247 items in this section. Displaying page 12 of 25
Q is for Queue and not Queen any more
July 22: Ever found your school uniform displayed on the pages of your textbook? Well, students of schools run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), did. In a colourful English primer brought out by MCD a few days ago. It is called ‘My First Book’, says a report in ‘The Times of India’. These students saw a picture of their school-uniform, telling them what the alphabet U stands for. Unlike other primers showing the boring old umbrella....
Do Computer Games Make You Violent?
August 12: Four children aged four and five were suspended from their nursery school in New Jersey, US, for using their fingers for guns in a game of cops and robbers. The children were heard shouting ‘I shot you’ and ‘Boom, boom’ during break time. Do Computer Games Make You Violent? [Illustration by Kusum Chamoli] “It may be just a game …but it can be taken differently by other children,” said school principal, Georgia Baumann....
To Russia with Love?
To Russia with Love? [Illustration by Shiju George] November 25: Meet Tinky-Vinky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. They are the Russian version of characters in Teletubbies, the British television series for toddlers. The four made an eagerly awaited debut amidst great hype and hoopla in Moscow. Their audience – 3,500 enthusiastic children. The 365-episode series is not known as Teletubbies in Russia but by their Russian name Telepuziki or Telebellies. And they are going to be beamed into Russian homes by the state-run television, RTR, says an article in the ‘Indian Express’....
Acting Colour Blind?
October 6: England’s world-famous Royal Shakespeare Company has made a break with tradition. It has cast a black Nigerian actor, David Oyelowo, in the lead role of Henry VI, whose insanity unleashed a 30-year bloody civil war between two ruling parties, called the War of the Roses. Acting Colour Blind? [Illustration by Anup Singh] The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is one of the oldest and most prestigious theatre companies of the world....
His Master's Voice
Over seventy years ago, a 15-year-old boy recorded an anthem, ‘His Master’s Voice’. He never recorded another song after that but the enduring appeal of the song ensured the immortality of the composer to be etched in memory forever. ‘His Master’s Voice’ went on to become an instant hit. Did the boy then go on to make a lot of money in record deals? No. Unfortunately, it was not so easy to become rich then. No matter how talented one may be....
History was Made Here
November 4: It is a dirty and dimly-lit room, located on the first floor of the government-run JJ Hospital at Byculla, Mumbai. It includes a table, a chair and pieces of equipment occasionally used by the hospital staff, and is used as a safe refuge by tired employees looking for a quiet corner to doze off. History was made over a hundred years ago in this room, when a German bacteriologist called Robert Koch discovered the vaccine against the tuberculosis and cholera bacteria, in it....
A Problem, Naturally!
April 4: On April 1 or Fool’s Day, India’s capital, New Delhi, wore a deserted look. There were no public vehicles on the road. According to a Supreme Court decision passed two years ago, they were required to run on compressed natural gas or CNG, to ease the terrible pollution levels in the city. For two years, two successive Delhi governments slept through the deadline, not bothering to create a system that would make the transition easy....
The Fossil Tree
December 27: Which are the oldest living trees in the world? You might think it’s those huge redwood trees, called giant sequoias, dating 4000 years. Not true. How about the Wollemi Pine? Yes, you’re getting there. But the answer is the Nightcap Oak, which was discovered recently. This oldest tree is 90 million years old. The Nightcap Oak has been identified as a living fossil. It dates back to millions of years and was thought to have died out....
The Adventures of Clifford
The Adventures of Clifford [] Clifford the Small Red Puppy Clifford Grows Up Clifford takes a Trip Written by Norman Birdwell Pictures by Norman Birdwell Published by Scholastic Inc. Ltd. The three charming picture-books tell the story of the reddest, biggest dog in America, Clifford. Clifford the Small Puppy is the story of Clifford, the tiniest puppy who grows up to be the largest dog ever seen. He belongs to the kindly Emily Elizabeth, who loves him dearly....
Pushed to the Edge
December 27: Leslie Readwin of Britain is in India with a purpose. She wants to see the famous tigers of the Corbett National Park, which nestles at the foot of the Indian Himalayas. The 80 year old is very keen to meet the majestic cats in their natural surroundings. But she might have to return without seeing even one. The tiger is dying out at Corbett, a Park that was created with the very aim of preserving the region’s tigers....