INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
31st March, 2020 EDITION 13
Dear Readers,
In this issue of Learn the News, we visit:
The following countries and
feature articles.
Japan, where the the 2020
Olympics will be held in 2021.
Read
New Date For The Tokyo
Olympics.
Two
China, where the coronavirus
crisis is dying down;
China On The Road To
Recovery.
Four
Liberia, whose former
president says the fight
against Covid-19 is
everybody’s fight;
Canada, where wheat farmers
are using global warming to
their advantage;
Brazil, where is a delivery
cyclist carries out a muchneeded service; and
Russia, where boats that slide
on ice have been sailing on
the world’s deepest
freshwater lake.
Retired President Offers
Words Of Wisdom.
Seven
Ice Melting Faster Than
Expected.
Ten
Brazil’s Important Delivery
Man.
Sailing On Thick Ice.
Page
Numbers
Thirteen
Fifteen
Please Note:
Some new and difficult words are underlined and explained in the glossary
following each Feature article.
FROM NOW ON, EVERY ISSUE OF LEARN THE NEWS WILL BE ILLUSTRATED BY A CHILD
WHO SUBSCRIBES, OR WHOSE PARENTS OR SCHOOL SUBSCRIBES. THIS WILL BE DONE
ON PRODUCTION DAYS (Mondays) WHEN THE ARTIST/S WILL RECEIVE A DRAFT OF THE
NEXT DAY’S NEWSPAPER TO WORK FROM.
Thank you to homeschooled Chaylin Telford for the illustrations in this issue!
Email me on learnthenews460@gmail.com to request a slot
We look forward to bringing you the news again next week.
Best wishes, Duncan Guy: Editor
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
WORLD NEWS
NEW DATE FOR THE TOKYO
OLYMPICS
There is a new date for the next
Summer Olympic Games.
They were to be held in July and
August this year, in Tokyo, the
capital of Japan. But they will now
be held next year, starting on July
23.
The venue remains the same.
Although the games will be taking
place in 2021, the event will keep
the name “Tokyo 2020”.
The Paralympic Games, for
disabled athletes, will start a month
later.
This is the first time in the onehundred-and-twenty-four year
history of the modern Olympic
Games that they have been
delayed.
The delay is because of the
coronavirus crisis.
Chaylin Telford (10)
The games were, however,
cancelled in 1916 because of World
War 1 and again in 1940 and 1944
because of World War 2.
Quick quiz … In what month will
the 2020 Paralympic Games start in
2021?
Which war had more impact on the
Olympic Games: World War 1 or
World War 2?
31/3/2020
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GLOSSARY
This is the first time
in the one-hundredand-twenty-four year
history of the modern
Olympic Games that
they have been
delayed.
Long ago, in ancient
Greece, there were
Olympic Games. They
were made up of
athletic events and
wrestling. The first
such games were
held in the year 776
BC. In 1896 the first
modern Olympic
Games took place.
They are usually held
every four years.
WORKSHEET
Find words that mean the following in the Word Search:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The country in which the ancient Olympics were held.
The country in which the 2020 Olympics will be held.
The capital city of that country.
An event that involves fighting.
The study of things that happened in the past.
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ANSWERS IN THE OTHER PDF YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR EMAIL
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
ASIA-AUSTRALASIA NEWS
CHINA ON THE ROAD TO
RECOVERY
The number of coronavirus cases
in China has dropped for four days
in a row.
The outbreak of the disease started
in the city of Wuhan, the capital of
Hubei province.
According to reports yesterday,
there had been not a single new
case of Covid-19 in the provincial
capital for six days.
Now, the big job ahead for China’s
government in the national capital,
Beijing, is to get the world’s
second-largest economy working
once again.
At the same time, there is some
worry about new cases of the
coronavirus coming into China
from other countries.
Chaylin Telford (10)
Coronavirus is believed to have
first infected humans at a seafood
market in Wuhan, in December.
Many people around the world
believe that China could have acted
faster to stop the coronavirus from
spreading. But people have also
praised China for fighting it so well.
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The Beijing government was very
strict in the way that it fought the
disease. It remains to be seen
whether other countries, where
citizens are used to more freedom
than people have in China, can
fight the disease as well as China
did.
So far more than eighty thousand
people have tested positive for
Covid-19 in China and there have
been more than three thousand
three hundred fatalities.
Quick quiz … How many
economies in the world are larger
than that of China?
In which year was the coronavirus
first picked up in Wuhan?
GLOSSARY
The number of
coronavirus cases in
China has dropped
for four days in a row.
A coronavirus is a
group of viruses that
are similar to one
another, and cause
diseases that affect
the lungs. Some
viruses, like the one
that broke out in
Wuhan, in China, and
spread around the
world, can be very
dangerous. (A virus
is a very small living
creature that grows
inside the cells of the
bodies of humans
and other creatures,
and can cause them
to suffer diseases.)
According to reports
yesterday, there had
been not a single new
case of Covid-19 in
the provincial capital
for six days.
The type of
coronavirus that is a
threat at the moment
is called Covid-19.
So far more than
eighty thousand
people have tested
positive for Covid-19
in China and there
have been more than
three thousand three
hundred fatalities.
Fatalities are deaths.
31/3/2020
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WORKSHEET
With the help of some research, see if you can match the following
provincial capital cities in China with their provinces:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sichuan.
Jiangsu.
Hunan.
Henan.
Gansu.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Nanjing.
Lanzhou.
Chengdu.
Changsha.
Zhengzhou.
ANSWERS IN THE OTHER PDF YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR EMAIL
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31/3/2020
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
AFRICA NEWS
RETIRED PRESIDENT OFFERS
WORDS OF WISDOM
The first woman ever to become
the president of an African country
had to deal with the problem of a
very contagious and deadly
disease, called Ebola.
She is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and
she was the president of Liberia, in
West Africa, from 2006 to 2018.
She is now retired and living in the
capital, Monrovia.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has written a
letter addressed to “fellow citizens
of the world”.
In it, she says that during the Ebola
crisis in the last two years of her
rule, the world came to her help.
Mistakes were made, but they were
corrected, and Liberia and the
world defeated Ebola together.
She says in her letter that while
countries and individuals are
fighting their own battles against
the coronavirus in their own ways,
the answer lies in everyone fighting
it together. She is pleased to see
that people from different countries
are sharing their knowledge and
equipment to fight it.
Chaylin Telford (10)
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ends her
letter with the words: “As we all
hunker down in the next few
weeks, I pray for the health and
well-being of our global citizens,
and I ask that everyone remember
that our humanity now relies on the
essential truth that a life well-lived
is a life in the service to others.”
Quick quiz … In which two years
did the Ebola crisis strike in Liberia
when Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was
president?
What is the name of the city that
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf would call
home?
31/3/2020
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
GLOSSARY
The first woman ever
to become the
president of an
African country had
to deal with the
problem of a very
contagious and
deadly disease,
called Ebola.
A disease that is
contagious can
spread very easily
from one person to
the next.
She is now retired
and living in the
capital, Monrovia.
People who have
retired have stopped
working because of
their age.
Mistakes were made,
but they were
corrected, and Liberia
and the world
defeated Ebola
together.
Defeated means “won
over”.
She says in her letter
that while countries
and individuals are
fighting their own
battles against the
coronavirus in their
own ways, the
answer lies in
everyone fighting it
together.
A coronavirus is a
group of viruses that
are similar to one
another, and cause
diseases that affect
the lungs. Some
viruses, like the one
that broke out in
Wuhan, in China, and
spread around the
world, can be very
dangerous. (A virus
is a very small living
creature that grows
inside the cells of the
bodies of humans
and other creatures,
and can cause them
to suffer diseases.)
the words: “As we all
hunker down in the
next few weeks, I
pray for the health
and well-being of our
global citizens, and I
ask that everyone
remember that our
humanity now relies
on the essential truth
that a life well-lived is
a life in the service to
others.”
To “hunker down”
means to take
shelter.
Global citizens are
people all over the
world who think of
being like one
another more than
they think of being
different to one
another.
“Humanity” means
“all people on Earth”.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
ends her letter with
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WORKSHEET
State whether the following sentences are true or false:
1. No woman had been president of any country in Africa until Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf took office fourteen years ago.
2. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the president of Libya.
3. Ebola can be fatal.
4. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is still her country’s leader.
5. Liberia is in East Africa.
ANSWERS IN THE OTHER PDF YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR EMAIL
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
ICE MELTING FASTER THAN
EXPECTED
There are many signs of climate
change all over the world.
Glaciers on high mountains have
melted and become smaller, sea
levels are rising, and droughts are
lasting longer.
In the subarctic regions of western
Canada and Russia, ground that
has been frozen for many, many
years is thawing quicker than
scientists thought it would.
As this permafrost thaws, so it is
letting out carbon gases, which
contribute to global warming.
These permafrost areas were once
grasslands where huge animals
that are now extinct, such as
mammoths, once roamed. Many
interesting fossils are now being
found there.
Today, in the Yukon Territory of
northwestern Canada, the warmer
climate has made it possible for
farmers to grow wheat, which they
could not do even five years ago.
Quick quiz … What sign is the sea
giving that climate change is
happening?
Do mammoths still exist?
31/3/2020
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
GLOSSARY
In the subarctic
regions of western
Canada and Russia,
ground that has been
frozen for many,
many years is
thawing quicker than
scientists thought it
would.
The subarctic regions
of the world are those
that are immediately
south of the Arctic
Ocean.
When frozen things
thaw, they become
liquid. (They thaw
because they become
warmer.)
As this permafrost
thaws, so it is letting
out carbon gases,
which contribute to
global warming.
Permafrost is a thick
layer of soil that is
frozen throughout the
year.
These permafrost
areas were once
grasslands where
huge animals that are
now extinct, such as
mammoths, once
roamed.
If an animal, like the
mammoth, is extinct,
it has died out and is
gone forever.
Today, in the Yukon
Territory of
northwestern
Canada, the warmer
climate has made it
possible for farmers
to grow wheat, which
they could not do
even five years ago.
Canada is divided
into ten provinces
and three territories.
The governments of
the provinces are
able to run their own
affairs to a certain
extent, while
territories are more
controlled by the
federal government,
which is the overall
government for the
whole of Canada.
Canada’s other
territories are the
North West
Territories and
Nunavut. The
subarctic region of
Canada falls into
each of these
territories.
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WORKSHEET
With the help of some research, see if you can match where the
following physical features would be found.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
A glacier named after an American journalist and explorer.
A salt lake that gives a name to a city.
A desert to which lion and elephant have adapted.
A swamp in which there are hippo and crocodile.
A mountain range that acts like a wall against weather known as
the monsoon.
Botswana.
Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda.
India, Nepal, China.
Namibia.
United States.
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
BUSINESS NEWS
BRAZIL’S IMPORTANT DELIVERY
MAN
Different countries have different
rules about lockdowns to fight
against the coronavirus.
Most countries allow people who
perform what are called “essential
services” to leave their homes to
carry on working.
In Brazil, people who make
deliveries are considered to
perform essential services. They
take groceries and other important
things to people so that they do not
need to go outside.
One such person is Erik Thiago
who lives in a favela, a poor area of
the country’s largest city, Sao
Paulo. He makes deliveries using
his bicycle. He plans to carry on
doing this work so that he can save
money to survive in case the
coronavirus crisis deteriorates.
In spite of delivery work being an
essential service, it does not earn
Erik Thiago much money. However,
decent clients who are stuck in
their homes during lockdown give
him tips so that he can take a few
more reals home to the favelas.
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Chaylin Telford (10)
He hopes that in the future, the
wealthier people of Sao Paulo will
appreciate the work he does on his
bicycle, and think more highly of
delivery people.
Most of all, he hopes he will not fall
ill from Covid-19 because of
moving around too much.
Quick quiz … What is the largest
city in Brazil?
What are the poor areas of Brazil’s
cities called?
31/3/2020
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© Duncan Guy
GLOSSARY
INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
Different countries
have different rules
about lockdowns to
fight against the
coronavirus.
A coronavirus is a
group of viruses that
are similar to one
another, and cause
diseases that affect
the lungs. Some
viruses, like the one
that broke out in
Wuhan, in China, and
spread around the
world, can be very
dangerous. (A virus
is a very small living
creature that grows
inside the cells of the
bodies of humans
and other creatures,
and can cause them
to suffer diseases.)
One such person is
Erik Thiago who lives
in a favela, a poor
area of the country’s
largest city, Sao
Paulo.
A favela is an
informal settlement,
or slum area, in
Brazil.
He plans to carry on
doing this work so
that he can save
money to survive in
case the coronavirus
crisis deteriorates.
“Deteriorates” means
“becomes worse”.
However, decent
clients who are stuck
in their homes during
lockdown give him
tips so that he can
take a few more reals
home to the favelas.
The money used in
Brazil is called the
real.
Most of all, he hopes
he will not fall ill from
Covid-19 because of
moving around too
much.
The type of
coronavirus that is a
threat at the moment
is called Covid-19.
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WORKSHEET
The aim of lockdowns is to stop the coronavirus from spreading, which
is why people in countries where governments have ordered
lockdowns must stay inside their homes. However, they cannot do this
forever because they need to go out and make a living.
Discuss the issue of lockdowns in your country and other countries
with your friends, family or classmates.
What should a government do when people simply cannot afford
another day of lockdown? Should it end the lockdown, or help people
who are poor and struggling?
Remember, such a discussion or debate can be an opportunity to learn
by hearing opinions that may be different to yours. They do not need to
lead to an argument or a fight!
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
SPORT AND ADVENTURE NEWS
SAILING ON THICK ICE
A big race involving yachts that
sail on ice happened this month.
It was held in Russia, on Lake
Baikal, which is the deepest
freshwater lake in the world.
Nearly eighty sailors from Russia,
the United States, Britain,
Germany, the Netherlands,
Switzerland and Sweden took part.
They took part in a number of
races. Each one of them was over a
distance of two kilometres.
An American called Chris Berger
went home with the Baikal Cup.
The DN Ice Sailing Week was the
last of the big ice yachting regattas
of the season, because ice will
soon start to melt on many lakes all
over the world where ice sailing
takes place.
There were patches of snow on the
surface of the ice, which can make
racing difficult. They are known as
“snow pies”.
Chaylin Telford (10)
Ice-sailing boats can reach speeds
of up to a hundred kilometres an
hour. They have been used in
Russia since the seventeenth
century, mainly for fishing during
the winter.
Quick quiz … Why was the DN Ice
Sailing Week the last race of the
season?
What trophy does the winner of the
DN Ice Sailing Week take home?
31/3/2020
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
GLOSSARY
The DN Ice Sailing
Week was the last of
the big ice yachting
regattas of the
season, because ice
will soon start to melt
on many lakes all
over the world where
ice sailing takes
place.
A regatta is a boat
race.
WORKSHEET
See how many words in English you can make up from the letters in
the words “Lake Baikal”.
ANSWERS IN THE OTHER PDF YOU RECEIVED IN YOUR EMAIL
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31/3/2020
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INFORMATIVE DIGITAL NEWS FOR UPPER PRIMARY AND LOWER SECONDARY
STUDENTS
TODAY IN HISTORY
March 31, 2020
EIFFEL TOWER OPENS (1889)
On this day one hundred and thirtyone years ago, in 1889, the famous
Eiffel Tower was opened in Paris. The
tower was made to be the entrance to
the grounds of a huge fair and named
after the engineer whose company
designed and built it. It is three
hundred and twenty-four metres
high, the same height as the highest
building in Paris. Paris is the capital
city of France.
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE IS
BORN (1921)
On March 31 ninety-nine years ago, in
1921, the Royal Australian Air Force
came into existence. It has taken part
in wars all over the world, including
World War 2, the Vietnam War and
conflicts in Iraq. Next year it will
celebrate its centenary.
EARTHQUAKE DAMAGES CAPITAL
CITY (1931)
On this day eighty-nine years ago, in
1931, there was a huge earthquake in
Managua, the capital city of
Nicaragua, in Central America.
Seventy-one years later, another
earthquake struck, causing harm to
the city and its people.
If it’s your birthday today, you share
it with Cesar Chavez, an American
human rights activist who also
promoted veganism. That is not only
not eating animals but also not eating
anything that animals produce: so, no
eggs and no milk for vegans. Cesar
Chavez was born in 1927 and died in
1993.
Chaylin Telford (10)
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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© Duncan Guy