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Billy goat ban

LOS ANGELES: A California couple will not be allowed to have 15

goats— they’ll have to settle for 10 goats, two horses, a llama and
an emu (photo).

Roberto Alguero and Iris Fiorito live in an unincorporated area

zoned for light agricultural use. They had originally asked for a
permit to keep 15 goats, but Los Angeles County’s planning
commission granted them a permit allowing 10, along with the rest
of their menagerie.

Neighbours filed objections complaining of the noise and stench

at the farm-like house, but the Board of Supervisors ruled the couple
could keep the animals, provided they build a 1.8m-high wall and
keep male and female goats separate.

Mr Fiorito concedes that ‘‘we know we have a few more goats than
we should’’. AP
1. The reason why neighbor filed objections against the
couple were…………(1)
(2)…………………..
2. The California couple’s names are(1)………………….(2)………..
3. According to the news, do you think Mr Fiorito feel happy
when he and his wife has fewer goat then they expected?
Yes/No (citing the lines or sentence supporting your prove)
………………………………………………………………

ban – to officially not allow something

couple – two people who are married or are romantically involved
together
settle for – to be satisfied with something
unincorporated area – land not governed by a local town
government
zone – to give a special purpose to a particular area
permit – an official document that allows you to do something
grant – to give or allow someone something, usually in an official
way
menagerie – a large collection of animals, usually wild, kept in
cages
objection – opposition to or disagreement with something

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stench – a very strong, bad smell
concede – to admit that something is true, often unwillingly

Gone with the wind

BERLIN: A man lost 23,000 euros (1.07 million baht) to the wind
when an envelope with the money he had stuck in the passenger
seat pocket of his convertible blew away during a test drive in
northern Germany.

The cash fluttered across the motorway in the midst of speeding

traffic near the city of Hanover, police said.

The man, 23, contacted police immediately, who then blocked the
motorway in both directions for nearly half an hour.

Eight police officers assisted the man in retrieving his notes and
were able to recover 20,000 euros. The remaining 3,000 euros have
not been found, police said. REUTERS
1. What’s gone with the wind?
……………………………..
2. How did the man lost money?
………………………………..
3. Where did this story happen?
……………………………..
4. In the end, could the man recover his money? And how much did
he get?
…………………………………………………………………..
convertible – a car with a soft roof that can be folded back
flutter – to move with quick up and down or side to side
movements, like the wings of a butterfly or paper blown in the wind

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in the midst of – in the middle of a situation, activity or event
retrieve – to get back something that has been lost

State pays for babies

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s capital Taipei is to start paying couples to have

babies, the city government said yesterday, in the latest move by
the island’s officials to boost the world’s lowest birth rate.

Municipal authorities will give T$20,000 (20,200 baht) for every

newborn baby starting in 2011 and offer monthly subsidies for
children aged under five years old from lower-income families.

‘‘We hope the comprehensive plan will let young people feel more
relaxed about having children,’’ Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin said,
adding the programme was expected to cost T$3 billion annually.

Birth rates in Taipei hit an all-time low in 2009 with fewer than
20,000 babies born, down 40% from 1999. In surveys, many couples
cited financial concerns as their main reasons for not wanting
babies. AFP
1. In what way the Municipal authorities can boost the birth
rate?
………………………………………………………………..
2. Why is the birth rate needed to be boosted?
………………………………………………………………..
3. Where did this news happen?
………………………………………………………………..
4. Why didn’t most couples in the city mentioned in the
story want to have babies?
………………………………………………………………..
couple – two people who are married or involved in a romantic
relationship with each other
boost – to increase
municipal authorities – city officials

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subsidy – an amount of money that the government or another
organization pays to help to reduce the cost of a product or service
comprehensive – including many details or aspects of something;
very complete
annually – happening every year
cited – to mention something as an example, explanation, or proof
of something else

‘Murdered’ man lives

BEIJING: Police in central China are re-examining the case of a man

convicted of murdering his neighbour 11 years ago after the
‘‘victim’’ reappeared.

Zhao Zuohai was convicted by a court in Henan province on

charges of killing his neighbour in a 1999 dispute over a woman,
the Beijing News said.

His initial death sentence was commuted to life in prison and later
reduced to 20 years. Zhao confessed to the killing after a headless
body was found in a local well in the county where he lived.

However, his ‘‘victim’’ suddenly returned to the area this week after
an 11-year absence.

The alleged victim apparently fled the county and relocated

without telling anyone. There were suspicions police had tortured
the suspect to confess. AFP

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1. Why did the police in Central China need to re-examine
the murder case?
………………………………………………………………………
2. The name of the convict is…………………………………
3. The victim is male or female and give the evidence to
support your answer.
……………………………………………………………….
4. If the convict didn’t do, why did he confess that he
murdered?
…………………………………………………………………

murder – the crime of intentionally killing a person victim

convict – to prove in a court of law that someone is guilty of a
crime
victim – someone who has been harmed, injured or killed as the
result of a crime
dispute – a serious disagreement
sentence – a punishment given by a court of law
commute (a punishment) – to change a punishment to one that is
less severe
confess – to admit that you have committed a crime
well – a deep hole that is dug in the ground to provide a supply of
water
alleged – claimed to be true although not yet proven
apparently – based only on what you have heard or think, not on
what you are certain is true; seemingly
fled (past of flee) – escaped; left an area very quickly because of a
danger there
relocate – to move someone or something to another place
suspicion – a feeling that something bad is probably true or likely
to happen
torture – to cause great physical or mental pain to someone
intentionally
suspect – a person thought to have committed a crime