title: Trigonometry

paragraphs: Trigonometry (from the Greek "trigonon" = three angles and "metron" = measure) is a part of elementary mathematics dealing with angles, triangles and trigonometric functions such as sine (abbreviated sin), cosine (abbreviated cos) and tangent (abbreviated tan). It has some connection to geometry, although there is disagreement on exactly what that connection is; for some, trigonometry is just a section of geometry.

paragraphs: Trigonometry uses a large number of specific words to describe parts of a triangle. Some of the definitions in trigonometry are:

paragraphs: There are three main trigonometric ratios for right triangles, and three reciprocals of those ratios, making up a total of 6 ratios. They are:

paragraphs: Cosecant (csc) - The cosecant of an angle is equal to the formula_4 or formula_5.

paragraphs: Secant (sec) - The secant of an angle is equal to the formula_6 or formula_7.

paragraphs: Cotangent (cot) - The cotangent of an angle is equal to the formula_8 or formula_9.

paragraphs: Students often use a mnemonic to remember this relationship. The "sine", "cosine", and "tangent" ratios in a right triangle can be remembered by representing them as strings of letters, such as SOH-CAH-TOA:

paragraphs: With the sines and cosines, one can answer virtually all questions about triangles. This is called "solving" the triangle. One can work out the remaining angles and sides of any triangle, as soon as two sides and their included angle or two angles and a side or three sides are known. These laws are useful in all branches of geometry, since "every polygon may be described as a combination of triangles".

paragraphs: Trigonometry is also vital in surveying, in vector analysis, and in the study of periodic functions. It developed from a need to compute angles and distances in fields such as astronomy, mapmaking, surveying, and artillery range finding.

paragraphs: There is also such a thing as spherical trigonometry, which deals with spherical geometry. This is used for calculations in astronomy, geodesy and navigation.


title: Monotheism

paragraphs: Monotheism is the belief in only one god, rather than two or more, which would be polytheism such as Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt and partly Hinduism. Many religions are monotheistic, such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha'i Faith, Sikhism, Eckankar, Zoroastrianism, Cao Dai and Tenrikyo. Some pagan and neo-pagan religions are also monotheistic. Deism is the belief that a higher being like god exists, but rejects the belief in many gods, revelation, religions, rituals, sacred books (like the Bible or Quran), prophets (like Jesus or Muhammad), etc. Judaism and Zoroastrianism are thought to be the oldest living monotheistic religions.


title: Polytheism

paragraphs: Polytheism means believing in many gods. A person that believes in polytheism is called a polytheist. A religion with polytheism can be called a polytheistic religion.

paragraphs: Polytheism is well documented in historical religions of classical antiquity, especially those of ancient Greeks and Romans. Other ancient people who were polytheists include German pagans, Ancient Egyptians, the Celts and the Norse.

paragraphs: There are various polytheistic religions practiced today, for example Shinto, Chinese folk religion, Thelma, Wicca, Druidism, Taoism, Asatru and Candomblé.

paragraphs: Usually, a polytheistic religion has a set of stories about the gods. This is called mythology.

paragraphs: The opposite of polytheism is monotheism, which is the belief in only one god, practiced by the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, etc.


title: Nelvana

paragraphs: Nelvana is a Canadian animation studio. It was founded in 1971 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert, and Clive A. Smith. The company is now owned by Corus Entertainment. It is named after a local comic book superheroine of the 1940s.

paragraphs: It specialises mainly in the field of child-friendly TV shows and movies. Some of them are:


title: Jeb Bush

paragraphs: John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American businessman and politician. He served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.

paragraphs: Bush is the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, the younger brother of former President George W. Bush, and grandson of the late Prescott Bush, United States Senator from Connecticut. Following his father's successful run for Vice President in 1980, he moved to Florida and pursued a career in real estate development. In 1986, Bush was named Florida's Secretary of Commerce, a position he held until his resignation in 1988 to help his father's successful campaign for the Presidency.

paragraphs: In 1994, Bush made his first run for office, losing the election for governor by less than two percentage points to the incumbent Lawton Chiles. Bush ran again in 1998 and defeated Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay with 55 percent of the vote. He ran for reelection in 2002. He won with 56 percent to become Florida's first two-term Republican governor. During his eight years as governor, Bush helped create environmental improvements, such as conservation in the Everglades, supporting caps for medical malpractice litigation, moving Medicaid recipients to private systems, and creating reforms to the state education system, including the issuance of vouchers and promoting school choice.

paragraphs: Bush was a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election.

paragraphs: Bush was born in Midland, Texas. He was raised in Houston, Texas. His father is George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States and 43rd Vice President of the United States. His mother is Barbara Pierce. The nickname "Jeb" is made up of his initials J.E.B. (John Ellis Bush).

paragraphs: Bush received poor grades at first and occasionally smoked marijuana. He made the honor roll by the end of his senior year and served as captain of the tennis team. He studied at the University of Texas at Austin. At the age of 17, Bush taught English as a second language and worked in the building of a school in Ibarrilla, a small village outside of León, Guanajuato, Mexico/ It was part of a student exchange summer program. While in Mexico, he met his future wife, Columba Garnica Gallo.

paragraphs: In 1994, Bush made his first run for office. He lost the election for governor by less than two percentage points to the incumbent Lawton Chiles.

paragraphs: Bush ran again in 1998 and beat Lieutenant Governor Buddy MacKay with 55 percent of the vote. Bush's administration was marked by a focus on public education reform.

paragraphs: While Governor, Bush reduced taxes by $19 billion, reduced the size of state government by 6.6 percent, and vetoed $2 billion in new spending. Bush eliminated civil service protection for over 16,000 state jobs, which had the effect of making it easier to fire employees in those positions.

paragraphs: Bush signed legislation to restore the Everglades as part of an $8 billion project in conjunction with the federal government. Bush supported more than a dozen new protections for gun owners. In 2005, Bush signed into law Florida's stand-your-ground law, which was the first such state law in the United States. In 2004, Bush supported an unsuccessful bill to allow illegal immigrants to be issued drivers licenses by the state.

paragraphs: He ran for reelection in 2002 and won with 56 percent to become Florida's first two-term Republican governor.

paragraphs: During his eight years as governor, Bush was credited with initiating environmental improvements, such as conservation in the Everglades, supporting caps for medical malpractice litigation, moving medicaid recipients to private systems, and instituting reforms to the state education system, including the issuance of vouchers and promoting school choice.

paragraphs: Bush was considered a potential candidate in the 2016 presidential election since the end of the 2012 election.

paragraphs: At a press conference on April 16, 2013, at Bluefield College, Bush stated he had not begun the decision making process about a run but that he would begin to consider a run soon. On October 2, 2014, Bush's brother George said that his brother "wants to be President". On December 16, 2014, Bush announced via Facebook that he would be "actively exploring" a 2016 run to become President of the United States and at the end of the year resigned several corporate boards.

paragraphs: Bush announced his candidacy on June 15, 2015. Bush was high on Republican polls for president in June, but slipped as he lost to Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and to Marco Rubio. After losing the Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina caucuses, Bush suspended his campaign on February 20, 2016.

paragraphs: Bush married Columbia Bush in 1974. They have three children: George, Noelle, and John.

paragraphs: In 1995, Bush converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism. In 2004, he became a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. Bush, a member of Father Hugon Council 3521 in Tallahassee, has joined Father Hugon Assembly.


title: Auckland

paragraphs: Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. About 1.4 million people live in the . For a short time in New Zealand's history it was the capital city. Now Wellington is the capital city.

paragraphs: Auckland is in the north of the North Island. It is situated on two harbours: the Manukau and Waitemata harbours. It is known as the "City of Sails" because there are many sailing boats in the city. The Hauraki Gulf has many different islands and provides safe anchorage and good sailing that is recognised around the world. It has a temperate oceanic climate ("Cfb" in the Koeppen climate classification).

paragraphs: Auckland is built on a series of dormant volcanos. The youngest and largest of these is called Rangitoto. Rangitoto is an island just a few kilometres from the city centre. It has many pohutukawas, native trees also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree because of their brilliant red flowers which bloom in December.

paragraphs: In 2010, Len Brown became the 1st Mayor of Auckland. In 2016, he was replaced by Phil Goff.

paragraphs: According to the NIWA, Auckland has a subtropical climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, rainy winters. Under Köppen's climate classification, the city has an oceanic climate ("Cfb"). It is the warmest main centre of New Zealand and is also one of the sunniest, with an average of over 2000 sunshine hours per annum. The average daily maximum temperature is in February and in July. The absolute maximum recorded temperature is , while the absolute minimum is . High levels of rainfall occur almost year–round with an average of per year spread over 136 rain days, but is most frequent in Winter. Snowfall in Auckland is extremely rare; recorded instances include 27 July 1939 and 15 August 2011, although without any accumulation.

paragraphs: The early morning calm on the isthmus during settled weather, before the sea breeze rises, was described as early as 1853: "In all seasons, the beauty of the day is in the early morning. At that time, generally, a solemn stillness holds, and a perfect calm prevails...". Many Aucklanders use this time of day to walk and run in parks.

paragraphs: Auckland occasionally suffers from air pollution due to fine particle emissions. There are also occasional breaches of guideline levels of carbon monoxide. While maritime winds normally disperse the pollution relatively quickly it can sometimes become visible as smog, especially on calm winter days. The west of Auckland is slightly wetter and cooler than the eastern side, with the gulf islands being warmer and drier still.


title: Capitalism

paragraphs: Capitalism is an economic system. In it the government plays a secondary role. People and companies make most of the decisions, and own most of the property. Goods are usually made by companies and sold for profit. The means of production are largely or entirely privately owned (by individuals or companies) and operated for profit.

paragraphs: Most property, for example, is owned by people or companies, not by the government or by the workers. Capitalism has a more or less free market economy, which means that prices move up or down according to the availability of the products. People buy and sell things according to their own judgment. In most countries there is some regulation (trade laws) and some planning done by the government. They are sometimes called "mixed economies" to indicate this. Some people disagree on whether capitalism is a good idea, or how much of capitalism is a good idea.

paragraphs: The word comes from "capital", meaning something of value. This can be money (""financial capital"") or any other goods that can be traded. The word "capital" originally comes from the Latin word "caput", meaning "head." It was used to mean how many "head" of cattle a rich person owned, in days long ago when cattle were used as money. In fact, the words "capital" and "cattle" both come from "caput".

paragraphs: The philosopher Adam Smith's book, "The Wealth of Nations", was an important book that developed the ideas of capitalism and the free market. The word "capitalism" was not used until the 19th century. The greatest invention of capitalism is often said to be the joint stock company. A joint-stock company is a business where different stocks can be bought and owned by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion to the number of their shares.

paragraphs: In capitalism, people may sell or lend their property, and other people may buy or borrow it. If one person wants to buy, and another person wants to sell to them, they do not need to get permission from higher power. People can have a market (buying and selling with each other) without anyone else telling them to. People who own capital are sometimes called "capitalists" (people who support capitalism are called capitalists, too). They can hire anyone who wants to work in their factories, shops or lands for them for the pay they offer.

paragraphs: The word "capital" can be used to mean things that produce more things or money. For example, lands, factories, shops, tools and machines are capital. If someone has money that can be "invested", that money is capital too.

paragraphs: In capitalist systems, many people are workers (or "proletarians"). They are employed to earn money for living. People can choose to work for anyone who will hire them in a free market.

paragraphs: This is different from many older economic systems. In "feudalism", most people were "serfs" and had to work for the people who owned the land they lived on. In "mercantilism", the government makes it hard to buy things from other countries. In many countries with "mixed economies" (part capitalism and part socialism) there are laws about what you can buy or sell, or what prices you can charge, or whom you can hire or fire.

paragraphs: An "investment" is when people invest (give) their money in things. People can put their money together to buy or build things, even if they are too big for one person to make alone. The people who invest get to be the owners of what they buy or build together. The stock market lets people buy and sell investments.

paragraphs: Investing is important to capitalism. The word "capitalist" can mean two things: it can mean someone who likes capitalism; but it can also mean someone who invests. For example, a "venture capitalist" invests in new businesses.

paragraphs: People who start businesses, or invest in businesses, can make a lot of money. A business sells things that people want. The investors make extra money, which is called "profit". Investors can take their profit and invest it in more businesses, or in making the business bigger. The investors can get more and more profit if the businesses are successful.

paragraphs: "Socialists" and "communists" are people who do not support capitalism. They say it hurts workers, because businesses make more money by selling things than they pay the workers who make the things. Business owners become rich while workers remain poor and exploited (taken advantage of). They also argue society would be more efficient if people thought less about competing against one another for their own interests and thought more of working together for the overall good of society. Another argument is that each person has a right to basic needs (such as food and shelter). Within capitalism, sometimes people might not get everything they need to live.

paragraphs: Karl Marx was a famous communist philosopher from Germany. He wrote a famous book called "The Capital" (or "Das Kapital" in German). He said that capitalism would go away after workers decided to take over the government in a revolution because of the exploitation. There were violent communist revolutions in many countries. Many people were killed because of this. But capitalism did not go away, and most of these communist systems have collapsed and do not exist today, or else they have become more capitalist. Some people think that communism in those countries did not work because Marx's ideas, though nice in thought, did not really work. Others think that communist countries collapsed because of the attacks (military, political and economic) from capitalist countries.

paragraphs: Anarchists (that are not anarcho-capitalists) do not support capitalism either. They do not think there should be any bosses because it is a hierarchy. They think that Marxist–Leninist governments were unsuccessful because they were dictatorships that said that they would rule in the name of workers, but ruled in the name of their leaders. They think that these governments were state capitalist and not socialist.

paragraphs: There are different words for people who support capitalism. In many parts of the world, these people are called either "conservatives" or "liberals". In the United States, the word liberal means someone who supports capitalism but wants some rules on what the market can do and cannot do. "Libertarian" is a word that in America and some other countries means someone who wants the government to have little or no power to tell people what to buy or sell.

paragraphs: The reasons for capitalism are not just economic. They are political. People who like capitalism believe that capitalism provides liberty by the citizen by allowing them to be independent. Friedrich Hayek agreed with this and connected the open society with respect for the individual, and tolerance for the differences between people.

paragraphs: People who support capitalism also have disagreements. Most people agree that capitalism works better if the government keeps people from stealing other people's things. If people could steal anything, then nobody would want to buy anything.

paragraphs: In most countries, the government does more than that. It tries to make sure that people buy and sell fairly and that employment is fair. The government also takes money in taxes, it also buys a lot of things and gives a lot of money away. It spends money on guns and ships for the military, on science research in universities, and on schools and libraries. It also gives money to people who do not have jobs, and to businesses that the political leaders think are important. When the government is in charge of part of the economy, this is called a "social democracy." However, when the government spends money it causes arguments about what the money should be spent on.

paragraphs: A few people think that people can protect themselves without any government. Instead of having laws against stealing, people could protect their own things, or agree to pay other people such as arbitrators, insurers, and private defenders to protect them. This belief is called "anarcho-capitalism." These people think that the government is trying to take away their earnings, because it takes taxes away from people against their will and keeps them from making agreements between themselves.


title: Ghana

paragraphs: Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) is a country in West Africa. Twenty-three million people live there; its capital is Accra. It is in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Côte d'Ivoire and Togo.

paragraphs: Since Ghana is near the Equator, the climate is very warm and tropical. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry. South west corner is hot and humid. The north is hot and dry. Lake Volta (the world’s largest artificial lake) extends through eastern Ghana.

paragraphs: Most Ghanaians have access to primary and secondary education. Ghana has a 6-year primary school system. There are 6 public universities and 10 private universities.

paragraphs: Ghana has many natural resources. The main exports are gold, timber, cocoa, diamonds, and more. Ghana has one of the strongest economies in Africa.

paragraphs: Ghana used “Cedi” for their currency but in July 2007, “Ghanaian Cedi” became the new currency. 1 Ghana Cedi is equal to 1000 Cedi. 1 US dollar is currently exchanged at about 4 Ghana Cedi.

paragraphs: Ghana is a country located on the Gulf of Guinea. It is only a few degrees north of the Equator. This gives it a warm climate. The country has an area of . It is surrounded by Togo to the east, Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) to the south.

paragraphs: The country has flat plains, low hills and a few rivers. Ghana can be divided into five different geographical regions. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub. It is crossed by several rivers and streams. The northern part of the country has high plains. Southwest and south central Ghana is made up of a forested plateau region with the Ashanti uplands and the Kwahu Plateau. The hilly Akuapim-Togo ranges are found along the country's eastern border.

paragraphs: The Volta Basin also takes up most of central Ghana. Ghana's highest point is Mount Afadjato. It is and is found in the Akwapim-Togo Ranges.

paragraphs: There are two main seasons in Ghana: the wet and the dry seasons. Northern Ghana has its rainy season from March to November. The south, including the capital Accra, has the season from April to mid-November.

paragraphs: Ghana is divided into 16 administrative regions, sub-divided into 275 districts:

paragraphs: Football is the most popular sport. The national men's football team is known as the Black Stars. The under-20 team is known as the Black Satellites. Ghana has been in many championships including the African Cup of Nations, the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Ghana became the third African country to reach the quarter final stage. There are several club football teams in Ghana, which play in the Ghana Premier League and Division One League. Both are managed by the Ghana Football Association.

paragraphs: The country also has quite a few quality boxers such as Azumah Nelson a three time world champion, Nana Yaw Konadu also a three time world champion, Ike Quartey, and Joshua Clottey.


title: Strawberry Shortcake

paragraphs: Strawberry Shortcake is a doll. The doll has red hair and smells like strawberries. She first appeared on cards by American Greetings, and there soon were a series of dolls (each that smell like a different fruit and had a pet) and several TV specials produced by DIC and Nelvana. The characters in the collection from the 1980s were:

paragraphs: In 2002, after other 1980s toys (Care Bears, G.I. Joe,etc.) were brought back for youndger kids and parents who played with them and new line of dolls was released and along with several direct-to-DVD specials.


title: Christina Aguilera

paragraphs: Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Aguilera made her debut in "Star Search" in 1990. Three years later, she starred on "The New Mickey Mouse Club". She was signed to RCA Records after making the song "Reflection" for the movie "Mulan". Aguilera received a Best New Artist Grammy Award for her first album "Christina Aguilera" (1999). She made a Latin pop album, "Mi Reflejo", and a Christmas album, "My Kind of Christmas". "Mi Reflejo" won a Latin Grammy Award. Aguilera received Grammy Awards for her second album "Stripped" (2002), and her third album "Back to Basics" (2006). In 2008, she released her first greatest hits album, "Keeps Gettin' Better – A Decade of Hits", a new song, "Dynamite", and new versions of her hits "Genie in a Bottle" and "Beautiful", called "Genie 2.0" and "You Are What You Are (Beautiful)". In 2011, Aguilera became a coach on "The Voice".

paragraphs: Christina María Aguilera was born in Staten Island, New York, in December 18, 1980. Her parents Fausto Xavier Aguilera, was a soldier in the United States Army and Shelly Loraine (née Fidler), was a violinist and pianist, respectively. Her father has Ecuadorian ancestry. Her American mother has German, English, Irish, Scots-Irish, and French ancestry. Throughout her father's service in the Army, her family moved to various locations, including New Jersey, Texas, New York, and Japan. Her parents divorced when Aguilera was six years old. She, her mother, and her younger sister Rachel then lived at her grandmother's home in Rochester, Pennsylvania, a town outside Pittsburgh. Her mother later remarried.

paragraphs: In October 2011 Aguilera performed "Smile" and "Dirty Diana" at Michael Jackson Forever.

paragraphs: Aguilera released her seventh album "Lotus" on November 9, 2012. Two singles were released from the album. The first single, "Your Body", reached the top ten in Canada and the top 40 in the US. Aguilera made a Spanish song for the 2012 movie "Casa de Mi Padre". Aguilera also sung a song on the sound track of the 2013 movie "" called "We Remain". She sang on the single version of A Great Big World's single "Say Something", which reached number one in Canada and Australia and the top five in other countries.

paragraphs: On June 15, 2018, Aguilera released her eighth studio album, "Liberation".

paragraphs: Aguilera is a soprano. She has a whistle register.

paragraphs: In 2010 Aguilera acted in a film for the first time. It was a musical called "Burlesque". She played a woman called Ali. She sang eight of the songs in the soundtrack.


title: Chicken

paragraphs: A chicken ("Gallus gallus domesticus") is a kind of domesticated bird. It is raised in many places for its meat and eggs. They are usually kept by humans as livestock. Most breeds of chickens can fly for a short distance. Some sleep in trees if there are trees around.

paragraphs: A male chicken is called a rooster or a cockerel. A female chicken is called a hen. A young chicken is called a chick. Like other female birds, hens lay eggs. The eggs hatch into chicks.

paragraphs: When raising chickens, a farmer needs a chicken coop (like a little house) for the chickens to roost (sleep) in. They also need a run or yard where they can exercise, take dust baths, eat and drink. The chickens also need to be protected from predators such as foxes. Fences are often used for this.

paragraphs: Chickens can also be farmed intensively. This lets farms make a lot of chicken meat and eggs.

paragraphs: Chickenpox has nothing to do with chickens. When chickenpox was first described, people thought that the pox spots looked like chickpeas placed upon the skin. The Latin word for chick peas is "cicer". That is the original word that chickenpox got its name from.

paragraphs: Chickens are well known for their eggs. Many people eat them for their breakfast. The eggs can be prepared in many different ways.

paragraphs: Because of the low cost, chicken meat (also called "chicken") is one of the most used kinds of meat in the world. Americans eat 8 billion chickens every year. Some popular dishes with chicken are: Buffalo wings, butter chicken, chicken rice, chicken balls, chicken pot pie, chicken soup, fried chicken (see picture), roasted chicken and tandoori chicken.

paragraphs: In some parts of the world people breed chickens to fight. They bet money on which of two birds will win. In many places this is illegal.


title: Floppy disk

paragraphs: The floppy disk (or a 3 1/2 floppy for today's standard) is a removable magnetic storage medium. Floppy disks are used for moving information between computers, laptops or other devices. Some early digital cameras, electronic music instruments and older computer game consoles use floppy disks. Floppy disks are inserted in to a floppy disk drive or simply floppy drive to allow data to be read or stored.

paragraphs: Floppy disks store much less data than a CD-ROM disk or USB flash drive. A normal 3½ inch disk can store 1.44 megabytes of data. This is usually enough for simple text documents.

paragraphs: A special type of floppy disk was made in the late 1980s. It could store 2.88 MB of data. They did not become popular. Larger size floppy disks became available in the 1990s. The two most popular were the Zip drive and the Jaz drive, both made by Iomega.

paragraphs: Floppy disk technology has been around since the early 1970s (the 8-inch floppy was the first). Today, floppy disks have been replaced by other storage media, like USB flash drives. Floppy disks and drives are no longer manufactured, but are still widely-available as new old stock.

paragraphs: A floppy drive (often called drives “A” and “B” on a computer running DOS or Windows) can be connected to or installed in a personal computer (PC). It is the part of a computer that reads and writes the disk that can be removed. A disk, often called a "floppy disk", is used to store files and carry them from one computer to another by using the floppy drive. The floppy drive reads the disk (or diskette) and the user is then able to open and change the files saved on the disk.


title: Nat King Cole

paragraphs: Nathaniel Adams Coles, professionally known as Nat King Cole, (March 17, 1919 - February 15, 1965) was an American jazz musician, singer and songwriter. He was born in the southern city of Montgomery, Alabama. His father was a Christian minister. Millions of Nat King Cole’s recordings were sold while he was alive. He died of cancer of the lung in February, 1965. He was only forty-five years old. People around the world still enjoy listening to the music of one of America’s greatest performers of popular and jazz music.

paragraphs: When Cole was four years old, his parents moved the family to North Chicago, Illinois. His younger brother was Freddy Cole. He learned to play the piano when he was very young. His mother was the only piano teacher he ever had. He gave his first public performance when he was four. By the time he was twelve, Cole was playing piano at his father’s church. His father was pastor of the First Baptist church in North Chicago, Illinois for 29 years.

paragraphs: Cole played piano in New York City and Los Angeles, California when he was a young man. In 1937, he formed a group that played jazz music. Oscar Moore played the guitar and Wesley Prince played the bass. The trio reportedly did not need a drummer because Cole’s piano playing kept the beat so well. They named the group, The King Cole Trio. At the same time, Cole also changed his name into Nat King Cole. The trio soon became very popular. Nat sang some songs, but mostly played the piano.

paragraphs: By the middle 1940s, Nat King Cole was beginning to be known as a popular singer as well as a jazz piano player. He was one of the first musicians to record with new Capitol Records.

paragraphs: The first song he recorded for Capitol was “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” He wrote the song. The words were based on his father’s teachings. The song became one of the biggest hits of 1943. It sold more than 500,000 copies.

paragraphs: Nat recorded hundreds of songs. Some of the most popular include “Sweet Lorraine,” “Nature Boy,” “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer,” “When I Fall in Love,” and “Mona Lisa.” In 1950, the American film industry gave him an award for his recording of “Mona Lisa.” That song made him famous as a singer.

paragraphs: Nat King Cole also acted in movies. The best known one is "Saint Louis Blues". He played the part of the jazz composer W.C. Handy. He also appeared in a movie about himself called "The Nat King Cole Story".

paragraphs: In the 1950s, he sang with some of the best known orchestras of the time.

paragraphs: He received many awards during his life. He also received many more after his death. One was a 1990 Grammy Award for lifetime achievement.

paragraphs: By 1956, Nat King Cole was known internationally. He signed an agreement to perform at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

paragraphs: Cole often performed in places that only admitted white people. Black leaders did not like this about him. Cole said he tried to take legal action against those places but often failed.

paragraphs: Cole earned more money and moved to California. He bought a house in an area where white people lived. At that time, many white Americans did not want to live near blacks. White home owners nearby protested the purchase of a house by a black family. Cole and his family refused to leave and lived in the house without problems.

paragraphs: Cole was the first black man to have his own television program. His program began on NBC Television in 1956. NBC agreed to support "The Nat King Cole Show" for a while. It hoped American companies would pay to sell their products on the program. However, major companies were not willing to advertise on a program that had a black performer. They believed that white people in the southern part of the United States would not buy their products. Many Americans watched the show, but NBC stopped production after a year.

paragraphs: Nat King Cole was married two times. In 1936, he married a dancer, Nadine Robinson. Their marriage failed. In 1948, he married Maria Ellington. They had three children. They also adopted and raised two other children.

paragraphs: Nat’s daughter, Natalie followed her father as a singer. She recorded many songs after her father died. In 1991, Natalie Cole recorded an album called "Unforgettable". It contains 22 of Nat King Cole’s songs, including the song “Unforgettable.” Modern technology made it possible to mix her voice with a recording of her father singing the same song.


title: Voice of America

paragraphs: The Voice of America (VOA) is the official broadcasting service of the United States government. It is one of the best-known stations in international broadcasting. Along with English, VOA broadcasts in many other languages. VOA's broadcasts are made to share a positive view of the United States with the world. Americans in the United States are not part of VOA's intended audience, but many Americans do listen to the program.

paragraphs: VOA was organized in 1942 under the Office of War Information with news programs aimed at Europe and North Africa occupied by Germany. VOA began broadcasting on February 24, 1942, but VOA noted in its site that it began broadcasting on February 1, 1942. Transmitters used by VOA came from shortwave transmitters used by the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Voice of America began to transmit radio broadcasts into the Soviet Union on February 17, 1947.

paragraphs: During the Cold War, VOA's budget was reduced. On August 1, 1953, VOA was separated from the Department of State and it was included under the Information Agency. VOA moved its headquarters from New York to Washington, DC. next year. In 1959 VOA started "Special English" programs. In the 1980s, VOA also added a television service, as well as special regional programs to Cuba, Radio Marti and TV Marti.

paragraphs: One of VOA's famous programs was remembered as "Jazz Hour" presented by Willis Conover.This program continued for 40 years, and its record remains at the National Museum of American History, also known as ""Smithsonian".

paragraphs: The Voice of America broadcasts in 46 different languages. Television broadcasts are marked with a star:


title: George Gershwin

paragraphs: George Gershwin (September 26, 1898; Brooklyn, New York – July 11, 1937; Hollywood, California) was an American composer and a pianist.

paragraphs: George Gershwin was born on September 26, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York.

paragraphs: His family immigrated to the United States. Gershwin, his two brothers and sister had a close, happy family life. George liked playing games on the streets of New York. He liked exploring the city, but he did not like school or studying.

paragraphs: While exploring the city, Gershwin heard jazz and blues music spilling out of public drinking places. However, he did not become seriously interested in music until he heard another boy playing the violin in a concert at his school. Gershwin began to take piano lessons. His teacher was a fine classical musician. He immediately recognized Gershwin's unusual ability. The teacher wrote about him to a friend: "I have a student who will make his mark in music, if anybody will. The boy is a genius, without doubt."

paragraphs: Gershwin studied classical piano, and he was a first-rate pianist,but his strongest interest continued to be jazz and popular music. He loved playing piano and it was his passion. At the age of fifteen, he left school and went to work in the music business. The New York City street where most music publishers had their offices was called "Tin Pan Alley."

paragraphs: The phonograph and radio had been invented in the late 1800s. But it would be many years before there were musical recordings or regular radio broadcasts. Tin Pan Alley publishers needed another way to sell new songs, so they employed people to play the piano to do this.

paragraphs: The piano players played the songs all day long to interested singers and other performers. Gershwin was one of the youngest piano players in Tin Pan Alley. Soon, he was considered one of the finest there. He was already writing his own songs. He succeeded in getting one published when he was only 18 years old. It had a long title: "When You Want 'Em, You Can't Get ‘Em, When You've Got 'Em, You Don't Want 'Em. "

paragraphs: Gershwin was now a real composer. The rest of his life was an unbroken record of success. He wrote song after song. His ideas were so endless that he was not even troubled when he once lost some music he had been writing. "There is plenty more where that came from," he said.

paragraphs: Gershwin had his first big hit in 1919, when he was twenty-one years old. It was a song called "Swanee." A popular entertainer, Al Jolson, sang the song. "Swanee" was made into one of the first musical recordings. Gershwin was suddenly famous. He also was in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

paragraphs: Music critics note that "Swanee" is not like most of Gershwin's music. Later, he wrote true love songs. Some were light and funny. Some were full of intense feeling. Many of these songs were written for the popular musical theater. One of his most emotional love songs never became part of a musical play, however. It is called "The Man I love." The song was sung by the Francine Evans role [played by Liza Minnelli in Martin Scorsese's film, New York, New York] and supposedly 'written' by her character for her soon to be husband, Jimmy Doyle [superbly played by Robert De Niro], of the Jimmy Doyle Orchestra. His character also 'wrote' the title song, New York, New York, who was actually written by Fred Ebb, music by Kanter, his partner. The song became New York's official anthem in 1985.

paragraphs: Gershwin's older brother, Ira, wrote the words to "The Man I Love". As George became famous, Ira wrote the words to more and more of his songs.

paragraphs: The two brothers were very different. Ira, the writer, was quiet and serious. George, the musician, was outgoing—the life of any party. When they had to finish a new musical Ira locked George in a hotel room until it was done. But George wrote better songs with Ira than with anyone else.

paragraphs: One of many examples of the Gershwin's combined work is the song "They Can't Take That Away From Me." The Gershwins wrote the song for dancer and actor Fred Astaire for the film "Shall We Dance." That was George and Ira Gershwin's first movie musical.

paragraphs: Many of George Gershwin's songs were first written for musical plays performed in theaters in New York City. These comedies, with plenty of songs, were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s.

paragraphs: One of Gershwin's musical plays, "Girl Crazy," introduced a young singer named Ethel Merman. She became one of the most celebrated performers in America. In the play, Merman sang a song George Gershwin wrote just for her. It was called "I Got Rhythm".

paragraphs: Many songs that George Gershwin wrote for musical plays and movies have remained as popular as ever. Over the years, they have been sung and played in every possible way—from jazz to country.

paragraphs: One example is the song, "Someone to Watch Over Me." It was written for the 1926 musical "Oh, Kay!"

paragraphs: In the nineteen twenties, there was a debate in the United States about jazz music. Could jazz, some people asked, be considered serious music?

paragraphs: In 1924, jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music. Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized how little time he had to do it. The concert was just a few weeks away. Gershwin got busy, and, in that short time, he composed a piece for piano and orchestra. He called it "Rhapsody in Blue."

paragraphs: Gershwin himself played the piano part of "Rhapsody in Blue" at the concert. The audience included some of the greatest classical musicians of the time. When they heard his music, they were electrified. It seemed to capture, for the first time, the true voice of modern American culture. Today, we can still hear Gershwin playing "Rhapsody in Blue." An old mechanical piano recording Gershwin created has been reproduced exactly. There are also very early versions of "Rhapsody in Blue" which feature Gershwin playing the piano with Whiteman's orchestra. Those recordings, because they are early, do not sound like modern recordings. But they are recordings of Gershwin at the piano. This makes those recordings important.

paragraphs: "Rhapsody in Blue" made George Gershwin famous all over the world. Several hundred thousand copies of the printed music sold immediately. Gershwin was satisfied that he had shown that jazz music could be both serious and popular.

paragraphs: Gershwin also wrote an opera, "Porgy and Bess. " It was based on a book by DuBose Heyward. It is a tragic love story about black Americans along the coast of South Carolina.

paragraphs: "Porgy And Bess" opened in Boston, Massachusetts in 1935. Audiences loved it. But most critics did not know what to think of it. It was not like any other opera or musical play they had ever seen.

paragraphs: Gershwin did not care about the critics' opinions. He believed some of his greatest music had gone into the opera. He said he had created a new musical form—an opera based on popular culture. Today "Porgy And Bess" is considered a masterpiece.

paragraphs: Another well-known Gershwin piece is "An American in Paris. " It is a long tone poem for orchestra. Its first public performance was by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1928.

paragraphs: Once again, opinion was mixed. Most people loved "An American in Paris," as they loved all of Gershwin's music. Some critics liked it, too. They called it happy and full of life. Others hated it. They called it silly and long-winded.

paragraphs: George Gershwin died in 1937, just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer. He died while having surgery to remove the brain tumor. He was only thirty-eight years old. Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages. Everyone mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have written. Gershwin is still considered one of America's greatest composers. His works still are performed by many singers and groups. They are probably performed more often than any other serious American composer.

paragraphs: Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg was one of the people who praised George Gershwin. Schoenberg said Gershwin was a man who lived in music and expressed everything through music, because music was his native language.


title: Aaron Copland

paragraphs: Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was an American composer who wrote modern music.

paragraphs: Aaron Copland wrote many kinds of music. He wrote music for the orchestra, piano, and voice. He wrote music for plays, movies, and dance. Copland also was a conductor, pianist, speaker, teacher, and writer.

paragraphs: Music critics say Copland taught Americans about themselves through his music. He used parts of many old American folksongs in his work. He wanted to do this after studying music in France. He said that composers there had a very French way of writing music. He said Americans had nothing like that in this country. So he decided to compose music that was truly American.

paragraphs: Aaron Copland was born November 14, 1900 in Brooklyn, New York. He died at the age of 90 on December 2, 1990. He was the youngest of five children. His parents had come to the United States from eastern Europe. They owned a store in Brooklyn. Aaron began playing the piano when he was a young child. He wrote his first song for his mother when he was eight years old. His dreams of becoming a composer began when he was young. When he was sixteen, he asked his parents to let him study composing with Rubin Goldmark. Goldmark had taught the composer George Gershwin.

paragraphs: When he was in his early twenties, Copland went to Paris, France, where he studied music with Nadia Boulanger. She was one of the most important music teachers of the time. He returned to New York in 1924.

paragraphs: The famous conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky, learned about Copland's music. Koussevitzky led the orchestra for the first performance of Copland's early work, "Music for the Theater", in 1925. Koussevitzky also conducted Copland's "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" in 1927. This work was unusual because Copland used ideas from jazz music in his concerto.

paragraphs: Copland later wrote the music for two ballets about the American West. One was about the life of a famous gunfighter called Billy the Kid. Copland used music from American cowboy songs in this work. This piece from "Billy the Kid: Ballet Suite" is called "Street in a Frontier Town".

paragraphs: In 1942, the conductor Andre Kostelanitz asked Copland to write music about a great American, Abraham Lincoln. Copland wrote "Lincoln Portrait" to honor America's 16th president. Copland's music included parts of American folk songs and songs popular during the American Civil War. He added words from President Lincoln's speeches and letters.

paragraphs: "Lincoln Portrait" has been performed many times in America. Many famous people have done the speaking part.Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was one of them. Here, actor James Earl Jones performs in Copland's "Lincoln Portrait."

paragraphs: In 1942 the music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra asked 18 composers to write music expressing love for America. For the competition, Copland composed "Fanfare for the Common Man. " This music is played in America during many national events, including some presidential inaugurations (when they become presidents).

paragraphs: Experts say "Fanfare for the Common Man" was an example of the way Copland changed the kind of music he wrote during the 1940s. He began writing music that was more easily understood and more popular. Copland wrote about this in 1941 in his book, "Our New Music".

paragraphs: He wrote that the radio and record player was helping people who had never listened to music before to enjoy music. He said that there was no reason to continue writing music as if these things had not been invented. So he decided to write music in a simpler way.

paragraphs: Copland spread his ideas about music in other ways. He taught at the New School for Social Research in New York City and at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. One of the many awards he received was the Pulitzer Prize. He won it in 1945 for his famous music for a ballet called "Appalachian Spring." It is one of his most popular works. The last part of the ballet is based on a traditional song, "A Gift to be Simple".

paragraphs: Copland also wrote music for several major movies. He won an Academy Award in 1950 for composing the music for the movie "The Heiress". Then he began experimenting with what is called the twelve-tone system. His music was no longer as easy to understand, nor as popular.

paragraphs: Copland stopped composing at the end of the 1960s. Yet he continued to be active as a conductor and speaker. In 1982, Queens College of the City University of New York established the Aaron Copland School of Music.

paragraphs: Copland was a strong supporter of liberal ideas. In the early 1950s, he and other famous writers, actors and intellectuals were accused of supporting communism. Public opinion changed, though. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is America's highest award to civilians. Aaron Copland died in 1990 at the age of 90. But his music lives on.

paragraphs: The article above is a reuse and modification from a script available as public domain under Terms of Use & Privacy Notice of Voice of America.


title: Diphthong

paragraphs: A diphthong (pronounced "DIF-thong" or "DIP-thong") is a vowel where the speaker has to move their mouth into two different positions to make. It is a vowel where two different vowel qualities can be heard. Examples are:

paragraphs: waist, die, noise, road, house, fierce, bear, sure. Each of these is a different vowel sound.

paragraphs: A monophthong is a simple vowel sound that a person does not have to move his or her mouth to make, like the "oo" sound in "book." In a diphthong, the person combines two different monophthongs, as with the "oi" sound in the word "oil". The speaker starts with the mouth in the position to make an "o" sound, then quickly moves the mouth to make a hard "e" sound. Another example is the "ou" sound in the word "house". The mouth starts out making a sound like the soft "a" sound in "flat", then moves to make the a hard "oo" sound like the one in "caboose".

paragraphs: Just like with every other part of language, the exact way to pronounce a diphthong is a little different for different accents.

paragraphs: The word diphthong is derived from the old Greek language. Here, "di" means "two" or "double", while the part "-phthong" means "sound" or "tone", from the basic word "phthalein", which means "speak", "creating sound by the voice".

paragraphs: A diphthong can be a lexeme of a language and as such it may be one syllable, but rarely.


title: The Price is Right

paragraphs: The Price is Right is a USA game show on CBS. The current version started in 1972, and was hosted by Bob Barker for a long time. However, in 2006, Bob Barker announced that he would leave the show. His last episode aired in June 2007. Comedian Drew Carey is now the host; his first episode aired in October 2007.

paragraphs: In this game, a person uses his shopping skills to correctly guess the price of different products, like in a market. Some products are simple household items, like toothpaste and vitamins. Other items are more expensive products, like furniture and cars. After the third and sixth games, the "Showcase Showdown" is played. The three players who got on stage in both halves of the show spin a wheel. They get two spins of the wheel. They have to be closest to $1.00 without going over. The person with the highest total moves on to the Showcase at the end of the show. If a player gets $1.00, they win $1,000 and get another spin. If they hit the $1.00 space on that spin, they win another $25,000. If they hit the 5¢ or 15¢ space, they win another $10,000. In the Showcase, the winners of the two Showcase Showdown games are shown prize packages. They make a bid on them, and whoever comes closest to the price of their showcase without going over wins it. If they are $250 or less from the price of their showcase, they win both showcases. If someone's bid was higher than the price of the real price, that person went over, and was disqualified from winning in that round.

paragraphs: From 1956 - 1963, the show aired on NBC and was hosted by Bill Cullen. From 1963 - 1965, the show aired on ABC and was also hosted by Bill Cullen.

paragraphs: Three nighttime syndicated versions of the show aired. The first one aired from 1972 to 1980. Until 1977, it was hosted by Dennis James. For the rest of its run, it was hosted by Bob Barker. From 1985 - 1986, another nighttime version of the show, named "The Nighttime Price Is Right", was made and was hosted by Tom Kennedy. A third nighttime version, "The New Price Is Right", was made from 1994 - 1995 and was hosted by Doug Davidson. Also special million dollar prime-time episodes where people could play different versions of games for $1,000,000 were made due to CBS shows being canceled.


title: Monophthong

paragraphs: A monophthong (pronounced "Mono-F-thong") is simply a vowel. The word monophthong comes from the old Greek language. "Mono" means "one" or "single", and the "-phthong" means "sound" or "tone", from the basic word "phthalein", which means "to speak", "create sound with the voice". The word monophthong shows that a vowel is spoken with exactly one tone and one mouth position. For example, when you say "teeth", then while you are creating the sound of the "ee", nothing changes for that sound.

paragraphs: A monophthong can be a lexeme of a language and as such it can as well be a syllable. There is no shorter syllable than a single monophthong.


title: Kalua

paragraphs: Kalua is a Hawaiian cooking method. It means "da pit." the hole. The oven is a hole in the ground called an imu. Kalua is most often used to cook pig. Kalua pig is a popular food at luaus.

paragraphs: Ancient Hawaiians used rocks from rivers to cook pig. They heated the rocks in the imu and the pig cooked with steam. They covered the pig with banana leaves, ti leaves, old mats and then dirt to keep the heat inside. This produced a unique taste that cannot be reproduced.

paragraphs: People today kalua pig in the same way that ancient Hawaiians did. Kalua pig is still served at luaus. However, it is illegal to sell kalua pig if it has been cooked underground. Hawaiians today still enjoy kalua pig that has been cooked in an imu at baby luaus and parties. Some companies try to imitate the flavor using liquid smoke to make kalua pig, but if you have had the real thing braddah, you can tell the difference!


title: Ultraviolet

paragraphs: Ultraviolet is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum shown on the left side of the picture below as black—because humans cannot see light of such short wavelength (or high frequency). Many animals such as some insects, some reptiles, crocodiles, salamanders, and small birds can see things that this light. UV is a common abbreviation of ultraviolet, mainly used in technical contexts.

paragraphs: Ultraviolet is beyond the visible violet light in terms of frequency, wavelength, and energy. Its wavelengths are between about 10 nanometers (nm) about 400 nanometers. Frequency and wavelength are closely related. The equation that shows this relationship is: ν = c/λ . Saying that something has a short wavelength is the same as saying that it has a high frequency.

paragraphs: Ultraviolet light is a type of ionizing radiation. It can damage or kill cells. Any electromagnetic radiation (light) that has a wavelength shorter than 450 nm may cause trouble. Therefore, humans that live in places with more ultraviolet light have adapted by getting darker skins. Pigments absorb the ultraviolet radiation, so it does not get through the skin to kill or injure cells inside. Injury to the skin by ultraviolet is called "sunburn."

paragraphs: The violet light and ultraviolet light differ in their wavelength, frequency, and quantum energy. The differences between ultraviolet light and x-rays are also wavelength, frequency and quantum energy. In the electromagnetic spectrum, ultraviolet is beyond violet, x-rays are beyond ultraviolet, and gamma rays are beyond x-rays.

paragraphs: Electromagnetic waves with a wavelength from about 400 nanometers down to about 10 nanometers are commonly called ultraviolet. Their characteristic photon energy is about 3 to 124 electronvolts.

paragraphs: Although the air of the Earth is transparent to a broad range of ultraviolet, some ultraviolet sunlight is absorbed at a very high altitude by the ozone layer. Recent and ongoing destruction of ozone in high altitudes caused by human influence—mostly by industrial chemicals and air travel—has greatly increased the amount of ultraviolet light reaching the Earth's surface. This, in turn, has increased the risk of skin cancer to mankind, and this risk will only increase with time unless the ozone layer is better protected.

paragraphs: Ultraviolet wavelengths less than 200 nanometers, X-rays, and gamma rays, are collectively called ionizing radiation since the energy in any such light quantum is high enough to 'kick' an electron out of an atom. This is why these kinds of radiation are dangerous to life. Ultraviolet light is subdivided into three main bands. UV-C has the shortest wavelengths and is dangerous ionizing radiation. Nitrogen and oxygen absorb the UV-C from solar radiation. UV-B has medium wavelength and is less dangerous to living things. The Earth's ozone layer absorbs most of it. UV-A from the Sun gets through the atmosphere entirely. It has wavelength almost as long as visible light, and many animals can see it but humans cannot.

paragraphs: Ordinary glass does not let radiation through if its wavelength is less than 200 nanometers, so it acts as a shield against the more dangerous range of ultraviolet light, but some special sorts of glass do not shield as well, including many car windows.

paragraphs: One use for ultraviolet radiation is tanning. Use of tanning devices can cause skin cancer because ultraviolet goes through the skin and causes destruction to cells, causing sunburn.

paragraphs: Because of the destructive power of ultraviolet light, it can be used to kill germs. Sunlight is a powerful disinfectant.

paragraphs: People need some ultraviolet light to convert cholesterol into vitamin D.

paragraphs: An ultraviolet lamp is one that emits mostly ultraviolet light. These germicidal lamps are often used to kill microbes (germs). They can be very powerful, so the people who work around them when they are turned on may need to wear protective glasses and keep their skin covered to avoid injury.

paragraphs: In the laboratory pictured, ultraviolet lights are turned on when the workers are gone, so that anything on the table surface will be killed. Besides ultraviolet light, which makes up most of the light produced by these lamps, there is also a little violet and blue light. This lets people know when the ultraviolet lamps are turned on.


title: Ornithology

paragraphs: Ornithology is the study of birds. A person who studies birds is called an ornithologist.

paragraphs: Several aspects of ornithology differ from other disciplines, because they are easy to see and are often attractive. Many studies of birds have been done by amateurs working in a scientific manner.

paragraphs: Konrad Gesner wrote his "Vogelbuch" and "Icones avium omnium" around 1557. Later, England developed a tradition of ornithology. Francis Willughby, John Ray, Gilbert White, John Gould (who studied the birds of Australia) and Peter Scott are good examples.


title: Rod Stewart

paragraphs: Sir Roderick David Stewart, (born 10 January 1945) is a British pop singer, known professionally as Rod Stewart. He was born in London to an English mother and Scottish father. When he started singing in the 1960s, he was player for Brentford F.C., a football team. He started singing in local R&B groups, in the 1970s he began a solo career which made him very famous.


title: Sean Connery

paragraphs: Sir Thomas Sean Connery (25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was known for his charm and good looks, which have made him very famous. He was best known for playing James Bond in seven of the James Bond movies. He appeared in 94 movies. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone in "The Untouchables" (1987).

paragraphs: Connery was born in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. He was born as Thomas Connery, but later added Sean as his stage name which is what most people call him. His mother, Euphemia "Effie" McBain McLean, was a cleaning woman.

paragraphs: In 1946, at the age of 16, Connery joined the Royal Navy, during which time he got two tattoos. He trained in Portsmouth at the naval gunnery school and in an anti-aircraft crew. He was discharged from the navy three years later due to an ulcer.

paragraphs: Connery had been in smaller theatre and television productions. He became well known when he became the first actor to play James Bond. Connery was the tallest actor to play James Bond to this day. He later went on to star on "Marnie" (1964), "Murder on the Orient Express" (1974), "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975), "A Bridge Too Far" (1977), "Highlander" (1986), "The Untouchables" (1988), "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989), "The Hunt for Red October" (1990), "Dragonheart" (1996), "The Rock" (1996), and "Finding Forrester" (2000). Connery retired from acting in 2006.

paragraphs: During his career, he won one Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards (one being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award), and three Golden Globes. He received a lifetime achievement award in the US with a Kennedy Center Honor in 1999. Connery was knighted in 2000.

paragraphs: Connery was offered the role of Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" series but turned down the role because he didn't understand the script. Connery also turned down the opportunity to appear as the Architect in "The Matrix" trilogy for similar reasons.

paragraphs: Connery was married to Diane Cilento from 1962 until they divorced in 1973. They had a son, actor Jason Connery. Sean Connery married Micheline Roquebrune in 1975.

paragraphs: In 1993, news that Connery was undergoing radiation treatment for an undisclosed throat ailment sparked media reports that the actor was suffering from throat cancer following years of heavy smoking. He was falsely declared dead by the Japanese and South African news agencies. In 2008, he chipped a bone in his shoulder after falling while playing golf. In October 2009, he told "Wine Spectator" magazine that he has been diagnosed with a heart condition.

paragraphs: Connery died in his sleep at his home in Nassau, The Bahamas on 31 October 2020, aged 90.


title: The Specials

paragraphs: The Specials were an English new wave/ska band. They were originally from Coventry, England and formed in 1977. They were part of the ska revival in Britain in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

paragraphs: During the ska revival, bands began playing 1950s-style Jamaican ska music. The Specials often mixed other popular music styles from the 1970s and 1980s into their music, such as pop music and rock and roll.


title: KC & the Sunshine Band

paragraphs: KC & The Sunshine Band was a disco group, that was popular in the 1970s. They formed in Miami in 1973.

paragraphs: Hits are "That's the Way (I Like It)", "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", "Give It Up", "Get Down Tonight", and "Please Don't Go".


title: Roberta Flack

paragraphs: Roberta Flack (born February 10, 1937) is an American R&B singer. She was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She has released nineteen studio albums. She has had three number one singles. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was her first number one. It won the 1973 Grammy Record of the Year. In 1974 Flack performed "When I Grow Up" with Michael Jackson. In 1999 a star was put in the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her.

paragraphs: Roberta Flack was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She was raised in Virginia. Howard University gave her a music scholarship because she was good at playing piano. When she was fifteen she became a student there.

paragraphs: Flack released her first album "First Take" in 1969. The album went to number one in the US album chart. It was her most successful album. In 1970 Flack's second album "Chapter Two" was released. It was less successful. In 1972 "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway" was released. In 1973 "Killing Me Softly" was released. In 1980 Flack's second album with Donny Hathaway was released.


title: Arad, Romania

paragraphs: Arad (pronunciation in Romanian: ; Hungarian: "Arad"; Serbian: Арад, "Arad") is the capital city of Arad County, in the western part of Romania, in Crişana, Ardeal. It is found on the Mureş River.


title: Transsexual

paragraphs: Transsexual people are people who change their sex. Some transsexual people go from male to female. Others go from female to male. They change how they look and act. They see doctors who can give them drugs and surgery. They change their name and sex through the law.

paragraphs: People who go from male to female (MTF) are transsexual women. People who go from female to male (FTM) are transsexual men.

paragraphs: Transsexual women take female hormones. They may also take drugs that stop male hormones called androgens. Taking estrogen pills makes breasts grow. It does not make beards go away. It does not make voices higher. Transgender women may remove their facial hair so it does not grow back. This takes a long time and hurts. Some transsexual women with low voices have surgery to raise their voices. Other transsexual women try to make their voice sound higher and more female without surgery. Some transsexual women also get surgery on their genitals. This is called a vaginoplasty. This is done by making a vagina from the skin of their penis, which is turned inside out. Some transsexual women also have surgery to make their faces look more feminine. Some also have surgery to make their breasts larger.

paragraphs: Transsexual men take male hormones. This will make their voices lower. It will make a beard grow. It can also stop their menstruation. Some transsexual men look like any other man after hormones.

paragraphs: Some transsexual men have surgery. One surgery is removal of breasts (mastectomy). Some transsexual men also get surgery on their genitals. One surgery is removal of the uterus and ovaries (hysterectomy). Some may also get surgery on their outside genitals. One way takes their skin and tissue and makes it into a penis (phalloplasty). Another way takes the clitoris (which grows bigger with hormones) and puts it where the penis usually is (metoidioplasty). The place where urine comes out (urethra) can be run through the new penis. The phalloplasty looks more like a penis. A metoidioplasty has more sexual function, but it is 5 or 6 centimeters long. Some ways also make a scrotum from the labia. They may also have the vagina taken out or closed.

paragraphs: Very rarely, some people (called "detransitioners") who have changed sex decide this was a mistake and return to living as members of the sex in which they were born.

paragraphs: Some of the effects of surgery and hormones can be reversed but others are permanent.


title: Pianist

paragraphs: A pianist is a person who plays the piano.

paragraphs: A pianist can play music for piano alone or play together with other musicians in an ensemble or orchestra. Pianists also play along singers, solo musicians, and other performers in their leading performance.


title: Telephone book

paragraphs: A telephone book or phone book or telephone directory is a book that has lists of telephone numbers of people and businesses. People use phone books to look up the phone numbers of people and places when they need to call them. One example of a telephone book is Yellow Pages.


title: French dip sandwich

paragraphs: The French dip sandwich is a popular dish. It is a sandwich, usually on French bread, with roast beef on the inside. It comes with a special sauce called "jus" which is usually made with the juice and fat that came off the roast beef when they were cooking it. It was not originally from France; two restaurants in Los Angeles, California, "Cole's" and "Philippe's", both claim to have invented it.


title: Coventry

paragraphs: Coventry is a city in England. It is the 9th biggest city in England. It is also a metropolitan borough. It is in the West Midlands county. It used to be in Warwickshire.

paragraphs: During the 19th century Coventry became a great manufacturing area, especially for bicycles. In the 20th century it made many motor cars. It also made aeroplanes. It was badly bombed in World War II. During the November 1940 bombing, the city's cathedral was destroyed. A new cathedral was built after the war.

paragraphs: The city has two universities. Coventry University is in the city centre. The University of Warwick is in the south of Coventry.

paragraphs: The local football team is Coventry City F.C..

paragraphs: Coventry will be UK City of Culture in 2021.


title: Billy Preston

paragraphs: Billy Preston (September 2, 1946 - June 5, 2006) was an American R&B musician. He is best known for his piano and organ playing.

paragraphs: Preston began playing piano when he was three years old. He worked with many other musicians including Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones, Eric Clapton, the Jackson 5 and the Rolling Stones.

paragraphs: He worked on The Beatles's last album, "Let It Be", in 1969, including the song "Get Back". Many people thought that Preston would join the group, but the Beatles broke up shortly afterwards. He later worked with George Harrison, who had been a Beatle.

paragraphs: Preston's biggest success also came from working with another musician. He did a with Syreeta Garrett on "With You I'm Born Again" in 1979. It sold over a million copies and reached Number 2 in the United Kingdom singles chart.

paragraphs: Preston was gay. He died of respiratory failure after being in a coma from a heart infection.


title: Pop

paragraphs: A pop is an onomatopoeic term for a quick sharp explosion.


title: Computer virus

paragraphs: A computer virus is a program that is able to copy itself when it is run. Often, computer viruses are run as a part of other programs. Any program that is affected by the virus is "infected". Biological viruses also work that way, as they copy themselves as part of other organisms. This is how the computer virus got its name.

paragraphs: In addition to copying itself, a computer virus can also execute instructions that cause harm. For this reason, computer viruses affect security. They are part of malware.

paragraphs: Very often, the term is also used for other kinds of malware, such as trojan horses and worms. Even though this is wrong, it may be difficult to tell the difference between different kinds of malware; they often occur together, and only an expert may be able to tell them apart. Such programs also fit more than one category.

paragraphs: Computer viruses are created for a cause, sometimes they are created to spread political messages and they are also created to hack some system files.

paragraphs: Computer viruses are spread through many ways. Some of the common ways of spreading are through downloads, email attachments, removable hardwares, and so on. Most viruses are very dangerous kind of malware.

paragraphs: There are different kinds of computer viruses:

paragraphs: In the beginning, operating systems on personal computers (or PC) did not have the concept of access control. There were no "users", everyone could do everything. Modern operating systems have the concept of access control. There can be more than one user and some users may have more "privileges" than others. Certain users may only have access to certain files and are unable to access others. Other users may be able to modify or delete certain files. These privileges can be specified for each file.

paragraphs: The damage a virus can cause is influenced by the rights the user has; if the user has no rights to write to certain places in the system, the virus will not be able to spread to those places.

paragraphs: Another problem is that sometimes the system for rights management may be available, but that it is not used by default. This is the case with systems such as Windows NT or Windows XP, where by default all users have same rights.

paragraphs: Antivirus software can protect computers against known viruses. Some antivirus software scan files and compare a hash code for each file with its database of hash codes (or "signature"). If the code matches, it has likely found a virus. This way of doing things has created some problems. It will only protect against viruses whose hash code is known. The companies that wrote the antivirus need to keep the virus signatures up-to-date and need to give this information to the PC to be protected.

paragraphs: There are two possible modes of scanning: Either the file is scanned ""on demand"" (or ""manually""), or it is scanned when the system registers an access to the file called ""on access"".

paragraphs: Antivirus software cannot offer full protection, even in the case the virus is known. Some viruses use something called polymorphic code to change their signature every time they move. No matter how many signatures the company has, they will not be able to stop these types of viruses.

paragraphs: Another way that antivirus software can protect against viruses is to use heuristics. Instead of knowing each virus by its signature, heuristic antivirus software look at the behavior of other software. If a software does something that seems bad, the antivirus software steps-in to stop it. Since every step needs to be watched, this is a slow way to do things.

paragraphs: The best protection against viruses can be obtained by using a system that boots off a read-only medium, such as a compact disc (called CD), digital versatile disc (called DVD), or USB flash drive (called USB) that does not allow write access to hard disk (or other removable media).


Tom Jones


title: Hades

paragraphs: Hades (, "Háidēs") is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld in ancient Greek religion and myth. He is the eldest son of the Titans Kronos and Rhea and brother to Zeus, Poseidon, Hestia, Hera, Demeter and Chiron.

paragraphs: As the lord of the dead, Hades was greatly feared by the Greeks, and he had few temples or shrines dedicated to him. He was married to the goddess Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Hades’ symbols were the cornucopia, a sceptre, the cypress, narcissus, poplar and his Helm of Darkness; the screech owl was his sacred animal. His sacred fruit was the pomegranate, the fruit that Persephone ate three-thirds of when she was kidnapped and in the underworld.

paragraphs: Hades’ Roman equivalent was Pluto, whose name is merely a Latinization of the Greek "Plouton".


title: Superlative

paragraphs: A superlative, in grammar, is an adjective describing a noun that is the best example of a given quality. In other words, a superlative describes a noun that has more of some quality than any other.

paragraphs: In English, most superlatives can be formed by adding -EST to an existing adjective, like the examples above. (For adjectives that end in "-y", like "crazy", you often change the "y" to an "i" before you add the -EST on the end.)

paragraphs: Some adjectives have irregular superlative forms, which do not follow the rules, such as far ("farthest") and bad ("worst").

paragraphs: Other adjectives have no superlative form at all, and the superlative is made simply by adding the adverb "most" before the adjective. For instance, you do not say "funnest," or "interestingest". Instead, you say "most fun," and "most interesting."

paragraphs: This way of making the superlative is used for almost all adjectives ending in "ing" (like "interesting", "fascinating", "disgusting" or "appealing".)


title: Learning disability

paragraphs: Learning disabilities, also called learning difficulties, are conditions that make it difficult to learn and understand things in the same way others do. Some people with learning difficulties also find it hard to fit in with other people because there are many things that people must know to live in society that are not easy to learn.

paragraphs: Learning difficulties can be things that people can learn to live with on their own, like dyslexia (a difficulty with reading and writing). They can also be big things that mean a person needs more help (like autism). People with learning disabilities may have average intelligence. Learning disabilities are not the same as mental illnesses. They can often deal with their difficulties by doing things in different ways.


title: Wheelbarrow

paragraphs: A wheelbarrow is a kind of vehicle that is built to be pushed around with a load inside it. It is usually used in gardens.

paragraphs: Most wheelbarrows have one wheel, but some have two.

paragraphs: Wheelbarrows are used to carry heavy stuff which some people cannot carry.


title: Cold

paragraphs: Cold is a relative term used in comparison with the adjective warm (opposite of cold). Because it is relative, there is no range in coldness. The temperatures in the winter season are often categorized as being cold. Cold is the opposite of hot.

paragraphs: The coldest possible temperature is −273.15 °C, which can be expressed as -459.67 °F on the Fahrenheit scale. This is called absolute zero. Absolute zero is also 0 K on the Kelvin scale and 0 °R on the Rankine scale

paragraphs: Cooling is when an object gets cold, or lowers in temperature. This can happen by taking away heat, or by putting something in a place with a lower temperature. Fluids used to cool objects are called coolants.

paragraphs: Air cooling is making the temperature of an object lower using air. This will only work if the air is at a lower temperature than the object. The process will work better if there is more surface area on the object or if the item's mass can be made smaller.

paragraphs: Other ways to cool objects include using ice, dry ice, or liquid nitrogen. This works by convection; the heat is taken from the relatively warm object to the relatively cold coolant.


title: Electrical conductivity

paragraphs: Electrical conductivity is the measure of a material's ability to allow the transport of an electric charge. Its SI is the "siemens per meter", (Asmkg) (named after Werner von Siemens) or, more simply, Sm.

paragraphs: It is the ratio of the current density to the electric field strength. It is equivalent to the electrical conductance measured between opposite faces of a 1-metre cube of the material under test.

paragraphs: Electrical conductance is an electrical phenomenon where a material contains movable particles with electric charge (such as electrons), which can carry electricity. When a difference of electrical potential is placed across a conductor, its electrons flow, and an electric current appears.

paragraphs: A conductor such as a metal has high conductivity, and an insulator like glass or a vacuum has low conductivity. A semiconductor has a conductivity that varies widely under different conditions.

paragraphs: Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal (or inverse) of electrical resistivity.


title: Pierre Omidyar

paragraphs: Pierre Omidyar (born June 21, 1967) created and is now the chairman of eBay. He was born in Paris, France to a French-Iranian family. Born in Paris, France, brought up by Iranian parents, Omidyar moved to the United States at the age of six. He grew up in Washington D.C. and developed an interest in computing while still at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Bethesda, Maryland. He graduated high school in 1984. In 1988 he graduated in computer science from Tufts University. He helped write MacDraw in 1989 for Claris, a part of Apple Computer. Two years later he co-founded Ink Development (later renamed eShop). He was 28 when he wrote the original computer code for what eventually became e-Bay. The site was launched on Labor Day, Monday, September 4 1995, under the more basic name “Auction Web.”


title: Caribert of Laon

paragraphs: Caribert of Laon, son of Martin of Laon, was the grandfather of Charlemagne. He was the father of Charles's mother, Bertrada of Laon. In 721, he signed, with his mother Bertrada of Prüm, the foundation act of the Abbey of Prüm. The same year, also with his mother, he made a donation to the Abbey of Echternach. In 744, his daughter Bertrada of Laon (by Bertrada of Cologne) married Pepin the Short, mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy and later king of the Franks. He died before 762.


title: First Lady of the United States

paragraphs: The First Lady of the United States sometimes abbreviated as (FLOTUS) is the wife of the President of the United States. If the President is not married, or his wife is unable to do the jobs of First Lady, a family member such as daughter or sister usually is considered the First Lady. The current first lady is Melania Trump.

paragraphs: Some famous former first ladies include Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, Mary Lincoln, Edith Wilson, Lou Hoover, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, "Lady Bird Johnson", Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama.

paragraphs: The First Lady is not chosen by the people of the United States, and there are no jobs she is officially required to perform. Though she is not paid for being the First Lady, her role includes involvement in political campaigns, management of the White House, championing social causes and representing the President at official and ceremonial occasions. First ladies have focused on different causes and have had a strong influence in a range of sectors, from public opinion on policy to fashion.

paragraphs: As of April 17, 2018, there are four living former First Ladies, as seen below.


title: Star Wars

paragraphs: Star Wars is a series of science-fiction movies by George Lucas. As of December 2019, nine movies in the main series have been made by Lucasfilm Ltd, released by 20th Century Fox, and distributed by United International Pictures.

paragraphs: "Star Wars" has been so popular that there have been "Star Wars" books, video games, television shows, toys, spinoff movies and more. It is also known for its iconic music by John Williams.

paragraphs: The Force is a magic-like power, and in ways it is like a religion. It is a belief that the force flows through every living thing. In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi:

paragraphs: People who can control the Force with their minds get a number of special powers, like telepathy, telekenesis (moving things with your mind), precognition (knowing about things before they happen) and mind control (telling people comands they must follow).

paragraphs: The Jedi are a group of beings who use the Force to bring peace and harmony to people, planets, and cultures. They are trained to use the force for good purposes. They are sworn enemies with another group called the Sith.

paragraphs: The Sith are a group of beings who use the force as a power source; they are trained to use the force to gain ultimate power. The Sith normally use the force to gain power in battles with their enemy who are the Jedi. They also use the force to bring destruction to the universe and anything in their way. They are the antagonists, and they usually use red lightsabers in contrast to the variety of colors used by the Jedi. There are usually only two Sith, a master and an apprentice.

paragraphs: The lightsaber is a dangerous and powerful weapon used by the Jedi and the Sith. It can be described simply as a light sword. These weapons are very special to a Jedi or Sith. They are custom built to special specifications by the Jedi or Sith. The Sith tend to take a Jedi's lightsaber as a prize if they win the battle. Many epic battles have been fought with lightsabers between the Jedi and the Sith. For the lightsaber to be a weapon it is powered by a special crystal called a kyber crystal. The reason it is powerful and dangerous is that when someone touches the blade, one gets burned straight away.

paragraphs: Anakin Skywalker is a young boy who meets Obi-Wan Kenobi and learns the ways of the Force (and to become a Jedi). Although Jedi are not allowed to get married, as an adult, Anakin falls in love with Senator Padmé Amidala and they get married. Anakin later goes to the Dark Side and turns against Obi-Wan Kenobi and the rest of the Jedi. He then renames himself Darth Vader. Before he turned against his wife, Anakin had two children with Senator Amidala, Leia and Luke Skywalker, that he does not know about. Senator Amidala dies after giving birth to their twins. After birth, the twins are separated to prevent Vader and the Dark Side from finding and hurting the children. Obi-Wan Kenobi sends Luke to a planet called Tatooine to live with his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Leia is raised by Senator Bail Organa of the planet Alderaan; she is called Princess Leia Organa.

paragraphs: When they get older, Luke and Leia meet again. At first they don't know that they are brother and sister, but they eventually find out. They help fight the evil government, called the Galactic Empire. Luke also learns the ways of the Jedi from Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. In the end, they defeat the Empire, with the help of the Rebellion, and Luke helps his father Anakin become good again. Unfortunately, Anakin dies. The galaxy is then saved for a while.

paragraphs: Thirty years later, however, the Empire rises again in the form of the First Order. However, the New Republic does not believe that it is a threat. Those who do believe form the Resistance, led by Leia. Luke has vanished, and Leia has married Han Solo. They had a child, named Ben, but Ben was corrupted by the First Order and is now called Kylo Ren. Rey, a desert scavenger, fights with Han against the First Order, but Kylo Ren kills his father. However, Rey still manages to gain a large defeat against the First Order with the help of the Resistance. Rey then finds Luke, who was searching for the first Jedi Temple and for more knowledge about the Jedi.

paragraphs: The manatee nuns from “The Last Jedi” may not take an immediate liking to Rey, but we sure like them. These wise caretakers in cream-colored habits are as cute as they are intense.

paragraphs: Yes, Lucas went overboard with the killer teddy bears of Endor, populating film and TV projects with these forest fuzz-warriors. And it was their very engineered-for-cuteness factor that first divided Star Wars fans as pro- and anti-Ewok a long time ago — even if some naysayers softened a bit after the bar was lowered in 1999 by Jar Jar Binks.

paragraphs: Although the narrative may separate them, they are an inseparable joint entry here, befitting their place as a great action-comedy team. R2-D2 is the droid that Resistance royals are forever looking for — the beeping do-it-all mechanic and sometime projector. And C-3PO is the know-it-all, fussy butler of protocol, languages and odds-making.

paragraphs: Many books, short movies, and video games have been produced that deal with events that do not happen in the original movies. They also tell more about things that did happen in the movies. For example, the book "Death Star" tells about the building and destruction of the space station from the original movie. It tells much about things seen in that movie but from the point of view of the people on the station. A different example is that in the Expanded Universe, sometimes the Sith are shown as the protagonists. Most of the stories in the Expanded Universe are about the rebuilding of the Republic after the Empire's defeat. They are set anywhere from the early Sith Wars which happened 5,000 years before to more than one hundred years after Episode VI.


title: Korean language

paragraphs: The Korean language is spoken mainly in North and South Korea. It is spoken by more than 78 million people (most are North or South Koreans).

paragraphs: In South Korea, it is called "hangukmal" (한국말) or "hangugeo" (Hangeul: 한국어, Hanja: 韓國語). In North Korea, however, it is called "choseonmal" (조선말) or "choseoneo" (조선어, 朝鮮語). They are named differently because the common names for North and South Korea are different. Additionally, Koreans usually call their language "urimal" (Hangeul: 우리말) or "urinara mal" (Hangeul: 우리나라 말), meaning "our language" or "our country's language."

paragraphs: Korean uses two different writing systems. One is Hangul, the main alphabet. In North Korea, only Hangeul (Known as Choseongeul in North Korea) is used by law. In South Korea, only Hangeul should be used in most public areas like education, but the other system, Hanja, is still used in some newspapers and professional areas. Hanja is the system of Chinese characters that are used in Korean. It was the only way to write Korean before the creation of Hangeul in the 15th century, and it was common in novels before the 19th century.

paragraphs: Although King Sejong the Great led the development of Hangeul to allow literacy to spread among common people and to create a writing system that represented the language more accurately than Hanja, it was not adopted by the upper classes of Koreans. Hanja would continue to be the official writing system until the late 19th century. Although it was rejected by the elite classes, Hangeul was used often by lower classes as a way to write down Korean literature and for lower classes to communicate.