Facing Danger explores the perils people face, such as being lost at sea, poisonous insects in the rainforest and tsunamis, and tells personal stories of how people have faced terrifying danger and survived. This book is part of Project X Origins, a ground-breaking guided reading programme for the whole school.
A fascinating look at the meanings and origins of the many colourful foreign phrases we use every day.
Ever wondered how car chases are filmed, how a stunt explosion is made, or how stunt artists fly? Find out the answers in Spectacular Film Stunts, alongside record-breaking stunt statistics and an interview with a real life stunt artist. This book is part of Project X Origins, a ground-breaking guided reading programme for the whole school.
"English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over, and goes through their pockets for loose grammar."James D. NicollOrganized alphabetically for easy reference, A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi" is an accessible lexicon of foreign words and phrases used in English, containing everything from aficionado (Spanish) to zeitgeist (German). Inside you'll find translations, definitions, origins, and a descriptive timeline of each item's evolution. Entries include:À la carte: from the card or of the menu (French) Fiasco: complete failure (Italian) Dungarees: thick cotton cloth/overalls (Hindi) Diaspora: dispersion (Greek) Smorgasbord: bread and butter (Swedish) Cognoscenti: those who know (Italian) Compos mentis: having mastery of one's mind; with it (Latin)Attractively packaged with black and white illustrations, this whimsical yet authoritative book is a great gift for any etymologically fascinated individual. Use this book to reacquaint yourself with the English language, and you'll be compos mentis in no time.
This fascinating collection investigates the origins of our most intriguing superstitions still observed today, and sets them in their historical and social context.
A captivating book uncovering the origins and meaning behind traditional sayings from countryside folklore, such as "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight" or "Make hay while the sun shines " Many of the popular, often prophetic, phrases that people use on a day-to-day basis have their roots in traditional folklore. For example: "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," "Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home," and "The best-laid schemes o'mice an' men." Such common idioms are familiar to most people, but their history and origins are far from well known. Here readers will discover that there is a wealth of fascinating stories and history behind them. This charming book is filled with sayings, legends, and proverbs derived from the oral history of the countryside, and it unveils how they came about, what they mean, and how they came to be such a big part of language today. Written with a light touch and expert knowledge, it will entertain and inform in equal measure—the perfect gift for anyone with an interest in the rich and varied heritage of the English language.
Find out what happens to Max, Cat, Ant and Tiger when they visit WOW! magazine and meet the famous author K J Sparkling in the book The WOW! Award. Then read the WOW! magazine itself. Follow Jack Rico, 10-year-old 'wannabe' journalist, as he uncovers some mysterious goings-on at the localgym. Also, take a closer look at Willard Wigan's amazing micro sculptures and the world of journalism in the two non fiction books, Micro Man Makes Big News and Making a Splash.Each book comes with notes for parents that highlight tricky words or concepts in the books, prompt questions and suggest a range of follow-up activities. The In the News Guided Reading Notes provide step-by-step guided reading support for each book in the In the News cluster, together withguidance about comprehension, assessment for learning and vocabulary enrichment. Hands-on follow-up activities and cross-curricular links are also provided for each book.
The office worker's day can be long and dull, broken up only by the odd tea break or snippet of office gossip heard round the water cooler. The Office Book is the essential companion for any discontented employee. Covering the numerous facets of working life, from office politics and pulling a convincing sickie to lunching 'al desko', it's guaranteed to banish boredom and entertain throughout the working day. It includes: CVs - a masterclass in how not to sell yourself; Emails - ill-advised emails which broadcast last night's antics to the whole company, and those horrendous forwards which should never have gone to your boss; Office Diversions - from rubbish-bin basketball to management-speak bingo, any excuse to procrastinate and decrease productivity; and, Resignation Letters - an assortment of the funniest, wittiest and most venomous letters ever penned, including the employee who quit his job to become a professional pirate. The Office Book offers a gloriously subversive and hilarious look at the world of work.
In this non-fiction book, What's That Noise?, Max explores different noises in decibels, from the loudest underwater animal sound to a rocket flying into space. This book is part of Project X Origins, a ground-breaking guided reading programme for the whole school.
In Making a Splash discover how journalism works: the research conducted, the expert knowledge required and the different mediums used to convey news. This book is part of Project X Origins, a ground-breaking guided reading programme for the whole school.