WSU veterinarians replace tortoise leg with wheel

PULLMAN, Wash. -- A 12-year-old, African spur-thighed tortoise recently had its left front leg amputated at Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and is doing well with a swiveling wheel attached to his shell.

The tortoise was relinquished by its owner on April 20 because the animal's leg had suffered a severe thermal injury and tissue damage from an unknown source. The veterinarian making the initial diagnosis referred the tortoise and its ownership to WSU's veterinary teaching hospital for definitive care. In this case, the injury was life-threatening so the decision to amputate was made.

Subsequent surgery by Dr. Courtney Watkins, a final year surgery resident, and Dr. Nickol Finch, head of WSU's Exotic Animal Service required that the limb be amputated at the shoulder and, as a precaution, that a temporary feeding tube be surgically implanted.

To help the animal ambulate after the surgery, a small swiveling ball-type caster was attached to its shell with an epoxy adhesive. The animal took to his new prosthetic quickly with little encouragement and ambulates well on most surfaces.

"Understandably, complicated amputations in tortoises are not common surgeries so we did not know how well he would eat afterwards," said Dr. Finch. "The feeding tube just ensured we could keep his nutrition up."

Read more by clicking here.

The common cold

What should we do when we catch a common cold? Should we stay in, get into bed, drink some medicine, take vitamins? What do you do? What do doctors recommend? Watch the video and write some comments afterwards.

If you come across it, please let me know

Getting up in your career

How do we get ahead in our careers? How can we go up the career ladder? How long will that take? Can we shorten the times? What do you suggest doing? Watch the video and select the tips you agree with. Write down your comments after watching.

Careers & Employment

• Revision activities for students working with New Market Leader Intermediate, Unit 8, Employment.

• Introductory activities for students working with Success with BEC Vantage, Unit 1, Ways of Working.

The BBC site offers is an excellent source of reference to practice your English.  The following links will let you learn, revise and/or update your vocabulary on careers.

Click on the links and do the exercises.  You'll get immediate feedback.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page1.shtml  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page2.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page3.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page4.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page5.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page6.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/getthatjob/unit1jobsearch/page7.shtml

Were some words new for you? Let's make some examples of your own. Write down a few sentences with the new vocabulary in comments.

Volcanic ashes

Chile's Puyehue Volcano Erupts

Jun 6, 2011 | 47

On Saturday, a volcano in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle chain of south-central Chile erupted after lying dormant for more than 50 years. The government evacuated several thousand residents as Puyehue threw ash more than 6 miles (10 km) into the sky, pushing the plume toward neighboring Argentina. Authorities had already put the area around the volcano on alert after a flurry of earthquakes earlier on Saturday -- at one point, the tremors reached an average of 230 per hour. Collected here are a handful of spectacular photographs of the eruption this weekend and its effects in Chile and Argentina. [21 photos]

Help Desk

Watch this video from YouTube. I'm sure you'll all enjoy it.

Activity for Elementary / Pre-Intermediate Levels: 
Choose some of the following questions and answer them .Click on Post Comment to write down your answers.

What language do they use to communicate? 

Do you speak that language?

What is your native language?

Where are they? (country, building, room)

What time do you think it is?

Why does the monk need help?

How good was the assistance he got?

Why do you think I included this video here?
What label do you suggest for this post?

I look forward to your comments. Who will be the first?

Activity for Intermediate Levels: 
Write your comments about the video on line. We'll then discuss the video in class

Weddings Worldwide

Wedding Customs from Around the World

"Wedding traditions and customs vary from one country to another, but each one is special and celebrates the marriage bond of the newly weds", says the opening of the Wedding Page from Topics Online Magazine.

Belgium  Wearing White, Giving Flowers, and Throwing Rice
In my country, the bride always, or almost always, wears a white dress. The man comes to the house of the bride and give her her bouquet of flowers (also in white or other light colors). They go to the church and the man is inside when the father of the bride brings her to her future husband. And at the end, when they come out, the family throws rice on them.
Jolien Debonne

Click here to read more about wedding customs in other countries. Then, answer one or more of the following questions:

1. What are the differences between customs around the world and your country? 
2. What was the last wedding ceremony you attended?
3. How did you enjoy the last wedding party you were invited?


Click on Post a Comment to write down your answer/s.

Visit London

If you are planning a visit to London, you will surely visit some of the famous attractions shown in this short video. The video contains subtitles in English, so you can easily follow it.

Which one will you see first? It's difficult to say when you're not a Londoner yourself or when you're not a frequent traveller.  I invite you to visit London together. Would you like to come on a tour with me?  If you do, let's go to http://www.aviewoncities.com/london/londonattractions.htm and choose the most exciting places for you to visit.

Which of those places will you first visit? Why?  What do you think make them attractive?

To reply to one or more of these questions, click on "Post a Comment" below. I look forward to reading your messages.