Problem: The mother of the 13-year-old Dutch girl Laura Dekker, whose plans to make a solo sailing trip around the world have recently made world headlines, has spoken out against the trip. "It breaks my heart to think that because of this I could lose contact with my daughter," she said in an interview. "I have never before made such a difficult decision. But I must accept the consequences. I would rather have a live daughter who I will never see again than a dead daughter."

It is the first time that Laura's mother, Babs Muller, has spoken out against the trip. Laura's parents are divorced and the girl has lived with her father since she was six. Her father Dick Dekker supports Laura's plans. However, the Dutch Child Protection Board has decided to place the girl under supervision for two months to ascertain whether she is mentally and physically capable of undertaking the journey.

Ms Muller says she is confident that Laura is technically capable of making the journey. "She can sail like the devil. That's not the problem." However, she is afraid of the problems a 13-year-old girl can encounter in the harbors of Third-World countries and of the psychological pressure of being alone for such a long period on the ocean. "The most important thing, in my eyes, is that she is not yet an adult."

Ms Muller says she told Laura once before that she was opposed to the idea. Her daughter replied, "If you forbid me, you will have ruined my entire life. Then I'll never want to see you again." However, Laura's mother says that reports that a camera team is planning to follow her around the world could change her opinion about the trip.
1. Who is upset about something?
2. Why?
3. How old is Laura?
4. Is she planning a vacation?
5. What kind of trip is she taking?
6. Where?
7. Why is this newsworthy?
8. Is her mother trying to prevent her from going?
9. Do the two live together?
10. Who does Laura live with?
11. Why?
12. For how long?
13. Does she think her daughter is too uneducated to make the trip?
14. What kind of sailor does she feel that her dauhter is?
15. What does worry Ms Muller?
16. How does Laura feel about her mothers opinion?
17. Will Laura really be alone on the triip?
18. Who might be there?
19. Does this change how her mother feels about the trip?
Answer: 1. The mother of of Laura Decker
2. She is afraid that she might lose contact with her daughter
3. 13
4. No
5. A sailing trip
6. Around the world
7. She plans a solo trip
8. Yes
9. No
10. Her father
11. Laura's parents are divorced.
12. Since she was 6.
13. No
14. She can sail like the devil
15. Problems that face a 13 year old girl in third world countries
16. That if she forbids her she will never want to see her again
17. Maybe not
18. A camera team.
19. it could

Q: Mary went to Canada on vacation. After a week, she came back to New York. She told lots of interesting things to her best friend, Jack. Jack was very interested in Canada and decided to have a visit there. The next summer vacation, Mary and Jack had a plan to go to Canada together. But her mother was badly ill so she went to the airport to see her friend off. When they got to the airport, Mary had to got to the washroom. When she came back, she couldn't find Jack because there were so many people at the airport. She looked for him everywhere, but it was hard to find Jack among the people. Suddenly Mary saw Jack and she felt very happy, so she shouted,"Hi, Jack. Here, here." At the same time, Jack waved his arms,"I'm here." In 3 minutes, so many policemen came to the front of Jack and caught him, "Please come with me to the police office." After the policemen found out the reason, they let them free. Why? Because the word "hijack" in the English has different meanings.

Answer the following questions:
1. Who was detained by the police?
2. Who was he meeting at the airport?
3. Where was he travelling?
4. From where?
5. Who visited Canada first?
6. Was she going this time, as well?
7. Why not?
8. Why did she have difficulty locating Jack at the airport?
9. Was she relived to finally find him?
10. What did she yell?
11. What did the police think she said?
12. Was he taken to jail?
13. Where did they question him?
A: 1. Jack
2. Mary
3. Canada
4. New York
5. Mary
6. no
7. her mother ill
8. so many people
9. yes
10. Hi, Jack. Here, here
11. hijack
12. yes
13. the police office.

Problem: One of the most famous people born in Warsaw was Maria Skodowska-Curie, who achieved international recognition for her research on radioactivity and was the first female recipient of the Nobel Prize. Famous musicians include Wadysaw Szpilman and Frederic Chopin. Though Chopin was born in the village of Zelazowa Wola, about 60 km (37 mi) from Warsaw, he moved to the city with his family when he was seven months old. Casimir Pulaski, a Polish general and hero of the American Revolutionary War, was born here in 1745.

The Saxon Garden, covering the area of 15.5 ha, was formally a royal garden. There are over 100 different species of trees and the avenues are a place to sit and relax. At the east end of the park, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is situated. In the 19th century the Krasinski Palace Garden was remodelled by Franciszek Szanior. Within the central area of the park one can still find old trees dating from that period: maidenhair tree, black walnut, Turkish hazel and Caucasian wingnut trees. With its benches, flower carpets, a pond with ducks on and a playground for kids, the Krasinski Palace Garden is a popular strolling destination for the Varsovians. The Monument of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is also situated here. The azienki Park covers the area of 76 ha. The unique character and history of the park is reflected in its landscape architecture (pavilions, sculptures, bridges, cascades, ponds) and vegetation (domestic and foreign species of trees and bushes). What makes this park different from other green spaces in Warsaw is the presence of peacocks and pheasants, which can be seen here walking around freely, and royal carps in the pond. The Wilanow Palace Park, dates back to the second half of the 17th century. It covers the area of 43 ha. Its central French-styled area corresponds to the ancient, baroque forms of the palace. The eastern section of the park, closest to the Palace, is the two-level garden with a terrace facing the pond. The park around the Krolikarnia Palace is situated on the old escarpment of the Vistula. The park has lanes running on a few levels deep into the ravines on both sides of the palace.
1. what country is this about?
2. how much area does azienki Park cover?
3. what make it different than other spaces in Warsaw?
4. who is the first female to win the nobel prize?
5. what did she research?
6. how large is The Saxon Garden?
7. where was Chopin born?
8. how far is that from Warsaw?
9. how many miles is that?
10. whats another name for the Saxon Garden?
11. who remodeled the Krasinski Palace Garden?
12. what century did he do that?
13. what is at the east end of the Royal Garden?
14. how types of trees are in that park?
15. how many types of trees are there?
16. In Lazienki Park, do the peacocks roam freely?
17. doe the pheasants as well?
18. what kind of fish are in the pond?
19. what is at the east end of Wilanow Palace Park?
20. how many levels does it have?
Answer:
1. Poland
2. 76 ha
3. presence of peacocks and pheasants
4. Maria Skodowska-Curie
5. Radioactivity
6. 15.5 ha
7. Zelazowa Wola
8. 60 km
9. 37
10. Royal garden
11. Franciszek Szanior.
12. 19th century
13. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
14. Old trees
15. Maidenhair tree, black walnut, Turkish hazel and Caucasian wingnut trees.
16. Yes
17. Yes
18. Carps
19. A garden
20. Two