Fans were a sign of the wealth and authority of the owner.
The historians believe that the first fan appeared in China. Mentions of these things are found in the works of ancient Chinese poets, dating back to the second millennium BC. During the excavation of the grave of the principality of Chu fragments of fans made of feathers with a wooden handle were found. Similar findings refer to the Eastern Zhou Period (770-256 BC).
In the III century BC, Chinese fans had a semi-circular shape. They were made mainly of thin bamboo plates. Later, the masters began to make round paper fans on the handle. In the I century, the Chinese presented several such fans to the Japanese emperor.
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The cabbage group includes the common cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, and collard. They are rich in vitamins and minerals and low in calories. People eat cabbage raw or cooked. Cauliflower has a head of tight thick white flowers. Broccoli has bright green loosely clustered flowers. Brussels sprout has many little cabbage-like heads. Kale and kohlrabi have loose leaves that spread outward from a stem.
The history of cabbage began in the prehistoric era, as evidenced by archaeological excavations of Stone Age man’s sites. For a long time people used wild cabbage. Later, as a result of the selection, several varieties of this plant were created, including the head cabbage.
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Blood is a liquid that carries nutrients and removes waste. It moves through the body’s cardiovascular system. The heart pumps blood through the blood vessels to all parts of the body. Blood is an important part of the body and it consists of cells. There are three main types of blood cell: red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Red blood cells transport oxygen, white blood cells (leukocytes) help to keep the body healthy. The plasma is watery part of the blood, which contains nutrients, chemicals, hormones, and wastes.
For a day the heart of an adult man pumps about 10,000 liters of blood. The average heart rate of a healthy person is 60-80 beats per minute.
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All the monarchs of Europe had court jesters. They had to amuse the king and his guests. It was believed that the jester was an idiot who was allowed to do much of what was not allowed even to the king himself. In fact, the jester was the alter ego of the master. In a simple humorous and often allegorical form, he expressed the will of the lord. He also influenced the policy of monarchs. In Europe, the tradition of hiring jesters ended with the advent of the era of the Enlightenment and the Reformation.
We remember the kings and emperors, but undeservedly forget those who were not afraid of a sharp word, even if pretending to be a fool, to direct the rulers to the right path. Even the wise Khodja Nasreddin, as they say, was a jester of Tamerlane himself. Some of the court jesters were smarter than the kings themselves.
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Rice is a grain that is the main food of about half the world’s population. It belongs to the grass family. Its scientific name is Oryza sativa. Most rice is grown in water, but the water must be the correct depth. If it’s too deep, the rice will drown, and if it’s not deep enough, the rice won’t grow.
The rice plant grows to about 1.2 meters tall. It has several stalks with long leaves. At the end of each stalk is a fan-shaped head made up of green and yellow flowers that produce the grains of rice.
The rice plant grows under the water, with its green shoots sticking out. When the rice is ripe, the water is drained off the fields. The rice stalks are cut and dried, then the seeds are removed.
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Lilacs are about 10 species of shrubs and small trees in the olive family. They are native to Eurasia but are widely planted in many places as ornamental shrubs.
The common lilac has shiny green wedge-shaped leaves. There are large numbers of tiny flowers before the leaves have developed. These flowers are rich in nectar and are pollinated by insects. Flowers may be white, lavender, or purple. They contain fragrant oils that are sometimes used to flavor candy or cake or to manufacture perfume. Lilac lives more than 100 years.
There is a Scandinavian legend about the origin of the lilac. Scandinavians are sure that the lilacs were created by the Sun and the Rainbow.
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The kiwi is New Zealand’s feathered favorite. It is a strange little bird found only in the forests of New Zealand. New Zealanders are sometimes called Kiwis. It is a nocturnal bird. During the day it sleeps in its burrow, and at night it looks for food. Kiwis eat worms, insects, larvae, spiders, and berries. These birds have a strong sense of smell. Their bills are long and narrow and kiwis are the only birds whose nostrils are on the very tip of the bill. Kiwis cannot fly, but they run very fast.
Kiwis are monogamous and mate for life. The kiwi’s egg is about 20 percent of the mother’s weight. It fills almost her entire body right before it’s laid. The male takes care of an egg for almost 3 months. It takes chick 3 days to hatch. These birds live up to 60 years.
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