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We are all too familiar with the death and destruction caused by landslides in different parts of the country over the last few months. The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has now started a project to identify areas prone to landslides in Walapane and Hanguranketha. Accordingly, areas such as Mahawewa, Pussalapitiya, Ritiyala, Narampathana and Elamulla in Walapane and Hanguranketha have been identified as high risk areas for landslides.

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Ramazan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims, started on September 12. This is the most important month in the Islamic calendar and commences with the sighting of the new moon, even if it is reported by only one person. The period of fasting will end with the Ramazan festival which falls close to October 13.

Ramazan comes yearly to remind Muslims of the declaration and establishment of human rights in the Quran, which started to be revealed in such a month, more than 14 centuries ago. During the month, Muslims offer prayers, read and listen to the Quran daily, and observe strict self-discipline through fasting. They give to the poor and have more contact with other Muslims.

Fasting has always been an important part of religious life, discipline and experience in almost every faith.

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Long ago, there was a clever basket weaver. He could weave beautiful cane baskets. He was proud of his skill. One day a friend admired the beautiful baskets.

“Can you teach my son how to weave ?” he asked.

“I can teach him how to weave, but he’ll have a to help me in my work,” said the weaver. A week later, the boy began to work for the weaver. Every day the boy had to go to the jungle and bring back some cane.

It was full of thorns. He had to heat the cane, clean it and prepare it for weaving. The boy quickly learnt to weave beautiful baskets. He could work faster than the weaver.

The weaver noticed this and was jealous of the boy. One dark night, the weaver killed the boy. God Sakra saw it. He was very angry. He disguised himself as an old man and came to the weaver’s house.

“Why did you kill that innocent boy ?” he asked. The weaver was silent for some time. Then he decided to tell the truth.

“I was jealous of the boy. So I killed him,” he said.

“You told me the truth. You will be able to weave beautifully, but I’m going to change you into a bird,” said God Sakra.

The old weaver looked sad.

“You killed your friend’s son. Your enemies will try to harm your young ones. You will have to work hard to protect them,” God Sakra said.

The weaver vanished. In his place there was a little brown bird.

That bird is the weaver bird. It has to work hard to make its nest safe for its young ones. The entrance to the nest is at the bottom, so snakes cannot get into the nest. The weaver bird is able to protect its young ones.

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I have a friend in a small village in the Dry Zone. He writes interesting books on the plants, the birds and the animals of our country. At the age of ten, he could name every plant in his village. He could also identify a bird by its call or an animal by its footprints.

At the age of twelve, he was able to draw large clear diagrams of birds, plants and animals. He was able to write interesting and accurate descriptions about them in his nature diary. He had to read books to find out more about them.

Now my friend often goes to the hills and the jungle. He is able to observe rare plants, birds and animals. He has to spend a lot of time observing them. Sometimes he has to use a telescope to see a bird building its nest, or an animal feeding its young. He has a good camera, so he can take clear photographs. He has written several books. People enjoy reading them.

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The first of January this year was a great day in the lives of Simon, Justin, Tony and Austin. They were good friends and they worked in a firm of builders. On that day, they were celebrating their promotion to a higher grade in their jobs. Their firm had rewarded them for their good work by promoting them to a higher grade. Justin, was a mason, and had started to work for the firm two years before. Tony was a carpenter, and had joined the firm with Justin. Simon was an electrician, and had started to work for the firm three years before. Austin was a plumber and had joined the firm with Simon.

Their firm usually built only about two houses a year, but the year before, the firm had built six houses. The firm’s output of work had increased. How did this happen ? Simon, Justin, Tony and Austin had worked very hard during the whole of last year and the firm had rightly rewarded them. So, on the first of January they were celebrating their promotion to a higher grade.

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