Problem: A small-sized Pekingese with long, soft fur took the top prize at the 136thannual Westminster Kennel Club Show in New York City on Feb 14,2012. The dog has a royal name: Palacegarden Malachy . After being named Best in Show, Malachy celebrated by nestling his 11-pound body inside the trophy .

Competition for the top prize was not easy. Malachy beat more than 2,000 dogs, including a Dalmation, a German Shepherd and a Kerry blue Terrier. But to judge Cindy Bogels, Malachy was the clear winner. "Super dog, and he had a surprising night, " she said.

David Fitzpatrick is Malachy's handler and coowner. He said there would be no more shows for the four-year-old dog. Malachy, he said, would most likely go home to East Brlin, Pennsylvania, to enjoy a quiet life in the country. ' He'll probably chase squirrels and will certainly have a good time. " Fitzpatrick said.

However, Malachy had a busy timetable on Feb,15.He made television appearances this morning and had lunch this afternoon at Sardi's a famous New York City restaurant, where he ate from a silver plate. Later, Malachy visited a businessman and TV personality, Donald Trump.

Dogs were not the only ones in the spotlight at Westminster. Young people ages 9 to 18 took part in Junior Showmanship. In this competition, judges looked carefully at the kids, not the dogs. They watched to see how well entrants handled their animals in the ring. About 100 kids from around the country came to New York City to show off their dogs. 11-year-old Macenzie Zeitz was one of them. She traveled eight hours to New York, with her dog Pudding. " It is really amazing, and it's also a real honor to be here." Zeitz said. "Pudding likes the hotel because he gets to sleep in the bed, " added Zeitz.
1. What breed of dog won the 136th Westminster Dog Show?
2. Was it male or female?
3. What was his name?
4. How big was he?
5. How many other dogs did he compete against?
6. Were they all Pekingese?
7. What other breeds were there?
8. Were there any other things being judged there?
9. Were any children there?
10. What were they doing?
11. How many children were there?
12. What were they being graded on?
13. Who was Palacegarden Malachys owner?
14. Where were they from?
15. Did Palacegarden make media appearances?
16. What kind?
17. Did he meet anyone famous?
18. Who?
Answer: 1. Pekingese
2. male
3. Palacegarden Malachy
4. 11-pounds
5. 2,000
6. no
7. a Dalmation, a German Shepherd and a Kerry blue Terrier
8. no
9. Yes
10. They took part in Junior Showmanship
11. About 100
12. how well entrants handled their animals in the ring
13. David Fitzpatrick
14. East Brlin, Pennsylvania
15. Yes
16. television
17. yes
18. Donald Trump

Problem: Secularism is the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious dignitaries (the attainment of such is termed secularity). One manifestation of secularism is asserting the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, or, in a state declared to be neutral on matters of belief, from the imposition by government of religion or religious practices upon its people. Another manifestation of secularism is the view that public activities and decisions, especially political ones, should be uninfluenced by religious beliefs or practices.

Secularism draws its intellectual roots from Greek and Roman philosophers such as Epicurus and Marcus Aurelius; from Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Denis Diderot, Voltaire, Baruch Spinoza, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine; and from more recent freethinkers and atheists such as Robert Ingersoll, Bertrand Russell, and Christopher Hitchens.

The purposes and arguments in support of secularism vary widely. In European laicism, it has been argued that secularism is a movement toward modernization, and away from traditional religious values (also known as secularization). This type of secularism, on a social or philosophical level, has often occurred while maintaining an official state church or other state support of religion. In the United States, some argue that state secularism has served to a greater extent to protect religion and the religious from governmental interference, while secularism on a social level is less prevalent.
1. What is Secularism?
2. What is its attainment termed as?
3. How many manifestation of secularism have been mentioned in this passage?
4. Give me one of them?
5. And the secondE?
6. Do the purposes in support of secularism vary widely?
7. What is it in the European?
8. and in the USA?
9. How is it perceived in a social level?
10. Secularism takes off its intellectual roots from some philosophers. Is it true?
11. Are they Greek and Roman philosophers?
12. Name them?
13. Does it also take from some enlightenment thinkers?
14. about how many of them are mentioned in this paragraph?
15. Give me the name of 2 of them?
16. Does it also take from some atheists?
17. How many mentioned here?
18. Give me the name of one them?
19. The second one?
20. And the third one please?
Answer: 1. A principle
2. secularity
3. Two
4. to be free from religious rule and teachings
5. The view that public activities and decisionsshould be uninfluenced by religious beliefs or practices.
6. yes
7. a movement toward modernization,
8. has served to a greater extent to protect religion
9. less prevalent.
10. yes
11. yes
12. Epicurus and Marcus Aurelius
13. yes
14. Seven
15. John Locke, Denis Diderot
16. yes
17. Three
18. Robert Ingersoll,
19. Bertrand Russell
20. Christopher Hitchens

Problem: The German shepherd runs off and noses around in the grass of Kenya's Laikipia Plateau. "OK, Oakley," the dog's handler orders, "Find it!"

Oakley sniffs until he comes to a bush, then stops, sits, and looks up at his handler. She bends to see what he has found: the waste of an endangered African wild dog. "Good dog!" she praises. The handler pulls a tennis ball from her pocket. Oakley jumps for his reward.

"He doesn't actually want the waste," says Aimee Hurt, a founding member of the U.S.-based group Working Dogs for Conservation. Hurt is in Kenya to train both Oakley and his handler. "He finds it so he can play with his ball. We're the ones who want the waste."

Detection dogs are sometimes taught to locate actual animals. Black-footed ferrets have been studied with their help. But more often the dogs learn to locate the waste of creatures such as bears, wolves and mountain lions.

What the dogs find provides scientists with data about a species. Scientists can use the DNA collected from animal waste to identify individuals, sex, and population sizes -- all without ever seeing the animal itself. "It can take years to gather this kind of information if you have to trap animals," Hurt explains.

Waste analysis might make a huge difference when wild species are accused of attacking domestic livestock . Hurt says, "A good detection dog will find the waste so we can see what the animal is actually eating." This may help reduce problems between people and wildlife.
1. Detection dogs are sometimes taught to locate what?
2. what do they normally locate?
3. what do the scientits want it for
4. is there DNA
5. what can it identify?
6. how long would it normally take to gather this info?
7. What kind of dog is Oakley?
8. What's his handler's name?
9. What did he find?
10. What did she give him ?
11. does he want the waste?
12. what did Aimee co-found?
13. where is she?
14. doing?
15. who si she training?
16. and?
17. how does waste analysis help investigate domestic livestock attacks?
18. will that reduce problems?
Answer:
1. actual animals
2. the waste of creatures such as bears, wolves and mountain lions.
3. data about a species
4. Scientists can use the DNA collected from animal waste
5. identify individuals, sex, and population sizes
6. "It can take years to gather this kind of information if you have to trap animals,
7. German shepherd
8. Aimee Hurt
9. the waste of an endangered African wild dog.
10. tennis ball
11. He doesn't actually want the waste
12. the U.S.-based group Working Dogs for Conservation
13. Hurt is in Kenya
14. Waste analysis
15. Oakley
16. The German shepherd
17. "A good detection dog will find the waste so we can see what the animal is actually eating
18. This may help reduce problems between people and wildlife.