The Happy Egg Co, which specializes in free-range eggs, has invented an automatic pancake machine just in time for Shrove Tuesday. The device consists of a range of household objects including an old gramophone, an electric mixer and, of course, a frying pan. The process starts when the hen lays an egg. The egg is then carried along a conveyor belt. Next, it is cracked open and mixed with the other ingredients. Finally, the mixture is poured into the pan, cooked and flipped onto a plate. The device is not for sale: it’s going to be exhibited at London’s Design Museum in the near future. In any case, pancakes are fun and easy to make by hand.
Do you know how to make pancakes? You can find out here and download a recipe.
Listen
Read by Elizabeth Wyke (English Accent)
Study the words
free-range– from animals which are not kept in cages household– domestic gramophone– old-fashioned record player mixer– machine used for combining ingredients frying pan– flat-bottomed pan used for frying food lays– produces carried– taken conveyor belt– moving platform cracked– broken poured– dispensed flipped– quickly thrown device– machine exhibited– displayed in the near future– soon
Do the takeaway test: The Automatic Pancake Machine
Listen on audioboo (and subscribe to itunes podcast) here
The internet is rife with cat videos. Now another feline has become an internet sensation. This time, the amazing pet can do a typical magic trick – to guess which cup contains a bell, even after they are mixed up at top speed. We have seen cats that play the piano, surprised cats, fat cats, talking cats and even cats with i-pads. Dogs, however, are catching up. They can do tricks too, like walking on two legs and playing dead. The latest star is a clever dog that taught a puppy how to go safely down the stairs. There’s no doubt that both cats and dogs are clever and cute, and maybe sometimes we prefer them to people.
What’s your favourite cat or dog video?
Listen
Read by Annette (Scottish Accent)
Study the words
Rife– very common, numerous Sensation– star Magic trick– playful deception Guess– deduce Mixed up– placed in a different order At top speed– very quickly Catching up– reaching the same level Playing dead– pretending to die Puppy– young dog Doubt– uncertainty Cute– sweet, adorable
Do the takeaway test: Cats and Dogs Online
Listen on audioboo (and subscribe to itunes podcast) here
See more pet videos here: The Telegraph
A new i-pad app specifically designed for cats, called ‘paint for cats’, allows your pet to chase a mouse and make a painting at the same time. The makers, Hiccup, recently got into trouble when cats playing with another app accidentally downloaded premium content without the consent of their owners. The firm was accused of tricking cats into making purchases. The problem was solved by introducing a function which requires owners to scan their hand on the i-pad screen for four seconds to prove that they are human. Apps for cats have more or less the same function as they have for humans: they stop cats from getting bored and make them look cool too!
Listen
Read by Annette
Study the words
Pet– domestic animal
Chase- run after
Got into trouble– had problems
Accidentally– by mistake
Premium content– extra functions that you pay for
Consent– approval
Firm– company
Tricking…into– using an unfair method to persuade them to do something
Prove– demonstrate
Getting bored– feeling dissatisfied because you have nothing to do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_jPZXL_P6c&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Do the takeaway test: Does your cat need an ipad
Listen on audioboo (and subscribe to itunes podcast) here
Related articles
Can you knit? Read on…
Get your knitting needles ready. The 9th of June is World Yarn Bombing Day. If you have never heard of this, it is a type of street art or graffiti which involves colourful displays of knitting around the city. Lampposts are decorated with bright knitted covers. Statues wear striped leg warmers and wooly hats.
The movement was started in 2005 by Magda Sayeg from Houston when she knitted a cover for the door handle of her boutique. The trend has since spread across the world. The aim is to create a little colour in our modern, cold, grey surroundi
ngs.
The activity is usually tolerated by the police, although when one woman tried to yarn bomb a sign outside the F.B.I headquarters in Washington, she was asked by a police officer to stand back and put down her knitting.
Listen
Study the words
knitting needles– long metal instruments used for knitting
yarn– cotton or wool fibre
displays– exhibits
lampposts– street lights
leg warmers– like socks without feet, worn on the legs to keep them warm
handle– lever used to open a door
spread– extended
aim– objective
surroundings– the area around us
sign– metal board with information
headquarters– main office
Do the takeaway test:yarn bombing
Answer a tiny question:
Listen on audioboo (and subscribe to itunes podcast) here