Questions for discussion
Episode 6
12th March 2013
Marginal Seats
1. Where in Australia have the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader been spending a lot of their
time recently?
2. Why are they focusing their attention on this area?
3. How many electorates are there in Australia?
4. Complete this sentence. Each electorate has its own seat in _______________.
5. Name one major Australian political party.
6. What is the difference between a safe seat and a marginal seat?
7. How might a marginal seat affect the result of an election?
8. What do you understand more clearly since watching the Marginal Seats story?
9. Find out what electorate your school is in. Is it a safe seat or a marginal seat?
10. Illustrate an aspect of this story.
Get voting, school elections made easy. http://education.aec.gov.au/getvoting/
Does your school hold elections? Get Voting provides all the tools and information needed to run an
easy, fair and fun election. You can also order election equipment like ballot boxes and election official
badges. You can even request an election expert visit your school to conduct the election.
Recycling Canned
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Write a brief outline for the Recycling Canned story.
Where does rubbish end up if it is not recycled?
What is a container deposit scheme?
What are the benefits of the container deposit scheme?
Which state in Australia has adopted the container deposit scheme?
How many drink containers are recycled in South Australia each year?
a. 590
b. 590 thousand
c. 590 million
Why did companies like Coca-Cola decide to take legal action against the Northern Territory scheme?
What was the outcome of the legal action?
What else do you think could be done to encourage the recycling of soft drink cans and other
containers?
Investigate how your school recycles. What improvements could be made?
Test your knowledge in the Recycling Canned BtN quiz. Go to the BtN website and follow the links.
Should all states have a container deposit scheme? Have your say on the BtN online poll. To vote head
to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm.
Fluoride Water
1. Discuss the issues raised in the Fluoride Water story as a class.
2. Complete this sentence. Fluoride is a natural ____________.
©ABC 2013
3.
4.
5.
6.
How does fluoride help look after our teeth?
What country was the first to add fluoride to its water supply?
Describe the process of how fluoride is added to our water supply.
What organisation says that adding fluoride to water has been one of the best things for improving
public health?
7. Why are some people against the government putting fluoride in our water supply?
8. Where in Australia are they going to remove fluoride from their water supply?
9. What do you understand more clearly since watching the BtN story?
10. Hold you own classroom mini debate about fluoride. A possible debate statement could be “fluoride
should be added to our water supply nationwide”.
Post a message on the comments page on the Behind the News Fluoride Water story. Go to the BtN
website and follow the links http://www.abc.net.au/btn/
Shakespeare in School
1. Before watching Shakespeare in School, predict what the story is going to be about.
2. What are the kids in the story learning about?
3. Learning about the playwright William Shakespeare is usually something kids do in high school. True
or false?
4. Why is Shakespeare’s writing difficult to understand?
5. List 3 words invented by William Shakespeare.
6. Name one of William Shakespeare’s plays.
7. Think of three adjectives to describe the work of William Shakespeare.
8. Hold your own classroom poll. Do you think kids in primary schools should learn about the language of
Shakespeare? Explain your answer.
9. Why do you think BtN reported on this story?
10. How has your thinking changed since watching the Shakespeare in School story?
Watch the History of English to find out more about William Shakespeare and how he has contributed to
the English language. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkuUADWW2A.
Monster Trucks
1. Discuss the Monster Trucks story with another student.
2. How old is Jackson?
3. How did he get involved in monster trucks?
4. What are some of the differences between a monster truck and a standard four-wheel drive?
5. What was the name of the first monster truck?
6. What year was it invented?
7. Where does Jackson go each year to check out the competition?
8. Monster trucks are more dangerous than other motorsports. True or false?
9. Describe the monster trucks seen in the Monster Trucks story.
10. Illustrate an aspect of the Monster Trucks story.
Post a message on the comments page on the Behind the News Monster Trucks story. Go to the BtN
website and follow the links http://www.abc.net.au/btn/
©ABC 2013
Episode 6
12th March 2013
Activity
Marginal Seats
Key Learning
Students will learn about the language used in politics and government. Students will further investigate
marginal seats in the context of Federal Parliament.
The Australian Curriculum > English / Language / Language variation and change
Content description
Understand that languages have different written and visual communication
systems, different oral traditions and different ways of constructing meaning.
Code ACELA1475
General capabilities
Intercultural understanding
Critical and creative thinking
The Australian Curriculum > English / Language / Expressing and developing ideas
Content description
Incorporate new vocabulary from a range of sources into students’ own texts
including vocabulary encountered in research. Code ACELA1498
General capabilities
Literacy
Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning,
and know that words can have different meanings in different contexts. Code
ACELA1512
The Australian Curriculum > English / Literacy / Interacting with others
Content description
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes
incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements.
Code ACELY1700, ACELY1710
General capabilities
Literacy
Personal and social capability
Information and communication
technology capability
Critical and creative thinking
Focus Questions
1. Where in Australia have the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader been spending a lot of their time
recently?
2. Why are they focusing their attention on this area?
3. How many electorates are there in Australia?
4. Complete this sentence. Each electorate has its own seat in _______________.
5. Name one major Australian political party.
6. What is the difference between a safe seat and a marginal seat?
7. How might a marginal seat affect the result of an election?
8. What do you understand more clearly since watching the Marginal Seats story?
9. Find out what electorate your school is in. Is it a safe seat or a marginal seat?
10. Illustrate an aspect of this story.
©ABC 2013
Activities
Remember and understand – the language of politics

Write down everything you learnt about marginal seats watching the BtN story.

Define the terms marginal seat and safe seat in the context of Federal Parliament. Explain the
difference between a marginal seat and safe seat.
o

What other meanings do these words have in different contexts? Make sentences to
highlight how these words can be used in a different context.
Download the full transcript from the Marginal Seats BtN story page. Highlight all the words that relate
to marginal seats and politics in general. Circle any unfamiliar words. Create your own classroom
glossary of words with explanations.
o
Refer to the PEO Parliamentary Glossary for meanings and sentence examples.
http://www.peo.gov.au/students/gloss.html
Apply and analyse – discover who represents you

Name the different electorates in the city or region you live in. Go to the Australian Electoral
Commission website to search for electorates around Australia http://apps.aec.gov.au/esearch/
o Create a profile and map of the federal electorate in your city/region.
http://www.aec.gov.au/Electorates/maps.htm

What electorate is your school in?
o Who is the current member for this federal electorate?
o What party do they represent?
o Can you find out who else is ‘running’ for this electorate?
o Is it a safe or marginal seat?
Evaluate and create – imagine you are a politician

Imagine you are a politician running for your local federal electorate.
o
©ABC 2013
What issues are important to you? Some topics to consider include school community,
sustainability and the environment, sport, bullying etc.
o
o
o

What makes a good leader? What are your values?
Prepare a 2 minute speech to present to the community and convince voters to elect you to
parliament.
Design a poster for your election campaign
Consider becoming a school representative on your SRC or School Parliament. For more
information on SRCs visit this website.
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/studentsupport/studleadsrc/index.php
Further Investigation
Get voting, school elections made easy. http://education.aec.gov.au/getvoting/
Does your school hold elections? Get Voting provides all the tools and information
needed to run an easy, fair and fun election. You can also order election
equipment like ballot boxes and election official badges. You can even request an
election expert visit your school to conduct the election.
 Related Research Links
ABC 7.30 – Prime Minister hits Western Sydney battleground
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3703206.htm
ABC News – Go west: PM canvasses key election seats
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-26/go-west-pm-canvasses-key-election-seats/4541590
Discovering Democracy Units – Key Terms
http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/ddunits/key/keyterms_units.htm
Parliamentary Education Office – Parliamentary Glossary
http://www.peo.gov.au/students/gloss.html
Parliamentary Education Office – Educating schools, teachers and students about parliament
http://www.peo.gov.au/index.html
Parliamentary Education Office – Kid View: Parliament in Focus
http://www.peo.gov.au/kidsview/menu.html
Parliamentary Education Office – Parliament and Governance: Quick Answers
http://www.peo.gov.au/quick-answers/parliament-governance.html
Australian Electorate Commission – Find my electorate
http://apps.aec.gov.au/esearch/
©ABC 2013
Episode 6
12th March 2013
Activity
Shakespeare in School
Key Learning
Students will develop a deeper understanding of the life and work of William Shakespeare.
The Australian Curriculum > English / Language / Language variation and change
Content description
Understand that the pronunciation, spelling and meanings of words
have histories and change over time. Code ACELA1500
General capabilities
Literacy
Intercultural understanding
The Australian Curriculum > History / Historical skills / Explanation and communication
Content description
Develop texts, particularly narratives. Code ACHHS070,
ACHHS086
General capabilities
Literacy
Develop texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which
incorporate source materials. Code ACHHS124
Focus Questions
1. Before watching Shakespeare in School, predict what the story is going to be about.
2. What are the kids in the story learning about?
3. Learning about the playwright William Shakespeare is usually something kids do in high school. True or
false?
4. Why is Shakespeare’s writing difficult to understand?
5. List 3 words invented by William Shakespeare.
6. Name one of William Shakespeare’s plays.
7. Think of three adjectives to describe the work of William Shakespeare.
8. Hold your own classroom poll. Do you think kids in primary schools should learn about the language of
Shakespeare? Explain your answer.
9. Why do you think BtN reported on this story?
10. How has your thinking changed since watching the Shakespeare in School story?
Activities
Playing with words
Did you know that William Shakespeare is given credit for introducing nearly 2,000 words into the English
language? Check out these words that we still use today.
©ABC 2013
alligator
hoodwinked
mimic
critical
jaded
obscene
eyeball
laughingstock
puke
frugal
luggage
skim milk
gloomy
majestic
zany
Ask students to write what they think is the meaning of each word (including unfamiliar words). Swap
definitions with a partner and ask them to add to or change the definition. Check these against the dictionary
definition.
Further activities for students:
 Make your own word search
 Use these words in your own sentences
 Create a rap using these words
As a class watch this fun animation on The History of English to find out more about Shakespeare and how
he has influenced the English language. List the words in the animation that were invented by Shakespeare.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkuUADWW2A
Who is Shakespeare? – create a biography
Students will develop a biography on William Shakespeare. Establish what students already know about
William Shakespeare. What sort of information is included in a biography? What does a biography tell us
about a person?
The following website has examples of biographies for students to look at
http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/cce/contemporary_gallery,14538.html
The following plan provides a guide for students when writing a biography.
 Research
 Set a direction for your biography
 Create a plan
 Start writing
 Edit
For a more detailed plan download this pdf document. http://planningwithkids.com/wp-content/2012/06/PWKHow-to-write-a-Biography-v1.0.pdf
©ABC 2013
Here are some question ideas to start your research:
 Why is William Shakespeare famous?
 What are some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays?
 When was he born and when did he die?
 What was his nationality?
 Who did he marry and did he have any children?
 Describe the language that Shakespeare used in his plays.
 Describe the period in which William Shakespeare lived.
 What impact has Shakespeare had on the English language?
 Create a timeline – highlight important events that occurred during William Shakespeare’s life on a
timeline. Include some other key or interesting events that occurred during the same time. For
example, did you know that pencils were invented about the time Shakespeare was born?
Encourage students to present their research using maps, timelines, drawings and photographs in an
interesting way, for example using:



Prezi http://prezi.com/index/
Glogster http://www.glogster.com/
Bio Cube Creator http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/cube_creator/
Remind students that they will need to cite all references in a bibliography at the end of their biography.
Further Investigation
Create a portrait of William Shakespeare. Encourage students to explore and experiment with different
techniques and media to produce their portrait. These could include painting, drawing, photography, collage
or mixed media.
 Related Research Links
ABC News – Shakespeare to become part of life for primary as well as secondary schools
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-28/shakespeare-to-become-part-of-life-for-primary-as/4546114
Behind the News – Shakespeare in School
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3208642.htm
CBBC Newsround – Who is Shakespeare?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/showbiz/shakespeare/newsid_3539000/3539058.stm
BBC History – William Shakespeare
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/shakespeare_william.shtml
BBC Primary History: Famous People – William Shakespeare
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/famouspeople/william_shakespeare/
BBC Bitesize – Rome and Juliet
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/english/shakespeare_summaries/romeo_juliet/revision/1/
YouTube – Animated Shakespeare for kids
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8B976DA09DC11FE3
YouTube – Shakespeare: The History of English
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMkuUADWW2A
©ABC 2013
BtN: Episode 6 Transcript 12/3/13
On this week's Behind the News

Find out why a new recycling scheme was canned, even before it had begun.

We look at fluoride it protects your teeth, so why are some Aussie towns removing it
from drinking water?

And Shakespeare in school why some primary schools are now learning about his
plays.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News. Also on the show today we check out
some monster trucks and find out more about these amazing machines. But first.
Marginal Seats
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: The leaders of our two main political parties have already started campaigning
ahead of the next election. Most of their time has been spent talking to voters in Western
Sydney. So, if they want the whole of Australia to vote for them, why are they
concentrating on just a few areas? Sarah looks at the importance of marginal seats.
With a whole country to govern and an election coming up, you'd think it'd be pretty hard
to track down the Prime Minister right now.
Let’s see where she was last Monday.
Ah, there she is, in Sydney's Western suburbs.
Giving some speeches, meeting some locals. Good for her!
Let’s try Tuesday
Ah ha. Western Sydney again. Fair enough, lots of suburbs to visit out here.
Let’s skip to Friday where was she then?
Western Sydney.
©ABC 2013
Well, what about the opposition leader? Which part of the country was he focussing on?
Ah ha.
So what is it about this area that's captured the attention of Australia's top politicians?
Well there's a lot of people. Almost 2 million live there, that's almost 1 in 11 Australians.
And there are some big issues that need addressing, like transport and employment and
crime.
But its recent popularity might also have to do with the fact that there are marginal
electorates here. Yeah I know, boring political term, but it's kind of an important one, so to
help explain, here's a year 6 class.
This is an electorate. Ok, it's not really. This is an electorate. Australia's divided up into 150
of them and there's about 95 thousand voters in each. Each electorate has its own seat in
Parliament. And these guys get to vote who sits in it, to represent all of their concerns.
These are the contenders for the seat; the politicians. They usually belong to politician
parties, like Labor and the Liberals and the Greens and so on, but for now let’s call them
red and blue and green and yellow.
Now, in some electorates, many people tend to vote for the same party. There's a few
reasons for that. They might have similar jobs or similar wages and similar points of view
on big issues. These electorates are called safe because the politician from this party will
almost always win the seat.
The really safe seats are where political parties tend to put their VIPs; the Tony Abbots and
the Julia Gillards and the Wayne Swans and the Julie Bishops, because if they lost their
seats they'd also lose their jobs.
In some electorates it's harder to tell who'll win. There might be a bigger mix of jobs and
wages and opinions. And there might be more people willing to change their mind on
which party they prefer. These are the marginal seats. The person sitting here might be in
parliament for now, but if just a few people vote for the other side she could be out.
In western Sydney there are some very marginal seats. They're held by Labor at the
moment but if less than 10% of people change their minds they'll change to Liberal. In an
election the seats held by each party will be added up and whoever has the most will get to
lead the country. At the moment the numbers are really close.
So both parties are trying really hard to win as much support as possible. Some say that's
not a bad thing, because the marginal seats in Western Sydney have forced politicians to
pay attention to the problems there. But there's a big country out there expecting big
things from its leaders, so we'll have to wait and see whether winning over Sydney's west
helps to win the election.
©ABC 2013
The Wire
Let's see what else is making the news. Here's Alfie with the Wire.
It's been a busy several days in state politics across Australia.
Victoria has a new Premier with Denis Napthine taking over the top job. He steps into the
role, after Ted Baillieu decided to resign following leadership pressure. While over in the
west Colin Barnett is staying on as the Premier of Western Australia. He was re-elected at a
state election on the weekend.
****
The United Nations has voted on tough new sanctions to stop North Korea and its nuclear
weapons program.
It includes a crackdown on money transfers, which could be used to support the program.
The sanctions have angered the country which is threatening to fire long-ranged missiles at
the US.
****
And hundreds of Australian students have taken part in the World Education Games in
Sydney. They competed against kids from more than 200 countries through the Internet.
There was a title for literacy world champion.
`Three, two, one, yay!’
There were also competitions for maths and science.
`I only got one thing wrong.’
`I got all of them right except the one that was hard.’
The top students received gold medals while money raised went to a charity.
Recycling Canned
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Why would someone take a recycling scheme to court? That's what happened in
the Northern Territory last week. A soft drink company challenged a new law that said
people would be paid 10 cents for every drink container they recycled. There's a similar
scheme in South Australia so why wasn't this one allowed? Let's take a look.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Rubbish, according to the dictionary, is "a material that
is considered unimportant or valueless".
©ABC 2013
But take a look in this bin and you might be surprised at how much value is really there.
NATHAN: Well only if you live in South Australia. Because all of these containers were
bought in SA, they're worth ten cents if recycled. You might have noticed that on the label
before.
All you do is collect them up and take them somewhere like this. But they don't just accept
any recyclable rubbish. Only bottles, cans and cartons of the size people are likely to carry
are worth ten cents. That's because they are the containers most likely to end up on the
streets as litter. From here they sort them out into different types, count them and give you
the cash.
NATHAN: Woo $3.80! Thanks!
Once recycled, the containers can be processed and then re-used in other products, whilst
also reducing the amount of litter laying around or ending up as landfill. All up, South
Aussies recycle around 590 million drink containers a year, which is about 80 percent of
the total number sold in shops.
Other states only manage about half that. That's led the government here and
environmental groups, to label the scheme a big success. Last year, the Northern Territory
decided to get in on the act too. So they passed their own container deposit scheme laws.
GRAB: You'll now not throw this away, you'll get ten cents for it.
These guys are using it to save up for video games. Every can and bottle is a step closer to
their favourites. Well it was. Because after only one year, the Northern Territory's scheme
has already been thrown out. But why, when SA's is still going strong?
Well soft drink companies like Coca Cola decided to take legal action against the Northern
Territory scheme. Their argument was that it was like a green tax, because they had to put
the price of their products up to cover the refund. But they say they had to put it up much
more than 10cents to cover admin and collection costs.
And that it was making customers angry.
SHOPKEEPER: People walked out, 'We're not paying that!'
They also said the system wasn't as efficient and South Australia's, so it wasn't worth the
time or effort. Many Territorians disagreed with them though. They said the soft drink
companies had made the system inefficient on purpose, as they have a part in running it.
The reason, they said, was because it would cost them money, so they wanted it gone.
Ads were even made to plead their case. But in the end, it was only the court's decision that
mattered. And even though South Australia has a similar scheme, the Territory's was ruled
out. So where to now for Territorians wanting cash for cans?
©ABC 2013
Well while the program has been canned for now, some have vowed to fight for its return.
In fact, some say they won't stop until it's brought in nationwide. But what do you think
about it?
Online Poll
OK let's make that our poll this week.
The question is:
Should all states have a container deposit scheme?
To vote just head to our website.
Fluoride Water
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: For years fluoride has been added to water because it helps to prevent tooth
decay. Most people regard it as an important public health breakthrough. But some
councils in Queensland have been voting to remove it from their water supply. Tash looks
at why.
NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: For a long time, toothpaste companies have done a lot of
research into the best ways of looking after our teeth. One of these ways is to use fluoride!
Fluoride is a natural mineral. It's a bit like a repair kit for teeth. While your teeth are
growing, fluoride mixes with the top layer of your teeth called enamel to strengthen them.
Fluoride has been proven to help prevent tooth decay.
Around the 1940s, the US became the first country to add fluoride to its water. Scientists
discovered that kids who drank water with fluoride were showing fewer cavities, than those
who drank water without it. Several years later, parts of Australia started adding fluoride to
their water as well. Now, around 70 percent of the country has drinking water with added
fluoride.
That's done at water treatment plants like this. Fluoride is stored in a tank and it's slowly
added to the water supply through these pumps.
REPORTER: And how much fluoride are we talking about that goes into the water?
ROB DOWLING, SA WATER: A tiny, tiny bit. It's very, very small. It's one gram for every
tonne of water, so if you picture a paperclip and how much that weighs versus a tonne of
water. That's a cube, a metre wide by a metre deep by a metre high and that's a tonne of
water so we put the equivalent of what this paperclip weighs into that amount of water.
Computers make sure the exact amount of fluoride is added.
©ABC 2013
ROB: These numbers up here show you the rate at which we're dosing the fluoride. This is
what's required to dose, that number there the point-nine-one, the point-six is what we're
actually dosing and the difference is the level of fluoride in the storage, the reservoir.
The World Health Organisation says that adding fluoride to water has been one of the best
things for improving public health and that's backed up by pretty much every major health
organisation. But there are some people who disagree. They think fluoride could cause
other health problems. And say people should be allowed to choose if they want it added to
tap water.
It's a hot topic in Queensland at the moment. Last year, a new state government took over
and chose to let local councils decide if they wanted to take fluoride out of the water.
Several councils have already decided that they want to get rid of it.
JAMES HOUGHTON, COUNCILLOR: When in doubt anyway, leave out. When in doubt,
leave out.
But most of the leading scientists think adding fluoride to water is a no-brainer. They say
without it people's dental bills will go up, as people's teeth get worse.
DR MICHAEL FOLEY, BRISBANE DENTAL HOSPITAL: Fluoride is a winner. People in,
who come up from other states look at us and shake their heads and say "What, you don't
have fluoride in the water?" or "Haven't you always had fluoride in the water?" Well, no we
haven't.
For the people living there, it's a debate that's going to continue to run.
Quiz 1
Time for the first quiz of the show.
The question is:
Which of these words is another name for a child's first set of teeth?
Perennial
Deciduous
Cuspid
Answer: Deciduous
Deciduous is also the name given to trees that lose their leaves.
©ABC 2013
Shakespeare in School
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Learning about the playwright William Shakespeare is usually something kids
do in high school. But now his works are being studied in some primary schools too. So
who is Shakespeare and why is it important for kids to study him?
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: Shakespearian language is a bit hard to get your head
around, so it's lucky it's not on the news each night.
In fact, it doesn't appear much at all these days, except on the stage.
ACTOR 1: "To take't again perforce, Monster ingratitude!"
ACTOR 2: "If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before thy
time."
ACTOR 2: "taste as like this as a crab does to a crab."
But while you might not have much of an idea what's going on here, that doesn't mean the
stories behind the words aren't worth knowing.
And soon, you'll be able to learn about them without one 'thy' or 'thee' to be heard!
TEACHER: So here's the story! You love Demitrius, Demetrius loves Hermia, Hermia loves
Lysander, Lysander hates Demetrius because you love her. Oh there's a lot of stuff going on
here!
Welcome to Shakespeare, primary school style.
It involves funny hats and acting lessons on the fly.
TEACHER: I want you to march through and stand in front of your friend, giving us a bit of
anger. Yes! Round of applause! Good anger good anger!
The aim of these lessons are to have fun.
And if while having fun, you remember bits of William Shakespeare's most famous plays,
then it's a bonus!
TEACHER: Initially you go in thinking Shakespeare will be a hard sell, but I've never found
that to be the case, especially amongst primary schoolers.
STUDENT: Yeah it's really fun getting to act and play.
STUDENT: It is fun learning about the Shakespearian and thinking that there has been a
thousand words coming from one person.
©ABC 2013
Actually, William Shakespeare invented closer to 1700 words, give or take. Words like
assassination, aerial, bedroom, bump, countless, excitement, gossip, lacklustre,
quarrelsome and watchdog all came from him. But his appeal isn't just about new words,
it's about how he used them. William Shakespeare's works are widely regarded as some of
the best ever! But his writing style can still be a bit tricky!
STUDENT: Well now we wouldn't be going like 'get thy breakfast!' You wouldn't be going
like that around the house.
STUDENT: They are very hard in the ways that he wrote it, but once you get to understand
the language he wrote in his plays it’s actually quite easy and you get easier to learn about
him.
But with the difficult language taken away, like in these workshops, all that's left are the
amazing stories. Although not all actors seem to agree on the direction they should take.
STUDENT: I don't like the guy I'm supposed to marry!
TEACHER: No you certainly don't! But guess what? He likes you! He likes you a lot!
STUDENT 2: No I don't!
So even Shakespeare couldn't please 'em all, although to be fair, he came really, really
close.
Quiz 2
Ok, let's have another quiz.
The question is:
William Shakespeare's wife shares her name with which famous actress?
Anne Hathaway
Keira Knightley
Kate Winslet
Answer: Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress at this years Oscars, not Shakespeare's wife,
obviously!
OK, let's get the sports headlines now. Here's Sarah with the Score.
©ABC 2013
The Score
The Cronulla sharks won their first game of the season at home against the Titans.
But off the field there was little to celebrate.
New allegations hit the papers that players had taken drugs meant for horses.
And the team says it doesn't know if the 14 players involved in the doping scandal will be
allowed to continue their season
The Shark's coach and four other staff members were sacked last week.
****
18-year old Tyler Wright has beaten some of the world's top surfers on the Gold Coast in
the first world tour of the season. It was a dramatic finish - Tyler was point five six of a
point behind fellow Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons with less than a minute to go when she rode
this wave to victory.
WRIGHT: I'm speechless right now. I'm such up and down season last year and I can't
believe it.
The men's competition was delayed after the second round because of bad conditions.
****
Bendigo Spirit are celebrating their first ever WNBL Championship after beating
Townsville Fire by 14 points.
Kristi Harrower: "You sacrifice so much over the years, nothing that I regret, but this is
such an unbelievable feeling and it's so good for our Bendigo community and this team."
Kelsey Griffin, who join the Spirit from the USA mid-way through the season, was the
team's most valuable player with 20 point s and 11 rebounds.
****
And finally, a furry animal called a Marten disrupted a soccer game in Switzerland
Eventually a player managed to grab it with an impressive diving catch. Only problem he
got a bite for his trouble. It bit the goalie as well but both the players and the marten were
ok in the end.
©ABC 2013
Monster Trucks
Reporter: Emma Davis
INTRO: Now, if you're a bit of a petrol head then you're going to love this next story. It's
about a kid who's looking to follow in his Dad's footsteps by getting into monster trucks.
Emma went to meet him.
When your dad goes for a drive, does it look like this? Probably not! For most kids just
getting a glimpse of these big bad machines is a treat. But for 10-year-old Jackson,
monster trucks are the family business. Jackson's dad has been driving monster trucks for
decades and sometimes he gets to go for a ride.
Monster trucks are sort of like a bigger version of the average four wheel drive. They've got
extra big tyres and all sorts of interior modifications. To make a big impact when they
perform awesome tricks!
REPORTER: They're a lot different to normal car wheels right?
JACKSON: Yeah.
REPORTER: So how are they different?
JACKSON: Umm well very stronger, because they can crush cars and that, umm the metal
parts I think are different.
REPORTER: Do they pop easy like a normal tyre?
JACKSON: Uh yeah if they go high and bounce hard enough they can pop."
It all started back in 1979, when an American man took his ordinary ute and added some
really big tyres. He called it Bigfoot! Bigfoot became so popular that other people built
their own monster trucks and a new sport was born. Over the years the design of the trucks
changed.
To do new tricks and crush new things. And now it's a huge industry with millions of fans
worldwide! Jackson goes to the United States every year with his family to check out the
competition.
JACKSON: We go to America to see them they smash them up there.
REPORTER: So is that a bit different to here?
JACKSON: Yeah it's pretty different to here.
REPORTER: Why is it different?
JACKSON: Here they don't really like smash them up they more like drive and race and
that."
©ABC 2013
There's a good reason for that. Monster trucks are really expensive. It costs more than two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars to buy one! And if something happens, spare parts
aren't cheap. Most of these have to be imported from overseas.
So you can see why they don't like smashing them up too much. And while it might look
pretty dangerous, there are serious safety precautions to make sure no-one gets hurt.
MATTHEW, Fire and Rescue Crew: We're here for the crash rescue side of things, if
something happens to go astray with one of the vehicles, if they happen to roll over, they
may ignite they may get hurt, it's our job to get them out."
But the safety guys say of all the motorsports they've worked on, Monster Trucks are
amongst the safest. That's reassuring, because after getting a full tour from Jackson.
It was my turn. There were a few last minute safety checks and I had to be strapped in then
we were off!
Jackson still has six more years until he can take the steering wheel but, as first cars go,
this looks like a pretty awesome ride!
Closer
And there's some more cool monster truck stuff on the BtN website
Check it out. That's it for the show. I'll see you next time.
©ABC 2013