The Barometer Half Term 3 2022-23

CONTENTS: The History of Wetherby Schools - Jonathan R, Year 12

Bus Stop Review - Ben C, Year 9

Year 11 Physics TripJames C, Year 11

The Filming of Frozen Planet 2 - Bertie B, Year 12

Bletchley Park Trip - Felipe E, Year 8

The Royal Institiute of Philosophy - Ivan G, Year 11

Year 7 Visit The Natural History Museum - Samar C, Year 7

Arjun’s Science Update - Arjun D, Year 12

Hamilton - Felipe E and Marty V, Year 8

Othello: A Contemporary Take on One of Shakespeare’s Tragedies - Kaveh K, Year 11

Brass Band Trip to The Gower School - Felipe E, Year 8

ISA National Swimming Finals - Marty V, Year 8

Duolingo: Reviews and Guides - Jonathan P, Year 10

The Ship That Helped Britain Win WWII - Stepan K, Year 13

The History of the Avro Arrow - Jasper H, Year 11

Boom Supersonic, the Future of Airline Travel - Jasper H, Year 11

Invasive and Parascitic Fungi Species - Daniel W, Year 9

The Fukashima DisasterTommy S, Year 9

Deadline: Football Talk - Sam M, Year 10

Team of the Year - Giovanni G, Year 9

Has Ronaldo’s Career Been Ruined? - Panos K, Year 9

Jeeves and Wooster Series

1 Review - Lev L, Iakov L, Cameron B, Cyrus D, and Aarav S, Year 8

Resurrection - Jaime R, Year 12

Trib Points Update - Sebastian HH, Year 9

Cover Photograph: Stepan K, Year 13

Write for the Barometer

Contributing to the Barometer is a great way to earn gold notes, improve your writing, and it looks great on your CV

To submit articles or cover photos, join the Barometer club at Friday lunchtimes (B11)

Or, you can email Mr s Bradley at nicola.bradley

@wetherbysenior.co.uk

Read the latest issue at https://issuu.com/wetherbysenior

THE HISTORY OF WETHERBY SCHOOLS

Jonathan R, Year 12...

Wetherby school was founded in 1951, a year before Queen Elizabeth took the throne. It was a pre-preparatory school for children aged 4-8. The original building was in Wetherby Place in South Kensington (hence the name, Wetherby School) but in 1971 it moved to its present building in Pembridge Square, Notting Hill. In 2004, Wetherby Preparatory School opened in a nearby building, allowing boys to stay until the age of 13. It then moved to its current location in the city of Westminster. Wetherby Prep has (as of 2017) 360 boys on its roll. Wetherby Prep went on to win the Tatler Award in 2012 for being the best prep school in England that year.

Establishment of Wetherby Senior

The legendary Wetherby Senior was established in 2015 by

Nick Baker, then headmaster of Wetherby Prep. He was Headmaster of Wetherby Senior for a year, then decided to be Headmaster of the Prep only. Mr Bolderow took his place, before Mr Silvester in 2021.

The Buildings of Wetherby Senior

The buildings Wetherby Senior are inhabiting have a great history. Hannah House used to be the global headquarters of Marks and Spencer’s. Oure Bulstrode building housed the first ever only girls schools in London.

Notable Alumnae

A few very famous individuals have passed through schools with the Wetherby name over time.

Hugh Grant – the actor attended Wetherby Pre-Prep from 1964-68.

Prince William – our future king attended the Pre-Prep in

1985. William has mentioned in interviews how it played a huge factor in moulding him into the man he is today.

Prince Constantine of Greece - he attended Wetherby Prep in 2009.

Julian Lloyd Webber – the celloist went to Wetherby Prep in 1954. He went on to win multiple Brit Awards for music he composed.

The name Wetherby has since gone international!

In 2016, Wetherby branched over the Atlantic, into the Big Apple. Wetherby Pembridge teaches from kindergarten to the eighth grade (Year 9), and is located in the historic Ogden Codman House, 200 feet from Central Park.

BUS STOP REview

Ben C, Year 9 writes...

Bus Stop, co-created by Miss Twomey, was a ‘nail biting’ drama about a run-away bus potentially carrying passengers to their peril. The bus had been tampered with by disgruntled workers and the police were kept on their toes trying to deduce what they must do to bring the bus to a halt, as well as track down the perpetrators.

The play was a visually thrilling production, with exceptionally tense scenes, plus brilliant props and settings. The mobile bus seats were particularly clever and mimicked the real-life version perfectly. As well as this, the audio and lighting enhanced the fearful atmosphere, both on the bus and at the police station.

Though the passengers had completely different personalities, it impressed me how realistic their conversations were and how the different characters reacted to one another. The characters of John and Andy (Paul in Year 12 and Christos in Year 11) were impressive, as the boys managed to perfectly execute their unique personalities, whilst also taking the time to think about how their characters would react to other passengers.

To those who were unable to see this performance, you certainly missed a treat!

YEAR 11 PHYSICS TRIP

James C, Year 11 writes...

I was excited to have attended the Year 11 Physics trip to The Francis Crick Institute and the Wellcome Collection, as part of our IGCSE Physics course. This trip was to enhance our knowledge about ‘Modern Science’ and to better understand the scientific research involving all three sciences as well as literature, art, history, and philosophy.

I feel that both exhibitions have challenged our minds, whilst engaging in various activities.

We first arrived at the Francis Crick Institute, which displayed several science posters around the building. The main purpose of this institute was ‘Outwitting Cancer’ which, in my opinion, is an utterly urgent matter to deal with. These remarkable scientists, with

cutting-edge labs at the Crick, are attempting to reverse the effects of cancer and treat patients.

After entering the Institute, we were assigned to different groups with a teacher to guide us through the exhibits. Luckily, I was amongst the first groups to watch a short film representing the different stages in life and the causes of cancer. This film was interesting since it conveyed all the information from certain perspectives, such as the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing lung disease. Whilst watching the film, it was important to jot down some concepts to prevent the transmission of diseases.

Afterward, we walked around multiple sections explaining the effects of cancer and how to treat or prevent them from getting

worse. One section highlighted types of cancer, such as cervical cancer which happens in the cervix, and bowel cancer which appears in the large intestine.

Another was how scientists were treating cancer. Blood cancer was investigated by Dominique Bonnet, who uses her expertise on how white blood cells are made in the bone marrow to pinpoint what exactly goes wrong in the process. Furthermore, a woman named Henrietta Lacks was mentioned in both exhibitions, since she possessed advanced cervical cancer which made it difficult to treat.

Finally, near the end of the exhibit, scientists found that plants were a key ingredient to prevent cancer as they contained medicine exclusively for these purposes. It was extremely knowledgeable

to attend this exhibition and I would personally recommend it to anyone interested in ‘Modern Science’.

Another exhibition we attended was The Wellcome Collection, which mainly focused on health. This was split into three different sections: Objects in Stereo, Being Human, and In Plain Sight.

The first section was ‘Objects in Stereo’ which was made by British photographer, Jim Naughten, who collects historical artifacts in a combination of stereoscopic and large-scale photography. This exhibition dives deeper into different perspectives and the significance of such objects in modern society, encouraging the relationship between seeing and understanding.

The most interesting part of this was looking at others while holding the stereoscopic viewer. From a certain point of perspective, I could see objects in 3D, when in reality it’s in 2D. This was very interesting considering such objects can convince our brains into seeing something completely peculiar.

The next exhibit was ‘Being Human’, which explores the nature of human beings while reflecting on our hopes and fears about advanced medical knowledge, and the relationship between us and others. “What does it mean to be human?”, this was a truly mysterious question that had many complicated answers to ‘Being Human’.

Their programme helped culturally, socially, and politically, as different perspectives help to answer the question about ‘Being Human’. There are multiple

problems with the human race and identifying them is the first step to solving the biggest challenges. In addition, Henrietta Lacks was also represented in this section since she is trying to cope with her fear of her own disease.

The final exhibit was ‘In Plain Sight,’ which highlighted the different ways we see, and are seen, by others. In society, this is extremely problematic, as we experience different opinions depending on how we see the bigger picture. This was to symbolize the different connections the eyes interpret

every day as we value seeing, but don’t always appreciate it.

When first entering, raised stripes and spots were on the floor for people who were colour blind. Interestingly, objects around the exhibit represented a subject, forcing us to think outside the box and understand the purpose of displaying such objects.

The whole experience was really enjoyable and I would consider revisiting both exhibitions to gain a better understanding of ‘Modern Science’ and contribute towards assisting in future projects.

THE FILMING OF FROZEN PLANET 2

Bertie B, Year 12 writes...

On 24th November, our Geography Scholars attended a lecture at the Royal Geographical Soceity to find out more about the filming of Frozen Planet 2.

The team explained that, before filming Frozen Planet 2, they had to consider how to expand their focus of filming. This led to the idea of filming cold environments. The documentary was based on finding new things, whether this is new organisms or land discoveries. The team explained that they had to find a balance of stories between box office animals and newish organisms.

The lecture was about how the team managed to capture unbelievable and unseen movements of organisms and their behaviour. New camera

technology, specifically built for the filming, were used and the total amount of footage gathered was captured over three and a half years.

The team really emphasised the use of drone technology, how they were able to obtain footage that was unreachable for the team. Furthermore, these drones were so advanced that they were able to carry entire cameras. The development of a new drone, called the racer drone, was able to follow a falling avalanche at top speeds of 100mph.

A lot of the documentary was about organisms in the sea close to cold environments. The introduction to the use of rebreathers allowed the team to stay under the freezing water for hours. This meant more footage could be collected and gave the

team more time to observe unseen behaviours. A main feature of the rebreather was the lack of bubbles it produced whilst underwater.

Lastly, the crew had one final set back. Covid-19 hit as they were coming to the end of filming. However, this delayed the release of Frozen Planet 2, as well as flights back home. Some of the crew who fell sick with Covid had to quarantine for around five weeks. This meant that, by the time their quarantine ended, they had missed their chance to get back home due to the terrible weather conditions.

Overall, the boys were very enthusiastic about the lecture and many questions were asked towards the end.

Felipe E, Year 8 writes...

On 6th December, Wetherby Senior’s Maths Department treated Year 8 to a wonderful trip to Bletchley Park. The day started at around 8am and, after we were all registered, we made our way down to the bus. The bus ride took about 75 minutes.

When we arrived at Bletchley, we were split into our two classes and separated out into another two groups. I was with Mr Astbury.

BLETCHLEY PARK TRIP

We had a general walk around and were then greeted by a guide, who took us to watch a film about Bletchley’s history.

One reason Bletchley was chosen was because of it’s great location. There was a railway station close enough that a tunnel was built, so tworkers were not seen coming onto the site. If people were arriving by bus, and were questioned as to where they were going, they would say a party. I’m sure people got suspicious after a while!

The worry was if German spies could go back to Berlin and say that Britain had cracked the enigma. With the information we have today, it is impossible to say that there were any proper spies. A lot of the German spies were actually double agents, which meant any secret information they had would be given to MI6.

After lunch, we had another look around the site and then took the bus back. A big thank must go to our Maths Department for organising the trip.

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHY

Ivan G, Year 11 writes...

The Royal Institute of Philosophy’s 2022 Debate was a delightful, if overwhelming, exercise in embodying everyone’s new favourite prefix, meta-.

The four-letter phenomenon has its roots in Greek, where its meaning is certainly less abstract. The Greek meta- is analogous to the Latin prefixes ad-, as in adjacent, and post-, as in postgraduate. For example, Aristotle’s Metaphysics was so named because it came after his Physics. However, as often occurs in language, the original meaning of meta- has been overshadowed by a new one. In the post-early twentieth century sense, it is used to describe a self-referential undertaking such as metamathematics, the study of mathematics with its own – that is, mathematical – methods. It is in this sense that this year’s debate, an at-times heated discussion, focused on the topic of consciousness. It was, perhaps, even as meta- as a thing can get, for it involved - nay, revolved around - the most profoundly selfreferential thing there is: to put it aptly, thinking about thinking.

More specifically, the challenge to be tackled by the panel, consisting of neuroscientist Anil Seth and philosophers, Philip Goff, Louise Antony, and Maja Spener, was the so-called hard problem of consciousness – the issue arising from attempts to explain how, and why, humans have conscious experience. Some thinkers, including Seth, hold that this apparently unsolvable hard problem is merely the product of

a series of solvable easy problems, relating to our understanding of the physical processes within the brain. Others, such as David Chalmers, who was mentioned not once but twice throughout the course of the debate, are adamant that even once every easy problem has been dispensed with, and we have a comprehensive physical understanding of the brain, the hard problem will remain in all its terrifying glory. We can know everything about the brain and yet be utterly unable to say how it is connected to first-hand conscious experience. To contrast the easy and the hard, consider: an individual is pricked by a needle. Here, the easy problems are the ones relating to understanding the biochemical activity of the central nervous system in reaction to the prick, whilst the hard problem involves asking the question of why these processes are accompanied by the feeling of pain.

A major concern, discussed by the panel, was the challenge posed to scientific research on consciousness by the inherent subjectivity of conscious experience. For lack of better

words, feelings can be felt only by the individual feeling them, meaning that, unlike the physical processes – hormonal responses, electrical impulses – responsible for them, they are completely unavailable for that which science needs most - objective assessment. In his 1974 paper, What Is It Like to Be a Bat?, philosopher Thomas Nagel uses this discrepancy between objectively observable physical and subjectively observable conscious phenomena to argue against a reductionist view like Seth’s, claiming that a physicalist account of conscious experience is impossible on the grounds that “every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that point of view.”

Personally, I found the debate to be a non-daunting reintroduction to the puzzle of consciousness. Being the first debate I have attended, it was also somewhat of a surprise, I must admit. Little did I expect those few moments of what some may brand intellectual ferocity and others, well, shouting.

YEAR 7 VISIT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Samar C, Year 7 writes...

I found walking to the Natural History Museum to be quite interesting, because we walked through Hyde Park and we could chat to our classmates. This meant that I also made new friends.

Inside the museum, it was very glamorous. We saw a whale skeleton that was the size of a single decker bus. In addition,

we saw many birds and mammal models all around the big hall. We also learnt alot about volcanos and earthquake. In fact, they even had a room that shakes, to make it feel like you are experiencing an earthquake.

My friends and I made lots of memories on our Field Day trip to the Natural History Museum. I loved it!

ARJUN’s SCIENCE UPDATE

Arjun D, Year 12 writes...

Can AI build new proteins for us? Technology says yes!

The RF diffusion system builds proteins not currently in humans that can solve medical problems, eg a chest infection or a viral outbreak (Covid-19), and can even fight off cancer, a common cold or the ‘flu.

What does it do?

RF diffusion (RoseTTAFold structure prediction network) can create unique protein structures not even found in the protein bank!

RF diffusion is able to predict the shape of unique spaces in enzymes (active sites) with all the side chains and functional groups (traits which define substances) with high accuracy. The molecule it attaches to (substrate) can also be implied from the modelling.

Before this amazing discovery, to create blueprints of new proteins, it took algorithms and years of puzzling over potential protein structures that can be used in humans. Nowadays, thanks to RF diffusion (RoseTTAFold structure prediction network), unique proteins can be modelled to solve problems, meaning we do not need to manually go through every possible single structure.

AI can build it for us in weeks!

How does this work?

Proteins are chemical compounds, with unique folded and twisted 3D shapes enabling them to perform certain functions. For example:

1. The (fibrous) protein collagen is three protein (polypeptide) chains coil around each other, making a structure like a rope held by hydrogen bonds. This particular protein structure is in our arteries and veins giving them strength.

2. The (globular) protein haemoglobin has four protein (polypeptide) chains arranged in a shape similar to a sphere, giving it a large surface area to bind with oxygen. This protein is used to transport oxygen around our body.

As you can see, protein shape is very important for its function.

Neural Network is a type of AI when a computer learns to do a task by analysing a vast amount of examples, inspired by how nerve cells are arranged in the brain.

RF diffusion uses neural network tech to learn to recognise patterns in the shape of a protein and its function in the body. By analysing a database of thousands of images, and text captions relating to them, it learns to build new ones matching specific conditions.

For example, scientists want to know of possible proteins that

bond to a particular molecule in a specific way, and potential protein candidates are chosen to fit this criteria.

To create a unique protein, a mix of different digital signals (random noise) is put into the RF diffusion system. It will then create an organised (denoised) prediction which fits the criteria. More signals then come in from the network, which become denoised again, matching the pattern of the signals coming in. At each step of this process the structure is resymmetrised.

After balancing the noising and denoising of signals, the system creates the full possible range of structures. This process keeps repeating, narrowing down options in order to find the specific ideal structure, ie one that can function well at body temperature, pH of blood etc.

The tech is now so advanced that scientists can simply tell the system the area of symmetry in the protein (which nitrogen chains) and the length of its individual repeating units in its chains (monomers) - much like

buying custom shirts with your choice of design and size!

Whats next?

After A.I. tech creates these protein ‘blueprints’, scientists will test this structure in a lab, running experiments with real chemicals testing their potential for use in humans.

Mysteries still awaiting discovery: can we use RF diffusion to accurately model smaller proteins? Apart from curing diseases, how else can custom proteins be used in boosting human performance?

On Monday 23rd January, Wetherby Senior’s Drama Department put on a trip to watch the excellent musical, Hamilton Beware: spoilers ahead.

Our trip started at 6:30pmwhen we made our way to Oxford Circus to catch the tube to Victoria, where we took a short walk to Victoria Palace Theatre. Years 7 to 11 were at the top of the theatre, looking down onto the stage, while Years 12 to 13 were in the stalls.

The Hamilton set was simple with an upper section, which was an asset to the production.

The musical is about American history and the founding of the USA. There is mostly singing and music, not much reading of lines, which helps keep the audience entertained.

The style of music is really good and there was also brilliant singing, and dancing, by the actors.

Act 2 was a lot slower but starts with a rap battle which was quite interesting to watch.

My favourite moment was when the English king, George III, sings. The whole audience laughed.

My favourite character was Aaron Burr, as he has a very catchy song to his name. The actor was also very good at making himself composed on the stage.

One thing which I would like to note is that all the performers pulled off their American accents with ease and poise for the entirety of the play.

Overall, it was a great trip and kudos to Miss Twomey, Miss Maroudi, Miss McWhirter, Miss Holmes, and Mr Wills.

Felipe E and Marty V, Year 8 write...

OTHELLO : A CONTEMPORARY TAKE ON ONE OF SHAKESPEARE’S CLASSIC TRAGEDIES

Kaveh K, Year 11 writes...

Watching posters of past performances fly by, in Clint Dyer’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Othello, cements the legacy this 2022 adaption is trying to live up to. The National’s 2013, 1997 and 1964 productions have all been critically acclaimed, though the latter left a bitter taste in Dyer’s mouth.

In 1964, Dyer attended the National to watch Sophie Treadwell’s acclaimed Machinal, only to see a poster of British actor Laurence Olivier, acting as Othello in blackface. He left in disgust and. in a Times interview stated: “Obviously I didn’t think the National Theatre was for me.” Dyer is now the first black director of Othello at a major British theatre, putting a spin on the tragedy to provide a much more contemporary twist.

Taking a seat in the Lyttleton Theatre, the play has already begun: a cleaner mops a pool of

blood, a hint for what is to come. Dyer’s direction puts focus on often sidelined characters, such as the antagonist Iago’s wife, Emilia, and uses unconventional, but strikingly effective, techniques to show Iago’s true skill in orchestrating the events of the play, allowing us to watch his machinations in a new light. Most notable is the usage of “clicks” between reality and soliloquy; rather than having all characters leave the stage to hear Iago’s plans, it happens around all the characters he is manipulating, really allowing the audience to appreciate the ease in which Iago conducts his plans.

Even then, this modernistic view of the play seems slightly confusing with the very traditional background it has, and often veers into seemingly random metaphors and comparisons, such as riot police surrounding the stage with painted masks. The “clicks” between soliloquies are overdone, significantly hastening the pace, making Iago’s manipulation seem

much more unrealistic in such a short timeframe.

Whilst misogyny is ubiquitous in all renditions of the play, being integral to its later plot, a real focus on the abuse and torment faced by women is highlighted here. Emilia seems to be almost lovesick, yet Iago clearly does not feel the same, often leading her purely for his own personal gain. Abused, bloody and shaking the torment she faces is evident, and throughout the play the audience watches as her desperation to cling on to her husband continues without stopping, showing the lengths Iago is willing to go to achieve his own goals; exploiting his own wife, with her Act 4 monologue (“But I do think...”) seeming much more apt after her relentless misery.

Thank you to our English Department for organising the trip.

Available via NT Live, in cinemas until 23rd February.

BRASS BAND TRIP TO THE GOWER SCHOOL

Felipe E, Year 8 writes...

On 7th December, Wetherby Senior’s Brass Band took part in a Christmas concert at The Gower School.

According to Mr Martin, it is a long held tradition at Wetherby Senior to perform at The Gower School. The iconic quote was “It’s Christmas when Wetherby Senior come to The Gower School.”

We played Christmas Swing and Jingle Bells. The Gower School loved the music that we were playing, and were dancing and singing along to our songs.

We then gave a little demo, which included me playing too high a note - I am a baritone player, so I played a G instead of a low C.

The headmistress of The Gower School talked to us afterwards and

complemented our performance. She also stressed the importance of her pupils seeing good players. She said it was great because it showed that, if you keep putting the practice in, you will become a great player too!

After the performance, we got some sweets and took the tube back to our School. A big thank you to The Gower School for hosting us!

For the second year in a row, I represented Wetherby Senior School at the ISA National Swimming Finals at the iconic London Aquatic Centre, home to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Last year, I finished with two gold and two silver medals, competing in both the individual races and team relays. I really enjoyed the experience, and used it as a catalyst for my performance this year, setting my eyes on winning more medals for our School.

This was my fourth year competing at the ISA National Swimming Finals so, in many ways, I knew what to expect. By now, I race half a dozen times a year at the London Aquatic Centre (referred to as LAC in the swimming community), from competions like counties to regionals to national qualifiers. Hence, I have built up a bit of a routine. I know the various routes I can take in the morning to get myself to Stratford in plenty of time to do pre pool (stretching) and warm up, before races begin. It no longer feels as daunting walking into this massive sporting venue!

Once again, my old swimming coach from prep school was managing our London North team. It was great to be greeted by him and have a few hours, in between races, to catch up.

What was a surprise was having Wetherby Senior alumnus, Henry B, volunteering with the

ISA NATIONAL SWIMMING FINALS

management of the London North team! It was nice to see him again and hear about his exciting time at university.

This year, there were three of us from Wetherby Senior attending the ISA National Swimming Finals: myself, Oliver B and Johnny R. It was Oliver’s first time representing our School at the finals, and it was wonderful getting to know him better. As an ISA National ‘veteran’, and a fellow club swimmer, Johnny was in his element. We spent time discussing club swimming and the virtues of his Chelsea and Westminster club vs my Camden Swiss Cottage club, (we all know my club is better!) but we left any competition behind as we were now both swimming for London North.

Last year, I competed in the 50-meter breastroke and 50-meter freestyle individual categories, and the medley and freestyle team relays. This year, I raced in the 50-meter breaststroke and the 50-meter butterfly individual categories.

This year, I kept up with my medals, winning a gold and a silver in my individual races. However, what was very special, was getting a new ISA national swimming record for the 50-meter breaststroke in the Year 8 boys category. I was simply buzzing when I found out! I felt I had reached a special milestone in my four-year ISA National Swimming Finals journey. I hope this is the first of many such records I set.

As well as getting an ISA national swimming record, I raced in the 50-meter butterfly category, finishing with a time of 30.94, just 0.05 seconds away from first place. Even though I did not get gold in my race, I was proud of myself, and I think I will go back there next year hungry for another stash of medals.

I am once again thankful to Mr Fuller for this opportunity. He and our Wetherby Senior Sports Department have been a tremendous help in supporting me with my swimming training.

DUOLINGO: REVIEWS AND GUIDES

Duolingo is one of the most popular, and most downloaded, language learning apps in the world. It offers free and fun learning for all ages, with even more content with its Plus version at only £6.49 a month!

Duolingo (Free version):

Units:

Duolingo structures its lessons following the science of how the brain learns a language, which is learning, consolidation, and practice. There are over 100 units for every language course on Duolingo, each respecting the language learning science while slowly drip feeding you new vocab and structures, as well as making the experience

enjoyable. Each unit will have three to five lessons, with two fun stories which are unique bite sized comprehensions, as well as two to three personalised practice sessions, which use algorithms to target weak areas. At the end of the unit, there will be a small test which then wraps up the unit.

XP, Gems, and Leagues: Through lessons, reviews, and practice, you will gain XP (experience points) which will be recorded. The point of XP? At the start of every week, you will be put into a league of 30 Duolingo users who will compete with the amount of XP they earn. The person with the most XP recorded in that week, will win the league and gain ‘gems’. Gems are used in the Duolingo gem hub to buy XP boosters, streak freezes, and additional units. XP and gem

rewards is a great motive to use Duolingo consistently! Winners in the top ten of the leagues will advance to the next harder league to gain more rewards. However, the bottom ten of the leagues will be demoted to an easier league. Promotion and demotion will also keep you working on Duolingo.

Hearts and Practice:

Duolingo grants free access to all content, even without its subscription. However, you are not given a free leash to its abundant courses! You will start the day with five hearts and for every wrong answer made, you lose one of your five hearts…

There are various ways to regain hearts, like a practice session that is on average three minutes long and regains one heart, or you can wait for them to refill across a four-hour basis during the day. Once all your hearts have been depleted, then access to lessons will be cut off and you will have to resort to the only ways of refilling them, which are practice or patience. Although all content is free, the heart tax can be quite disruptive and annoying.

Duolingo Plus (Super):

Super Duolingo is a £6.49 subscription which will offer you more content and take out the free versions’ irritating features, like hearts. With Super Duolingo, you have unlimited hearts and it removes ads when doing lessons.

With Super Duolingo you will have an unlimited number of hearts, which will mean that your lessons will not be so pressured

and forced practice will be completely optional! There will be a practice hub where you can review mistakes, review a story, or do an algorithm made from personalised practice. You will be given timed challenges which will give you large amounts of XP. Disruptive and recurring ads will be removed as well.

After finishing a unit, you will be given a chance to redo the unit on a ‘legendary status’ which will significantly increase the difficulty of the unit’s content and will not offer word guidance. Upon completion of this trial, you will

gain twice the amount of XP that you earned upon ordinary unit completion. On free Duolingo, this option had to be paid for with gems but, on Super, you will have unconditional access to this feature.

With Super, you will also be given access to additional speed reviews, which will give you a lot of XP.

Conclusion:

Duolingo is an amazing language educating app which follows the science of language learning, while making it an enjoyable experience.

Duolingo is constantly updating and improving their app.

After three years of use, I would definitely recommend it for keen language learners from any age. It is completely free and the ‘Super version’ acts as an expansion to their app which I also recommend, unless you can tolerate the hearts and ads. It contains months, if not years, of reviewable content with over 100 languages to learn.

In my opinion, this is one of the best language educating apps that I have used.

Stepan K, Year 13 writes...

In the autumn of 1940, hundreds of cargo ships travel across the Atlantic. It’s a desperate attempt to keep Britain supplied in its war effort against Germany, but they’re being decimated by enemy ships and submarines. In 1940 alone, Germany sank over 1,000 allied ships, and Britain was at risk of being starved of supplies.

The Allies’ response is brutally simple - find a way to build thousands of cargo ships and build them faster than Germany can ever hope to sink them. In just four years, America will construct over 2,700 liberty class cargo ships, and each will be built not inweeks, some in a matter of days. These ugly and hastily built ships will be loaded to the brim and sent overseas, and they will help the Allies win the war.

By late 1940, much of Europe had fallen to Nazi Germany and the British now stood alone. The British supplies were quickly dwindling, due to their supply lines being cut off. German U-boats, warships and aircraft were inflicting heavy losses to incoming shipping traffic, sinking ships faster than Britain could replace them. The United States, although not yet at war, was playing a vital role in supplying Britain with its war effort, and its enormous industrial capacity was critical to helping Britain stay in the fight. With Germany sinking ships daily, Britain and America desperately needed a way to keep all that war material moving. The problem was that, in the entire decade prior, America had only built a couple of dozen ships. So, at the start of 1941, US president Franklin Roosevelt announced the emergency shipbuilding programme. It will be an enormous effort to produce ships on an unprecedented scale.

To do this, the Americans will need to build a special kind of ship, the dreadful-looking object President Roosevelt described as

liberty ships when he first saw their design. Time magazine nicknamed them ugly ducklings. They’re not much to look at and, from a design standpoint, there’s also nothing remarkable about them. With 10,000 tonnes of cargo capacity, they are a large ship for the day, but they’re also obsolete - their design is 60 years old. If the Atlantic seas are rough enough and moving in the wrong direction, liberty ships might not be able to move forward.

Most liberty ships were given light defences, three-inch bow guns, four- or five-inch turn guns, and anti-aircraft weaponry. They were crewed by 45 volunteer merchant marines, plus one or two dozen Navy-armed guards. However, the heroic men who served aboard these ships were vulnerable and paid a heavy price. Liberty ships aren’t remarkable for their capabilities out at sea. The history they made wasn’t in how they were built. Their design is deliberately basic because that’s going to allow thousands to be built, with most being constructed in just a few weeks. They weren’t expected to last their engineered life span of only five years. Yet, if a liberty ship can make just one single trip across the ocean with cargo, that’s a success worth the $2 million price tag. That’s how desperate the situation was.

The task of constructing liberty ships will be assigned to 18 shipyards spread across the coastal United States, and they’ll soon be producing liberty ships at an incredible rate. By 1943, the shipyards launched a new ship on average every eight hours, and two revolutionary changes in shipbuilding made these enormous feet possible.

The first is welding. Until this point, almost all ships were built by riveting pieces together, a slow process requiring skill and physical strength.

The second revolutionary step will bring assembly line logic to the shipbuilding industry. Instead of building a ship from start to finish, thousands of components will be manufactured simultaneously at different locations and then brought to the shipyard for final assembly. It used to take six months to construct a liberty-sized ship. By 1944 it was taking, on average, only 42 days, and shipyards would compete to see how fast they could build them. One shipyard would finish a liberty ship in a month. Then

another would break this record by doing it in just three weeks. In November of 1942, the Richmond shipyards in California managed to build a liberty ship in just four days and 15 hours and then it broke in two. Early liberties did break in half. They were notorious for developing serious structural cracks, as welding instead of riveting meant cracks could quickly spread throughout the hull.

At sea, liberty ships were vulnerable not because they lacked serious defensive weaponry but

because they were slow. Convoys of liberty ships, numbering 50 or 60, would lumber along at just 10 mph at full emergency speed. A liberty ship could push 13 mph, but a German surface U-boat could do 20 mph, making liberties easy prey, especially at night. T

o improve the odds, liberty ships were guarded by escorts and more vulnerable liberties (those loaded with munitions or fuel) travelled at the centre of the formation. Hundreds were sunk or critically damaged throughout the war, but by mid-1941, the sheer number of liberty ships out at sea, along with an increase in their armed escorts, overwhelmed German forces. Advances in anti-submarine technologies also started stamping out the U-boat threat.

After the war, many liberties were put into the reserve fleets or sold off to post-war merchant cargo fleets by the 1960s. Their ancient design made them far too expensive to operate, and most were sold for scrap. Today only three remaining liberties survive to remind us of their enormous contribution to winning the Second World War.

THe HISTORY OF THE AVRO ARROW

Jasper H, Year 11 writes...

The Avro Arrow was a jet interceptor aircraft developed by A.V. Roe Canada (Avro) during the 1950s. The project was initiated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to defend against potential Soviet bomber attacks during the Cold War. The Arrow was designed to be a supersonic, all-weather interceptor capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.5.

The design of the Arrow began in 1953, and the first prototype made its maiden flight in 1958. The aircraft received positive reviews for its performance, and the RCAF ordered 100 production models. However, in 1959, the Canadian government abruptly cancelled the program, citing financial and economic reasons.

The cancellation of the Avro Arrow program resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs, and caused significant political and economic upheaval in Canada. It also marked the end of Canada’s aircraft manufacturing industry. Many of the engineers and technicians who worked on the Arrow program emigrated to the United States, where they found work in the aerospace industry.

The Avro Arrow remains a source of national pride and a symbol of the potential of Canadian innovation and ingenuity. The story of the Avro Arrow, and its cancellation, continues to be studied in Canadian history, and is often used as a cautionary tale about the dangers of political interference in the economy.

BOOM SUPERSONIC, THE FUTURE OF AIRLINE TRAVEL

Jasper H, Year 11writes...

Boom Supersonic is a startup company, founded in 2014, with the goal of developing a supersonic commercial jet that could fly faster than the speed of sound. The company is based in Denver, Colorado, and led by founder and CEO, Blake Scholl.

The concept for Boom Supersonic began with Scholl’s desire to make long-distance travel faster and more efficient. He recognised that the current state of supersonic travel had not progressed significantly since the retirement of the Concorde in 2003, and saw an opportunity to create a new, more advanced supersonic jet.

In 2015, Boom Supersonic unveiled its first design for a supersonic jet, the XB-1, also known as the “Baby Boom.” The XB-1 is a small-scale prototype of the company’s planned commercial jet, and designed to test the aerodynamics and propulsion systems of the larger aircraft.

In 2019, Boom Supersonic announced a partnership with Virgin Galactic, which invested in the company and committed to purchase 15 supersonic jets, once they become available. Boom Supersonic also received investment from other major players in the aerospace industry, including Boeing HorizonX and Japan Airlines.

In 2020, Boom Supersonic announced that it had completed a successful test flight of the XB-1, which reached supersonic speeds

and proved the design of the aircraft was viable. The company is currently working on the development of its commercial jet, which will be named the Overture, with plans to begin test flights in 2024 and commercial operations by 2029.

The Overture will be capable of carrying up to 88 passengers and traveling at speeds of up to Mach 2.2, more than twice the speed of sound and faster than the Concorde. The company claims the Overture will reduce travel time on long-haul routes, such

as New York to London, from 7 hours to 3.5 hours.

The potential benefits of supersonic travel include faster travel times and increased efficiency, but there are also concerns about the environmental impact of supersonic jets, including increased noise pollution and the potential contribution to climate change. Boom Supersonic has stated that the Overture will be designed to be as fuel-efficient as possible, and will be carbon neutral by using sustainable aviation fuel.

INVASIVE AND PARASITIC FUNGI SPECIES

success as a producer of nuts, and a valuable source of wood that provided a faster rate of growth than oak trees.

Cordyceps

Daniel W, Year 9 writes...

From cloaking lush forest surfaces with blooming caps brushed with vivid colours, to sprouting networks of fuzzy threads of mycelium spanning the soil, fungi of many varieties flourish in numerous systems. However, some fungi species illustrate malicious behaviour to neighbouring plants and even creatures.

Cryphonectria Parasitica

Responsible for Chestnut blight, the fungus locates a vulnerable chestnut tree that possesses a wound, which it can enter and develop mycelium as a cavity of dead tissue forms that can surround and eliminate protruding branches. The infected bark then bears a mass of orange bumps that disperse spores in the air to infect more chestnut trees. The spread of the disease can be influenced by factors such as the high air temperature, humidity and the water content of bark.

While the fungus is native to Eastern Asia, its unintentional

introduction to North America in the twentieth century led to the severe disruption of the chestnut tree population, with an impact of 4 billion casualties. Another wave infection occurred in Europe, from Italy, to initially devastating results around 1938. However, surviving trees were observed to inherit a Hypovirus which impedes fungus growth and permits recovery. While this has been used to control chestnut blight in European countries, efforts in North America received limited success due to the Hypovirus relying on a narrow variation between fungi.

Overall, Cryphnectria Parasitica cost the US a tree that found

Cordyceps is a parasitic species of fungus that is well known for its ability to influence the behaviour of insects. When the fungus comes into contact with a host, it will physically bond itself to it and begin infiltrating the insect’s body. It produces chemicals in its circulatory system that alter its behavioural patterns, which navigates it to a relatively high area such as the stem of plant. Achieving maximum altitude, it will bind itself with the mandibles to anchor itself to its fixed position, while the fungus severs the connection between its muscles of the dying insect. The fungus then continues to inhabit the corpse and grow mycelium until it sprouts on the exterior. Finally, it develops fruiting bodies from the ruptured head to release its spores.

The fungus’ sinister tactics have caused its primary hosts, ants, to adapt and abandon the infected members away from their colony to prevent further exposure to spores.

Tommy S, Year 9 writes...

Over ten years ago, a tsunami triggered a disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant on Japan’s east coast. After the accident, large amounts of radioactivity contaminated the ocean leading to a forced marine exclusion zone and huge reputational damage to the regional fishing industry.

Huge volumes of contaminated water have accumulated on the site since. Water was needed to cool the damaged reactors and groundwater that became contaminated, as it infiltrated the site, had to be pumped out and stored. Over 1,000 tanks have been built on site to store over a million tonnes of radioactive water. Yet the site is running

THE FUKASHIMA DISASTER

out of storage space and the tanks could leak, particularly in the event of an earthquake or typhoon. So, Japanese authorities have given permission to release stored radioactive water through a pipeline into the Pacific Ocean. The water would be diluted inside the plant before release, so it is 40 times less intense, the Yomiuri Shimbun said, with the whole process taking 30 years. An official decision could emerge by the end of this month, said Kyodo news agency.

There has been growing urgency over what to do with the water as space to store the liquid - which includes groundwater and rain that seeps daily into the plant - is running out.

So, what happened in 2011? On

11th March, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, triggering a 15-metre tsunami. While the back-up systems to prevent a meltdown at Fukushima survived the initial quake, further damage was inflicted by the tsunami. As the facility’s cooling systems failed in the days that followed, tonnes of radioactive material were released. The meltdown was the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.

Around 18,500 people died or disappeared in the quake and tsunami, and more than 160,000 were forced from their homes The main side effects are that areas to the north-west of Japan received high levels of contamination, especially in Fukushima.

DEADLINE: FOOTBALL TALK

England 1st

Division

(Premier League)

Arsenal Arsenal signed Premier League left winger, Leandro Trossard, from Brighton for £24 million, after a deal for Ukrainian star, Mudryk, fell through, to replace an injured Gabriel Jesus (out for three months) up front for the Gunners. They have also brought on board talented a Champions League winner from Chelsea, Jorginho.

Manchester City ManCity recently signed Dortmund striker Erling Halaand and have not done any business within the winter transfer window period. They have been looking very good as a team and do not need to make transfers now, unless an injury were to arise in a muchneeded position within the squad. Frustrated wing back, Cancelo, has left the club periodically, after a row with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (who bluntly told him, after he threatened to leave the club after not being started in their epic clash with top of the table Arsenal, that he could leave if he wanted!).

He has since gone on loan to German giants Bayern Munich, with an option for them to buy the player after the loan spell is over.

Newcastle

Recently brought out by Saudi Arabian officials, Newcastle now have a bigger budget then last season to work with and have loaned Chris Wood to Nottingham Forest, who currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League and have yet to sign anybody, so far, in 2023.

Tottenham

Tottenham signed Dutch Villareal

left winger, Danjuma, on loan to White Hart Lane for the rest of the season from PSV Eindhoven.

Chelsea

Chelsea have blown the budget of any team out of the water this season, and snapped up 2022 World Cup winner (and best young player of the tournament award winner) for 121 million Euros from Portuguese league side, Benfica. Joao Felix, from Atletico Madrid, is on loan to Stamford Bridge, and Mykhalo Mudryk, from Shakhtar Donetsk, has made an impact since playing his first match at the bridge. All of Chelsea’s recent business has added up to a hefty expenditure of 611.5 million Euros, with an average age of 23 between all 45 players going in and out, and the arrivals costing a grand total of 551.8 million Euros. This makes the club’s total balance go down by £543.66 million pounds but an increase of only £67.83 million.

Gio G, Year 9 writes...

TOTY 2023 has been released, with a few controversial picks.

In my opinion, Courtois is well deserved for his incredible Champions League performances in 2022, gaining Man of the Match in the final. Moving to the back line, Hakimi gets in due to an incredible World Cup run with underdogs, Morocco, making it all the way to the semi-finals. He was one, of the best players for his nation.

Centre backs Van Dijk and Milito had good years, but I would have

TEAM OF THE YEAR 2023

gone for Otamendi instead, after a dominant performance in Qatar, and I would take Milito off for his teammate, Alaba, who had a better Champions League last year, being the heart of the backline. Although you could choose either of the two for this place. Theo at Lb is very goodx as he won Serie-A and reached the final of the World Cup. Modric is still the best midfielder in the world and deserves his place alongside De Bruyne. Yet Jude Bellingham is controversial to say the least. Yes, he had some great matches in the World Cup but sadly went out in the quarter finals and didn’t win anything with Dortmund.

So, for me, a better fit for this place would be Thiago Alcantara who had an outstanding second season in Liverpool.

Mbappe and Messi are the two best players in the world. They gifted us the best World Cup final of all time and, some argue, the best game of all time. Messi is still the best in the world! Benzema had a very good 202122 season, being the best player and winning the blonder, but completely dropped off this season, so some may argue that wonderkid Ealing Harland should be in the starting XI, instead of the Frenchman.

HAS RONALDO’s CAREER BEEN RUINED?

Panos K, Year 9 writes...

37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo has transferred from Manchester United to Al-Nassr for free. Although there was no initial price tag on the Portuguese striker, he will get paid a record-breaking £173 million.

After being knocked out of the World Cup to an overwhelming Morocco, Ronaldo made the move to the Saudi Arabian team. Many have said this move has ruined his career. Ronaldo will no longer be able to play in Europe and will only compete in competitions outside club football. Fortunately for Ronaldo, he will be able to appear in the Saudi league, but it is highly likely that he will find it less competitive than previously. We all know that Ronaldo has had a fabulous career until now, scoring

819 career goals and assisting 216 assists. These statistics theoretically make him number one in the world right now. After this record-breaking move to the Saudi-Arabian team, there is no doubt that he can continue firing in goals, but, by now playing in a much easier league, will he still be considered number one?

Many fans have lost trust and belief in the five-time ballond’or winner as, in a previous interview,

he stated that he would never ruin his footballing career just to get paid that extra. On the other hand, some fans are respecting Ronaldo for how he has been playing for around 20 years now and has already shown his class. The fact that Ronaldo made the move back to English club, Manchester United, trying to revive his career, has persuaded some fans that he did in fact try to not leave for the money, but this proved to be wrong.

JEEVES AND WOOSTER SERIES 1 REVIEW

By Lev L, Iakov L, Cameron B, Cyrus D, and Aarav S, Year 8

Jeeves and Wooster is a comedy series filmed in 1990-93, starring the beloved BBC comedy duo, Stephen Fry (Jeeves) and Hugh Laurie (Wooster). The series consists of four seasons, where an irresponsible alcoholic Bertie Wooster hires a valet (butler) named Jeeves. Along with Wooster’s unusual friends, they get involved in a variety of troublesome romantic events. This article reviews the first season.

The first scene is set in a court of law, where a hungover Bertie Wooster is prosecuted for theft of a police officer’s helmet, an antic that he and his friends commonly perform. He is then sent home and helped by a new valet, Jeeves, to return to a healthy state. He is visited by his Aunt Agatha (nicknamed the ‘nephew crusher’ by Wooster’s cousins) and is instructed to get engaged to Honoria Glossop, daughter of Sir Roderick Glossop. Reluctant to do so, Bertie hatches a plan to get Honoria married to his obsessive friend Bingo Little. This fails and the Glossops come to lunch at Wooster’s apartment. Luckily, Jeeves has an idea to break off the engagement to Honoria Glossop.

In the second episode, Bertie is determined to propose to Bobbie Wickham. When Barmy defeats him at golf, Bobbie recommends a water-bottle trick that backfires. Bertie is made to watch Aunt Agatha’s over-pampered dog McIntosh and is horrified when Bobbie gives the dog to the spoilt son of a Broadway producer. Tuppy Glossop is infatuated with

an opera singer, Cora Bellinger, and has dropped Bertie’s cousin Angela. Her mother, Aunt Dahlia, wants this affair over, and Jeeves produces a plan which involves Bertie singing in public.

In the next episode, Bertie’s Uncle George wishes to marry a young waitress. Aunt Agatha is dismayed and, through Bertie, attempts to offer the girl £100 to break off the engagement. Instead, however, Bertie meets Maud Wilberforce, who has a connection with his uncle. Bertie visits Twing Hall, where Lady Wickhammersley has banned all gambling after Lord Wickhammersley lost the East Wing in a game of shove ha’penny the previous week, according to Jeeves. (It is also mentioned that, a year ago, Lord Wickhammersley lost a car to Lord Ickenham as a result of gambling). Rupert Steggles has surreptitiously arranged to take bets, however, on the events at a village fair. Bertie and Bingo place bets on the competitors, only to find that Steggles has rigged the events. Jeeves duly sorts things out.

In the fourth episode, Aunt Dahlia coerces Bertie into handing out the prizes at Market Snodsbury

Grammar School by threatening to withhold the services of her master chef, Anatole. Newtfancier Gussie Fink-Nottle comes to Jeeves for advice about Madeline Bassett, of whom he is enamoured. Since she is staying at Brinkley Court with Aunt Dahlia, Bertie delegates Gussie to give the prizes. Bertie tries to sort out Tuppy Glossop and Angela Travers’s relationship, Gussie and Madeline’s relationship, and an issue Aunt Dahlia has with her husband — all without the help of Jeeves. Disaster ensues when he recommends that they go without dinner.

In the final episode, Jeeves returns to London to persuade Anatole to return to Brinkley Court, where Bertie subsequently goes to reconcile Angela Travers with Tuppy Glossop, who is growing increasingly suspicious and jealous of his relationship with her. In order to bolster Gussie FinkNottle’s courage to deliver the prizes and propose to Madeline Bassett, both Bertie and Jeeves spike his orange juice. Jeeves finally sorts out all the fractured relationships with a plan to set off the fire alarm.

Jaime R, Year 12...

A fundamental component of numerous religions, throughout the world, is the idea of resurrection or the expectation that the dead will come back to life. Every Easter, Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection as the foundation of their religion. Yet what does the resurrection entail for both believers and non-believers?

For Christians, the resurrection of Jesus is seen as a historical event that proves Jesus was the Son of God and that, through his death and resurrection, humanity can have eternal life. It also serves as

a reminder of the power of God and the promise of eternal life for believers.

For non-believers, the resurrection may be seen as a myth or story meant to inspire hope and faith. However, regardless of one’s beliefs, the story of the resurrection can serve as a reminder of the power of hope and the endurance of the human spirit.

Other religions, like Judaism and Islam, also place a great deal of significance on the resurrection. A key Jewish belief in the arrival of the Messiah, and the establishment of the World

TRIB POINTS UPDATE

Sebastian H H, Year 9 writes...

After a lot of Trib activities like creative writing, rugby, science and more, Effra has shot ahead of Fleet, Tyburn, Walbrook and Ravensbourne.

Although there are times that Effra have 90 Gold Notes, ahead of Fleet and then Walbrook. Ravensbourne is narrowly behind by four Gold Notes and Tyburn eight Gold Notes beind that.

On Friday 3rd February, there was further excitement with our InterTrib Geography competition. There are going to be plenty of other opportunities to gain and lose Gold Notes as we continue to progress through this current academic year.

The competition for our School’s Thames Tropthy looks like it will be tight, which is why this year will get much more interesting. Each Trib may have dug down, but they each need to dig down even further.

RESURRECTION

to Come, is the resurrection of the dead. Islam believes that all souls will be judged on the Day of Judgment for their actions during this life, and that it will take place after the resurrection of the dead.

In conclusion, many individuals around the world have a profound and significant understanding of the idea of resurrection. It serves as a reminder of the continuing power of faith and hope, regardless of whether one believes in the actual resurrection of the dead or the metaphorical resurrection of the spirit.

While we have enjoyed Trib events such as science, creative writing, rowing, rugby, and geography, we still have drama, football, chess, and more to come.

As the pressure builds on all our Tribs, you know that it is not just you any more. It is your entire team! Remember that one false move could make the consequences unimaginable....

Standings correct as of 3rd January 2023.

WRITE FOR US

Do you have something you’d like to write about?

Is there a passion or interest you’d like to share with others?

Is there a cause you would like to draw attention to?

Would you like to report on school events?

Are you a great photographer or artist?

Send your articles (and images to go with them) to nicola.bradley@wetherbysenior.co.uk, or ask to be added to the team on Teams where you can submit it directly.

A submission deadline will be set each half term, so get writing so your article can be included!