Even though house prices are sky-rocketing around the world, one property's price tag in London is raising eyebrows. A house billed as "the skinniest" in London is on the market for $1.3 million. In other areas of the UK, one could purchase a spacious seven-bedroom mansion with sprawling grounds for that sum. However, the skinny house is just 2 metres wide, although it does have five floors. The two-bedroom house is in west London and is being sold by real estate agent Winkworth. The agent said: "It started life as a hat shop and was converted by a fashion photographer - the ultimate designer house....It's quirky and charming and great for entertaining."

The eye-catching property is just 1.6 metres at its narrowest point and is 8 metres long. There is a kitchen, dining room and patio garden on the first floor. On the second floor there is a living room, with a spiral staircase that leads up to the third floor, which has a study, bedroom and roof terrace. The main bedroom is on the fifth floor. Despite its cramped space, Winkworth says it is a one-of-a-kind abode. It said: "The interior design has the bespoke approach of a luxury yacht, making the most of small spaces." It added that: "The house is ideal for a young couple or an individual who sees the beauty for what it is and will snap it up. It is a unique part of London history. It's a bit of London magic."

Which statement is Incorrect?

Princess Savitri of the Madra Kingdom was as benevolent, brilliant, and bright as the Sun God she was named for. Her grace was known throughout the land, and many powerful princes and wealthy merchants flocked to her family’s palace to seek her hand in marriage. But upon witnessing her blinding splendor in person, the men lost their nerve. Unimpressed with these suitors, the princess determined to find a husband herself.

Mounting her golden chariot, she travelled through rolling deserts, glittering cities and snow-capped mountains— rejecting many men along the way. Eventually, Savitri ventured deep into the jungle, where she met a young man chopping wood. His name was Satyavan, and like her, he loved the tranquil forest— but the princess saw he was not at peace.

After talking for hours, Satyavan told her of his plight. His parents had once been wealthy rulers, until his father was blinded and overthrown in a violent coup. Now Satyavan worked tirelessly to support their meager new life. His determination and devotion moved the princess. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, she knew she’d finally found an equal.

Savitri rushed home to tell her father the good news, only to find him conversing with Narada a traveling sage and wisest messenger of the Gods. At first her father was thrilled to learn of Satyavan, but Narada revealed a tragic prophecy: her betrothed had only a year to live.

Savitri’s blood ran cold. She’d waited so long to find her partner— was she already doomed to lose him? The princess would not accept these terms. She swore before Narada, her family, and Savitr himself that she would never marry another. Satyavan was her one true love, and their fates were entwined forever.

Moved by her powerful words, the sage told the princess to follow an ancient spiritual regimen. With regular prayer, periods of fasting, and preparation of special herbs and plants, she might be able to prolong Satyavan’s life.

After a simple wedding, the couple returned to the jungle to live in keeping with the sage’s instructions. This modest existence was a far cry from her lavish upbringing, but they were happy in each other’s company. A year passed, and the fated day arrived. On their first anniversary, the sun grew horribly hot, and Satyavan’s brow began to burn, Savitri barely had time to drag him into the shade, before he grew still and cold. Through her tears, the princess saw an immense figure on the horizon. This was Yamraj, the God of Death, come to escort Satyavan’s soul to the afterlife. But Savitri was not giving up yet.

She followed the god for hours in the beating sun. Yamraj thundered at the princess to leave him in peace. But even as her feet bled and throat burned, Savitri would not turn back. Eventually, Yamraj paused. He would grant her one wish as reward for her persistence, but she couldn’t ask for her husband’s life. Without hesitating, Savitri asked the God to restore her father in-law’s sight. The wish was granted, and Yamraj rode on. But still Savitri’s footsteps echoed behind him. Exasperated, the God granted her a second wish. This time, she asked for Satyavan’s kingdom to be restored. Again the wish was granted, and Yamraj began his descent into his subterranean kingdom. But when he glanced back, he was astounded to see the bedraggled princess stumbling along. He’d never seen such devotion to the dead, and he honored her dedication with one final wish.

Savitri wished to be the mother of many children. The God agreed, and waved to dismiss her. But the princess only repeated the vow she’d made one year earlier: her fate was forever entwined with Satyavan. How could she bear many children, if Yamraj would not return her husband? Hearing this clever question the god relented, knowing he’d been beaten. With Yamraj’s blessing and respect, Satyavan was returned to Savitri, and the two walked back to the land of the living, united in a love that not even death could destroy.

Savitri left the palace because ….

Princess Savitri of the Madra Kingdom was as benevolent, brilliant, and bright as the Sun God she was named for. Her grace was known throughout the land, and many powerful princes and wealthy merchants flocked to her family’s palace to seek her hand in marriage. But upon witnessing her blinding splendor in person, the men lost their nerve. Unimpressed with these suitors, the princess determined to find a husband herself.

Mounting her golden chariot, she travelled through rolling deserts, glittering cities and snow-capped mountains— rejecting many men along the way. Eventually, Savitri ventured deep into the jungle, where she met a young man chopping wood. His name was Satyavan, and like her, he loved the tranquil forest— but the princess saw he was not at peace.

After talking for hours, Satyavan told her of his plight. His parents had once been wealthy rulers, until his father was blinded and overthrown in a violent coup. Now Satyavan worked tirelessly to support their meager new life. His determination and devotion moved the princess. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, she knew she’d finally found an equal.

Savitri rushed home to tell her father the good news, only to find him conversing with Narada a traveling sage and wisest messenger of the Gods. At first her father was thrilled to learn of Satyavan, but Narada revealed a tragic prophecy: her betrothed had only a year to live.

Savitri’s blood ran cold. She’d waited so long to find her partner— was she already doomed to lose him? The princess would not accept these terms. She swore before Narada, her family, and Savitr himself that she would never marry another. Satyavan was her one true love, and their fates were entwined forever.

Moved by her powerful words, the sage told the princess to follow an ancient spiritual regimen. With regular prayer, periods of fasting, and preparation of special herbs and plants, she might be able to prolong Satyavan’s life.

After a simple wedding, the couple returned to the jungle to live in keeping with the sage’s instructions. This modest existence was a far cry from her lavish upbringing, but they were happy in each other’s company. A year passed, and the fated day arrived. On their first anniversary, the sun grew horribly hot, and Satyavan’s brow began to burn, Savitri barely had time to drag him into the shade, before he grew still and cold. Through her tears, the princess saw an immense figure on the horizon. This was Yamraj, the God of Death, come to escort Satyavan’s soul to the afterlife. But Savitri was not giving up yet.

She followed the god for hours in the beating sun. Yamraj thundered at the princess to leave him in peace. But even as her feet bled and throat burned, Savitri would not turn back. Eventually, Yamraj paused. He would grant her one wish as reward for her persistence, but she couldn’t ask for her husband’s life. Without hesitating, Savitri asked the God to restore her father in-law’s sight. The wish was granted, and Yamraj rode on. But still Savitri’s footsteps echoed behind him. Exasperated, the God granted her a second wish. This time, she asked for Satyavan’s kingdom to be restored. Again the wish was granted, and Yamraj began his descent into his subterranean kingdom. But when he glanced back, he was astounded to see the bedraggled princess stumbling along. He’d never seen such devotion to the dead, and he honored her dedication with one final wish.

Savitri wished to be the mother of many children. The God agreed, and waved to dismiss her. But the princess only repeated the vow she’d made one year earlier: her fate was forever entwined with Satyavan. How could she bear many children, if Yamraj would not return her husband? Hearing this clever question the god relented, knowing he’d been beaten. With Yamraj’s blessing and respect, Satyavan was returned to Savitri, and the two walked back to the land of the living, united in a love that not even death could destroy.

For her third or final wish, Savitri asked …

Princess Savitri of the Madra Kingdom was as benevolent, brilliant, and bright as the Sun God she was named for. Her grace was known throughout the land, and many powerful princes and wealthy merchants flocked to her family’s palace to seek her hand in marriage. But upon witnessing her blinding splendor in person, the men lost their nerve. Unimpressed with these suitors, the princess determined to find a husband herself.

Mounting her golden chariot, she travelled through rolling deserts, glittering cities and snow-capped mountains— rejecting many men along the way. Eventually, Savitri ventured deep into the jungle, where she met a young man chopping wood. His name was Satyavan, and like her, he loved the tranquil forest— but the princess saw he was not at peace.

After talking for hours, Satyavan told her of his plight. His parents had once been wealthy rulers, until his father was blinded and overthrown in a violent coup. Now Satyavan worked tirelessly to support their meager new life. His determination and devotion moved the princess. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, she knew she’d finally found an equal.

Savitri rushed home to tell her father the good news, only to find him conversing with Narada a traveling sage and wisest messenger of the Gods. At first her father was thrilled to learn of Satyavan, but Narada revealed a tragic prophecy: her betrothed had only a year to live.

Savitri’s blood ran cold. She’d waited so long to find her partner— was she already doomed to lose him? The princess would not accept these terms. She swore before Narada, her family, and Savitr himself that she would never marry another. Satyavan was her one true love, and their fates were entwined forever.

Moved by her powerful words, the sage told the princess to follow an ancient spiritual regimen. With regular prayer, periods of fasting, and preparation of special herbs and plants, she might be able to prolong Satyavan’s life.

After a simple wedding, the couple returned to the jungle to live in keeping with the sage’s instructions. This modest existence was a far cry from her lavish upbringing, but they were happy in each other’s company. A year passed, and the fated day arrived. On their first anniversary, the sun grew horribly hot, and Satyavan’s brow began to burn, Savitri barely had time to drag him into the shade, before he grew still and cold. Through her tears, the princess saw an immense figure on the horizon. This was Yamraj, the God of Death, come to escort Satyavan’s soul to the afterlife. But Savitri was not giving up yet.

She followed the god for hours in the beating sun. Yamraj thundered at the princess to leave him in peace. But even as her feet bled and throat burned, Savitri would not turn back. Eventually, Yamraj paused. He would grant her one wish as reward for her persistence, but she couldn’t ask for her husband’s life. Without hesitating, Savitri asked the God to restore her father in-law’s sight. The wish was granted, and Yamraj rode on. But still Savitri’s footsteps echoed behind him. Exasperated, the God granted her a second wish. This time, she asked for Satyavan’s kingdom to be restored. Again the wish was granted, and Yamraj began his descent into his subterranean kingdom. But when he glanced back, he was astounded to see the bedraggled princess stumbling along. He’d never seen such devotion to the dead, and he honored her dedication with one final wish.

Savitri wished to be the mother of many children. The God agreed, and waved to dismiss her. But the princess only repeated the vow she’d made one year earlier: her fate was forever entwined with Satyavan. How could she bear many children, if Yamraj would not return her husband? Hearing this clever question the god relented, knowing he’d been beaten. With Yamraj’s blessing and respect, Satyavan was returned to Savitri, and the two walked back to the land of the living, united in a love that not even death could destroy.

“Exasperated, the God granted her a second wish. This time, she asked for Satyavan’s kingdom to be restored. Again the wish was granted, and Yamraj began his descent into his subterranean kingdom.” The words ‘the wish’ refers to …

An English adage says, "Laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care."

Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her inner clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."

Which statement is incorrect?

An English adage says, "Laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care."

Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her inner clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."

These are the benefits of healthcare clowns for the patients, except …

From the text, we can conclude that …

According to John Greer, Vince Voxx is a/an … person.

You might have heard that light is a kind of wave and that the colour of an object is related to the frequency of light waves it reflects. High-frequency light waves look violet, low-frequency light waves look red, and in-between frequencies look yellow, green, orange, and so on. You might call this idea physical colour because it says that colour is a physical property of light itself. It's not dependent on human perception. And, while this isn't wrong, it isn't quite the whole story either. For instance, you might have seen this picture before. As you can see, the region where the red and green lights overlap is yellow. When you think about it, this is pretty weird. Because light is a wave, two different frequencies shouldn't interact with each other at all, they should just co-exist like singers singing in harmony. So, in this yellow looking region, two different kinds of light waves are present: one with a red frequency, and one with a green frequency. There is no yellow light present at all. So, how come this region, where the red and green lights mix, looks yellow to us?

To understand this, you have to understand a little bit about biology, in particular, about how humans see colour. Light perception happens in a paper-thin layer of cells, called the retina that covers the back of your eyeball. In the retina, there are two different types of light-detecting cells: rods and cones. The rods are used for seeing in low-light conditions, and there is only one kind of those. The cones, however, are a different story. There three kinds of cone cells that roughly correspond to the colours red, green, and blue. When you see a colour, each cone sends its own distinct signal to your brain. For example, suppose that yellow light, that is real yellow light, with a yellow frequency, is shining on your eye. You don't have a cone specifically for detecting yellow, but yellow is kind of close to green and also kind of close to red, so both the red and green cones get activated, and each sends a signal to your brain saying so. Of course, there is another way to activate the red cones and the green cones simultaneously: if both red light and green light are present at the same time.

The point is, your brain receives the same signal, regardless of whether you see light that has the yellow frequency or light that is a mixture of the green and red frequencies. That's why, for light, red plus green equals yellow. And, how come you can't detect colours when it's dark? Well, the rod cells in your retina take over in low-light conditions. You only have one kind of rod cell, and so there is one type of signal that can get sent to your brain: light or no light. Having only one kind of light detector doesn't leave any room for seeing colour.

There are infinitely many different physical colours, but, because we only have three kinds of cones, the brain can be tricked into thinking it's seeing any colour by carefully adding together the right combination of just three colours: red, green, and blue. This property of human vision is really useful in the real world. For example, TV manufacturing. Instead of having to put infinitely many colours in your TV set to simulate the real world, TV manufacturers only have to put three: red, green, and blue, which is lucky for them, really.

Why is it weird that green and red light mix to form yellow light?

You might have heard that light is a kind of wave and that the colour of an object is related to the frequency of light waves it reflects. High-frequency light waves look violet, low-frequency light waves look red, and in-between frequencies look yellow, green, orange, and so on. You might call this idea physical colour because it says that colour is a physical property of light itself. It's not dependent on human perception. And, while this isn't wrong, it isn't quite the whole story either. For instance, you might have seen this picture before. As you can see, the region where the red and green lights overlap is yellow. When you think about it, this is pretty weird. Because light is a wave, two different frequencies shouldn't interact with each other at all, they should just co-exist like singers singing in harmony. So, in this yellow looking region, two different kinds of light waves are present: one with a red frequency, and one with a green frequency. There is no yellow light present at all. So, how come this region, where the red and green lights mix, looks yellow to us?

To understand this, you have to understand a little bit about biology, in particular, about how humans see colour. Light perception happens in a paper-thin layer of cells, called the retina that covers the back of your eyeball. In the retina, there are two different types of light-detecting cells: rods and cones. The rods are used for seeing in low-light conditions, and there is only one kind of those. The cones, however, are a different story. There three kinds of cone cells that roughly correspond to the colours red, green, and blue. When you see a colour, each cone sends its own distinct signal to your brain. For example, suppose that yellow light, that is real yellow light, with a yellow frequency, is shining on your eye. You don't have a cone specifically for detecting yellow, but yellow is kind of close to green and also kind of close to red, so both the red and green cones get activated, and each sends a signal to your brain saying so. Of course, there is another way to activate the red cones and the green cones simultaneously: if both red light and green light are present at the same time.

The point is, your brain receives the same signal, regardless of whether you see light that has the yellow frequency or light that is a mixture of the green and red frequencies. That's why, for light, red plus green equals yellow. And, how come you can't detect colours when it's dark? Well, the rod cells in your retina take over in low-light conditions. You only have one kind of rod cell, and so there is one type of signal that can get sent to your brain: light or no light. Having only one kind of light detector doesn't leave any room for seeing colour.

There are infinitely many different physical colours, but, because we only have three kinds of cones, the brain can be tricked into thinking it's seeing any colour by carefully adding together the right combination of just three colours: red, green, and blue. This property of human vision is really useful in the real world. For example, TV manufacturing. Instead of having to put infinitely many colours in your TV set to simulate the real world, TV manufacturers only have to put three: red, green, and blue, which is lucky for them, really.

Why can't you see color when it's dark?

What causes hiccups?

Doctors point out that a round of hiccups often follows from stimuli that stretch the stomach, like swallowing air or too rapid eating or drinking. Others associate hiccups with intense emotions or a response to them: laughing, sobbing, anxiety, and excitement.

Let's look at what happens when we hiccup. It begins with an involuntary spasm or sudden contraction of the diaphragm, the large dome-shaped muscle below our lungs that we use to inhale air. This is followed almost immediately by the sudden closure of the vocal chords and the opening between them, which is called the glottis. The movement of the diaphragm initiates a sudden intake of air, but the closure of the vocal chords stops it from entering the wind pipe and reaching the lungs. It also creates the characteristic sound: "hic." To date, there is no known function for hiccups. They don't seem to provide any medical or physiological advantage.

Why begin to inhale air only to suddenly stop it from actually entering the lungs? Anatomical structures, or physiological mechanisms, with no apparent purpose present challenges to evolutionary biologists. Do such structures serve some hidden function that hasn't yet been discovered? Or are they relics of our evolutionary past, having once served some important purpose only to persist into the present as vestigial remnants? One idea is that hiccups began many millions of years before the appearance of humans. The lung is thought to have evolved as a structure to allow early fish, many of which lived in warm, stagnant water with little oxygen, to take advantage of the abundant oxygen in the air overhead. When descendants of these animals later moved onto land, they moved from gill-based ventilation to air-breathing with lungs. That's similar to the much more rapid changes faced by frogs today as they transition from tadpoles with gills to adults with lungs. This hypothesis suggests that the hiccup is a relic of the ancient transition from water to land. An inhalation that could move water over gills followed by a rapid closure of the glottis preventing water from entering the lungs. That's supported by evidence which suggests that the neural patterning involved in generating a hiccup is almost identical to that responsible for respiration in amphibians.

Another group of scientists believe that the reflex is retained in us today because it actually provides an important advantage. They point out that true hiccups are found only in mammals and that they're not retained in birds, lizards, turtles, or any other exclusively air-breathing animals. Further, hiccups appear in human babies long before birth and are far more common in infants that adults. Their explanation for this involves the uniquely mammalian activity of nursing. The ancient hiccup reflex may have been adapted by mammals to help remove air from the stomach as a sort of glorified burp. The sudden expansion of the diaphragm would raise air from the stomach, while a closure of the glottis would prevent milk from entering the lungs. Sometimes, a bout of hiccups will go on and on, and we try home remedies: sipping continuously from a glass of cold water, holding one's breath, a mouthful of honey or peanut butter, breathing into a paper bag, or being suddenly frightened. Unfortunately, scientists have yet to verify that anyone cure works better or more consistently than others. However, we do know one thing that definitely doesn't work.

The purpose of the text above is …

what causes hiccups?

Doctors point out that a round of hiccups often follows from stimuli that stretch the stomach, like swallowing air or too rapid eating or drinking. Others associate hiccups with intense emotions or a response to them: laughing, sobbing, anxiety, and excitement.

Let's look at what happens when we hiccup. It begins with an involuntary spasm or sudden contraction of the diaphragm, the large dome-shaped muscle below our lungs that we use to inhale air. This is followed almost immediately by the sudden closure of the vocal chords and the opening between them, which is called the glottis. The movement of the diaphragm initiates a sudden intake of air, but the closure of the vocal chords stops it from entering the wind pipe and reaching the lungs. It also creates the characteristic sound: "hic." To date, there is no known function for hiccups. They don't seem to provide any medical or physiological advantage.

Why begin to inhale air only to suddenly stop it from actually entering the lungs? Anatomical structures, or physiological mechanisms, with no apparent purpose present challenges to evolutionary biologists. Do such structures serve some hidden function that hasn't yet been discovered? Or are they relics of our evolutionary past, having once served some important purpose only to persist into the present as vestigial remnants? One idea is that hiccups began many millions of years before the appearance of humans. The lung is thought to have evolved as a structure to allow early fish, many of which lived in warm, stagnant water with little oxygen, to take advantage of the abundant oxygen in the air overhead. When descendants of these animals later moved onto land, they moved from gill-based ventilation to air-breathing with lungs. That's similar to the much more rapid changes faced by frogs today as they transition from tadpoles with gills to adults with lungs. This hypothesis suggests that the hiccup is a relic of the ancient transition from water to land. An inhalation that could move water over gills followed by a rapid closure of the glottis preventing water from entering the lungs. That's supported by evidence which suggests that the neural patterning involved in generating a hiccup is almost identical to that responsible for respiration in amphibians.

Another group of scientists believe that the reflex is retained in us today because it actually provides an important advantage. They point out that true hiccups are found only in mammals and that they're not retained in birds, lizards, turtles, or any other exclusively air-breathing animals. Further, hiccups appear in human babies long before birth and are far more common in infants that adults. Their explanation for this involves the uniquely mammalian activity of nursing. The ancient hiccup reflex may have been adapted by mammals to help remove air from the stomach as a sort of glorified burp. The sudden expansion of the diaphragm would raise air from the stomach, while a closure of the glottis would prevent milk from entering the lungs. Sometimes, a bout of hiccups will go on and on, and we try home remedies: sipping continuously from a glass of cold water, holding one's breath, a mouthful of honey or peanut butter, breathing into a paper bag, or being suddenly frightened. Unfortunately, scientists have yet to verify that anyone cure works better or more consistently than others. However, we do know one thing that definitely doesn't work.

One possible function for hiccups in mammals is to….

Think about the deep blue seas

Think about the plants and trees

Think about the things you see every day

Think about the way you live

Think about the things you give,

and what if every day was Earth Day?

Hey!

Every day is Earth Day!

Wherever we roam,

The earth is our home.

Every day is Earth Day!

It's time to be aware

It's time to show we care

So let the clean-up start.

Be recycle smart

We can make it part of our routine

We can fill a need

We can plant a seed,

And we can all watch it grow into something green

Hey!

Every day is Earth Day!

Wherever we roam,

the earth is our home.

Every day is Earth Day!

It's time to be aware

It's time to show we care

It's time to show we care

What does the song teach us about? (3)

Think about the deep blue seas

Think about the plants and trees

Think about the things you see every day

Think about the way you live

Think about the things you give,

and what if every day was Earth Day?

Hey!

Every day is Earth Day!

Wherever we roam,

The earth is our home.

Every day is Earth Day!

It's time to be aware

It's time to show we care

So let the clean-up start.

Be recycle smart

We can make it part of our routine

We can fill a need

We can plant a seed,

And we can all watch it grow into something green

Hey!

Every day is Earth Day!

Wherever we roam,

the earth is our home.

Every day is Earth Day!

It's time to be aware

It's time to show we care

It's time to show we care

What is the purpose of this song? (2)

In their ramshackle hut on the edge of the woods, a husband and wife were in despair. The woman had just given birth to their thirteenth child, and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money.

The father walked into the woods to ponder their problem. After hours spent wandering through the trees, he encountered two shadowy silhouettes. The first figure appeared to be the man’s God, while the second resembled the Devil. Both figures offered to lighten the man’s burden, and act as Godfather to his most recent child. But the man refused their offer— he wouldn’t entrust his son to those who passed judgment on human life.

He ventured deeper into the tangled thicket. Here in the darkest part of the woods, the father made out a third figure. Sunken eyes stared out of its gaunt face, which broke into a crooked smile. This was Death himself, come to offer his services as Godfather. He promised to return when the child came of age, to bring him happiness and prosperity. The father— knowing that all people are equal in the eyes of Death— accepted his offer.

Years later, when the child had grown into an ambitious young man, his skeletal Godfather came for his promised visit. In his gnarled hand he held a flask containing the cure for all human ailments. Death had brought this flask for his Godson, promising to make him a successful doctor. But the powerful potion came with very strict rules.

If his Godson encountered a sick person and Death was hovering at the top of their bed, the doctor could heal them with just a waft of the antidote’s fumes. But if Death lingered at the foot of the bed, he’d already claimed the patient as his own— and the doctor could do nothing for them.

In time, the doctor’s potent potion and uncanny instincts became known throughout the land. He grew rich and famous, casting off the hardships of his early life.

When the king fell ill, he summoned the famous physician to treat him. The doctor swept into the palace, ready to show off his skills. But when he entered the king’s chamber, he was dismayed to see Death settled at the foot of the bed.

The doctor desperately wanted the glory of saving the king— even if it meant deceiving his Godfather. And so, he swiftly spun the bed around and reversed Death’s position, leaving the doctor free to administer the antidote. Death was livid. He warned his arrogant Godson that if he ever cheated Death again, he would pay for it with his life.

Death and the doctor continued their travels. After some time, the king’s messengers came to collect the doctor yet again. The princess was gravely ill, and the king had promised incredible riches to anyone who could cure her.

The doctor approached the princesses’ chamber with gold in his eyes. But upon seeing the sleeping princess, his greed fell away. He was so struck by her grace, that he failed to notice Death lurking by her feet. He swiftly healed the princess, but before she could even utter her thanks, Death had dragged his lovesick Godson away.

In an instant, the palace dissolved around them. The doctor found himself in an immense cave lined with countless quivering candles, each representing the duration of a life. As punishment for his Godson’s foolish attempt to master mortality, Death whittled his candle down to its wick.

Seeing his own dwindling light, the doctor felt the fear he’d often glimpsed in his patients’ eyes. Desperately, he begged Death to transfer his dying light onto a new candle. His Godfather considered the request— but the doctor’s betrayal was too great. He loosened his bony grip, and his Godson’s candle fell to the floor. Death stood motionless, his inscrutable face fixed on the sputtering flame— until all that was left of the doctor was a wisp of smoke.

Godfather Death offered the doctor success on one condition

In their ramshackle hut on the edge of the woods, a husband and wife were in despair. The woman had just given birth to their thirteenth child, and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money.

The father walked into the woods to ponder their problem. After hours spent wandering through the trees, he encountered two shadowy silhouettes. The first figure appeared to be the man’s God, while the second resembled the Devil. Both figures offered to lighten the man’s burden, and act as Godfather to his most recent child. But the man refused their offer— he wouldn’t entrust his son to those who passed judgment on human life.

He ventured deeper into the tangled thicket. Here in the darkest part of the woods, the father made out a third figure. Sunken eyes stared out of its gaunt face, which broke into a crooked smile. This was Death himself, come to offer his services as Godfather. He promised to return when the child came of age, to bring him happiness and prosperity. The father— knowing that all people are equal in the eyes of Death— accepted his offer.

Years later, when the child had grown into an ambitious young man, his skeletal Godfather came for his promised visit. In his gnarled hand he held a flask containing the cure for all human ailments. Death had brought this flask for his Godson, promising to make him a successful doctor. But the powerful potion came with very strict rules.

If his Godson encountered a sick person and Death was hovering at the top of their bed, the doctor could heal them with just a waft of the antidote’s fumes. But if Death lingered at the foot of the bed, he’d already claimed the patient as his own— and the doctor could do nothing for them.

In time, the doctor’s potent potion and uncanny instincts became known throughout the land. He grew rich and famous, casting off the hardships of his early life.

When the king fell ill, he summoned the famous physician to treat him. The doctor swept into the palace, ready to show off his skills. But when he entered the king’s chamber, he was dismayed to see Death settled at the foot of the bed.

The doctor desperately wanted the glory of saving the king— even if it meant deceiving his Godfather. And so, he swiftly spun the bed around and reversed Death’s position, leaving the doctor free to administer the antidote. Death was livid. He warned his arrogant Godson that if he ever cheated Death again, he would pay for it with his life.

Death and the doctor continued their travels. After some time, the king’s messengers came to collect the doctor yet again. The princess was gravely ill, and the king had promised incredible riches to anyone who could cure her.

The doctor approached the princesses’ chamber with gold in his eyes. But upon seeing the sleeping princess, his greed fell away. He was so struck by her grace, that he failed to notice Death lurking by her feet. He swiftly healed the princess, but before she could even utter her thanks, Death had dragged his lovesick Godson away.

In an instant, the palace dissolved around them. The doctor found himself in an immense cave lined with countless quivering candles, each representing the duration of a life. As punishment for his Godson’s foolish attempt to master mortality, Death whittled his candle down to its wick.

Seeing his own dwindling light, the doctor felt the fear he’d often glimpsed in his patients’ eyes. Desperately, he begged Death to transfer his dying light onto a new candle. His Godfather considered the request— but the doctor’s betrayal was too great. He loosened his bony grip, and his Godson’s candle fell to the floor. Death stood motionless, his inscrutable face fixed on the sputtering flame— until all that was left of the doctor was a wisp of smoke.

From the story above, we can learn that …

In their ramshackle hut on the edge of the woods, a husband and wife were in despair. The woman had just given birth to their thirteenth child, and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money.

The father walked into the woods to ponder their problem. After hours spent wandering through the trees, he encountered two shadowy silhouettes. The first figure appeared to be the man’s God, while the second resembled the Devil. Both figures offered to lighten the man’s burden, and act as Godfather to his most recent child. But the man refused their offer— he wouldn’t entrust his son to those who passed judgment on human life.

He ventured deeper into the tangled thicket. Here in the darkest part of the woods, the father made out a third figure. Sunken eyes stared out of its gaunt face, which broke into a crooked smile. This was Death himself, come to offer his services as Godfather. He promised to return when the child came of age, to bring him happiness and prosperity. The father— knowing that all people are equal in the eyes of Death— accepted his offer.

Years later, when the child had grown into an ambitious young man, his skeletal Godfather came for his promised visit. In his gnarled hand he held a flask containing the cure for all human ailments. Death had brought this flask for his Godson, promising to make him a successful doctor. But the powerful potion came with very strict rules.

If his Godson encountered a sick person and Death was hovering at the top of their bed, the doctor could heal them with just a waft of the antidote’s fumes. But if Death lingered at the foot of the bed, he’d already claimed the patient as his own— and the doctor could do nothing for them.

In time, the doctor’s potent potion and uncanny instincts became known throughout the land. He grew rich and famous, casting off the hardships of his early life.

When the king fell ill, he summoned the famous physician to treat him. The doctor swept into the palace, ready to show off his skills. But when he entered the king’s chamber, he was dismayed to see Death settled at the foot of the bed.

The doctor desperately wanted the glory of saving the king— even if it meant deceiving his Godfather. And so, he swiftly spun the bed around and reversed Death’s position, leaving the doctor free to administer the antidote. Death was livid. He warned his arrogant Godson that if he ever cheated Death again, he would pay for it with his life.

Death and the doctor continued their travels. After some time, the king’s messengers came to collect the doctor yet again. The princess was gravely ill, and the king had promised incredible riches to anyone who could cure her.

The doctor approached the princesses’ chamber with gold in his eyes. But upon seeing the sleeping princess, his greed fell away. He was so struck by her grace, that he failed to notice Death lurking by her feet. He swiftly healed the princess, but before she could even utter her thanks, Death had dragged his lovesick Godson away.

In an instant, the palace dissolved around them. The doctor found himself in an immense cave lined with countless quivering candles, each representing the duration of a life. As punishment for his Godson’s foolish attempt to master mortality, Death whittled his candle down to its wick.

Seeing his own dwindling light, the doctor felt the fear he’d often glimpsed in his patients’ eyes. Desperately, he begged Death to transfer his dying light onto a new candle. His Godfather considered the request— but the doctor’s betrayal was too great. He loosened his bony grip, and his Godson’s candle fell to the floor. Death stood motionless, his inscrutable face fixed on the sputtering flame— until all that was left of the doctor was a wisp of smoke.

“And so, he swiftly spun the bed around and reversed Death’s position, leaving the doctor free to administer the antidote.” The word ‘swiftly’ cannot be replaced to …

The Summer Classics Music Festival was held for …

You might have heard that light is a kind of wave and that the colour of an object is related to the frequency of light waves it reflects. High-frequency light waves look violet, low-frequency light waves look red, and in-between frequencies look yellow, green, orange, and so on. You might call this idea physical colour because it says that colour is a physical property of light itself. It's not dependent on human perception. And, while this isn't wrong, it isn't quite the whole story either. For instance, you might have seen this picture before. As you can see, the region where the red and green lights overlap is yellow. When you think about it, this is pretty weird. Because light is a wave, two different frequencies shouldn't interact with each other at all, they should just co-exist like singers singing in harmony. So, in this yellow looking region, two different kinds of light waves are present: one with a red frequency, and one with a green frequency. There is no yellow light present at all. So, how come this region, where the red and green lights mix, looks yellow to us?

To understand this, you have to understand a little bit about biology, in particular, about how humans see colour. Light perception happens in a paper-thin layer of cells, called the retina that covers the back of your eyeball. In the retina, there are two different types of light-detecting cells: rods and cones. The rods are used for seeing in low-light conditions, and there is only one kind of those. The cones, however, are a different story. There three kinds of cone cells that roughly correspond to the colours red, green, and blue. When you see a colour, each cone sends its own distinct signal to your brain. For example, suppose that yellow light, that is real yellow light, with a yellow frequency, is shining on your eye. You don't have a cone specifically for detecting yellow, but yellow is kind of close to green and also kind of close to red, so both the red and green cones get activated, and each sends a signal to your brain saying so. Of course, there is another way to activate the red cones and the green cones simultaneously: if both red light and green light are present at the same time.

The point is, your brain receives the same signal, regardless of whether you see light that has the yellow frequency or light that is a mixture of the green and red frequencies. That's why, for light, red plus green equals yellow. And, how come you can't detect colours when it's dark? Well, the rod cells in your retina take over in low-light conditions. You only have one kind of rod cell, and so there is one type of signal that can get sent to your brain: light or no light. Having only one kind of light detector doesn't leave any room for seeing colour.

There are infinitely many different physical colours, but, because we only have three kinds of cones, the brain can be tricked into thinking it's seeing any colour by carefully adding together the right combination of just three colours: red, green, and blue. This property of human vision is really useful in the real world. For example, TV manufacturing. Instead of having to put infinitely many colours in your TV set to simulate the real world, TV manufacturers only have to put three: red, green, and blue, which is lucky for them, really.

Light perception happens in a paper thin layer of cells called the …