Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication back issues from November 2008:
Poetry in motion.(MOVE)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Looking for a way to chill out while you build your physical and mental strength? Try tai chi, which is believed to have originated in China many hundreds of years ago. The practice is renowned for its gentle, flowing movements. But tai chi also takes ...
Kill your TV.(PULSE)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Or at least consider banishing it from your bedroom. That's the message of a new study that looked at TV's effects on teen behavior. The findings? * Teens who had TVs in their bedrooms spent more time glued to the tube and less time doing physical activities, ...
In wheel trouble.(PULSE)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... It's a rough road out there for teen drivers. They're involved in a disproportionate number of car crashes and up to three times as many fatal collisions as other drivers, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Learning to drive ...
Follow me.(PULSE)(Interview)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Few people have it tougher than kids and teens battling cancer, even though a lot of childhood cancers are curable. Besides just wondering whether they'll beat the disease, young patients worry about everything from missing large chunks of the school year to whether chemotherapy will ...
Virtual virus.(PULSE)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... What can a manufactured disease that affects online avatars tell us about real people's behavior in a real epidemic? A lot, says Nina Fefferman, a research professor at Tufts University in Boston. She's been studying the Corrupted Blood Disease virus that wreaked havoc in the online game ...
Inside workout! November is a great time to bring your exercise in from the cold.(GET UP AND GO!)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Did you spend the summer and fall playing sports or exercising outdoors? Do you live in a place where winter makes outside workouts tough? If so, you might not be excited about being indoors for the next few months. There are plenty of indoor ways to stay active--or get active, ...
Reach for the top.(GET UP AND GO!)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Does cooler weather have you climbing the walls? Indoor climbing is a whole-body workout that can be a lot of fun. It exercises your upper and lower body, and mastering it can give you a confidence boost. Climbing walls are avail able at many Y's, community centers, and Boys & Girls Clubs ...
Try these first-frost moves.(GET UP AND GO!)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Get Out There Anyway! The most important factor in exercising outside in cooler weather is wearing layers, according to Paul G. Jenkins of St. Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri. You may be sweating on the inside, but drier layers on the outside will protect you from the ...
Power cord: the spinal cord is your body's circuit city. Protect it.(YOUR BODY)(Cover story)
Nov 01, 2008; ... More than two years ago, Kelsey Harbert was swimming with some friends in Richmond, Va., when her life changed in an instant. Diving into the shallow end of the pool, she struck her head against the pool floor, fracturing the bones in her neck and damaging her spinal cord, causing ...
A chilling recovery.(YOUR BODY)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the fall of 2007, Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett smashed into another player during a game against the Denver Broncos. Everett suffered a spinal cord injury that could have left him paralyzed--but it didn't. Now experts are debating whether the ...
Life saver: the story of a teen EMT.(YOUR WORLD)(emergency medical technician)(Viewpoint essay)
Nov 01, 2008; ... If you found an unconscious person, what would you do? If you are anything like I was eight months ago, not much. I would have run for a telephone, called 9-1-1, and stared helplessly as I waited for the ambulance to arrive. Today, however, my training would kick into gear. I ...
Buzz off: there is such a thing as too much caffeine.(YOUR CHOICES)
Nov 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last year, Samantha Erdal, 16, was on a merry-go-round. The Eden Prairie, Minn., teen downed a Red Bull energy drink each morning, then suffered a tired "crash" when the caffeine and sugar wore off, prompting her to reach for another energy drink or ...
Dinner time! Eating daily meals with your family is as good for you as a big bowl of salad.(YOUR RELATIONSHIPS)
Nov 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Krista Scott was 5, her father taught her to make scrambled eggs. At 8, while making salsas and salads with her grandmother, Scott learned to use chef's knives. At 12, she set up a pretend restaurant in her mother's house, creating menus and preparing ...
Good nutrition knows no borders: what you can learn from food guides across the planet.(YOUR ENERGY)
Nov 01, 2008; ... At first glance, you might mistake soba noodles for spaghetti. But soba, a sweet and nutty Asian grain, does more than delight your taste buds. It also provides the essential protein your body needs to build, maintain, and repair your tissues. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...
Get a virtual life: but don't neglect your real one.(YOUR MIND)
Nov 01, 2008; ... What will you do after school today? When you're done with homework, you could channel surf the reruns or IM people you saw just a few hours ago. Or, you could design a paintball course, change your eye color from brown to neon green, put the finishing touches on a robot you built from ...
After a crash.(SAFETY ZONE)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] No one wants to think about it, but many drivers--if not most--will be in a car accident at some point. That risk is heightened for new drivers: About one of every eight drivers ages 16 to 20 gets into a major collision. And more than 40 percent of ...
What's up, Doc?(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Q Why is raw meat bad for you? --Lorna A., Ohio [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Germs such as Salmonella and certain types of Escherichia coli (E. coli) can make people sick. Those bugs often live in, on, or near animals. "They are destroyed by cooking food to safe ...
MRI technologists: inner vision.(Health Works: Exploring Careers in Health)(magnetic resonance imaging )(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Are you interested in a career in medicine, but more keen on computers than on blood and guts? The life of a magnetic resonance technologist may be for you. These health professionals use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment to peer inside the body and help doctors diagnose problems ....
National health standards.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Students will: * comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health ("Power Cord"; "Buzz Off"; "Dinner Time!") * demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health ("Good Nutrition ...
Spine time.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Directions: Read the article "Power Cord" (page 8), and answer the questions below. Part 1 1. To which body system does the spinal cord belong? a) respiratory system b) central nervous system c) circulatory system d) ...
A family recipe.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Directions: Read "Dinner Time!" (page 18). Answer the questions in Part 1 by writing your answer on the lines provided. For Part 2, bring in a recipe from home. Part 1 1. When do you usually eat with your family? 2. What is your favorite food to eat with ...
The food you choose.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Directions: Read the article "Good Nutrition Knows No Borders" (page 22). Then fill out the chart in Part 1, and answer the questions in Part 2. Part 1 How closely does your daily diet match up with your nutritional needs? Track a week's worth of meals by entering ...
Out of this world.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2008 ... Directions: Read "Get a Virtual Life" (page 26), then answer the questions below. 1. In the article, Sarah describes her struggle to overcome her dependence on the game World of Warcraft and her decision to stop playing the game altogether. Was ...
Phony voters.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [1] ORLANDO, Fla. -- Sorry, Mickey Mouse, but your voter registration form has been rejected. Election officials in more than a dozen states have been flooded with phony voter registration forms, some signed with the names of cartoon characters or sports stars. Many ...
UFOs over Britain?(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [2] LONDON--What IS that?! An Italian airliner was flying toward London when a large brown object zipped past the nose of the plane. "Look out!" the captain shouted to the copilot. The plane didn't hit the object, but to this day, no one seems to know what ...
Quote of the week.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Quotation)
Nov 03, 2008; ... --Queen Elizabeth II, who broke into giggle over a YouTube baby ...
Free(ER) press.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BEIJING -- China is giving foreign reporters more freedom to do their jobs. The Communist country began Loosening its restrictions on where reporters could go in China and who they could interview shortly before the 2008 Olympic Games. Previously, ...
Ambassador for whales.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [4] SYDNEY, Australia -- Japan's annual whale hunt starts in December, and Australian officials aren't happy about it. On October 20, the Australian government took the rare step of appointing a special ambassador for whale conservation. Sandy Holloway's ...
Talk back.(Letter to the editor)
Nov 03, 2008; ... Dear Current Events, I do not think teachers should carry guns ["Up in Arms," issue 5]. What if a kid/teacher gets mad and knows there is a gun sitting somewhere?I? It might seem like it makes kids safe, but I would not feel comfort-able knowing that there was a gun in the ...
Eyewitness to history.(CONTEST)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... What did it sound like to hear 1 million people marching for freedom during the civil rights era or to listen to Martin Luther King speak? Find out! Interview someone who joined the march or who witnessed another historic event. Then enter the Current Events Eyewitness ...
Giving Iraq back: U.S. plan would pull troops out by 2012.(Cover story)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A group of schoolboys waved from the roadside in Ramadi last month as several Iraqi government vehicles sped past. Two years ago, this was one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq. It was a center of rebel attacks and a home to Al Qaeda terrorists. The ...
CEO at 13.(TEENS)(Leanna Archer)(Interview)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... Ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange is a big deal for company presidents and chief executives. Leanna Archer got to ring the bell last month, and she's only 13. Leanna is the chief executive officer (CEO) of her own hair care company, Leanna's Inc. She also is launching ...
Mother of all bugs.(STRANGE BUT TRUE)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Have you ever seen an insect as long as your arm? A female stick bug just broke the record for the world's longest insect--22 inches! The supersized species is named Phobaeticus chani, or "Chan's megastick," in honor of Datuk Chan Chew Lun, the amateur ...
Hands-on gaming.(TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... Imagine praying a baseball video game and actually feeling the virtual, baseball, in your hand. A Japanese scientist has invented a system that does just that. It lets prayers feel. virtual objects that don't really exist. It works by using inaudible sound waves to create pressure. ...
To cut or not to cut: should students dissect animals in class?(DEBATE)
Nov 03, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jennifer Thornburg began fighting animal dissections after she had to cut open a chicken wing in a middle school science class. Last month, the 19-year-old took a drastic step to draw attention to what she sees as a serious problem in society. She ...
Dangerous ground.(TEST YOURSELF)
Nov 03, 2008 ... More than 4,180 U.S. soldiers and Marines have died in the Iraq war. This map ...
Word power!(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... Mark the best definition for the emphasized word in each sentence. The page number shows you where the word can be found in this issue. 1. A security pact is necessary for the U.S. military to legally remain in Iraq after this year. (page 4) (A) zone (B) ...
Analyze the map.(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... Study the map showing where U.S. soldiers and Marines have been killed since the war began in Iraq in March 2003. Then fiLL in the circle next to the correct answer. 1. Which city is Iraq's capital? (A) Baqubah (B) Tikrit (C) Baghdad ...
Comprehension.(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... Fill in the circle next to each correct answer. 1. The FBI is investigating which group for possible voter fraud? (A) ACORN (B) PETA (C) NSTA 2. Which country's government recently stopped requiring foreign reporters to ask its ...
Words in the news.(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... United Nations Security Council (page 4) The Security Council is the United Nations' most powerful body. It is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, and it can authorize the use of armed force to protect populations if necessary. The council has five permanent ...
Analyze the cartoon.(SKILLS PAGE)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... The U.S. economy is suffering a financial "meltdown." People borrowed too much money, Wall Street bankers thought they would get rich off the Loans but ended up nearly bankrupt, and government regulators didn't respond to the problem until it was almost too late. Now taxpayers are spending ...
Comprehension.(SKILLS PAGE)(Brief article)
Nov 03, 2008 ... Read this issue's cover story, "Giving Iraq Back." Then answer the following questions. 1. What will happen if Iraqi officials don't approve a U.S.-Iraq security pact by the end of this year? (A) U.S. troops will have to leave Iraq. (B) British troops will ...
Unlocking history's mysteries.(INTERVIEWING SKILLS)
Nov 03, 2008 ... History is not just something that happened long ago. Every day, events occur that shape the way people think, how they act, and what they believe. Here's your chance to help record history. All you have to do is interview someone about an event he or she lived through and write about it ...
4 more years.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [1] NEW YORK -- Term limits? What term limits? New York City voters decided 15 years ago to limit their mayor to just two four-year terms in office. In October, the City Council overruled them. It changed the city's rules so Mayor Michael Bloomberg can run for a third term. ...
Quote of the week.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "He came out on a stretcher with his hand still jammed in the toilet bowl, which they had to saw clean off." ...
We're number 1!(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [2] PHILADELPHIA -- A flood of Phillies fans swept into the streets in a huge celebration on October 29. Their team--the team with the most tosses in baseball history--had just won its first World Series in nearly 30 years. Last year, the Philadelphia Phillies became the first team in any ...
World in crisis.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [3] BEIJING -- The U.S. economy isn't the only one struggling right now. The troubles that started in the U.S. financial sector have spread around the world. Iceland is nearly bankrupt. China's economy is slowing because people elsewhere aren't buying as ...
Arming the rebels.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [4] TEHRAN, Iran -- The U.S. government has long suspected that Iran was giving weapons to rebels in the Middle East. Now, a general in Iran's Revolutionary Guard has said so publicly. He didn't call them rebels, though. Gen. Hossein Hamedani tow Iran's ...
Talk back.(Letter to the editor)
Nov 10, 2008; ... Dear Current Events, I think it is unfair to ban new fast-food restaurants in South Los Angeles ["A Supersize Ban," issue 6]. It is a choice issue. If people know that burgers and fries make them obese and eat them anyway, then they are bound to find themselves in a sticky ...
Share the wealth?(CARTOON OF THE WEEK)(Cartoon)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SHARE THE WEALTH? Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors haven't been setting many cars lately. You've read ...
No freedom: slavery is illegal, so why are millions still held as slaves?(Cover story)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hadijatou Mani was 12 years old when she was sold into slavery in Africa. Her mother was already a slave, and her mother's master sold the girl to a friend for $500. Mani spent the next 10 years cleaning her master's home and working his farm fields ...
U.S. Slave Trade.(TIME TRIP)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 1619, a Dutch ship sailed into port at Jamestown, Va. In its hold were 20 Africans who were about to be sold as staves. In the growing American colonies, farmers were Looking for cheap help with their rice and tobacco. Slave traders provided the labor. ...
How humans are built.(BOOKS)(Interview)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Illustrator David Macaulay spent four years studying the human body and watching surgeons so he could draw his newest book, The Way We Work, In it, the award-winning author of Cathedral, Castle, and The Way Things Work explores how humans are built. He ...
Library on hooves.(STRANGE BUT TRUE)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Luis Soriano loves books--and [ending them to people who don't have them. Every Saturday, the 36-year-old teacher puts on his sombrero and toads his two donkeys with pouches filled with books. They ride into the hills of Colombia to take those books to people in small villages who can't ...
Drug dogs for hire.(ANIMALS)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... What do police drug dogs do when they retire? Some become sniffers for hire. Some parents are putting those sniffer dogs to work searching their teenagers' bedrooms for illegal drugs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sniff Dogs, a company that rents out retired police dogs for ...
Show me the money? Should schools pay cash for good grades?(DEBATE)
Nov 10, 2008 ... The economy may be in trouble, but students at some schools are scoring cash. In Washington, D.C., 3,300 middle school students can earn up to $50 a week for getting good grades and showing up for class on time. The program's creators say their goal is to motivate students to stay in ...
Slavery persists.(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)(Photograph)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Slavery remains a problem in several countries, as this map illustrates. The graph shows the number of people per 1,000 ...
Word power!(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Mark the best definition for the emphasized word in each sentence. The page number shows you where the word can be found in this issue. 1. Hamedani didn't say who those "liberation armies" were. (page 3) (A) freedom (B) Asian (C) dangerous ...
Analyze the graph.(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Study the map and the graph, then mark the correct answer. 1. Which region on the graph had the highest number of people subjected to forced labor per 1,000 people? (A) Asia and the Pacific (B) Sub-Saharan Africa (C) Middle East and North Africa ...
Comprehension.(TEST YOURSELF)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Fill in the circle next to the correct answer. 1. Who changed New York City's term limits to let Mayor Michael Bloomberg run for a third term? (A) voters (B) the governor (C) City Council 2. Which country is nearly bankrupt because ...
Words in the news.(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Below are some key words used in this issue of Current Events. Term limits (page 2) Term Limits are promoted as a way to keep politicians answerable to the people and to prevent dictatorships. The U.S. Constitution did not address term Limits until the 22nd Amendment was ...
Analyze the graph.(SKILLS PAGE)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... The International Labour Organization, part of the United Nations, surveyed 644 people who had been subjected to forced labor in Albania, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. This graph shows their responses when they were asked how they got away. The employer wanted me to go: 14.53% ...
Comprehension.(SKILLS PAGE)(Brief article)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Read this issue's cover story, "No Freedom." Then answer the following questions. 1. Which of the following is a similarity between illegal immigrants held as slaves and children who have been kidnapped by rebel groups and forced to commit crimes? (A) Both fear that ...
Survivor stories.(PRIMARY SOURCES)
Nov 10, 2008 ... Millions of children are forced to work as slaves or laborers in countries around the world. Read the following first-person accounts collected by the group Anti-Slavery International. Then answer the questions. The names have been changed to protect the children. Michele is 14 ...
Drive-by downloader.(WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP)(Brief article)
Nov 17, 2008 ... [1] SAN JOSE, Calif. -- We've all heard the warning: Be careful where you go online! Here's another reason to pay attention. A computer virus called Sinowal is on the loose, and it has already stolen more than half a million credit card and bank account numbers. Your family's ...