CRR L1 APR13 SK - WordPress.com › 2013 › ...ferris wheel, an ice skating loop, a water park, and...

Monthly News

© 2013 Classroom Ready. All rights reserved.

SASKATCHEWAN

APRIL 2013www.classroomready.comFOR GRADES 5, 6 & 7

FEATURE 6Don’t Be Fooled This April

ENVIRONMENT 5The BP Oil Spill Trial

INTERNATIONAL 4Castro Era Drawing To A Close

INTERNATIONAL 3Who Will Be The Next Pope?

NATIONAL 2Taxes In Canada

SASKATCHEWAN 1Train Finds New Home


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ii

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WORD POWER

1

MINIATURE: A very small copy or model. ACCESSIBLE: Can be approached or entered.

VINTAGE: Representing an earlier period of history.

For 38 years, kids and adults have enjoyed riding the colourful

miniature train at Saska-toon’s Kinsmen Park. But the old ride didn’t have a place in the city’s plans to renovate and update the park. The train ran its loop for the last time on September 3, 2012.

Instead of sending the old train to the scrap heap, the City of Saskatoon put it up for sale, and it has found a new home. Country Fun Farms, a 70-acre interactive farm located 10 kilometres east of Prince Albert, bought the ride for $10,000. They pur-chased the train, including the engine, three passenger cars, and caboose, as well as thousands of feet of track.

Ken and Shirley Remus own Country Fun Farms. For them, the ride is a part of history, an important Saskatchewan landmark and memory. Riding the train is a tradition they

hope to keep alive for future generations.

The miniature train was among several rides intro-duced to Kinsmen Park in the 1970s to make it a fun destination for families. The train ride was popular, and featured a wheelchair acces-sible caboose.

The couple will make some minor repairs to the train and add some covers for the rail cars. They hope to get the ride running at their farm by this summer. The train will be added to other attractions at Country Fun Farms, includ-ing a petting barn, vintage carousel, mini golf course, and nature trail.

The renovation plans for Kinsmen Park in Saskatoon include new rides, a larger ferris wheel, an ice skating loop, a water park, and a long slide. The miniature train will be replaced by a longer train ride that will run the

route of the former Kinsmen Park horse racing track. The updated park is scheduled to open in 2014.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kinsmen Park is Saskatoon’s oldest park, having been around for over 100 years.

Train Finds New Home



WORD POWER

INCOME: Money that is received in the form of wages, salary, rent, interest, etc.PROGRESSIVE: Arranged so that the rate

increases relative to the amount taxed.TARIFF: A list of taxes on imported or exported goods.

THE GREAT DEPRESSION: A period during the 1930s when the worldwide economy was doing very poorly and many people lost their jobs.

Many people look forward to April 30 with some dread,

because midnight on April 30 is the deadline to pay your income taxes to the govern-ment.

Income taxes are the main way that governments receive money. Individuals and busi-nesses have to pay the gov-ernment a percentage of their income every year. In Canada, the amount of income tax is progressive. This means that people and businesses that make more money not only pay more taxes, but they also pay a higher percentage of their income than those who make less.

During the early part of Canadian history, most of its income came from tariffs. Canada avoided charging income tax because it wanted to attract immigrants.

Income taxes were fi nally introduced in 1917. They were

meant to be a temporary way to fund Canada’s involve-ment in World War I. When the war ended, income taxes remained.

At fi rst, the government kept the income tax to help pay the debt it still owed from World War I. Then the Great Depression hit in the 1930s. Governments around the world, including Canada, took on a larger role in helping citizens deal with unemploy-ment, lack of education, and poverty. Canada’s federal taxes doubled and most prov-inces also started collecting personal income tax.

Today income taxes are used to fund the social safety net. Taxes pay for public education and Medicare, ensuring that all Canadians have access to a decent education and quality health care. They also go towards programs that help people to deal with the challenges of

poverty, unemployment, and old age. Taxes are seen as an important tool to create a fair and stable society that avoids the extremes of poverty and wealth, which can lead to injustice and confl ict.

DID YOU KNOW?

Alberta is the only province with a fl at income tax. This means that everyone pays the same percentage of income no matter how much they make.

© 2013 Classroom Ready. All rights reserved.2

Taxes In Canada



WORD POWER

POPE: The bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church

SCANDAL: Someone or something that shocks people and causes shame and disgrace.

On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned as leader of

the Catholic Church, due to poor health. The resignation surprised many. No pope in the last 600 years has re-signed. Most believe the job is for life.

The new pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Church’s most senior offi cials. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. There are 115 such cardinals from 69 different countries. They will gather for a special meeting called a conclave, to be held in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.

At the conclave, the car-dinals will discuss who they think the next pope should be. They will then cast secret ballots, four times a day, until one candidate manages to receive more than two-thirds of the votes. The conclave can last for days or even for weeks

before a pope is chosen.Whoever becomes the new

pope will face challenges. The Catholic Church has been facing scandals, as well as a declining number of followers in Europe and North America.

With Benedict’s resigna-tion, a “two-pope problem” has been triggered. Problems could arise if groups become unhappy with the new pope’s policies. They could turn to Benedict for support, which would create a political crisis within the Church.

In the past, all popes have been from Europe, and most have been Italian. Some think the next pope should come from Latin America or Africa, where the Church is growing the fastest. The cardinals will also have to decide whether they want someone who will defend the old ways of the Church or someone who will consider changes.

Among the leading candi-

dates for pope is Canadian Marc Ouellet. There are also two Italian candidates and two potential candidates from South America, from Brazil and Argentina.

Update: After fi ve ballots, on March 13, Jorge Mario Bergo-glio of Argentina was elected as the new pope. He has taken Francis I as his papal name.

DID YOU KNOW?

About 1.2 billion people belong to the Catholic Church. Of this number, 42 percent are from Latin America.

www.classroomready.com 3

Who Will Be The Next Pope?



WORD POWER

4

COMMUNIST: A person or state that supports communism, the system in which the means of producing goods are owned by the community, and everyone shares in the work and the goods

produced.SOVIET UNION: Short form of Union of Soviet Socialist Republic; a country, from 1922 to 1991, made up of fi fteen republics in eastern

Europe and northern Asia, including Russia.

DIPLOMATIC: Having to do with the system by which nations carry on relations between each other by building up trade and making treaties.

For more than fi ve de-cades, someone named “Castro” has been

Cuba’s leader, but that may soon change.

The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the Cuban government. Castro took control, turning the country into a one-party com-munist state with close ties to the Soviet Union.

This led to tensions with the United States. Americans were alarmed at having a communist neighbour only 100 miles from the shores of Florida. The U.S. tried several times to have Fidel Castro overthrown. To this day, the U.S. has no diplomatic or economic ties with Cuba.

The Castros have hung on to power. Poor health caused Fidel Castro to step down in 2008 at the age of 81. His brother, Raul Castro, took over. Raul was a part of the

1959 revolution and has been a key member of the Cuban government ever since. The 82-year-old Raul announced that he will step down from power in the year 2018. This opens the door for the fi rst leader not named Castro since 1959.

The likely successor is 52-year-old fi rst vice president Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez. As a long-time member of the Castro govern-ment, it is unlikely that Mr. Diaz-Canel will bring in big changes. But he is seen as representing a new genera-tion. Several other potential successors have found them-selves out of favour with the Castros, and banished from Cuban political life. Diaz-Canel’s chances seem good, as he is the fi rst person to be offi cially named as inheritor to the Castro legacy.

For years, Cuba has relied on Venezuela for support.

President Hugo Chávez of Ven-ezuela was a huge supporter of Fidel Castro, but he recently died from cancer. The new Venezuelan leader may not be as willing to offer support, so Cuba may have to look else-where.

DID YOU KNOW?

Cuba is considered a one-par-ty communist state because there is only one political party, the Communist Party. It controls the government and doesn’t allow any form of opposition.

Castro Era Drawing To A Close



WORD POWER

5

DEFENDANT: The person or group charged with an offence; the ones who are defend-ing themselves.

CULPRIT: A person who is guilty of a crime. NEGLIGENCE: The quality or condition of being in the habit of neglecting things, not being careful, or careless.

On April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon

oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico caused about 4.9 million bar-rels of oil to gush up from the sea fl oor, making the disaster the worst marine oil spill in history.

The oil spill killed sea life and damaged beaches and coastlines. Businesses lost money and fi shermen couldn’t make a living. The health of people living in the area has been threatened by toxins in the oil.

Now the focus has shifted to two key questions. Who is to blame, and how much should they pay?

These questions will be considered at a trial in New Orleans. The U.S. Department of Justice; the states of Loui-siana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida; and representa-tives of individuals and busi-nesses have joined together

in a lawsuit. The main defen-dant is BP, the British-based oil company that operated the oil rig.

If BP is found to be “grossly negligent” in causing the oil spill, it could face the largest fi ne in history, up to $17.6 billion. The lawyers for the Gulf states are demanding another $34 billion to pay for the long-term effects of the oil spill.

BP accepts some of the blame. The company has paid $4.5 billion to settle criminal charges and another $7.8 billion to those affected by the spill. BP executive La-mar McKay says others are to blame as well. He points to Transocean, the company that owned the oil rig, and Halliburton, who provided the cement for the oil well.

Government lawyers believe BP is the main culprit behind the disaster. They say the company was reckless and

tried to cut too many costs, sacrifi cing safety to make more profi t.

The trial will attempt to fi nd the causes of the oil spill, assign blame, and determine fi nes. The legal process will take several months to com-plete.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gross negligence is a legal concept that means serious carelessness. It is a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, while knowing it is likely to cause grave injury or harm to persons, property, or both.

The BP Oil Spill Trial



WORD POWER

6

HOAX: Something that is meant to trick or fool others, especially a practical joke.

CONTROVERSY: Argument or debate. BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporation; a TV, radio, and news media organization based in the United Kingdom.

If someone tells you something that is hard to believe—like aliens have

landed in Texas—check the date. If it is April 1, then you should double check the facts of the story.

April 1 has become the day for hoaxes and practical jokes big and small. It is called April Fools’ Day because it is the day you try and trick someone into believing or do-ing something foolish. It isn’t an actual holiday, but it is recognized in many countries around the world.

No one knows how it began. Some point to the Iranian tra-dition of people playing tricks on each other on the 13th day of the Persian New Year, which falls on April 1 or 2. Others suggest the origins may relate to the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria, which was cel-ebrated with amusements and games on March 25.

Some think April Fools’ may

be connected to a calendar controversy. Europeans used to consider New Year’s Day to be March 25. They celebrated with a week-long festival end-ing on April 1. In the sixteenth century, Europeans began switching to the new Grego-rian calendar, which placed New Year’s Day on January 1, but many Europeans still used the old date up to the late eighteenth century. April Fools’ may have come from the practice of making fun of the people who still celebrated on April 1.

One of the more famous hoaxes was created by the BBC. In 1957, the BBC ran a news story showing Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Many viewers called in asking how they could grow their own spa-ghetti tree.

More recently, the Vancou-ver Courier newspaper ran a story saying that the city was

building an undersea bicycle tunnel that would allow cy-clists to see undersea wildlife while travelling to and from work.

DID YOU KNOW?

April Fools’ Day is also called All Fools Day.

Don’t Be Fooled This April



Monthly News Q & A

7

SASKATCHEWAN

Train Finds New Home1. What is happening to the miniature train at Saskatoon’s Kinsmen Park?

2. What did the City of Saskatoon do with the old train?

3. Who bought the train?

4. Why did they buy the train?

5. What is being planned for Kinsmen Park?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Can you think of any special place that represents family fun or summer fun for you? Has a place you really liked changed? What do these places represent for you?



Monthly News Q & A

8

NATIONAL

Taxes In Canada1. Why do many people look forward to April 30 with some dread?

2. What does it mean that income tax in Canada is progressive?

3. When were income taxes introduced in Canada? Why?

4. Why did income tax remain after the war ended?

5. What do income taxes pay for today?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. What happens in countries that have less of a “social safety net” than Canada?



Monthly News Q & A

9

INTERNATIONAL

Who Will Be The Next Pope?1. Why was Pope Benedict’s resignation surprising?

2. How will the new pope be chosen?

3. How does voting work at the conclave?

4. What is the “two-pope problem”?

5. From where do some think the next pope should come?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Why do you think all the popes so far have been from Europe? Why might it be important for the new pope to be from somewhere else?



Monthly News Q & A

10

INTERNATIONAL

Castro Era Drawing To A Close1. When and how did the Castro era begin?

2. How did this affect relations with the United States?

3. What did Raul Casto announce?

4. Who is the likely successor?

5. Who has Cuba relied on for support? Why might this change?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Describe the type of government in Cuba. Why did the U.S. view this government as a threat? Do you think it is still a threat?



Monthly News Q & A

11

ENVIRONMENT

The BP Oil Spill Trial1. How did the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon affect wildlife, the environment, and people?

2. Who have joined together in a lawsuit? Who is the main defendant?

3. Who does BP say is to blame for the oil spill?

4. What will the trial attempt to do?

5. What is gross negligence?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Some people think because of the diffi culty of spill clean-up, oil drilling shouldn’t be allowed in the ocean. What do you think? Why do companies choose to drill in such diffi cult places?



Monthly News Q & A

FEATURE

Don’t Be Fooled This April1. What has April 1 become?

2. What are two possible traditions that may have started April Fools’ Day?

3. How could the switch to the Gregorian calendar be connected to April Fools’ Day?

4. What hoax did the BBC create in 1957?

5. What April Fools’ Day story was run in the Vancouver Courier?

CRITICAL THINKING

1. Do you think April Fools’ Day is a good idea? What are the benefi ts?

12



13

The Papal ConclaveOnce the conclave has started, the cardinals are sworn to secrecy. They are not allowed to communicate with anyone except other cardinal electors. They are searched for cell phones and pagers and all con-nections to the outside world are removed. They remain in the Vatican until the new pope is elected. The secrecy ensures the cardinals are kept free from any unnecessary infl uence.

The cardinals vote once on the opening day, and four times a day after that, two each morning and two each afternoon, until a two-thirds majority is reached. With 115 electors, it will take 77 votes. Votes are made by secret paper ballot, which are burned after each round. Black smoke signals that no decision has been reached. White smoke and bells signal that a new pope has been chosen.

After three days, if there is no winner, they take a day off for prayer. If the three days of voting-one day off pattern continues for more than a month, the choices are cut to the two leading candidates. Any baptized Roman Catholic male can be elected as pope, but every pope since 1378 has been chosen from among the cardinals.

Once the two-thirds majority is reached, the elected person is asked for his consent. Then the new pope will look out over St. Peter’s Square as he is introduced with the phrase, “Habemus Papam!” (Latin for, “We have a pope!”), before he gives his fi rst blessing.

Conclaves usually only last a few days. The longest one in the past 200 years was only fi ve days. The short-est conclave ever was 10 hours, in October 1503, while the longest papal election ran from November 1268 to September 1, 1271.

1. Why are the cardinals sworn to secrecy?

2. How often do the cardinals vote?

3. How many votes are needed to reach the two-thirds majority?

4. What happens after each vote?

5. What happens after the elected person gives his consent?



14

Crossword PuzzleSolve the crossword puzzle using the following clues. Note that the answers are words that have been used in the articles in this issue.

Created with Discovery Channel School’s PuzzleMaker.

ACROSS4. Arranged so that the rate increases relative to

the amount taxed.5. Money that is received in the form of wages,

salary, rent, interest, etc.6. The person or group charged with an offence;

the ones who are defending themselves.7. A person who is guilty of a crime.9. Argument or debate.

DOWN1. Having to do with the system by which nations

carry on relations between each other by build-ing up trade and making treaties.

2. A person or state that supports communism, the system in which the means of producing goods are owned by the community, and everyone shares in the work and the goods produced.

3. The quality or condition of being in the habit of neglecting things, not being careful, or care-less.

8. The bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church.



15

Political CartoonA political cartoon uses symbols to exaggerate an opinion in a humorous way. The main purpose of the cartoon is to show you the artist’s point of view on a situation.

For each element in the image above, write a point or two about the element or how it relates to the rest of the image.

The newspaper

The people

Put all of the elements together and explain in your own words what the cartoon is saying.



16

Map Activity: Italy1. Locate and label the following countries:

ITALY ALBANIA ALGERIAAUSTRIA BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA CROATIA FRANCE GREECE SLOVENIA

2. Locate and label the following cities:Rome Bern Tirana Vienna Zagreb

3. Locate and label the following islands:Corsica Sardinia Sicily

4. Locate and label the following bodies of salt water:Adriatic Sea Ionian Sea Mediterranean Sea

5. Create a colour legend for your map with the following:Italy Other Countries Salt Water

6. Draw and label the compass bearing.

7. Label your map:Italy and Neighbouring Countries



www.classroomready.com ssssssssssererererererererererererrerererereeee vvvvevev d.17

Map Activity: Italy

Ljub

ljana

SPAI

N

TUNI

SIA

HU

NGAR

Y

ROM

ANIA

BULG

ARIA

SWIT

ZERL

AND

MAC

EDON

IA

SERB

IA

KOSO

VOM

ONTE

NEG

RO

Bale

aric

Isla

nds

Sara

jevo



18

Looking at Italy

HEMISPHERESShade the hemispheres to which Italy belongs.

NW E

S

FLAGColour the fl ag as follows: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red.

SIZEDraw an object representing the size of Canada and another representing the size of Italy.

Canada Italy

AT A GLANCEFill in the following information from the paragraph above.

Area:

Population:

Currency:

Flag Colour:

NEIGHBOURSUse the map to help you fi ll in the countries bordering Italy.

Italy is part of the continent of Europe. It is a peninsula that extends in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. Italy is slightly smaller than half the size of Manitoba at 301,340 square kilometres. Italy is located 42 degrees north of the equator, giving it a climate that is mostly Mediterranean. Italy has a population of 61,262,254 (July 2012 est.) and a currency called the euro (EUR) that is equal to about 1.35 Canadian dollars.


www.classroomready.com 19

Monthly News TriviaStudents can work individually or in a group.

1. What is the largest city in Cuba?

A. Santiago de CubaB. HavanaC. Santa ClaraD. Las Tumas

2. Who claimed Cuba in 1492?

A. Ferdinand MagellanB. Hernando CortezC. Vasco Da GamaD. Christopher Columbus

3. How many people live in Cuba?

A. 11 millionB. 18 millionC. 27 millionD. 41 million

4. What is the literacy rate in Cuba?

A. 61 percentB. 74 percentC. 81 percentD. 99 percent

5. Who is the president of Cuba?

A. Raul CastroB. Valeriano WeylerC. Maximo GomezD. Fidel Castro

6. What type of government does Cuba have?

A. DemocracyB. EmpireC. Communist stateD. Monarchy

7. What is the capital city of Cuba?

A. Santiago de CubaB. HavanaC. Santa ClaraD. Las Tumas

8. What is the life expectancy at birth in Cuba?

A. 57B. 68 C. 78D. 85

9. When did Fidel Castro step down as president?

A. 2005B. 2008C. 2010D. 2012

10. When did Cuba gain independence?

A. 1902B. 1926C. 1945D. 1967



Monthly News QuizMatch the word on the left to the correct defi nition on the right. (5 marks)

_____ Tariff A. Someone or something that shocks people and causes shame and disgrace.

_____ Scandal B. Something that is meant to trick or fool others, especially a practical joke.

_____ Culprit C. Arranged so that the rate increases relative to the amount taxed.

_____ Hoax D. A list of taxes on imported or exported goods.

_____ Progressive E. A person who is guilty of a crime.

Answer the following true or false questions. (5 marks)

1. Income taxes were fi nally introduced in 1945.

True False

2. On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI resigned as leader of the Catholic Church, due to poor health.

True False

3. The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the Cuban government.

True False

4. If BP is found to be “grossly negligent” in causing the oil spill, it could face the largest fi ne in his-tory, up to $2 billion.

True False

5. Europeans used to consider New Year’s Day to be March 25.

True False

20



Monthly News Answer KeySASKATCHEWAN 1

Train Finds New Home1. What is happening to the miniature train at Sas-

katoon’s Kinsmen Park?The old ride didn’t have a place in the city’s plans to renovate and update the park. The train ran its loop for the last time on September 3, 2012.

2. What did the City of Saskatoon do with the old train?Instead of sending the old train to the scrap heap, the City of Saskatoon put it up for sale, and it has found a new home.

3. Who bought the train?Country Fun Farms, a 70-acre interactive farm located 10 kilometres east of Prince Albert, bought the ride for $10,000. They purchased the train, including the engine, three passenger cars, and caboose, as well as thousands of feet of track.

4. Why did they buy the train?For them, the ride is a part of history, an impor-tant Saskatchewan landmark and memory. Riding the train is a tradition they hope to keep alive for future generations.

5. What is being planned for Kinsmen Park?The renovation plans for Kinsmen Park in Saska-toon include new rides, a larger ferris wheel, an ice skating loop, a water park, and a long slide. The miniature train will be replaced by a longer train ride that will run the route of the former Kins-men Park horse racing track. The updated park is scheduled to open in 2014.

NATIONAL 2Taxes In Canada1. Why do many people look forward to April 30 with

some dread?Many people look forward to April 30 with some dread, because midnight on April 30 is the dead-

line to pay your income taxes to the government.

2. What does it mean that income tax in Canada is progressive?This means that people and businesses that make more money not only pay more taxes, but they also pay a higher percentage of their income than those who make less.

3. When were income taxes introduced in Canada? Why?Income taxes were fi nally introduced in 1917. They were meant to be a temporary way to fund Cana-da’s involvement in World War I.

4. Why did income tax remain after the war ended?At fi rst, the government kept the income tax to help pay the debt it still owed from World War I. Then the Great Depression hit in the 1930s. Governments around the world, including Canada, took on a larger role in helping citizens deal with unemploy-ment, lack of education, and poverty.

5. What do income taxes pay for today?Taxes pay for public education and Medicare, en-suring that all Canadians have access to a decent education and quality health care. They also go towards programs that help people to deal with the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and old age.

INTERNATIONAL 3Who Will Be The Next Pope?1. Why was Pope Benedict’s resignation surprising?

No pope in the last 600 years has resigned. Most believe the job is for life.

2. How will the new pope be chosen?The new pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Church’s most senior offi cials. They will gather for a special meeting called a conclave, to be held in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.

3. How does voting work at the conclave?At the conclave, the cardinals will discuss who they

21



Monthly News Answer Key

think the next pope should be. They will then cast secret ballots, four times a day, until one candidate manages to receive more than two-thirds of the votes.

4. What is the “two-pope problem”?Problems could arise if groups become unhappy with the new pope’s policies. They could turn to Benedict for support, which would create a political crisis within the Church.

5. From where do some think the next pope should come?Some think the next pope should come from Latin America or Africa, where the Church is growing the fastest.

INTERNATIONAL 4Castro Era Drawing To A Close1. When and how did the Castro era begin?

The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the Cuban govern-ment. Castro took control, turning the country into a one-party communist state with close ties to the Soviet Union.

2. How did this affect relations with the United States?This led to tensions with the United States. Ameri-cans were alarmed at having a communist neigh-bour only 100 miles from the shores of Florida. To this day, the U.S. has no diplomatic or economic ties with Cuba.

3. What did Raul Casto announce?The 82-year-old Raul announced that he will step down from power in the year 2018.

4. Who is the likely successor?The likely successor is 52-year-old fi rst vice presi-dent Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez.

5. Who has Cuba relied on for support? Why might this change?For years, Cuba has relied on Venezuela for sup-port. President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela was a huge supporter of Fidel Castro, but he recently died from cancer. The new Venezuelan leader may not

be as willing to offer support, so Cuba may have to look elsewhere.

ENVIRONMENT 5The BP Oil Spill Trial1. How did the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon

affect wildlife, the environment, and people?The oil spill killed sea life and damaged beaches and coastlines. Businesses lost money and fi sher-men couldn’t make a living. The health of people living in the area has been threatened by toxins in the oil.

2. Who have joined together in a lawsuit? Who is the main defendant?The U.S. Department of Justice; the states of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida; and representatives of individuals and businesses have joined together in a lawsuit. The main defendant is BP, the British-based oil company that operated the oil rig.

3. Who does BP say is to blame for the oil spill?BP accepts some of the blame. BP executive Lamar McKay says others are to blame as well. He points to Transocean, the company that owned the oil rig, and Halliburton, who provided the cement for the oil well.

4. What will the trial attempt to do?The trial will attempt to fi nd the causes of the oil spill, assign blame, and determine fi nes.

5. What is gross negligence?Gross negligence is a legal concept that means se-rious carelessness. It is a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, while knowing it is likely to cause grave injury or harm to persons, property, or both.

FEATURE 6Don’t Be Fooled This April1. What has April 1 become?

April 1 has become the day for hoaxes and practi-cal jokes big and small. It is called April Fools’ Day because it is the day you try and trick someone into

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believing or doing something foolish.

2. What are two possible traditions that may have started April Fools’ Day?Some point to the Iranian tradition of people play-ing tricks on each other on the 13th day of the Persian New Year, which falls on April 1 or 2. Oth-ers suggest the origins may relate to the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria, which was celebrated with amusements and games on March 25.

3. How could the switch to the Gregorian calendar be connected to April Fools’ Day?In the sixteenth century, Europeans began switch-ing to the new Gregorian calendar, which placed New Year’s Day on January 1, but many Europeans still used the old date up to the late eighteenth century. April Fools’ may have come from the practice of making fun of the people who still celebrated on April 1.

4. What hoax did the BBC create in 1957?In 1957, the BBC ran a news story showing Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Many viewers called in asking how they could grow their own spaghetti tree.

5. What April Fools’ Day story was run in the Van-couver Courier?More recently, the Vancouver Courier newspaper ran a story saying that the city was building an undersea bicycle tunnel that would allow cyclists to see undersea wildlife while travelling to and from work.

The Papal Conclave (Page 13)

1. Why are the cardinals sworn to secrecy? The secrecy ensures the cardinals are kept free from any unnecessary infl uence.

2. How often do the cardinals vote?The cardinals vote once on the opening day, and four times a day after that, two each morning and two each afternoon, until a two-thirds majority is reached.

3. How many votes are needed to reach the two-thirds majority?With 115 electors, it will take 77 votes.

4. What happens after each vote?Votes are made by secret paper ballot, which are burned after each round. Black smoke signals that no decision has been reached. White smoke and bells signal that a new pope has been chosen.

5. What happens after the elected person gives his consent?The new pope will look out over St. Peter’s Square as he is introduced with the phrase, “Habemus Papam!” (Latin for, “We have a pope!”), before he gives his fi rst blessing.

Crossword Puzzle (Page 14)

Political Cartoon (Page 15)

The newspaperThe newspaper headline says, “Pope Resigns” and talks about how he is making way for someone else as he is getting too old.

The peopleThe man is Prince Charles and the woman is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. He is calling her attention to the newspaper story.

Put all of the elements together and explain in your own words what the cartoon is saying.The pope just resigned from his position at the age of 85. He is getting older and his health isn’t doing well, so he feels it is best that he steps down so someone else can be appointed to the position. Queen Elizabeth

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is currently 86 years old and she is not showing any signs that she is thinking of stepping down. Her son, Prince Charles, is next in line to the throne. He may be wondering if it is ever going to happen and hoping that she will make the same decision as the pope.

Monthly News Trivia (Page 19)

1. What is the largest city in Cuba? B. Havana

2. Who claimed Cuba in 1492?D. Christopher Columbus

3. How many people live in Cuba? A. 11 million

4. What is the literacy rate in Cuba? D. 99 percent

5. Who is the president of Cuba? A. Raul Castro

6. What type of government does Cuba have?C. Communist state

7. What is the capital city of Cuba? B. Havana

8. What is the life expectancy at birth in Cuba?C. 78

9. When did Fidel Castro step down as president?B. 2008

10. When did Cuba gain independence? A. 1902

Monthly News Quiz (Page 20)

MATCH WORDSTariff D. A list of taxes on imported or exported goods.

Scandal A. Someone or something that shocks people and

causes shame and disgrace.

Culprit E. A person who is guilty of a crime.

Hoax B. Something that is meant to trick or fool others,

especially a practical joke.

Progressive C. Arranged so that the rate increases relative to the

amount taxed.

TRUE OR FALSE1. Income taxes were fi nally introduced in 1945.

False. 1917

2. On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI re-signed as leader of the Catholic Church, due to poor health.True

3. The Castro era began in 1959 when Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the Cuban gov-ernment.True

4. If BP is found to be “grossly negligent” in caus-ing the oil spill, it could face the largest fi ne in history, up to $2 billion.False. $17.6 billion

5. Europeans used to consider New Year’s Day to be March 25.True

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