This week we’ve been making plans for 2013, and watching some fireworks!

Let’s take a look at some of the more peculiar things that have been happening in the news over the last seven days:

GOOD WEEK FOR:

• Ambitious people, as a man has revealed his plans to cross the Atlantic using hundreds of balloons.
  Read the story here:
  
  
• Over-18s who miss bouncy castles, as the first-ever ‘adults only’ bouncy castle has been unveiled in Italy.
  Read all about it and see some pictures here:

BAD WEEK FOR:

• Those who like a lot of space, as the world’s smallest houses have gone on sale.
  Take a look at the cramped habitations here:
  
  
• Chinese wine lovers, after a house in China was found to contain 10,000 bottles of the incredibly expensive Chateau Lafite Rothschild red wine – which authorities now believe is fake.
  Read the story here:

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day". E.B. White

FACTS OF THE WEEK:

• Humans shed 10 billion skin flakes a year!
• A lion’s roar can be heard 5 miles away
• Odontophobia is the fear of teeth
• Ears of corn always have an even number of kernel rows

PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

This week we have a great link to an entire gallery of beautiful Hubble space photos. See it here:


This week's homework is called "Aviation Economics". Many words associated with planes and flying are used in economics.

PART A

Complete the sentences below using the following words:

• PLUMMETS
• COLLISION
• TURBULENCE
• NOSEDIVES
• FREE-FALL
• COURSE

1. If a plane ?????, it comes down very quickly and is in danger of crashing.
2. When a plane falls into the sea, we normally say that it ?????? into the sea.
3. If two planes fly into each other, they have a mid-air ??????.
4. We are on ??????? for Plymouth and expect to land in 45 minutes.
5. Some people take part in ?????? parachuting. This involves jumping out of a plane and not releasing your parachute until you are close to the ground.
6. During a flight it is best to keep your seat-belt fastened in case of  ???????.

PART B - NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

Complete the following newspaper headlines:

• COLLISION
• GROUND
• COURSE
• NOSEDIVE
• SOAR

1. Stock-market joy as share prices ?????? (GO UP VERY FAST)
2. Bank of England on ????? course with industry (GOING TO DISAGREE STRONGLY)
3. Economy back on ?????? (GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AGAIN)
4. Flotation fails to get off the ?????? (UNSUCCESSFUL START)
5. Stock-market panic as profits ?????? (GO DOWN VERY FAST)

PART C - A LOT OF TURBULENCE

Complete the following sentences taken from newspapers:

• PLUNGING
• CLIMB OUT OF
• FREE-FALL
• A LOT OF TURBULENCE
• SOFT LANDING
• TAKEN OFF

1. There is ??????? in financial markets at the moment.
2. We believe that the Government's "Back to Work" programme has never ?????.
3. Several Asian currencies are ?????? to their lowest levels this year.
4. The stock-market is in ??????.
5. Japan has proposed an aid package to help Asian economies ????? recession.
6. Despite the present difficulties, economists think the UK economy will make a ?????? in the summer.

And the riddle for this week is:

Sharp without a moving joint,
A stabbing pain, you get the point.
Without a shield, may feel alone,
A famous one found in a stone.

Until next week.

Best wishes

Paul


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