Busy Beaver

Have you ever heard the saying “as busy as a beaver”? Well, beavers are extremely busy animals. They are best known for building dams. A dam is a wall of branches built across a stream.

Beavers are rodents, small mammals that have teeth for gnawing. Beavers may grow to be 4 feet (1.22 m) long, including their   at, pancake-shaped tails. They are also quite heavy. Beavers may weigh up to 75 pounds (34 kg).

Beavers live along the banks of rivers and streams. There they build their homes. Parts of their homes are under the water. Beaver homes are called lodges.About eight beavers live in one lodge. Lodges are made of sticks, twigs, logs, and mud.

A beaver’s lodge has different sections that are called dens. There is a den for feeding and a den for sleeping. All of the dens are above the water so that the beavers stay dry. Most lodges have two openings that lead to the water.

Beavers also build dams. Dams block the   ow of water in a stream. The water on one side of the stream gets deeper. The beavers build their lodges in the deeper water because the deep water is less likely to freeze. This way beavers can get to their lodges from under the water even in the wintertime.

The beavers line their dams with twigs, leaves, and rocks. The dam is strong enough to slow down the   ow of water in a fast-moving stream.

Dams can also be very big. In fact, beavers have built dams that are hundreds of feet long. So how does a beaver build such a large structure? That’s easy—with its teeth and   at tail.

Beavers are good builders because of their strong body parts. The fi rst thing you might notice about a beaver is its large teeth. The beaver has four front teeth, two on the top and two on the bottom. They are very sharp at the edges.

These teeth make it easy for the beaver to chew down trees and branches. A beaver’s teeth continue to grow throughout its life! They stay the same length because the beaver wears them down by chewing.

Beavers use their tails to help them swim. The tails guide them through the water. Their hind paws are large and webbed, which also helps them swim. Their front paws are like little hands. Beavers dig mud, hold branches, and even comb their fur with their front paws!

Beavers are very social animals. Young beavers stay with their parents until they are about two years old.

To build a dam, beavers must fi rst cut down trees. The beavers hug the trees with their paws, and then they begin to chew. The beaver tilts its head to one side and takes a bite.

The beavers chomp away. Bite by bite, wood chips fall from the tree, and soon the tree falls down. Next, the beavers chew the branches off the tree.

In the stream, beavers lay down sticks and rocks. This will make up the bottom of the dam. Beavers are very strong. They use their paws and bodies to push the trees into the stream. The trees stick into the mud at the bottom of the stream. The tangle of tree branches reels in the rushing water, so the water in the stream begins to slow down.

The beavers build the dam higher and higher. They wind thin strands of wood and leaves among the larger branches, and they pack the dam with stones and mud. Soon the dam reaches across the stream.

 

Sometimes beavers chew down trees far away from a dam. To get the trees to the dam, the beavers dig shallow canals, or long ditches, that fi ll with water from the stream. The beavers push the trees into the canals, and then the trees   oat down to the dam.

Two busy beavers can build a 10-foot (3 m) dam in just a few days! The water on one side of the dam is deep. The deep water protects the beavers from animals that prey on them. Beavers can escape by diving into the deep water.

When fall arrives, beavers store food for winter near their lodges. They will need to spend a lot of time in their lodges to keep warm and safe.

The beavers begin building a lodge by placing sticks, logs, and stones on the bottom of the stream. Next, the beavers begin to carve out little rooms, or dens. They dive underwater. Using their strong teeth, they chew and chomp away. A beaver can hold its breath underwater for fi fteen minutes! Then the beavers spiral up, cutting into the center of the lodge. The beavers work inside the lodge until they are above the water level, and then they create their dens.

After a swim, the beavers dry themselves off in the lower den. They also eat their meals there. Beavers sleep in the upper den. Beavers make their beds out of grass and bits of wood.

To keep the cold out of the lodge, beavers pack the outside with mud. One opening is left at the top of the lodge so that air can get inside. In the winter, the mud freezes. This keeps the air inside the lodge warm.

In winter, the beavers are warm in their lodge. They leave the lodge through the underwater openings to gather their favorite foods, such as tree bark. Then they return to the lodge to eat. Each day, the beavers fi x any holes in their dams.

During the winter, young beavers are born. They are called kits. When springtime comes, the young beavers come out to play.  For the older beavers, spring means it is time to build again. They stay busy all year.

Busy Beaver by Dale Lundberg

By: Unknown On 7:22 PM

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The Country Show

Farmer was getting Goat ready for the country show. Farmer brought him a thick blanket. He brushed Goat’s coat until it was shiny. He fed him spinach.

“I would like a thick blanket,” grumbled Chicken.

“I would like some spinach,” moaned Cow.

“I would like my coat brushed,” groaned Horse.

“I have had enough of your complaining!” said Cat, early one morning. “It’s impossible to get any sleep around here.” The animals looked at Cat in surprise.

“Instead of moaning,” said Cat, “why don’t you do something about it?”

“What can we do?” asked the animals.Cat sighed. “Talk to Farmer,” he continued, “and make him understand why you are unhappy.”

That afternoon, the animals went to the farmhouse. They knocked on Farmer’s door. He could not believe the animals all wanted to be looked after like Goat.

“That’s impossible,” he said. “I don’t have the time.”

The animals went back to the barnyard feeling quite sorry for themselves. Cat listened to them complain again.

“Why don’t you go on strike?” he suggested. “Don’t do anything for Farmer until he does what you want.”

The next day, Farmer went to get the milk from Cow. “No milk?” Farmer exclaimed. “I have no time to make milk,” said Cow.

Then, Farmer went to ride Horse to the market, but Horse wouldn’t move. “No ride today?” he exclaimed.

“I have no time to take you there,” said Horse.

Finally, Farmer went to get eggs from Chicken’s nest.“No eggs?” he exclaimed.

“I have no time to lay eggs,” said Chicken.

Farmer realized how much he needed the animals. Without their help, there would be no eggs to eat and no milk to drink. He would not be able to go to the market.

The next morning, Farmer brought spinach for all the animals. They had thick blankets. He brushed their coats until they were shiny. Cow gave milk, and Chicken laid eggs. Horse took Farmer to the market.

That afternoon, Farmer took all the animals to the country show. “What wonderful animals you have,” the judge said. He gave them each a blue ribbon.That night, Cat had the best sleep ever.

By: Unknown On 8:22 AM

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Jackson's Tree

My name is Jackson, and I live in the city. There are two vacant lots between our apartment building and the one next door, so lots of kids play there. My mom likes it when I play there. She says, “I can always see where you are—it’s like our very own safe park.”

I thought about what Mom said. Good parks have lots of trees. Trees make a comfortable, shady spot for a picnic, and trees make places beautiful.

Then I had an idea that I discussed with Mom the next morning. “Let’s ask Mr. Miro about your idea,” she said. Mr. Miro was the owner of the vacant lots and he lived in an apartment upstairs. Mom came with me to see him.

Mr. Miro invited us into his living room. We all sat down, and I told him my idea. I wanted to plant trees on the vacant lots to make our play area more

like a park.

“That’s a great idea, Jackson. This city needs more parks!” said Mr. Miro.

That afternoon, Mom helped me write a letter. That evening, we delivered the letter to all the apartments near the lots. We posted one on the board, too.

Finally, Saturday arrived. People came with small trees. One man even brought two trees since he had found a bargain at a tree sale, two for the price

of one.

All the neighbors started digging. The children already knew each other. The parents exchanged names and got to know each other, too.

When everyone left, I stood and looked at all the new little trees. My good mood was spoiled when I realized it would take years for the trees to grow. I might not even use the lots then.

A week later, we were playing on the lots when Mr. Miro came along. We also saw a digger and a truck with an enormous tree on it. “Run along now,” he told us, mysteriously. “Come back in one hour.”

An hour later, we returned to the park. The huge tree had been planted. A crowd of parents had gathered, looking astonished. Mr. Miro called all of us together.

“Your gift of trees will take many years to grow,” he told us. “I have planted a larger tree that you can enjoy now. I am calling it Jackson’s Tree.”

Mr. Miro and my father gave me a boost up onto a low branch of that wonderful tree. Everyone clapped because it had been my idea to plant the trees. I felt very proud.

Jackson's Tree by Al Webster

By: Unknown On 1:21 PM

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Let's Discover Gold

Many valuable things can be found in the earth's crust. There are precious stones and metals. one of the metals is gold.

Gold is rare. it is often found in very small flakes. it can also be found in lumps called nuggets. The biggest nugget ever found weighet more than 125 pounds (about 57 kg). That's as much as about two second-graders!

The biggest collection of gold in the world is stored  at the bank of New York. The gold there is owned by many different countries. the bank of New York is very safe place to keep gold. it is worth billions dollars.

Around 6.000 years ago, the ancient Egyptian learned how to mine and use gold. They separated the gold from the rock found in the hills by the Red Sea.

Gold became very important to Egyptians. They usedit to make art and jewelry. Many ancient gold objects have found in the famous pyramids in Egypt.

Gold can last a long time. It never rusts or rots. Beautiful gold objects are sometimes found in the ground or in the sea thousands of years after they were buried. When the objects are discovered, they are still perfect.

Gold is easy to work with. It is a soft metal, so it can easily be made into different shapes. it can be bent or rolled or twisted without breaking.
A small piece of gold can be beaten into large sheet or pulled into a long wire. It can be made harder by mixing it with other metals.

Gold can be used for all kinds of things. Sometimes gold is used in making clotch. It is common to use gold in electronic equipment, such as computers and telephones.


Gold is even used in space. Helmet visors are coated with gold to protect astronout's eyes from the bright sun.

Sometimes gold is found in streams and rivers. People sort gold flakes from the gravel at the bottom of streams using special pans.

In the late 1840s, many people rushed to California to look for gold. A man called James W. Marshall found a gold nugget that had settled under the gravel river. When the news got around, people came from all over the world. They thought they would find gold.

Today there are huge machines that can dig gold out of rock. The machines crush the rocks, the gold is romeved.
Most of the world's gold is found in South Africa. There are many big gold mines there.

People love gold jewelry and other things made of gold, it is often called "golden". Now you know why!

By: Unknown On 9:09 PM

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Michael Jordan - No Quitter

Michael Jordan No Quitter

Michael Jordan is six feet six inches (almost two meters) tall. He can fly through the air to make a basket. Many people think he’s the best basketball player that ever lived.

Michael was born in 1963 in Brooklyn, New York. A short time later his family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina.At first, Michael was interested in playing baseball. He was also interested in football and basketball.

When he played basketball with his brother, Larry, Michael would always lose. This didn’t make Michael give up. It made him want to win even more.

Michael made up his mind to learn new basketball moves. He practiced for hours. He caught the ball again and again.

Michael Jordan’s mother and father both worked hard. Michael did, too. He knew that if he worked hard, good things would happen. Michael always wanted to be the best. He wanted to hear the people cheer when he was scoring points for his team.

Michael tried out for his high school basketball team in ninth grade. He didn’t get picked. This made Michael try even harder. He practiced every day. He grew taller. Soon he made the team.

Then Michael became a star player at the University of North Carolina.He helped his team win an important game. It was the beginning of his famous career.

Michael went on to play for the Chicago Bulls. In his first season with the team, he was named “Rookie of the Year.” This meant he was the best new player.

He led his team to win many games. Michael was named the Most Valuable Player in basketball five times.

Michael left basketball twice during his career. Once it was to play baseball and once to spend time with his family. However, he went back to basketball each time.

Michael Jordan was famous for leaping high and shooting the ball straight into the basket. It earned him the nickname “Air Jordan.”

Many people look up to Michael Jordan because he has a will to succeed. No matter what has stood in his way, he has never given up. Today, he still thinks this way in his everyday life as a dad and in his work.

Michael Jordan No Quitter by Janet Woodward

By: Unknown On 1:17 PM

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How The Tortoise Got Its Shell

Long ago, Forest gave each animal its own home —each animal, that is, except for Tortoise. He was forgotten.

Lizard was given a home between the rocks. On hot days, Lizard could be seen scampering up on the rocks to lie in the warm sun.Crab’s home was in a hole in the sand, under a coconut palm. The hole was cool and dark inside. It was the perfect home for Crab.

Snake was given a home beneath the fallen leaves of the forest. The leaves sheltered him from storms and hid him from other animals.

Owl’s home was a hole in a majestic, old tree. The hole was dark and cozy. It kept Owl hidden until night when he would come out to hunt.  

The animals thanked Forest for their homes. They were all happy, except for Tortoise. One night, a terrible storm came. The rain fell heavily, and Tortoise needed to find a home to stay warm and dry.  

Tortoise saw a hole in some rocks and tried to squeeze into it, but the rocks wouldn’t budge. Suddenly, Lizard peered out of the rocks. “Sorry, Tortoise, my house is too small for you.”

Then Tortoise tried to crawl under some fallen leaves. “I’m under here!” said Snake. Tortoise walked toward a hole under a coconut palm, but he found Crab already there.

Then Tortoise saw a large tree. He crawled along a branch toward a hole, but Owl hooted at him to go away.Tortoise could not find a home. He began to think that he would have to spend the entire storm out in the rain. Then he made a discovery. He saw a broken coconut shell lying on the ground.

Tortoise crawled under the coconut shell. It was just big enough to cover him if he tucked in his legs and pulled in his neck. At last, Tortoise was warm and dry.

The great storm raged all night, but in the morning, when Forest looked out, the rain had gone. There was Tortoise coming out from under his shell. Suddenly, Forest remembered that he had not given Tortoise a home of his own.

“Tortoise!” said Forest. Tortoise looked up at Forest in surprise.“I forgot to give you a home,” said Forest. “I am very sorry. I see you have found a wonderful home. This shell will always remain upon your back. You will never have to search for a home again. Your home will always be with you.”

Today, all tortoises carry the weight of their shells upon their backs. If you look closely, you will see that each shell looks like half of a dry, broken coconut.

Tortoise by Jake Harris  

By: Unknown On 12:29 PM

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Who Is Dr. Seuss?

At school, Ted loved to write. He would write things to go in the school paper. He started to put his middle name, “Seuss,” on his work.

Ted went to college in England to become a teacher. He would often include drawings on his papers. Another student saw his drawings. She thought he should become an
artist instead of a teacher. Her name was Helen Palmer.

One time, Dr. Seuss took a vacation on a ship. He noticed the rhythm of the ship’s engine. The rhythm gave him the idea for the story "And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street." It became his first published book in 1937.

Dr. Seuss had a very good imagination. One of the books he wrote was called On Beyond Zebra. It was a story about letters in the alphabet that come beyond the letter z. Some of the letters are yuzz and snee.

Seuss won some very grand literature awards for his books. One of these was the Pulitzer Prize. It was given to him for the education and enjoyment his books gave to children and their parents. He also won awards for his movies and cartoons.

Who Is Dr. Seuss? by J. L. Georgia

By: Unknown On 11:59 AM

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Coyote And Rabbit

 

 Coyote had many troubles with Rabbit because Rabbit always got the better of him. Coyote was swift, but Rabbit seemed just a bit swifter. Coyote was clever, but Rabbit was more clever. Coyote was stronger, but Rabbit’s many cousins always came to his aid.  The more Coyote thought about Rabbit, the angrier he became. 
“He makes a fool of me,” Coyote thought. Coyote decided then and there to get the best of Rabbit once and for all.

The next morning, as Coyote trotted along, he heard voices and stopped in his tracks. Hawk and Crow were chatting in the jack pines.
“What an incredible storm last night!” exclaimed Crow.
“Yes, lightning struck an enormous rock on the canyon rim,” Hawk continued. 
“The rock fell into the canyon. You know the opening at the end?”
“Where the stream   ows when there is a big rain?” asked Crow.

“Yes, that’s the place. It is blocked now,” said Hawk.”The rock fell to the bottom, so the opening is closed. It’s a box canyon now, so there is only one way out for those without wings.”
Suddenly, Hawk turned and said to Coyote, “You need not hide yourself, Coyote, because I’ve seen you all along.”

Coyote was very excited about what he had overheard. He had once chased Rabbit up that canyon, but then Rabbit had made a leap sideways, and he had disappeared through a hole too small for Coyote to get through. Now Coyote could try this again, and this time the small hole would be gone.
The very next day, Coyote leaped from behind a rock as Rabbit tore into the canyon. “Rabbit thinks he will fool me, but this time it will be he who is the fool,” thought Coyote smugly.

Coyote’s plan worked because when Rabbit ran into the canyon, he did not know the way was blocked. When he came to the place where he had leaped sideways before, there was no way out.
Rabbit looked this way and that, and he saw that there was no longer an escape, but still he sat calmly. “I must praise you, Coyote, because it seems you have been smarter than I,” said Rabbit. This remark pleased vain Coyote because he liked to think of himself as wise.

“I have an offer for you,” said Rabbit. “It is true that you planned well, yet it was not you who put this rock into my path.”
Coyote did not like this thought although he knew it was true.
“Today you will eat by luck, not by your own wisdom. I would like to make you an offer you would be foolish to refuse. If you spare me today, I will teach you our tricks, and then you will be able to catch rabbits whenever you want.”

“Why should I let you go?” snickered Coyote.
“Well, you can feed yourself today, or you can learn how to eat well every day,” replied Rabbit. 
“You will trick me, and you will surely   ee,” said unsure Coyote.
“No, I will not,” Rabbit promised, “and I will show you how we trick you and get away.”
“How can I trust someone who has fooled me so many times before?” asked Coyote.
“Rabbit always keeps his word,” said Rabbit.
“I accept your offer, so teach me what I must know,” decided Coyote.

Rabbit showed Coyote how he could hide in the brush, but Coyote already knew this. Rabbit showed Coyote how he often ran in circles, but Coyote knew this, too. Rabbit showed him how he stopped so quickly that Coyote would just run right past him.
“I have seen these things many times, so show me a trick I don’t know,” demanded Coyote.
“My best trick is a quick step to the side,” said Rabbit. “Try it.”
Coyote tried it several times, but could not do it like Rabbit. 

“I think the problem is that your eyes are in the wrong place,” declared Rabbit.
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with my eyes,” said Coyote.
“Not for a Coyote, perhaps,” said Rabbit. 
“I am a rabbit, so my eyes are on the sides of my head, and I see well to the side. Your eyes are in the front of your head, so you cannot see to the side.”

“Try turning your head to the side and keeping it there,” suggested Rabbit. “Then you will be able to see to jump to the side.” 
“It’s really not very easy,” said Coyote.
“Let’s practice it a few times,” coaxed Rabbit.
Coyote turned his head and tried jumping to the side several times slowly.
“There’s not enough space to practice here. Let’s get out of the canyon,” suggested Rabbit. 
They climbed out of the canyon and onto the rim.

Coyote and Rabbit practiced. Rabbit jumped sideways, and Coyote jumped with him. Coyote did not like holding his head to the side because he could not see where he was going. Still, he wanted to be able to catch Rabbit at any time.
“Let’s try it once more as fast as we can,” said Rabbit.
They moved along the edge of the canyon rim. Rabbit ran very fast. Coyote ran after him even faster.
“Get ready!” hollered Rabbit. This time Rabbit did not jump sideways but stopped short. 
Coyote, who was looking to the side, did not see him. He tripped over Rabbit, fell over the edge of the canyon, and took a long, long fall.

Rabbit peeked over the edge of the canyon. Coyote was lying at the bottom. “You have trickedme again!” shouted Coyote.
“I have kept my word andshowed you my tricks,” repliedRabbit. “There was just one more, and now you have seen it.” Rabbit laughed and ran away.
“Yes, I guess I have,” said Coyote.
Coyote still chases Rabbit to this day. When he does, he always holds his head to the front. You may see him move his head quickly from side to side, but he will not leave it there. He is looking forward to a day when he will catch clever Rabbit.

Coyote And Rabbit by Roy Lewis

By: Unknown On 11:29 AM

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Women Inventors

Inventors and their inventions can be very fascinating! Inventors will often tinker with their inventions until they are perfect. In this book, we will fi nd out about some amazing women inventors.

Women have been inventing things since long ago. Consider, for example, the work of Hypatia. Hypatia was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in the year 370. She invented the astrolabe, a tool used to measure the positions of the sun and stars.

Obviously, many women have invented things since then. Sybilla Masters, for example, was an American colonist. She lived in the early 1700s and invented a way for corn to be cleaned so that it could easily be used for food. She is considered to be the first American woman inventor.

The patent for Sybilla’s invention was given in 1715. A patent means you own the rights to your invention. If you have a patent, no one else can make that invention without your permission. Laws back then did not allow women to own patents, so the patent was issued in Sybilla’s husband’s name. In later years, women inventors would break through these barriers.

The next time you’re riding safely in a car on a rainy or snowy night, you can thank Mary Anderson. She invented the windshield wiper in the early 1900s. Amazingly enough, cars weren’t even being made at that time!

Back then, some cities had streetcars. Streetcars were vehicles that rolled through the streets on metal rails. One snowy day, while visiting New York City, Mary took a ride on a streetcar. Snow piled up on the windshield. The driver stuck his head out the window so that he could see where he was going. At that moment, Mary got her idea!

Mary started to work. She soon came up with a “swinging arm.” It was made of rubber. The rubber blade would move across the windshield. It would wipe away the snow or rain. The driver of the vehicle would work the blade with a lever. In time, Mary perfected the invention, and it worked!

Mary received the patent for the windshield wiper in 1903. By 1916, all American automobiles had Mary’s windshield wipers. Think about all of the cars and trucks on the roads today. There are millions of them all over the world. Almost all of them have Mary Anderson’s invention!

Okay, so you don’t drive a car. You’re not really thankful for windshield wipers yet. Well, here’s something that you may have used: liquid correction fluid. That’s that white liquid you use to “paint over” any mistakes you make while writing or drawing.

 

As you may have already guessed, a woman invented it. Her name was Bette Nesmith Graham. Oddly enough, she wasn’t even an inventor. She was an office worker. In the years before computers were invented, many things were written using a typewriter. Liquid correction fluid was born because of problems Bette had with a typewriter.

You see, if you spelled a word wrong with a typewriter, it was difficult to correct. You had to use an eraser or, later, a special ribbon to try to erase the word. This usually didn’t work very well.

Bette liked to paint. When she made mistakes painting, she just painted over them. She decided to try the same thing with her typing mistakes. She mixed up some white paint and other materials in her blender at home. When she made a mistake typing, she just painted over it with the mixture. It worked!

Soon other workers were using Bette’s liquid. In time, she got a patent for the liquid. She started to sell it. Today her liquid correction fluid is used all around the world!

When you trample the carpet with your muddy shoes, your family members probably wish they had some liquid correction fluid to paint over the big mess. Well, if the carpet is protected with Patsy Sherman’s product, your family members won’t need to worry too much. That’s because Patsy invented a special coating. It helps to keep things like carpet clean.

Patsy was working in a laboratory in 1952. She was trying to make a special kind of liquid rubber to be used in airplanes. While working, Patsy accidentally spilled some of the rubber. It landed on a coworker’s shoe.

Patsy tried to clean the rubber off the shoe. It wouldn’t come off. When she put water on it, the water just rolled right off the shoe. The water wouldn’t soak into the rubber or the shoe. She tried cleaners, but those rolled off, too.

Patsy realized this stuff she had made was special. For three years, she worked on the strange liquid rubber. Finally, by 1955, she had made the rubber into a spray that worked just right. When you spray the product onto a carpet, for example, it forms a “shield.” The shield stops water and dirt from getting into the carpet and staining it. The carpet stays clean.

Today, Patsy’s product is used on floors, carpets, clothing, and curtains. It’s even used on photographs to protect them!

What if you had problems with your eyes? You’d probably wish for someone to invent a way for you to see better. Well, that’s exactly what a woman inventor named Dr. Patricia Bath did. Patricia grew up in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. While studying to be a doctor, Patricia spent time at a hospital in Harlem. She saw that many of the people at the hospital had problems with their eyes. Patricia wanted to help them. She began to study eyes and how they work.

 

Patricia hoped to find a quicker and easier way to operate on eyes. Her quest began in 1981. She began working with lasers. Lasers are thin, powerful beams of light. Patricia forged ahead. By 1986, she had perfected a laser machine for eye operations. She used it to operate on the eyes of many people. She helped them to see well again!

Today, Patricia’s machine is still used. Patricia once said, “The ability to restore vision is the

ultimate reward.”

One of the strangest things ever invented by a woman is a self-cleaning house. That’s right, it’s a house that cleans itself! That means no more dusting or vacuuming. The house does the work for you!

This is no hoax. A house like this actually exists in Newberg, Oregon. A woman named Frances Gabe invented it because she just hated housework!

Each room of the house has a cleaner on the ceiling. The cleaner sprays soapy water into the room, then rinses and dries it. It’s like having an automatic car wash in each room of your house. All Frances has to do is push a button, and the rooms get cleaned. Since the furniture is covered with plastic and all the decorations are in glass cases, it does not matter whether they get wet!

Frances’s house has other interesting features. Her clothes closet is a washer and dryer. Her kitchen cabinet is a dishwasher. She puts dirty clothes or dishes away, pushes a button, and soon the items are clean—and put away! Now that is some awesome invention!

WomenInventors by Mary Stewart

By: Unknown On 1:43 PM

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How Do You Say Hello

 People communicate in different ways. Sometimes people write notes or letters. Sometimes people communicate with computers. They send a signal or message from their computer. Another computer receives the signal or message.

The most common way for people to communicate is by speaking. People talk to other people face-to-face. People also chatter on their telephones. Of course, people from another country sometimes speak a different language. This can make it difficult for people to communicate unless they know the other language. Learning some words and phrases in other languages can help you communicate better.

This is Mount Fuji. It is in Japan. Japan is an island nation. It is in the Pacific Ocean. If you go to Japan, be sure to say “Konnichiwa” (ko nee chee WAH) when you meet someone. That means “Hello.”

“Boa sorte” (bo UH sore tay)! In Brazil, that means “good luck.” You may need good luck in this rain forest. That’s because there are many animals and snakes there! Brazil has a lot of rain forests. People in rain forests must stay alert. Brazil also has big cities. This is Rio de Janeiro. It is a large, busy city. Rio also has beautiful beaches right in the center of the city.

Suppose you are in India. You get up in the morning and take a walk. If you pass by someone, they may say “Namaste” (nah muh STAY) to you. That is a way to say “Greetings” or “Hello.” You can say Namaste back and smile.

This is Machu Picchu. It is an ancient city. It is in Peru. Peru is a country in South America. When people visit Peru, many go to see Machu Picchu. If you meet someone in Peru, say “Encantado” (en cahn TAH doh). That means “Nice to meet you.”

Over one billion people live in China. It has crowded cities, so you may bump into someone. If you do, just say Duibuqui (doo EE boo kwee). That means “Sorry.”

It is late Sunday afternoon in Italy. Many people are getting ready for their evening walk. They put on nice clothes. Everybody grooms themselves. They want to look nice when they go out. When they meet other people, they may say “Buona sera” (bwo nuh SAY ruh). That means “Good evening.”  Here is the Coliseum. It is an old stadium in Rome, Italy. It could hold 50,000 people! Many people visit the Coliseum when they are in Rome.

 Norway is a country in Europe. This country has many mountains. It is very pretty. Perhaps one day you will go to Norway. You may need to ask someone a question. Start by saying “Unnskyld” (OONK shill). That means “Excuse me.”

These are the Great Pyramids. They are located in Egypt. Egypt is a country in North Africa. These amazing pyramids only took about twenty years to build! If you meet someone in Egypt, you might ask “Ma ismak” (mah ISS mack)? That is how you say “What is your name?”

This is the Eiffel Tower. It is located in Paris, France. The Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular places to visit in Paris. If you wanted to climb to the top of this tower, you would have to climb up 1,652 steps! When a person leaves Paris, someone there may say “Bon voyage” (bon voy AHJ). That means “Have a nice trip.”

Aren’t these buildings pretty? They are in Red Square. Red Square is in the city of Moscow, Russia. Maybe one day you will visit Russia. When it’s time to leave, say “Do svidaniya” (DOH svee duh NEE yuh). That means “Good-bye.”

Isn’t this a pretty sight? This place is called Victoria Falls. Part of this waterfall is in an African country called Botswana. Just before bedtime, people flick off the lights. Then they say “Boroko” (boh RO ko) to one another. That means “Good evening” or “Good night.” The next time you want to say good night to someone, how about saying “Boroko” instead?

How Do You Say Hello by Ann MarieJennings

By: Unknown On 1:13 PM

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