News First-Super moon!

Did you see the super moon? The night sky was lit up by a ‘super moon’ last Sunday (6 May). The moon looked bigger and brighter than usual as it was at its closest to Earth. The distance from the Earth to the moon varies, but it is usually around 384,000 km. Last weekend, the moon was just 356,000km away from Earth. When this happens, it is known as a perigee full moon. At these times, the moon can appear to be 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when it is furthest away from Earth. Dr Robert Massey from The Royal Astronomical Society says that the perigee full moon has a big effect on the tides: “When the moon is closest to the Earth and full or new, you get an increase in the tidal pull in the ocean because the gravity of the moon and the sun line up.” Some people believe that full moons (and especially perigee full moons!) have other effects, such as making people behave strangely, or even causing natural disasters. The super moon could be seen across the world. In Britain’s skies, it was at its biggest and brightest at around 4.30am last Sunday, 6 May. Questions 1)When was the sky lit up by a super moon? 2)How did the moon look? Why? 3)Is the moon distance from Earth always the same? 4)How far away from the Earth was the moon last weekend? 5)What is the moon known as when it is so close to the Earth? 6)Who said that the perigee moon has a big effect on the tides? 7)Why do we get an increase in the tidal pull of the ocean? 8)What do some people believe about full moons? 9)Could the super moon be seen in Japan?Did you see it? 10)When was the moon at its biggest in Britain's skies?

500 elephants killed in two months

500 elephants killed in two months
Poachers have killed nearly 500 elephants in just two months in a national park in Africa.
Nearly 500 elephants have been killed by poachers in the Bouba Ndjida National Park in northern Cameroon, near the border with Chad.
Nearly 500 elephants have been killed in a Cameroon national park in less than two months by poachers from Sudan and Chad, a park official told.
"As of today we estimate that 480 elephants have been slaughtered in our park," said park keeper Mathieu Fometa.
"These figures may be an underestimate because the park covers 220,000 hectares and it isn’t easy to travel to get accurate information."
The elephants were killed for their meat and for their tusks which are sold as ivory.
Park keepers are worried because they have spotted lots of baby elephants who have been orphaned by the poachers. If they are not spotted in time many will die from hunger or thirst.

Taking off your Shoes

I had always heard that people in the U.S.don't
take off their shoes when they go into their homes.
So,when I went to Chicago last spring,I didn't
take off my shoes at my host family's house.I just
walked in.I was really surprised when my host
father asked me to take off my shoes!In their
home,everyone takes off their shoes when they
enter the house.Some of my classmates said that
their host families also took off their shoes at the
door.Other classmates said that their host families
usually left their shoes on.But,when it was
raining or snowing,they always took them off.
They didn't want to clean the floor afterwards!
It just watch to see what other people do when they
go into a house.If I should take my shoes off.That's
the easiest way-just ask if you're not sure.