the Mossad continued to hunt down knownPalestinian terrorists. One by one, they were picked off. By someaccounts, the Mossad eliminated all the terrorists. However, inVengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team,George Jonas asserts that the Mossad certainly took out eight of theeleven targeted terrorists, while one died of natural causes. Theremaining two were indeed assassinated, but perhaps not by Israeliagents. The man now known to be the mastermind, Abu Daoud, was


not targeted and is still alive today.

Because of the 1972 attack on Olympic participants, security hasbeen tightened for all subsequent Games. The Olympic Games aremeant to promote peace among the nations of the world. Terroristsshattered that peace once. Now the goal is to prevent such a tragedyfrom ever happening again.

The Munich Massacre

Questions

1. What was the purpose of the Munich Massacre?

A. to gain freedom for prisonersB. to terrorize the worldC. to disrupt the OlympicsD. to punish Israel

2. Why would terrorists strike during the Olympic Games?

A. to show their contempt for the OlympicsB. to avoid media coverageC. that's where the enemy was locatedD. to get the most attention for their cause

3. The first action after the massacre was:

A. the Games were suspended for a day.B. the widow of one of the victims arrived.C. the Arab prisoners were released.D. The Mossad went after the terrorists.

4. Because terrorists killed eleven Israelis:

A. Avery Brundage refused to call off the Olympics.B. the Israeli government gave in to demands.C. the terrorists wore ski masks.D. Israel tracked down and killed the terrorists.

5. What country released the three captured terrorists?

A. AmericaB. PalestineC. IsraelD. Germany

6. What was "Black September"?

A. the name of the terrorist groupB. the name given to the Olympic tragedyC. the name Golda Meir's top secret agentD. the name of Yasser Arafat's secret agent

7. Who experienced personal loss in the Munich Massacre?

A. Ankie SpitzerB. Abu DaoudC. Golda MeirD. Avery Brundage

8. What is the most likely reason that the Games weren'tcanceled?

A. no one wanted to show weakness in the face of terrorism.B. the Olympic Committee didn't want to disappoint

remaining athletes.C. Many people had already paid for tickets to the events.D. the death of Israeli athletes wasn't considered that

important.

9. How was the mastermind behind the massacre discovered?

10. What is the Mossad?


AllosaurusBy Sharon Fabian

In 1883, scientists weredigging for dinosaur bonesin the western part of theUnited States, in an areanamed the MorrisonFormation. Since the firstdinosaur fossils were found there in 1877, it had become one of thebest places in the world to hunt for evidence of dinosaurs. In the lateJurassic period, the area now called the Morrison Formation was aswampy lowland. Rivers there would flood and leave mud and siltthat buried and preserved the bones of dinosaurs that had died. It isnamed for the town of Morrison, Colorado, but the area is huge,covering states from New Mexico to Canada. So finding new dinosaurbones there was not easy.

It takes patience to find dinosaur fossils, but these scientists didn'tgive up. In that year, 1883, they found the first full skeleton of anunknown dinosaur, and named it Allosaurus. Allosaurus means"different lizard," and it was given this name because it had vertebrae,or backbones, that were different from the other dinosaurs.Eventually, they found over 60 Allosaurus skeletons in the area. Withthis much evidence, they could put together a good picture of what anAllosaurus was really like.

The Allosaurus was a fierce-looking hunter, and it was big! It couldhave weighed up to five tons. An Allosaurus had a bulky, heavy bodywith a strong back, a long tail, and an S-shaped neck. It stood on twolegs and had two short arms with three fingers each. Each finger had asharp claw up to six inches long.

Just the skull of an Allosaurus is nearly three feet long! It has knobsand ridges on the head and above the eyes and two short horns. Thejaws are huge and powerful. A single tooth might be up to four incheslong and serrated like a knife on the front and back edges.

In the late Jurassic period, which was about 150 million years ago,Allosauruses were plentiful in North America, and they also lived in

Australia. They must have scared many of the other animals in thoseareas since Allosauruses were carnivores, or meat-eaters. Thatthree-foot head approaching with its long knife-like teeth ready fordinner must have been a scary sight.

As you can imagine, a four ton meat-eater needs a lot of food! In fact,they ate just about any animal that they could catch. They would catchand kill their prey using their short arms and giant claws. They mayhave hunted in packs, cooperating to catch animals even larger thanthemselves. An Allosaurus even caught and killed an Apatosaurus,which is twice its size! We know this because Apatosaurus boneswere found with Allosaurus teeth marks in them.

There are several different species of Allosaurus, some larger thanothers. Allosaurus fragilis, Allosaurus atrox, and Allosaurus ferox aresome of the smaller ones at less than two tons. Allosaurus amplex isone of the larger ones at up to five tons. If you would like to see whatan Allosaurus looks like for yourself, you can go to a museum, suchas the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, to see a skeletonreconstructed from the bones of an Allosaurus, or you can look atpictures of one on the museum's web site.

Allosaurus

Questions

1. An Allosaurus might have weighed up to ______ tons.

A. 16B. 38C. 5D. 2

2. Allosauruses lived during the ______ period.

A. JurassicB. CretaceousC. CambrianD. Triassic


3. The name Allosaurus means ______.

A. different lizardB. North American dinosaurC. meat-eating dinosaurD. terrible lizard

4. Allosaurus fossils have been found in ______.

A. North and South AmericaB. North America and AustraliaC. Europe and AustraliaD. North America and Europe

5. The word carnivore means ______.

A. different dinosaurB. fast hunterC. fierce fighterD. meat-eater

6. Which is larger?

A. Allosaurus feroxB. Allosaurus atroxC. Allosaurus amplexD. Allosaurus fragilis

7. Which of these could be an Allosaurus?

A. a ten-ton carnivorous dinosaurB. a small flying dinosaurC. a half-ton dinosaur that walks on all foursD. a three-ton dinosaur that walks on two legs

8. Using the facts in the article, draw what you think anAllosaurus, or an Allosaurus skeleton, would look like.

NameTuesday, January 8

Twenty Years to AdulthoodBy Brenda B. Covert

The phrase, "coming of age," is used to describethe moment when a teenager becomes an adult. Inthe Jewish community, adulthood is celebratedwith a Bar Mitzvah for boys and a Bat Mitzvahfor girls. In America, prom night is considered tobe a time of coming of age; high schoolgraduation is thought of in the same way.However, not everyone attends a prom orgraduates from high school, so perhaps thoseevents are not good indicators of adulthood. InJapan, adulthood is achieved after a personcelebrates his or her 20th birthday. A nation-widecelebration is held once a year to welcome youthinto adulthood!

Seijin no hi, or Coming of Age Day, is celebrated annually on thesecond Monday of January (until 1999 it was always celebrated onJanuary 15). It was declared a national holiday in Japan in 1948 and inOkinawa in 1961. Everyone who has turned twenty years old since theprevious Coming of Age Day gets to participate in the holiday. Thatmeans all those who celebrated their 20th birthday from the day afterSeijin no hi 2003 up to January 12, 2004, are invited to attend localgovernment ceremonies held on their behalf.

As new adults, Japanese youth are granted the freedom to smoke anddrink if they choose. They have the right to vote, and they may nowtake legal action without first seeking their parents' permission.Celebrations are held nationwide in civic centers and shrines in everytown. Can you imagine the huge gathering of 20-year-olds? It is thelargest birthday party ever! While government officials give speechesto explain their rights and responsibilities as adults, some of the youngpeople are busy talking and having their pictures taken. It's such anexciting day for them!

It's easy to recognize the 20-year-olds on Coming of Age Day. Theyare the ones wearing kimonos around town! Kimonos are traditionalJapanese dress. They are not commonly worn for anything other than

certain ceremonial events. Furthermore, they are very expensive anddifficult to get into! All the women and some of the men wear them,although some men choose to wear new suits instead. Kimonos can berented or purchased. Even rented, they are quite pricey. The averagerental is around $1,000, which includes professional help gettingdressed. New kimonos cost anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000. Thewomen wear white fur collars with them. Many of them have savedtheir money for many months in order to pay for their costumes. Theymay visit a beauty parlor to get their hair styled and makeup done.They may proceed from there to a photo studio for coming of agephotos before heading to the big ceremony. Coming of Age Day inJapan is as big as prom night or a wedding day in America!

After the festivities it is customary for the new adults to go out todinner with their family or friends. For some the fun continues lateinto the night at ceremonial halls and nightclubs.

Coming of Age Day is not merely a traditional Japanese rite ofpassage, but it is a day when the new generation is welcomed andrecognized in their communities as the leaders of the future.

Twenty Years to Adulthood

Questions

1. What was the main idea in this story?

A. to compare Coming of Age Day with prom nightB. to entertain the reader with a bizarre holidayC. to inform readers about the unusual way Japan celebrates

adulthoodD. to persuade Americans to create a Coming of Age Day

2. What is the main reason for having Coming of Age Day?

A. to welcome youth into adult statusB. to celebrate with family and friendsC. to celebrate everyone's birthday at the same timeD. to have something as good as a prom


3. How long has Japan celebrated Coming of Age Day?

4. How old must one be in Japan to be able to vote? What is thelegal voting age in America?

5. What happens at the official ceremonies?

A. the leaders pass out cigarettes and beerB. the 20-year-olds chat and take picturesC. government officials host a fancy dinnerD. speeches are given about what it means to be grown up

6. A kimono is:

A. something for ceremonial occasionsB. traditional Japanese dress for men and womenC. a very expensive costumeD. only worn for Coming of Age Day

7. What did you learn about kimonos from this article?

8. What does it mean to "come of age"?

Compare and contrast Japan's Coming of Age Day with America'straditional high school prom. Which one do you believe would bemore meaningful? Explain your answer.


International Year of Sanitation: Saliha'sStoryBy Jennifer Kenny

Caption: Girls helpeach other wash handsoutside a latrine providedby UNICEF at their schoolin Afghanistan's BamyanProvince.

Saliha is a young girlwho lives in Afghanistan.She lives in a ruralcommunity that isparticipating in the WASHcampaign during the International Year of Sanitation. What doesWASH stand for? It is an acronym for water supply, sanitation, andhygiene. All three are huge issues for the people of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is a country of around 33 million people according tothe CIA's estimate. It is located in southern Asia and is slightlysmaller than the state of Texas in terms of size. The capital ofAfghanistan is Kabul. It is a nation originally founded in 1747. In1979 it was invaded by the Soviet Union; the Soviet Union withdrewin 1989. There were civil wars inside the country of Afghanistan;meanwhile the capital fell to the Taliban in 1996. Following theSeptember 11th attacks in the United States, military action by theUnited States, the Allied, and the anti-Taliban Northern Alliancetoppled the Taliban. After 2001, the United Nations began to focuson political reconstruction in Afghanistan. The first democraticallyrun election for president was held in 2004.

Decades of conflict and severe weather conditions, such as adrought from 1999-2002, have contributed to many sanitary issues inAfghanistan. In the rural area where Saliha lives, families like hersneed further education on hygiene and need improved latrines. Inareas near her cousin Halima, who lives in an urban part ofAfghanistan, functioning sewage systems are in great demand.

Children such as Saliha and Halima contract diseases from badsanitation every day. In fact, 25% of those under five years old getsuch diseases each year. According to UNICEF, half of the deathsof children in this age group are diarrhea-related diseases caused byinadequate sanitation, dirty drinking water, and poor hygieneamongst residents.

Saliha grew up believing water that was moving was always cleanunless its color and smell changed. However, often that's not reallytrue. In the same water that Saliha and her family often use to washtheir bodies and drink from, people have often urinated anddefecated nearby. It is not unusual to see human and animal wastesfloating there. Obviously, this causes health, social, andenvironmental problems. In fairness to those in Afghanistan, 92% ofpeople just don't have access to proper sanitation. As a result,preventable diseases kill around 600 young children each day.

Not having enough or appropriate sanitation creates otherproblems, too. Imagine a school without a private place to go to thebathroom. Children lose a sense of dignity. Some children developchronic constipation because of the restricted chances of using atoilet. In addition, women and children are sometimes violentlyattacked when they travel to secluded areas at night.

Saliha's cousin faces different issues in the city-like area whereshe and her family live. In the past, donkey carts carried waste away.Then as the area became more populated, the donkey carts werereplaced by garbage trucks. However, the area became so populatedthat the garbage trucks aren't enough. There's a constant odor in theair. Ninety-five percent of the homes have no sewer connections.The traditional dry vault toilet system isn't enough. Consequently,even in the urban areas, their water becomes contaminated fordrinking and preparing food.

The government and international community recognize thesanitation crisis. The goal is to improve sanitation and make sure allpeople have access to safe water. Saliha's village was chosen as oneplace where help will come to provide sanitation and teachappropriate hygiene such as washing hands with soap and carefullypreparing foods. Unfortunately, the goal in Afghanistan is todecrease the number of those without to half. But even halving theamount isn't expected to occur until 2020. Saliha sees a lothappening in and around her village. Small irrigation structures arebeing built, roads are under construction, schools are becomingequipped with clean, private, separate boys' and girls' latrines, and


clinics have popped up. Saliha's school even has running water now.Saliha hopes to one day even have a real toilet at home. She learnedat school that a toilet at home can help keep a family healthier.

Saliha's cousin in the city, Halima, needs help, too. Most familieslike hers use a dry vault system for their wastes. The smell in townlets families know it's not enough. Halima recently heard talk of a"twin pit" system. It's new technology in the worlds of latrines. Anattached biogas digester uses a method to produce methane that canthen be burned for light and heat. For her family, it hasn't happenedyet, but she hears it made a big difference in India and might workreally well in Afghanistan.

Saliha and Halima don't know much more than what they have.Saliha knows people in her family have had many bouts of diarrhea;she knows of neighbors who have died from such ailments. Halimais also no stranger to illnesses and the stench. They are not the onlyones in the country, or even the world. That's why 2008 has beendeemed the International Year of Sanitation. Progress throughoutthe world has been very slow.

Sanitation has economic benefits. Access to clean water andsanitation affects the living and working conditions of people inobvious ways. Sanitation impacts social development with privateand personal issues being addressed. Sanitation helps to protect theenvironment. Environmentally, it makes more sense to use thecomposted waste for agriculture. As it stands now, 200 million tonsof human wastes each year from around the world go uncollectedand untreated. This harms the environment as well as people. Poorsanitation causes cholera, worms, diarrhea, pneumonia, andmalnutrition. Throughout the world, 2.6 billion people do not havebasic sanitation.

Poor sanitation is damaging to health, creates social issues for thesick and elderly, inhibits the economy, and pollutes the environment.Sanitation is a human right. By reducing contact with human waste,an estimated 400 million cases of illnesses could be prevented. Arecent poll for the British Medical Journal listed sanitation as thegreatest medical milestone in over 100 years. Since everyone seemsto know it, it's a matter of providing it to all people. All people ofthe world deserve and need clean water, clean latrines, clean hands,

clean environment, and clean food.

International Year of Sanitation: Saliha's Story

Questions

1. Afghanistan is a country in ______.

A. AustraliaB. North AmericaC. AsiaD. South America

2. Saliha's family has difficulty with sanitation because she livesin an urban area.

A. FalseB. True

3. What percentage of children under five years old contractsanitation-related diseases each year in Afghanistan?

A. 0%B. 75%C. 25%D. 50%

4. Diarrhea can be caused by ______.

A. inadequate sanitationB. dirty drinking waterC. poor hygieneD. all of the above

5. What is one sign of the real problems of sanitation in Halima'scity?

A. amazing pipingB. numerous donkey carts on the streetC. foul odorD. none of the above


6. What new system might improve the sanitation, especially inAfghanistan's cities?

A. wet vaultB. pitfallC. twin pitD. dry vault

7. Which phrase does NOT fit the WASH campaign?

A. sanitationB. hygieneC. water supplyD. water source

Compare and contrast the rural and urban water/sanitation issues.


Amanda's Story: Dealing with AcneBy Jennifer Kenny

Amanda sat in her room alone. She wasstaring at the mirror when the tears beganrolling down her cheeks. She couldn't stand tosee her own image looking back at her.Amanda was alone for a few more minutes.She sobbed quietly thinking no one could hearher cries. Then she heard a knock at the door.

"Amanda, it's me," Amanda's big sister Katiecalled. "What's wrong? Can I come in?"

"Go away!" Amanda yelled.

"What's wrong?" Katie asked, as she opened Amanda's door anyway.This made Amanda cry even more.

"Nothing! I'm fine," Amanda countered.

"Nobody cries that much if nothing's wrong. Is something wrong atschool?" Katie asked.

"No," Amanda said.

"Is it a problem with a friend?" Katie asked.

"No," Amanda said, calming herself down a bit.

"Then tell me, Amanda," Katie said. "I want to help."

"It's my face," Amanda said.

"What's wrong with your face? You look beautiful to me," Katie said.

"You are just saying that because you are my sister," Amanda said."How can you say I'm beautiful with all these bumps on my face?"

"First of all," Katie said, "acne is perfectly normal at your age. You

are thirteen years old. It can happen at any age, but the teenage yearsare the most common time. It's the most common skin disease foreveryone. Seventy-five percent of all teenagers have it. Call ithormones go wild time! Twenty million teens have acne. You are notalone!"

"Why do I feel like I am doing something wrong then?" Amandaasked.

"You need to understand it is probably nothing you are doing or notdoing," Katie answered. "It's so common that people call it a part ofgrowing up."

"Why does it happen? What exactly is it?" Amanda wanted to know.

"Well, people have lots of pores on their skin. Pores are tiny holes.When they become clogged, you have acne. Typically, you have oilglands to keep the skin moist and to get rid of old skin cells.Sometimes the glands produce too much. As a result, the pores block,dirt accumulates and so does bacteria. A whitehead is a pore that clogsup, closes, and bulges. A blackhead is a pore that clogs up but is stillopen and gets dark. A small, red infection where oil and bacteriaaccumulates is a pimple. Finally, bigger infections can be cysts."

"How do you know so much?" Amanda interrupted.

"I was your age once," Katie said. "I also took a lot of health classes.Now you asked me why it happened. I already told you about excessoils. That leads to clogged pores. Other than that doctors believe thereare triggers for acne. Hormonal changes, like those in the teenageyears are one such trigger. Greasy hair and makeup products areanother. Certain medications are triggers as well. Finally, lots ofhumidity and sweating are, too."

"I heard someone say it's from chocolate," Amanda said. "Is thattrue?"

"Doctors believe that's a myth. People used to claim it was fromchocolate or nuts or greasy foods. That's not supposed to be true.However, if a food bothers you like that, it makes sense to stop eatingit," Katie replied.

"Another thing, Amanda," Katie added. "Stress may not cause acnebut it can increase oil production and add to it. So stop stressing."

"How can I if I look like this all the time?" Amanda asked.


Katie answered, "You are going to deal with it. That's what,Amanda."

"I'm doing my best," replied Amanda.

"You're feeling sorry for yourself," Katie said. "That's OK, but whatare you doing to help yourself?"

"I wash my face," Amanda said.

"With what?" Katie asked.

"Water," Amanda answered.

"OK, let's start there," Katie began. "Amanda, you are going to washyour face two times a day. Continue to use warm water but I'm goingto give you a mild cleanser I have, or a mild soap is fine. Don't scrubtoo hard. Don't do it constantly or it will dry your face out or irritateyou. If you wear makeup, make sure it's oil-free and remove it at theend of the day. Wash your hair each day, too; otherwise oils often rubon your face."

Amanda interrupted and said, "I do a lot of that already."

"I know," Katie said encouragingly. "That's why we're going to getyou a cream for your face, too. It's an over-the-counter medicine thatcontains benzoyl peroxide. It kills the bacteria and dries up some ofthe excess oil on your skin. It will also reduce some of the puffiness."

"Will the pimples go away immediately?" Amanda questioned.

"No," Katie answered honestly. "This is where patience comes in. Itcan take weeks or even longer."

"What if it doesn't work?" Amanda asked.

"That's not being very optimistic," Katie said. "You have no reason tobelieve it won't. However, if over-the-counter medicines didn't work,Mom could take you to a dermatologist, or skin doctor. He or shecould prescribe stronger medicines including other creams, stronger

benzoyl peroxide, or even an oral antibiotic. My friend, Melissa, hadsome pills to take and her skin cleared up beautifully!"

"Oh, one more thing," Katie added. "You've got to promise me you'lltry not to touch your face and don't pop those pimples. I know it'stempting but it can actually push the bacteria in further causingswelling and redness. Pimples that are popped can scar, too."

Amanda asked, "Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Sure," Katie said. "Anything."

"Is it normal to have acne on your shoulders too?" Amanda asked.

"Absolutely," Katie said. "The face is just what you see the most, butsometimes people experience acne on the shoulders, arms, legs, andso on. I know I always had it on my back."

"Do you feel better?" Katie asked.

"I guess a little," Amanda answered.

"Good. Now come on downstairs. You don't have to be happy aboutacne, but you don't have to stay in your room crying alone. Come on,I'll race you to the fridge!" Katie yelled.

Amanda's Story: Dealing with Acne

Questions

1. Amanda was having trouble dealing with ______.

A. schoolB. acneC. math classD. her friend

2. Approximately ______ teenagers have acne.

A. two out of fourB. one out of fourC. three out of fourD. four out of four


3. Amanda's mood could best be described as ______.

A. excitedB. angryC. happyD. sad

4. What is NOT considered a trigger for acne in most cases?

A. greasy makeupB. hormonal changesC. chocolateD. certain medications

5. The over-the-counter medicine Amanda will start with iscalled ______.

A. amoxicillinB. penicillinC. benzoyl peroxideD. bacteria

6. As a first step, Amanda should ______.

A. pop her pimplesB. scrub her face very hard three times a dayC. wash her face with mild soap and waterD. call the dermatologist for a prescription

7. Acne can appear on ______.

A. the legsB. the faceC. the armsD. all of the above

Are there any other suggestions you could offer Amanda? Pretendyou are a friend and write a conversation that includes yoursuggestions.

NameThursday, January 10

The Winter Olympics in ItalyBy Ekaterina Zhdanova-Redman

The modern Olympic Games have a longhistory. Beginning in 1896, athletes fromall over the world have gathered everyfour years to compete in the SummerOlympics. The Winter Olympics began in1924, and like the Summer Olympics,happen every four years. The moderngames are based on Olympic Games thattook place in ancient Greece almost 2,800years ago. Any city that hosts theOlympics is also hosting a lot of history.

Torino, Italy was the host city for the2006 Winter Olympics. Like the Olympics, it, too has a long history.In fact, the history of Torino is nearly as long as the original OlympicGames in ancient Greece!

Torino - known as Turin in some other countries - is a city innorthwestern Italy. It is a center for winter sports, from skiing tosnowboarding. Its location makes it suited for winter sports, since it islocated in the Alps mountain range.

Torino's history stretches back to 2,300 years. A Celtic tribe knownas the Taurini settled what was then just a small village. From itssmall beginnings, it would grow to become an important city and evena national capital. But that would come with a price - Torino wasattacked and destroyed several times throughout its history.

After being destroyed by the Carthaginian general Hannibal, theRoman Emperor Julius Caesar rebuilt it in 28 BC and made it into animportant military city. After the Roman Empire fell in the 5thcentury AD, Torino fell to the invaders of the day, including theGoths, Lombards, Franks, and the French.

The 17th century is known as Torino's golden age, when art was thecenter of life there. It became an architectural center in Europe, andmany grand buildings were designed and built there. One famous

church there is the cathedral of St. John the Baptist, built in 1498.This cathedral holds the famous Shroud of Turin. Many believe theShroud of Turin is the cloth that Jesus Christ's body was wrapped infor burial. The shroud features a vague outline of a human form,believed by many to be an image of Jesus.

Between 1861 and 1864, Torino served as the capital of a newlyunified and independent Italy. Today, much of the beautifularchitecture of the 17th century still stands, making Torino one of theAlps' and Italy's most beautiful cities. It is a city of more than amillion people and is the manufacturing center of Italy. Everythingfrom Ferrari sports cars to International Space Station parts are builtin Torino.

In 2006, the world was treated to the beauty of Torino, its people, itsbuildings, and its natural surroundings. The Olympic Games madethis small Italian city into a common household name all over theworld.

The Winter Olympics in Italy

Questions

1. The Winter Olympics began in what year?

A. 1914B. 1934C. 1944D. 1924

2. In 2006, the Olympics were held in ______.

A. TorinoB. NaplesC. MontrealD. Rome

3. Torino is known for holding what religious artifact?

A. The Shroud of TurinB. Jesus' coffinC. The Holy GrailD. The Ark of the Covenant


4. Torino is known for its great architecture.

A. TrueB. False

5. Torino was once the capital of what country?

A. GreeceB. SwitzerlandC. AustriaD. Italy

6. What mountain range is closest to Torino?

A. The PyreneesB. The RockiesC. The UralsD. The Alps

7. Torino is about how many years old?

A. 2,600B. 2,300C. 3,000D. 3,200

8. Torino is Italy's manufacturing center.

A. TrueB. False

How can knowing a city's history help a visitor enjoy the city more?Explain.


Germany's Winter Olympic HistoryBy Ekaterina Zhdanova-Redman

Germany has a proud Winter Olympic history, as its athletes aresome of the most successful from any country competing at theGames. Its modern-day athletes excel at sports like Alpine skiing,bobsledding, and the luge. Some have set records in those sports.Today, Germany competes at the Olympics as one nation. That wasn'talways so. There was a time when the German people wererepresented by two teams. This was a time when the country wasdivided in two.

At the end of World War II, Germany had been defeated. Thewinners of World War II, particularly France, Britain, the UnitedStates, and the Soviet Union agreed to collectively rule Germany. Butstrong political divisions between the Soviet Union and France,Britain, and the United States caused a split. For purely politicalreasons, the country of Germany was divided into two new countries:East Germany and West Germany.

Until 1968, Germany had competed as one team in all the Olympics.For the next 20 years, Germany sent two teams to the WinterOlympics. East Germany's team did better at the Winter Olympics. Itholds seventh place in the all-time medals list. During those 20 years,East Germany won 100 medals. Since 1992, the German WinterOlympic team has won almost 200 medals, putting it at fifth on theall-time medals list. In the 2006 Olympics, Germany won moremedals than any other country.

Many of the Winter Olympics' best athletes - and some of the mostinteresting athletes - have called Germany home. One athlete fromGermany was a master on the luge. His name is Georg Hackl, and hewas one of the Winter Olympics' most successful older athletes.

Hackl was born September 9, 1966, in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Hestarted in the luge when he was 11. His love for the sport has beendescribed by some as an obsession. Hackl was one of the best lugeathletes in the history of the Olympics. In fact, he is the onlyOlympian to win five medals in the same individual event.

The luge is a fast-paced and dangerous sport that requires a lot of skilland even more concentration. Luge athletes, called sliders, lie on theirbacks on specially-made sleds. These sleds have two bladesunderneath - called runners - and on a luge track, the sleds can travelas fast as 140 kilometers an hour. The slider controls the direction ofthe sled with his body.

Not only was Hackl a master at sliding a luge, he is an accomplishedluge builder. He spent lots of time building and perfecting his sleds,even when he was winning races.

Hackl was a star in his home country, where Germans love theirathletes and the Winter Olympics. If history is any guide, Germanywill continue to do very well at the Olympics, and its athletes willcontinue to set records and dominate many Winter Olympic sports.

Germany's Winter Olympic History

Questions

1. Germany has always sent one team to the Olympics.

A. TrueB. False

2. West Germany has won more medals than East Germany.

A. FalseB. True

3. Luge sleds can travel as fast as ______.

A. 200 km/hrB. 140 km/hrC. 160 km/hrD. 180 km/hr

4. Hackl loved to build ______.

A. CarsB. SkisC. Luge sledsD. Model airplanes


5. Germany was divided after what world event?

A. The end of the Cold WarB. The Gulf WarC. The American RevolutionD. World War II

6. In what year did a united Germany compete in the Olympics?

A. 1998B. 1992C. 1968D. 2002

7. After reuniting, how many medals has Germany won in theWinter Olympics?

A. almost 250B. almost 200C. almost 100D. almost 150

8. Hackl is the only Olympian to win five medals in the sameindividual event.

A. FalseB. True


Inaugural AddressBy Jennifer Kenny

An Inaugural address hasbeen part of a newPresident's InaugurationDay from the verybeginning. The firstInauguration took place onApril 30, 1789. Of course,the day belonged to GeorgeWashington. At FederalHall in New York City,Washington took his oath.Then he gave his speech, the first Inaugural address, before Congress.He used his words to express the awe he felt regarding his new role inthe country. In Philadelphia in 1793, Washington was inauguratedonce again. His speech certainly made the history books the secondtime. Getting right to the point, he offered the shortest Inauguralspeech ever. He only included 135 words!

Thus, the Inaugural address tradition began! Every president sincehas given one. The longest Inaugural speech was given by WilliamHenry Harrison. That was back in 1841. His speech included 8,445words. Spectators listened to him talk for one hour and forty-fiveminutes. On a fair weather day that might have been fine, but it wassnowing. After giving such a long speech in bitter weather, Harrisondied weeks later of pneumonia.

Other Inaugural addresses have been noteworthy for differentreasons. John Adams's speech had quite a long sentence. It had 737words in it! Franklin D. Roosevelt's fourth Inaugural address wasknown for being quite short. That was the way he wanted it to be,though, because the United States was involved in World War II. Hewanted to keep it simple.

Most historians agree that Lincoln's second Inaugural address in 1865was the most memorable. Why? Nearing the end of the Civil war, hestated, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmnessin the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish

the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for himwho shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, todo all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace amongourselves and with all nations." Other famous quotes come fromInaugural addresses. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country cando for you - ask what you can do for your country." Do the wordssound familiar?

Of course, as time moves forward, the speech is carried throughoutthe world. However, it wasn't too long ago that milestones were made.Harding's was the first Inaugural speech broadcast through speakers.The first national radio Inaugural address was given by Coolidge. Ifyou can't remember a time without TV, imagine how the citizens ofthe country felt as they watched the first Inaugural address to be seenon TV in 1949 given by Truman.

The Inaugural address has been given in different locationsthroughout time. Originally, most were offered in the chambers ofCongress. Then it moved to the east side of the Capitol for decades.Since 1981, however, the west front of the Capitol has been used.Typically, the address is delivered after the oath.

Whomever the president and wherever the location, the Inauguraladdress is used to deliver a message. That message is sent to an entirecountry, and even the world, while all eyes are watching. A vision forthe country and an offering of goals are presented. If done well, thespeech has the possibility of being quoted and remembered for a longtime to come!

Inaugural Address

Questions

1. The first Inaugural address was given by ______.

A. George WashingtonB. Bill ClintonC. Abraham LincolnD. John Adams


2. The shortest Inaugural address was delivered by ______.

A. George WashingtonB. Ronald ReaganC. George BushD. John F. Kennedy

3. What was unique about the Inaugural address given byWilliam Henry Harrison?

A. He never gave one.B. It was the shortest one ever.C. He wanted to keep it simple.D. It was the longest one ever.

4. Which president was known for his Inaugural address towardthe end of the Civil War?

A. Thomas JeffersonB. Abraham LincolnC. Richard NixonD. John Quincy Adams

5. Which president said, "Ask not what your country can do foryou"?

A. George WashingtonB. Thomas JeffersonC. John F. KennedyD. Abraham Lincoln

6. Current tradition dictates that the Inaugural address be givenafter the oath.

A. FalseB. True

7. An Inaugural address attempts to capture ______.

A. a visionB. goalsC. national audienceD. all of the above

8. The first Inaugural address seen on TV was in ______.

Create a poster highlighting three Inaugural addresses.

NameFriday, January 11

Summer DreamsBy Laura G. Smith

Valerie Anderson's freshman year at North Dallas High School hadn'tbeen an easy one. She was relieved that the summer break had finallyarrived. Valerie and her two new friends, Karen and Jessica, hadplans-BIG plans. This was going to be the best summer ever!

Just one year had passed since the Andersons moved from a smallsuburb on the outskirts of Gainesville, Georgia, to the hugemegalopolis of Dallas, Texas. When Valerie's parents had firstannounced the news about moving, her feelings were so convoluted,she could hardly speak! She hated the thought of moving away fromher friends and relatives, but at the same time, Valerie was intriguedby the idea of life in the big city.

Now that she was settled into a new neighborhood and had survivedthat awkward first year in a new school, Valerie's memory of herordinary life in Gainesville began to fade. Dallas was her home now.This is where her summer dreams would come true.

"Time to get up!"

Valerie was still half asleep, but as her mother's shrill voice began toescalate, it startled her into consciousness. She peered throughsquinted eyes at the alarm clock on her night table. "Mom, it's only7:30 in the morning! And unless I'm dreaming, it's the first day ofsummer break! Why are you waking me up so early?"

"I need you to get up and pack your suitcase," explained Mom. "Yourgrandmother has been very sickly ever since we moved fromGainesville, and I'm afraid she's taken a turn for the worse. When Italked to your Aunt Gracie last night, she said Grandma is sufferingfrom constant lethargy, and her blood pressure is lower than it shouldbe. I need you to go with me to help take care of her for a while."

Valerie had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. All she couldthink about were her plans to hang out with Karen and Jessica thatafternoon. The three of them had been in almost every class togetherduring the school year and seemed to share a unique sense of

camaraderie that Valerie hadn't felt before. There's no way she wasgoing to miss out on sunbathing or shopping at the mall with her bestfriends just because her mom wanted her to go on some boring trip!

In her mind, Valerie tried to contrive a seemingly rationalexplanation as to why she couldn't go to Gainesville. But she figuredher mom would probably think her reasons were illogical. So, shecame up with an even better idea. If she couldn't stay in Dallas, thenmaybe she could do the next best thing-if only her mother wouldagree to it.

This once-shy girl from Gainesville put her drama skills to work andconvinced her mom that Karen and Jessica would be the perfect roadcompanions during the 13-hour trip to her grandmother's house. Theyall worked at a frenetic pace to load up the van and then made abeeline for the Peach State. The girls weren't thrilled about spendingtime with a sick old lady, but at least they would be together.

When they weren't blasting their CD players, Karen and Jessicaplayed cheesy games to pass the time on the road. When Valerie (thenerdy one of the bunch) suggested the "Auto Antonym" game, shereceived triplicate groans from her friends and her mom!

"We're on summer break," Karen blurted out. "I don't want to strainmy brain!"

"Can we dispense of the whining?" Valerie said, half kidding.

In an effort to disseminate the growing tension, Mrs. Andersoncleverly steered the conversation in another direction. For theremainder of the trip, the girls discussed every teenage topic under thesun! Valerie's mom was amused by the breadth of subjects that cameup. Toying with the notion of writing a book about their summeradventure, Mrs. Anderson smiled to herself as she visualized herpseudonym in print.

As Karen and Jessica shared stories about their families and homes,Valerie's mom began to postulate that both girls were accustomed to afairly well-off lifestyle. As they spoke of yearly vacations in Europeand occasional shopping sprees in New York City, Valerie grewquieter. She feared her friends might think less of her if they knew herhumble background. What would they think of her grandmother'stiny, run-down apartment nestled in the older section of town?

About that time, they rounded the corner of Richardson Street andSecond Avenue and approached a two-story, brick building, As they


pulled into a parking space near the side entrance to the apartment,Valerie spotted the familiar trellis that was once her grandma's prideand joy. The lattice archway, once laced with English ivy, was nowbare except for a few desiccated stems that were still poking betweenthe wooden slats.

"This isn't where we're staying... is it?" Jessica asked with a look ofdisapproval.

"Oh gross! This can't be it!" Karen said rudely. "It's not fit formonkeys! It certainly doesn't look sanitary!"

Karen was always quick to say whatever was on her mind, andoftentimes it got her into trouble. She felt horrible and was quick toretract her mordant comment, but the deleterious effects of hercareless words were already obvious. Valerie was fighting back thetears.

In her imagination, Karen heard the words her mother had spokentime and time again. "You'll reap what you sow if you don't learn tocontrol your tongue, Karen!" She was beginning to realize what thatmeant.

Valerie saw the look of regret on Karen's face and tried to crack ajoke to break the awkward silence. "One thing's for sure, Karen. Youwouldn't make a very good spokesman for the 'Be Gracious toGrandma' society"! They laughed and hugged and anxiously startedunloading their belongings from the van.

Maybe their summer plans wouldn't work out exactly as they haddreamed, but Valerie and her friends were about to experiencesomething far more valuable. This summer they would learn to exaltthe gift of friendship. Their spacious Dallas homes, lavish vacations,and closets full of clothes were nice, but they were only temporal.Their friendships would be treasured forever.

"Come on," said Valerie. "Let's go inside. I want you to meet mygrandma."

Summer Dreams

Questions

1. What day is it when this story first begins?

A. The first day of Valerie's freshman year of high schoolB. The first day of summer break after Valerie's freshman

yearC. The day Valerie's family moved from Gainesville to

DallasD. The last day of Valerie's freshman year of high school

2. How would you say Valerie felt when her parents first told herthey would be moving to Dallas?

A. She couldn't wait to pack her bagsB. She didn't really care whether or not they movedC. She had mixed feelings that included both sadness and

excitementD. She was scared to death to live in a city like Dallas

3. Which one of the following personality traits best describesValerie?

A. InsensitiveB. DomineeringC. OutspokenD. Peacekeeper

4. What ailments did Valerie's grandma suffer from?

A. She was lonely and depressedB. She had a lack of energy and low blood pressureC. She had a broken bone that required bed restD. She was in a coma and probably near death

5. Which of the following statements is a fact (rather than anopinion)?

A. Living in Dallas is more exciting for teenagers than livingin Gainesville.

B. Valerie's favorite activity is shopping.C. Valerie, Jessica, and Karen were about to experience the

best summer ever.D. Georgia is also known as the "Peach State."


6. The trip from Dallas to Gainesville took 13 hours. If theytraveled at an average speed of 60 miles per hour, taking two1-hour breaks for meals, how many miles did they travel?

A. 720B. 660C. 600D. 780

7. Why did Valerie think that Jessica and Karen might look downon her?

A. Because she wasn't as pretty as they wereB. Because her grandma was old and sicklyC. Because Karen and Jessica were used to much fancier

homes and vacations than she was.D. Because they had to ride so long in the van

8. Write one or two sentences that would give someone a generalidea what this story is about.


The BrainBy Sharon Fabian

That three-pound pinkish-gray blob inyour head may be ugly but it can do a lotof things. Like a computer, it can figureout math problems, and store andorganize information. Like a camera, itcan turn patterns of light into pictures. Itcan also regulate body processes,produce emotions, understand andconstruct language, and order muscles tomove.

If your nervous system, which includes your brain, is the controlcenter for your body, then your brain is its commander-in-chief.

Your brain has three main parts: the large part called the cerebrum,the smaller part in the back called the cerebellum, and the brain stemwhich attaches the brain to the spinal cord. The large part, thecerebrum, is made up of layers of folds and wrinkles called thecerebral cortex. As the surface of your brain grows, it folds andwrinkles more to fit into its space in your skull. Somewhere between10 billion and 100 billion nerve cells are at work in your brain. Theyare powered by the food that you eat and the oxygen that you breathe.In case of a fall, or a blow to the head, your brain is protected by yourcranium, also called your skull, and by three protective layers calledmeninges inside your skull.

Your brain has specialized parts for particular jobs, but some jobsinvolve many different parts of the brain. Reading is a good example.When you read a word, the light that enters your eyes is seen as animage of the word in the vision center of your brain. Another part ofyour brain transforms that picture into the right sound pattern for theword. Another part figures out the meaning of the word. If you wantto say the word aloud, the message is sent to yet another area thatinstructs the muscles of your throat and mouth to make the rightsounds.

Your brain has specialized areas in its cerebral cortex to receive

messages from your five senses, too. Different areas handle sights,sounds, tastes, smells, and touch.

The cerebral cortex, along with another part, the cerebellum, controlsmovements of your muscles. In the area called the motor cortex, aparticular section connects to each part of your muscular system.There is a section for your fingers, a section for your wrist, a sectionfor your arm, a section for your toes, and so on. The body parts thatdo the most complicated movements get the most brain space. That iswhy the muscles of the mouth and tongue have a big space on thebrain, because they have to make many different movements to speakand eat.

Your brain stem has parts that regulate automatic body processes.Your heartbeat and your breathing are regulated by the brain stem.

A part called the limbic system, which spreads over several parts ofthe brain, is in charge of emotions. When a horror movie scares you,or a hug makes you feel happy, somehow the limbic system isinvolved.

Thinking and remembering are really complicated things that thebrain does. Scientists have only begun to figure them out. They knowthat it has something to do with the brain building new connectionsbetween its nerves.

The brain is not easy for scientists to study, since they can't just takea look in there. But they do have some ways of finding out what'shappening inside. By studying people who have had brain injuries,they can learn which parts of the brain do which jobs. They can recordbrain activity with a machine hooked up to electrodes fastened to theoutside of a person's skull. Intelligence tests, and other types of tests,also provide information about what knowledge is inside the brain.When scientists learn some new facts about the brain, they often comeup with just as many new questions. Now that you know a few factsabout the brain, maybe you have some new questions too.


The Brain

Questions

1. Your brain is the main part of your ______ system.

A. nervousB. respiratoryC. digestiveD. skeletal

2. Reading involves ______ of the brain.

A. many partsB. one partC. no partsD. two parts

3. The wrinkles and folds of the cortex make up which part of thebrain?

A. cerebrumB. cerebellumC. craniumD. brain stem

4. Cranium is another word for the ______.

A. cerebrumB. skullC. spineD. brain

5. Heartbeat and breathing are examples of ______.

A. brain activitiesB. resting activitiesC. automatic activitiesD. voluntary activities

6. Scientists can learn about what different parts of the brain doby studying ______.

A. report cardsB. electrodesC. intelligence testsD. people who have had a brain injury

7. Scientists now understand how all parts of the brain work.

A. trueB. false

8. Meninges are three more layers inside the skull that helpprotect the brain.

A. falseB. true

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