Link Thins

One of the world's most important inventions was 'born' in March 1989 and is celebrating its 30th birthday. Read the article to find out what it is. Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises. Thirty years ago, this website and any other websites were impossible to imagine. Some people had computers in their homes, but they didn't use them for much. Maybe they just used them to play games or type letters to print out and send by post. But, in 1989, a British computer scientist called Tim Berners-Lee changed everything and one of the modern world's greatest inventions was born: the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web vs. the internet Now, let's make sure you're not confused about something. We're not talking about the beginning of the internet itself. Most people use the words internet and web as if they're the same thing. But, in fact, the internet is much older than the web, and they're...

The life of trees

Trees have always fascinated people. They are the biggest living things on our planet and one of the most beautiful. Trees appear in many religions and have inspired artists for thousands of years. Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercise. When I was a child I read a science fiction story that made me think about trees in a new way. In the story, visitors from an advanced civilisation come to our planet and their spaceship lands in the middle of a forest. The aliens have a long conversation with the trees of the forest and then leave again, happy to think that the inhabitants of Earth are noble, intelligent and peaceful. Trees have always fascinated people. They are the biggest living things on our planet and one of the most beautiful. Trees appear in many religions and have inspired artists for thousands of years. The oldest trees Trees are also the oldest living organisms on earth. They are a direct link with thousands of years of...

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. We explore some of the reasons why there are fewer girls and women interested in working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and what's happening to encourage equality in these fields. Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises. In 2016, the UN declared 11 February as International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The main reason for this declaration was to encourage more girls and women to take up jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (also known as the STEM subjects). Figures show that although there is no significant difference in ability between boys and girls in maths and science, less than 35 per cent of graduates in STEM subjects worldwide are women and there are even fewer in engineering and information technology. Why is it important to involve more women and girls in science? When one group o...

festival of colours

Holi is sometimes called the festival of colours. Find out more about this very special springtime festival in this article. Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercise. What is Holi and why is it celebrated? Holi is an ancient Hindu festival that originated in India and Nepal and is now celebrated in many places around the world. The date changes each year depending on the full moon, but it is held some time between the end of February and the middle of March, and lasts a night and a day. It also represents the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. An important part of the celebration is forgiving anyone who has upset you and repairing any broken relationships. Holi is sometimes called the festival of colours. What happens on Holika Dahan? The festivities start the night before Holi, which is called Holika Dahan. People build bonfires which represent good winning over evil and the end of winter. They perform rituals around the...

World Water Day

World Water Day, 22 March, draws attention to the essential role of water in our lives, the difficulties people face in getting it and solutions to these problems. Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises. Water is vital. Between 55 and 60 per cent of the adult body is made of it and every living cell needs it to keep functioning. In normal conditions, the human body can only survive three or four days without water. We need water to stay alive, yet there are billions of people all over the world who do not have access to safe drinking water. World Water Day The first World Water Day was celebrated in 1993. It was first proposed at the United Nations (UN) conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and has been celebrated annually on 22 March since then. Every year the UN releases its World Water Development Report on or around this date. Each year has a different theme, looking at things like the role of clean ...

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