One of the most beautiful organisms ever found are corals. These are even one of the most productive resources in the world. They are food producers and they support life on the planet. However, they are now in danger.
Watch the short video below then answer some questions.
1. What is coral bleaching and what causes it? 2. How important are corals to marine life? 3. Are there any organizations in your country dedicated to help preserve aquatic life? 4. Have you experienced seeing coral in their natural habitat?
A cup of coffee has always been a part of a lot people’s morning routine. It could definitely awake our senses and boost our energy. Now, coffee drinkers have more reasons to drink that fresh cup.
Read the article on how coffee can help you live longer.
29-year old Kevan Chandler’s condition is degenerative and incurable. However, he remains inspired by Django Reinhardt’s defiance at his disability.
Just like many guys in their 20s, Chandler attempts to tour France, England, and Ireland with the help of his good friends.
Man with muscular dystrophy plans to backpack in Europe as a ‘backpack’
(CNN) Three years ago, a doctor told Kevan Chandler that because of his muscular dystrophy, he would be hooked up to an oxygen machine within six months.
That doctor was wrong.
Today, not only is Chandler breathing freely, but the 29-year-old is about to undertake a rite of passage for many 20-somethings: backpacking around Europe. But there’s a catch.
Chandler won’t be doing it with a backpack; he plans to do it as a backpack of sorts.
Chandler, who weighs 65 pounds and moves with the help of a wheelchair, will be strapped to his friends’backs using a customized pack as they tour France, England and Ireland.
Kevan Chandler will bring his wheelchair for use on parts of his trip.
The ingenuity of the backpack design came from a spur-of-the-moment decision to join his friends in an area that was not wheelchair accessible: the sewers of Greensboro, North Carolina.
“We threw the pack together in like an hour. It was a hiking backpack with a metal frame. We actually laid it on the ground, and they laid me on top of it, using hammocks,” Chandler said.
It worked, and the pack sparked a new-found confidence in this would-be traveler.
“If we can do this, what else can we do?” he wondered. The answer was “the world.”
The dream
A young Kevan poses with his sister, Connie, who was also born with muscular dystrophy.
Chandler and his friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help finance their journey to Europe, which is scheduled to begin on June 19.
The budding fantasy writer’s itinerary is heavily inspired by own ancestral roots and a nostalgia for his heroes.
First up, Samois-sur-Seine, France, the former home of Django Reinhardt, a guitarist who invented a new style of jazz to accommodate his deformed hands, which were burned in a fire.
“I found out about Reinhardt in high school and that was about the time my hands were getting weaker as well. He flourished despite his disabilities,” Chandler said.
Chandler’s condition is degenerative, affecting the skeletal muscles that control movement, and there is no known cure. But like his idol, Chandler remains defiant.
“My philosophy is just to keep moving,” he said.
Much of his fortitude springs from his older sister, Connie, who was also born with muscular dystrophy.
“The doctors told my parents, ‘if you have another kid, they will have it, and we encourage you not to.’ My dad took mom’s hand and told the doctors, ‘if you’re telling me the worst thing that can happen is we have another child like Connie, we’re OK with that.'”
‘Keep moving’
The team planning to carry Chandler across Europe (from left to right): Ben Duvall, Tom Troyer and Philip Keller.
After a jaunt through England, the group will face their biggest uphill climb — literally.
Atop the rocky island of Skellig Michael, off Ireland’s coast, sits a preserved sixth-century monastery, a terminus that appeals to Chandler’s deep sense of faith.
But getting to the top is a challenge for even the most able-bodied person. A 600-step staircase will sit between the group of friends and the monastery.
Chandler’s friends are eager for the challenge and inspired by his ambitious wanderlust.
“I just renewed my gym membership … but we’re going to make it fun. His disability is just a layer of character; it’s not the essence of his character,” said Tom Troyer, who’ll be carrying Chandler part of the way.
Every step of their voyage will be filmed, and Chandler hopes his story, which he plans to pen along the way, will inspire others who have been told they couldn’t conquer the world because of their disabilities.
“Like I said, we just have to keep moving,” he said.
Words to study:
muscular dystrophy
backpacking
ingenuity
budding
degenerative
Discussion Questions:
How would you describe Kevan Chandler?
What do think about his friends?
Have you ever gone backpacking somewhere? Tell us about your experience.
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of backpacking?
Whether you’re taking public transportation or using your car, we all have stories to tell about our daily commute, especially if it’s something we do on a daily basis.
Click on the title below and read about the commuters in Mumbai and their experiences on the train.
1. Describe the pictures you’ve seen in the article. 2. Recall the experiences of some of the passengers who take the train. 3. How efficient is public transportation in your country? What would you change if any? 4. Share some of your unusual stories as a commuter.
Human evolution is all about the process or physical changes that humans went through over the years. Would a simple activity, like chewing, really have an impact on human evolution? Read the article below to find out more.
1. What did you think of the article? 2. What do you know about human evolution? 3. How would you describe your eating habits? 4. Do you think it’s right that humans are often compared to chimpanzees?
Spain is a country of geographic and cultural diversity. With friendly locals, a relaxed lifestyle and a lively nightlife, it is considered by many to be exotic. Spain offers a wide array of activities and holiday destinations.
Read the article below to explore some of the top national parks worth visiting.
1. How locally well- travelled are you? 2. Which of the National Parks mentioned in the article do you like most? 3. What was the most amazing local trip you had?
Making eye contact can evoke different emotions. Whether it was too long or the lack of it. Depending on the situation, there happens to be a proper way of making eye contact.
Read the article below to get some interesting facts about eye contact.
1. Would you agree on what the article is saying about making eye contact? 2. Are you the type of person who is comfortable looking people in the eye? Or are you more reserved? 3. Which of the situations in the article have you experienced?
1. Explain the important details mentioned in the article about dreams. 2. Which points do you agree with? Disagree with? 3. What is your own explanation to why people dream? 4. Do you remember most of your dreams or do you forget them as soon as you wake up?
1. What did the article say about being a saver and being a spender? 2. After reading the article, where would you put yourself? 3. What are some of the things you mostly spend on? 4. What are some of the things that you are willing to save for? Or invest in?
1. What did you think about the article? 2. How might happiness be unhealthy? 3. How would you define happiness? 4. Share some of the happy memories you’ve had in the past week or month.
