P7 Find the Word: Gravestone for Titanic Fall Boyplunged, connected, vessel, construction, unveiled, voyage, haunts, fracture, luxury, striking,iceberg, ceremony

P9 Literacy Workout 1Filling the Blanks: BatsBats are the only mammals that have wings and are capable of flight. Many are grotesque-looking animals with huge ears and strange faces. They produce high-pitched sounds whichbounce off nearby objects. This ‘echo’ is picked up by the bat’s large ears, and the bat uses itto locate its prey and avoid obstacles. This is called echolocation.

Almost a quarter of all mammal species alive in the world today are bats. Nearly all arenocturnal - active only at night. Most eat insects, but some feed on larger creatures such asmice, or other bats. A few catch fish, and three species take blood from large birds ormammals. Some bats feed on nectar and are important in carrying pollen from flower toflower, while others are fruit eaters.

Most bats fly more slowly than birds, but have more control. They can turn, twist and flywithout hesitation, through small gaps that would defeat the majority of birds. Flight uses alot of energy. Most bats conserve their resources by letting their temperatures drop andremaining still when they are not flying. In cool parts of the world bats hibernate in winter,but a few species migrate to where there are better supplies of food.

There are still huge populations of many sorts of bats, but others are becoming rare, as aresult of pollution and changes in the environment.

P12 Find the Word: The Night the Martians Landedcreatures, reacted, fled, confirmed, hysterical, portion, dramatist, location, provided, popular,aired, rival, increase, orchestra, detected, resumed, peering, wriggling, glistens, serpent

P16 Literacy Workout 2ProofreadingRescuers are searching for twenty-nine people. Who are still missing from the reck of a luxuryliner off the coast of Italy. The coastguard said six Bodies had been found so far he deneid areport in an Italian newspaper that a seventh body had been found. Those unaccounted forinclude fourteen germans, six Italians, four French two Americans, one Hungarian, oneIndian and one Peruvian.

The pop group Little Mix made X factor history in 2011 as they became the first Groupever to win the tallent show. Jesy Nelson Perrie Edwards Leigh-Anne Pinnock and JadeThirlwall beat Marcus Collins in the final after a series of stunning performances on the show

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The four girls screamed with delite and. Then burst into tears when it was announced thatthey had won the show.

P17 Literacy Workout 3Filling the Blanks: Border ColliesBorder collies are intelligent working dogs. Bred for livestock control, they will worktirelessly for hours on end without complaint, even if injured. They will work even if out ofsight or hearing of their masters, locating lost sheep and returning them to the fold. Whenworking, the front legs and head are set low while the collie maintains eye contact with itsopponent. They react quickly to any movement to keep the herd under control.

Be prepared if you plan to keep one as a pet. They are not suited to being inside all daylong. Border collies need room to run and because of their high intelligence they need someform of training or duties if they cannot perform their natural tasks of livestock control. Ballor frisbee chasing can be an effective form of activity to keep the dog’s mind alert.

Border collies tend to chase or control anything that moves. Small children running inthe back yard are often targets as are bicycles or moving cars. Nipping the legs or heels area collie’s way of controlling sheep but can be frightening to children so care must be takento control this behaviour early in the dog’s life.

If you have the time to spend training and working with your border collie you will beamazed at the skills the dog can learn and the stamina it has to perform what it has learned.

P20 Find the Word: Ghosts and what you should know about themadvent, swapping, folklore, apparition, transparent, hazy, atmosphere, associated, relative,deserted, swaying, slinking, transformed, wreaks, havoc, tricksters, accomplices

P20 Literacy Workout 4Two – To – Too: Choosing the right one1. ‘Miriam and Samantha were there too ,’ she said. 2. I got two new PlayStation games formy birthday. 3 We have a lot of work to do. 4. ‘Can I bring two of my friends?’ she asked. 5.They complained that I was talking too loud. 6. Please give that back to me. 7. I saw twohitchhikers while I was driving to Cork. 8.‘Too many cooks spoil the broth,’ he said. 9. Idownloaded two albums last month. 10. Are you feeling well enough to go to school today?11. Tom had written two letters to the mayor already. 12. ‘It is too crowded in here,’ she said.13. Kim was sent to the principal’s office. 14. My cousin brought her two dogs along to thebeach. 15. We are meeting at the cinema at half past two. 16. I meant to warn him about it butit was too late. 17. ‘What are the two of you up to?’ he asked. 18. ‘Give me two minutes tofinish my work,’ she said. 19. There is too much salt on these crisps. 20. Celine had to walkto school that morning.

P21 Literacy Workout 5ProofreadingHundreds of Fossils collected by the great scientist Charles Darwin have been found afterbeing missing for over 150 years the discoveries were made by scientist Howard Falcon-langwhen he stumbeld upon glass slides containing the fossils in an old wooden cabinet in adusty corner of the british Geological Survey. Dr Falcon-Lang picked up one of the Slides toexamin it and recognised Darwin’s Signature on it.

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Adult Wolves are usually six to seven feet in length from nose to tale and weigh betweensixty and eighty kilograms wolves have a thick layer of fur to protect them from the coldand this furr can be grey, white red brown or black or a mixture of any of these colours.wolves live in groups called ‘packs’ and there are usually five to fifteen wolves in a pack

P24 Find the Word: Cora Harrisonattended, possessed, bound, miserable, inhabited, picture, shelter, enough, wondered,managed, fog, lingered, agreeable, spoilt, seldom, affectionate, expensive, rely, reluctant

P25 Literacy Workout 6Filling the Blanks: Croagh PatrickCroagh Patrick is situated near the town of Westport in County Mayo, Ireland. It isapproximately 92km from Galway City and 230km from Dublin City. The main pilgrimageroute originates in the village of Murrisk, 8km outside Westport.

Croagh Patrick’s history as a place of worship reaches back in time as far as 3,000BC. Themountain’s popularity among religious pilgrims dates to the time of St. Patrick, who is saidto have completed a forty-day Lenten ritual of fasting and penance here. Legend also has itthat Croagh Patrick is the mountain from which he banished snakes from Ireland forever!

Each year, on the last Sunday in July, thousands of devotees from all around the worldvisit the mountain for what is known as ‘Reek Sunday’, a day of worship in honour ofIreland’s patron saint. Some people even climb the mountainside barefoot, as an act ofpenance. Outdoor Masses are held throughout the day at St. Patrick’s Chapel. This is oneplace in rural Ireland where you can meet and speak with people from around the globe.

An archaeological excavation by the National Monuments Service commenced on 2August 1994. It discovered evidence of Christian activity but also showed that Croagh Patrickwas a place of tremendous importance in the pre-Christian era, as indicated by the discoveryof a Celtic hillfort encircling the summit of the mountain.

The exciting discovery of a dry stone oratory push back further in time our knowledgeof pilgrimage architecture on the summit. It is akin to the Gallarus Oratory in County Kerryand has been radiocarbon dated to between 430 and 890AD.

P28 Find the Word: A Continent with a Differencegovernment, treaty, prohibits, temperature, frigid, descends, constant, survive, principal,species, creatures, nutritious, adapts, expedition, tragically, heroic

P28 Literacy Workout 7There – Their – They’re: Choosing the right one1. They’re leaving the country tomorrow. 2. What is in that box over there? 3. The architectsaid there is a problem with their house. 4. The neighbours said they’re coming over later.5. Just leave it there on the table, please. 6. Does James know the way there? 7. I left all of theirshoes over there by the door. 8. We told everyone to bring their partners. 9. Their house wassold. 10. Yesterday there was an accident on our road. 11. They’re crazy! 12. I know wheretheir house is but I’ve never been there. 13. Was it their own car or did they rent it? 14. Thereis no such thing as unicorns. 15. Sam felt that there was someone watching him. 16. I thinkthey’re tired after such a long day. 17. There was no one there when we got to the station.18. Do you know their address? 19. They’re very friendly people. 20. She thought there wassomething odd about their behaviour.

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P31 Word Scramble 1trek lyric hovel posture active kindly jealous chimney

P31 Literacy Workout 8ProofreadingA turkish man named Sultan Kösen is the world’s tallest man He was mesured by GuinnessWorld Records in february 2011 and is eight foot three inches tall. Kösen’s parents threebrothers and his sister are all of normal height. But he has a health problem which causes himto keep growing. Kösen also has the largist Hands in the world and size twenty-eight feet.

Michelangelo was an Italian renaissance artist who painted the seiling of the Sistine chapelbetween 1508 and 1512. He painted many images of stories. From the Bible, including Adamand Eve in the Garden of Eden, Noah and the Great flood and the prophets Jonah Isaiah andDaniel. Michelangelo also painted The last Judgment on the wall behind the alter of theSistine Chapel which is a massive painting of the second coming of Christ.

P34 Find the Word: Fablesapproached, capture, pit, pounced, relaxed, whispered, deserts, celebrate, retreat, consider,outwit, proposal, solve, applause

P35 Literacy Workout 9Were – Where – We’re: Choosing the right one1. Niall thought they were due to arrive on Thursday. 2. ‘If we’re late they will leave withoutus,’ said Fiona. 3. Where did you go for lunch? 4. Were you at the match last week? 5. Heasked where the doctor lived. 6. The cats were purring. 7. ‘When we’re concentrating ourteacher is happy,’ said Deirdre. 8. Emma wanted to find out where they would meet. 9. We’regoing to cycle to where the match is being played,’ he said. 10. Do you know where we wentwrong? 11. We played well but Italy were the better team today. 12. I can’t remember wherewe were at the time. 13. The man said that we were rude to him. 14. ‘Does your brother knowwhere he is going?’ Sinéad asked. 15. Jack knows that we’re not angry with him. 16. Joancouldn’t remember where she had left her purse. 17. ‘We’re at the place where we met lasttime,’ she said. 18. There were seven people ahead of me in the queue. 19. We were extremelyhappy about the result. 20. Robert went to where his friends hang out near the park.

P38 Find the Word: Mysterious Sightingsmysterious, appear, aircraft, meteors, estimated, term, frequently, weird, geology, chatted,colleagues, crescent, vicinity, observers, luminous, intense, editor, fake, interviewed,migration

P40 Word Scramble 2knot maize graph hunter joyful played advance magical

P41 Literacy Workout 10Filling the Blanks: Sea horsesA sea horse is not a horse at all. Sea horses get their names because their profile resemblesthat of a regular horse. A sea-horse is actually a fish.

Sea horses are not good swimmers. They do not swim horizontally like other fish. Theyswim vertically or upright. Because of this they cannot move around as easily as other fish.

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To help them move they use a fin on their back, which is called a dorsal fin. They also usesmall fins located behind their eyes called pectoral fins. They do not have a fin on their tailslike other fish so they wrap their tails around coral when they want to rest. Sea horses candie of exhaustion so it is important for them to rest.

Sea horses can change colour to blend into their surroundings and avoid predators. Theycan be red, black, brown, yellow, grey or white. They carry their young in pouches like akangaroo. They feed through long snouts and their diet consists of plankton, crustaceansand shrimp.

They are covered in bone plates which are like a suit of armour. This protects them frompredators but makes it difficult for them to move.

P45 Find the Word: Tom Crean – the Greatest Polar Hero of Allenlist, major, deserted, volunteered, wasteland, majority, promoted, remained, trek,deteriorate, symptoms, companions, rations, blizzard, delayed, modest, sombre, eventually,stranded, hazardous

P47 Literacy Workout 11Proofreading1. Death Valley is an infamus desert valley in the state of california in the United States of

America It is situated within the Mojave Desert, which is a huge desert covering parts ofthe states of California, Nevada Arizona and Utah. Death valley is the lowest hotest anddriest part of the United States. the highest temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was57.6 degrees Celsius in july 1913.

2. Billy the kid was a notorius outlaw in the Old West. His mother was an irish immigrantwho travelled to New York in the 1840s. Billy the Kid was abandoned by his father andhis mother died when he was still very young He went on to become the most fearedGunfighter of his day. he was also said to be a smart charming and fun-loving caracter.He was shot dead by a Sheriff named Pat Garrett.

P47 Word Scramble 3lamb linen otter future chapel outrun bargain chemist

P50 Find the Word: Three Men in a Boatopportunities, pursue, seize, regretfully, choppy, hurricane, gleaming, marina, pollock,contemplate, recently, galley, ruefully, parliament, talented, propeller, pirates, hazards,odyssey

P51 Literacy Workout 12Filling the Blanks The Garda Dog Support UnitThe Garda Dog Unit celebrated fifty years in existence in 2010. Over the years the unit hasgrown and become an integral part of policing. The main Dog Support Unit is based atKilmainham Garda Station, Dublin and there is another dog unit in the southern region.

The Garda dogs assist in searches for suspects of crimes and for evidence which may havebeen discarded. The dogs are also trained to work in serious public order disturbances. Mostof the Garda dogs are ‘detector’ dogs. These dogs are trained to locate illegal drugs andexplosives. The remaining dogs are ‘cadaver’ dogs and help to recover missing persons anddead bodies.

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Potential Garda dogs are assessed for around four weeks and, if suitable, they start thetraining programme at the Dog Unit. It can take at least eight weeks to train a dog to searchfor drugs and explosives, and up to fourteen weeks to train for patrols and to search forpeople. After the training is completed the dog and its handler start duty immediately,although ongoing training is continued on a very regular basis. The dogs live in theirhandler’s home, so they build a trusting and close relationship with their handler, althoughthey understand the difference between work and off duty.

Because of their keen sense of smell, dogs can do what no human or machine can. Manydiscoveries of people, drugs and explosives would be impossible without their assistance.

P54 Find the Word: People Down Underinhabitants, scientists, canoes, amounts, extended, currently, estimate, likely, reason, horizon,occurred, searing, curious, tribes, weapons, carved, chartered, fleet, purpose, expedition

P58 Find the Word: Going on Holiday? minimise, endure, prolonged, drought, neighbours, conserve, depression, alternatively,capillary, provide, fortnight, emerged

P58 Word Scramble 4quit, occur, grasp, collar, malice, parish, initial, hamster

P59 Literacy Workout 13Filling the Blanks: BalloonsHot air is lighter than cold air and so it rises. To make a balloon fly, the air inside it must beheated. Modern balloons carry gas burners to do this. If the burner is turned on, the balloonrises. When the air inside cools, the balloon loses height.

Toy balloons are not filled with hot air but still rise up. They are filled with helium gas,which is lighter than air. Hydrogen is the lightest gas and was used in passenger-carryingballoons and airships until the 1930s. Unfortunately it catches fire easily and, after a seriesof bad accidents, it ceased to be used. In recent years balloons are again being used fortransport but they are filled with helium, which cannot burn, and which is now more readilyavailable than it was in the 1930s.

Nowadays the most common balloon flights are for pleasure or sport. Balloon festivals areheld in many countries and bring together balloonists for competitions.

The balloon is made of nylon and can be as large as a house when it is inflated. For storing,it folds into a parcel that is small enough to fit in a car boot. There is a panel at the top whichis attached with Velcro tape. This is ripped off after landing to allow the hot air to escapequickly.

Hanging under the balloon from wires or ropes is the basket. This is not very large andon a long flight it can be very cold and uncomfortable, although the excitement and superbviews make up for this. The basket also carries the gas cylinders and instruments, which thecrew need to calculate their height, direction, and how much fuel they still have. The gasburner is fixed to the basket’s frame. It is like a large camping gas stove and is used in shortbursts to keep the balloon at the chosen height. Balloons go where the wind takes them andan experienced pilot will change altitude to use the winds to best advantage.

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P61 Find the Word: Be Very Afraidsnarling, pose, confused, familiar, conclusions, ancestors, frequently, gloomy, dense, outlaws,roamed, extinct

P64 Find the Word: I’m off to a Flying Startfamiliar, towers, snag, rookie, simulator, nervous, panic, dreading, runway, instinct, error,react, manage, complicated, steer, massive, attempt, aviation, incredibly, challenging

P65 Word Scramble 5quiz prowl stalk wither tricky soccer reverse iceberg

P68 Find the Word: Halloweenglimmering, fleeting, seldom, mischief, predict, livestock, benefit, disguise, conquered,combined, commemorating, orchards, festivities, initials, martyrs

P69 Literacy Workout 14Were; Where; We’re – Choosing the right one1. They were seen running through the fields last night. 2. Do you know where the nearesthardware store is? 3. ‘I hate to say it but I think we’re lost,’ he said. 4. He wanted to knowwhere the keys were kept. 5. She asked the children if they were tired. 6. We were late forclass again. 7. We’re not going anywhere until we get paid,’ the man shouted. 8. Can youremember where we took the wrong turn? 9. The teacher said that we’re the best class shehas ever taught. 10. ‘Where do you think we’re going to get the money to pay for this?’ askedKeith’s mother.

P71 Find the Word: Putting children’s ready-meals to the testbombarded, obesity, nutrition, dietician, tackle, cereals, vegetables, implications, joint,internally, externally, inclined, diminish

P72 Literacy Workout 15ProofreadingOn 17 january 2012 one of the world’s greatest sportsmen the boxer Muhammad ali,celebrated his seventieth birthday. Ali is a three-time world heavywait champion boxer andis often referred to as simply ‘the Greatest’ Ali had some memorable fights with Joe FrazierGeorge Foreman and Leon Spinks among others. but he is also known for his wit warmpersonality and for speeking out against injustice.

The russian tenis player Maria Sharapova has won twenty-four WTA singles titlesSharapova has also won three Grand Slam singles titles: at Wimbledon in 2004 the US openin 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008. Sharapova lives and tranes in the United States sheis sponsored by nike and is said to be the highest paid female athlete in the world.

P73 Literacy Workout 16Adverbs List A: angrily, annually, bitterly, bravely, busily, cautiously, easily, equally,

frequently, gracefully, heavily, honestly, newly, noisily, patiently,quickly, rapidly, rarely, responsibly, scornfully, secretly, tidily.

Adverbs List B: attentively, fatally, feebly, gently, gradually, harshly, hungrily, idly,immediately, leisurely, loyally, nobly, pitifully, practically, predictably,probably, sensibly, skillfully, steadily, suitably, tidily, wearily

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P75 Find the Word: Motorcyclists Bewarereleased, representing, pillion, urging, ensure, protective, vulnerability, reflective, executive,regard, junctions, cautious

P78 Find the Word: Paraglidingsoaring, airstrip, airborne, alternative, portable, parachutes, modifications, manoeuvrable,fabric, increasing, enthusiasts, extremely

P78 Word Scramble 6slab punch grimy kicked garden filter flavour dolphin

P79 Literacy Workout 17Proverbs(a) silence (b) lift (c) ill, blows (d) choosers (e) bridges (f) peanuts, monkeys (g) public (h)leap (i) grow (j) gained (k) turn (l) company

P83 Literacy Workout 18Filling the Blanks: SpidersSpiders belong to a group of animals known as ‘Arachnids’. They have a two-part body, fourpairs of legs and two pincers.

They don’t have antennae, but instead have bristly hairs on their body and legs, whichare used to pick up signals and messages. Spiders can actually taste things with their feet.

All spiders are carnivorous, but they have small mouths, so in order to eat they injectdeadly poison into their victims with their sharp fangs. The poison contains digestive fluidswhich turn the insides of their victims into a kind of soup. The spider then drinks theirinsides leaving just an empty skin.

Some spiders spin webs to catch their food. Unfortunate victims, like flies, get trapped onthe sticky strands of the web, and then the spider moves in for the kill. Other spiders huntby stalking their prey.

P85 Find the Word: Walkers Stray on to Army Firing Rangeincidents, artillery, range , responding, assistance, descended, zone, defence forces, alert,concerned, trio, disorientated, visibility, compasses, spokesperson

P89 Find the Word: The Story of the Electric Guitarovertaken, expensive, ideal, accompany, capable, disadvantage, experimented,collaborations, favoured, manufacturers, hollow, mellow, approached, completed, instant,identical

P91 Find the Word: End of an Eracockpit, astronauts, glided, final, emotions, museum, capsules, dwindling, redundancies,witnessed, duplicated, colleagues

P96 Word Scramble 7yawn giant spice dolmen brooch author extreme measure

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P97 Literacy Workout 19ProofreadingIn the passed the vast majority of the World drove on the left-hand side of the road. Todayabout two-thirds of the world drives on the right-hand side and one third drives on the left-hand side countries that drive on the right-hand side include the United States, Russia Chinaand most of the EU. The United Kingdom, Ireland India and australia are amung thecountries that drive on the left

On 12 May 2011 Irish pop duo Jedward represented Ireland at the eurovision SongContest held in the city of düsseldorf in Germany. The cheaky pair made it through. To thefinal on 14 May 2011 and achieved eighth place. They performed the Song ‘Lipstick’ whichhas since been released as the first singel from their second album Victory ‘Lipstick’ reachedNumber one in the Irish charts.

P100 Find the Word: Prevention is Better than Curerecovered, historian, plague, immunity, risks, technique, contagious, isolated, sceptical,eradicated, responsible, infectious, surgeon, milkmaids, breakthrough, incision, symptoms,undaunted, ridiculed, clergy

P101 Literacy Workout 20Proverbs(a) louder (b) crawl (c) longest (d) heat, kitchen (e) mended (f) perfect (g) built (h) iron (i)cheap (j) greener, fence (k) strokes (l) masters.

P103 Find the Word: Humpback Whale Spottedsighted, dinghy, encountered, confirmed, yacht, permitting, coincidence, whalers, inhabit,commercially, researching, migrations

P106 Find the Word: The Riddle of Lough Ness Monsterexploited, attraction, abating, prehistoric, vanished, binoculars, concentrating, surface, eerie,swiftly, numerous, carcasses

P107 Literacy Workout 21Filling the Blanks: SharksSharks are amazing creatures. They come in a huge variety of colours, shapes and sizes.There are over four hundred species of shark.

The largest shark is the whale shark. It can measure up to eighteen metres long. It isestimated that a whale shark can live for up to one hundred and fifty years. Many of thesmaller sharks can live for between twenty and thirty years. The smallest shark is the dwarflantern shark. It is only fifteen to twenty centimetres long.

Shark skin is extremely tough. Sharks do not have scales like other fish. Their skin iscovered in small plates coated in enamel. This is the substance that our teeth are made from.Shark teeth usually fall out after one week. Shark teeth are arranged in rows so that when onefalls out another can take its place within a day. A shark can have as many as fifteen rows ofteeth in each jaw but most only have five rows of teeth.

P110 Find the Word: Matt Groeninginstantly, ideal, popular, devise, audience, moderately, homemaker, siblings, syndicated

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P110 Word Scramble 8plot pearl exist/exits health police simple builder explode

P111 Literacy Workout 22Proverbs(a) calm (b) good, end (c) crying, spilt (d) bed, lie (e) no (f) count, chickens (g) broken (h)cradle, world (i) dogs, fleas (j) well (k) rains (l) early, worm.

P114 Find the Word: Panto Timeauditorium, clamped, scribbling, choreographer, sequence, pantomime, crew, complicated,costume, schedule, complaining, rely, risk, vital, concern, exact, predominantly, audience,amused, rushed

P115 Literacy Workout 23Filling the Blanks: SnakesThere are around three thousand species of snake in the world. About 375 species arevenomous.

Some snakes, like the python, are so big that they can swallow a deer whole, while othersare only a few centimetres long. The Anaconda can grow up to twelve metres in length, whilethe smallest snake is only five centimetres long.

Some snakes can climb trees, others live underground and many swim in lakes. Snakescome in a variety of colours. Snakes that have dull colouring usually use it as camouflage.Brightly coloured snakes are usually poisonous.

Snakes are mostly found in tropical countries but can survive in cold countries. There aresnakes living in Iceland and even in Antarctica.

Snakes, like all reptiles, are cold blooded. This means that they cannot control their bodytemperature. They must rely on the sun and on their environment to control it.

Snakes can survive for days without food. This is because they have a slow metabolism.A king cobra can go for months without food.

P119 Find the Word: The Mystery of the Marie Celestelaunched, mishaps, extensive, cargo, manufacture, hold, unmanned, vessel, voyage, mutiny,observed, courage

P127 Literacy Workout 24Filling the Blanks: Google Hits the HighwayGoogle is well known for its internet search engine but last year the company hit the highway.It sent a fleet of six self-driving cars into the world. Each had a contraption on the top thatlooked like a wide metal headband topped by a small, spinning cylinder. People rode inside,but only to give directions and ensure that the car ran correctly.

The cars zipped all around northern California. They navigated the turns of the PacificCoast Highway, a narrow road that hugs California’s rugged coastline. They crossed theGolden Gate Bridge and zigzagged down the eight tight turns of San Francisco’s LombardStreet, one of the most crooked streets in the world. All in all, the cars drove 225,300kilometres.

The company wasn’t just showing off. Google’s researchers have safety in mind, and thecomputer programs behind these cars are designed to turn roads into safer places. A

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computerised car, they say, can’t be distracted by phone calls or iPods. Using video cameras,radar sensors and lasers, the cars detect other cars and obstacles, which can help to avoidcrashes. Around the world each year, traffic accidents kill more than one million people andinjure 50 million others.

Driverless trains have been running safely for years. In Detroit an automated train hasbeen shuttling people since 1987. At airports such as Denver International Airport, automatedtrains take people to their planes. In some ways, automated trains are less complex; theymove only forwards or backwards, accelerating or braking. Building automated cars is amore complicated project.

P133 Find the Word: Rosie’s Gift Part 1severe, genius, somersaults, hail, ignored, interruption, elements, dangerous, muttered,embarrassment, fortune, murderer, marble, bounce, garret, frightening, justice, mimicking

P137 Find the Word: Rosie’s Gift Part 2tremendous, conversation, dismissed, convinced, diamond, century, sparse, fascinated,impending, recoiled, enthusiastically, paused, isolated, separated, sombre, occurred,astonished

P139 Find the Word: The Anniversary Part 1recalled, vowing, sentence, struck, warder, taunted, remission, incident, salvation, provoke,react, marvel, convict, strode, notice, proprietor

P142 Find the Word: The Anniversary Part 2fascinate, spectators, louts, emotions, tormentors, famished, morsel, glancing

P142 Word Scramble 9after noisy youth yellow taller garden motion attract

P143 Literacy Workout 25Filling the Blanks: Vampire BatsVampire bats are not a myth. They really do exist. There are three different species of vampirebat living in South America.

The vampire bat has a wingspan of around twenty centimetres. Its body is about the sizeof an adult’s thumb. They are quite small. They feed on the blood of pigs, horses, cattle andlarge birds. However, they don’t suck out the blood. They wait until the animal is asleep andthen they use their sharp teeth to make tiny cuts in the skin. The bat’s saliva contains achemical that stops the animal’s blood from clotting. As the animal bleeds, the bat laps upthe blood. The animal does not wake up because the bat’s saliva also contains a chemicalthat numbs the skin.

Scientists have discovered that the saliva of the vampire bat is better at stopping bloodfrom clotting than any known medicine. One day the vampire bat may have a part to playin the prevention of heart attacks and strokes.

Vampire bats are considered to be pests in South America where there are huge cattleranches. The bats are attracted to the sleeping cattle and there are programmes in place to getrid of them.

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P147 Find the Word: Collision Coursegrazed, betray, ambulance, surge, conductor, twirled, pausing

P150 Find the Word: Mayday Part 1glancing, giant, passengers, routine, instantly, guilt, grumbled, simultaneously

P153 Find the Word: Mayday Part 2obviously, reassure, rapidly, dimming, repeated, procedure, astonishment, jammed

P153 Literacy Workout 26ProofreadingA dutch teenager named Laura Dekker has become the youngest Sailor to circumnavigate theglobe on her own at the age of sixteen. Dekker set sail from the caribbean island of st Martinon 21 Janaury 2011 and returned from her round-the-world trip a year and a day later on the21 january 2012. Dekker actually wanted to attempt the feet. When she was only fourteen butwas prevented from doing so by the Dutch authorities.

Jocelyn Bell-Burnell is an Astronomer and one of Ireland’s most importent scientists. In1967, while she was a research student at Cambridge University she discovered pulsars byobserving the universe through radio telescopes. A Pulsar is a special type of star that is verysmall but very heavy Many people think Bell-Burnell should have won a nobel prize for thediscovery but it was actually awarded to her superviser, professor Anthony Hewish.

P160 Word Scramble 10zebra lying panic outfit muscle liquid invite brother

P161 Literacy Workout 27Proverbs1. lie 2. proof, eating 3. smoke 4. failure 5. stranger 6. pence, themselves 7. do 8. much 9. fish10. spice 11. tune, fiddle 12. have, cake

P165 Find the Word: Death of a Chimney Sweepfrightened, hearth, risks, monster, courtyard, strolled, glanced, thinner, impatiently, ragged,interference, soot, pavement, murder, smile, plunged

P169 Find the Word: The Goalkeeper’s Revengegleaming, satisfied, dash, arranging, threatened, league, inspector, directed, continue,grunted, removed, hesitated, organised, factories, scolded, accepted, interfere, cunning

P170 Literacy Workout 28Filling the Blanks: Bill NaughtonBill Naughton was born in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo in 1910. When he was four, heemigrated with his parents to Bolton, a town in Lancashire in the north west of England. Heleft school at the age of fourteen and worked as a weaver, coal-bagger and lorry-driver beforehe started writing fulltime. Bill Naughton wrote many plays, novels, short stories andchildren’s books. His writing is largely inspired by people and events from working class lifein Lancashire in the period between the wars.

His play June Evening was televised in July 1960. The story is set around a Lancashire

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street with a corner shop and is credited with being the inspiration for the long-runningtelevision serial, Coronation Street, which first went on air in 1961.

His most famous play, Alfie, was made into a film, starring Michael Caine. Two otherplays of his, Spring and Port Wine and The Family Way were also made into successful films.The collection of short stories The Goalkeeper’s Revenge: And Other Stories was very popularwhen it was published in 1967. His 1977 children’s novel My Pal Spadger is an account of hischildhood in 1920s Bolton. Bill Naughton died in 1992 in The Isle of Man.

P172 Literacy Workout 29ProofreadingThe medal ceremony for the 2011 Winter Youth Olympics in the austrian city of Innsbruckhad to be abandond after the discovery of an unexploded World war Two bomb nearby. Thetwo hundred and fifty kilogram Bomb was found by construction workers it took explosiveexpurts four hours to defuse the bomb The Innsbruck police said there had been a significantThreat to public safety.

King minos of Crete had a labyrinth beneath his royal palace This labyrinth was anextremly complicated Maze where Minos kept the Minotaur a dangerous creature whichwas half man and half bull. The hero Theseus entered the labyrinth fought the Minotaur andkilled it with his bear hands. Theseus had also carried a ball of thread and unwound it.Behind him as he walked through the labyrinth so he could find his way back out.

P173 Literacy Workout 30Filling the Blanks: Walking in the Countryside Farmland is private property and access is only available with the goodwill and tolerance offarmers. While most farmers do not object to walkers crossing their land, others do not wishto permit access. Their wishes must always be complied with.

Remember, farmland is a working environment and all persons who enter do so at theirown risk. Under the law, there is an obligation on entrants to take all necessary steps to ensuretheir own safety.

Entrants are also responsible for any damage to private property, livestock and cropsresulting from their actions. If crossing farmland, ensure your presence is unobtrusive anddoes not interfere with farming activities.Remember:

1. Do not interfere with livestock, crops, machinery or other property. 2. Guard against all risks of fire, especially near forests. 3. Leave all farm gates as you find them. 4. Always keep children under close control and supervision. 5. Avoid entering farmland containing livestock. Your presence can cause stress to

livestock and even endanger your own safety. 6. Do not enter farmland if you have dogs with you, even if they are on a leash, unless

you have the permission of the landowner. 7. Take your litter home. 8. Avoid making any unnecessary noise. 9. Protect wildlife, plants and trees.

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P176 Find the Word: War Horse Part 1eerie, remnants, sabre, galvanised, bedlam, carnage

P178 Word Scramble 11dwell fruit gauze uproar system number labour captain

P179 Literacy Workout 31Proverbs1. brass 2. lunch 3. one 4. wrongs 5. mice, play 6. way 7. water 8. stone 9. purse, ear 10.omelette,eggs 11. hare, hunt 12. tricks

P186 Find the Word: Christmas Morningrestless, rough, ashamed, information, foresight, sensible, practise, truculently, tossing,particularly, dreadful, entirely, confused, disappointed, instant, baffled, quivering,deprecatingly, benevolent, exacerbated

P187 Literacy Workout 32ProofreadingMany people know the word ‘aardvark’ as the first word in the Dictionary but know verylittle about the animal itself. The aardvark is a pig-like creature with a nose like an ant-eaterand ears like a donkey it has an excelent sense of smell great hearing strong claws and thickskin. Aardvarks are found only in africa and they feed on ants termites and a special type offriut called the aardvark cucumber.

The glove and shoe prints of the pop star Michael jackson were aded to the courtyard ofthe famous Grauman’s chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Jackson’s three children, Prince Parisand Blanket, were there to honour their late Father and to make the imprints in the wetconcret. Many fans and Celebrities turned up to see the ceremony and listened to, the threechildren talk about the legacy of their father the King of pop.

P187 Word Scramble 12awake flask verse puzzle parrot longer kidnap cyclone

P191 Find the Word: Titanic – An Edwardian Girl’s Diary 1912decision, drenched, respond, gradually, persuaded, transferred, aimlessly, succumbed,capsizing

P203 Literacy Workout 33Filling the Blanks: X FactorDo you watch the X Factor? Love it or hate it, it’s hard to get away from the most populartelevision show in Britain. Every week millions of people tune in to see the next batch ofhopefuls showcase their talent before a panel of judges and a live studio audience.

Here are a few facts about the show. Last year the loudest audience was the Londonaudience. During the course of boot camp and the audition tour, over 14,980 bottles of waterwere drunk.

The judges and the crew on the tour managed to consume thirty trolley loads of snacks.The judges ate 490 chocolate bars. The judges also drank ten large bottles of water per dayand used three limes a day in the water.

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During the search for the X Factor winner, 1,500 miles are covered.Leona Lewis, who won the X Factor in 2006 has sold over ten million albums worldwide.

She has had number one singles in thirty-two countries and is the first UK female debutartist to get a number 1 album in the US.

Alexandra Burke who was the winner in 2008, sold over a million copies of her first single‘Hallelujah’! She has since had two BRIT nominations for Best British Single.

P211 Literacy Workout 34ProofreadingAmericans celebrate the Birthday of the sivil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. every yearon the third monday in January. This holiday is known as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and isa celebration of his life the civil rights movement and of racial equality. King was awardedthe nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work to end racial segragation and discrimination.Through nonviolent means. he was assassinated in 1968.

Heracles is the greatest hero in greek mythology. His father was Zeus, the king of thegods and his mother was a mortle woman named Alcemene. His most famous deeds are thetwelve Labours of Heracles which include stories of how he killed a fearsome lion destroyeda serpent-like creature called a Hydra and captured cerberus the masive three-headed dogwhich guarded the gates of the underworld.

P211 Word Scramble 13blaze index smoke rocket nozzle packet object dustbin

P215 Find the Word: Snakeheadimpact, shock, imagination, crammed, hurtling, gravity, neoprene, pacific, chaotic, puppet,disbelief, rendezvous, plummeted, astronauts

P215 Literacy Workout 35ProofreadingMore than sixty people, most of them homeless have died in a cold snap across Easterneurope. The temperature in Ukraine fell to minus 33 degrees celsius Bosnia experiencedtempratures of minus 31 degrees celsius and Poland Romania and bulgaria experiencedminus 30 degrees celsius. Some countries had to call in the army. to help secur food andmedical supplies and set up Emergency shelters for the homeless.

The british broadcasting groop Sky has announced that it is to create more than 800 jobswhen it opens a new customer service centre in Dublin. The new Jobs will be created overthe next two years and will include positions in customer service human resourses and inManagement. The new customer service centre will be situated in the burlington plaza inDublin’s city centre

P233 Word Scramble 14royal mixer jewel senior normal poster member extreme

P237 Literacy Workout 36ProofreadingOne of the most amazing substances found in nature is Spider’s silk. Most species of spiderhave Glands to produce silk for different purposes, including building a web capturing prey

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and protecting their eggs spider’s silk is five times stronger than steal more elastic than aruber band and is so light that a strand long enough to circle the earth would weigh less thana bar of soap

Pieces of chinese porcelain have been acheiving very high prices at auctions in Ireland inrecent years The reason for this is that wealthy Chinese Collectors are buying up items whichrepresent the country’s Imperial past. A huge amount of Chinese porcelain was exported toEurope. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Experts point out that even those pieceswith modest valuations, can become the subject of frenzied bidding and sell for large summsof money.

P241 Word Scramble 15awful knife owner expect divide jumble frozen hopeful

P245 Literacy Workout 37Filling the Blanks: Losing their bottleIn 2009 Washington University in St. Louis became the first college in the United States tostop selling bottled water. Since then, more than a dozen small colleges have done the same.The ban isn’t because the schools don’t want students to have easy access to water. Instead,the goal is to encourage students to bring reusable bottles to save money and, moreimportantly, to save the environment.

Many people believe that producing and using bottled water wastes money and harmsthe environment. They say that bottled water is unnecessary because public water suppliesin the US are among the best in the world. These people believe that water fountains andreusable bottles with easy access to filling stations are a better choice.

But the makers of bottled water argue that plastic bottles make up a small portion of thenation’s total waste. They say it’s unfair to single out their product when so many other itemsare packaged in plastic containers. Plus, water is a healthy option compared to some sodasand juices which are also sold at school.

What do you think: should schools ban the bottle?

P247 Word Scramble 16cycle extra chart expand invent mother tennis jumping

P251 Literacy Workout 38Filling the Blanks: Chinese New YearThe Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar.The New Year begins on the first day of the Chinese calendar, which usually falls in February,and the festivities continue for fifteen days.

At Chinese New Year celebrations, people wear red clothes, give children money in redenvelopes and set off firecrackers. Red symbolises fire, which the Chinese believe drivesaway bad luck. Family members gather at each other’s homes for extravagant meals. ChineseNew Year ends with a lantern festival. People hang decorated lanterns in temples and carrylanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon. The highlight of the lanternfestival is often the dragon dance. The dragon – which can stretch a hundred feet long – istypically made of silk, paper and bamboo.

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P255 Literacy Workout 39ProofreadingA painting of empress Elisabeth of Austria has been found behind a Wardrobe in kennels inCo. meath. The valuable oil painting, in a frame decarated with scrolling shamrock depictsthe Empress Elisabeth on horseback while hunting in the irish countryside. It wascommissioned by the empress who gave it to the Ward union Hunt folowing a visit to Irelandin 1880. The painting was lost, decades ago and only rediscovered last year.

Social networking giant facebook is to be flowted on the public stock exchange in a movethat will raise at least $5 billion for the californian Company. The company is valued at $80-100 billion. Mark zuckerberg, the 27-year-old co-founder and chief executive of the site isthe largest shareholder in Facebook with a 28.4 per cent stake this stake will be worth over$25 bilion after the flotation.

P257 Word Scramble 17asked eagle diver/drive spider purple guzzle extent knuckle

P259 Literacy Workout 40ProofreadingMore than one hundrid people are missing and feared dead after a Ferry sank off the coastof Papua New Guinea Australia’s Maritime Safety authority (AMSA) said two hundred andnineteen people had been rescued after eight, vessels and three hellicopters were dispatchedto the scene where the ferry went down. Spokeswoman carly Lusk said a greater loss of lifemay have been avoided as the Sea conditions were very good

There has been much debate over a strain of the avian flu virus that sceintists have createdin laboratories in holland which can spread readily between Mammals. The avian influenzavirus rarely infects Humans but when it does it causes severe, disease and a high rate ofmortality many people believe it is iresponsible to create such dangerous viruses in the laband that they could be used for Harm if they fell into the wrong hands.

P261 Literacy Workout 41Filling the Blanks: YawningDo you think that a great big yawn means you are really bored? Well, if you do, then youcannot possibly be further from the truth. Many researchers think yawning is essential toincrease the oxygen intake to the lungs. A few, on the other hand, insist that yawning issimilar to stretching, as it increases blood pressure and heart beat rate.

While both research findings are correct, new studies show that yawning actually perkyou up instead of doing the opposite (as many of us seem to think). Scientists point out thatwe have a tendency to yawn before a big event – athletes yawn before a race, pilots yawnbefore take-off and students yawn before an exam.

Humans are not the only ones affected by the yawning bug. Animals have been observedto yawn before feeding time while wild animals have a tendency to yawn before a fight.

The act is also highly contagious so if you spot someone with their mouth open, chancesare, you too will follow suit. New findings suggest that yawning may be signalling a needfor change.

Despite all these advancements, scientists still haven’t figured out why we yawn beforebed-time, but then again, that is our way of demanding a change – enough of the television,time to go to bed!

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P263 Word Scramble 18climb frown viking thread/dearth minute/minuet famous resort measure

P265 Literacy Workout 42ProofreadingThis year’s TG4 Young traditional Musician of the Year is Waterford uillean piper CaoimhínÓ feargháil. Ó Feargháil was born near chicago in the United States but moved back to thesoutheast, of Ireland at the age of seven. The waterford piper David Power was his teecherand an early influence on Ó Feargháil. who also acknowledges seamus Ennis as an importantinfluince on his playing style.

Benny Lewis an electronic engineer from Co. Cavan has spent the past eight yearstravelling the world learning more than twenty languages. Lewis was only avarage atlanguages when he was at school but at the age of Twenty-one he decided to immerse,himself in foreign languages and learn through socialising and communication Lewis’swebsight is now the busiest language Blog on the internet and he has written a verysuccessful book, on his learning methods.

P285 Literacy Workout 43Filling the Blanks: ShandonDating back to the sixth century, the Church of St Anne in Shandon rises high above Cork city.Shandon’s eight bells weigh over six tonnes and are commemorated in the song ‘The Bellsof Shandon’. Visitors can climb the tower and take in the stunning views below and willeven get a chance to ring the bells.

Shandon is a district in Cork city, its name deriving from the Gaelic term Sean Dúnmeaning ‘Old Fort’. In medieval times it was known as the Church of St Mary’s. However,after its destruction in 1690, during the Siege of Cork, the present day church of St. Annewas erected in 1693. Its location was formerly Mallow Lane, which has also been renamedShandon Street.

The building consists of two vastly different types of stone. The red sandstone was takenfrom the original walls of the Shandon Castle and the limestone was obtained from the ruinsof the North Mall Franciscan Abbey. As you approach the Shandon area you can vividly seethe red and white coloured stone of St Anne’s. Its first rector was the great-great-grandfatherof the first president of Ireland, Dr Douglas Hyde.

P293 Word Scramble 19windy melon/lemon decent eleven island juggle zoology mixture

P293 Literacy Workout 44ProofreadingAngelo Dundee, the legindary boxing trainer has died of a heart attack at Ninety years of age.Dundee trained Muhammad Ali, Sugar ray Leonard George Foreman and many other worldchampions. Dundee was inducted into the Boxing Hall of fame in 1994 and was one ofboxing’s most charismatic and admired characters Dundee passed away at his home inflorida surounded by family and friends.

The Government was hopeful that anglo Irish Bank’s extensive Art collection could besold to raise a signifigant amount of money for the country However it has turned out thatmost of the three hundred and twenty peices of art are worth very little. about one-third of

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the Paintings have been valued as worthless and another one hundred, paintings have anestimated value of less than €500. There are just one hundred Artworks that may be worthmore significant amounts.

P299 Literacy Workout 45Filling the Blanks: ZebrasZebras, those black and white striped animals, are distant cousins of the horse. They arefound only in Africa and are virtually untamable. One would think the stripes would makethem very conspicuous but among the tall grass the pattern is an excellent camouflage.

The bold wavy lines of a zebra blend in with the tall, wavy grass plains of Africa wherethese animals live. The bold stripe may even serve to break up the shape of the zebra. If azebra is standing still in such surroundings, a lion, its chief predator, may overlook itcompletely.

It doesn’t matter that the zebra’s stripes are black and white and the grass is dusty brownor green, because the lion is colour-blind. This may benefit an individual zebra in somesituations, but is it likely that a large herd of zebra would be able to escape a lion’s notice?This is exactly where it helps the zebra most. Zebra herds are very large but they stay veryclose to one another. When all the zebras stick together in a herd, the pattern of stripes blendstogether. This is confusing to the lion. All it can see is a large, moving, striped mass insteadof many individual zebras. The lion has trouble picking out individual zebras and it is harderstill for the lion to recognise which way each zebra is moving.

Each zebra pattern is unique, like a fingerprint; no two zebras are exactly alike. What istruly amazing is that zebras can recognise other zebras from their body stripe. A mother caninstantly spot her colt in a herd.

P301 Word Scramble 20horse/shore opera emblem fleece grease hammer section/notices pumpkin

P305 Literacy Workout 46Filling the Blanks: VeniceMost people all over the world travel by road. In a city in Italy, however, waterways makeup the primary commuting routes. The city of Venice, rich in architectural marvels, is bestknown for its canals. Unfortunately, this beautiful city of flat-bottomed boats (gondolas),churches and quaint cobbled streets is sinking, and sinking fast.

Known as the ‘Queen of the Adriatic’, Venice is situated on 120 islands formed by canalsin the lagoon between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers, at the northern extremityof the Adriatic Sea. Even the bits of firm ground have rather boggy foundations and all thisis slowly being eroded.

The existing ground water table and the global climate change that has raised sea levelsby several inches, are proving disastrous for the city. As sea-ice melts and water levels rise,floods in Venice are going from bad to worse. Buildings are already feeling the impact of thisphenomenon, with their foundations literally being shaken.

Take for example one of the most famous landmarks of Venice, the 900-year-old St. Mark’sBasilica, a famous cathedral that now leans slightly to the left because of its unstablefoundation. Experts warn that the city may sink an additional eight inches in the next fiftyyears. Many worried residents have already started to move to drier regions in Italy’smainland.

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P309 Word Scramble 21scale ruler gather hurley select timber voucher thirsty

P309 Literacy Workout 47ProofreadingKieran Behan, the second ever Irish gymnast to qualify for the olympics has had to overcomeadvercity many times in his Career. When he was ten years of age complications, fromsurgery on his leg left Kieran in a wheelchair. He returned to gymnastics over a year later butthen fell off the high bar and suffered a serius head injury. Which put him in a wheelchaironce again. Three years later, however, kieran returned to gymnastics training.

An Irishman has become the only man on the plannet to run seven marathons on sevencontinents in less than five days. Richard donovan broke his own previous world record bycompleting this extraordinary feat in four days twenty-two hours and three minites.Donovan a father-of-one began his epic journey in antarctica running his first marathon inminus twenty degrees Celsius. He finished his run in Sydney, australia. In total he ran 183Miles.

P321 Word Scramble 22mixer waste custom insult rocket oxygen yoghurt weekend

P325 Literacy Workout 48ProofreadingPerseus was the greek hero who killed the gorgon medusa. Medusa was a snake-hairedmonstere whose terrifying gaze turned men into stone Before Perseus confronted Medusa thegods gave him several magical gifts, including a helmet which made him invisible sandalswhich allowed him to fly and a polished sheild. Perseus was able to look at the Reflection ofMedusa in his shield without being turned to stone He sneaked up, on Medusa and cut herhead off.

The australian platypus is one of the World’s strangest creatures. It is a small furry mamalwith a bill like a duck a tail like a beaver and venomous claws on its hind feet, It is anexcellent swimmer and spends most of its time in streams and rivers. the platypus is also oneof the few mammals to lay eggs. Its distinctive bill, is covered in special cells which allow theplatypus to sense movemint and electrical fields in the water

P333 Word Scramble 23orbit peace frozen injury jungle lagoon zooming varnish

P334 Literacy Workout 49Filling the Blanks: TintinThe beloved TV show and comic book series comes to life on the big screen. Join Tintin andhis pal Snowy as they delve into a deadly mystery in The Adventures of Tintin.

Tintin, a young journalist, stumbles upon an ancient mystery after purchasing an oldmodel ship from an antique dealer. A dangerous man named Sakharine asks to buy the ship,but Tintin refuses to sell. He realises that the ship must be more valuable than it looks. AfterSakharine’s men ransack Tintin’s apartment and steal the ship, Tintin and Snowy find theimportant piece that was left behind – a small tube containing an ancient message, the verything that the bad men are looking for.

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Sakharine kidnaps Tintin and takes him aboard a stolen ship, hoping to get some answers.Tintin escapes, however, along with the drunken captain of the ship called Haddock, whoseancestors just happen to have played a major role in this great mystery. Tintin, Snowy andthe captain embark on an adventure where they nearly drown in the ocean, crash in thedesert, are overtaken by a raging flood and shot down by Sakharine and his pals.

The Adventures of Tintin, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a lifelike animated film which thewhole family will love. It is filmed with rich action scenes and tons of laugh-out-loudmoments.

P335 Literacy Workout 50Filling the Blanks: Faulty Flight Message Horrified passengers on board a British Airways flight were mistakenly told to preparethemselves for a crash landing following a technical glitch.An automatic crash message, which was played 35,000 feet in the air on the night flight fromMiami bound for Heathrow, shook passengers.The pre-recorded message said: ‘This is an emergency announcement. We may shortly needto make an emergency landing on water.’As fear filled the cabin, an air stewardess came over the tannoy to tell distressed passengersto ignore the announcement.According to passengers, the error wasn’t properly explained by staff until after the planehad landed at Heathrow and apology letters were handed out.A British Airways spokesman told BBC News that the crash message was played in error.‘There was a technical fault and the announcement was triggered. However, cabin crewcancelled it immediately and the problem was quickly rectified. It’s rare but can happen onall modern airlines as they use the same system.’One passenger from Edinburgh spoke of the terrifying ordeal. ‘It was about 3 a.m. An alarmsounded and we were told we were about to land in the sea. I thought we were going to die.My wife was crying and passengers were screaming. Then they played an announcementtelling us to just ignore the warnings.’

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