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A 12-year-old Utah boy who couldn’t afford books no longer has to read junk mail for fun.

Letter carrier Ron Lynch asked his Facebook friends to send books to 12-year-old Mathew Flores, whom he encountered while delivering mail to the boy’s apartment complex. He was reading junk mail at the mailboxes. Lynch explained to his Facebook friends that Mathew was reading ads, posted his photo and asked the letter carrier for extra mail that he could read. He said that he was surprised that the boy didn’t want electronics.

“He told me his wish is to have books to read,” Lynch wrote. “I told him the library had many, but he said they don’t have a car, and couldn’t afford the bus.”

To the mailman’s utter surprise, Mathew has been flooded with more than 500 books since Lynch posted the plea to Facebook. He said that he’s thankful for Lynch’s actions. People sent books from all over the US, Australia and India. The local post office expects a lot more books in the coming weeks.

“If it weren’t for him I probably wouldn’t have any books right now,” he said.

Mathew said that he enjoys reading because he likes to use his imagination. He is very happy now. His favorite book that he’s read so far is Captain Underpants.

Once Mathew’s done reading the books, he plans to donate them. Lynch is now calling on Americans to send books to other kids like Mathew in communities across the country.

source: Fox Insider

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example: Location: on hill by the Thames

Price includes visit to Windsor Castle State Apartments and 1) …………………………

Type of guide: 2) …………………………

Optional activity: visit oldest part of the castle 3) …………………………

Price per adult: 4) ………………………… and child under 11 …………………………

Confirm your booking the day before by 5) …………………………

Tours run from 6) ………………………… in 2013.

Windsor Castle is a royal working palace, the Queen’s favourite weekend residence, so there is a chance of 7) …………………………

In case of cancellation or if you need to change your booking, 8) …………………………

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Windsor Castle Trip

Steeped in history, Windsor Castle perches proudly on a lush wooded hill overlooking the Thames. Dating back to Norman times, with sweeping landscaped gardens and turreted Round Tower, it’s easy to see why it’s the Queen’s favourite weekend residence. Enjoy a fascinating through-the-keyhole peek at the lavish State Apartments, home to priceless artworks by Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci, and visit St. George’s Chapel, the atmospheric final resting place of former monarchs including Henry VIII. You can visit Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, a truly incredible structure complete with working lifts, running water, electricity and wine bottles, all in miniature!

Our price includes
– Entry to Windsor Castle State Apartments and a
– Visit to Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and St George’s Chapel – No guide onboard. Audio guides are provided at Windsor Castle.

Excludes:
– Meals and drinks consumed at Windsor Castle Café or outside the Castle
– Tips and gratuities
– Personal expenses (there is a well-stocked souvenir shop within the Castle walls)
– Optional activity costs, such as visiting the oldest structure, the Round Tower built in 1170. Conquer the Tower tours last 45 minutes and please be advised that it involves climbing 200 steps.

Please Note:
– You must call the number provided on your voucher the day before your tour to reconfirm travel arrangements. Your Confirmation Voucher includes full information (e.g. local telephone numbers) about the Local Operator. To ensure your peace of mind, we select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination.
– Windsor Castle is a working royal palace and planned closures/disruptions may be subject to change.
– This tour is unescorted. 

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answers: 

Location: on hill by the Thames
Price includes visit to Windsor Castle State Apartments and 1) Queen Mary’s Doll’s House / St George’s Chapel
Type of guide: 2) Audio guide at Castle
Optional activity: visit oldest part of the castle 3) The Round Tower
Price per adult: 4) £39.00 and child under 11 £34.00
Confirm your booking the day before by 5) calling number on your voucher
Tours run from 6) 1^st April to 30^th September in 2013.
Windsor Castle is a royal working palace, the Queen’s favourite weekend residence, so there is a chance of 7) planned closures or disruptions
In case of cancellation or if you need to change your booking, 8) e-mail as soon as possible.

Paw Me Another         

This thirsty golden Labrador enjoys a little hair of the dog – by downing a new beer designed for pets. The meat-flavoured “beer” for dogs, called Barkers Brew, is now available in two flavours, chicken and beef. It is non-alcoholic and non-carbonated and contains vitamin E, which even supports the dog’s immune system. It costs £2.50 a bottle and the liquid can be added to water as well as poured over dried food to give a dog’s dinner a new flavour.

And 13-year-old golden Labrador Skip certainly appears to be a big fan of the new brew. His owner Laura Hawken said: "It’s a great way to add a bit of variety to Skip’s meals. He really enjoys the chicken flavour and always wants to finish the bottle after his dinner. After he polishes off the bottle he has a long nap – it’s as if he’s had a few real beers!"

Russ Ronat, director of R2 Pets Ltd, the company behind Barkers Brew, wanted to create a new product and treat for pets.

The 39-year-old said: "I started R2 Pets Ltd a few years ago and my goal for the company has been to create very innovative pet products. I love dogs and was thinking of new products that were also reward treats for dogs. Most dog owners want to provide a little variety to their pet’s meals and the idea of a healthy brew that can be added to any meal made sense. Our nutritionist in Yorkshire has a few dogs and they are all big fans of the brew – the response from friends and customers has been fantastic. The beer adds a healthy variety to your dog’s meal, the brew has a screw top so is easy to add the brew and and then refrigerate."

Russ, from Orlando, Florida, US, who has had a poodle, a boxer, and a Newfoundland, feels the beer will add excitement to dog’s lives.

He added: "Barkers Brew adds some excitement to your dog’s day; it’s a new tasty addition to its food. It makes mealtimes much more appealing and entices even the fussiest of eaters."

thirsty – szomjas
to down – ledönteni (italt)
to be designed for – valamilyen célra tervezett
meat-flavoured – húsos ízesítésű
available – elérhető, megszerezhető
flavour – íz, ízesítés
carbonated – szénsavas
to contain – tartalmazni
to support – támogatni, elősegíteni
immune system – immunrendszer
liquid – folyadék
to add to – hozzáadni
to pour – önteni, tölteni
dried food – szárazeledel
to appear to – tűnni valaminek
brew – (sör)főzet
variety – választék
to polish off – eltüntetni (ételt, italt)
nap – szundikálás
treat – jutalomfalat (itt)
goal – cél
innovative – újító
reward – jutalom
to provide – lehetővé tenni, biztosítani
to make sense – értelme van valaminek
nutritionist – táplálkozási szakember
response – válasz
screw top – csavaros kupak
to refrigerate – lehűteni
poodle – uszkár
excitement – izgalom
tasty – ízletes, finom
addition – kiegészítés
appealing – vonzó, megnyerő
to entice – csábítani, csalogatni
fussy eater – válogatós evő 

Listen to the text and answer the questions.

1. What is the new product described?

2. What was the dogs’ reaction to the new product?

3. Why do owners buy this product?

4. How is the product packaged?

5. How can this procuct be consumed?

answers:

1. It is a non-alcoholic meat-flavoured drink/brew/beer for pets.

2. The dogs who tried it all liked it.

3. It’s healthy and they want to provide variety to their pets’ meals/add excitement to the dogs’ lives.

4. It comes in a handy screw-cap bottle.

5. It can be added to water or poured over dry dog food.

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-GB
X-NONE
X-NONE

1)     Hányszor hajózhatta volna körbe a földet Bill és Laurel a tengeren töltött 36 év alatt? (2 pont)
2)     Hogyan és  mikor kezdődött a hajózási szenvedélyük? (4 pont)
3)     Ki volt Nelson? (2 pont)
4)     Mi történt velük 1983-ben? (4 pont)
5)     Milyen alkalmakkor szoktak csak hazatérni családjukhoz? (3 pont)

—————————————————-

Globe-trotting Brits Bill and Laurel Cooper have finally returned to the UK to retire – after spending 36 years at sea. The couple have sailed the equivalent of four times around the globe since setting off in 1976. They have been travelling around on boats they built themselves since Bill quit his high-flying job in the city and they sold their home in Chatham, Kent.

Over the past four decades they have notched up nearly 100,000 nautical miles sailing across seven seas, stopping in 45 different countries. They’ve also battled 25ft waves, hurricanes, and winds of 100mph and got close enough to dolphins, sharks and whales. And they even once had a one-eyed cat called Nelson on their boat. Former Royal Navy Commander Bill, 83, said: "We’ve had a wonderful time but I’m afraid I have been over-taken by what you could call ill-health. When I got to about 78, I thought this isn’t going to go on forever so we built a boat we could manage when old age really strikes – we call it the geriatric boat. We will have to get used to the life here. I plan to write a book and decay gently."

Laurel, 82, added: "We have had an absolutely amazing life. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I’m very happy looking back at all the wonderful places we’ve been, the people we’ve met and the adventures we’ve had. We’ve been very lucky, but we always knew it wouldn’t last forever."

The couple met in 1945 and started sailing together on the Norfolk Broads two years later, with Bill as the captain and Laurel as first mate. In 1976 they sold their detached, six-bedroom house and gave the money to their children Shelley and Benedict. They took their first sea cruise together in 1954 in a boat around Sicily when Shelley was still a baby. Funded by Bill’s Navy pension and the proceeds of selling his partnership, they set sail on 50ft steel ketch "Fare Well" — and never looked back.

Bill and Laurel spent ten years sailing the Mediterranean and Caribbean, across the Atlantic and along the US Intra-Coastal Waterway from New York to Florida. The plucky pair even received a medal for having the only vessel to survive the devastating Hurricane Alberto north of Bermuda in 1982 without calling a lifeboat for help. It is the only notable scrape the pair had in their entire sailing career, and Bill prides himself on careful navigation to keep them out of trouble. In 1986, they upgraded their living space by buying an 87ft barge, which had been used to carry peanuts, and named it "Hosanna".

They fitted her up and spent the next two decades cruising around the canals of France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and the Aegian Sea around Greece.The couple, who have three grandchildren, returned numerous times over the years for Christmases and other family events. In 2005, they built their third and final boat "Faraway" entirely to their own specifications, with Bill doing the woodwork and Laurel the painting.  Laurel added: "I’m like a cat, I can be comfortable anywhere — it’s how I’ve survived all this time."

source: The Sun 

Megoldások:

1)     Hányszor hajózhatta volna körbe a Földet Bill és Laurel a tengeren töltött 36 év alatt? (2)
Az elmúlt 36 év alatt annyit hajóztak, hogy nagyjából négyszer megkerülhették volna a Földet.

2)     Hogyan és mikor kezdődött a hajózási szenvedélyük? (4)
1976-ban szálltak vízre, miután Bill otthagyta munkáját, és eladták a házukat is, hogy a szenvedélyüknek éljenek.

3)     Ki volt Nelson? (2)
Nelson egy félszemű macska volt, aki befogadtak és egy ideig velük élt a hajón.

4)     Mi történt velük 1982-ben? (4)
1982-ben túléltek egy hurrikánt Bermudán úgy, hogy csak az ő hajójuk nem hívott mentőcsónakot. A teljesítményükért egy kitüntetést is kaptak.

5)     Milyen alkalmakkor szoktak csak hazatérni családjukhoz? (3)
Karácsonykor és egyéb családi összejövetelek alkalmával szoktak hazalátogatni.