Article 1 : VENICE by Kesta Allen

"Venice! Venice! When thy marble walls are level with the waters,
There shall be a cry of nations o'er thy sunken halls,
A loud lament along the sweeping sea!"

The great Romantic poet, Lord Byron's eulogy to one of the most famous cities in the world, foretells a time when Venice finally sinks into the sea. Written over two hundred years ago, Byron's terrible prediction still strikes fear into those who live and work in Venice. And for the many millions of visitors and art historians who flock to Venice every year, the possibility of losing such a unique city is utterly unbearable.

Venice, a city in northern Italy, is famous for its canals, stunning villas, historic palaces and numerous beautiful buildings. The city is built on an archipelago of 118 small islands in the shallow and marshy Venetian lagoon at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea. Some 400 bridges criss-cross the city's 150 canals to link the islands together. In the oldest parts of town, the canals provide the only means of access - either by boat or along footways leading to and from the water's edge. The gondola or traditional water taxi provides the iconic form of transport in Venice. Today, these beautifully-crafted boats survive, thanks to the trade provided by Venice's millions of visiting tourists. People living in the city tend to go about by vaporetti, a type of engine-driven water bus, or the barges called traghetti which allow pedestrians to cross the major canals at points which are too wide for footbridges.

Because of its unique geographical position on such marshy land, Venice's buildings are constructed on closely spaced wood piles imported from the mainland. The wood piles penetrate a soft layer of sand and mud until they reach a hard layer of compressed clay that lies beneath. Most of these piles are still intact even after centuries of being submerged in the lagoon's muddy waters. Miraculously, the foundations of some of Venice's most beautiful palaces and villas continue to rest undisturbed on these wood piles.

For centuries, Venice suffered periodic flooding by the "aqua alta", the high waters of the Adriatic's winter tides. However, in the 20th century, concerns that Venice was actually sinking down below sea level began to grow. The ground floor levels of many old houses flooded regularly, and the foundations of some buildings began to give way. Investigators realized that local factories pumping water from natural underground reservoirs were causing the subsoil to compact, causing buildings to subside. A ban against any pumping from the underground reservoirs helped stem the problem, although periodic flooding continued to cause damage to many of Venice's unique buildings.

COMMENT : Venice is really really great cities! With a beautiful view and unique place it can attract many people from other countries to come and visit it especially for a couple. In fact, Venice is a romantic place and surely it is the best chosen for newly married couple to full their time for honey moon! =p

Article 2 : HOMEWORK by Ilka Bradshaw

How much homework should children do? Is homework a required part of good learning and an essential part of schooling, or should it be scrapped altogether? Of all the topics for discussion amongst teachers and parents, the issue of homework is the one most likely to start a heated argument.

Many experienced teachers and parents view homework with a high degree of suspicion. They argue that children go to school to study and that they do not need to bring work home after a full day’s learning. The American academician, Alfie Kohn, shares this view. In his book, The Homework Myth, Kohn uses comparative international studies to make the case for teachers setting no homework at all. Kohn’s research suggests that children perform better at school when they use their free time outside school to relax and play. Kohn suggests that children who play together at home develop closer family bonds and more attentive social skills. The evidence suggests that children who do no homework also retain a better work/life balance later on in the workplace.

Many teachers in Britain share Kohn’s view. At a recent teacher’s conference in the UK, a large number of teachers denounced the steadily rising tide of homework that the national curriculum seems to expect. The amount of homework is rising especially fast for children in the early years of primary school. As one head teacher at the conference put it: “Homework is a waste of children’s time and many parents think it is a waste of time as well”. While many teachers question the value of homework, almost all agree that children benefit enormously when parents read to them. This simple activity creates a close family connection and seems to really boost the learning ability in a child. By contrast, homework often falls as a hated chore that creates more pressure and stress in homes that are already busy and chaotic.

One increasingly popular solution to the problem of homework is the after-school homework club. This allows children to get their homework done but without any family conflicts or frictions. Most teachers agree that homework should only ever be about recapping work that the children already know from classes during school hours. However, because a teacher is present at the after-school clubs, they are on hand to help if pupils are struggling. Another benefit of after-school clubs for homework is that they provide a “level playing field”. At home, some children are advantaged by having highly educated parents ready to help and complete the homework for them!

COMMENT : Homework is a necessary for children! It can help children for more understanding about the particular topics. In fact, it can contribute for children to manage their time wisely. Besides, the children can be more appreciate their time since they can avoid from doing any wasting thing like loafing, chatting and many more.

Article 3 : CHILDHOOD TOYS by Kesta Allena

Your old, long-forgotten childhood toys are probably hidden away in an upstairs attic, in a tatty box under the stairs or in a dark corner of an old wardrobe. But now may be the time to go and find those old treasures, dust them off and inspect them carefully. While many will bring back sentimental and nostalgic memories of your childhood, others could provide a welcome additional surprise. Old toys are increasing in value and there is a growing demand for them in the open market. Indeed, nostalgic collectors are always keen to acquire dusty old books, comics, and other classic toys. Today’s collectors are people who grew up between the 1940s and 1970s – the so-called “golden age of classic toys” – so it is worth asking the older generation to take out their old toys too. Here are a few tips on what to look out for:

1. Old train sets are extremely collect able and are always in high demand. Trains made by the British train manufacturer, Hornby, are especially sought after. Hornby started making trains in the 1920s and the painstakingly hand-painted models represent the heyday of steam locomotion. As one specialist auctioneer pointed out, “Trains are hot at the moment. They are a good investment and we can sell them easily.”

2. Similarly, toy cars and trucks are also popular. Dinky and Corgi toys are highly sought after, with rare pieces selling for thousands of pounds.

3. Toy soldiers are particularly popular as complete sets. Serious collectors are always eager to purchase regiments or armies that are no longer in existence but have historical significance.

4. Old childhood books, particularly first editions and those complete with their original dust jacket, sell for very large sums indeed.

5. Rare comic books are also highly prized. A first edition of the children’s comic Beano recently sold for £7,500. However, the Action Comics No 1 - which first introduced Superman to the world - sold in an auction for an astonishing £335,000, making it the world’s most valuable comic.

COMMENT : Toys are not for children anymore! Nowadays, many collectors in average 20-30 years old are also interest to collect and keep toys for their collection. For instance, STAR WARS film toys, SHREK toys, MICKEY MOUSE toys and et cetera. So that, we can't say that toys are belonging for children only!