I love English!

Happy New Year to all of you students! I hope you had a great time during
Christmas and I’m sure that this year will make all your wishes come true. The first
issue was a success and therefore we will continue doing what we know best. We
have to try harder to achieve all our goals and set new ones. So this is the January-
February 2011 issue! Hopefully you will learn something new and interesting. Enjoy
reading it and think of new ideas for the next issue.

What happened on January 11, 1935?

January 11, 1935, Amelia Earhart became the first person to fly solo across the
pacific. But would you like to know more about the first female aviator? Let’s find
out by her biography.
America's famous aviatrix Amelia Mary Earhart was born on
July 24, 1897 at her grandparents' home in Atchison, Kansas.
Amelia (Millie) and her sister Muriel (Pidge) were to know
privilege and wealth through their grandparents attending private
schools and enjoying many of the comforts of life.
Amelia had heard of a woman pilot who gave flying
instructions and shortly afterwards began lessons with pioneer
aviatrix Anita "Neta" Snook at Kinner Field near Long Beach.

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 By October 1922, Amelia began participating in record
breaking attempts and set a women's altitude record of 14,000
feet...broken a few weeks later by Ruth Nichols.
On April 27, 1926 her life was to change forever...a phone call
from Captain H.H. Railey asked, "how would you like to be the first
woman to fly across the Atlantic?"
A week later, Amelia met with George Putnam in New York. George was said
to have been so impressed by her at the meeting that he decided Amelia should be the
woman to make the flight. Amelia accepted the offer although she would only be a
passenger on the flight.
"I was a passenger on the journey...just a passenger. Everything that was
done to bring us across was done by Wilmer Stultz and Slim Gordon. Any praise I can
give them they ought to have...I do not believe that women lack the stamina to do a
solo trip across the Atlantic, but it would be a matter of learning the arts of flying by
instruments only, an art which few men pilots know perfectly now..."
Amelia flew a solo flight from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast in September
1928 to attend the National Air Races.
Aviation was quite a new concept and the industry looked for ways of
improving its image. Amelia was appointed Assistant to the General Traffic Manager
at Transcontinental Air Transport (later known as TWA) with a special responsibility
of attracting women passengers.
By early 1932 no other person had successfully flown solo across the Atlantic
since Lindbergh. Amelia would not duplicate Lindbergh's course but would fly from
Harbour Grace, Newfoundland with the British Isles as her destination. On May 20,
1932, exactly 5 years after the Lindbergh flight, Amelia's modified Lockheed Vega
began the journey. Since she did not drink coffee or tea, she would keep awake by
using smelling salts on long trips. Amelia prided herself on traveling light...a thermos
of soup and a can of tomato juice would sustain her. Somewhat off-course, she landed
in an open field near Londonderry in northern Ireland. On climbing from her plane a
man approached. She asked: "Where am I?"...the man replied "in Gallegher's
pasture...have you come far?"..."from America", she replied. She had broken several
records on this flight...the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo and only person to fly it
twice...the longest non-stop distance flown by a woman...and a record for crossing in
the shortest time. "I have a feeling that there is just about one more good flight left in
my system and I hope this trip is it. Anyway when I have finished this job, I mean to
give up long-distance "stunt" flying." And this is what Amelia Earhart said before her
final trip from Oakland to the Howland Island. Unfortunately Amelia disappeared in
that trip and it was probably due to the fact that she was out of gas while she was
flying. Nevertheless she will always be remembered as the first female aviator.

Source: http://ellensplace.net/eae_intr.html

CONTEST RESULTS!!! And here are the winners of the contest. There
were only three participants Stavroula Vasilaki, Konstantina Spyrou and Kelly
Koutsiouki. All drawings were great but the first prize goes to Stavroula Vasilaki.
Bravo Stavroula!

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NEW CONTEST: Draw a picture of your favourite animal and win a super
duper prize! I can’t wait to see your new drawings!!!

Letters to the Editor

By Eleni Nakou – Level B1

Dear Timo,
How are you? It’s long time no see. I’m writing to you because I want to
propose you something.

Yesterday I had a call from far away. It was from Santa Claus. That was a
very pleasant surprise for me. It has passed a year since the last time we met. He
needs my help. This Christmas he will give gifts not only to kids but to adults too. As
he said to me there are a lot of difficulties this year in Greece. He wants to give joy to
all the people. I’m going to go to the North Pole to help him.

If you want to come with me I’d like it very much. The day after tomorrow a
reindeer will come to take us. When we arrive there an elf will pick us up with a
sleigh and altogether we will go to the Santa Claus village in Lapland. If you decide
to come take with you some warm clothes because the weather is windy and snowy in
Lapland. Christmas is days of love and our help will be precious. We will have a great
time. I really hope you can come. Call me soon.
Kisses,
Eleni

P.S. Don’t forget to wish for something. Santa Claus will make it true for you.

By Peter Vetsios – Level B1

Hi! My name is Peter Vetsios and I am a businessman. In the last years I dealt
with shops of entertainment like coffee shops and bars. Then I decided to turn a new
leaf in my life and start a professional career. Now I am the owner of a camping in the
area of Preveza. It is a very pleasant and lucrative career.

It is pleasant because you are in the nature surrounded by trees and close to the
sea. I also have the chance to associate with a lot of people who decide to spend their
holidays in my camping. And you know people in their holidays are always happy
and calm.

It is lucrative because in this difficult period of our life an organized camping

is more accessible for economic reasons.

However, I am equally responsible because it is a big enterprise with shops

such as mini market, restaurant, coffee shop, reception and beach bar that should
function flawlessly for the benefit and the safety of the customers.

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 And the most important is that I have six months in my disposal in order to
travel around the world. I really enjoy that. So, I wait all of you in Camping Monolithi
in May 2011.
What I would do if I were rich.
By Stathis Kouthourides – Level C’ Regular

I don’t really think that I will ever be rich but it is nice to have dreams.
Dreams of what I would do if I were rich. As long as I were rich I would buy a small
football stadium as a present to my father and a lot of clothes as a present for my
mum.
Moreover, I will buy a new house for my future family. I would decorate it
with a lot of colours and furnish it as I like with beautiful furniture, soft carpets and
thick curtains.
Furthermore, I would like to buy a fast car, which would take me to my
destination at once. All these are dreams. Perhaps one day they will come true.

By Stavroula Vasilaki – Level A’ Regular

How gorillas are killed

By Konstantina Spyrou – Level A’ Regular

European and American zoos contact forest rangers in Africa and ask them to
find baby gorillas. The park rangers then contact poachers. Poachers then kill adult
gorillas to steal their babies.

The poachers then don’t look after the baby gorillas properly. They tie their
hands and feet and they give them very little food and no water. Poachers have killed

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a lot of gorillas in this way.

The history of dance

By Kelly Koutsiouki – Level B1

In all over the world people love to dance. Dance has always been the focal
point of all important events, such as weddings and christenings. There are dances for
sowing, crops and raining. The dancing, the songs and the rhythmical sounds from the
musical instruments compose rituals that bring people together. However, ballet is
different from the other kinds of dance because it includes turning movements. The
ballet dancers use special shoes to walk on tip-toe. Dancing is really great!

Salsa Dance

Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins from Cuba as the original American
meeting point of European and African cultures.
Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as
solo dancing "(suelta)" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange
partners in a circle. Salsa can be improvised or performed with a set routine.
Salsa is popular throughout Latin America as well as in the United States, Japan,
Israel, Western Europe and Eastern Europe, notwithstandingly huge growth in Asia
and Southern hemisphere. It is fast becoming a global phenomenon.

Salsa movements originate from the Cuban Son dancing of the 1920s, and more
specifically through the beat of Son Montuno with strong influences from the dance
of Danzon, Mambo, Guaguanco and other Afro-Cuban folkloric dancing. Today's
Salsa dancing is a rich blend of Latin-American and Western influences. Salsa traces
a 90 year history in which there are numerous evolutionary paths, sometimes split due
to political and social influences. As a result, today there are various distinct styles of
Salsa dancing, namely Cuban ("Casino"), New York Style ("Mambo on 2") and Los
Angeles Style ("On 1"). Other Salsa branches include Colombian Salsa ("Cali-Style")

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and Miami-Style Salsa.
Source: Wikipedia

Source: Mary Glasgow Magazines

The cat
By Christos Vasilakis – Level A’ Regular

One day in our yard came a little cat. My dad fed her because he didn’t want
her to leave us. She was very sweet and we called her Nifada. As time went by,
Nifada grew and she made three kitties! We called them Tavua, Hakina and Nifada

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junior. My father feeds them every day and they love him very much. They are very
tame. When they see us, they play and cuddle with us. And maybe in a little time they
make more kitties!
Big Cats

QuickTimeª and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

Tigers are the largest members of the cat family and are renowned for their power and
strength.
There were eight tiger subspecies at one time, but three became extinct during the
20th century. Over the last 100 years, hunting and forest destruction have reduced
tiger populations from hundreds of thousands of animals to perhaps fewer than 2,500.
Tigers are hunted as trophies, and also for body parts that are used in traditional
Chinese medicine. All five remaining tiger subspecies are endangered, and many
protection programs are in place.
Bengal tigers live in India and are sometimes called Indian tigers. They are the most
common tiger and number about half of all wild tigers. Over many centuries they
have become an important part of Indian tradition and lore.
Tigers live alone and aggressively scent-mark large territories to keep their rivals
away. They are powerful nocturnal hunters that travel many miles to find buffalo,
deer, wild pigs, and other large mammals. Tigers use their distinctive coats as
camouflage (no two have exactly the same stripes). They lie in wait and creep close
enough to attack their victims with a quick spring and a fatal pounce. A hungry tiger
can eat as much as 60 pounds (27 kilograms) in one night, though they usually eat
less.
Source: www.nationalgeographic.com

So this was it for the beginning of the new year. The next issue will come
along with the spring, the flowers and the good weather. Keep up the good work and
remember that what you do, you do it for yourselves only. You don’t do it for your
parents or teachers though it’s good to give happiness to those who love you and care
for you. But in the end the knowledge you gain through this hard process of going to

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school and to private schools or lessons is a gift to yourselves. It will help you learn
something about yourself and the world and be able to cope with the troubles of life in
the future. Let our motto for this year be: <We never give up>.