1. How many players are there in each team?

2. When was the first official match played?

3. How wide is the basketball court?

4. What height do most professional basketball players need to be in order to play?

5. Why was Michael Jordan sometimes called “Air Jordan”?

6. When was the most recent World Cup Tournament held?

Basketball is a sport with two teams and five players on each team. It was first invented by Dr.James Naismith in Massachusetts in the USA. The first official match was played in 1892.

This sport is played on a rectangular court normally 28 metres long and 15 metres wide. The hoop has a diameter of 18 inches and is normally more than 10 feet high above the floor.

Because the hoop is so high, most of the professional male basketball players need to be at least 6 feet, 3 inches tall in order to play.

Michael Jordon is one of the most famous professional basketball players. He played as a centre for the Chicago Bulls and his nickname was “Air Jordon” because he could jump very high.

Today, basketball is still one of the world´s most popular sports. The most recent World Cup Tournament was held in 2014 in Seville, in Spain. The USA came first, Serbia second and France came third.

1. Five players.

2. In 1892.

3. 15 metres.

4. At least 6 feet, 3 inches tall.

5. Because he could jump very high.

6. In 2014.

1. What is green juice made from?

2. Why is it healthy?

3. Why do some people think it is not a good idea?

4. How many juice bars are there in London?

5. What are the ingredients of the most popular juice?

6. How much does a cup of this juice cost?

We all know that vegetables are healthy but did you know there is a new way to get five a day?

Many people are now making healthy juice – not from fruits but from green plants like broccoli, spinach and cucumbers. Some experts say that this green juice is very healthy because it contains lots of vitamins and minerals but it is not high in sugar.

Some dietitians disagree, they think that this is an expensive trend. They think that people should spend money on buying vegetables and eating them, rather than buying expensive juicing equip-ment.

Many businesses are profiting from the popularity of green juice. There are already 23 juice bars in central London, selling juice and healthy snacks to workers in the city. The most popular juice is apple, carrot and ginger and this costs £3.50 per cup.

1. Green plants like broccoli, spinach and cucumbers

2. It contains lots of vitamins and minerals, it is not high in sugar

3. It is expensive, people should buy vegetables rather than expensive equipment

4. 23

5. Apple, carrot and ginger

6. 3 pounds 50

1. Where do Zebras live?

2. Why do Zebras have stripes on their bodies?

3. How fast can Zebras run ?

4. What do Zebras eat ?

5. How often can Zebras have babies?

6. Why do the Zebras travel 1,800 miles to Kenya every summer?

Zebras are part of the horse family and they live in the open grasslands of Africa.

These beautiful animals have black and white stripes on their bodies. In the long grass, these stripes help zebras to camouflage themselves from predators such as lions and hyenas.If necessary, and when under attack, they can run at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour.

They prefer to graze together in a large group rather than alone, and because they are herbivores they only eat grass and shrubs.

Female zebras can give birth every two years. Amazingly, shortly after a zebra is born, the young zebra or foal can stand up and walk.

Every summer, in order to find food and water, many zebras take the 1,800 mile journey through the Serengeti to Kenya. If you have the opportunity to see it, it’s a very impressive sight!

1. Open grasslands in Africa.

2. To camouflage themselves from predators.

3. Up to 65 (sixty-five) miles per hour.

4. Grass and shrubs.

5. Every two years.

6. To find food and water.

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The Statue of Liberty is one of New York´s most famous landmarks and is situated on Liberty Island in New York harbour.

The statue is of a woman, wearing a crown and carrying a torch. It was designed by a French sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. It was a gift from France to the United States of America in 1886, to celebrate the end of the American Civil War, and the end of slavery.

In the 19th Century, over 9 million people arrived in America to start a new life. They came by boat, and the first thing they saw was this unusual, enormous monument.

From a distance this statue doesn’t look very high, but at its tallest point it is exactly 150 feet tall and it weighs around 225 tons.

It is a very popular tourist attraction and it is estimated that more than 4.2 million tourists visit the site each year.

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1. Where do Butlers work?

2. What do other people do who might work for rich people?

3. What should butlers wear?

4. What skills should butlers have?

5. How long do you need to train to become a butler?

 6. How much money can butlers earn?

What is a Butler? Butlers used to work in the homes of European Royal families and landowners, but now they are more likely to work for the super-rich in the United States and the Middle East.

Modern butlers are similar to managers. A very wealthy person may have many employees, such as cleaners, gardeners or chauffeurs and the butler should organise this team so they all work efficiently together.

Butlers must be well-dressed: they should wear classic, clean clothes and have a neat hairstyle. In addition, they must have excellent communication skills. The super rich often have houses in more than one country: many butlers need to be able to speak more than one language.

In order to become a butler, you can attend a special academy, where the course usually lasts around 2 years.

Nowadays, butlers can earn a lot of money. In America, butlers with good experience can earn between $200 – $300,000 per year.

1. United States or the Middle East.

2. Cleaners, gardeners or chauffeurs.

3. Classic clean clothes.

4. Excellent communication skills.

5. Around 2 years.

6. Between $200 to $300,000 dollars.

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Giants pandas are the largest pandas in the world. They mainly live in China and they are known for their distinctive black and white fur.

They normally live in high mountainous or isolated regions where they can find food, their diet mainly consists of bamboo sticks. Interestingly, giant pandas have an extra bone in their hand to be able to grip the bamboo when they are eating it.

They have to spend a lot of time eating their vegetarian diet because the weight of an average adult panda is between 75 to 160 kilos. Surprising they are good at climbing trees, and they will sometimes eat fruits and leaves when they can’t find bamboo.

Nowadays many giant pandas live in captivity in places such as zoos or animal centres, this is because they are an endangered species. 20 years ago they were hunted for their fur by international hunters. Nowadays the situation has improved for pandas and some pandas can now live for up to 30 years in the wild.

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1. When was JK Rowling born?

2. Why was her life difficult when she was a teenager?

3. What did she study at University?

4. Where was she when she had the idea for her first book?

5. When was Harry Potter first published?

6. How many prizes has JK Rowling won for her writing?

One of the most famous writers in the world is JK Rowling. She wrote the very popular “Harry Potter” books, about a boy who is a wizard, and now she also writes fiction for adults.

J K Rowling was born in July 1965 in England. As a child, she loved writing stories for her sister, but her teenage years were difficult because her mother was very ill and often in hospital.

She studied French at University, and when she graduated, she worked as a bilingual secretary. She also worked teaching English in Portugal.

She had the idea of writing a book about a school for wizards when she was sitting in a train. How-ever, it was seven years later in 2007 when the first Harry Potter book was published.

JK Rowling is now very wealthy. She is said to be the 13th most powerful woman in the United Kingdom. She has won over 30 prizes for her writing.

1. In July 1965.

2. Her mother was very ill and often in hospital.

3. French.

4. Sitting on a train.

5. 2007.

6. 30.

We take the internet for granted. It’s now part of our daily lives, but this invention hasn’t been around for a long time.

In March 1989, Tim Berners Lee, an English computer scientist, invented the information man-agement system which is the basis of the internet.

Berners Lee was born in London in 1955. He was one of four children. Interestingly, both of his parents worked with computers but he initially went to study physics at Oxford University.

In 1984 he started working at the CERN research laboratories in France and Switzerland. He wanted to create a system where the physicists working there could share information using their computers. This system lead to us being able to transfer and share files on the internet.

One of the most amazing things about Tim Berners Lee is that he did not sell his invention, he did not try to earn money from it. The internet is now free to use for everybody because of this gener-ous act.

1. Tim Berners Lee.

2. 1955.

3. They (both) worked with computers.

4. Oxford University.

5. He started working at the CERN research laboratories in France and Switzerland.

6. Because Tim Berners Lee didn’t try to sell or make money from his invention.

1. When did the tradition of afternoon tea start?

2. Why did Anna start the tradition?

3. What did Anna eat for afternoon tea?

4. Nowadays what do people eat for afternoon tea?

5. Where should the tea come from?

6. If you go to London, where could you have afternoon tea?

Although people have been drinking tea for over five thousand years, the British tradition of afternoon tea only started in the middle of the seventeenth century.

A wealthy English lady called Anna stared this tradition because she felt hungry at four o’clock in the afternoon. She asked for bread and tea to be brought to her room. Soon she started to invite her friends and it became a social occasion.

A traditional afternoon tea now has small sandwiches and cakes. The tea should be from India, and, ideally, be served in a silver teapot.

If you go to London you can now have a delicious afternoon tea in one of the big hotels, it’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

1. (In the middle of) the seventeenth century

2. She felt hungry at four o’clock

3. Bread and tea

4. Small sandwiches and cakes

5. India

6. In a hotel/ In one of the big hotels

1. Where is Cape Canaveral?

2. Why is Cape Canaveral famous?

3. When was Cape Canaveral first discovered by Europeans?

4. When did the American Air force start to build there?

5. Why did the Americans choose Cape Canaveral to fly planes and rockets?

6. What happened there in 1969?

Cape Canaveral, on the coast of Florida, is famous in modern American history because of the many rockets and space missions which have been launched from this site.

There is evidence that humans first lived in Cape Canaveral 12,000 years ago. However, it was first discovered by Europeans in the sixteenth century. This site was famous among Spanish sailors because it was a common site for accidents and shipwrecks.

In 1949 the American Air Force started to build a centre which would be used for rockets, planes and missiles. They chose Cape Canaveral because they could fly the planes over the Atlantic Ocean, and so, if there were any accidents, the planes would not crash into populated areas.

In 1969, Cape Canaveral was used as the site of the first rocket launch to the moon, and it contin-ues to be used for American space missions today.

1. On the coast of Florida.

2. Many rockets and space missions have been launched there.

3. In the sixteenth century.

4. In 1949.

5. They could fly the planes over the Atlantic Ocean and if there were any accidents the planes wouldn’t crash into populated areas.

6. It was used to launch the first rocket to the Moon.

1. When is Guy Fawkes night?

2. How do British people celebrate Guy Fawkes night?

3. When was Guy Fawkes born?

4. Apart from England, in which other country did Guy Fawkes live?

5. What did Guy Fawkes plan to do?

6. Why didn’t the plan work?

Why is the 5th of November special in the United Kingdom? Every year, on this night, people go to watch spectacular firework displays and bonfires, even though it is usually very cold outside. They do this to celebrate Guy Fawkes night.

Guy Fawkes was born in 1570 but he spent many years of his life in Spain, fighting in religious wars. He wanted England to become a Catholic country and so, with a group of friends, they made a plan to kill the Royal family. They wanted to destroy the parliament and so they hid explosives in the basement.

However, someone secretly sent a letter to the king, warning him about the plan. The explosives were discovered on the 5th of November and Guy Fawkes was arrested and sentenced to death. He died on the 31st of January in 1606.

British people now commemorate the survival of the King and the Royal family on the 5th of No-vember, although the celebration is named after the traitor, Guy Fawkes.

1. 5th November

2. They watch spectacular fireworks and bonfires.

3. 1570.

4. Spain.

5. He wanted to destroy parliament and kill the King by hiding some explosives.

6. Someone secretly sent a letter to the King, warning him about the plan.

1. How many people visit La Sagrada Familia every year?

2. Where did Gaudi get his ideas from?

3. What two things were important to Gaudi?

4. How many towers will the building have?

5. When will the building be finished?

6. Where does the money for this building project come from?

The Sagrada Familia is a large Roman Catholic church designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. The church is a world famous heritage site and even although it is not yet finished, more than 3 million people visit every year.

Gaudi was an architect and designed the building in 1883. He loved gothic style build-ings and his ideas were inspired by Cathedrals in Spain such as the Burgos Cathedral and the Cathedral of Seville.
Gaudi was passionate about light and colour.

In the building, the midday sun shines on 16 lanterns, which light up the entrance hall. In addition, if you visit the Sagrada Familia you will see colourful murals with pictures of grapes, bread and wine.
Today, the Sagrada Familia is still under construction, but when finished, it will have 18 very impressive towers. It is estimated it will be finally completed in 2026.

When tourists buy tickets to see Gaudi’s as yet unfinished work, the money they spend contributes to the ongoing reconstruction of this Spanish masterpiece.

1. More than 3 million people.

2. The Burgos Cathedral and the Cathedral Of Seville.

3. Light and colour.

4. 18.

5. 2026.

6. Tickets sales.