Elizabeth II (Form 7)

Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II was born in Windsor on the 21^st of April in 1926. She lived with her parents in Windsor and Buckingham Palace and  was educated at home. Her parents taught her to read and write. She also studied Latin, Geography, Economics and Music as well as foreign languages. She was so good at sport that even took part in swimming competition.

As a young lady she was very active. During the World War II she made her first speech on the radio in 1940. To be helpful she grew vegetables and knitted socks for soldiers.

In 1947 she married Prince Philip. A year later her first son Prince Charles was born. In 1952 Elizabeth  came to the throne and became the Queen. She was crowned in Westminster Abbey in London on the 2^nd of June in 1953.

Now the Queen plays an important role in the country. She signs bills, gives speeches which are written by ministers. She travels a lot. The Queen is not only the head of the state but also an important symbol of national  unity. In fact,  Queen Elizabeth II has no actual power: they say, the monarch reigns but doesn’t rule.

Project ( p.73) 10 Form

Project ( p.73) 10 Form

 

From the text I learnt where Madagascar is and how big the island is. I also learnt how the island used to be part of the Indian subcontinent until about 100 million years

ago, which makes it the oldest island in the world

I would like to know more about the lemurs.

Madagascar is famous for its rare turtles and tortoises. Nine species have been identified and five of these are endangered.There are many extraordinary creatures on the island of Madagascar including a tear-sucking moth that feeds on birds’ eyes. Our group are particularly interested in lemurs.We have discovered that there are nearly 90 kinds of lemurs in

Madagascar and they are unique to the island. Some examples include the mouse lemur which is as small as a mouse, the indri which sings like a whale and the sifaka which dances on the sand like a ballerina.The aye-aye is a nocturnal lemur and the ring-tailed lemurs are striking in appearance with their long, bushy, black and white striped tails.

Conservation programmes have been set up to protect the lemurs.The changing lifestyle of the local people has meant that their environment is changing. More domestic animals on the island have brought diseases that affect the lemurs and they are also hunted by people as well as wild cats and dogs. Lemurs are also at risk from climate change and deforestation. It is hoped that ecotourism can be encouraged to provide an income for local people. In this way the deforestation can be stopped and the lemurs can be better protected. Our group are also interested in the medicinal value of

plants found on the island of Madagascar. We have discovered that one group of researchers are studying the diet of lemurs to see if they are protected from malaria by something they eat. Malaria is a disease caused by mosquitoes that kills millions of people annually. A separate study is investigating whether a plant used by traditional Madagascan healers could be used to treat the disease and save lives.