Problem: In context of spaceflight, a satellite is an artificial object which has been intentionally placed into orbit. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as Earth's Moon.

In 1957 the Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1. Since then, about 6,600 satellites from more than 40 countries have been launched. According to a 2013 estimate, 3,600 remained in orbit. Of those, about 1,000 were operational; while the rest have lived out their useful lives and became space debris. Approximately 500 operational satellites are in low-Earth orbit, 50 are in medium-Earth orbit (at 20,000km), and the rest are in geostationary orbit (at 36,000km). A few large satellites have been launched in parts and assembled in orbit. Over a dozen space probes have been placed into orbit around other bodies and become artificial satellites to the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, a few asteroids, and the Sun.

Satellites are used for many purposes. Common types include military and civilian Earth observation satellites, communications satellites, navigation satellites, weather satellites, and space telescopes. Space stations and human spacecraft in orbit are also satellites. Satellite orbits vary greatly, depending on the purpose of the satellite, and are classified in a number of ways. Well-known (overlapping) classes include low Earth orbit, polar orbit, and geostationary orbit.
1. what is a satellite?
2. what did the soviet union do in 1957
3. what was it called?
4. how many satellites are in orbit?
5. What planets do they orbit around?
6. do they ever become debris?
7. how fast do they go
8. what are satellites used for?
9. such as?
10. and what else?
Answer: 1. an artificial object which has been intentionally placed into orbit.
2. launched the world's first artificial satellite
3. Sputnik 1
4. 3,600
5. Earth , Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
6. Yes
7. unknown
8. many purposes
9. military and civilian Earth observation
10. communications

Q: First published in 2001, the book Life of Pi written by Canadian author Yann Martel won the Man Booker Prize and an Asian American Prize for Literature. It is the story of a young boy named Pi who spends 227 days at sea with a small group of animals after disaster strikes their ship and is an account of his journey of survival and hardship.

Piscine "Pi" Molitor Patel, on whom Life of Pi is based, is a young boy living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns a zoo. The story starts when Patel's family decide to move to Canada, along with their zoo animals for their new home.

However, because of the bad weather, the ship sinks. Pi along with an orangutan , an injured zebra, a hyena and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker are the only survivors who take shelter in a small lifeboat. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed and eaten by the hyena. The tiger in turn kills and eats the hyena, leaving just the two of them alone on the boat now.

In an effort to avoid being eaten by Richard Parker, Pi acts himself as the head of the group and remains safe from harm. Since he does not want the tiger to die for fear of going mad by being alone on the boat, he fishes and feeds the two of them in order to stay alive.

The life of Pi then enters its third stage when their lifeboat washes up on the shores of Mexico and the tiger escapes into a nearby forest leaving Pi alone. After the Mexicans refuse to believe Pi's story, he changes his tale by replacing the animals with his mother, a cook and a sailor and asks the Mexicans which one they prefer. They prefer hearing the first story though they do not believe a word of it.

In my view, Life of Pi is a must read book for all those who love reading.

Answer the following questions:
1. What's the name of the book being discussed?
2. Who wrote it?
3. Whois the main character?
4. Who came with Pi and his family when they left Canada?
5. What did they travel on?
6. What happens to it?
7. Does Pi survive?
8. Who else survives?
9. What happens to the oragutan and zebra?
10. What happens to the hyena?
11. By what?
12. What is its name?
13. /who feeds him?
14. With what?
15. Where does Pi end up?
16. And Richard Parker?
17. Do the Mexicans believe Pi?
18. Why did Pi feed Richard Parker?
19. When was the book published?
A: 1. Life of Pi
2. Yann Martel
3. Pi
4. their zoo animals
5. A ship
6. the ship sinks
7. Yes
8. an orangutan , an injured zebra, a hyena and a Bengal tiger
9. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed
10. It is eaten
11. The tiger
12. Richard Parker
13. Pi
14. he fishes
15. Mexico
16. a nearby forest
17. No
18. fear of going mad by being alone
19. 2001

Problem: Nathan Phillips, who will formally begin his freshman year at the University of San Diego(USD) on Aug. 31, will arrive on campus in an unusual and philanthropic manner.

Phillips is expected to arrive between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday on his bicycle, having pedaled 1,450 miles from Astoria, Ore.

Phillips combined his desire to complete a long bike ride before entering college with his interest in helping the children of Uganda.

He is raising funds for Invisible Children, a San Diegobased organization seeking to end conflicts annoying northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic and stop the use of children as soldiers.

Phillips had raised $1,540 before embarking Aug.11 and hopes to reach $2,000.

Phillips, who is from Redmond, Washington, visited Uganda during high school and worked in an orphanage there. He was also inspired by a presentation by Invisible Children at his high school.

"I have been to Uganda and personally gotten to know some of the kids affected by the war," Phillips said in a statement released by the university."I would do anything to help these kids."

Phillips' new roommate, Kyle Sharp, has joined him for the last 600 miles of the trip. Students and other members of the USD community are expected to join him for the last 13 miles.

"Nathan's passionate commitment to improving the lives of children more than 8,000 miles away resonates with USD's mission to prepare future leaders to change the world for the better," Pamela Gray Payton, assistant vice president of public affairs at USD, said in a prepared statement."We are delighted to have Nathan as a member of our campus community."

Supporters from USD and Invisible Children will greet Phillips and his followers when they arrive in front of Founders Hall on campus. The public is invited as well.
1. How much money has Nathan Phillips collected?
2. For what?
3. Where is that group located?
4. What does it want end using kids for?
5. Where?
6. Has Nathan ever been to Uganda?
7. When?
8. Where did he work there?
9. Who is he trying to assist?
10. Where is he headed?
11. Why?
12. What is he starting at USD
13. When does school start?
14. What mode of transportation is he taking to school?
15. What day will he get there?
16. What time will he get there?
17. Where is he coming from?
18. How big is the distance?
19. Did someone ride he final 600 miles with him?
20. Who?
Answer:
1. $1,540
2. raising funds for Invisible Children
3. San Diego
4. as soldiers
5. northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic
6. Yes
7. during high school
8. worked in an orphanage there
9. raising funds for Invisible Children
10. University of San Diego(USD)
11. combined his desire to complete a long bike ride before entering college
12. unknown
13. Aug. 31
14. on his bicycle
15. Aug. 31
16. between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
17. Astoria, Ore
18. 1,450 miles
19. Yes
20. Kyle Sharp