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Author: Ana-MariaG
Tourists love B.C.
Tourists love B.C. – Level 3 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Province by Nila Gopaul B.C. is beautiful. And the world is noticing. In fact, tourism in B.C is up 39 per cent since 2001. In 2014, there were about nine million overnight stays in Metro Vancouver. In 2016, tourists may bring $18 billion…
Continue ReadingFood is not garbage
Food is not garbage Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Listen to “Food is not garbage”– Level 1 Reading by Jessica Heafey Metro Vancouver* wants you to recycle your food scraps. Starting in January 2015, food scraps must go into a green bin. Then the city collects the scraps. The scraps make compost…
Continue ReadingPysanky (peh-SAHN-kee)
Pysanky (peh-SAHN-kee) Level 2 Pysanky* is a special way to make Easter eggs. This art has been around for hundreds of years. It started in Eastern Europe. *Pysanky means “to write”.
Continue ReadingHerons return to Stanley Park
Adapted from the B.C. Ministry of Environment and The Province and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Nola Johnston Level 2 In BC, people can see Great Blue Herons all year. Herons live on the coast. They also live in the southern part of B.C. The heron is a large bird: It is taller than many…
Continue ReadingKnitting
Knitting Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Grandmother, mother and daughter love to knit. Francesca, Zoe and Aija have a knitting store. The store is called Three Bags Full. The store opened in 2006. It sells knitting needles. It sells yarn. Knitting is popular again Many people come to the shop….
Continue ReadingCanada’s first aboriginal arts hotel
Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Skwachàys* Lodge in Vancouver is Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel. The lodge has 18 rooms. *say: skywatch-eyes Six aboriginal artists and six designers worked on the rooms. Each room tells a different story. Rooms start at $99/night. Guests can experience…
Continue ReadingTransit tax – yes or no?
Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Are you a Canadian citizen? Do you live in Metro Vancouver?* (See a map on the next page.) Are you a resident of B.C. (for at least six months on or before May 29, 2015)? Are you 18 years of age or older, (on or before May 29, 2015)? Are…
Continue ReadingLegal Aid BC: Getting a divorce – Part 6
Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Legal Aid BC – Getting a divorce, Part 6/6 Sally was in an abusive relationship. Sally and her children left home. They stayed somewhere safe. A few months have passed. A lot has happened. Now Sally is telling her friend Marsha…
Continue ReadingPolicewoman
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Phyllis Mortimore joined the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) in 1943. At that time, only a few women were police officers. In 1943, none of the women were allowed to carry guns. Women also did not get the same pay as men. One day, Phyllis saw Police…
Continue ReadingWrite to Read
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level one Listen to “Write to Read”– Level 1 Reading by Jessica Heafey Look on a B.C. map. Can you find Old Masset* or Toosey** ? They are very small places. *Say: ma-sut **Say: too-see About 300 people live in Toosey. About 600 people live in Old Masset. These…
Continue ReadingJerry lost his backpack
Jerry lost his backpack Submitted by Dora Huang, Burnaby School Board LINC Program Try the crossword. Click here. Answer key on the last page of this story. Try more exercises on this story. Click here and go to pages 2 and 3. On November 5th, Jerry came from China. He got on the number 134…
Continue ReadingKaillie gets her wish
Listen to “Kaillie gets her wish”– Level 2 Reading by Corey Muench Kaillie gets her wish Adapted by The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 2 Kaillie Humphries, 29, is a Canadian bobsledder. She is also an Olympic champion. Kaillie has won two gold medals. The sport Women’s boblsed became a Winter Olympic sport in 2002….
Continue ReadingHappily ever after
Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Karam and Katari Chand have been married for 87 years. This is a long time to be married. It is a new world record. Karam is 107 years old. Katari is 100 years old. They are from India. Now they live in the U.K. Key to happiness…
Continue ReadingFebruary is Black History Month
Canada Post has issued this special stamp to acknowledge the history of Vancouver’s Hogan’s Alley. What is Black History Month? During this month, we honour the achievements and contributions of black people, past and present. Many of these men and women have fought for equal rights.
Continue ReadingLegal Aid BC: Dealing with separation – Part 5
Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nancy Carson • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Dealing with separation – Part 5/6 Sally left an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. She took her children and went to stay with a friend. Sally wants to be sure that she will be safe. She needs help, so…
Continue ReadingCalifornia tourist saves B.C. cyclist
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul and The Westcoast Reader, October 2012 – includes a crossword puzzle Illustrations – Nola Johnston California tourist saves B.C. cyclist Level 2 Nas Rafi is a doctor from California. In July 2012, she visited Vancouver. Like many tourists to the city, Rafi walked around Gastown. It seemed like most days….
Continue ReadingToday is Family Literacy Day
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Find a fun way or fun ways to learn with your children. You can read together for 15 minutes every day. You can make a grocery list together or write a letter to a grandparent or grandparents. See links and video on the next page.
Continue ReadingMeet a library champion
Submitted by the Vancouver Public Library Meet Shu Ming Chen: Doctor, recent newcomer to Canada, and proud library champion. Her mission: Support her community and help immigrants discover their local library and all that it offers. Q: Why did you become a library champion? A: When newcomers have just landed, they feel isolated and anxious…
Continue ReadingFun fact about B.C. – neon
Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Neon signs are electric signs. They contain neon and other gases. The signs are made of glass tubes. These tubes are bent and made into interesting shapes with different colours. In the 1950s, Vancouver had 19,000 neon signs. This means that there was one sign for every 18 people!…
Continue ReadingCanada Winter Games – 2015
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Listen to “Canada Winter Games”– Level 3 Reading by Corey Muench Prince George, B.C., will host the Canada Winter Games in February 2015. The city will also celebrate its 100th birthday.
Continue ReadingWord of the Year – 2014
Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year is … vape. Vape means to inhale and exhale the vapour from an electronic cigarette (e-cig). Vape is short for vapour (noun) or vaporize (verb). People also use vape as an adjective, such as a vape pen and a vape shop. Why vape? E-cigs have become more common in the world. E-cigs give off vapour, not smoke. People used the word twice as…
Continue ReadingLegal Aid BC: Sally goes to court – Part 4
Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Going to court, Part 4/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally was in an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. She took her kids and left…
Continue ReadingEagle count in B.C. – January
Counting the Brackendale eagles Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul This year is the 29th annual Brackendale eagle count. Every year in January, wintering eagles gather in Brackendale, B.C. Brackendale is near Squamish (see the map below). Volunteers count the eagles. The volunteers work in teams. They walk. They hike about 40 kilometres. And they go out on kayaks and…
Continue Reading2015 goals – how to keep them
In the new year, many people make resolutions. Resolutions are promises or goals. For example: “I will quit smoking.” “I will lose weight.” “I will study a new language.” Did you know? Less than 10 per cent of people keep their New Year’s goals. Goals are easy to make. But they are also easy to break….
Continue ReadingPolar swim – 2015
The Polar Bear Swim – 2015 Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul The Polar Bear Swim is a tradition. It happens every year on New Year’s Day. Some people dress in costumes. Others wear bathing suits or shorts. Brave people jump into the ice-cold water. They scream. They laugh. They have fun.
Continue ReadingVanDusen Garden – Festival of Lights
Adapted from City of Vancouver by Nila Gopaul Visit the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden. There are over one million lights decorating the garden. This year, the garden is celebrating its 30th Anniversary of the Festival of Lights. What to do Dancing Lights show Schedule for modern set: 5:00pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm Schedule for classic set: 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm,…
Continue ReadingShortbread cookies – easy recipe
Shortbread cookies are a treat at Christmas. Traditional shortbread has three ingredients: sugar, butter and flour. 1/2 cup of softened butter (125 mL) Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (125 mL) Mix together. Add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla (if you have it) Add 1 cup of flour (125 mL) Blend. Scoop cookies on cookie sheet (see video). Flatten…
Continue ReadingChristmas sugar cookies
Christmas in Canada
Easy holiday ham
Boil 2.5 L of water. Put the ham in the boiling water. Add all the ingredients. List of ingredients – 1kg fillet of ham (plain) and 2.5 L of water – 1 carrot, 1 leek, 1 stalk celery – 1 onion and 3/4 cloves garlic – 1 handful fresh parsley – 1 teaspoon red chili powder…
Continue ReadingSeniors’ stories
“Seniors’ Stories” is a project. It is run by The Vancouver Community Network. A team collected the stories from seniors.
Continue ReadingB.C. says sorry
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Province by Nila Gopaul Listen to the story– Level 2 Reading by Corey Muench The year was 1864. B.C. was a British colony. Gold was discovered in the Cariboo. And there was conflict. Men died. The B.C. government wanted to build a toll road to the Cariboo. The government…
Continue ReadingDirections Youth Services
Directions Youth Services helps homeless and at-risk young people. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help from Directions Directions is a safe place. Youth can get hot meals there. They can shower and wash their clothes. Youth can also relax, use computers, and learn art and music. Some people get…
Continue ReadingLegal Aid BC: Applying for legal aid – Part 3
Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Applying for Legal Aid, Part 3/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally was in an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. Sally left her home….
Continue ReadingSeven-year-old wants to help
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Joshua Smith is only seven years old. But he plans to feed over 500 homeless people this Christmas Eve. Joshua and his mother, Traci Smith, have helped feed homeless people for two years. “He’s an average kid,” says his mother. “He’s bratty. He’s sassy. Doesn’t want to…
Continue ReadingThe Choi Project
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 2 In 1886, business started in Chinatown in Vancouver, B.C. For 100 years, most customers were Chinese-speaking. Now Chinatown is changing. Ken Lau says, “Some only speak English.” So Ken makes English signs. He puts them beside his vegetables. “Now business is getting better,” says Ken. The…
Continue ReadingB.C.’s best buildings
The Architecture Foundation of B.C. had a contest. The foundation asked people to vote online to find the top 25 buildings in four areas of B.C. People voted from around the world. Click here to see the top four winners: The Marine Building in Vancouver got the top award – in southern B.C. Seabird Island School in…
Continue ReadingBear cubs need help
Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul In Smithers, B.C., 30 hungry bear cubs* play and live at an animal shelter. The cubs are orphaned. This means each cub has lost its mother. Most mothers were killed by accident – by cars and trucks. *cubs – a young bear, fox, lion
Continue ReadingStudents write to a newspaper
Submitted by: Jennifer Partridge, West Point Grey United Church, ESL teacher Jennifer Partridge’s students wrote letters to a newspaper. They wanted to write about Vancouver’s traffic problems. The learners also wanted to talk about solutions. Here are three of their letters: Think about what issues affect your community. Write to your mayor or city council or local…
Continue ReadingLegal Aid BC: What is abuse? Part 2
Submitted by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt What is abuse? Part 2/6 Sally and her children are not living in their home. They are staying with a friend. They left because Sally’s husband hits her. Sally is visiting Lisa. Lisa is a community worker. That means that Lisa helps…
Continue ReadingTrans-Canada dog
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Province by Nila Gopaul Level 2 Pollux the dog escaped through an open gate in 2010. Her owners were heartbroken. Pollux left Montreal and travelled 4,500 km to Kamloops, B.C. Pollux made new friends in Kamloops. “She was really well-behaved,” said one family. The dog had a microchip…
Continue ReadingHalloween costumes … for your dog
This Halloween, man’s best friend, the dog, can dress up, too. Once there were four costumes for pets. Now there are over 20 costumes.
Continue ReadingFall Festival of Chocolate
The story of chocolate Level 3 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Chocolate comes from the beans of a cacao* fruit tree. The cacao bean is the seed of the fruit. (say: ka-kow) Cacao trees can grow 15 metres high. The trees grow in tropical rain forests.
Continue ReadingLegal Aid BC: Getting help with abuse – Part 1
Submitted by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Getting help with abuse – Part 1/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally and Marsha are friends. One day they meet. They sit and talk. Then Sally talks…
Continue ReadingOctober is Foster Family Month
Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul October is Foster Family Month in B.C. Foster care is a way to give a family life to children and teens who cannot live with their own parents. There are about 3,200 foster parents in B.C. They care for 5,900 children and teens in B.C. Many of these parents are reaching…
Continue ReadingSalute to Salmon (Oct 3 – 26)
Adapted from CBC News by Nila Gopaul Celebrate the salmon run in October The salmon run is the time when salmon return to the rivers and lakes to spawn (lay eggs). Salmon swim. Why do we call it a “run”, you ask? A run means a route or a journey, especially on a regular basis. The biggest salmon…
Continue ReadingAnti-bullying
Adapted from bullyingcanada.ca; thebullyproject.com; and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Illustrations by Nola Johnston” Level 2 In June, 2012, Premier Christy Clark announced the B.C. government will spend $2-million to help stop bullying in schools. Did you know? About one in seven children in Canada (aged 11 to 16) is bullied. There are many…
Continue ReadingB.C. First Nation wins land claim
Level 3 [stextbox id=”audio”]Listen to the story B.C. First Nation wins land claim – Level 3 [/stextbox]Reading by: Corey Muench Watch a video of this news story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4tptaN3Fio Visit the links Read more about this landmark case (with video). For more background on this case, read this CBC article (with map).
Continue ReadingOlga, “Super Senior”
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Listen to the story Olga, ‘Super Senior’” – Level 1 Reading by: Jessica Heafey Olga Kotelko had an interesting life. She was born on a farm. Alone, she raised two children. Later, she became a school teacher. For 30 years, she taught in Burnaby, B.C. Olga…
Continue ReadingThe business of time
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Meet Vahid. Vahid was born in Iran. He came to Canada 30 years ago. He sells and fixes clocks and watches. His business is called It’s About Time. It’s About Time is in Langley, B.C.
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