Not Only 'Bertuah Blogger' (Bukan Sekedar Blogger Bertuah)

Not Only 'Bertuah Blogger' (Bukan Sekedar Blogger Bertuah) is a fantastic slogan for a blog community contest in Pekanbaru. As a new comer in blogger community, this is an incredible idea for a blogger community particularly in Pekanbaru and generally in Indonesia to support the government in developing the city and our country. So many activities that we can do to help the government and Indonesia community.

From this blogger community, we can attempt to provide a forum to explore a lot of issues of country development, environment, youth movement, environment and also the charity movement etc. SEO contest and other great activities are helpful to promote the roles of young generation in the development of our city and the country. Good luck for blogger community at www.bloggerbertuah.blogspot.com and the creators, Wish God bless you... Keep spirit.

Paid-To-Blog Opportunity By Joining LinkFromBlog.com

Finally I found a fantastic opportunity to get money from online business in LinkFromBlog after browsing for a few months. Just simple to join, you sign up and then you are given various opportunities. As a paid-to-blog zone, LinkFromBlog is specific and differs from other blogs or webs because you are only encouraged  to write a single post with a visible badge to “activate your blog” instead of trafficking code. This simple way of writing is purposed to track how many hits and true traffic of your website generates to individual posts. That’s simple right…!

Beside it, this can help us to promote their company and by posting and writing posts about them, LinkFromBlog gives all everyone a free opportunity to advertise by signing up, write a simple post in our blog and activate our blog. In my opinion, this is fair and profitable for bloggers. Wish that your online business become real and you will find your additional income from various links and advertising. Good luck partners ..  SIGN UP AND ACTIVATE SOON at http://linkfromblog.com/#2792

D. Hartanto – Partner from Indonesia

paid reviews

Vote For Komodo For New 7 Wonders Of The World

As one of 17,508 islands in Indonesia, Komodo Island is famous with one of fauna called Komodo. The island has a surface area of 390 km² and over 2000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are descendants of former convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed themselves with the Bugis from Sulawesi. The population are primarily adherents of Islam but there are also Christian and Hindu minorities.

As a part of Lesser Sunda chain, Komodo forms part of the Komodo National Park. Particularly notable here is the native Komodo Dragon. In addition, the island is a popular destination for diving fun. Administratively, it is Eastern part of the Nusa Tenggara province

Komodo lies between the substantially larger neighboring islands of Sumbawa to the west and Flores to the east. The island is famous not only for its heritage of convicts but also for the unique fauna which roam it. The Komodo dragon, the world's largest living lizard, takes its name from the island. A type of monitor lizard, it inhabits Komodo and some of the smaller surrounding islands. Komodo is a Fantastic island to see in the world. Please vote Komodo as one of your voting at http//www.new7wonders.com/n7w/nature/vote.

Business English : MARKET SHARE

Sales figures do not necessarily indicate how a firm is performing relative to its competitors. Rather, changes in sales simply may reflect changes in the market size or changes in economic conditions. The firm's performance relative to competitors can be measured by the proportion of the market that the firm is able to capture. This proportion is referred to as the firm's market share and is calculated as follows:

Market Share = Firm's Sales / Total Market Sales

Sales may be determined on a value basis (sales price multiplied by volume) or on a unit basis (number of units shipped or number of customers served). While the firm's own sales figures are readily available, total market sales are more difficult to determine. Usually, this information is available from trade associations and market research firms. Reasons Not to Increase Market Share An increase in market share is not always desirable.

For example: • If the firm is near its production capacity, an increase in market share might necessitate investment in additional capacity. If this capacity is under utilized, higher costs will result. • Overall profits may decline if market share is gained by increasing promotional expenditures or by decreasing prices. • A price war might be provoked if competitors attempt to regain their share by lowering prices. • A small niche player may be tolerated if it captures only a small share of the market. If share increases, a larger, more capable competitor may decide to enter the niche. • Antitrust issues may arise if a firm dominates its market. • In some cases it may be advantageous to decrease market share. For example, if a firm is able to identify certain customers that are unprofitable, it may drop those customers and lose market share while improving profitability. Reasons to Increase Market Share Market share often is associated with profitability and thus many firms seek to increase their sales relative to competitors.

Here are some specific reasons that a firm may seek to increase its market share:
1) Economies of scale - higher volume can be instrumental in developing a cost advantage.
2) Sales growth in a stagnant industry - when the industry is not growing, the firm still can grow its sales by increasing its market share.
3) Reputation - market leaders have clout that they can use to their advantage.
4) Increased bargaining power - a larger player has an advantage in negotiations with suppliers and channel members. Questions : How do you thing about market share?

9 Steps To Be A Real Entrepreneur :

1. Has dream from early… whilst free!! dare to have dream is a good start-up capital. Research to 300 students Oxford University. They asked about vision, cita2 and prosperity of their future life. 60% answers not to know, 30% answers vague , 10% answers soybean cake, 7% clearly, 3% detail. 10 years then, 60% life below (under average, 30% average life, 10% above average life (7% above average, far 3% of above average). So… very possible if which we envision and writes down now, 10 or 15 years then really happened!!!

2. Thinking positively in life; obviates mind about fails, difficult, weary, cannot, sorrowful, and other negativity words. Focusing at words; success, success, likes, happy, runs, fluent, laughs, etc. Because according to Ronda Byrne in " The Secret" words that is in character negativity, dread, and fails exactly will draw us at worrying thing.

3. Focus at purpose and consistency. Our energy are very limited. We are given by time by God also limited, 24 hours one day. Cannot more. So must of activity which we do focus at dream which we have written down. a real Having immeasurable activities can be interpreted to strengthen dream we are reaching. Including concentration of business. Better of course did only one only. Focus until succeeding, then thinking may to do diverse business.

4. Careful sees opportunity. Becomes entrepreneur anything is seen as opportunity. All kinds of condition of can make opportunity is not on the contrary.

5. Always and always learning. Like word Steve Jobs :" Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry". How clever you, how smart your brain, how rich you, if still assuming the learning a real important factor, hence you still be told life. Be really makes a monkey out of, so that having enthusiasm in learning and adds science, be really felt hungry… so that days always is filled by strives harder and harder again.

6. Thinking Laterally. Not linearly. Do not make thing usually done by others. Enough making them as reference because you will do differently.

7. Braids Networking from early. Didn't regret if simply your friends have been more ahead successful and you lost contact because at the time school haves no address database, mobile number and or enamel. What a respect it if the successfulness is each other sustains between friends one with other. Succeeded together definitely more scrumptious likely.

8. Ready to fail, and ready to succeed!! Most of we perhaps often experiences fails so that mentally accustomed. But actually has mental attitude to succeed to minimize failures to. Because failing do not become principal focus in mind we. And has bounces success will bring us in successfulness truthfully. Success bringing added significance many to others and our area.

9. Believes… this life property of God, all will return to him. Successfulness truthfully only success a world of accompanied by successfulness in eternity. Life is world doesn't mean anything if don't contain adherence to the creator. Those are 9 steps to become a real entrepreneur. Have your successful steps to be a real one. Amin. Hopefully can become motivators of all, and later becomes successful entrepreneur and gives benefit to your community!!!

Business Encyclopedia (English - Indonesian) - A

Ability to pay (Kemampuan bayar) Kemampuan bayar perusahaan merupakan suatu factor yang selalu menjadi pertimbangan penting didalam proses berlangsungnya perundingan perjanjian perburuhan. Ability to pay biasanya menjadi isu controversial dan ajang tarik-menarik antara kepentingan pengusaha dan kepentingan buruh.

Absence (ketidakhadiran) Ketidakhadiran seorang pekerja ditempat kerja selama satu hari atau lebih pada saat ia dijadwalkan masuk bekerja.

Absence rate (tingkat ketidakhadiran) suatu pengukuran, biasanya dalam bentuk statistic, dimana terdapat kehilangan waktu kerja disebabkan ketidakhadiran pekerja ditempat kerja pada waktu yang telah ditetapkan dalam satu hari atau hari-hari berikutnya.The bureau of Labor Statistic Amerika Serikat menetapkan formula. dibeberapa perusahaan mengenakan formula :

Absorption pricing (penentuan harga absorbsi) Alokasi seluruh biaya; semua biaya yang tercakup dalam penentuan harga untuk suatu produk.

Accomodation bill (rekening akomodasi) Surat perintah membayar (bill of exchange) yang ditandatangani seseorang untuk menyediakan akomodasi pada orang lain.

Account (akun) (1) Dalam penjualan, akun adalah sebuah faktur. (2) Dalam periklanan, akun adalah klien dari sebuah agen periklanan atau agen yang lain,atau suatu organisasi yang menyediakan layanan dengan imbalan tertentu sebagai mata penghasilannya.

Account executive (eksekutif akun) seseorang eksekutif dalam sebuah agen periklanan, atau organisasi lain semacam itu,yang bertanggung jawab memanajemeni secara menyeluruh tuntutan-tuntutan dan kondisi yang dibutuhkan oleh setiap klien.

Acquisition (akuisisi) pemberian perusahaan lain atau hak atas pembikinan (manufaktur) oleh suatu perusahaan, sebagai suatu cara untuk memperluas kegiatan usaha atau meningkatkan bagian dari pasarnya.

Added value (nilai tambah) penigkatan dalam nilai yang diperoleh karena pemakaian suatu bahan, komponen, atatu komoditas lain tertentu (yang meliputi tenaga kerja misalnya) sebagai suatu masukan dalam suatu proses produksi, merakit,mengolah,mendistribusikan, atau setiap kegiatan pemasaran yang lain.

Ad hoc  Hal yang dilakukan pada waktu dan sesuai dengan kebutuhan tertentu.

Administered prices (Harga administrasi) Tingkatan harga yang ditentukan oleh suatu industri atau kelompok perusahaan dalam suatu industri yang sama, yang membentuk sebuahharga monopoli atau kartel.

Advance freight Biaya pengangkutan (freight) yang wajib dibayarkan sebelum barang dimuat di atas kapal.

Advertising (periklanan) pemakaian suatu ruang yang harus dibayar, misalnya, dalam suatu publikasi, atau pemakaian waktu yang juga harus dibayar untuk setiap penyiaran atau penayangan radio, televisi atau bagian dari pertunjukan film.

Advertising agency (agen periklanan) organisasi bisnis yang didirikan untuk menyediakan suatu jasa kepada klien yang meliputi pencatatan pesanan ruang iklan, mendesain iklan dan memproduksinya, menetapkan jadwal pemasangan iklan di media, mengatur pelaksanaan riset, memberikan konsultasi dan setiap jasa pemasaran yang berhubungan dengan semua layanan itu.

Advertising budget (Anggaran periklanan) Jumlah uang yang disisihkan untuk pembelanjaan bagi suatu kampanye periklanan.

Advertising novelty Hadiah yang tidak terlalu mahal yang merupakan trik dalam pemasaran karena mengandung pesan-pesan sponsor, seperti nama , merek atau logo perusahaan.

Advertising rates (Tingkatan biaya periklanan) Biaya pokok yang diperhitungkan oleh suatu media periklanan untuk setiap pemberian jasa atau fasilitas yang mereka sediakan.

After-sales service (Layanan purna-jual) Jasa perbaikan, perawatan, dan sediaan suku cadang setelah penjualan selesai dilakukan; istilah ini juga digunakan untuk menunjuk pada kemungkinan penjualan lebih lanjut.

After sight Surat perintah membayar yang berlaku sah hanya setelah diterima oleh yang bersangkutan.

Agent (agen) (1) Orang atau organisasi yang diberi wewenang langsung atau tidak langsung untuk bertindak atas nam orang lain (pihak pertama) untuk membuat suatu hubungan atas dasar kontrak antara pihak pertama itu dengan pihak ketiga.

Agents torts  Pihak pertama sepenuhnya atau hanya sebagian bertanggung jawab  terhadap kemungkinan pencabutan hak atau penarikan diri dari agen yang seharusnya bertindak atas nama pihak pertama sesuai dengan ketentuan-ketentuan atau instruksi yang diberikan kepadanya oleh pihak pertama.

Aggregate demand (permintaan agregat) Ungkapan atau pernyataan mengenai total permintaan barang-barang dan jasa dalam suatu ekonomi nasional, biasanya dibagi dalam kategori konsumen, industri, pembelian umum dan ekspor.

Airway bill Istilah ini juga dikenal sebagai Air consignment note atau nota pengiriman udara, yaitu suatu nota atau perjanjian tertulis yang berisi ketentuan-ketentuan berdasarkan kontrak untuk pemuatan atau pengiriman barang melalui udarta.

Anti dumping ( Tindakan mencegah dumping dengan menyelidiki bukti-bukti kerugian yang diakibatkan oleh dumping itu (yang tidak hanya berlaku di amerika serikat saja) di pasar dalam negri.

Appropriation (apropriasi) Istilah yang digunakan dalam pengiklanan produk atau jasa yang mengacu pada jumlah total dari uang yang disediakan untuk semua bagian dari bauran pengiklanan.

Arts sponsorship (impresario) penggunaan iklan-iklan untuk mendukung suatu penampilan karya seni.

Asa  Singkatan dari Advertising Standards Authority.Yaitu, sebuah badn independen yang didirikan dan dibiayai oleh industri-industri periklanan untuk memastikan bahwa sistem operasional dan peraturannya sendiri berfungsi melayani kepentingan umum.

Attention value (nilai perhatian) nilai untuk menentukan sejauh mana sebuah iklan dapat menjamin akan mendapatkan perhatian awal dari pembacanya.

Audience (Audiens) Kelompok orang yang dijadikan sasaran dari suatu media periklanan tertentu, tetapi biasanya lebih dikaitkan dengan radio, televisi, atau pertunjukan film.

Average (Rata-rata) Biasa atau normal; seringkali mengacu pada pengertian mengenai “nilai tengah” atau nilai rata-rata dalam perhitungan biasa (aritmatik), yang rumusannya adalah:

                                 M = X₁ +  X₂ + X₃..........X_n

                                                    n

                                 dimana ‘m’ adalah nilai tengah.

Average revenue (Penghasilan rata-rata) Total penghasilan yang dibagi dengan jumlah unit yang terjual.

Implementation Of Vocabulary Teaching

Some experts in recent years observed that several studies showing in teaching vocabulary may develop with several techniques, the choice of vocabulary and structure will be easily understood by beginners by choosing simple vocabulary and simple structure that are relatively easy to learn, quoted by Cook in Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. (Cook, 1992; 83). Dulay et. el in Language Two mentioned that: “In the realm of vocabulary, the difficulty of a target language depends on the number of words which are similar to the words in mother tongue. If the mother tongue of the language learners has a large number of words which are similar or the same as the words found in the target language, the beginners language learner may find it easier to learn the language”. ( Dulay, 1982; 154 ). 

Larsen – Freeman in Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching stated that: “Language is seen as a set of vocabulary in real situations, vocabulary is presented in texts; oral or written texts. English teachers should use vocabulary in contexts and then relate them to the situations in the classroom. The vocabulary is arranged based on the topics. Vocabulary is emphasized over grammar. If language learners do not understand some words, the teacher will demonstrate in some pictures, mimics or other physical objects to make the students understand the meaning.” (Larsen – Freeman, 2000, 12 ). 

Here are some activities used successfully to introduce new vocabulary before giving students a text that Scott Thornbury (2005) had summarized : 

1) Scatter 10 - 15 vocabulary words all over the board. Call on students to come up one by one to circle two words and make a sentence using both. 

2) Write some key vocabulary words on the board. Read out each word and give a definition. Then ask some of your students in the class interesting questions using the new words. 

3) Prepare 10 - 15 vocabulary words along with sentences that explain the words clearly. Read out the words and the sentences as a dictation, and tell the students they only have to write down the word, not the sentence. 

4) Make a list of 10 - 12 key words from your text, including some new ones, as well as some that your students already know. Tell your students you are going to call out the words as fast as possible, and they must write down all the words they hear. Read the words out super fast, and do it a second time ONLY if they really insist. Then invite a student to come to the board and write the words on the board as other students call them out. When the students finish, then you can add any words they didn't get and correct spelling. Ask students if they have any questions about the words. 

5) This one takes longer than some of the other activities, but the students really enjoy it. Assign 5 or 6 students to stand at the board, pens/chalk in hand, ready to write words as you call them out. Call out 12 - 15 key words, and have them write the words all over the board, as creatively as possible. Each time they write a word, make sure that they move to a new place, and change their writing style often. When the dictation is finished, you should have a board covered with words. Now ask the class if they see any interesting combinations of words on the board. Next, tell them they have 3 minutes to make as many sentences as they can using the words. Finally, ask a few to read out their sentences. 

6) Write about 10 - 15 key words on the left side of the board. Get your students to give you some vocabulary related to water (ice, drip, puddle, wet, rain, etc.). You write these words on the right side of the board. Now, you assign them to make sentences establishing a connection between words from your list and the "water" words. 

7) This next one is a fun way to get students pronouncing the new words. Write "ONE-WORD RAP" on the board. Ask your students if any of them can rap. If anyone says yes, ask him or her to demonstrate. Tell them you are going to demonstrate a one-word rap. Take a word from your text and write it on the board. Read it out as rhythmically as you can (PA-RA-DOX, PA-RA-DOX, PA-RA, PA-RA, PA-RA-DOX, PUH, PUH, PUH, PUH, PARADOX!). Write the next word on the board, read it out, and have students repeat it a couple of times. Call on one of your most outgoing students to come to the front, and do his or her best to rap the word. To get everyone involved, have all the other students pound out a rhythm on their desks (pound on desk twice, clap once, repeat). Do the same with the rest of the words. Give out a prize (candy, a bookmark, etc.) for the best rap. 

8) Put a list of new vocabulary on the board. Explain the meaning of the first word, then give the students a couple of minutes to write a short sentence about themselves using the new word. Continue with all of the words. When you are finished with the list, encourage a few students to read out a sample sentence or two. 

9) Before handing out the text, put 6 or 7 important words from the text up on the board. Make sure that they are not grammar words (the, and, what), but also make sure that they don't give away the subject of the text too easily. Ask your students to guess what the text is about. When they have made a few guesses, tell them and hand out the text. 

10) Put a list of 10 or so important words from your text on the board. Then give each student an equivalent number of post-it notes. Tell the students to write down each word on a separate post-it note. Then have them put the words anywhere in the classroom (on desks, tables, windows, classmates, you) that they think is appropriate. Encourage them to ask their neighbours why they put the words where they did. 

References : 

Dulay, Heidi, Burt, Marina and Krashen, Stephen. 1982. Language Two. New York: Oxford University Press. 

Jimmy G. Cheek and Carl E. Beeman. 2005. Using Visual Aids in Extension Teaching. University Of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611. 

Scott Thornbury. 2005. Methodology: Absolute Beginners from the internet of http://www.geocities.com/allhou/lessgames.htm

Story : The Frog Prince

Long ago there was a king who had a beautiful daughter. He loved her very much. Everyday the Princess would sit by the old palace well and toss a golden ball high in the air and let it drop. She loved to play this game. One day, she accidentally tosses her ball too high. When it came down, she could not catch it. It fell deep into the well. The princess began to cry. “Why are you crying?” said a voice behind her. The Princess looked down. She saw a frog. ”Oh, please, Frog”, said the princess ,”I lost my ball down the well. If you bring it back to me, I will do anything you want.” “ Anything at all?” asked the frog. ” Yes, anything”, said the princess. 

So the frog dived into the well and gave the ball back to the princess. “ I don’t want money or property”, said the frog. “ Let me live with you and be favourite friend.” The princess did not really want to let the frog came and live with her as her favourite friend but she was an honest princess. When she made a promise she kept it. So the frog came back with her to the palace. One day, the princess discovered that the frog had turned into a handsome prince, so they got married and live happily ever after.

Teaching Techniques For Elementary Students

Teaching Techniques For Elementary Students

As an international language, English should be accepted in the communication which involve some countries, in all condition both formal or informal communication. People are aware that there are so many developing countries and modern countries which adopt English as their second language. Almost all developing countries take English as their foreign language and it is one of the subjects that must be learned in formal school. The role of vocabulary teaching in the context of learning English as a foreign language, a learner is forced to be autonomous and independent and make conscious effort to learn vocabulary outside the classroom simply because the exposure to the target language is limited in class. So teachers cannot rely on their 'picking up' lexical items. This makes explicit vocabulary teaching necessary. However, vocabulary is notoriously difficult if not impossible to teach because of the complexity of its linguistic, semantic and psycho-cognitive aspects (Visnja Pavicic; 2006).

Teaching-method has an important role to understand English. Several methods have been developed by any institutions or schools to recognize English from beginners. English is a strange communication for Indonesia people, therefore they should study this from early stage. In Indonesia, students already study English lesson from elementary school. In line with the effort to improve English in elementary school, several methods of teaching are used and developed by teachers or institutions based on the basic competence regulated by the Ministry of Education. Teachers have responsibility to motivate the students and try to make them interested to learn English. In elementary level, students are mostly encouraged to get the vocabulary as many as they can. Vocabulary is an interesting subject if the techniques or methods of teaching are applicable and also easy to understand. Without a good and interesting ways of teaching, it is almost impossible that the students can develop practical English like writing, translating, even speaking.

In line with the writer’s experience in teaching new vocabulary for elementary students, after the teacher gave the texts of vocabulary and the meaning of the words, most of the students got difficulties to complete the tasks given. They can not retell most of the vocabularies given by the teacher and they only could memorize 3 or 4 words from 10 words given. Therefore, the writer decided to find a good technique and method that can be used to assist the students to understand and memorize new vocabulary easier and enjoyable. Teaching of new vocabulary for elementary has been developed with several techniques or methods. The method of vocabulary teaching can be successful if it is right implemented for the elementary students.
 

Visnja Pavicic (2006) has proposed several techniques to understand vocabulary well as below :   a) Presenting A Varied New Vocabulary. First of all, ways of presenting new vocabulary should be varied. In order to improve the efficiency of vocabulary learning (memorizing and retrieving lexical items) students should be encouraged to make use of learning strategies that are at their disposal, and be taught, either implicitly or explicitly, new strategies for vocabulary learning. According to one research (Pavicic, 1999) strategies can be divided into four groups. b) Self-initiated Independent Learning. These strategies involve planned, active and motivated learning and exposure to language outside the classroom (media). Examples of strategies  : Word grouping, Making notes of vocabulary while reading for pleasure/watching TV, Word cards / Leafing through a dictionary, Planning, Recording and listening, Regular revision. In this group cognitive strategies which include direct manipulation of lexical items are connected to meta-cognitive strategies that make the use of cognitive ones more effective. The aim is communicative use of vocabulary. c) Formal Practice. These strategies promote systematic learning and vocabulary practice. The aim is accurate reproduction and is often connected to the tasks of formal instruction. Examples of strategies : Loud repetition, Bilingual dictionary , Testing oneself, Noting new items in class. d) Functional Practice. These strategies are based on context as a vocabulary source. They also include exposure to language, but without making a conscious effort (incidental learning). They also have a social aspect, i.e. interaction. Examples of strategies : Remembering words while watching TV/reading,  Using known words in different contexts, Looking for definitions, Listening to songs and trying to understand, Using words in conversations, Practice with friends. e) Memorizing. This group includes a number of memory strategies based on inter-, intra-lingual and visual associations. Examples of strategies : Using pictures, illustrations, Associations with L1 (cognates or key word method),  Looking for similarities between words, Visualisation. f) Best Approach. There are no universally useful strategies and they contribute to vocabulary learning in different ways. Students use a number of strategies, often simultaneously. The efficiency of vocabulary learning depends on how students combine individual strategies. If students combine and employ individual strategies from different groups they will be more successful in developing the target language lexicon. Thus, the ideal combination would be that of strategies from all four groups.                                                            

References  

1. Brumfit, C.J. 1983. ‘Communicative’ Language Teaching : An Educational Perspective. In C.J. Brumfit and K. Johnson (Eds). The communicative approach to Language Teaching. Oxford; Oxford University Press.
   
2. Dulay, Heidi, Burt, Marina and Krashen, Stephen. 1982. Language Two. New York: Oxford University Press.
3. Jimmy G. Cheek and Carl E. Beeman. 2005. Using Visual Aids in Extension Teaching. University Of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.
4. Setiyadi, Ag. Bambang. 2006. Teaching English As A Foreign Language. Penerbit Graha Ilmu, Jakarta.
5. Visnja Pavicic, MA. 2006. Vocabulary And Autonomy. Pedagoski fakultet (Faculty of Education) University of Osijek, Croatia

Why do women live longer than man?

Why do Women live longer than men?

A women generally live about six years longer than men. Evidence suggests that boys are the weaker sex at birth, which means that more die in infancy. Also women do not have as much heart disease as men. In terms of lifestyle, men smoke more than women and thus more die of smoking-related diseases. They drink more and are more aggressive in behaviour, particularly when driving cars, so they are more likely to die in accidents. Also, they generally have more dangerous occupation, such as building work.

Historically, women died in childbirth and men in wars. Hence nuns and philosophers often lived to great ages. Now, childbearing is less risky and there are fewer wars. The country with the highest life expectancy is Japan, where the average age for men is 76 and for women 82.

Question : Do you agree with the above? Why?

Which Birds fly backwards? ....

Which Birds fly backwards?

In quick, darting flight, in sudden stops and starts, in complete mastery of movement in the air, the supreme artists in the bird world are hummingbirds. They can hover like helicopters, move straight up, down, or sideways-and they can fly backwards. Because their movements are too rapid for the eye to follow, it was long believed that their backward flight was an optical illusion. It was not until they were filmed with an incredibly fast, stroboscopic camera that it was proved beyond doubt that hummingbirds can fly backwards. They beat their wings faster than any other bird, and the name ‘hummingbirds’ comes from the noise made by their wings as they vibrate at 200 beats per second. One species, the broad-tailed hummingbird, actually takes flight before it leaves its perch. The camera shows that it pulls its perch up with its feet before it lets go.

Hummingbirds come from the Americas. Some have long tongue to feed on the nectar in flowers and others eat insects. The Cuban bee hummingbird is the world’s smallest bird at 5.5 cm long and weighs 2 grammas which is less than one tenth of an ounce.