Martin Luther King's Day

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr..  It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, so this year it was on 17th January.

King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

In this video you'll learn something about his life and his famous speech "I have a dream...". 

Review of Passive Voice with Reporting Verbs. Have Something Done

Some other examples:

• It is known that the sky is blue / The sky is known to be blue
• It was thought that the Earth is flat   / The Earth was thought to be flat
• It was believed that Christopher Colombus was Galician. / C C was believed to have been Galician
• It is considered that space investigation will solve future health problems  / Space investigation is considered to solve future health problems.

Note: You have to pay attention to the tense of the "It + verb" part of the sentence AND the tense of the second part of the sentence. 

After studying the different options for passive voice, take some practice with these tests.

Understanding Dogs

Have you ever wondered why dogs put their heads out of car windows? 

Watch this video and learn more about this common behaviour.

Minecraft

 

Do you play Minecraft? Check out this gigantic city built by 19-year-old Duncan Parcells!

The Most Expensive Nannies In The World

We go inside the most exclusive school for nannies in the world. They are not just trained to cook and sew, they also learn self-defense techniques and driving in dangerous conditions. It’s Mary Poppins, with a little James Bond thrown in for good measure.

Flashlight without batteries?

A sisteen-year-old teenager designed a flashlight which doesn't need batteries.

Have a look at the video to find out how it works.

Between Two Worlds

 What's it like growing up in a mixed-race family? 

Watch 15-year-old Tillie talking about her experiences. 

 

Food-Waste Rebel and the Ugly Food

We waste at least a third of the world's food. National Geographic Emerging Explorer and activist Tristram Stuart says "ridiculously strict" cosmetic standards among consumers play a major role. His solution: Eat foods often considered too ugly to sell. Stuart works to inspire people to join a "food-waste revolution," with initiatives like volunteer harvest programs and free communal feasts of food that would otherwise be wasted

For more National Geographic Society .

Is Social Media Good for You?

We hear a lot about the negatives of social media - but what about the good things? From connecting people around the world to increasing the numbers of blood donors, the BBC's Cyber Security reporter, Joe Tidy, explains some of the benefits.

Turning Plastic Waste into Art

The Greenfingers Changemakers are a group of young people in Lagos who volunteer to collect plastic waste from the streets of their neighbourhood, and they convert it into art!

Watch and see how they do it.