Hi! I’m Nancy. I'm English and I’m thirteen years old. My new school is great and my new classmates are great, too. My best friend's name is Rosa. She’s Spanish. She’s from Barcelona. She’s very good at Science but she isn’t very good at History. I’m good at History but I’m not very good at Science.
Mrs Diego is my new Geography teacher and she’s Spanish, too. Geography isn’t my favourite subject but she’s my favourite teacher. My favourite subject is Spanish. That’s right. I speak Spanish, too.

Hi! I’m Nancy. I'm English and I’m thirteen years old. My new school is great and my new classmates are great, too. My best friend's name is Rosa. She’s Spanish. She’s from Barcelona. She’s very good at Science but she isn’t very good at History. I’m good at History but I’m not very good at Science.
Mrs Diego is my new Geography teacher and she’s Spanish, too. Geography isn’t my favourite subject but she’s my favourite teacher. My favourite subject is Spanish. That’s right. I speak Spanish, too.

Hi! I’m Nancy. I'm English and I’m thirteen years old. My new school is great and my new classmates are great, too. My best friend's name is Rosa. She’s Spanish. She’s from Barcelona. She’s very good at Science but she isn’t very good at History. I’m good at History but I’m not very good at Science.
Mrs Diego is my new Geography teacher and she’s Spanish, too. Geography isn’t my favourite subject but she’s my favourite teacher. My favourite subject is Spanish. That’s right. I speak Spanish, too.

Hi! I’m Nancy. I'm English and I’m thirteen years old. My new school is great and my new classmates are great, too. My best friend's name is Rosa. She’s Spanish. She’s from Barcelona. She’s very good at Science but she isn’t very good at History. I’m good at History but I’m not very good at Science.
Mrs Diego is my new Geography teacher and she’s Spanish, too. Geography isn’t my favourite subject but she’s my favourite teacher. My favourite subject is Spanish. That’s right. I speak Spanish, too.

Kevin - the music man
Kevin Baxter is the chef at Messy Jim's Restaurant. Kevin is crazy about music. He listens to music in his free time and he also plays the guitar. Every Thursday it's Rock Night at the restaurant and his friends go there for dinner. They listen to rock music and Kevin sometimes plays the guitar. It's their favourite kind of music. At the weekend Kevin usually has lunch in the park near his house. He sometimes takes his guitar to the park and plays. People stop and listen to his beautiful music!

Kevin - the music man
Kevin Baxter is the chef at Messy Jim's Restaurant. Kevin is crazy about music. He listens to music in his free time and he also plays the guitar. Every Thursday it's Rock Night at the restaurant and his friends go there for dinner. They listen to rock music and Kevin sometimes plays the guitar. It's their favourite kind of music. At the weekend Kevin usually has lunch in the park near his house. He sometimes takes his guitar to the park and plays. People stop and listen to his beautiful music!

Kevin - the music man
Kevin Baxter is the chef at Messy Jim's Restaurant. Kevin is crazy about music. He listens to music in his free time and he also plays the guitar. Every Thursday it's Rock Night at the restaurant and his friends go there for dinner. They listen to rock music and Kevin sometimes plays the guitar. It's their favourite kind of music. At the weekend Kevin usually has lunch in the park near his house. He sometimes takes his guitar to the park and plays. People stop and listen to his beautiful music!

Kevin - the music man
Kevin Baxter is the chef at Messy Jim's Restaurant. Kevin is crazy about music. He listens to music in his free time and he also plays the guitar. Every Thursday it's Rock Night at the restaurant and his friends go there for dinner. They listen to rock music and Kevin sometimes plays the guitar. It's their favourite kind of music. At the weekend Kevin usually has lunch in the park near his house. He sometimes takes his guitar to the park and plays. People stop and listen to his beautiful music!

Dear Lorna,
Thanks for the pictures of your house and town. The castle in the picture is amazing and it isn’t far from your house. Wow! My neighbourhood is very different. I live in a big city. My house isn’t near my school. You can walk to school but I can’t. I like the skatepark in your town but it’s small. The skatepark here is very big and my friends and I have great fun there. We’ve also got a museum, an art gallery, a lot of theatres and of course cinemas. I often go to the cinema with my friends.
Write soon,
Meg

Dear Lorna,
Thanks for the pictures of your house and town. The castle in the picture is amazing and it isn’t far from your house. Wow! My neighbourhood is very different. I live in a big city. My house isn’t near my school. You can walk to school but I can’t. I like the skatepark in your town but it’s small. The skatepark here is very big and my friends and I have great fun there. We’ve also got a museum, an art gallery, a lot of theatres and of course cinemas. I often go to the cinema with my friends.
Write soon,
Meg

Dear Lorna,
Thanks for the pictures of your house and town. The castle in the picture is amazing and it isn’t far from your house. Wow! My neighbourhood is very different. I live in a big city. My house isn’t near my school. You can walk to school but I can’t. I like the skatepark in your town but it’s small. The skatepark here is very big and my friends and I have great fun there. We’ve also got a museum, an art gallery, a lot of theatres and of course cinemas. I often go to the cinema with my friends.
Write soon,
Meg

Dear Lorna,
Thanks for the pictures of your house and town. The castle in the picture is amazing and it isn’t far from your house. Wow! My neighbourhood is very different. I live in a big city. My house isn’t near my school. You can walk to school but I can’t. I like the skatepark in your town but it’s small. The skatepark here is very big and my friends and I have great fun there. We’ve also got a museum, an art gallery, a lot of theatres and of course cinemas. I often go to the cinema with my friends.
Write soon,
Meg

ICE CREAM FUN!
By Emma Jones
I just love ice cream. Sometimes my mum makes spaghetti ice cream. It tastes delicious and my friends and family love it. But there isn’t any spaghetti in the dessert. She uses ice cream for the spaghetti, cherries for the ketchup and a white chocolate bar for the cheese. I have ice cream parties and all my friends have fun. We also eat banana cake and try fruit pizzas. We always play games, too. We close our eyes and taste different flavours of ice cream. I’m good at this, so I’m usually the winner!

ICE CREAM FUN!
By Emma Jones
I just love ice cream. Sometimes my mum makes spaghetti ice cream. It tastes delicious and my friends and family love it. But there isn’t any spaghetti in the dessert. She uses ice cream for the spaghetti, cherries for the ketchup and a white chocolate bar for the cheese. I have ice cream parties and all my friends have fun. We also eat banana cake and try fruit pizzas. We always play games, too. We close our eyes and taste different flavours of ice cream. I’m good at this, so I’m usually the winner!

ICE CREAM FUN!
By Emma Jones
I just love ice cream. Sometimes my mum makes spaghetti ice cream. It tastes delicious and my friends and family love it. But there isn’t any spaghetti in the dessert. She uses ice cream for the spaghetti, cherries for the ketchup and a white chocolate bar for the cheese. I have ice cream parties and all my friends have fun. We also eat banana cake and try fruit pizzas. We always play games, too. We close our eyes and taste different flavours of ice cream. I’m good at this, so I’m usually the winner!

ICE CREAM FUN!
By Emma Jones
I just love ice cream. Sometimes my mum makes spaghetti ice cream. It tastes delicious and my friends and family love it. But there isn’t any spaghetti in the dessert. She uses ice cream for the spaghetti, cherries for the ketchup and a white chocolate bar for the cheese. I have ice cream parties and all my friends have fun. We also eat banana cake and try fruit pizzas. We always play games, too. We close our eyes and taste different flavours of ice cream. I’m good at this, so I’m usually the winner!

Craig’s trip
Craig found a good website on the Internet with different trips to Central America. He wanted to go to Honduras but the trip to Costa Rica was cheaper so he’s going to go there. He’s leaving in two weeks and he’s very excited. It’s a one-month trip and he’s going to go on a tour of the rainforest. He’s also going to travel up the Rio Grande de Tárcoles. It’s Costa Rica’s longest river and he’s going to see beautiful birds and maybe monkeys. Later on the trip he’s going to climb Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest mountain. Unfortunately, it rains a lot there in June, so he’s going shopping tomorrow to buy an umbrella!

Craig’s trip
Craig found a good website on the Internet with different trips to Central America. He wanted to go to Honduras but the trip to Costa Rica was cheaper so he’s going to go there. He’s leaving in two weeks and he’s very excited. It’s a one-month trip and he’s going to go on a tour of the rainforest. He’s also going to travel up the Rio Grande de Tárcoles. It’s Costa Rica’s longest river and he’s going to see beautiful birds and maybe monkeys. Later on the trip he’s going to climb Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest mountain. Unfortunately, it rains a lot there in June, so he’s going shopping tomorrow to buy an umbrella!

Craig’s trip
Craig found a good website on the Internet with different trips to Central America. He wanted to go to Honduras but the trip to Costa Rica was cheaper so he’s going to go there. He’s leaving in two weeks and he’s very excited. It’s a one-month trip and he’s going to go on a tour of the rainforest. He’s also going to travel up the Rio Grande de Tárcoles. It’s Costa Rica’s longest river and he’s going to see beautiful birds and maybe monkeys. Later on the trip he’s going to climb Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest mountain. Unfortunately, it rains a lot there in June, so he’s going shopping tomorrow to buy an umbrella!

Craig’s trip
Craig found a good website on the Internet with different trips to Central America. He wanted to go to Honduras but the trip to Costa Rica was cheaper so he’s going to go there. He’s leaving in two weeks and he’s very excited. It’s a one-month trip and he’s going to go on a tour of the rainforest. He’s also going to travel up the Rio Grande de Tárcoles. It’s Costa Rica’s longest river and he’s going to see beautiful birds and maybe monkeys. Later on the trip he’s going to climb Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest mountain. Unfortunately, it rains a lot there in June, so he’s going shopping tomorrow to buy an umbrella!

Hey Joy,
How are you? This is my first week in our new house and I'm not very happy about it because my sister and I have the same bedroom.
I love her but she's a bit lazy and she's often rude to me. She put all her posters up on the walls and I can't put any of my posters up now. Her things are always on the floor, on her bed, on the computer and I always tidy up her mess. And listen to this. She doesn't want to keep my goldfish in the room because she doesn't like fish. So, now I keep him in the kitchen. And guess what! This week she's painting one of the walls black because she thinks it's trendy.
I can't live in a black room. No way!
It's a real problem. What can I do?
Write back soon.
Love,
Jodie

Hey Joy,
How are you? This is my first week in our new house and I'm not very happy about it because my sister and I have the same bedroom.
I love her but she's a bit lazy and she's often rude to me. She put all her posters up on the walls and I can't put any of my posters up now. Her things are always on the floor, on her bed, on the computer and I always tidy up her mess. And listen to this. She doesn't want to keep my goldfish in the room because she doesn't like fish. So, now I keep him in the kitchen. And guess what! This week she's painting one of the walls black because she thinks it's trendy.
I can't live in a black room. No way!
It's a real problem. What can I do?
Write back soon.
Love,
Jodie

Hey Joy,
How are you? This is my first week in our new house and I'm not very happy about it because my sister and I have the same bedroom.
I love her but she's a bit lazy and she's often rude to me. She put all her posters up on the walls and I can't put any of my posters up now. Her things are always on the floor, on her bed, on the computer and I always tidy up her mess. And listen to this. She doesn't want to keep my goldfish in the room because she doesn't like fish. So, now I keep him in the kitchen. And guess what! This week she's painting one of the walls black because she thinks it's trendy.
I can't live in a black room. No way!
It's a real problem. What can I do?
Write back soon.
Love,
Jodie

Hey Joy,
How are you? This is my first week in our new house and I'm not very happy about it because my sister and I have the same bedroom.
I love her but she's a bit lazy and she's often rude to me. She put all her posters up on the walls and I can't put any of my posters up now. Her things are always on the floor, on her bed, on the computer and I always tidy up her mess. And listen to this. She doesn't want to keep my goldfish in the room because she doesn't like fish. So, now I keep him in the kitchen. And guess what! This week she's painting one of the walls black because she thinks it's trendy.
I can't live in a black room. No way!
It's a real problem. What can I do?
Write back soon.
Love,
Jodie

CLEAN UP! Torbiton Beach
Next weekend, the organisation Clean up! will be at Torbiton Beach. The beach is very dirty and people never go there to swim. If lots of people help out next weekend, then Torbiton Beach will become a wonderful place to spend a summer’s day. Clean up! are hoping over a thousand people will join in and help them clean up the beach. If anyone in the area wants to join in, they are welcome. Work will begin at seven o’clock in the morning and finish at eight in the evening on both days. There will be food and drinks to buy at the car park near the beach. Clean up! hope the people of Torbiton will continue to keep the beach clean after they finish work there. If the project is successful and the beach becomes more popular, then Clean up! will get to work on other beaches in the area.

CLEAN UP! Torbiton Beach
Next weekend, the organisation Clean up! will be at Torbiton Beach. The beach is very dirty and people never go there to swim. If lots of people help out next weekend, then Torbiton Beach will become a wonderful place to spend a summer’s day. Clean up! are hoping over a thousand people will join in and help them clean up the beach. If anyone in the area wants to join in, they are welcome. Work will begin at seven o’clock in the morning and finish at eight in the evening on both days. There will be food and drinks to buy at the car park near the beach. Clean up! hope the people of Torbiton will continue to keep the beach clean after they finish work there. If the project is successful and the beach becomes more popular, then Clean up! will get to work on other beaches in the area.

CLEAN UP! Torbiton Beach
Next weekend, the organisation Clean up! will be at Torbiton Beach. The beach is very dirty and people never go there to swim. If lots of people help out next weekend, then Torbiton Beach will become a wonderful place to spend a summer’s day. Clean up! are hoping over a thousand people will join in and help them clean up the beach. If anyone in the area wants to join in, they are welcome. Work will begin at seven o’clock in the morning and finish at eight in the evening on both days. There will be food and drinks to buy at the car park near the beach. Clean up! hope the people of Torbiton will continue to keep the beach clean after they finish work there. If the project is successful and the beach becomes more popular, then Clean up! will get to work on other beaches in the area.

CLEAN UP! Torbiton Beach
Next weekend, the organisation Clean up! will be at Torbiton Beach. The beach is very dirty and people never go there to swim. If lots of people help out next weekend, then Torbiton Beach will become a wonderful place to spend a summer’s day. Clean up! are hoping over a thousand people will join in and help them clean up the beach. If anyone in the area wants to join in, they are welcome. Work will begin at seven o’clock in the morning and finish at eight in the evening on both days. There will be food and drinks to buy at the car park near the beach. Clean up! hope the people of Torbiton will continue to keep the beach clean after they finish work there. If the project is successful and the beach becomes more popular, then Clean up! will get to work on other beaches in the area.

Hi Ellie,
How are things? I'm not OK. I've got a problem. You see, I'm looking after my neighbours' goldfish while they're on holiday. Everything was fine until yesterday when one of them died. I think I gave it too much food. Or maybe it was ill and now all the other fish are going to get ill and die, too. Actually, I've got the flu at the moment. Maybe, it got the flu from me. But goldfish don't get the flu, do they? Do they get ill? I just don't know. Anyway, what should I do? If I call my neighbours and tell them, they'll get upset, won't they? I could buy them a new one. Or is that a silly idea? Write back as soon as you can.
Carl

Hi Ellie,
How are things? I'm not OK. I've got a problem. You see, I'm looking after my neighbours' goldfish while they're on holiday. Everything was fine until yesterday when one of them died. I think I gave it too much food. Or maybe it was ill and now all the other fish are going to get ill and die, too. Actually, I've got the flu at the moment. Maybe, it got the flu from me. But goldfish don't get the flu, do they? Do they get ill? I just don't know. Anyway, what should I do? If I call my neighbours and tell them, they'll get upset, won't they? I could buy them a new one. Or is that a silly idea? Write back as soon as you can.
Carl

Hi Ellie,
How are things? I'm not OK. I've got a problem. You see, I'm looking after my neighbours' goldfish while they're on holiday. Everything was fine until yesterday when one of them died. I think I gave it too much food. Or maybe it was ill and now all the other fish are going to get ill and die, too. Actually, I've got the flu at the moment. Maybe, it got the flu from me. But goldfish don't get the flu, do they? Do they get ill? I just don't know. Anyway, what should I do? If I call my neighbours and tell them, they'll get upset, won't they? I could buy them a new one. Or is that a silly idea? Write back as soon as you can.
Carl

Hi Ellie,
How are things? I'm not OK. I've got a problem. You see, I'm looking after my neighbours' goldfish while they're on holiday. Everything was fine until yesterday when one of them died. I think I gave it too much food. Or maybe it was ill and now all the other fish are going to get ill and die, too. Actually, I've got the flu at the moment. Maybe, it got the flu from me. But goldfish don't get the flu, do they? Do they get ill? I just don't know. Anyway, what should I do? If I call my neighbours and tell them, they'll get upset, won't they? I could buy them a new one. Or is that a silly idea? Write back as soon as you can.
Carl

Dear Mary,
I'm writing to you from my new flat in the city. I'm living with my sister now. The flat is great and it's very modern. It's got large windows, a big balcony and two bedrooms. Unfortunately, I'm sleeping in the smaller room, but the view is better. The neighbourhood is really safe, and the underground stops right in front of our block of flats. It's amazing how easy it is to get around. In the city centre, there are many great shops, restaurants, theatres and museums! I love living here. The only bad thing is that sometimes it's noisy. Last night, the traffic was very bad and I couldn't sleep. Anyway, come and visit me sometime. Maybe this weekend? We can spend the day in the city centre and have a great time!
Write back soon,
Lisa

Dear Mary,
I'm writing to you from my new flat in the city. I'm living with my sister now. The flat is great and it's very modern. It's got large windows, a big balcony and two bedrooms. Unfortunately, I'm sleeping in the smaller room, but the view is better. The neighbourhood is really safe, and the underground stops right in front of our block of flats. It's amazing how easy it is to get around. In the city centre, there are many great shops, restaurants, theatres and museums! I love living here. The only bad thing is that sometimes it's noisy. Last night, the traffic was very bad and I couldn't sleep. Anyway, come and visit me sometime. Maybe this weekend? We can spend the day in the city centre and have a great time!
Write back soon,
Lisa

Dear Mary,
I'm writing to you from my new flat in the city. I'm living with my sister now. The flat is great and it's very modern. It's got large windows, a big balcony and two bedrooms. Unfortunately, I'm sleeping in the smaller room, but the view is better. The neighbourhood is really safe, and the underground stops right in front of our block of flats. It's amazing how easy it is to get around. In the city centre, there are many great shops, restaurants, theatres and museums! I love living here. The only bad thing is that sometimes it's noisy. Last night, the traffic was very bad and I couldn't sleep. Anyway, come and visit me sometime. Maybe this weekend? We can spend the day in the city centre and have a great time!
Write back soon,
Lisa

Dear Mary,
I'm writing to you from my new flat in the city. I'm living with my sister now. The flat is great and it's very modern. It's got large windows, a big balcony and two bedrooms. Unfortunately, I'm sleeping in the smaller room, but the view is better. The neighbourhood is really safe, and the underground stops right in front of our block of flats. It's amazing how easy it is to get around. In the city centre, there are many great shops, restaurants, theatres and museums! I love living here. The only bad thing is that sometimes it's noisy. Last night, the traffic was very bad and I couldn't sleep. Anyway, come and visit me sometime. Maybe this weekend? We can spend the day in the city centre and have a great time!
Write back soon,
Lisa

Hi Craig,
My name’s Freddie English and I’m your new e-pal. Here are a few things about me. I play lots of sports and I’m quite fit and healthy. But I’m a bit chubby. I’m trying to lose weight at the moment. I’m not eating burgers and chips, or pizza. Well, I think pizza’s horrible anyway. What about you? What do you like eating?
I’m quite funny and I make my friends laugh but I don’t like adventure at all. I’m really scared of roller coasters and even horse riding scares me. What about you?
My town is a bit boring but I like it. There’s a great Internet café near my house. Do you like computers? I’ve got lots of computer games and I surf the Net all the time. Have you got a laptop? I want to get one but they’re a bit expensive. I might get a job at the local pizza restaurant soon to make some extra money.
Do you like music? I’m going to be famous one day. You see, I’m the lead singer in a band and we’re very good. Well, I think so, anyway.
Write back soon, OK?
Freddie

Hi Craig,
My name’s Freddie English and I’m your new e-pal. Here are a few things about me. I play lots of sports and I’m quite fit and healthy. But I’m a bit chubby. I’m trying to lose weight at the moment. I’m not eating burgers and chips, or pizza. Well, I think pizza’s horrible anyway. What about you? What do you like eating?
I’m quite funny and I make my friends laugh but I don’t like adventure at all. I’m really scared of roller coasters and even horse riding scares me. What about you?
My town is a bit boring but I like it. There’s a great Internet café near my house. Do you like computers? I’ve got lots of computer games and I surf the Net all the time. Have you got a laptop? I want to get one but they’re a bit expensive. I might get a job at the local pizza restaurant soon to make some extra money.
Do you like music? I’m going to be famous one day. You see, I’m the lead singer in a band and we’re very good. Well, I think so, anyway.
Write back soon, OK?
Freddie

Hi Craig,
My name’s Freddie English and I’m your new e-pal. Here are a few things about me. I play lots of sports and I’m quite fit and healthy. But I’m a bit chubby. I’m trying to lose weight at the moment. I’m not eating burgers and chips, or pizza. Well, I think pizza’s horrible anyway. What about you? What do you like eating?
I’m quite funny and I make my friends laugh but I don’t like adventure at all. I’m really scared of roller coasters and even horse riding scares me. What about you?
My town is a bit boring but I like it. There’s a great Internet café near my house. Do you like computers? I’ve got lots of computer games and I surf the Net all the time. Have you got a laptop? I want to get one but they’re a bit expensive. I might get a job at the local pizza restaurant soon to make some extra money.
Do you like music? I’m going to be famous one day. You see, I’m the lead singer in a band and we’re very good. Well, I think so, anyway.
Write back soon, OK?
Freddie

Hi Craig,
My name’s Freddie English and I’m your new e-pal. Here are a few things about me. I play lots of sports and I’m quite fit and healthy. But I’m a bit chubby. I’m trying to lose weight at the moment. I’m not eating burgers and chips, or pizza. Well, I think pizza’s horrible anyway. What about you? What do you like eating?
I’m quite funny and I make my friends laugh but I don’t like adventure at all. I’m really scared of roller coasters and even horse riding scares me. What about you?
My town is a bit boring but I like it. There’s a great Internet café near my house. Do you like computers? I’ve got lots of computer games and I surf the Net all the time. Have you got a laptop? I want to get one but they’re a bit expensive. I might get a job at the local pizza restaurant soon to make some extra money.
Do you like music? I’m going to be famous one day. You see, I’m the lead singer in a band and we’re very good. Well, I think so, anyway.
Write back soon, OK?
Freddie

Toby: Hey, Oscar. What are you doing online? Don't you have karate?
Oscar: I'm not into it any more. It’s a bit boring. I want to try something more exciting, like snowboarding. You used to go snowboarding, right? What's it like?
Toby: Well, it isn't as easy as skiing, but it's more fun than skateboarding. Do you know how to skateboard?
Oscar: Of course, I used to spend hours at the skatepark with my friends. I wasn't as good as some of them but I could do quite a few tricks.
Toby: Great. Listen, I know a good place in the mountains. I took my cousin there a few years ago and taught him how it's done. We could go together some time. I can show you a few tricks.
Oscar: Brilliant! Do I need to have lessons by a professional first?
Toby: Don't worry about that. You can rely on me. Just get some ski clothes to be warm. There's a good shop in the shopping centre. It's cheaper than the ones in the city centre.
Oscar: Great. I'm getting really excited now. ☺
Toby: Me too. ☺☺☺

Toby: Hey, Oscar. What are you doing online? Don't you have karate?
Oscar: I'm not into it any more. It’s a bit boring. I want to try something more exciting, like snowboarding. You used to go snowboarding, right? What's it like?
Toby: Well, it isn't as easy as skiing, but it's more fun than skateboarding. Do you know how to skateboard?
Oscar: Of course, I used to spend hours at the skatepark with my friends. I wasn't as good as some of them but I could do quite a few tricks.
Toby: Great. Listen, I know a good place in the mountains. I took my cousin there a few years ago and taught him how it's done. We could go together some time. I can show you a few tricks.
Oscar: Brilliant! Do I need to have lessons by a professional first?
Toby: Don't worry about that. You can rely on me. Just get some ski clothes to be warm. There's a good shop in the shopping centre. It's cheaper than the ones in the city centre.
Oscar: Great. I'm getting really excited now. ☺
Toby: Me too. ☺☺☺

Toby: Hey, Oscar. What are you doing online? Don't you have karate?
Oscar: I'm not into it any more. It’s a bit boring. I want to try something more exciting, like snowboarding. You used to go snowboarding, right? What's it like?
Toby: Well, it isn't as easy as skiing, but it's more fun than skateboarding. Do you know how to skateboard?
Oscar: Of course, I used to spend hours at the skatepark with my friends. I wasn't as good as some of them but I could do quite a few tricks.
Toby: Great. Listen, I know a good place in the mountains. I took my cousin there a few years ago and taught him how it's done. We could go together some time. I can show you a few tricks.
Oscar: Brilliant! Do I need to have lessons by a professional first?
Toby: Don't worry about that. You can rely on me. Just get some ski clothes to be warm. There's a good shop in the shopping centre. It's cheaper than the ones in the city centre.
Oscar: Great. I'm getting really excited now. ☺
Toby: Me too. ☺☺☺

Toby: Hey, Oscar. What are you doing online? Don't you have karate?
Oscar: I'm not into it any more. It’s a bit boring. I want to try something more exciting, like snowboarding. You used to go snowboarding, right? What's it like?
Toby: Well, it isn't as easy as skiing, but it's more fun than skateboarding. Do you know how to skateboard?
Oscar: Of course, I used to spend hours at the skatepark with my friends. I wasn't as good as some of them but I could do quite a few tricks.
Toby: Great. Listen, I know a good place in the mountains. I took my cousin there a few years ago and taught him how it's done. We could go together some time. I can show you a few tricks.
Oscar: Brilliant! Do I need to have lessons by a professional first?
Toby: Don't worry about that. You can rely on me. Just get some ski clothes to be warm. There's a good shop in the shopping centre. It's cheaper than the ones in the city centre.
Oscar: Great. I'm getting really excited now. ☺
Toby: Me too. ☺☺☺

A few weeks ago I was walking by the river with my friend, Jack, when suddenly the wind started blowing really hard and black clouds gathered in the sky. Minutes later a storm broke out. We came across an old building and decided to go inside for protection. We were looking around when, all of a sudden, we fell down into the basement. We couldn't believe it! The floor had collapsed. I wasn't hurt badly but Jack's leg was really hurting him. Worst of all, there was no way we could move around with all the rubble. We shouted for help, but there was no answer. We were terrified. After a few hours, it was raining even harder and, before long, water was coming down into the basement. I then realised that the river had flooded! I panicked. I was exhausted but I continued shouting until finally I heard a voice. Then I fainted. The next thing I knew, a rescue team was pulling me out of the rubble. We were very lucky because as soon as we got out of there, the whole building collapsed.

A few weeks ago I was walking by the river with my friend, Jack, when suddenly the wind started blowing really hard and black clouds gathered in the sky. Minutes later a storm broke out. We came across an old building and decided to go inside for protection. We were looking around when, all of a sudden, we fell down into the basement. We couldn't believe it! The floor had collapsed. I wasn't hurt badly but Jack's leg was really hurting him. Worst of all, there was no way we could move around with all the rubble. We shouted for help, but there was no answer. We were terrified. After a few hours, it was raining even harder and, before long, water was coming down into the basement. I then realised that the river had flooded! I panicked. I was exhausted but I continued shouting until finally I heard a voice. Then I fainted. The next thing I knew, a rescue team was pulling me out of the rubble. We were very lucky because as soon as we got out of there, the whole building collapsed.

A few weeks ago I was walking by the river with my friend, Jack, when suddenly the wind started blowing really hard and black clouds gathered in the sky. Minutes later a storm broke out. We came across an old building and decided to go inside for protection. We were looking around when, all of a sudden, we fell down into the basement. We couldn't believe it! The floor had collapsed. I wasn't hurt badly but Jack's leg was really hurting him. Worst of all, there was no way we could move around with all the rubble. We shouted for help, but there was no answer. We were terrified. After a few hours, it was raining even harder and, before long, water was coming down into the basement. I then realised that the river had flooded! I panicked. I was exhausted but I continued shouting until finally I heard a voice. Then I fainted. The next thing I knew, a rescue team was pulling me out of the rubble. We were very lucky because as soon as we got out of there, the whole building collapsed.

A few weeks ago I was walking by the river with my friend, Jack, when suddenly the wind started blowing really hard and black clouds gathered in the sky. Minutes later a storm broke out. We came across an old building and decided to go inside for protection. We were looking around when, all of a sudden, we fell down into the basement. We couldn't believe it! The floor had collapsed. I wasn't hurt badly but Jack's leg was really hurting him. Worst of all, there was no way we could move around with all the rubble. We shouted for help, but there was no answer. We were terrified. After a few hours, it was raining even harder and, before long, water was coming down into the basement. I then realised that the river had flooded! I panicked. I was exhausted but I continued shouting until finally I heard a voice. Then I fainted. The next thing I knew, a rescue team was pulling me out of the rubble. We were very lucky because as soon as we got out of there, the whole building collapsed.

ROBOT PETS
iCat
iCat is an intelligent robot which is fun for children and adults. It has got a camera in its nose and two microphones in its feet so it can listen and understand voices. It can't walk or chase mice like a real cat but it can play simple board games by telling you where to move the pieces. Also, iCat can change its expression by moving its eyes and mouth. It can show you when it's happy, sad or bored, etc. This way it seems like it has got a real personality. It's been shown that people prefer to play games with a robot with a personality than just a computer. It is also very polite and always asks if it's OK for it to go to sleep, for example.
Pleo
Pleo is a small robot dinosaur but it isn't dangerous. It is small, very cute and it behaves like a baby. However, it is very intelligent and it develops a personality the more you play with it. It has got two cameras for eyes and it can also touch and hear. It listens to people's voices and makes noises and moves around to show that it understands. You can connect Pleo to your computer and download new actions or sounds. It runs on batteries and goes to sleep when it's tired.

ROBOT PETS
iCat
iCat is an intelligent robot which is fun for children and adults. It has got a camera in its nose and two microphones in its feet so it can listen and understand voices. It can't walk or chase mice like a real cat but it can play simple board games by telling you where to move the pieces. Also, iCat can change its expression by moving its eyes and mouth. It can show you when it's happy, sad or bored, etc. This way it seems like it has got a real personality. It's been shown that people prefer to play games with a robot with a personality than just a computer. It is also very polite and always asks if it's OK for it to go to sleep, for example.
Pleo
Pleo is a small robot dinosaur but it isn't dangerous. It is small, very cute and it behaves like a baby. However, it is very intelligent and it develops a personality the more you play with it. It has got two cameras for eyes and it can also touch and hear. It listens to people's voices and makes noises and moves around to show that it understands. You can connect Pleo to your computer and download new actions or sounds. It runs on batteries and goes to sleep when it's tired.

ROBOT PETS
iCat
iCat is an intelligent robot which is fun for children and adults. It has got a camera in its nose and two microphones in its feet so it can listen and understand voices. It can't walk or chase mice like a real cat but it can play simple board games by telling you where to move the pieces. Also, iCat can change its expression by moving its eyes and mouth. It can show you when it's happy, sad or bored, etc. This way it seems like it has got a real personality. It's been shown that people prefer to play games with a robot with a personality than just a computer. It is also very polite and always asks if it's OK for it to go to sleep, for example.
Pleo
Pleo is a small robot dinosaur but it isn't dangerous. It is small, very cute and it behaves like a baby. However, it is very intelligent and it develops a personality the more you play with it. It has got two cameras for eyes and it can also touch and hear. It listens to people's voices and makes noises and moves around to show that it understands. You can connect Pleo to your computer and download new actions or sounds. It runs on batteries and goes to sleep when it's tired.

ROBOT PETS
iCat
iCat is an intelligent robot which is fun for children and adults. It has got a camera in its nose and two microphones in its feet so it can listen and understand voices. It can't walk or chase mice like a real cat but it can play simple board games by telling you where to move the pieces. Also, iCat can change its expression by moving its eyes and mouth. It can show you when it's happy, sad or bored, etc. This way it seems like it has got a real personality. It's been shown that people prefer to play games with a robot with a personality than just a computer. It is also very polite and always asks if it's OK for it to go to sleep, for example.
Pleo
Pleo is a small robot dinosaur but it isn't dangerous. It is small, very cute and it behaves like a baby. However, it is very intelligent and it develops a personality the more you play with it. It has got two cameras for eyes and it can also touch and hear. It listens to people's voices and makes noises and moves around to show that it understands. You can connect Pleo to your computer and download new actions or sounds. It runs on batteries and goes to sleep when it's tired.

A HAUNTED HOUSE
Some people believe in ghosts and others don't. I'm not quite sure myself, mainly because of the experiences I had when I was a student. I was sharing a big old house with two other students, Pauline and Fiona.
There were only two bedrooms so they had to share. Fiona didn't mind because she had decided the house was too spooky to be in on her own. She was right. For example, it often sounded like people were moving around upstairs when there wasn't anyone up there. Also, one night, when we were watching TV, the books suddenly jumped off one of the shelves.
Pauline believed that it could all be explained. I didn't really care. However, Fiona was very worried. She thought there were ghosts living there and would always try to make sure she wasn't home alone.
One evening, I was walking home when I saw a light on in the house, so I decided to play a joke on the girls. I entered the house quietly and walked upstairs. I opened their bedroom door and ran in screaming. Unfortunately, Fiona was on her own. The poor girl was so frightened it took her hours to calm down. The next day, she started looking for somewhere else to live, and Pauline and I had our own rooms.

A HAUNTED HOUSE
Some people believe in ghosts and others don't. I'm not quite sure myself, mainly because of the experiences I had when I was a student. I was sharing a big old house with two other students, Pauline and Fiona.
There were only two bedrooms so they had to share. Fiona didn't mind because she had decided the house was too spooky to be in on her own. She was right. For example, it often sounded like people were moving around upstairs when there wasn't anyone up there. Also, one night, when we were watching TV, the books suddenly jumped off one of the shelves.
Pauline believed that it could all be explained. I didn't really care. However, Fiona was very worried. She thought there were ghosts living there and would always try to make sure she wasn't home alone.
One evening, I was walking home when I saw a light on in the house, so I decided to play a joke on the girls. I entered the house quietly and walked upstairs. I opened their bedroom door and ran in screaming. Unfortunately, Fiona was on her own. The poor girl was so frightened it took her hours to calm down. The next day, she started looking for somewhere else to live, and Pauline and I had our own rooms.

A HAUNTED HOUSE
Some people believe in ghosts and others don't. I'm not quite sure myself, mainly because of the experiences I had when I was a student. I was sharing a big old house with two other students, Pauline and Fiona.
There were only two bedrooms so they had to share. Fiona didn't mind because she had decided the house was too spooky to be in on her own. She was right. For example, it often sounded like people were moving around upstairs when there wasn't anyone up there. Also, one night, when we were watching TV, the books suddenly jumped off one of the shelves.
Pauline believed that it could all be explained. I didn't really care. However, Fiona was very worried. She thought there were ghosts living there and would always try to make sure she wasn't home alone.
One evening, I was walking home when I saw a light on in the house, so I decided to play a joke on the girls. I entered the house quietly and walked upstairs. I opened their bedroom door and ran in screaming. Unfortunately, Fiona was on her own. The poor girl was so frightened it took her hours to calm down. The next day, she started looking for somewhere else to live, and Pauline and I had our own rooms.

A HAUNTED HOUSE
Some people believe in ghosts and others don't. I'm not quite sure myself, mainly because of the experiences I had when I was a student. I was sharing a big old house with two other students, Pauline and Fiona.
There were only two bedrooms so they had to share. Fiona didn't mind because she had decided the house was too spooky to be in on her own. She was right. For example, it often sounded like people were moving around upstairs when there wasn't anyone up there. Also, one night, when we were watching TV, the books suddenly jumped off one of the shelves.
Pauline believed that it could all be explained. I didn't really care. However, Fiona was very worried. She thought there were ghosts living there and would always try to make sure she wasn't home alone.
One evening, I was walking home when I saw a light on in the house, so I decided to play a joke on the girls. I entered the house quietly and walked upstairs. I opened their bedroom door and ran in screaming. Unfortunately, Fiona was on her own. The poor girl was so frightened it took her hours to calm down. The next day, she started looking for somewhere else to live, and Pauline and I had our own rooms.

From: Brenda
To: Kelly
Subject: Problems with sis
Hello Kelly, How are you? I miss you so much. I haven't had anyone to talk to about my problems since you left. At the moment I've got a serious problem and need your help. It's to do with my sister Ellen. Last week I took her camera without asking and I lost it. I haven't told her yet, but she's going to find out soon. You see, she's going to Egypt next week and she's going to need it. What should I do? If I tell her, she'll get really angry. And you know how Ellen is when she's upset. She'll never let me borrow any of her things again. Unfortunately, there's more. Next weekend, there's a great party and I don't want to miss it. The problem is I haven't got anything cool to wear. So, I was thinking of borrowing something from Ellen. But if she finds out about the camera, I can forget it. What do you suggest I do? If I had the money, I would buy her a new camera, but I don't. What would you do if you were me? Write back as soon as possible. Yours, Brenda

From: Brenda
To: Kelly
Subject: Problems with sis
Hello Kelly, How are you? I miss you so much. I haven't had anyone to talk to about my problems since you left. At the moment I've got a serious problem and need your help. It's to do with my sister Ellen. Last week I took her camera without asking and I lost it. I haven't told her yet, but she's going to find out soon. You see, she's going to Egypt next week and she's going to need it. What should I do? If I tell her, she'll get really angry. And you know how Ellen is when she's upset. She'll never let me borrow any of her things again. Unfortunately, there's more. Next weekend, there's a great party and I don't want to miss it. The problem is I haven't got anything cool to wear. So, I was thinking of borrowing something from Ellen. But if she finds out about the camera, I can forget it. What do you suggest I do? If I had the money, I would buy her a new camera, but I don't. What would you do if you were me? Write back as soon as possible. Yours, Brenda

From: Brenda
To: Kelly
Subject: Problems with sis
Hello Kelly, How are you? I miss you so much. I haven't had anyone to talk to about my problems since you left. At the moment I've got a serious problem and need your help. It's to do with my sister Ellen. Last week I took her camera without asking and I lost it. I haven't told her yet, but she's going to find out soon. You see, she's going to Egypt next week and she's going to need it. What should I do? If I tell her, she'll get really angry. And you know how Ellen is when she's upset. She'll never let me borrow any of her things again. Unfortunately, there's more. Next weekend, there's a great party and I don't want to miss it. The problem is I haven't got anything cool to wear. So, I was thinking of borrowing something from Ellen. But if she finds out about the camera, I can forget it. What do you suggest I do? If I had the money, I would buy her a new camera, but I don't. What would you do if you were me? Write back as soon as possible. Yours, Brenda

From: Brenda
To: Kelly
Subject: Problems with sis
Hello Kelly, How are you? I miss you so much. I haven't had anyone to talk to about my problems since you left. At the moment I've got a serious problem and need your help. It's to do with my sister Ellen. Last week I took her camera without asking and I lost it. I haven't told her yet, but she's going to find out soon. You see, she's going to Egypt next week and she's going to need it. What should I do? If I tell her, she'll get really angry. And you know how Ellen is when she's upset. She'll never let me borrow any of her things again. Unfortunately, there's more. Next weekend, there's a great party and I don't want to miss it. The problem is I haven't got anything cool to wear. So, I was thinking of borrowing something from Ellen. But if she finds out about the camera, I can forget it. What do you suggest I do? If I had the money, I would buy her a new camera, but I don't. What would you do if you were me? Write back as soon as possible. Yours, Brenda

The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of communication which people used to communicate over long distances. It involves covering a fire so that different shapes and sizes of smoke clouds rise into the air.
The North American Indians are probably the most well-known users of smoke signals, often appearing in Hollywood Western films with cowboys. Each North American Indian tribe had their own system of signals. The fire was started using damp grass but another thing that mattered was where it was lit. If the fire was halfway up a hill, it meant everything was OK, but if the fire was on the top of the hill, this meant danger was near.
Smoke signals have been used throughout history in many different countries. In ancient China, soldiers were able to inform people about an attack by smoke signals. The Great Wall of China is a huge wall which stretches the length of the country, and at certain points along the wall there are towers. By signalling from tower to tower, they could send messages as far away as 750km in just a few hours.
Some smoke signals are very simple, like those of the Australian Aborigines. They used smoke signals when they entered land which was not theirs. This was simply to inform others that they were there. A Greek historian called Polybius came up with a more complicated system of alphabetical smoke signals around 150 BC. He invented a system of converting Greek letters into numbers. Messages were signalled by holding sets of torches in pairs.
The Yahgan people who lived on the islands south of South America also used smoke signals. When a whale got stuck on a beach, they needed to tell others that there was a lot of meat there, and it shouldn’t go to waste. So, they used smoke signals to inform people.

The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of communication which people used to communicate over long distances. It involves covering a fire so that different shapes and sizes of smoke clouds rise into the air.
The North American Indians are probably the most well-known users of smoke signals, often appearing in Hollywood Western films with cowboys. Each North American Indian tribe had their own system of signals. The fire was started using damp grass but another thing that mattered was where it was lit. If the fire was halfway up a hill, it meant everything was OK, but if the fire was on the top of the hill, this meant danger was near.
Smoke signals have been used throughout history in many different countries. In ancient China, soldiers were able to inform people about an attack by smoke signals. The Great Wall of China is a huge wall which stretches the length of the country, and at certain points along the wall there are towers. By signalling from tower to tower, they could send messages as far away as 750km in just a few hours.
Some smoke signals are very simple, like those of the Australian Aborigines. They used smoke signals when they entered land which was not theirs. This was simply to inform others that they were there. A Greek historian called Polybius came up with a more complicated system of alphabetical smoke signals around 150 BC. He invented a system of converting Greek letters into numbers. Messages were signalled by holding sets of torches in pairs.
The Yahgan people who lived on the islands south of South America also used smoke signals. When a whale got stuck on a beach, they needed to tell others that there was a lot of meat there, and it shouldn’t go to waste. So, they used smoke signals to inform people.

The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of communication which people used to communicate over long distances. It involves covering a fire so that different shapes and sizes of smoke clouds rise into the air.
The North American Indians are probably the most well-known users of smoke signals, often appearing in Hollywood Western films with cowboys. Each North American Indian tribe had their own system of signals. The fire was started using damp grass but another thing that mattered was where it was lit. If the fire was halfway up a hill, it meant everything was OK, but if the fire was on the top of the hill, this meant danger was near.
Smoke signals have been used throughout history in many different countries. In ancient China, soldiers were able to inform people about an attack by smoke signals. The Great Wall of China is a huge wall which stretches the length of the country, and at certain points along the wall there are towers. By signalling from tower to tower, they could send messages as far away as 750km in just a few hours.
Some smoke signals are very simple, like those of the Australian Aborigines. They used smoke signals when they entered land which was not theirs. This was simply to inform others that they were there. A Greek historian called Polybius came up with a more complicated system of alphabetical smoke signals around 150 BC. He invented a system of converting Greek letters into numbers. Messages were signalled by holding sets of torches in pairs.
The Yahgan people who lived on the islands south of South America also used smoke signals. When a whale got stuck on a beach, they needed to tell others that there was a lot of meat there, and it shouldn’t go to waste. So, they used smoke signals to inform people.

The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of communication which people used to communicate over long distances. It involves covering a fire so that different shapes and sizes of smoke clouds rise into the air.
The North American Indians are probably the most well-known users of smoke signals, often appearing in Hollywood Western films with cowboys. Each North American Indian tribe had their own system of signals. The fire was started using damp grass but another thing that mattered was where it was lit. If the fire was halfway up a hill, it meant everything was OK, but if the fire was on the top of the hill, this meant danger was near.
Smoke signals have been used throughout history in many different countries. In ancient China, soldiers were able to inform people about an attack by smoke signals. The Great Wall of China is a huge wall which stretches the length of the country, and at certain points along the wall there are towers. By signalling from tower to tower, they could send messages as far away as 750km in just a few hours.
Some smoke signals are very simple, like those of the Australian Aborigines. They used smoke signals when they entered land which was not theirs. This was simply to inform others that they were there. A Greek historian called Polybius came up with a more complicated system of alphabetical smoke signals around 150 BC. He invented a system of converting Greek letters into numbers. Messages were signalled by holding sets of torches in pairs.
The Yahgan people who lived on the islands south of South America also used smoke signals. When a whale got stuck on a beach, they needed to tell others that there was a lot of meat there, and it shouldn’t go to waste. So, they used smoke signals to inform people.

The Great Train Robbery
In 1963, a group of criminals stole £2.6 million from a train travelling through Buckinghamshire in England. Most of the money was never recovered and it is considered to be the largest robbery in British history.
The robbery took months to organise. The leader of the group was a man called Bruce Reynolds, but there were 16 more robbers involved. The train they robbed was a Royal Mail train travelling from Edinburgh to London. Fifteen of the robbers were at the robbery. Their plan was first to stop the train, and they managed to do so easily by covering a green traffic light and placing a red light powered by a battery in front of it. At the sight of this, the train driver, Jack Mills, stopped the train.
The robbers’ plan was then for one of their people to move the train to the place where their van was and load all the money. Ronnie Biggs was the robber responsible for finding someone to drive the train. Unfortunately the man he found, Stan Agate, couldn’t drive that particular kind of train. In the end, they made the original train driver drive the 800 m down the track.
The robbers had no problem getting the money from the train to the van and, amazingly, there were no police officers or security guards on board. They cut all the phone lines in the area so none of the train workers could call for help while they were escaping to an old farm 27 miles away. On the way, they were listening carefully to the radio for reports of the crime and once there, they divided the money into 17 equal amounts.
Most of the robbers were arrested within six months of the crime, and because of the size of the robbery, it was a major news story making the robbers well-known all over the country. The most famous robber is probably Ronald ‘Buster’ Edwards because of the 1988 film Buster about his life and involvement in the robbery. Another one of the train robbers who became famous was Ronnie Biggs. He was sent to prison after the robbery, but escaped and went to France. He spent 36 years on the run living in Australia and Brazil. In 2001, he returned to England and was arrested.

The Great Train Robbery
In 1963, a group of criminals stole £2.6 million from a train travelling through Buckinghamshire in England. Most of the money was never recovered and it is considered to be the largest robbery in British history.
The robbery took months to organise. The leader of the group was a man called Bruce Reynolds, but there were 16 more robbers involved. The train they robbed was a Royal Mail train travelling from Edinburgh to London. Fifteen of the robbers were at the robbery. Their plan was first to stop the train, and they managed to do so easily by covering a green traffic light and placing a red light powered by a battery in front of it. At the sight of this, the train driver, Jack Mills, stopped the train.
The robbers’ plan was then for one of their people to move the train to the place where their van was and load all the money. Ronnie Biggs was the robber responsible for finding someone to drive the train. Unfortunately the man he found, Stan Agate, couldn’t drive that particular kind of train. In the end, they made the original train driver drive the 800 m down the track.
The robbers had no problem getting the money from the train to the van and, amazingly, there were no police officers or security guards on board. They cut all the phone lines in the area so none of the train workers could call for help while they were escaping to an old farm 27 miles away. On the way, they were listening carefully to the radio for reports of the crime and once there, they divided the money into 17 equal amounts.
Most of the robbers were arrested within six months of the crime, and because of the size of the robbery, it was a major news story making the robbers well-known all over the country. The most famous robber is probably Ronald ‘Buster’ Edwards because of the 1988 film Buster about his life and involvement in the robbery. Another one of the train robbers who became famous was Ronnie Biggs. He was sent to prison after the robbery, but escaped and went to France. He spent 36 years on the run living in Australia and Brazil. In 2001, he returned to England and was arrested.

The Great Train Robbery
In 1963, a group of criminals stole £2.6 million from a train travelling through Buckinghamshire in England. Most of the money was never recovered and it is considered to be the largest robbery in British history.
The robbery took months to organise. The leader of the group was a man called Bruce Reynolds, but there were 16 more robbers involved. The train they robbed was a Royal Mail train travelling from Edinburgh to London. Fifteen of the robbers were at the robbery. Their plan was first to stop the train, and they managed to do so easily by covering a green traffic light and placing a red light powered by a battery in front of it. At the sight of this, the train driver, Jack Mills, stopped the train.
The robbers’ plan was then for one of their people to move the train to the place where their van was and load all the money. Ronnie Biggs was the robber responsible for finding someone to drive the train. Unfortunately the man he found, Stan Agate, couldn’t drive that particular kind of train. In the end, they made the original train driver drive the 800 m down the track.
The robbers had no problem getting the money from the train to the van and, amazingly, there were no police officers or security guards on board. They cut all the phone lines in the area so none of the train workers could call for help while they were escaping to an old farm 27 miles away. On the way, they were listening carefully to the radio for reports of the crime and once there, they divided the money into 17 equal amounts.
Most of the robbers were arrested within six months of the crime, and because of the size of the robbery, it was a major news story making the robbers well-known all over the country. The most famous robber is probably Ronald ‘Buster’ Edwards because of the 1988 film Buster about his life and involvement in the robbery. Another one of the train robbers who became famous was Ronnie Biggs. He was sent to prison after the robbery, but escaped and went to France. He spent 36 years on the run living in Australia and Brazil. In 2001, he returned to England and was arrested.

The Great Train Robbery
In 1963, a group of criminals stole £2.6 million from a train travelling through Buckinghamshire in England. Most of the money was never recovered and it is considered to be the largest robbery in British history.
The robbery took months to organise. The leader of the group was a man called Bruce Reynolds, but there were 16 more robbers involved. The train they robbed was a Royal Mail train travelling from Edinburgh to London. Fifteen of the robbers were at the robbery. Their plan was first to stop the train, and they managed to do so easily by covering a green traffic light and placing a red light powered by a battery in front of it. At the sight of this, the train driver, Jack Mills, stopped the train.
The robbers’ plan was then for one of their people to move the train to the place where their van was and load all the money. Ronnie Biggs was the robber responsible for finding someone to drive the train. Unfortunately the man he found, Stan Agate, couldn’t drive that particular kind of train. In the end, they made the original train driver drive the 800 m down the track.
The robbers had no problem getting the money from the train to the van and, amazingly, there were no police officers or security guards on board. They cut all the phone lines in the area so none of the train workers could call for help while they were escaping to an old farm 27 miles away. On the way, they were listening carefully to the radio for reports of the crime and once there, they divided the money into 17 equal amounts.
Most of the robbers were arrested within six months of the crime, and because of the size of the robbery, it was a major news story making the robbers well-known all over the country. The most famous robber is probably Ronald ‘Buster’ Edwards because of the 1988 film Buster about his life and involvement in the robbery. Another one of the train robbers who became famous was Ronnie Biggs. He was sent to prison after the robbery, but escaped and went to France. He spent 36 years on the run living in Australia and Brazil. In 2001, he returned to England and was arrested.

Computer games are here to stay
There was a time when computer games were only played by adolescents. However, today they appeal to all age groups. Educational games are played by three-year-olds and there are even exercise workouts for people in their seventies and eighties. Computer games are easy to use, have excellent visual effects, and Internet users can play games with people from the other side of the globe. It is not surprising to discover that in the entertainment world, computer games are overtaking the popularity and financial success of music and films.
The work and money that go into computer games can compete with any film production. It takes thousands of hours of work by artists, animators, musicians, actors, writers, directors, etc. Not to mention computer technicians and programmers who have to create virtual worlds for the characters of the game to exist in. Some online games have virtual worlds for millions of gamers, which means a massive complicated project.
Despite their success, computer games are still not considered to be quality entertainment. It is common to hear people complaining about action-packed films with no storyline as being like ‘computer games’, but this isn’t really fair. Many top film directors, such as Steven Spielberg with his Medal of Honor, are now turning their creative efforts to computer games. Not to mention the amount of games that feature the voices of famous actors, and the soundtracks of many games that are written by famous musicians or bands.
Technology has played a huge part in the success of computer games. The capabilities of games consoles are incredible, compared to just a decade ago. They are fast becoming the only entertainment device that you need in your house, as they can play DVDs, music, use TV services and even offer social networking services. In the future they might even make coffee for you!
There was a time when young people wanted to become astronauts or film stars when they grew up. But a recent survey among teenagers in the USA revealed that the most popular occupation was ‘computer game designer’. The most amazing thing about computer games is that they have only been around for about 50 years. Therefore, as a means of entertainment they are still very young and how they will develop is still to be seen.

Computer games are here to stay
There was a time when computer games were only played by adolescents. However, today they appeal to all age groups. Educational games are played by three-year-olds and there are even exercise workouts for people in their seventies and eighties. Computer games are easy to use, have excellent visual effects, and Internet users can play games with people from the other side of the globe. It is not surprising to discover that in the entertainment world, computer games are overtaking the popularity and financial success of music and films.
The work and money that go into computer games can compete with any film production. It takes thousands of hours of work by artists, animators, musicians, actors, writers, directors, etc. Not to mention computer technicians and programmers who have to create virtual worlds for the characters of the game to exist in. Some online games have virtual worlds for millions of gamers, which means a massive complicated project.
Despite their success, computer games are still not considered to be quality entertainment. It is common to hear people complaining about action-packed films with no storyline as being like ‘computer games’, but this isn’t really fair. Many top film directors, such as Steven Spielberg with his Medal of Honor, are now turning their creative efforts to computer games. Not to mention the amount of games that feature the voices of famous actors, and the soundtracks of many games that are written by famous musicians or bands.
Technology has played a huge part in the success of computer games. The capabilities of games consoles are incredible, compared to just a decade ago. They are fast becoming the only entertainment device that you need in your house, as they can play DVDs, music, use TV services and even offer social networking services. In the future they might even make coffee for you!
There was a time when young people wanted to become astronauts or film stars when they grew up. But a recent survey among teenagers in the USA revealed that the most popular occupation was ‘computer game designer’. The most amazing thing about computer games is that they have only been around for about 50 years. Therefore, as a means of entertainment they are still very young and how they will develop is still to be seen.

Computer games are here to stay
There was a time when computer games were only played by adolescents. However, today they appeal to all age groups. Educational games are played by three-year-olds and there are even exercise workouts for people in their seventies and eighties. Computer games are easy to use, have excellent visual effects, and Internet users can play games with people from the other side of the globe. It is not surprising to discover that in the entertainment world, computer games are overtaking the popularity and financial success of music and films.
The work and money that go into computer games can compete with any film production. It takes thousands of hours of work by artists, animators, musicians, actors, writers, directors, etc. Not to mention computer technicians and programmers who have to create virtual worlds for the characters of the game to exist in. Some online games have virtual worlds for millions of gamers, which means a massive complicated project.
Despite their success, computer games are still not considered to be quality entertainment. It is common to hear people complaining about action-packed films with no storyline as being like ‘computer games’, but this isn’t really fair. Many top film directors, such as Steven Spielberg with his Medal of Honor, are now turning their creative efforts to computer games. Not to mention the amount of games that feature the voices of famous actors, and the soundtracks of many games that are written by famous musicians or bands.
Technology has played a huge part in the success of computer games. The capabilities of games consoles are incredible, compared to just a decade ago. They are fast becoming the only entertainment device that you need in your house, as they can play DVDs, music, use TV services and even offer social networking services. In the future they might even make coffee for you!
There was a time when young people wanted to become astronauts or film stars when they grew up. But a recent survey among teenagers in the USA revealed that the most popular occupation was ‘computer game designer’. The most amazing thing about computer games is that they have only been around for about 50 years. Therefore, as a means of entertainment they are still very young and how they will develop is still to be seen.

Computer games are here to stay
There was a time when computer games were only played by adolescents. However, today they appeal to all age groups. Educational games are played by three-year-olds and there are even exercise workouts for people in their seventies and eighties. Computer games are easy to use, have excellent visual effects, and Internet users can play games with people from the other side of the globe. It is not surprising to discover that in the entertainment world, computer games are overtaking the popularity and financial success of music and films.
The work and money that go into computer games can compete with any film production. It takes thousands of hours of work by artists, animators, musicians, actors, writers, directors, etc. Not to mention computer technicians and programmers who have to create virtual worlds for the characters of the game to exist in. Some online games have virtual worlds for millions of gamers, which means a massive complicated project.
Despite their success, computer games are still not considered to be quality entertainment. It is common to hear people complaining about action-packed films with no storyline as being like ‘computer games’, but this isn’t really fair. Many top film directors, such as Steven Spielberg with his Medal of Honor, are now turning their creative efforts to computer games. Not to mention the amount of games that feature the voices of famous actors, and the soundtracks of many games that are written by famous musicians or bands.
Technology has played a huge part in the success of computer games. The capabilities of games consoles are incredible, compared to just a decade ago. They are fast becoming the only entertainment device that you need in your house, as they can play DVDs, music, use TV services and even offer social networking services. In the future they might even make coffee for you!
There was a time when young people wanted to become astronauts or film stars when they grew up. But a recent survey among teenagers in the USA revealed that the most popular occupation was ‘computer game designer’. The most amazing thing about computer games is that they have only been around for about 50 years. Therefore, as a means of entertainment they are still very young and how they will develop is still to be seen.

Green celebrities
World famous rapper, Jay-Z, is a hip hop superstar, but he also tries to raise awareness of environmental issues. After a trip to Africa in 2006, he became aware of the global shortage of water. He decided to use his next world tour to raise money to help people who struggle to live without clean drinking water. While touring, he informed people about this very serious issue and Jay-Z’s efforts were recorded in a documentary called Diary of Jay-Z: Water for life.
Leonardo DiCaprio is a very busy film actor, but he tries hard to find time to help the environment. He drives a hybrid car and has solar panels on his house. He has also stated in many interviews that the number one environmental challenge the world is facing at the moment is global warming, and he is doing what he can to help. In 2007 he created, produced and starred in a documentary called The 11th Hour which points out that the future of humanity is in danger unless we do something fast.
Ever since the film actress, Natalie Portman, was a little girl, she has been doing her bit to help the environment. As a child, she joined a song and dance group called World Patrol Kids and she travelled all over the country. Portman has been a vegetarian since she was a child and in 2009, she became a vegan, which means she doesn’t use any products made from animals at all, including leather. In 2007, she introduced her own fashion label which creates vegan shoes, and it has become very popular. She is also a member of many organisations that help endangered species and uses her fame to promote awareness.
Apart from being one of the most famous film stars on the planet, Brad Pitt is also a big supporter of green architecture. His voice was used on many of the successful Design e2 documentaries which focus on the worldwide use of environmentally-friendly housing. After the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Pitt donated $5 million to help rebuild the city. In 2006, he started the Make it Right Foundation which brought together experts, architects and designers to create 150 environmentally-friendly houses in New Orleans that people could afford. The first six homes were completed in 2008, and Brad Pitt continues to do his good work.

Green celebrities
World famous rapper, Jay-Z, is a hip hop superstar, but he also tries to raise awareness of environmental issues. After a trip to Africa in 2006, he became aware of the global shortage of water. He decided to use his next world tour to raise money to help people who struggle to live without clean drinking water. While touring, he informed people about this very serious issue and Jay-Z’s efforts were recorded in a documentary called Diary of Jay-Z: Water for life.
Leonardo DiCaprio is a very busy film actor, but he tries hard to find time to help the environment. He drives a hybrid car and has solar panels on his house. He has also stated in many interviews that the number one environmental challenge the world is facing at the moment is global warming, and he is doing what he can to help. In 2007 he created, produced and starred in a documentary called The 11th Hour which points out that the future of humanity is in danger unless we do something fast.
Ever since the film actress, Natalie Portman, was a little girl, she has been doing her bit to help the environment. As a child, she joined a song and dance group called World Patrol Kids and she travelled all over the country. Portman has been a vegetarian since she was a child and in 2009, she became a vegan, which means she doesn’t use any products made from animals at all, including leather. In 2007, she introduced her own fashion label which creates vegan shoes, and it has become very popular. She is also a member of many organisations that help endangered species and uses her fame to promote awareness.
Apart from being one of the most famous film stars on the planet, Brad Pitt is also a big supporter of green architecture. His voice was used on many of the successful Design e2 documentaries which focus on the worldwide use of environmentally-friendly housing. After the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Pitt donated $5 million to help rebuild the city. In 2006, he started the Make it Right Foundation which brought together experts, architects and designers to create 150 environmentally-friendly houses in New Orleans that people could afford. The first six homes were completed in 2008, and Brad Pitt continues to do his good work.

Green celebrities
World famous rapper, Jay-Z, is a hip hop superstar, but he also tries to raise awareness of environmental issues. After a trip to Africa in 2006, he became aware of the global shortage of water. He decided to use his next world tour to raise money to help people who struggle to live without clean drinking water. While touring, he informed people about this very serious issue and Jay-Z’s efforts were recorded in a documentary called Diary of Jay-Z: Water for life.
Leonardo DiCaprio is a very busy film actor, but he tries hard to find time to help the environment. He drives a hybrid car and has solar panels on his house. He has also stated in many interviews that the number one environmental challenge the world is facing at the moment is global warming, and he is doing what he can to help. In 2007 he created, produced and starred in a documentary called The 11th Hour which points out that the future of humanity is in danger unless we do something fast.
Ever since the film actress, Natalie Portman, was a little girl, she has been doing her bit to help the environment. As a child, she joined a song and dance group called World Patrol Kids and she travelled all over the country. Portman has been a vegetarian since she was a child and in 2009, she became a vegan, which means she doesn’t use any products made from animals at all, including leather. In 2007, she introduced her own fashion label which creates vegan shoes, and it has become very popular. She is also a member of many organisations that help endangered species and uses her fame to promote awareness.
Apart from being one of the most famous film stars on the planet, Brad Pitt is also a big supporter of green architecture. His voice was used on many of the successful Design e2 documentaries which focus on the worldwide use of environmentally-friendly housing. After the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Pitt donated $5 million to help rebuild the city. In 2006, he started the Make it Right Foundation which brought together experts, architects and designers to create 150 environmentally-friendly houses in New Orleans that people could afford. The first six homes were completed in 2008, and Brad Pitt continues to do his good work.

Green celebrities
World famous rapper, Jay-Z, is a hip hop superstar, but he also tries to raise awareness of environmental issues. After a trip to Africa in 2006, he became aware of the global shortage of water. He decided to use his next world tour to raise money to help people who struggle to live without clean drinking water. While touring, he informed people about this very serious issue and Jay-Z’s efforts were recorded in a documentary called Diary of Jay-Z: Water for life.
Leonardo DiCaprio is a very busy film actor, but he tries hard to find time to help the environment. He drives a hybrid car and has solar panels on his house. He has also stated in many interviews that the number one environmental challenge the world is facing at the moment is global warming, and he is doing what he can to help. In 2007 he created, produced and starred in a documentary called The 11th Hour which points out that the future of humanity is in danger unless we do something fast.
Ever since the film actress, Natalie Portman, was a little girl, she has been doing her bit to help the environment. As a child, she joined a song and dance group called World Patrol Kids and she travelled all over the country. Portman has been a vegetarian since she was a child and in 2009, she became a vegan, which means she doesn’t use any products made from animals at all, including leather. In 2007, she introduced her own fashion label which creates vegan shoes, and it has become very popular. She is also a member of many organisations that help endangered species and uses her fame to promote awareness.
Apart from being one of the most famous film stars on the planet, Brad Pitt is also a big supporter of green architecture. His voice was used on many of the successful Design e2 documentaries which focus on the worldwide use of environmentally-friendly housing. After the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Pitt donated $5 million to help rebuild the city. In 2006, he started the Make it Right Foundation which brought together experts, architects and designers to create 150 environmentally-friendly houses in New Orleans that people could afford. The first six homes were completed in 2008, and Brad Pitt continues to do his good work.

Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born on 6th July 1907. She spent most of her life in her home known as La Casa Azul or the Blue House, which was in Coyoacán. At the age of six, she had Polio, a disease which made one of her legs much thinner than the other. Because of this, she wore long colourful dresses for most of her life. In 1922 she entered one of Mexico’s top schools, where she was only one of 35 students.
When she was 18 years old, she was involved in an accident. She was on a bus when it crashed into a tram. She suffered terrible injuries and only just survived. She managed to recover and walk
again, but she was in pain for most of the rest of her life. Throughout her life, she had her back operated on thirty-five times. For three months after the accident, she had to stay in bed, so she started painting to pass the time. She painted many self-portraits saying ‘I paint myself because I am often alone, and I am the subject that I know best.’ She was influenced by the culture of the native people of Mexico, using bright colours and dramatic symbols.
Kahlo decided she wanted to be an artist, so she began communicating with the well-known Mexican artist Diego Rivera, asking him for advice. Rivera realised Kahlo was very talented and he encouraged her. They became very close and married in 1929. However, their marriage had many problems. In 1939 the French poet André Breton invited Kahlo to Paris where she had her first exhibition. The Louvre bought one of her paintings, and it was the first work of art by a twentieth century Mexican artist to be bought by the famous museum.
The Louvre painting was the only artistic success Kahlo had in her lifetime. She died in 1954 and her work was not appreciated until decades after her death. Until then, she was only remembered as Rivera’s wife. In the early 1980s, the artistic style of Mexico started coming into fashion which brought Kahlo’s paintings into the public eye. In 1982 Kahlo’s work was exhibited for the first time outside of Mexico at a successful exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. At the same time Hayden Herrera wrote the book Frida: A biography of Frida Kahlo. This bestseller was turned into a film in 2002 starring Salma Hayek.

Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born on 6th July 1907. She spent most of her life in her home known as La Casa Azul or the Blue House, which was in Coyoacán. At the age of six, she had Polio, a disease which made one of her legs much thinner than the other. Because of this, she wore long colourful dresses for most of her life. In 1922 she entered one of Mexico’s top schools, where she was only one of 35 students.
When she was 18 years old, she was involved in an accident. She was on a bus when it crashed into a tram. She suffered terrible injuries and only just survived. She managed to recover and walk
again, but she was in pain for most of the rest of her life. Throughout her life, she had her back operated on thirty-five times. For three months after the accident, she had to stay in bed, so she started painting to pass the time. She painted many self-portraits saying ‘I paint myself because I am often alone, and I am the subject that I know best.’ She was influenced by the culture of the native people of Mexico, using bright colours and dramatic symbols.
Kahlo decided she wanted to be an artist, so she began communicating with the well-known Mexican artist Diego Rivera, asking him for advice. Rivera realised Kahlo was very talented and he encouraged her. They became very close and married in 1929. However, their marriage had many problems. In 1939 the French poet André Breton invited Kahlo to Paris where she had her first exhibition. The Louvre bought one of her paintings, and it was the first work of art by a twentieth century Mexican artist to be bought by the famous museum.
The Louvre painting was the only artistic success Kahlo had in her lifetime. She died in 1954 and her work was not appreciated until decades after her death. Until then, she was only remembered as Rivera’s wife. In the early 1980s, the artistic style of Mexico started coming into fashion which brought Kahlo’s paintings into the public eye. In 1982 Kahlo’s work was exhibited for the first time outside of Mexico at a successful exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. At the same time Hayden Herrera wrote the book Frida: A biography of Frida Kahlo. This bestseller was turned into a film in 2002 starring Salma Hayek.

Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born on 6th July 1907. She spent most of her life in her home known as La Casa Azul or the Blue House, which was in Coyoacán. At the age of six, she had Polio, a disease which made one of her legs much thinner than the other. Because of this, she wore long colourful dresses for most of her life. In 1922 she entered one of Mexico’s top schools, where she was only one of 35 students.
When she was 18 years old, she was involved in an accident. She was on a bus when it crashed into a tram. She suffered terrible injuries and only just survived. She managed to recover and walk
again, but she was in pain for most of the rest of her life. Throughout her life, she had her back operated on thirty-five times. For three months after the accident, she had to stay in bed, so she started painting to pass the time. She painted many self-portraits saying ‘I paint myself because I am often alone, and I am the subject that I know best.’ She was influenced by the culture of the native people of Mexico, using bright colours and dramatic symbols.
Kahlo decided she wanted to be an artist, so she began communicating with the well-known Mexican artist Diego Rivera, asking him for advice. Rivera realised Kahlo was very talented and he encouraged her. They became very close and married in 1929. However, their marriage had many problems. In 1939 the French poet André Breton invited Kahlo to Paris where she had her first exhibition. The Louvre bought one of her paintings, and it was the first work of art by a twentieth century Mexican artist to be bought by the famous museum.
The Louvre painting was the only artistic success Kahlo had in her lifetime. She died in 1954 and her work was not appreciated until decades after her death. Until then, she was only remembered as Rivera’s wife. In the early 1980s, the artistic style of Mexico started coming into fashion which brought Kahlo’s paintings into the public eye. In 1982 Kahlo’s work was exhibited for the first time outside of Mexico at a successful exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. At the same time Hayden Herrera wrote the book Frida: A biography of Frida Kahlo. This bestseller was turned into a film in 2002 starring Salma Hayek.

Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born on 6th July 1907. She spent most of her life in her home known as La Casa Azul or the Blue House, which was in Coyoacán. At the age of six, she had Polio, a disease which made one of her legs much thinner than the other. Because of this, she wore long colourful dresses for most of her life. In 1922 she entered one of Mexico’s top schools, where she was only one of 35 students.
When she was 18 years old, she was involved in an accident. She was on a bus when it crashed into a tram. She suffered terrible injuries and only just survived. She managed to recover and walk
again, but she was in pain for most of the rest of her life. Throughout her life, she had her back operated on thirty-five times. For three months after the accident, she had to stay in bed, so she started painting to pass the time. She painted many self-portraits saying ‘I paint myself because I am often alone, and I am the subject that I know best.’ She was influenced by the culture of the native people of Mexico, using bright colours and dramatic symbols.
Kahlo decided she wanted to be an artist, so she began communicating with the well-known Mexican artist Diego Rivera, asking him for advice. Rivera realised Kahlo was very talented and he encouraged her. They became very close and married in 1929. However, their marriage had many problems. In 1939 the French poet André Breton invited Kahlo to Paris where she had her first exhibition. The Louvre bought one of her paintings, and it was the first work of art by a twentieth century Mexican artist to be bought by the famous museum.
The Louvre painting was the only artistic success Kahlo had in her lifetime. She died in 1954 and her work was not appreciated until decades after her death. Until then, she was only remembered as Rivera’s wife. In the early 1980s, the artistic style of Mexico started coming into fashion which brought Kahlo’s paintings into the public eye. In 1982 Kahlo’s work was exhibited for the first time outside of Mexico at a successful exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. At the same time Hayden Herrera wrote the book Frida: A biography of Frida Kahlo. This bestseller was turned into a film in 2002 starring Salma Hayek.

A trip to authenticity
People used to be happy just to travel and see a new place. These days, however, it seems seeing is not enough. People are no longer content with being tourists. They want to mingle with the locals for an ‘authentic’ experience.
Hoping to cater to this demand for authenticity, the travel industry has come up with interesting programmes that allow people to dine in the homes of Italian ‘nonnas’, or grandmothers (homefood.it), meet Parisians at work or in their homes (meetingthefrench.com) or paint the town red with ‘real’ Danes, Spaniards and Norwegians (nightlifefriend.is). However, if you’re paying for something, it’s probably not ‘authentic’.
Too often travellers are disappointed with the ‘real’ locals. They are upset that Australians don’t act like the film character Crocodile Dundee, that Samoans have televisions and that even people in the poorest towns of India have mobile phones. They don’t mind having fast food in their own city, but feel robbed when it exists abroad. They complain that traditional lifestyles have been ruined and feel cheated not to have experienced something ‘authentic’.
Then there are very expensive package tours that take people
21 to remote villages far off the beaten path. The more the villagers interact with the visitors, the more the area changes. Whether they like it or not, foreigners leave behind their footprint. What is ‘authentic’ slowly fades away to become something new, but perhaps just as ‘authentic’.
As travellers fiddle with their cameras taking photos of locals as though they were zoo attractions, they forget to notice that there are ‘authentic’ moments happening all around them. Authenticity cannot be planned. It just ‘is’ and should be accepted for what it is. If you search for it, you’ll never find it because you’ll be too busy expecting it to be something else.

A trip to authenticity
People used to be happy just to travel and see a new place. These days, however, it seems seeing is not enough. People are no longer content with being tourists. They want to mingle with the locals for an ‘authentic’ experience.
Hoping to cater to this demand for authenticity, the travel industry has come up with interesting programmes that allow people to dine in the homes of Italian ‘nonnas’, or grandmothers (homefood.it), meet Parisians at work or in their homes (meetingthefrench.com) or paint the town red with ‘real’ Danes, Spaniards and Norwegians (nightlifefriend.is). However, if you’re paying for something, it’s probably not ‘authentic’.
Too often travellers are disappointed with the ‘real’ locals. They are upset that Australians don’t act like the film character Crocodile Dundee, that Samoans have televisions and that even people in the poorest towns of India have mobile phones. They don’t mind having fast food in their own city, but feel robbed when it exists abroad. They complain that traditional lifestyles have been ruined and feel cheated not to have experienced something ‘authentic’.
Then there are very expensive package tours that take people
21 to remote villages far off the beaten path. The more the villagers interact with the visitors, the more the area changes. Whether they like it or not, foreigners leave behind their footprint. What is ‘authentic’ slowly fades away to become something new, but perhaps just as ‘authentic’.
As travellers fiddle with their cameras taking photos of locals as though they were zoo attractions, they forget to notice that there are ‘authentic’ moments happening all around them. Authenticity cannot be planned. It just ‘is’ and should be accepted for what it is. If you search for it, you’ll never find it because you’ll be too busy expecting it to be something else.

A trip to authenticity
People used to be happy just to travel and see a new place. These days, however, it seems seeing is not enough. People are no longer content with being tourists. They want to mingle with the locals for an ‘authentic’ experience.
Hoping to cater to this demand for authenticity, the travel industry has come up with interesting programmes that allow people to dine in the homes of Italian ‘nonnas’, or grandmothers (homefood.it), meet Parisians at work or in their homes (meetingthefrench.com) or paint the town red with ‘real’ Danes, Spaniards and Norwegians (nightlifefriend.is). However, if you’re paying for something, it’s probably not ‘authentic’.
Too often travellers are disappointed with the ‘real’ locals. They are upset that Australians don’t act like the film character Crocodile Dundee, that Samoans have televisions and that even people in the poorest towns of India have mobile phones. They don’t mind having fast food in their own city, but feel robbed when it exists abroad. They complain that traditional lifestyles have been ruined and feel cheated not to have experienced something ‘authentic’.
Then there are very expensive package tours that take people
21 to remote villages far off the beaten path. The more the villagers interact with the visitors, the more the area changes. Whether they like it or not, foreigners leave behind their footprint. What is ‘authentic’ slowly fades away to become something new, but perhaps just as ‘authentic’.
As travellers fiddle with their cameras taking photos of locals as though they were zoo attractions, they forget to notice that there are ‘authentic’ moments happening all around them. Authenticity cannot be planned. It just ‘is’ and should be accepted for what it is. If you search for it, you’ll never find it because you’ll be too busy expecting it to be something else.

A trip to authenticity
People used to be happy just to travel and see a new place. These days, however, it seems seeing is not enough. People are no longer content with being tourists. They want to mingle with the locals for an ‘authentic’ experience.
Hoping to cater to this demand for authenticity, the travel industry has come up with interesting programmes that allow people to dine in the homes of Italian ‘nonnas’, or grandmothers (homefood.it), meet Parisians at work or in their homes (meetingthefrench.com) or paint the town red with ‘real’ Danes, Spaniards and Norwegians (nightlifefriend.is). However, if you’re paying for something, it’s probably not ‘authentic’.
Too often travellers are disappointed with the ‘real’ locals. They are upset that Australians don’t act like the film character Crocodile Dundee, that Samoans have televisions and that even people in the poorest towns of India have mobile phones. They don’t mind having fast food in their own city, but feel robbed when it exists abroad. They complain that traditional lifestyles have been ruined and feel cheated not to have experienced something ‘authentic’.
Then there are very expensive package tours that take people
21 to remote villages far off the beaten path. The more the villagers interact with the visitors, the more the area changes. Whether they like it or not, foreigners leave behind their footprint. What is ‘authentic’ slowly fades away to become something new, but perhaps just as ‘authentic’.
As travellers fiddle with their cameras taking photos of locals as though they were zoo attractions, they forget to notice that there are ‘authentic’ moments happening all around them. Authenticity cannot be planned. It just ‘is’ and should be accepted for what it is. If you search for it, you’ll never find it because you’ll be too busy expecting it to be something else.

Fashion has always been decided by society and has been affected by wars, laws, religion, and the arts. Famous people and celebrities have also caused changes in fashion, for example by protesting against people wearing animal fur. However, every fashion follows a cycle, and no one can be sure how long
a new fashion may last. Some styles last for a long time, some die out quickly and some styles come back years after they went out of fashion. Eco fashion has been growing in popularity for almost 30 years now and it looks like a fashion that is here to stay.
The same environmental worries that have changed the food world, giving us organic produce and the farm-to-table food movement (buying food directly from local farms) have also made changes to the fashion world.
One of the first environmental concerns to hit mainstream media was the thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer, with an ozone hole over Antarctica. The main concern was the effect of the increased UV radiation on humans, such as a rise in the number of people with skin cancer. CFC chemicals, commonly used in aerosols, such as hairsprays, were found to be the main cause of ozone holes and so, as far back as 1978, the US government started the ban on the use of CFCs in most aerosols.
The idea of eco fashion started to rise in the 1980s, when people began having concerns about chemicals in fabrics, such as the ones that make clothes fireproof. There is strong evidence that these fire resistant chemicals accumulate in people’s bodies causing health problems. A pregnant woman, for example, exposed to these chemicals is at risk of giving birth to a child with a low birth weight and poor nervous system development. Several countries banned the use of fire resistant chemicals in clothing. Eco fashion at that time meant chemical-free, and was mainly protecting us against fears for our own health and not so much our planet’s worsening state.
Another concern that helped eco fashion find support was the unethical use of ‘sweatshops’. Sweatshop is a term for a workplace with extremely bad working conditions, such as small factories where workers are paid very little money, work many hours and are exposed to dangerous chemicals. Eco fashion introduced the idea of ‘fair trade’, which guaranteed that the item of clothing on sale was not made in a sweatshop. Unfortunately, the first eco fashion clothes were not so stylish and, therefore, did not become very popular.
As the years passed, many fashion designers began to take a stand on environmental and social issues and produce lines of clothing that were stylish, organic and following fair trade practices. They started using organic cotton, instead of the cotton grown using pesticides which harmed farm workers and the environment. The use of recycled materials and non-toxic dyes also became popular. There was a new generation of environmentally friendly and socially conscious fashion designers, creating a new trend which was growing in popularity, and also a fashion that could be made to suit any personal style or budget. A large number of not so well known designers started new eco fashion labels, and famous designers such as Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani, Gucci and Vera Wang then followed them. These designers have continued to support eco fashion throughout the years by using fabrics which do not threaten the environment and following fair trade practices. Stella McCartney, for example, is known for not using any fur or leather in her products.
Eco fashion offers mankind great hope for the 65 future. It not only offers realistic, environmentally friendly solutions to our clothing needs, but more importantly, it serves as a symbol of hope. In the past, fashion and the environment were the worst of enemies. However, with the introduction of eco fashion, it looks like they have started to overcome their differences and may actually become best friends.

Fashion has always been decided by society and has been affected by wars, laws, religion, and the arts. Famous people and celebrities have also caused changes in fashion, for example by protesting against people wearing animal fur. However, every fashion follows a cycle, and no one can be sure how long
a new fashion may last. Some styles last for a long time, some die out quickly and some styles come back years after they went out of fashion. Eco fashion has been growing in popularity for almost 30 years now and it looks like a fashion that is here to stay.
The same environmental worries that have changed the food world, giving us organic produce and the farm-to-table food movement (buying food directly from local farms) have also made changes to the fashion world.
One of the first environmental concerns to hit mainstream media was the thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer, with an ozone hole over Antarctica. The main concern was the effect of the increased UV radiation on humans, such as a rise in the number of people with skin cancer. CFC chemicals, commonly used in aerosols, such as hairsprays, were found to be the main cause of ozone holes and so, as far back as 1978, the US government started the ban on the use of CFCs in most aerosols.
The idea of eco fashion started to rise in the 1980s, when people began having concerns about chemicals in fabrics, such as the ones that make clothes fireproof. There is strong evidence that these fire resistant chemicals accumulate in people’s bodies causing health problems. A pregnant woman, for example, exposed to these chemicals is at risk of giving birth to a child with a low birth weight and poor nervous system development. Several countries banned the use of fire resistant chemicals in clothing. Eco fashion at that time meant chemical-free, and was mainly protecting us against fears for our own health and not so much our planet’s worsening state.
Another concern that helped eco fashion find support was the unethical use of ‘sweatshops’. Sweatshop is a term for a workplace with extremely bad working conditions, such as small factories where workers are paid very little money, work many hours and are exposed to dangerous chemicals. Eco fashion introduced the idea of ‘fair trade’, which guaranteed that the item of clothing on sale was not made in a sweatshop. Unfortunately, the first eco fashion clothes were not so stylish and, therefore, did not become very popular.
As the years passed, many fashion designers began to take a stand on environmental and social issues and produce lines of clothing that were stylish, organic and following fair trade practices. They started using organic cotton, instead of the cotton grown using pesticides which harmed farm workers and the environment. The use of recycled materials and non-toxic dyes also became popular. There was a new generation of environmentally friendly and socially conscious fashion designers, creating a new trend which was growing in popularity, and also a fashion that could be made to suit any personal style or budget. A large number of not so well known designers started new eco fashion labels, and famous designers such as Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani, Gucci and Vera Wang then followed them. These designers have continued to support eco fashion throughout the years by using fabrics which do not threaten the environment and following fair trade practices. Stella McCartney, for example, is known for not using any fur or leather in her products.
Eco fashion offers mankind great hope for the 65 future. It not only offers realistic, environmentally friendly solutions to our clothing needs, but more importantly, it serves as a symbol of hope. In the past, fashion and the environment were the worst of enemies. However, with the introduction of eco fashion, it looks like they have started to overcome their differences and may actually become best friends.

Fashion has always been decided by society and has been affected by wars, laws, religion, and the arts. Famous people and celebrities have also caused changes in fashion, for example by protesting against people wearing animal fur. However, every fashion follows a cycle, and no one can be sure how long
a new fashion may last. Some styles last for a long time, some die out quickly and some styles come back years after they went out of fashion. Eco fashion has been growing in popularity for almost 30 years now and it looks like a fashion that is here to stay.
The same environmental worries that have changed the food world, giving us organic produce and the farm-to-table food movement (buying food directly from local farms) have also made changes to the fashion world.
One of the first environmental concerns to hit mainstream media was the thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer, with an ozone hole over Antarctica. The main concern was the effect of the increased UV radiation on humans, such as a rise in the number of people with skin cancer. CFC chemicals, commonly used in aerosols, such as hairsprays, were found to be the main cause of ozone holes and so, as far back as 1978, the US government started the ban on the use of CFCs in most aerosols.
The idea of eco fashion started to rise in the 1980s, when people began having concerns about chemicals in fabrics, such as the ones that make clothes fireproof. There is strong evidence that these fire resistant chemicals accumulate in people’s bodies causing health problems. A pregnant woman, for example, exposed to these chemicals is at risk of giving birth to a child with a low birth weight and poor nervous system development. Several countries banned the use of fire resistant chemicals in clothing. Eco fashion at that time meant chemical-free, and was mainly protecting us against fears for our own health and not so much our planet’s worsening state.
Another concern that helped eco fashion find support was the unethical use of ‘sweatshops’. Sweatshop is a term for a workplace with extremely bad working conditions, such as small factories where workers are paid very little money, work many hours and are exposed to dangerous chemicals. Eco fashion introduced the idea of ‘fair trade’, which guaranteed that the item of clothing on sale was not made in a sweatshop. Unfortunately, the first eco fashion clothes were not so stylish and, therefore, did not become very popular.
As the years passed, many fashion designers began to take a stand on environmental and social issues and produce lines of clothing that were stylish, organic and following fair trade practices. They started using organic cotton, instead of the cotton grown using pesticides which harmed farm workers and the environment. The use of recycled materials and non-toxic dyes also became popular. There was a new generation of environmentally friendly and socially conscious fashion designers, creating a new trend which was growing in popularity, and also a fashion that could be made to suit any personal style or budget. A large number of not so well known designers started new eco fashion labels, and famous designers such as Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani, Gucci and Vera Wang then followed them. These designers have continued to support eco fashion throughout the years by using fabrics which do not threaten the environment and following fair trade practices. Stella McCartney, for example, is known for not using any fur or leather in her products.
Eco fashion offers mankind great hope for the 65 future. It not only offers realistic, environmentally friendly solutions to our clothing needs, but more importantly, it serves as a symbol of hope. In the past, fashion and the environment were the worst of enemies. However, with the introduction of eco fashion, it looks like they have started to overcome their differences and may actually become best friends.

Fashion has always been decided by society and has been affected by wars, laws, religion, and the arts. Famous people and celebrities have also caused changes in fashion, for example by protesting against people wearing animal fur. However, every fashion follows a cycle, and no one can be sure how long
a new fashion may last. Some styles last for a long time, some die out quickly and some styles come back years after they went out of fashion. Eco fashion has been growing in popularity for almost 30 years now and it looks like a fashion that is here to stay.
The same environmental worries that have changed the food world, giving us organic produce and the farm-to-table food movement (buying food directly from local farms) have also made changes to the fashion world.
One of the first environmental concerns to hit mainstream media was the thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer, with an ozone hole over Antarctica. The main concern was the effect of the increased UV radiation on humans, such as a rise in the number of people with skin cancer. CFC chemicals, commonly used in aerosols, such as hairsprays, were found to be the main cause of ozone holes and so, as far back as 1978, the US government started the ban on the use of CFCs in most aerosols.
The idea of eco fashion started to rise in the 1980s, when people began having concerns about chemicals in fabrics, such as the ones that make clothes fireproof. There is strong evidence that these fire resistant chemicals accumulate in people’s bodies causing health problems. A pregnant woman, for example, exposed to these chemicals is at risk of giving birth to a child with a low birth weight and poor nervous system development. Several countries banned the use of fire resistant chemicals in clothing. Eco fashion at that time meant chemical-free, and was mainly protecting us against fears for our own health and not so much our planet’s worsening state.
Another concern that helped eco fashion find support was the unethical use of ‘sweatshops’. Sweatshop is a term for a workplace with extremely bad working conditions, such as small factories where workers are paid very little money, work many hours and are exposed to dangerous chemicals. Eco fashion introduced the idea of ‘fair trade’, which guaranteed that the item of clothing on sale was not made in a sweatshop. Unfortunately, the first eco fashion clothes were not so stylish and, therefore, did not become very popular.
As the years passed, many fashion designers began to take a stand on environmental and social issues and produce lines of clothing that were stylish, organic and following fair trade practices. They started using organic cotton, instead of the cotton grown using pesticides which harmed farm workers and the environment. The use of recycled materials and non-toxic dyes also became popular. There was a new generation of environmentally friendly and socially conscious fashion designers, creating a new trend which was growing in popularity, and also a fashion that could be made to suit any personal style or budget. A large number of not so well known designers started new eco fashion labels, and famous designers such as Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani, Gucci and Vera Wang then followed them. These designers have continued to support eco fashion throughout the years by using fabrics which do not threaten the environment and following fair trade practices. Stella McCartney, for example, is known for not using any fur or leather in her products.
Eco fashion offers mankind great hope for the 65 future. It not only offers realistic, environmentally friendly solutions to our clothing needs, but more importantly, it serves as a symbol of hope. In the past, fashion and the environment were the worst of enemies. However, with the introduction of eco fashion, it looks like they have started to overcome their differences and may actually become best friends.

So The Story Goes
Once upon a time there were no books. People would pass on their knowledge by word of mouth. Storytellers used words, music and dance to tell tales about their history, culture and religion.
The first stories helped people understand the world. ‘There was a time when there was no sun, only a moon and stars,’ the wise elder of some remote Aboriginal tribe would explain.
‘One day, Brolga, a beautiful dancing bird, and Dinewan, the emu, fought. Brolga got so angry that she rushed to Dinewan’s nest, grabbed an egg and threw it up into the sky. It landed on a burning fire and the yellow yolk in the middle burst into flames. Dazzling brightness lit up the world. That is how the sun was created.’
Later, books were printed, but people still needed stories as they provided entertainment and were an effective way to teach valuable lessons about life. ‘When I was a young girl I would always lose my temper,’ the grandmother would say as the family gathered around to hear another gripping yarn from its own personal history. ‘My mother told me that I would have to sew a button onto my curtain every time I lost my temper. On the first day I sewed thirty buttons! But I got better. Finally, I stopped sewing buttons altogether. So my mother suggested I unstitch a button from the curtain every time I managed to control my temper. When all the buttons had come off, the curtain was full of holes. They were the holes of my anger. Words said in anger leave marks forever.’
Time passed. Grandmothers began to live further away. Families got too busy to sit around sharing tales. Thanks to technology, however, we can still find stories online. Stories from the Aboriginal Dreamtime (Australia), Homer ’s epic p o e m s ( G r e e c e ) , A e s o p ’s F a b l e s (Greece), the tales of Nasreddin Hodja (Turkey), the Grimm brothers (Germany), Scheherazade’s tales of One Thousand and One Nights (Persia) are just a few clicks away on the computer keyboard. Stories from around the world are readily available at our fingertips but it’s not the same as having them told.
The way in which the storyteller interacts with the listener is as fascinating as the story itself. The teller’s voice lingers at the most important moments, sending chills down our spine as we imagine the scene being described. Our imagination creates brilliant special effects. The teller looks into our eyes to see if he has caught our attention and there is plenty of improvisation as the story unfolds. Stories calm us down and make us think. Authors such as Australian George W Burns and Argentinean Jorge Bucay have realised this. Their bestselling books prescribe stories to help people understand themselves better. Teachers, too, are aware of the benefits of stories and attend storytelling workshops so that they can engage their students and make learning meaningful.
Fewer opportunities to hear stories have made us need them more than ever before. Professional storytellers have become the guardians of simple tales, turning them into outstanding performances. Fables told long ago are given new life and are as relevant as ever.

So The Story Goes
Once upon a time there were no books. People would pass on their knowledge by word of mouth. Storytellers used words, music and dance to tell tales about their history, culture and religion.
The first stories helped people understand the world. ‘There was a time when there was no sun, only a moon and stars,’ the wise elder of some remote Aboriginal tribe would explain.
‘One day, Brolga, a beautiful dancing bird, and Dinewan, the emu, fought. Brolga got so angry that she rushed to Dinewan’s nest, grabbed an egg and threw it up into the sky. It landed on a burning fire and the yellow yolk in the middle burst into flames. Dazzling brightness lit up the world. That is how the sun was created.’
Later, books were printed, but people still needed stories as they provided entertainment and were an effective way to teach valuable lessons about life. ‘When I was a young girl I would always lose my temper,’ the grandmother would say as the family gathered around to hear another gripping yarn from its own personal history. ‘My mother told me that I would have to sew a button onto my curtain every time I lost my temper. On the first day I sewed thirty buttons! But I got better. Finally, I stopped sewing buttons altogether. So my mother suggested I unstitch a button from the curtain every time I managed to control my temper. When all the buttons had come off, the curtain was full of holes. They were the holes of my anger. Words said in anger leave marks forever.’
Time passed. Grandmothers began to live further away. Families got too busy to sit around sharing tales. Thanks to technology, however, we can still find stories online. Stories from the Aboriginal Dreamtime (Australia), Homer ’s epic p o e m s ( G r e e c e ) , A e s o p ’s F a b l e s (Greece), the tales of Nasreddin Hodja (Turkey), the Grimm brothers (Germany), Scheherazade’s tales of One Thousand and One Nights (Persia) are just a few clicks away on the computer keyboard. Stories from around the world are readily available at our fingertips but it’s not the same as having them told.
The way in which the storyteller interacts with the listener is as fascinating as the story itself. The teller’s voice lingers at the most important moments, sending chills down our spine as we imagine the scene being described. Our imagination creates brilliant special effects. The teller looks into our eyes to see if he has caught our attention and there is plenty of improvisation as the story unfolds. Stories calm us down and make us think. Authors such as Australian George W Burns and Argentinean Jorge Bucay have realised this. Their bestselling books prescribe stories to help people understand themselves better. Teachers, too, are aware of the benefits of stories and attend storytelling workshops so that they can engage their students and make learning meaningful.
Fewer opportunities to hear stories have made us need them more than ever before. Professional storytellers have become the guardians of simple tales, turning them into outstanding performances. Fables told long ago are given new life and are as relevant as ever.

So The Story Goes
Once upon a time there were no books. People would pass on their knowledge by word of mouth. Storytellers used words, music and dance to tell tales about their history, culture and religion.
The first stories helped people understand the world. ‘There was a time when there was no sun, only a moon and stars,’ the wise elder of some remote Aboriginal tribe would explain.
‘One day, Brolga, a beautiful dancing bird, and Dinewan, the emu, fought. Brolga got so angry that she rushed to Dinewan’s nest, grabbed an egg and threw it up into the sky. It landed on a burning fire and the yellow yolk in the middle burst into flames. Dazzling brightness lit up the world. That is how the sun was created.’
Later, books were printed, but people still needed stories as they provided entertainment and were an effective way to teach valuable lessons about life. ‘When I was a young girl I would always lose my temper,’ the grandmother would say as the family gathered around to hear another gripping yarn from its own personal history. ‘My mother told me that I would have to sew a button onto my curtain every time I lost my temper. On the first day I sewed thirty buttons! But I got better. Finally, I stopped sewing buttons altogether. So my mother suggested I unstitch a button from the curtain every time I managed to control my temper. When all the buttons had come off, the curtain was full of holes. They were the holes of my anger. Words said in anger leave marks forever.’
Time passed. Grandmothers began to live further away. Families got too busy to sit around sharing tales. Thanks to technology, however, we can still find stories online. Stories from the Aboriginal Dreamtime (Australia), Homer ’s epic p o e m s ( G r e e c e ) , A e s o p ’s F a b l e s (Greece), the tales of Nasreddin Hodja (Turkey), the Grimm brothers (Germany), Scheherazade’s tales of One Thousand and One Nights (Persia) are just a few clicks away on the computer keyboard. Stories from around the world are readily available at our fingertips but it’s not the same as having them told.
The way in which the storyteller interacts with the listener is as fascinating as the story itself. The teller’s voice lingers at the most important moments, sending chills down our spine as we imagine the scene being described. Our imagination creates brilliant special effects. The teller looks into our eyes to see if he has caught our attention and there is plenty of improvisation as the story unfolds. Stories calm us down and make us think. Authors such as Australian George W Burns and Argentinean Jorge Bucay have realised this. Their bestselling books prescribe stories to help people understand themselves better. Teachers, too, are aware of the benefits of stories and attend storytelling workshops so that they can engage their students and make learning meaningful.
Fewer opportunities to hear stories have made us need them more than ever before. Professional storytellers have become the guardians of simple tales, turning them into outstanding performances. Fables told long ago are given new life and are as relevant as ever.

So The Story Goes
Once upon a time there were no books. People would pass on their knowledge by word of mouth. Storytellers used words, music and dance to tell tales about their history, culture and religion.
The first stories helped people understand the world. ‘There was a time when there was no sun, only a moon and stars,’ the wise elder of some remote Aboriginal tribe would explain.
‘One day, Brolga, a beautiful dancing bird, and Dinewan, the emu, fought. Brolga got so angry that she rushed to Dinewan’s nest, grabbed an egg and threw it up into the sky. It landed on a burning fire and the yellow yolk in the middle burst into flames. Dazzling brightness lit up the world. That is how the sun was created.’
Later, books were printed, but people still needed stories as they provided entertainment and were an effective way to teach valuable lessons about life. ‘When I was a young girl I would always lose my temper,’ the grandmother would say as the family gathered around to hear another gripping yarn from its own personal history. ‘My mother told me that I would have to sew a button onto my curtain every time I lost my temper. On the first day I sewed thirty buttons! But I got better. Finally, I stopped sewing buttons altogether. So my mother suggested I unstitch a button from the curtain every time I managed to control my temper. When all the buttons had come off, the curtain was full of holes. They were the holes of my anger. Words said in anger leave marks forever.’
Time passed. Grandmothers began to live further away. Families got too busy to sit around sharing tales. Thanks to technology, however, we can still find stories online. Stories from the Aboriginal Dreamtime (Australia), Homer ’s epic p o e m s ( G r e e c e ) , A e s o p ’s F a b l e s (Greece), the tales of Nasreddin Hodja (Turkey), the Grimm brothers (Germany), Scheherazade’s tales of One Thousand and One Nights (Persia) are just a few clicks away on the computer keyboard. Stories from around the world are readily available at our fingertips but it’s not the same as having them told.
The way in which the storyteller interacts with the listener is as fascinating as the story itself. The teller’s voice lingers at the most important moments, sending chills down our spine as we imagine the scene being described. Our imagination creates brilliant special effects. The teller looks into our eyes to see if he has caught our attention and there is plenty of improvisation as the story unfolds. Stories calm us down and make us think. Authors such as Australian George W Burns and Argentinean Jorge Bucay have realised this. Their bestselling books prescribe stories to help people understand themselves better. Teachers, too, are aware of the benefits of stories and attend storytelling workshops so that they can engage their students and make learning meaningful.
Fewer opportunities to hear stories have made us need them more than ever before. Professional storytellers have become the guardians of simple tales, turning them into outstanding performances. Fables told long ago are given new life and are as relevant as ever.

THE HUGGABLE HUMANOID
I am the KSHO21 Humanoid Robot, released especially for security purposes. I make an ideal bodyguard with special features including extra strength and a knowledge of martial arts. Not just a handsome face, I can be programmed to speak six languages in different accents and voice pitches according to your choice. Furthermore, I come equipped with 15 separate personalities, from shy and introverted to extroverted and loud. You can easily adjust my personality to match yours.
The first humanoid robot, the A-girl, was created six years ago after twenty years of research by Dr Keblar Star. His goal was to make a dutiful companion for his elderly mother. Apart from providing basic help with everyday matters such as cooking, cleaning and ironing, the A-girl could talk, listen, converse and react. Very soon, the A-girl, known as Agnes, became a beloved member of the Star family, outliving
Dr Star’s mother and currently programmed to keep an eye on his children.
The first humanoid available for commercial use was sold by SkyWorld, Ltd a year after Agnes was created. Since then, various humanoid models have been created to serve specific needs, often doing jobs considered too dangerous for humans. Though we do not have emotions, we make loyal companions.
For my part, I’m here to protect you even if this means risking my own safety. I don’t eat, sleep, complain, nor can I be bribed and require less maintenance than a guard dog. I come with an unlimited lifetime guarantee, even though I don’t have a life and cannot die.

THE HUGGABLE HUMANOID
I am the KSHO21 Humanoid Robot, released especially for security purposes. I make an ideal bodyguard with special features including extra strength and a knowledge of martial arts. Not just a handsome face, I can be programmed to speak six languages in different accents and voice pitches according to your choice. Furthermore, I come equipped with 15 separate personalities, from shy and introverted to extroverted and loud. You can easily adjust my personality to match yours.
The first humanoid robot, the A-girl, was created six years ago after twenty years of research by Dr Keblar Star. His goal was to make a dutiful companion for his elderly mother. Apart from providing basic help with everyday matters such as cooking, cleaning and ironing, the A-girl could talk, listen, converse and react. Very soon, the A-girl, known as Agnes, became a beloved member of the Star family, outliving
Dr Star’s mother and currently programmed to keep an eye on his children.
The first humanoid available for commercial use was sold by SkyWorld, Ltd a year after Agnes was created. Since then, various humanoid models have been created to serve specific needs, often doing jobs considered too dangerous for humans. Though we do not have emotions, we make loyal companions.
For my part, I’m here to protect you even if this means risking my own safety. I don’t eat, sleep, complain, nor can I be bribed and require less maintenance than a guard dog. I come with an unlimited lifetime guarantee, even though I don’t have a life and cannot die.

THE HUGGABLE HUMANOID
I am the KSHO21 Humanoid Robot, released especially for security purposes. I make an ideal bodyguard with special features including extra strength and a knowledge of martial arts. Not just a handsome face, I can be programmed to speak six languages in different accents and voice pitches according to your choice. Furthermore, I come equipped with 15 separate personalities, from shy and introverted to extroverted and loud. You can easily adjust my personality to match yours.
The first humanoid robot, the A-girl, was created six years ago after twenty years of research by Dr Keblar Star. His goal was to make a dutiful companion for his elderly mother. Apart from providing basic help with everyday matters such as cooking, cleaning and ironing, the A-girl could talk, listen, converse and react. Very soon, the A-girl, known as Agnes, became a beloved member of the Star family, outliving
Dr Star’s mother and currently programmed to keep an eye on his children.
The first humanoid available for commercial use was sold by SkyWorld, Ltd a year after Agnes was created. Since then, various humanoid models have been created to serve specific needs, often doing jobs considered too dangerous for humans. Though we do not have emotions, we make loyal companions.
For my part, I’m here to protect you even if this means risking my own safety. I don’t eat, sleep, complain, nor can I be bribed and require less maintenance than a guard dog. I come with an unlimited lifetime guarantee, even though I don’t have a life and cannot die.

THE HUGGABLE HUMANOID
I am the KSHO21 Humanoid Robot, released especially for security purposes. I make an ideal bodyguard with special features including extra strength and a knowledge of martial arts. Not just a handsome face, I can be programmed to speak six languages in different accents and voice pitches according to your choice. Furthermore, I come equipped with 15 separate personalities, from shy and introverted to extroverted and loud. You can easily adjust my personality to match yours.
The first humanoid robot, the A-girl, was created six years ago after twenty years of research by Dr Keblar Star. His goal was to make a dutiful companion for his elderly mother. Apart from providing basic help with everyday matters such as cooking, cleaning and ironing, the A-girl could talk, listen, converse and react. Very soon, the A-girl, known as Agnes, became a beloved member of the Star family, outliving
Dr Star’s mother and currently programmed to keep an eye on his children.
The first humanoid available for commercial use was sold by SkyWorld, Ltd a year after Agnes was created. Since then, various humanoid models have been created to serve specific needs, often doing jobs considered too dangerous for humans. Though we do not have emotions, we make loyal companions.
For my part, I’m here to protect you even if this means risking my own safety. I don’t eat, sleep, complain, nor can I be bribed and require less maintenance than a guard dog. I come with an unlimited lifetime guarantee, even though I don’t have a life and cannot die.

Voyages and Travels of Count
Funnibos and Baron Stilkin
‘What shall we do with ourselves, my dear Stilkin?’ exclaimed Count Funnibos, yawning and stretching out his legs and arms.
‘Let’s travel,’ suggested Baron Stilkin, with a smile.
‘Why?’ asked the Count, yawning again.
‘To see the world, of course,’ answered the Baron.
‘Can’t we see the world just by looking out of the window?’ asked the Count.
‘That’s what many people think, but they can’t really know the world just by looking out of their windows,’
said the Baron.
‘Perhaps you’re right. You are always right when I’m wrong unless, of course, you agree with me and are wrong too,’ agreed the Count. ‘Where shall we go?’
‘Let’s travel around the world and see it all, or as far around as we can get,’ said the Baron. ‘But then we won’t see it all.’
‘When shall we start our trip?’ asked the Count. ‘How about next year?’
‘Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today or next year,’ said the Baron. ‘Besides, we have got no ties holding us back.’
‘Yes, my neck-ties are still at the laundry and I also need some new shoe ties,’ said the Count.
‘Never mind, I’ll get them for you in time,’ said the Baron. ‘You have plenty of money, so you can pay for both of us, which will be a much simpler way of doing the accounts.’
‘Yes. I hate complicated accounts,’ said the Count, who thought the Baron was smart and that this was an especially clever idea. ‘And what luggage do we need?’
‘Let me see. You have got two suitcases,’ said the Baron. ‘You can use one and I’ll use the other.’ He thought carefully. ‘Besides the ties, you’ll need a shirt, a comb for your curly hair, glasses and a toothpick. It may be a good idea to take an umbrella, in case it rains.’
‘Shouldn’t I take my slippers?’ asked the Count.
‘What a great idea!’ exclaimed the Baron. ‘Take your hiking boots, too.’
‘I only have one pair. If I put them on, I’ll walk too fast for you and you won’t be able to keep up,’ he said.
‘Yes, Funnibos, I’ve already thought of that. I never let problems stand in my way. You can wear one boot and I’ll wear the other, then hand in hand we’ll go across the country as fast as you would if you were alone,’ said the Baron.
‘But wait!’ said the Count, just as they were about to take off on their trip around the world. ‘I must give directions to my housekeeper about the management of my castle and property while I am gone.’
‘Tell her to lock the doors and windows of your castle,’ said the Baron. ‘Don’t worry about your property. It can’t run away, can it?’
‘Thank you for that great idea,’ answered the Count. ‘Even so, people do lose their property sometimes. How does that happen?’
‘They lose it when they don’t look after it properly,’ answered the Baron.
‘Mine belongs to my heirs,’ said the Count.
‘Then it can’t run away unless your heirs run also, so stop worrying and let’s get going,’ said the Baron just as two tiny suitcases were brought into the room.

Voyages and Travels of Count
Funnibos and Baron Stilkin
‘What shall we do with ourselves, my dear Stilkin?’ exclaimed Count Funnibos, yawning and stretching out his legs and arms.
‘Let’s travel,’ suggested Baron Stilkin, with a smile.
‘Why?’ asked the Count, yawning again.
‘To see the world, of course,’ answered the Baron.
‘Can’t we see the world just by looking out of the window?’ asked the Count.
‘That’s what many people think, but they can’t really know the world just by looking out of their windows,’
said the Baron.
‘Perhaps you’re right. You are always right when I’m wrong unless, of course, you agree with me and are wrong too,’ agreed the Count. ‘Where shall we go?’
‘Let’s travel around the world and see it all, or as far around as we can get,’ said the Baron. ‘But then we won’t see it all.’
‘When shall we start our trip?’ asked the Count. ‘How about next year?’
‘Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today or next year,’ said the Baron. ‘Besides, we have got no ties holding us back.’
‘Yes, my neck-ties are still at the laundry and I also need some new shoe ties,’ said the Count.
‘Never mind, I’ll get them for you in time,’ said the Baron. ‘You have plenty of money, so you can pay for both of us, which will be a much simpler way of doing the accounts.’
‘Yes. I hate complicated accounts,’ said the Count, who thought the Baron was smart and that this was an especially clever idea. ‘And what luggage do we need?’
‘Let me see. You have got two suitcases,’ said the Baron. ‘You can use one and I’ll use the other.’ He thought carefully. ‘Besides the ties, you’ll need a shirt, a comb for your curly hair, glasses and a toothpick. It may be a good idea to take an umbrella, in case it rains.’
‘Shouldn’t I take my slippers?’ asked the Count.
‘What a great idea!’ exclaimed the Baron. ‘Take your hiking boots, too.’
‘I only have one pair. If I put them on, I’ll walk too fast for you and you won’t be able to keep up,’ he said.
‘Yes, Funnibos, I’ve already thought of that. I never let problems stand in my way. You can wear one boot and I’ll wear the other, then hand in hand we’ll go across the country as fast as you would if you were alone,’ said the Baron.
‘But wait!’ said the Count, just as they were about to take off on their trip around the world. ‘I must give directions to my housekeeper about the management of my castle and property while I am gone.’
‘Tell her to lock the doors and windows of your castle,’ said the Baron. ‘Don’t worry about your property. It can’t run away, can it?’
‘Thank you for that great idea,’ answered the Count. ‘Even so, people do lose their property sometimes. How does that happen?’
‘They lose it when they don’t look after it properly,’ answered the Baron.
‘Mine belongs to my heirs,’ said the Count.
‘Then it can’t run away unless your heirs run also, so stop worrying and let’s get going,’ said the Baron just as two tiny suitcases were brought into the room.

Voyages and Travels of Count
Funnibos and Baron Stilkin
‘What shall we do with ourselves, my dear Stilkin?’ exclaimed Count Funnibos, yawning and stretching out his legs and arms.
‘Let’s travel,’ suggested Baron Stilkin, with a smile.
‘Why?’ asked the Count, yawning again.
‘To see the world, of course,’ answered the Baron.
‘Can’t we see the world just by looking out of the window?’ asked the Count.
‘That’s what many people think, but they can’t really know the world just by looking out of their windows,’
said the Baron.
‘Perhaps you’re right. You are always right when I’m wrong unless, of course, you agree with me and are wrong too,’ agreed the Count. ‘Where shall we go?’
‘Let’s travel around the world and see it all, or as far around as we can get,’ said the Baron. ‘But then we won’t see it all.’
‘When shall we start our trip?’ asked the Count. ‘How about next year?’
‘Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today or next year,’ said the Baron. ‘Besides, we have got no ties holding us back.’
‘Yes, my neck-ties are still at the laundry and I also need some new shoe ties,’ said the Count.
‘Never mind, I’ll get them for you in time,’ said the Baron. ‘You have plenty of money, so you can pay for both of us, which will be a much simpler way of doing the accounts.’
‘Yes. I hate complicated accounts,’ said the Count, who thought the Baron was smart and that this was an especially clever idea. ‘And what luggage do we need?’
‘Let me see. You have got two suitcases,’ said the Baron. ‘You can use one and I’ll use the other.’ He thought carefully. ‘Besides the ties, you’ll need a shirt, a comb for your curly hair, glasses and a toothpick. It may be a good idea to take an umbrella, in case it rains.’
‘Shouldn’t I take my slippers?’ asked the Count.
‘What a great idea!’ exclaimed the Baron. ‘Take your hiking boots, too.’
‘I only have one pair. If I put them on, I’ll walk too fast for you and you won’t be able to keep up,’ he said.
‘Yes, Funnibos, I’ve already thought of that. I never let problems stand in my way. You can wear one boot and I’ll wear the other, then hand in hand we’ll go across the country as fast as you would if you were alone,’ said the Baron.
‘But wait!’ said the Count, just as they were about to take off on their trip around the world. ‘I must give directions to my housekeeper about the management of my castle and property while I am gone.’
‘Tell her to lock the doors and windows of your castle,’ said the Baron. ‘Don’t worry about your property. It can’t run away, can it?’
‘Thank you for that great idea,’ answered the Count. ‘Even so, people do lose their property sometimes. How does that happen?’
‘They lose it when they don’t look after it properly,’ answered the Baron.
‘Mine belongs to my heirs,’ said the Count.
‘Then it can’t run away unless your heirs run also, so stop worrying and let’s get going,’ said the Baron just as two tiny suitcases were brought into the room.

Voyages and Travels of Count
Funnibos and Baron Stilkin
‘What shall we do with ourselves, my dear Stilkin?’ exclaimed Count Funnibos, yawning and stretching out his legs and arms.
‘Let’s travel,’ suggested Baron Stilkin, with a smile.
‘Why?’ asked the Count, yawning again.
‘To see the world, of course,’ answered the Baron.
‘Can’t we see the world just by looking out of the window?’ asked the Count.
‘That’s what many people think, but they can’t really know the world just by looking out of their windows,’
said the Baron.
‘Perhaps you’re right. You are always right when I’m wrong unless, of course, you agree with me and are wrong too,’ agreed the Count. ‘Where shall we go?’
‘Let’s travel around the world and see it all, or as far around as we can get,’ said the Baron. ‘But then we won’t see it all.’
‘When shall we start our trip?’ asked the Count. ‘How about next year?’
‘Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today or next year,’ said the Baron. ‘Besides, we have got no ties holding us back.’
‘Yes, my neck-ties are still at the laundry and I also need some new shoe ties,’ said the Count.
‘Never mind, I’ll get them for you in time,’ said the Baron. ‘You have plenty of money, so you can pay for both of us, which will be a much simpler way of doing the accounts.’
‘Yes. I hate complicated accounts,’ said the Count, who thought the Baron was smart and that this was an especially clever idea. ‘And what luggage do we need?’
‘Let me see. You have got two suitcases,’ said the Baron. ‘You can use one and I’ll use the other.’ He thought carefully. ‘Besides the ties, you’ll need a shirt, a comb for your curly hair, glasses and a toothpick. It may be a good idea to take an umbrella, in case it rains.’
‘Shouldn’t I take my slippers?’ asked the Count.
‘What a great idea!’ exclaimed the Baron. ‘Take your hiking boots, too.’
‘I only have one pair. If I put them on, I’ll walk too fast for you and you won’t be able to keep up,’ he said.
‘Yes, Funnibos, I’ve already thought of that. I never let problems stand in my way. You can wear one boot and I’ll wear the other, then hand in hand we’ll go across the country as fast as you would if you were alone,’ said the Baron.
‘But wait!’ said the Count, just as they were about to take off on their trip around the world. ‘I must give directions to my housekeeper about the management of my castle and property while I am gone.’
‘Tell her to lock the doors and windows of your castle,’ said the Baron. ‘Don’t worry about your property. It can’t run away, can it?’
‘Thank you for that great idea,’ answered the Count. ‘Even so, people do lose their property sometimes. How does that happen?’
‘They lose it when they don’t look after it properly,’ answered the Baron.
‘Mine belongs to my heirs,’ said the Count.
‘Then it can’t run away unless your heirs run also, so stop worrying and let’s get going,’ said the Baron just as two tiny suitcases were brought into the room.