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  • In the News, June 24th, 2021
    Jun 24 2021

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. This week we have stories in health, the animal kingdom and history.

    In our first story on health, we learn that dogs may be a great help to us during the corona virus pandemic. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/24/faster-than-pcr-test-dogs-detect-covid-coronavirus-london-bmj

     

    In our second story on the animal kingdom, we discover how sharks find their way around in the ocean, and you can read more by following this link:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/17/sharks-earth-magnetic-field-gps-guidance-system

     

    In our final story on history, we hear how microbes have helped to clean some of Michelangelo’s most beautiful statues. Read about it here:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/30/arts/bacteria-cleaning-michelangelo-medici-restoration.html?searchResultPosition=1

     

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. C 2. A 3. D

    © Martin Parsons, 2021

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    5 Min.
  • In the News, May 27th, 2021
    May 27 2021

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. In this episode we have two stories on world news and one on the environment.

    In world news, we hear a very scary story about a tourist bridge collapsing in China. You learn more about this story here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/10/china-tourist-bridge-glass-panels-smash-longjing-city

    In the environment, we discover that the Earth’s stratosphere is getting smaller. You can learn more about this frightening story here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/12/emissions-shrinking-the-stratosphere-scientists-find 

    And finally, in world news learn about a young boy who has gone from being homeless to being a Chess master. Read about this inspiring story here:

    https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tanitoluwa-adewumi-refugee-chess-champion-national-master/

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/08/opinion/sunday/homeless-chess-champion-tani-adewumi.html

     Worksheet Answers:

    1. B 2. B 3. D

    © Martin Parsons, 2021

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    5 Min.
  • In the News, April 22nd, 2021
    Apr 22 2021

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. This week we have three stories related to the ocean.

    In our first story, we hear about a walrus that went to sleep and ended up in … Ireland. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/walrus-falls-asleep-on-arctic-iceberg-ends-up-in-ireland 

    In our second story, we learn about a very unusual animal which can replace its entire body. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/science/decapitated-sea-slugs.html

    https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210308/k00/00m/040/140000c

    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210309/p2g/00m/0li/061000c

    In our final story, we learn that there is large scale fraud in the seafood business. Read about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/15/revealed-seafood-happening-on-a-vast-global-scale

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. D 2. B 3. D

    © Martin Parsons, 2021

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    6 Min.
  • In the News, February 26th, 2021
    Feb 26 2021

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. This week we have stories in science, world news and the environment.

    In our first story, we hear about a strange bear attack in the USA. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/19/alaska-woman-outhouse-attacked-bear

    In our second story, we discover that NASA has named an important crate on Mars after a small village in Bosnia - Herzegovina, and you can read more by following these links:

    https://theconversation.com/how-did-nasas-martian-rover-come-to-land-in-a-crater-named-after-a-tiny-balkan-village-155740

    https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-mars-mission-connects-with-bosnian-town

    In our final story, we learn that batteries for cars which can be recharged in five minutes are being developed. Read about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/19/electric-car-batteries-race-ahead-with-five-minute-charging-times

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. C 2. A 3. B
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    6 Min.
  • In the News, February 11th, 2021
    Feb 11 2021

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. This week we have three stories about animals.

    In our first story, we learn about a tiny chameleon in Madagascar. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/05/seed-sized-chameleon-madagascar-world-tiniest-reptile

    In our second story, we discover that naked mole rats have different “accents”, and you can read more by following this link:

    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rats-speak-dialects-unique-their-colony-180976908/

    In our final story, we try to understand why wombats have square-shaped poo. Read about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/29/box-seat-scientists-solve-the-mystery-of-why-wombats-have-cube-shaped-poo

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. A 2. D 3. B

    © 2021, Martin Parsons

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    5 Min.
  • In the News, January 3rd, 2021
    Jan 3 2021

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks.

    In our first story, we learn about an ancient fast-food shop in Italy. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/26/exceptionally-well-preserved-snack-bar-unearthed-in-pompeii

     

    In our second story, we discover that marsupials glow in the dark, and you can read more by following these links:

    https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/mamm/ahead-of-print/article-10.1515-mammalia-2020-0027/article-10.1515-mammalia-2020-0027.xml  

    https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/dec/19/tasmanian-devils-glow-in-the-dark-australian-animals-glowing-platypus-wombat-echidna-bandicoot-scientists-investigate-australia-marsupials-light

     

    In our final story, we learn that a new movie has just become the box-office record holder in Japan. Read about it here:

    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2020/12/28/films/demon-slayer-japan-top-box-office-hit/

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. C 2. A 3. B

    © 2021, Martin Parsons

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    6 Min.
  • In the News, December 10th, 2020
    Dec 10 2020

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. In this episode we have “good news” stories on health, the environment, and world news.

    In our first good news story, we learn that scientists have developed a simple blood test to check for cancer. You can read more about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/nov/27/nhs-to-trial-blood-test-to-detect-more-than-50-forms-of-cancer

     

    In our second story, we find out that waste from sugar production could replace plastic for coffee cups, and you can learn more by following these links:

    https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2020/11/14/better-disposable-coffee-cups

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201112113139.htm

     

    In our final story, we hear about a family which found a koala in their Christmas tree. You can watch a video and learn more here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/03/on-the-first-day-of-australian-family-finds-live-koala-in-their-christmas-tree

     

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. C       2. A      3. C

    ©Martin Parsons, 2020

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    5 Min.
  • In the News, November 25th, 2020
    Nov 25 2020

    This is a podcast which picks up a few interesting things that have appeared in the news in recent weeks. In this episode we have stories from around the world all about animals.

    In our first story, we learn that a little puppy was grabbed by an alligator in the USA. You read more about it here:

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/23/man-rescues-puppy-from-alligator-without-dropping-cigar

     

    In our second story, we find out about an elephant that fell into a well in India, and you can learn more by following this link:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/22/elephant-trapped-in-indian-well-rescued-in-12-hour-crane-operation

    In our final story, we hear that some of the animals in London Zoo are feeling lonely. You can find out more by watching this video:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-54967076

     

    Worksheet Answers:

    1. D    2. B    3. B
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    4 Min.