The apple tree grows in more parts of the world than any other fruit tree, and belongs to the same scientific family as roses. Apple trees need well-drained soil to grow and a period of cool winter weather to rest before the fruit-growing season. Apple is often called the king of fruits. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And that’s true, because it has vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.
Apples are grown for eating, cooking, and juicing. They are also preserved as jams, jellies, apple butter, and chutneys. Apples may be red, green, greenish yellow, pink, or orange. They are about 5 to 10 centimeters wide.
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Geese are large birds of the waterfowl family, consisting of ducks, geese, and swans. Geese occur in many types of aquatic habitats, on all continents but Antarctica. They breed in freshwater marshes, salt marshes, or marsh-fringed, open-water wetlands. Common species of goose include the Canada goose, the greylag, the barnacle goose, and the snow goose.
They eat roots, rhizomes, and shoots of grass-like plants, and on seeds and grains.
Most species of goose undertake substantial migrations between their breeding and wintering grounds. Flocks of migrating geese commonly adopt a V-shaped formation. This formation helps keep them from getting tired as they fly because each goose gets a lift from the air flowing off the goose ahead.
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Ducks are waterbirds that are related to geese and swans. There are about 100 species of duck. They are found almost all over the world. Many types fly south in winter.
Ducks are champion swimmers and are at home almost anywhere near water. There are three kinds of ducks: Dabbling ducks put their heads underwater to eat plants that grow there. They build their nests in hollows near the water. Dabbling ducks can fly very fast. Diving ducks dive deep down into the water to find things to eat. They mostly eat fish. They are very strong swimmers. Perching ducks make nests in trees and hold on to the branches with their long-clawed toes.
On the ground they waddle from side to side, moving slowly in a funny, jerky way.
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The central part of the ancient city was enclosed with the fortress walls and towers. The name “kremlin” is considered to be Russian, derived from the “kromka”, meaning “fortress wall, enclosing the city” in ancient times. Until the XIV century Moscow Kremlin was called Detinets, it was built on the left high bank of the Moskva River and became the center of the future city. Archaeological excavations on the territory found the settlement dated back the XI century. The first annalistic mention of Moscow was in 1147. The first Kremlin wall made of white stone was built in 1367 and of the red brick in 1495.
The history of the Kremlin is inseparably linked with the history of Moscow. In the middle of the XII century, Suzdal Prince Yury Dolgoruky built several forts to protect the western borders of Suzdal principality and a wooden fortress on Borovitsky Hill at the confluence of the Neglinnaya River to the Moscow River was among them. Timbered wall rose to 3 meters high and stretched for 1,200 meters around the perimeter. The protective earth mound was erected in front of it. In 1237-1238 Batu Khan’s hordes looted and burned the Kremlin and Moscow.
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Forget–me–not is a perennial (plant that lives, grows, flowers, and produces seeds for three or more consecutive years). This plant has thick, fleshy, water–storing stem and leaves. It is 15 to 43 centimeters long, and the leaves are heart–shaped. Clusters of flowers are pale to dark blue in color. Each flower is saucer–shaped and measures about 1.3 centimeters across.
Forget–me–not is a small flower, but there are many stories associated with it. Once goddess of flowers Flora came down and began to give names to the plants. It seemed to her that she named all flowers and she wanted to go home. Suddenly she heard a quiet voice: “Give me the name, Flora!” Flora looked around, but didn’t see anyone.
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Bison has a massive body, humped shoulders, and pointed horns. In winter, its coat is dark brown and in the spring it is light-brown. They are the largest land mammals in North America and Europe. There are two species of bison: the American bison and the European bison.
An average bison has a head and body length of 2.1 to 3.8 meters and a shoulder height of 1.5 to 2 meters. It weighs between 320 and 1,000 kilograms.
The American bison is commonly known as the buffalo. European bison is often called wisent, from the German word for bison. They are slightly larger than the American bison. European bison live in forests where they eat tender shoots, twigs, and leaves of trees and bushes.
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Magpies are intelligent, noisy birds. They belong to songbirds. Magpies are in the same scientific family as crows, ravens, and jays. Magpies live in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.
There are several different species of magpie. Common types include the Eurasian magpie and the black-billed magpie.
Eurasian and black-billed magpies are about 46 centimeters long. The tail is longer than the body. They are mostly black except for their white bellies and white patches on their wings. Magpies in Asia have bright blue or green feathers.
They are omnivorous and eat insects, dead animals, fruit, seeds, and even the eggs and chicks of other birds.
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