The English Corner (July 2021)

Issue 17.10

July 2021

HK $39

Popular Science How Do Rainbows Form?

World Cultures Ancient Rome The World of Nature The Cute Koala

01 World 10 The World Cultures

of Nature

04 Body

13 Things

How Sweat Works

Swim Gear

Ancient Rome

Wonders

The Cute Koala

Around Us

07 Around

15 Popular

Venice: The Floating City

How Do Rainbows Form?

the World

Science

CONT Editorial Director Joe Leung

Art Director

Contributors

Photographer Lam Ching Ching

Bob McNab Helen Chevreau Eamon Barrett Karl Buxton Jessica Dean Shen Sheh Chris Cheong Margaret Chang

Printer

Eloy Ng

Charter Craft Holdings Ltd.

17 Famous People

23 Word

Games Fruit Crossword

Gitanjali Rao

19 Say It

24 Story

COLOUR Idioms

Two Fives and a Twenty

Right

Time

21 Exercise 28 Answer Corner

Page

ANIMAL Similes

TENTS Contact Details The English Corner

PO Box 34810,

King’s Road, Hong Kong

Email

info@englishchannel.com.hk

Website

www.englishchannel.com.hk

Tel

(852) 2330 1512

Publisher

Channel I Publications Ltd.

Fax

2312 7688

01 The English Corner

Ancient Rome

World Cultures

A Kingdom, a Republic and an Empire

The Roman Kingdom (753 BC - 509 BC)

According to myth (神話), Rome was founded (建立) in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Mars, the Roman god of war. After founding the city-state, however, the two brothers started fighting fiercely over the throne (王位). Romulus eventually killed his brother and became the first king of Rome.

Rome was ruled by kings for over 200 years, until the last of its seven kings, Tarquin the Proud, was banished (放逐) in 509 BC. The Roman Kingdom became a republic in the same year.

The Roman Republic (509 BC - 27 BC)

S.P.Q.R. stands for “The Senate and People of Rome”.

Once the monarchy (君主政制) was abolished (廢除) in 509 BC, Rome was governed by a group of noblemen called the Senate.

Members of the Senate were elected every year and every citizen had the right to vote.

The Roman Republic was at war for most of its history. Its armies were strong and powerful. By 200 BC, the city-state had unified (統一) Italy. Over the following two centuries, it went on to conquer (征服) Greece, Spain, France, England, Egypt, and much of North Africa.

02 The English Corner

Julius Caesar

World Cultures

Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC. He was a brilliant military leader who won many battles and conquered large areas of territory for the Roman Republic. He was revered (尊敬) by the army and loved by the people.

However, his ambition (野心) caused his downfall. Caesar seized power and declared himself the sole ruler of Rome.

But his dictatorship (獨裁統治) was short-lived. On March 15, 44 BC, he was assassinated (刺殺) by a group of senators.

Julius Caesar

The Murder of Caesar by Karl von Piloty (1865)

03 The English Corner

The Roman Empire (27 BC - 1453 AD)

World Cultures

Caesar’s adopted (被收養的) son Augustus took control of Rome after his father’s assassination.

A new era began and Augustus became the first in a long line of emperors. Rome enjoyed peace and prosperity (繁榮) for over 200 years, from 27 BC to 180 AD.

Caesar Augustus

In the late 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire was split into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. The former collapsed (破滅) in 476 AD while the latter survived until 1453 AD.

04

have a vigorous (劇烈的) workout at the gym or take a

brisk (輕快的) walk on a scorching (炎熱的) summer day, it is only natural that our skin is drenched (濕透) in sweat.

Why do we sweat?

Sweating is an effective way for our body to get rid of excess (過多的) heat. The body cools down when beads of perspiration (汗水) drip off the skin or evaporate from its surface. All mammals have ways of maintaining and regulating their body temperature. For example, dogs regulate their body temperature by panting because they have far fewer sweat glands (汗腺) than humans.

Body Wonders

weat is an inevitable product of energetic activity. If we

The English Corner

How Sweat Works S

05 The English Corner

When we sweat, we lose water,

Body Wonders

which is critically important for our organs to function properly.

We must therefore drink plenty of water after sweating to replenish (補充) the water we have lost.

How do we produce sweat?

Sweat is produced in the sweat glands under our skin. There are two kinds of sweat glands, eccrine and apocrine sweat glands, and each of us has around two million of them.

Sweat produced in the eccrine sweat glands is made up of substances like sodium, chloride and potassium. Sweat produced in the apocrine sweat glands contains protein and fatty acids, and is yellowish in colour.

06

Sweat itself has no odour (氣味). The reason it seems to do so is that when it gives off an unpleasant smell. This explains why deodorants (防臭劑) and antiperspirants (止汗劑) are applied to the armpits (腋窩) and not to the whole body.

What is cold sweat?

We do not sweat only when we feel hot. Sometimes, we sweat when we are nervous, anxious or scared. This is because sweating responds not only to our physical state but also our emotional state.

When we are stressed, the nerve activity in our body acts on the sweat glands, particularly those on our armpits, forehead and the palms of our hands. This is what causes us to have a cold sweat.

Body Wonders

it mixes with the bacteria on our hair,

The English Corner

Does sweat smell?

07 The English Corner

Venice: The Floating City

B

Around the World

uilt on 118 islands separated by canals (運河) and connected by more than 400 bridges, Venice in northeastern Italy is worldfamous as the Floating City. The capital of Venetia, one of Italy’s 20 regions, Venice occupies an area of 415 square kilometres and has a population of about 260,000.

Venice has been an affluent (富裕的) city for most of its history. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, it became one of the most important seaports (海港) and commercial centres in Europe. Today, Venice is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

Because of the unique way the city was built, it resembles a labyrinth (迷宮) where travel is only possible on foot or by water bus, water taxi, or ferry.

Aerial view of Venice

The Basilica di San Marco, St. Mark’s Basilica in English, is one of the most iconic landmarks in Venice. This magnificent church was reportedly built to house the corpse (屍體) of St. Mark after it was smuggled out of Egypt in the 9th century. The Basilica di San Marco, which lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), is the archetype (典型) of Byzantine architecture.

Grand Canal

08 The English Corner

Around the World

St. Mark’s Basilica (The Basilica di San Marco)

Next to San Marco is the Doge’s Palace, another famous landmark. The palace was built in 1340 as the residence (官邸) of the doge (總督) of Venice and was transformed into a public museum in 1923. The Bridge of Sighs, which was constructed in 1614 to link the palace with the New Prisons, is now one of the most visited sites in Venice.

St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco)

Doge’s Palace

Bridge of Sighs

Another popular scenic spot is the Ponte di Rialto, or Rialto Bridge, which many people consider the true heart of Venice. Built in 1588, it was the only way of crossing the Grand Canal on foot until the Accademia Bridge was constructed in 1854.

Rialto Bridge (Ponte de Rialto)

09 The English Corner

Around the World

Besides visiting renowned (著名的) tourist attractions and museums, taking a ride on the gondola (貢多拉船) is on the must-do list for any tourist visiting Venice. For 80 to 120 euros, you can hire a gondola with a gondolier (貢多拉船船夫) for a 30-minute tour of the city’s canals. Most gondoliers will sing traditional Venetian folk songs along the way, making the ride an unforgettable experience.

Sadly, the Floating City now has a new nickname: the Sinking City. Venice has been sinking over the years because of rising sea levels caused by global warming. This has resulted in frequent flooding in the city. The worst flooding in recent years occurred on November 13, 2019, when the water rose to a record height of 1.87 metres. More than 80 per cent of Venice was flooded and many cultural heritage sites were damaged.

The Italian government has launched the MOSE Project in response to this crisis, with the aim of protecting the city from flooding. Scientists predict, however, that if sea levels continue to rise at the current rate, most of Venice will be uninhabitable (無法居住的) by 2100.

Koalas are widely recognized as a symbol of Australia. Their adorable (可愛的) appearance enchants (使着迷) both adults and children around the world. The name koala comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “no drink”. These creatures seldom drink water because they get most of the water they need from the leaves they eat.

On average, koalas can grow up to 80 cm tall and weigh around 12 kilograms. They have a big round head, a black spoon-shaped nose, and large furry ears.

Their fur colour ranges from grey to brown. In the wild, their lifespan is around 10 years.

The World of Nature

K

oalas are small, furry animals which live in eastern and southeastern Australia. They are often referred to as koala bears, but this description is inaccurate. Although koalas look like miniature (微型的) bears, they actually belong to a completely different group of animals called the marsupial (有袋 動物). Marsupials are mammals that carry their young in pouches (育兒袋).

The English Corner

The Cute Koala

10

11 The English Corner

The World of Nature

Female koalas give birth to single babies, known as joeys. A mother carries her joey in her pouch until it is six months old, at which time it is big enough to leave the pouch and cling to its mother’s back. At one year old, the joey is weaned (斷奶) and leaves its mother.

Koalas feed only on eucalyptus leaves, eating up to 500 grams of leaves per day. To obtain the food they need, they spend most of their life on eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus leaves are low in nutrition (營養) and provide little energy for koalas. As a result, they sleep for as much as 18 or 20 hours each day.

12

The habitat of koalas is also threatened by bushfires, which are common in the summer. In 2019 and 2020, more than 60,000 koalas were killed in Australia’s bushfire crisis. This has led many zoologists to argue that the koala’s conservation status should be upgraded from “VULNERABLE” to “CRITICALLY ENDANGERED”.

The World of Nature

Koalas were hunted for their meat and fur in the 1920s and urban development is now destroying their natural habitat. Their homes are lost as trees are cut down and land is cleared for housing, farming, and mining.

The English Corner

The koala population has dwindled (減少) drastically over the past two decades because of human activity.

It is estimated that there were once more than a million koalas in Australia but that number is now much smaller.

13 The English Corner

Swim Gear

Things Around Us

swimsuit

bikini

wetsuit

swimming trunks

inflatable swim vest

swimming cap

14

inflatable swim ring

nose clip

kickboard

inflatable armbands

flippers

Things Around Us

goggles

The English Corner

ear plugs

15 The English Corner

Popular Science

How Do Rainbows Form?

R ainbows are one of the most beautiful marvels of nature. Seeing a rainbow always fills us with joy and wonder. But do you know how rainbows are formed?

Perhaps, you have noticed that rainbows are most often seen at dawn (黎明) and at dusk (黃昏), times when the sun is relatively low in the sky. Another thing you may have spotted is that they usually appear when it is raining and the sun is shining at the same time. Why is this?

The multi-coloured arc of a rainbow is created when sunlight beams (照射) on raindrops beneath a rain cloud. For a rainbow to form, the white light from the sun must hit the raindrops at a certain angle. The angle is important because it determines the direction the light travels after it hits the raindrops. In turn, this determines whether or not we will see a rainbow.

16 The position of a rainbow in the sky depends on where the sun is above the horizon (地平線). The lower the sun is, the higher the arc of the rainbow appears.

The English Corner

As sunlight hits a raindrop, some of it is reflected (反射). The sunlight that enters the raindrop is refracted (折射), so it bends or changes direction. The different colours that make up the white sunbeam separate and disperse (分散) during this process, enabling us to see them in the form of a rainbow. Sunlight may appear white but it is actually made up of different colours.

Popular Science

The order of colours in a rainbow is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. On a primary rainbow, red is at the top edge of the rainbow and violet is at the bottom, with the other colours in between.

Occasionally, a secondary rainbow appears slightly higher in the sky, and its colours are in the reverse order. This phenomenon (現象) is called double rainbow.

17 The English Corner

Gitanjali Rao

Famous People

G

itanjali Rao is a teenager who lives in the western American state of Colorado. She is fifteen years old and

attends STEM School Highlands Ranch. Her favourite subject is science. However, saying that “Gitanjali Rao likes science” is a huge understatement (輕描淡寫). The prodigy (奇才) was

the winner of the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2017 and she was named TIME’s 2020 Kid of the Year for her significant contributions (貢獻) to science and STEM education.

Whenever Rao comes across a problem, she tries to find a solution. When she was just 10 years old, she heard about the Flint Water Crisis on the news. The water supply to the city of Flint, Michigan, was contaminated (污染) with lead (鉛) and thus unsafe for people to drink. This issue drove Rao to explore ways to measure the lead content in water.

After researching for a year, Rao invented a device that can detect lead in drinking water via a mobile app. This device, which she named Tethys, is what won Rao the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Today, the young inventor is working with Denver Water Facility to improve Tethys so that it can be mass-produced for public use.

18

an Internet service called Kindly. The system uses artificial intelligence to detect offensive (冒犯的) language. When an offensive word or phrase is used in a post, the writer is given the option of editing opportunity to rethink what they say and avoid making hurtful comments.

Rao is also an avid (熱衷的) promoter (宣導者) of STEM education. As the National STEM Scout of the Year, she conducts weekly STEM sessions online, sharing her ideas with primary and secondary students across the world.

Science is not Rao’s only interest. Her hobbies include playing the piano, Indian classical dancing, swimming, and fencing. She aspires (渴望) to study genetics, computer science, and product design at university. Her aspiration (抱負) is to use her knowledge to solve global problems and create a better world.

Famous People

it before sending. Teenagers sometimes say things they do not mean, so Kindly gives its users an

The English Corner

To protect youngsters from cyberbullying (網絡欺凌), Rao has developed a mobile app and launched

19 The English Corner

SAY IT RIGHT

COLOUR Idioms

white lie

grey area

A white lie is a lie that you tell to avoid hurting somebody.

A grey area is a situation that is not clear or where the rules are not known.

black sheep

blue blood

A black sheep is someone who has done something bad that brings embarrassment or shame to their family.

Blue blood is an idiom that describes the fact that someone is from a royal or noble family.

20 The English Corner

SAY IT RIGHT

yellow streak

green fingers

Someone who is said to have a yellow streak is cowardly and easily frightened.

If you are said to have green fingers, you are very good at growing plants.

pink slip

red tape

A pink slip is a document given to someone saying that they have been dismissed from their job.

Red tape refers to official rules that are complicated and unnecessary and prevent things from being done quickly.

21 The English Corner

Exercise Corner

ANIMAL Similes Complete each of the sentences using an adjective in Word Box 1 and a noun in Word Box 2 to form an animal simile. Each word can be used ONCE only.

1

Infected with acute pneumonia, Doris is as _________ as a _________.

2

Word Box 1 sick

tall

busy

free

blind

poor

sleepy

proud

hungry gentle cunning

Tom feels as _________ as a _________ after his parents have moved out.

3

strong

+ Without her glasses, Helen is as _________ as a _________.

Word Box 2 bee

fox

bat

dog

bull

bird

lamb

koala

4

giraffe horse mouse

peacock Not having eaten for a day, George is as _________ as a _________.

22 The English Corner

5

9

6

The homeless beggar is as _________ as a church _________.

10

Queenie has won the singing contest and she is as _________ as a _________.

7

The witch in the movie is as _________ as a _________.

11

Bill is a champion weightlifter and he is as _________ as a _________.

Paul is always as _________ as a _________ during office hours.

12

8

Tina is a good nurse and she is as _________ as a _________ with her patients.

Ann has not slept for 2 days and she is as _________ as a _________.

Exercise Corner

Standing over 2 metres tall, Brian is as _________ as a _________.

23

The English Corner

Word Games

Fruit Crossword

24

B

ernie’s Cafe was a popular coffee shop on Eastern Market

The English Corner

Two Fives and a Twenty

Story Time

Street. It was owned by a gentleman known to everyone as

Uncle Bernie, who ran the cafe for more than 30 years. When Uncle Bernie turned 70, he decided to retire (退休). Not wanting to close the coffee shop, which he loved so much, he let his son Bob run the place.

Bob never liked working in a small local coffee shop. He always thought that he was destined (命中註定) for a successful career. It was just bad luck that he had failed to get a decent job and had to work in the coffee shop. Bob considered himself a highly intelligent young man and he never missed an opportunity to convince (說服) people of his aptitudes (才能).

Uncle Bernie

“Trust me,” said Bob confidently, “If the government doubled the tax on tea, the air pollution problem would be largely solved.”

“How do you figure that, Bob?” asked Jennifer, who failed to see the logic behind his argument.

Jennifer lived in the neighbourhood and was a regular customer at Bernie’s Cafe.

Bob

“What school did you go to, Jennifer?” said Bob impatiently, rolling his eyes. “Everyone knows that the amount of tea consumed is directly related to the amount of pollutants in the air. The more tea we drink, the more polluted the air is.

My Facebook followers agree with me. I have received six LIKES.” Jennifer

25 The English Corner

“Where did you go to school, Bob?” asked Jennifer curiously.

“I’m fine,” answered Carl politely. He gave Bob a bright innocent smile.

“It doesn’t matter where I went to school,” answered Bob. “School was too easy for me.”

Bob took two five-dollar coins and a twenty-

Story Time

“You’re too smart for your own good, Bob,” Jennifer said casually.

Jennifer had known Uncle Bernie for a long time.

She enjoyed going to his coffee shop so much that she was willing to put up with Bob’s drivel (廢話).

dollar note from the cash register (收銀機) and showed the money to Carl.

He put the two coins on one side of the table and the twenty-dollar note on the other. “Which do you want, Carl? Two shiny metal coins or a dirty piece of paper?”

Carl looked at Bob, then he looked at the money. He bit his lower lip and frowned as if he was thinking hard. Then he pointed to the two five-dollar coins.

Bob burst out laughing. He picked up the two coins and dropped them in Carl’s hand.

Jennifer was drinking her coffee, when she saw a boy standing at the café door and looking lost.

“Do you want to see something funny?” Bob asked Jennifer. “He’s the dumbest kid in the world.”

“Hey, Carl! Come in here!” Bob shouted to the boy before Jennifer could say a word.

Carl

The boy looked around for a few seconds and stepped into the coffee shop.

“How are you today, Carl?” asked Bob in a childish voice.

“There you are! You can buy some candy. You’re a smart guy!” said Bob sarcastically (諷刺地).

After Carl had left the coffee shop, Bob turned to Jennifer and said, “What did I say? He’s the dumbest kid in the world! How old is he? Six?

26

Jennifer finished her coffee and got up. “You’re the smartest, Bob,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.

Have a nice day!”

Carl thought for a moment and said, “If I took the twenty-dollar bill, Bob would stop playing the game with me. So I always pretend to be dumb and he keeps playing the game when there are customers in his cafe.”

*

*

*

*

*

Jennifer left the cafe and started walking to the MTR station. As she was going past the church across the street, she saw Carl coming out.

Jennifer burst out laughing. “Oh! Poor Bob,” she said.

“Hi, Carl!” she said. “My name is Jennifer. We just met at Bernie’s Café. Can I ask you a question?”

Carl looked at her and nodded.

“Do you know the difference between two fivedollar coins and a twenty-dollar note?” asked Jennifer.

“Whenever I see Bob talking to his customers,” said Carl with a grin. “I pretend to walk past his shop. He asks me in, to show his customers how stupid I am. He makes fun of me and feels good about himself. I make ten dollars. It’s a good deal for both of us, isn’t it?”

Carl narrowed his eyes. “You want to play that game with me too?” asked Carl.

Jennifer shook her head. “No, I don’t believe that you don’t know the difference,” said Jennifer.

“But I want to know why you let Bob make fun of you.”

“Are you going to tell Bob?” asked Carl.

Jennifer nodded.

“But I do feel bad about tricking Bob and taking his money,” said Carl. “So I always put five dollars in the Church donation box and keep the other five for myself.”

“You’re a good kid, Carl,” said Jennifer.

Story Time

“No, I won’t tell him a thing,” replied Jennifer.

The English Corner

Seven? He falls for the same trick every time.”

27 The English Corner

Story Time

Carl shrugged his shoulders. Then he looked across the street and saw two young women walking into Bernie’s. “Here we go again,” he said with a smile.

“Bob will be calling me over soon. He’s always eager to play the game when the customers are girls.”

Jennifer laughed. “See you around, Carl,” she said.

Carl waved Jennifer off and crossed the street to Bernie’s. He slowed down when he got to the cafe and pretended to be lost. As expected, Bob called out from his shop.

“Hey kid!” Bob shouted. “Are you lost again? Come in here for a second. I want to show these beautiful ladies something.”

Obediently, Carl went into Bernie’s Cafe with an innocent smile on his face.

SUBSCRIPTION FORM 2021 - 2022

Hotline : 2330 1512

The English Corner is a fun and useful companion for young learners. Catering to readers both inside and outside the classroom, it provides interesting articles as well as grammar and vocabulary-building exercises.

Annual subscription, which is based on the academic year, is available from October to July (10 issues).

2021 - 2022 SCHOOL YEAR

HK$39 per issue inclusive of postage HK$390 for all 10 issues from Oct 2021 to July 2022

Subscribe for the following months at the rate of HK$39 per issue inclusive of postage October

November December January February

March April

May

June July

Subscription Information Please select :

Student

Parent

Teacher

Librarian

Others

Name : Address : Telephone :

Email :

School :

Class :

Total Amount : HK$

Cheque Number :

Please send this subscription form with a cheque made payable to “Channel I Publications Limited” by post to the following address : Channel I Publications Ltd., PO Box 34810, King’s Road Post Office, Hong Kong If you have any questions, please call 2330 1512 or email us at info@englishchannel.com.hk

28

1.

as sick as a dog

7.

as strong as a bull

2.

as free as a bird

8.

as gentle as a lamb

3.

as blind as a bat

9.

as poor as a church mouse

4.

as hungry as a horse

10. as cunning as a fox

5.

as tall as a giraffe

11. as busy as a bee

6.

as proud as a peacock

12. as sleepy as a koala

Word Games

a p p l e

k i w i m a n g o s t

e e n

p e r s i m m o n

b a n a n a

g r a p e s

p a p a y a l e m o n

p e a r

Answer Page

The English Corner

Exercise Corner