Comprehension Questions- Bao Bao Celebrates First Birthday

Comprehension Questions

Question One: Every animal turns one so why was Bao Bao's first birthday so special?

Answer: On Saturday, August 23rd, Washington D.C streets were filled to celebrate their favourite giant panda. Bao Bao and his brother, Tai Shan, were the only ones to survive after the rest of their panda family was perished in China.

Question Two: How did the zookeepers celebrate it?

Answer: They kept to a Chinese Tradition to celebrate both Tai Shan and Bao Bao. They were both offered three honey-dipped honey bamboo shoots and they had colourful posters next to them. There was "Long Life", "Good Health" and "Many Cubs".  Bao Bao immediately went for the the "Long Life" bamboo. He also was made a cake made from apple juice and various items. It had a large number "one" on it, also. Bao Bao attacked his birthday cake with delight.

Question Three: What are some of the things Bao Bao has learnt during his first year? What are some of the things in store for her before she turns two?

Answer: Bao Bao has learnt how to respond to her name and stand up straight on the weigh in's every month. The keepers are now trying to teach her how to lie down and present her paw when she needs her blood tested.

Comprehension Questions: Mining Cavern

Comprehension Questions

Question One: How is Bounce Below different from other trampoline parks?

Answer: Bounce Below is an underground cavern. It is located 100ft deep and 60ft wide. Before the tramp, it was a mining cavern.

Question Two: What are some of the things visitors will experience at Bounce Below?

Answer: The underground of an ex- mining cavern which has been transformed into a beautiful colourful trampoline park, unlike any other such as dialled. Safety first! The visitor will have to gear up with helmets and You will be made to head onto an old mine cart for the first ride of the "mountain". When going up, you will see amazing lights and sights. Tramps go for 10,000 ft along.

Question Three: What are the two ziplines called? What is special about each one?

Answer: When they are finished in the cavern, they go out to their parent company, Zip world. Both of them are called Velocity and Titan. They are special because Velocity is 500ft above the ground, also being the northern hemispheres biggest zipline. Titan can take people at the same time, which is really cool! Titan is not only one of the biggest ziplines around, but can amazingly carry people simultaneously, I think its great.

Comprehension Questions: Realistic Androids

Comprehension Questions

Question One: What are androids?

Answer: Androids are similar to Robots, but more realistic. They move realisticly, and look REALLY realistic. The two androids are both named Otonaroid (Otano means adult in Japanese) and the juvenile Kodomoroid (Kodomo means child in Japanese). Otano can tell you the latest news, via from an internet feed. WOW! Kodomo speaks a variety of different languages, all in different tones. How amazing!

Question Two: Name the three robots Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro has created for the 'Android: What is Human' exhibition? What are their respective roles?

Answer: Kodomo, Otano and a smaller bot named Telenoid that is a much smaller version of all of them, kind of the size of a baby. As said above, they all have their creppy and interesting minds of their own. Telenoid is used like a baby, giving the android a hug or even a quick conversation, before you move on.

Question Three: Why are androids more difficult to build then normal robots?

Answer: Normal robots do not have the advanced skill, so it would be so hard! The creator, Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, first have to make a realistic skull, body etc. They spend nearly hours moulding and making it perfect. They then use hours of programming, and I would love some day to know how in depth they really do go!

CRITICAL THINKING
Question: Some people believe android robots are cool. Others think they are a little creepy. What side are you on? Why?

Answer: I think they are both, but I am more on the cooler site. I think this is extrodinary and is amazing but also creepy too.

Comprehension Questions: British 'Naughty Contest'

Comprehension Questions

Question One: Why did Direct Blinds ask people to post pet pictures on their Facebook page?

Answer: They wanted people to upload videos of their pets doing the 'naughtiest' thing they can do for their competition 'Naughtiest Pets'

Question Two: What title did Yodie win? What did he do to deserve it?

Answer: Yodie destoryed a lot of items, by ripping them apart. The vet told him to stay home for two weeks, and after a lot of boredom, he ripped up any cushion he could find. He then won the title for being the naughtiest dog, with shreds of cushion and fluff everywhere. 

Question Three: What are the 2nd and 3rd place winners known to do frequently?

Answer: In second place, a dog named Harry whose favourite hobbies to do is also shred things up, but this time, he shreds up newspapers and magazines. Third place was a hilarious dog named Stoops, who surprisingly jumps into fridges and licks the top of the milk cartons.

CRITICAL THINKING

Question: What is the naughtiest thing that you have seen or heard a pet do?

Answer: Well... seeing a dog and cat make the world their toilet is pretty bad hah, but otherwise probably about a dog named Sequency who ripped up most of her house up, with the cushions, couch pillows, bedsheets, she was on a rampage!

Comprehension Questions: Hotdog Competition

Comprehension Questions

Question One: Who was responsible for making Nathan's hot dog contest famous? How many hot dogs did he eat?

Answer: In 2001, a Japan Man named Takeru Kobayashi ended up eating fifty hotdogs in under twelve minutes, attracting attention around the world. The event is taken place on Coney Island, New York and is a tradition. It was first known made in 1972, but some believe it may have started all the way back in 1916! The show is programmed on ESPN.

Question Two: How many years has Joey Chestnut won the contest prior to this year? What significant event occurred before the contest began?

Answer: Joey has won the competition eight years in a row. He proposed to his long-time girlfriend, right before the competition for this year began. 

Question Three: What happened in the women's contest?

Answer: Sonya 'Black Widow', the reining 3 year was beaten this year by Miki Sudo from Las Vegas who eat 34 hotdogs, over Sonya's score of 27 and 3/4 of hotdogs.

CRITICAL THINKING

Question: What in your opinion makes food eating contests like these so popular (a) with contestants (b) with viewers?

Answer: I think the contestants are interested because there is quite a large prize for winning, and it would be a privilege to win. The viewers probably watch it for the humour and interest in how people can eat so much in ten minutes!

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.

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.