Ugliest Dog Competition

Comprehension Questions: Link

Q: How many years has the 'World's Ugliest Dog' contest been around? How many contestants did it attract this year?

A: This year is the 26th year, meaning it must have started in 1988. This year, the date it was taken place was Friday the 20th of June. 29 dogs were competing this year, and it was taken place at the Sonoma Country Fair.

Q: How did this year's winner Peanut get his 'ugly' looks?

A: He was badly burnt in a fire, losing his lips, most of his body here and his eyebrows. They say that he is a master at winning this competition because of his also sharp teeth to go with his hideous looks. He and his owners now have $1500 USD and quite a big trophy. He was also taken to two live talk shows (The Today Show and the Jimmy Kimmel Show) and everything was pre paid for. 

Q: What is the organiser's main purpose for organising this unusual competition? 

A: The competition is run by a animal psychiatrist who takes care of the dogs and makes sure they are in a well and happy environment. He also makes sure that the dogs are doing okay and gives them a pep talk before the competition. He also uses it to honor the pooches because they may go through some human abuse. 

CRITICAL THINKING:

Q: Do you think this is an appropriate title for the competition? What would you change it to?

A: I don't think it should be named "The Ugliest Pet Competition" because it is kind of manipulating because maybe these dogs are just like normal dogs. Who knows? Maybe they don't have anything wrong with them. I don't even think it should be a thing, it should just be the cutest dog competition.

Cross Country Recount

For this recount, we had to write about a specific item near/on the course such as a drink bottle or a stopwatch. I have chosen a blade of grass.

My name does not matter, but I am just a lonely piece of darkish green coloured grass, being stepped on from all different directions. My colour was fading, and now the Year Eight boys were up next. I heard the gun from the distance, as I waved with the wind on the finishing corner. I saw lots of people sprinting up the hill, past the cricket nets and down by the buses. My eye caught a boy in a bright red shirt, wearing covered-in-black light blue shoes. He was near the front, behind another muscular looking boy in an orange shirt. The boy in the red shirt was quite handsome. Before I knew it, he disappeared with the group of boys.

Soon, I could see a boy in a sports academy shirt, in first place. He was leading the pack, with another boy wearing the same shirt close behind him. Many people starting passing for their second lap, but I couldn't seem to make out my new friend, until I saw his friend in a light blue shirt. The boy with the light red shirt was close behind, he looked tired. Again, I saw him disappear behind the new white building and then soon saw him coming around by the buses. Before I knew it, he had disappeared.

The final 200 meters was underway, and the two people with the dark blue and red shirts battling it out for first and second place. People kept missing me as I was positioned on the edge of the rope. Before I knew it, loads of people were racing each other, some with a lot of space between them. After nearly 50 people, I saw my new friend. I heard his other friends calling him "Zane" so that must of been his name. He looked pretty much smashed, and he was hobbling a bit on his right leg. He sprinted past and narrowly missed stepping on me. Later, after about 100-125 people someone finally clombed on me, weakening me. It was impossible to get up, and now, I was near death. My eyes slowly closed, to endless black.

Australia's Favourite White Humpback Makes A Rare Appearance

Comprehension Questions:

Link

Question One:

Q: What is so special about Migaloo?

A: Migaloo is the first documented white humpback whale. The name Migaloo stands for 'White Fella'. A whale watching crew spotted the 'White Fella' with a pod of mammals. In 1991, Migaloo was spotted by Australia's Byron Bay. He was immediately then known as a 'special interest whale'. The big white fella weighs 55 ton and is completely white all over. It would be a rare sight because not many people would have the chance to see a rare white humpback whale! Also, Migaloo comes from the Antartica breeding areas. His colour comes from a thing called "albinism" which is a skin condition. His name is made from an Indigenous Australian Language. 

Question Two:

Q: Cite a few facts from the article that tell you how precious Migaloo is to the people of Australia.
A:  Fans of Migaloo have put up facebook and twitter pages on his every move. Also, everyone makes sure that they stay 500 meters from the whale, because he is so rare and extremely rare to see. Nobody has seen "Migaloo Junior" for quite a while. Civillians said though they spotted a smaller white humpback. He is quite sneaky, and probably complicated to find. The fans are always looking for him, since of cause he is hard to find. If anyone got too close, Migaloo would probably get scared and swim right away. Anyone caught violating him, would have to pay a fine of $12,500 AUD. 

Question Three:

Q: Why is Migaloo known as a 'hypo-pigmented' humpback? is he the only one?

A: No, others have spotted similar looking white humpback whales, maybe related to Migaloo? Researchers obviously have seen one before, as they referred to "Migaloo Junior". Hypo-Pigmented stands for loss of skin colour, answering why he is rare and why he is white.

CRITICAL THINKING
Q: Do you think Migaloo's special color helps or hurts him from human predators? Why
A: I think it would attract uncalled for attention from predators that may want humans to capture and investigate further. I think his son/daughter would get A LOT more attention, because the kid is probably a young whale, targets for older predators.

Vegetarian Crocodiles?

Comprehension Reading and Answering: Link


1. Q: What is unusual about the reptiles that live at Nyanyana crocodile farm?

A: Oliver Kamundima, a financial director of the farm pronounced that some of the crocodiles at the Nyanyana farm are "vegetarian". Oliver said that the vegetarianism was a mistake, when the farm couldn't seem to afford reasonable meat. They started to feed them pellets, mixed with vegetable mix and meat. The crocodiles diet changed, and Oliver noticed that it did not deter their growth. Normal crocodiles (from what I have heard) have been known to eat people or bite people, so a question I have is do they not bite because they are vegetarian? I find this a very rare thing in the world we live in.

2. Q: How did they turn this way?

A: In 2006, Zimbabwe experienced economic crises, so the farm started feeding them with pellets mixed with meat and vegetables. The pellets did not affect the reptiles growth at all either, so now they are feeding them 100% vegetarian. Also, these pellets save a lot of money for the farm.

3. Q: What are the crocodiles being bred for?

A: The crocodiles are being bred for their skin, that is sold in Europe tanneries which is made into fashionable bags, shoes and more. When they are actually on the crocodiles, they look scaly and uncomfortable, so I wonder what they do to make it soft?

CRITICAL THINKING;

Q: How do you feel about the crocodiles being bred for their skin? Is it different from breeding cows or chickens that are killed for meat? Why?

A: Well, I don't know how they are made so soft, when they look so scaly and hard, I wonder how they are made into clothes and shoes. I don't think it is any different because there is no difference, theres nothing special about crocodile skin, its the same as the other animals. So overall, I don't think there is any difference.

Thirteen year old girl climbs the summit of Everest.

Link

1. Q: What did Malavath do? Why does the author believe it is so admirable?


A: Malavath climbed the summit of Mount Everest, being the youngest to climb it. The author would find Malavath story interesting because this is up and beyond what a normal thirteen year old would do. Also, since she was from a poor family, it would be interesting to write about because this would be a rare story.


2. Q: What did she have to do to get selected for the Mount Everest climb? What happened when Malavath reached the advanced base camp?


A: She was one of the twenty selected to go to an advanced training session at the Darjeeling Himalayan Mountaineering Institute for two weeks. After that, only two younger people were chosen, and one was Malavath. Once Malavath had climbed to the advanced camp, she got altitude sickness and was sent back down to base camp. After three days, she didn't want to give up so she continued climbing.



3. Q: How long did it take the team to get to the summit? What does Malavath hope her achievement will do to help other people?


A: It took them fifty two days to make it to the summit, infront of Anand, a sixteen year old who was also chosen, when she hoisted her flag at the "top of the world". She hopes her achievements will encourage underprivileged children to get involved with their dreams.