Reading Aloud m3 2022

SECONDARY 3

INTRODUCTION :
By raising our student’s awareness of reading as a skill that requires
active engagement and by teaching explicable reading strategies, we help our
students to develop good pronunciation, articulation, rhythm, fluency and accuracy.

GOALS :
- good pronunciation
- use of appropriate rhythm and stress to achieve well-paced,
fluent reading
- to build important literacy skills such as comprehension

PROCESS :
Select topics which are related to students’ interests and experiences or
explore universal contemporary themes and issues.

DURING READING :
• read with a purpose in mind and give complete attention
to the reading task
• create visual images
• focus on unity and coherence, articulation, and good pronunciation
• identify with and develop an understanding of the characters (story)

AFTER READING :
• reread important words when necessary
• paraphrase and summarize major ideas
• recognize how particular elements create moods or tones
• seek additional information from other sources as needed or desired

ST. GABRIEL’S COLLEGE 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Honorary Advisor :
Bro. Dr. Monthol Prathumarach
Committee :
Bro.Manit Sakonthawat, M.A.
Bro.Pathanant Chaiyara
Mr.Tong-In Sawaengsin, M.A.
Mr.Pisit Krittayanawach, M.A.
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EMMdre.imYtoubrtetiharsal cTohefaatihmeIt:tFivoorreaigcehnet,LaMn.gMu.age Department
Design & Layout :
MMMrrr...SWPeauretaircyahuwatitrtJAoCrrjjhaloariotaernuppaancihcehewin, M.FA.
Mr.Premsak Rativiriyapong, M.A.
Audio Recorders :
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Produced by :
SBAaiNntGGKaObKri,eTl’sHACIoLlAleNgeD Copyright @ 2018

ST. GABRIEL’S COLLEGE

SECONDARY 3

CONTENTS

The Stone Cutter 4

On The Way to The Sun 7

Money Can’t Buy Everything 10

A Canadian Winter 13

The Story of Jeans 16

Meet the Celebrities in London! 19

England at Christmas 22

The Surprise Party 26

Moving to the Country 29

Somebody is Watching You 32

How to be Honest 35

The Amazon Rainforest 37

Health is Wealth 40

Hurricanes 43

Maha Nakhon Building Bangkok Bangkok’s 45
New Tallest Building..

ST. GABRIEL’S COLLEGE 3

SECONDARY 3

The Stone Cutter

Once upon a time there lived a stone cutter in a
small village. All day long he worked hard, cutting the
hard stones and making the shape which were needed by
his customers. His hands were hard and his clothes were
dirty.
One day he went out to work on a big stone. It
was very hard to work and the sun was very hot. After
spending several hours cutting the stone, he sat down
in the shade and soon fell asleep. After sometime, he
heard sound of somebody coming. Walking up he saw a

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long procession of people. There were many soldiers and
attendants and in the middle, in a palanquin, carried by
strong people at the king.
How wonderful it must be to be the great king thought
the stone cutter. How happy I would be if I were the
king instead of a poor stone cutter.
As he said these words, a strange thing happened.
The stone cutter found himself dressed in silk clothes and
shining jewels. His hands were soft and he was sitting in
a comfortable palanquin. He looked through the curtains
and thought, “How easy it is to be a king, these people
are here to serve me.”
The procession moved on and the sun grew hot.
The stone cutter, now the king, became too warm for
comfort. He asked the procession to stop so that he could
rest for some time.
At once the chief of the soldiers bent before the
king and said Your Majesty, only this morning you swore
to have me hanged to death if we did not reach the palace
before the sun set. The stone cutter felt sorry for him
and ordered the procession to go on its way again. As
the afternoon wore on, the sun grew hotter, and the king
became more and more uncomfortable. I am powerful,
it is true, but how more powerful the sun is, he thought I

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would rather be the sun than a king.
At once, he became the sun, shining down on the
earth. His new power was hard to control. He shone too
strongly, he burned up the fields with his rays and turned
the ocean into vapour and formed a great cloud which
covered the land.
But no matter how hard he shone, he could not see
through the clouds.
It is obvious that the clouds are even stronger and
more powerful than sun said the stone cutter, now the sun,
I would rather be a cloud. Suddenly he found himself
turned into a huge dark cloud. He started using his new
power. He poured rain down on the fields and caused
floods. All the trees and houses were swept away but a
boulder, which once he had been cutting when he was
a stone cutter was unmoved and unchanged. However
much he poured down on the stone it did not move.
Why that rock is more powerful than I am said
the stone cutter now a cloud. Only a stone cutter could
change the rock by his skill. How I wish I were a stone
cutter.
No sooner he said the words that he found himself
sitting on a stone with hard and rough hands. He picked
up his tools and set to work on the boulder, happily.

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On The Way to The Sun

He had journeyed a long way, and was very tired.
It seemed like a dream when he stood up after a sleep in
the field, and looked over the wall, and saw the garden,
and the flowers, and the children playing all about. He
looked at the long road behind him, at the dark wood and
the barren hills; it was the world to which he belonged.
He looked at the garden before him, at the big house, and
the terrace, and the steps that led down to the smooth
lawn-it was the world which belonged to the children.

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“Poor boy,” said the elder child, “I will get you
something to eat.”
“But where did he come from?” the gardener asked.
“We do not know,” the child answered; but he is
very hungry, and mother says we may give him some
food.”
“I will take him some milk,” said the little one; in
one hand she carried a mug and with the other she pulled
along her little broken cart.
“But what is he called?” asked the gardener.
“We do not know,” the little one answered; “but he
is very thirsty, and mother says we may give him some
milk.”
“Where is he going?” asked the gardener.
“we do not know,” the children said; “but he is very
tired.”
When the boy had rested well, he got up saying, “I
must not stay any longer,” and turned to go on his way.
“What have you to do?” the children asked.
“I am one of the crew, and must help to make the
world go round,” he answered.
“Why do we not help too?”
“You are the passengers.”
“How far have you to go?” they asked.

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“Oh, a long way!” he answered. “On and on until
I can touch the sun.”
“Will you really touch it?” they said, awestruck.
“I dare say I shall tire long before I get there,” he
answered sadly. “Perhaps without knowing it, though, I
shall reach it in my sleep,” he added. But they hardly
heard the last words, for he was already far off.
“Why did you talk to him?” the gardener said. “He
is just a working boy.”
“And we do not thing! It was very good of him to
notice us,” they said, humbly.
“Good!” said the gardener in despair. “Why,
between you and him there is a great difference.”
“There was only a wall,” they answered “Who set
it up?” they asked curiously.
“Why? The builders, of course. Men set it up.”
“And who will pull it down?”
“It will not want any pulling down,” the man
answered grimly. “Time will do that.”
As the children went back to their play, they looked
up at the light towards which the boy was journeying.
“Perhaps we too shall reach it some day,” they said.

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Money Can’t Buy Everything

Nick was a 10 year old boy. He was the only son
to his parents. Nick’s father was a very busy businessman
who could not spend time with his son. He came home
after Nick Nick slept, and was off to office before Nick
woke up in the morning. Nick yearned for his father’s
attention. He wanted to go outdoors and play with his
father just like his friends did.
One day, Nick was surprised to see his father at
home in the evening.

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“Dad, it is a big surprise to see you at home,” Nick
said.
“Yes son, my meeting was cancelled. So I’m at
home. But after two hours I have to catch a flight,” his
father replied.
“When will you be back?”
“Tomorrow noon.”
Nick was in deep thought for a while. Then he
asked, “Dad, how much do you earn in a year?”
Nick’s father was taken aback. He said, “My dear
son, it’s a very big amount and you won’t be able to
understand it.”
“Ok dad, are you happy with the amount you earn?”
“Yes my dear. I’m very happy, and in fact I’m
planning to launch our new branch and a new business in
a few months. Isn’t that great?”
“Yes, dad. I’m happy to hear that. Can I ask you
one more question?”
“Yes, dear.”
“Dad, can you tell me how much you earn in a day
or even half a day?”
“Nick, why are you asking this question?” Nick’s
father was perplexed.
But Nick was persistent. “Please answer me. Can

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you please tell me how much you earn in an hour?”
Nick’s father gave in and replied, “It will be around
$25/per hour.”
Nick ran to his room upstairs, and came down with
his piggy bank that contained his savings.
“Dad, I have $50 in my piggy bank. Can you spare
two hours for me? I want to go to the beach and have
dinner with you tomorrow evening. Can you please mark
this in your schedule?”
Nick’s father was speechless!
The greatest gift a parent can give his child is time.
Money can’t buy everything!

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A Canadian Winter

If there is one thing that unites almost the whole
population of Canada, it is the experience of winter.
While in most parts of Europe, people never know
what the winter weather will be like from one week to
the next, Canadians know what winter means. When the
last leaves fall off the trees in autumn, Canadians know
that the winter is coming, and that it will be cold; or if
it is not cold, it will be very cold! When the Arctic air
blows south in the winter months, Canadians know that
the temperature will fall to -20 or lower, perhaps down
to -40; but because they know that it is going to happen,

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Canadians are ready for it! That, as they say, is half the
battle of survival!
In Edmonton, the biggest city in the province of
Alberta, the first winter snows can come in October.
When this happens, Edmontonians complain that it is a
bit early, but then just got on with normal life.
For most of the winter, which usually lasts from
November to April, daytime temperatures in the city
rarely rise above freezing; from time to time, Arctic
winds blow down from the north, and for several days
temperatures in the city may not rise above -20 (and may
drop below -40).
But in a city where people are used to cold winters,
life carries on as usual. Canadians have to know how
to cope with the cold; those who can’t have just two
options, to emigrate or to go and live beyond the Rocky
Mountains, beside the Pacific Ocean, in “B.C.” - British
Columbia!
The easiest way to keep away from the cold of a
Canadian winter is to stay indoors as much as possible!
This does not mean that you have to stay at home,
however! Many people keep their cars in heated
basement garages which they can reach without going
outside. Cars are often kept warm in winter, with electric

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heaters which are plugged into power points.
Some shopping centres have underground or indoor
parking lots: and in the city centre, it is often possible to
walk from one building to another, underground or above
ground, without ever having to go out in the cold. The
biggest shopping centre in town has hundreds of shops,
cinemas, an ice rink, a sports centre and an amusement
park all under one roof! The ‘West Edmonton Mall” is
like an indoor city - and in the heart of winter, it is a
good place to go shopping.
Outside, people make the most of the snow, for
leisure and recreation. Skiing, skating and snow-shoeing
are popular activities that can be practised in the city’s
parks. Many parks also have areas which are flooded in
winter, to provide natural ice rinks, which are lit up in the
evenings. Everyone tries to enjoy the snow as much as
possible!
Perhaps this is easier than it is in most part of
Europe as Canadian snow tends to be dry and powdery.
For most of the winter, for example, you can’t make it
into snowballs, it’s too cold. There is no point in putting
salt on the roads, either, as at -10 and below, the snow
just will not melt, even with salt! The only way to clear
the roads is to use snow-ploughs or snow-blowers.

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.The Story of Jeans

Jeans were the classic clothes of the American
West.
In 1853, a young tailor from Germany, called Levi
Strauss, began working in San Francisco, Levi sold thick
canvas to miners; who used it to make tents.
One day, a miner told Levi that he could not find
trousers that were strong enough for work in the gold
mines. Levi decided to make some trousers out of
canvas.
Very soon, he had sold all the canvas trousers he
had made! They were just what the miners wanted.
However, the canvas was rather heavy and stiff.
Levi therefore began to look for a different textile; soon

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he found a heavy textile from France; it was called serge
de Nimes. Americans just called this de Nimes, and this
name soon got reduced to denim.
Denim was a bit lighter than canvas, but it was very
strong; it was ideal for miners.
However, original denim was almost white, and the
miners didn’t like the color!
Their denim trousers got dirty as soon as they
began working!
Levi Strauss therefore decided to use colored
denim, and he chose dark blue. In 1873, he began to make
denim trousers with metal rivets to make them stronger.
This was a radical new idea: “Blue jeans” had arrived!
Levi’s jeans were so popular, that his company
got bigger and bigger; soon, others firms were making
blue jeans too. Miners liked them, but so did cowboys
and other working men. Blue jeans became the classic
American working trousers.
After the Second World War, jeans became popular
all over the world. Today, blue jeans are made over the
world-most of them in Asia. Very few jeans are now
made in the USA, because of the cost but it is still
possible to buy blue jeans that are made in San Francisco
.... if you have a lot of money to spend.

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Today there are hundreds of different brands of
jeans. Many top fashion brands, like Armani or Benetton,
make their own blue jeans. But for real authentic jeans,
“Levi’s” are still the most popular brand.
JEANS for EVERYONE? In America, everyone
wears jeans as leisure wear. Some people wear jeans all
the time, even for work. But Americans are perhaps less
formal than other nations.
At the “G7” Summit in Denver, in 1997, American
President Bill Clinton gave all his visitors jeans, for
a “Western evening”. Tony Blair, the British Prime
Minister, put them on, but other European leaders,
including Chancellor Kohl of Germany and Jacques
Chirac, the President of France, refused. Some people
still think that jeans are not respectable clothes!
Not the young! Jeans are now the international
uniform worn by young people. Why? That is a good
question!

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Meet the Celebrities in London!

Many people like to see celebrities but celebrities
don’t usually like being looked at - at least, not all day
every day!
There is, however, one place in England where you
can look at celebrities-a lot of them, every day: this is
Madame Tussaud’s, the most popular tourist attraction in
London.
On most days of the year, queues of visitors can be
seen outside Madame Tussaud’s, all wanting to get in and
see some of the most famous people in the world - kings

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and queens, politicians, stars, and even famous criminals.
They are all inside, just waiting to be looked at, or talked
to.
If you like, you can talk to film stars, politicians and even
tyrants in Madame Tussaud’s, but they won’t say anything
to you, because they can’t! Madame Tussaud’s is a
wax-works, and the “famous people” in the building are
really made out of wax.
Marie Tussaud was born in Strasbourg in 1765. As
a child she learned how to make wax models of people,
and later went to Paris. Then in 1802 she moved to
England, touring round the country with her exhibition
of wax figures. In 1835 (aged 70!), she finally settled in
London. “Madame Tussaud’s” has been one of the city’s
most popular exhibitions ever since.
Naturally, the collection has changed and grown;
indeed, it keeps changing all the time. While there are
some historic figures that do not change, others come and
go, and others are “aged” as the years go by.
The most popular figures in the exhibition are
royalty and stars. Princess Diana has been an overall
favorite for several years, and other popular figures
include Tony Blair, David Beckham, Brad Pitt and Elvis
Presley…. to mention just a few of them.

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Another popular part of the exhibition is the
“chamber of horrors”, with its famous murderers and its
instruments of torture!
At Madame Tussaud’s, it is only the very famous who get
a place in the exhibition. That is not surprising really,
It takes about six months to create a real life-like wax
model.
The sculptors use lots of photos and measurements,
in order to obtain a perfect likeness. For example, it took
450 hours to re-create Spice Girl Mel G’s famous curly
hair! In all, a wax figure costs over £40,000 to make-a lot
of money!
And, you ask, what happens to yesterday’s famous
people? Well, they are taken out of the collection, and
their heads are stored for a while. Then, if it is clear that
no one will ever want to see them again, they are melted
down and re-used for another person!
Many people achieve passing fame; few achieve
lasting fame!

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England at Christmas

Christmas is the biggest festival in the English year.
Once the festival lasted two days, but today it seems to
last for almost two months. Christmas Day, December
25th, is the day when most people in Britain sit down to a
special meal of roast turkey and Christmas pudding; but
Christmas Day is just the high point of the “Christmas
period”.
In the weeks before Christmas, life is very busy.
There are parties, there are trips to the cinema or the
pantomime, and of course there’s all the shopping.

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On Christmas day, Britain closes! For most people,
Christmas is a time to relax at least after many long and
busy weeks. The presents have been bought and sent,
dozens of cards have been sent and received, and the food
is waiting to be eaten. For two days at least (if not three
or four, depending on the year), the shops will be shut,
and the postman will not deliver any letters. For a day or
two, even the trains stop running.
Nowadays, Britain’s Christmas shopping season
lasts almost four months! The first Christmas catalogues
come through letter-boxes at the start of September!
Lots of busy people like shopping online, because
it is easy. All they have to do is choose from the pages
of a colourful catalogue, or use the Internet. A few days
later, goods are delivered to the door….or at least one
hopes they are. Some Internet shops work 24/7 in the
weeks before Christmas, to make sure that everyone gets
their presents on time.
Many Christmas catalogues come from charities.
Each charity has its own specialties-nature and animals
from WWF, the RSPCA and others, “green” products
from Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, and hand-made
articles from developing countries from charities like
Oxfam and Save the Children. Big charities like these

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earn a lot of money from their Christmas catalogues.
In the streets, Christmas arrives at the start of
November. Santa Claus and Christmas decorations start
appearing in shop windows soon after “Guy Fawkes
Night” (5th November). There are no other festivities
between Guy Fawkes Night and Christmas.
In the streets, vendors sell Father Christmas hats,
and reindeer horns! Many shops need extra staff. Some
shops sell as much in November and December as they
do in the other 10 months of the year. Shops stay open
tell later in the evening, and on Sundays too.
During December, sometimes even earlier, the
Christmas lights come on in the streets, and the big shops
put on special. “Christmas windows”, to bring in the
shoppers. As Christmas gets closer, the shops become
more and more crowded. Nowadays, many shops start
their “New Year Sales” before Christmas. Some people
therefore wait till the last days, in order to pay less for
their presents.
When the shops finally close for the holiday, most
people are happy that the shopping is over. For a day at
least, everything is shut… except pubs and restaurants,
which do a lot of business on Christmas day. On
Christmas morning, some people go to church in the

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morning, others stay at home to open presents and
prepare the Christmas lunch.
In the afternoon, it’s time for more presents, or to
watch a good film, or go out for a walk in the country, or
in the park.
Then, after Christmas, the shopping season starts
again, as people spend their Christmas money and look
for bargains in the New Year sales.
Most people have a week’s holiday between
Christmas and the New Year. Some, of course, have to
keep working; but for most, the last week of the year is
a time to relax, enjoy more parties, and do a bit more
shopping.
January sometimes seems very flat and empty!

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The Surprise Party

In the cold and plain living room, Matt is sitting
in his chair. His eyes don’t shine anymore. His skin is
wrinkled and pale. He looks extremely old and weak.
Today is his birthday, and he is by himself. The only
thing that he has been doing all day is thinking about how
his life is sad and lonely. As he was looking at some old
pictures, he found one special with him and his friends
from college. This picture brought back the days when
he had friends and his life was full of happiness. Also,
it brought him a sad memory happened forty years ago,
during his last year of college. Throughout college, Matt

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had a friend named Mark. Mark was tall and skinny. He
wore thick glasses. He was shy, smart and responsible.
Also, Mark didn’t have a lot of friends as Matt did. He
considered Matt as his best friend. As good friends, Matt
and Mark went bowling together, they knew everything
about each other, and they hung out. Also, they overcame
many problems together. They were really good friends.
On his twenty-fourth birthday their lives changed. On the
night before his birthday, Mark called Matt, “Hi, Matt”
his voice sounded strange. He continued, “I have an
important project to work on. I’m having some problems
with it. Maybe, you could come over and help me with
it giving me some new ideas. Could you?” Matt asked,
“What time?” Mark kept in silent for a minute, then he
said. “is 8 p.m. good for you?” Then Matt answered,
“Ok! See you later. “That night, was Matt’s birthday. So,
he didn’t want to spend his birthday helping Mark with
his project. He went to a club with some others guys
instead.
The next morning, Matt noticed that Mark was acting
differently. When he went to talk to Mark, Mark ignored
him completely. He left the classroom without saying
one word. As Mark was walking away, Matt said in
an angry voice, “You are selfish. You are just thinking

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about yourself. I was having fun on my birthday. Why
can’t you understand that?” After he had said that,
Mallory, one of his classmates and friend, stood up and
said, “How can you say such thing to Mark? You don’t
know what happened! Last night, he called you many
times, but he didn’t get any response from you. He
became worried that something was all wrong with you.
He took his car and drove all night looking for you. He
looked at the hospitals, the jails, and bars…” Matt started
to apologize to Mallory and their said, “Why did he do
has? He could have worked on the project by himself,
and …” Mallory replied angrily, “Shut up! He had
prepared a surprise party for you, and we waited for you
or for a call all night long.
Tears fell from her eyes. Matt didn’t know what
to say or what to do. Before he could say anything, she
left the classroom. He sat down and stayed there for
long time. He looked around the classroom. It was cold
and plain without his friends. It was empty, just like his
living room is now.

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Moving to the Country

City Life is cool; but is country life cooler?
Apparently yes.
More and more people in Britain want to live in the
country, and this is causing more and more problems in
some rural areas.
The population of British cities has been falling
for years. Cities like Liverpool and Glasgow have lost
about 30% of their population in 30 years. But Britain’s
population is still growing. Where are the people going?
Answer: to the country.

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The English countryside has a classic image.
People imagine that life in the country is slow and calm;
that there are no traffic jams, no pollution, and no crime.
In some places, this is true; but in others it is not.
Small towns and villages are becoming more and
more popular; people have more space and most houses
have gardens. But problems are growing. Lot of people
want to live in the country and work in the city; so more
and more people travel long distances each day, to go to
work. Of course they don’t use buses (they are too slow)
or trains (they don’t stop in the country); they use cars.
And although they live in the country, they want to use
supermarkets and good fast roads ... but they do not want
to see them or hear them. Besides, lots of young people

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say that life in the country is boring: there is not enough
to do, there are not enough activities and excitements.
Little villages now have traffic problems in the
morning, just like big cities! And they are getting worse.
The problems are very complicated! If everyone
moves into the country, large parts of the countryside
will disappear! People leave cities and big towns, to
escape from urban problems; but more and more, they are
bringing their problems with them.
On warm summer days, and cold winter days, air
pollution can be a big problem in large parts of the south
of England, not just in London. Traffic jams are now
often part of life, even in the country; crime has become
a serious problem in rural areas.
Perhaps there is hope for the future. Soon Britain’s
population will stop rising. From about the year 2020, it
will perhaps start to fall. In 100 years’ time, there will be
less people in Britain than today-perhaps two million less.
No doubt there will be less pollution too; oil and petrol
will probably rare by then.

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Somebody is Watching You

CCTV cameras were initially developed as a means
of security for banks. In Britain, they first appeared in
1953 and by the 1960s, there were already a few cameras
in major streets in London. Today, there are more than
four million CCTV cameras across the country. That’s
one camera for every fourteen people. The cameras are
there to film dangerous or illegal behavior. With new
software, they can automatically recognize the faces of
known offenders, and a new kind of CCTV in the
Netherlands can detect angry voices and automatically
warn the police of trouble. Some CCTV cameras can
even interact with the people they are watching. These

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cameras don’t just watch criminals; they watch all of us,
almost all of the time. Every time we go into a shop,
use a cash machine, or travel on public transportation, a
camera records our actions.
The amount of surveillance in towns and cities
across Britain is increasing because it is thought to deter
crime. Some goods in shops now have RFID tags (radio
frequency identification tags) attached to them. When
you pick up one of these items, the RFID tag sends a
radio message to a CCTV camera and the camera starts
filming you. Shops say that this technology helps to
catch shoplifters - but only by treating everyone as a
potential criminal.
Cameras and tags are not the only ways of monitoring
our actions. Every time you make or receive a call
on your mobile phone, the phone company knows the
number of the phone you are calling and how long the
call lasts. It is even possible to work out your exact
location. The police often use this information when
they’re investigating serious crimes.
And what about satellites? Are they watching us
from space? How much can they see? Anybody with a
computer can download ‘Google Earth’ and get satellite
photos of the entire world. Perhaps governments are

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using even more powerful satellites to watch the illegal
actions of their citizens.
Even when you are at home, you are not necessarily
safe from surveillance. High - speed internet connections
have made computers more vulnerable than ever before.
When you use your computer to visit websites, you are
probably sending and receiving ‘cookies’ without
realizing it. Cookies transfer information from your
computer to the website and, in theory, could record which
website you visit. Or perhaps somebody has secretly
installed a ‘keystroke logging program’ on your computer.
These record every letter that you type on the keyboard
: your password, your emails, and your bank account
numbers, for example. Modern technology is making it
easier and easier to stay in contact, but it is also making
it nearly impossible for anyone to hide.

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How to be Honest

Nobody actually wants to be a liar. But it’s just
so easy to fudge, blur, omit, and recast information - on
even everyday matters for effect or self - protection. To
inculcate honesty (in yourself and in others), think about
values (“What kind of person do I want to be?”), not rules
(“I should not…”). More pointers:
Own up. Honesty is more than not telling lies.
It’s also about not extending your lunch hour, padding
expenses, or picking up after your dog, and speaking up
when someone is being treated unfairly.
Think of the children. In a recent survey of high

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school students, 64 percent reported cheating on a test;
30 percent, stealing from a store; and 83 percent, lying to
their parents about something significant. At the same
time, 93 percent said they were satisfied with their values.
Huh? As a grown up, you set the terms.
Accept, and vow to change. When you fall off the
wagon and the moment has passed, at least be honest
with yourself, as in “I didn’t do that right. When I’m in
that situation again, I’m going to do better.” All of which
may be easier to achieve if the accent is on simply doing
what’s right instead of going by the book. When you’re
rule-bound, you’re more likely to slip if you’re not likely
to be caught. You’re honest when you do the right thing
even when nobody is looking.
Advice:
• Don’t lie to anyone, including yourself.
• Find the good in people. Everybody has something.
• Do what is right, not what is easy.
• Choose what is wise rather than what is fair.
• From my grandma: Never give yourself a haircut
after three margaritas.

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The Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical
rainforest. It covers an area of nearly 2.8 million square
miles, which is nearly the size of the continent of
Australia. The Amazon Rainforest gets its life from the
majestic Amazon River, the world’s second largest river,
which runs directly through the heart of the region. The
rainforest itself is simply the drainage basin for the river
and its many tributaries. The vast forest consists of four
layers, each featuring its own ecosystem and specially
adapted plants and animals.
The forest floor is the lowest region. Since
only two percent of the sunlight filters through the top

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layers to the understory, very few plants grow here. The
forest floor, however, is rich with rotting vegetation and
the bodies of dead organisms, which are quickly broken
down into nutrients integrated into the soil. Tree roots
stay close to these available nutrients and decomposers
such as millipedes and earthworms use these nutrients for
food.
The understory is the layer above the forest floor.
Much like the forest, floor, only about two to five percent
of the sunlight reaches this shadowy realm. Many of the
plants in the understory have large, broad leaves to collect
as much sunlight as possible. The understory is so thick
that there is very little air movement. As a result, plants
rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.

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The layer above the understory is the canopy. This
is where much of the action in the rainforest occurs.
Many canopy leaves are specially adapted to form “drip
tips.” Drip tips allow water to flow off the leaves, which
prevents mosses, fungi, and lichens from occupying the
leaves. Loaves in the canopy are very dense and filter
about 80 percent of the sunlight. The canopy is where
the wealth of the rainforest’s fruits and flowers grow.
Bromeliads, cup-like plants, provide drinking pools for
animals and breeding locations for tree frogs. The
emergent layer is above the canopy, and is the top
layer of the rainforest. Trees in the emergent layer break
through the canopy and may reach heights of 200 feet.
Leaves in the emergent layer are small and covered with
a special wax to hold water. Seeds are blown to other
parts of the forest. Trees which rise to the emergent layer
are massive. Many are braced by huge buttress roots.
Trunks can be 16 feet in circumference. Many animals
that survive in the emergent layer never touch the ground.

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Health is Wealth

Once upon a time, there lived a generous and
kind-hearted king. But, the people weren’t happy with
their king because he was too lazy and would not do
anything other than eat and sleep.
He spent days, weeks, even months in his bed
either eating something or sleeping. He almost became
inactive. The king became a couch potato and the people
started to worry about him.
One day, he realized that he couldn’t move his body,
unable to move even his foot. He became very fat and
his enemies made fun of him by calling him ‘fatty king’,
‘bulky king’, etc.

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He invited specialized doctors from various parts of
his country and offered them generous rewards to make
him fit. Unfortunately, none could help the king gain his
health and fitness. Since the king was very cordial to his
fellow people, many suggested renowned doctors to help
him. He spent enormously but everything, went in vain.
One fine morning, a holy man (Rishi), visited the
region of the King. He heard about the ill-health of
the king and told the minister to meet him at his place.
When the minister arrived the holy man informed him
that he could easily cure the king. Hearing these promis-
ing words, the minister became very happy. He requested
the holy man meet the king to help him to get rid of his
ill-health.
The holy man resided at a distant place. Since the
king could not move his body, he asked the minister to
bring the holy man to the palace. However the holy man
refused and ordered the king meet him.
After strenuous efforts, the king met the holy man.
The holy man encouraged him and said he was good and
very soon would gain his health. He asked the king to
come for treatment every day. Also, the holy man told
the king that he would treat him only if he came on foot
to his place.

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The king was unable to walk even a few steps on
the road, but accompanied by his followers, he managed
to reach the holy man’s place. Unfortunately, the holy
man was not available there and his devotee requested the
king come and meet him the next day for treatment.
This was repeated for two weeks and the king never
met the holy man, never had any treatment. Suddenly,
the king realized that he felt a lot lighter, lost
considerable amount of weight and was able to be more
active than before. He realized the reason why the holy
man asked him to reach his place by walking.
Very soon, the king regained his health, and the
people were very happy in his kingdom.
The king had a lot of wealth, but no amount of
money could make him healthy.

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Hurricanes

Hurricanes are large tropical storms that develop
in the oceans of the world. Hurricanes gather heat and
energy from the warm ocean water. The heat from these
warm currents increases the power of the hurricane.
Hurricanes that remain over warm water usually get
bigger and stronger. Hurricanes are storms that are given
names, and a new list of names is created each year.
The first hurricane name starts with the letter A,
like Ashley, and the names move through the alphabet as
more hurricanes form.
Hurricanes clouds move in a circle around a point
called the eye, which is the center of the storm. To be
called a hurricane, a storm must have wind speeds of at

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least 74 miles per hour. When a hurricane comes ashore,
there are heavy rains, large waves and strong winds that
cause damage to buildings, cars and trees. Also, flooding
can occur when large waves called storm surges hit
the beaches. Storm surges are the main reason people
are told to leave beach towns and move inland when a
hurricane approaches.
Hurricanes move very slowly though, so people
have a chance to get out of the way. During the official
hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November
30, these large storms sometimes hit coastal areas of the
United States. As these hurricanes approach, there is rain
and strong winds. Meteorologists, scientists who study
the weather, watch these storms very carefully. They
classify hurricanes into five categories depending upon
how strong the hurricane is Category 1 and 2 hurricanes
are the weakest Category 4 and 5 hurricanes are the
strongest, and Category 3 storms are in the middle.

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Maha Nakhon Building Bangkok
Bangkok's New Tallest Building..

Designed in part by the same team involved in
Beijing’s Olympic stadium ‘The Bird’s Nest’, Maha
Nakhon is located in Sathorn in downtown Bangkok,
part of the Central Business District and surrounded by
financial institutions and other five star hotels. Chong
Nonsi BTS Skytrain Station is only a few steps from the
MahaNakhon building and has a direct walkway into the
building.

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Next door to the skyscraper there will be an
additional shopping and dining area called Maha Nakhon
Cube and a central garden area occupying the space in
between, which we are led to believe will hold frequent
cultural events and bring some much-needed greenery to
the Sathon area of Bangkok. Several restaurants have
already opened, such as Dean & Deluca bistro, VOGUE
Lounge, Morimoto Bangkok, and the much-anticipated
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon restaurant from the culinary
legend Joel Robuchon, who was honoured with the title of
Chef of the Century by esteemed restaurant guide Gault
Millau.
The pixelated design of Maha Nakhon Bangkok
will be the biggest architectural change to Bangkok in a
generation and the buzz is already palpable, as the luxury
restaurants and brands it attracts will surely put Bangkok

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on the same scale as anything in the financial city states
of Hong Kong or Singapore, proven by the price of the
most expensive penthouse apartments for sale: 550
million baht (US$17 million).
Maha Nakhon Building will finally give Bangkok
an iconic skyscraper befitting Asia’s most visited city.
This cubic masterpiece twists 77 floors (or 314 metres,
just 10 metres taller than Baiyoke Tower II, which is
304 m.) into the sky and when it is finally completed
it will function as a multi-purpose building housing a
shopping mall, garden plaza, fine dining restaurants, office
space, Bangkok’s first Ritz-Carlton Hotel and ultra-luxe
apartments. On the very top three floors there will be a
multi-level restaurant, bar and outdoor terrace with 360
degree views towering over Bangkok.

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