Monthly V SHINE International February 2014 with interesting stuff

Printed by Ayesha Printers Published by Najeeb Ahmed Hanfi
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Assalam-o-Alaikum
Hope your doing well. This world and everything in it is a great gift of
Allah for us. Water is one such bounty. We don’t even realise that how
important water is. We cannot imagine life without water.
Water is used for numerous purposes like cooking, drinking, bathing and
cleaning. It is true that two-third of the Earth is covered with water but
out of this, only 3% is suitable for drinking while the other part is salty
water.
Perhaps we can survive without coal or wood or oil, but water is a basis
for life. Also the purifying role of water in the form of ablution before
prayer or during pilgrimages is very important. Humans, animals, and
the environment require water to survive.
We should not waste water and must understand that fresh water has
now become a vulnerable resource. The holy prophet (peace be upon
him) did not like his companions to waste water even during ablutions
for prayers. You definitely don’t need water running while brushing your
teeth. Just wet the toothbrush and turn off the tap. Once done with
brushing, you can open it again to wash and rinse your mouth and the
toothbrush.
It is really alarming that there are an estimated 884 million people who
lack access to safe drinking water and more than 2.6 billion people do
not have access to basic sanitation. Access to water is a fundamental
precondition for the enjoyment of human rights like the rights to life,
adequate housing, education, food, health, work and cultural life.
So, next time when you wash your face or brush your teeth, turn off the
facet to save this precious gift.
With Love
Editor
Editor-In-Chief
Najeeb Ahmed Hanfi
Director Marketing
Saad Shah
Editor
Nazim Hussain
Sub-Editor
Umair Safdar
Designer
Sufyan Nasir
Illustrator
Furkan Wahab
Educational Consultants
Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed
Dr. Shagufta Naqvi
Training Consultant
M. Farid Hanfi
Website
Syed Fahad Shahab
M. Abdus Samad Khan
M. Wajahat Khan
Administration/Circulation
Imad Islam
Advertisement & Sales
Syed Talal Ali
Usama Sheikh
Pakistan Office
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E-mail
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Website
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FEBRUARY 2014
Volume 4, Issue 2
www.vshineworld.com

5 I Need A camel, Not A calf…
6 Dear Editor
7 Poems
8 Ask Uncle Shine
9 Boring Naz Appa
10 The Horrible Maths
12 V SHINE Kitchen
13 Hidden In Sight
13 Jokes
14 India
16 Haughtiness Is A Curse
17 History At A Glance
18 The Snake With A Rattle
20 V SHINE Lab
21 Fantastic Sports Facts
22 Let’s Scrap!
24 Mixed Bag
26 Nine Crazy Questions
28 Young Writers
30 Mind Game
31 Word Search
32 Robot Went Wrong
33 Maze
34 Word Box
By Humaira Khatoon
“Ihad requested you for a camel and you are
offering me a calf,” said the old lady angrily.
“But all I have can you as a gift is only a calf,” the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) replied smilingly.
“I need a grown up camel for riding and carrying
load. What will I do of a calf?” she replied worriedly.
“You will ride on it and it will carry your load as
well,” he said and asked the old lady to wait. The
holy prophet (peace be upon him) went inside a
stable and came out holding the rope of a full
grown-up strong and beautiful camel.
“See, isn’t it a calf of a camel?” he said while
presenting the camel to her. Everybody present on
the occasion smiled and enjoyed the good sense of
humor of the holy prophet (peace be upon him).
Prophet Muhammad (peace is upon him) had a
great sense of humor. He possessed a pleasant
and lively disposition.
This lady was Brkata. Her nickname was Umme-
e-Antiba but she was famous as Umm-e-Aiman.
She was a maid of Abdullah bin Abe Abdul Mutalib.
When he got married, she was become maid of
his wife Amna bint Wahb, the mother of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him).
When Amna visited her tribe in Yathrib (Madinah)
with her little child, Brkata accompanied her. They
stayed with the
family of Bani
Najjar.
On their
way
back at Abwa, a place between Makkah and
Yathrib, Amna fell seriously ill and later passed
away. Umm-e-Aiman took special care of the little
child and carried him back to his grandfather Abdul
Matalib safely.
When Muhammad (peace be upon him) grew up,
she become his maid but he freed her and she got
married to Ubaid bin Zaid. She had a son named
Aiman and thus was called Umm-e-Aiman.
Once Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
said:
“If someone
wants to make
Nikkah with the
lady of Paradise,
he does it with
Umm-e-Aiman.”
After hearing
that Zaid bin
Harisa made
Nikkah with
Umm-e-Aiman. The youngest commander of Islamic
Army, Osama bin Zaid, was their son.
Umm-e-Aiman is among the first group of people
who embraced Islam. She migrated to Habsha
(Abyssinia) and then to Madinah. This great lady
also nursed injured during wars. Her husband Zaid
bin Harisa was martyred in the battle of Mutah.
She often kept visiting Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him). He always greeted
her and was happy to see her.
He used to call her “My
Mother”.
Once he presented her a
beautiful strong camel on
her demand. Umm-e-Aiman
was very pious, virtuous and
God-fearing lady. She died during
the Caliphate of Uthman bin Affan (may
Allah be pleased with him).
He joked with his
companions. He smiled
and laughed with them. The holy
prophet had a dignified sense of
humor and everybody enjoyed
light moments with him.
FEBRUARY 2014 | V SHINE
5
STORY

V SHINE is
my favourite magazine.
It is a treasure of activities
and information. “Iqbal, the
poet of the East ” was amazing.
Keep it up! (Laiba Maqbool,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan)
I will be very
grateful if you can clear
that the poem “Monster Flies” was
posted by my younger sister
Rihab Talha and not by me.
She uses my email account.
Her poem was submitted
in Young Writers corner in
October 2013. (Abir Talha,
United Arab Emirates)
I love V SHINE
very much. The cover page
of December’s Issue was superb!
I have been reading your magazine
for a year. The Mazes & Dot to dot
game was too difficult but I made
it. Your magazine is rocking.
(Imtesal Ameena, Lahore,
Pakistan)
V SHINE is an
interesting magazine and
I liked the article on macaw.
Stories were nice. Please publish
about writers and great thinkers.
(Uzair Ahmed, New York,
USA)
I love your
magazine. Keep it up. I
want to be a scientist so please
add more science projects. After all
you rock! (Sadiya Malik, Tabuk,
Saudi Arabia)
I love your
magazine, it is really
interesting specially the poems
and stories. The V SHINE Lab contains
awesome experiments. The V SHINE Kitchen
brings tasty treats for us which are easy to
cook. I must appreciate all the efforts of
your team and hard work, keep rocking.
(Syed Hasan Akbar, Multan,
Pakistan)
I read jokes and
find things in Hidden
in Sight first. I have asked a
question to Uncle Shine. Please
publish that in magazine.
(Huma Farooq, Dubai,
UAE)
I have been
reading your magazine for
the last one year and I found it
really interesting and informative!
I really like the Mixed Bag. Good
effort. Keep it up! (Momina Khalid,
Taxila, Pakistan)
Snowball
I made a snowball
As perfect as could be
As white as a fluffy cat
It belongs to me
Soon it will melt,
In the fierce glowing sun
And I’ll lose my snowball
fighting fun.
By Kaunain Asfi
Oh God!
When I get in trouble,
And try to solve it lonely...
People make it double,
And there He comes only
When everyone refuse me,
And my heart weeps,
There’s always He who helps me,
His help, Oh! It sweeps!
To recite His greatness,
My vocabulary is concise
Oh God! To thank you,
This poem should be resized!
By Maleeha Junaidi
My Glasses
They are on my nose
They hold my ears
What a perfect pose
They are my glasses
Purple and white
They help me see things
In my sight
I keep my glasses
Neat and clean
So that everything
Could be easily seen
I love my glasses
Very much
I won’t give them to you
Even for a touch
By Huda Mohsin
6
LETTER BOX
7
POEMS

Watching sports
I am fond of watching football matches while my
brother who is one year older than me, watches
cricket and I do not like it. How can I keep remote
control for myself because he grabs it just before the
start of a football match? (Taha Sheikh, Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia)
Dear Taha,
Does he not allow you to watch TV altogether? If it
is the case, ask your mother. She will help you. We
live together and we should also respect the likes
and dislikes of each other. A cricket match lasts
longer so your brother should let you watch
football match. However, you people are
not supposed to waste your time in
quarreling for remote control.
Restrict your TV hours.
A backbiter friend
I have a friend. She is a real backbiter.
She keeps feeding bad things about me to
the class teacher. I am really worried! Help!
(Ellina Fatima, Faisalabad, Pakistan)
Dear Ellina,
First of all, you must limit your conversation with
her. This is a precautionary step. If there is no
communications between you two, she will have no
issues about you to discuss. Forgive her and do
not take any revenge. Pray for her. Do not worry.
Soon everything will be alright.
I drop catches
When I am playing cricket, I drop catches.
Please tell me how to take a good catch?
(Saim Ahmed, Karachi, Pakistan)
Dear Saim,
Catching with the fingers in downward position is
the most commonly used method for taking a ball
in your hands safely. In this method a fielder joins
the fingers of both of his hands to give it a shape
of a cup. The enjoined palms are in up position
with fingers downward. Always keep your eyes on
the ball. This has more relevance to catch a skier.
Do not fear that the ball is going to hit you. Use cap
to block sunlight in your eyes. Ask for protective
wear whenever you feel like. Keenly observe how
the best players have taken catches. Learn from
an expert and practice it.
By Lead Pencil
Apleasant aroma drifted in the living room as I
slung my school bag on the sofa. I scuttled to
the kitchen.
“Oh’ Mum, you’re baking a cake!”
Mum smiled. “Naz Appa is coming today. She’ll stay
with us for some days.”
“Naz Appa, that old fashioned, geek villager!” I
grimaced.
“Fari, mind your language!” Mum frowned. “You
know about your cousin’s wedding in Lahore. She’ll
take care of you and the house while we’ll be away.”
“I can stay at my friend’s house.”
“No.”
“Who will help me in the school photography
contest?” I nearly yelled.
“Naz can, she’s creative.”
I sighed. How could an uneducated lady be
creative?
In the evening Naz Appa arrived, just as I expected,
with clanking earrings and bangles, tight oily plait
dazzling with paranda full of mirrors. Dressed in
shimmering orange shalwar kameez, and matching
fancy flip flops, even in this cold!
She hugged me tight and bestowed a kiss on my
both cheek, thanks for no lipstick.
She wasn’t the only one rattling around. Her trunk
entered the same way, as a maid dragged it inside.
The next day, mum and dad went to Lahore and I
was left alone with boring Naz Appa. With a camera
slung around my neck, I walked out of the house
looking for some photography ideas.
Meow…! A cat crossed the street. Animal photos!
I thought for a second, then shuffled the idea
aside as Shanza’s whole group was interested in
animal photography. I needed something
unique.
Most of the boys were talking about
cars. I stared at Uncle Uzair’s car.
No, boring stuff.
I squatted by the hedge lining Aunt Laila’s house. I
might be lucky enough to find any colourful beetle.
I combed through tough hedge. But it was too cold
for any beetle.
I would have enjoyed more if I had stayed at
my friend’s house. I sighed. Together we could
have generated some brilliant idea. Depressed, I
shuffled back home.
“Food’s ready,” Naz Appa called from the kitchen.
“It’s dinner, not food,” I said entering the kitchen.
And to my surprise, the dinner table was laid with
plates and serving dishes—golden biryani, crisp
dark brown kababs, rich green mint chatni, red and
green salad. Awesome colours combined with new
embroidered placemats and napkins. Never in my
life had I seen such a rich cultured dinner table at
home. It was picturesque.
I stood dumb.
“Now will you hurry, bring your camera,” Naz Appa
said, shaking me.
“Camera?”
“Your mother asked me to help you with your
contest,” she said. “I can cook well. So I thought
about food photos like in recipe books.”
“Food photography!” I said. “O’ that’s a unique
idea.”
Naz Appa standing next to me, right now, was far
from the old fashioned geek as I thought. How
wrongly I judged. She, indeed, was creative in her
own way!
And now was my time, Click, Click!
8 FEBRUARY 2014 | V SHINE
9
STORY

By Faraz Ahmed
Do many people don’t like maths?
It is quiet understood that not many people like
math. People make mistakes that could easily be
remedied by reviewing their answers. However,
even the worst math performance could be turned
around into a successful endeavor by adopting
better attitudes for success. Mathematics is
important in engineering, business, science,
medicine and thus in every walk of life. Modern
mathematics has advanced greatly thanks to the
incredible computing power of today’s computers.
Help yourself
Here are some few things that you can do to help
yourself right now...
Pay attention in class. If you’re sitting at a
place where you can’t see, hear, or concentrate,
ask your instructor if you may move to a different
seat.
You’ll be looking at your notes to study, so
write clearly and neatly.
Review the math tables, concepts and process
that you need.
Try some practice problems on the internet or
in your math book to solve.
Have a good night sleep. After a certain period
of time with no sleep, no new information can be
retained.
Survive maths test
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Make your work neat. Make your numbers
clear so they won’t look like another number.
Be confident. Say in your mind, “I can do this”,
or “I’m going to get an A on this test”.
Check your answers. Even if you think you got
everything right, you could have easily made a silly
mistake.
Don’t wait until the night before to study.
Make a Mobius strip
Mobius strip is named after a
German mathematician. Cut a
strip of paper, give the strip a
half twist and tape together both ends.
Take a pen and starting at any point, draw
a line along the middle, without lifting
your pen, continuing all the way until you
reach your starting point again. The
paper has only one side!
Funny Maths
Why was the maths book sad?
Because it had too many problems.
What’s the king of the pencil case?
The ruler.
Heard about the mathematical plant?
It has square roots.
What is 67 + 35 + 99 + 136 + 84?
A headache.
Interesting Facts
The word ‘mathematics’ comes from the
Greek máthema, which means learning, study,
science.
Among all shapes with the same perimeter a
circle has the largest area.
Dyscalculia means difficulty in learning
arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding
numbers.
The = sign (“equals sign”)
was invented by 16th
Century Welsh
mathematician Robert
Recorde, who was
fed up with
writing “is
equal to” in
his
equations.
Search tutorial videos
You can’t stop and rewind the teacher in
the classroom, and most kids are too shy or
embarrassed to put their hand up and ask a
question. What if you could get the teacher to
go over things again, in a friendly and easy to
understand way? Search for maths tutorial videos
and download what you like.
Net Surfing and Online Games
Here are some website addresses to surf on
Internet for kids. More you search on your own.
coolmath4kids.com
kidsmathgamesonline.com
pbskids.org/games/math
math-exercises-for-kids.com
Algebra Tips
We always want to get the letter on one side of
the equals sign all by itself.
Longer algebra problems are just as easy as the
shorter ones.
Work what’s inside of parenthesis first,
multiplication and division second, and addition
and subtraction last, working left to right each step.
You can rearrange addition or multiplication
problems, but NEVER rearrange them if they are
both together.
Word problems!
Look at what is being asked (the last sentence,
almost all of the time). Choose an operation
to solve the problem. Will you add? Subtract?
Multiply? Divide? Look for key words, such as
“more than”, “product”, and “divide”. Then solve
the problem.
Microsoft Mathematics
It is a downloadable free educational software,
designed for Microsoft Windows, that allows users
to solve math and science problems.
Is maths making you miserable? Are you
frightened by figures? But don’t worry and get
ready to discover new ways to help solve your
problems. Here you find interesting stuff about
maths and much more…
10
COVER STORY
11

What does “Maximum” mean?
A very big mother!
Teacher: If I had ten flies on my desk
and I swatted one, how many would I
have left?
Pupil: One, the others would have flown
away!
Science teacher: Can you tell me one
substance that conducts electricity?
Amna: Why er...
Science teacher: Wire is correct.
Teacher: Rameez, I hope I didn’t see
you copying from Daniyal’s work.
Rameez: I hope you didn’t too!
Teacher: You copied from Fahd’s exam
paper didn’t you?
Pupil: How did you know?
Teacher: Fahd’s paper says “I don’t
know” and you have put “Me, neither”!
What is a skeleton?
Bones, with the person off!
Mother: How did you find school today?
Daughter: I just got off the bus and
there it was!
Teacher: Bilal, please don’t whistle while
studying.
Bilal: Oh, but I’m not studying – just
whistling!
What kind of fish can’t swim?
Dead ones!
Find these items in the big picture
By Tabassum Khalid
Ingredients
. Small bananas: 2
. Sugar: ¼ teaspoon
. Milk: 1 ½ cup
Method
1. Mash bananas and sugar together in a
bowl. Place on medium heat and cook until
bananas begin to brown.
2. Stir constantly for 5 minutes.
3. Gradually mix 1 cup milk into bananas
and heat until mixture begins to steam.
4. Stir honey until it dissolves.
5. Pour banana mixture into a blender no
more than half full. Cover and hold lid down,
until it get smooth.
6. Blend remaining ½ cup milk into
mixture until creamy.
Enjoy hot and delicious shake.
A hot banana milk shake sweetened with the
benefits honey and served hot makes a nice
winter treat.
A chicken nugget is a chicken product made
from either meat or chicken breast cut to
shape, breaded or battered, then deep fried or
baked.
Ingredients
. Chicken breast: 2-3 pieces
. Plain flour: 1/2 cup
. Bread: 4 slices
. Corn flakes crumbs: 1/3 cup
. Eggs: 2
Method
1. Tear bread into pieces and whiz in a food
processor to get fine bread crumbs.
2. Slice chicken breast into pieces put the
flour on a large square of baking paper.
3. Whisk eggs in a bowl, mix bread crumbs,
corn flakes in a bowl. Coat the chicken pieces
in flour, dust off dip in egg then coat in crumbs.
4. Place them on a baking paper and
refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Deep fry till golden brown.
Enjoy your nuggets with French fries and
ketchup.
By Saleha Perwez
13
V SHINE KITCHEN

History
Aryan tribes are believed to have invaded
the area after they migrated into the Indian
subcontinent from the northwest. During the
3rd century BC, the Mauryan Empire came
into power in India. Throughout subsequent
periods Arab, Turkish and Mongol peoples
entered India and in 1526, a Mongol Empire
was established. The first British colony was
established in 1619 with English East India
Company. By the 1850s, most of India was
controlled by Britain. India got independence
on 15 August, 1947. Mohandas Gandhi is the
founding father of India.
Landscape
The barren, snow-
capped Himalaya
rises along its northern border. South of
the Himalaya, the low, fertile Ganges Plain
is India’s most populous region. The Great
Indian Desert lies in the west, but eastern
India receives some of the highest rainfall in
the world during the monsoon season (June
to October).
Wildlife
India is home to lions, tigers, antelope
and Indian elephants. There are also many
reptiles including the king cobra, pythons,
crocodiles, and monitor lizards.
Agriculture and industries
Major agricultural products include rice,
wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane,
and potatoes. Major industries include
textiles, telecommunications, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, steel, mining and software.
Cuisine
Indian food is heavily influenced by religious
and cultural traditions.
Mughals influence added to
the already diverse Indian
cuisine. Biryani (made with
spices, rice and meat or
vegetables) is very popular.
Islam in India
Islam is the second largest religion in
India. India has a rough estimate of 176
million Muslims. Islam first came to India
with Arab traders as early as 7th century
CE to coastal Malabar, Sindh and Bengal.
Some city nicknames
Mumbai: Gateway of India
Hyderabad: City of Pearls
Bangalore: Silicon Valley of India
Lucknow: City of Nawabs
Jamshedpur: Steel city of India
Interesting Facts
It is illegal to take Indian currency out of
India.
Cows are considered sacred.
India has the largest postal network in
the world.
The largest employer in India is the
Indian Railways.
35% of people in India live below the
poverty line.
Fast Facts
Official name: Republic of India
Capital: New Delhi
Number of states: 28
Official languages: Hindi, English
Other languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil,
and Urdu.
Currency: Indian rupee
Religion (2001): Hinduism (80.5%), Islam (13.4%),
Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.9%), Others (1.9%)
India is a large country with the second biggest
population (over 1.2 billion) in the world and many
different languages, cultures, religions and climates.
School kids
in cheerful
mood. India
has the world’s
largest child
population but
a large number
don’t go to
school.
The Jama
Masjid of
Delhi is
the largest
mosque in
India.
The most
popular
sport in India
is cricket.
Indian team
won Cricket
World Cup
2011.
Ramanathaswamy
Temple is a
famous Hindu
temple located
on the island of
Rameswaram in
the state of Tamil
Nadu, India.
The Ganges
River rises in
the western
Himalayas
and empties
into the Bay
of Bengal. It
is the most
sacred river to
Hindus.
By Umair Safdar
14
COUNTRY PROFILE
15

Maize
Mountain
Because
corn was
Mayan
people’s
main food,
their most important god was the corn
god. A popular Mayan story was the
story of the Maize Mountain. Maya
people liked to tell a story about how
people first got corn to eat. There were
a lot of different versions of this story,
but they mostly had the idea that at
one time all the corn was hidden inside
a mountain, and then the gods sent
a bolt of lightning down to split open
Maize Mountain so people could get in
and find the secret of growing corn.
Ibn Rushd’s work
Ibn Rushd (Averroes) was born in Cordoba,
in Islamic Spain, in 1126. As he grew up, he
studied and prayed in the great mosque at
Cordoba. Ibn Rushd couldn’t read Greek, but
he had copies of Aristotle’s and Plato’s books
translated into Arabic that he could read. After
he had read Aristotle and Plato, and also read
what Avicenna and al-Ghazali had to say about
Aristotle, Ibn Rushd wrote his own book about
Aristotle’s
philosophy.
An old map
Islamic
geographers
made maps
of the world,
as the
Romans had before them. Can you
see how this map represents Europe,
Asia, and Africa? North is toward the
bottom of the map. The big land mass
at the top is Africa. Under Africa to
the right is the Mediterranean Sea,
and below that is Europe. Under Africa
to the left is the Indian Ocean, and
between them the Arabian Peninsula.
At the far left are India and China. You
compare this map to a modern map.
Knights of the Round Table
After the end of Roman control in Britain, Danes
and the Anglo-Saxons (from Germany) began to
invade. There is a story, that at this time there
arose in England a famous king, King Arthur, who
had a famous magician helper named Merlin,
and whose Knights of the Round Table fought off
the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes. It is hard for
historians to say definitely whether Arthur really
existed. By the 600s, England had been taken
over by the
Angles and
the Saxons.
“Oh wow… That’s such a fat nose! That guy
sure does look funny,” Saad said with a
chuckle about someone on TV. He and his family
were having their evening tea in the living room.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to
make fun of people for their appearances?” his
mom said sternly.
“Yeah… Yeah whatever mom,” Saad said and left
the room.
Saad was
a 13-year-
old boy and
the kind of
a kid that
parents were proud of,
teachers never stopped mentioning and
fellows admired. His only problem was
that he had great regard for physical
appearance. It was how he judged others:
only making friends with people who
had fair skin colour and good looks.
He always strived to be in the good
books of good-looking people. This
had earned him lots of lectures from
his grandma, parents as well as
teachers.
“Looks don’t matter, Saad,” his
grandma would say, gently putting
a hand over his heart. “It is what’s
inside that does.”
Though he nodded his head a few
times to show that he had understood,
in reality he paid no heed. On the contrary,
the fact that he was slightly better looking
than most of his fellows made him even
haughtier.
One school morning a new boy
Hamza came to class. As he was
introducing himself to the rest,
Saad whispered in a friend’s ear.
“Dude, check out that ugly wart
on his face. Looks like he hasn’t
washed it in months,” Saad said
trying hard to control his laughter.
Thus, the teasing began. Every other
day or so, Saad would find a way to
bring up the new kid’s appearance
while conversing with friends and
if Hamza was within earshot, he
would laugh it off with others.
Then one day Hamza couldn’t take it any longer. In
a frustrated and tight voice he admonished Saad.
“Fear that day friend, when God might take away
all that you’re proud of. Because what you think
makes you superior is nothing but insignificant. We
weren’t there when He, Allah, was shaping what we
would look like, were
we?” Hamza said.
“So we have
absolutely no
power over our
appearance.
Besides, it’s
our character
that we’ll be
judged on
and not petty
things like
looks.”
With that, he walked
away. And all that this
little speech did to Saad
was cause a little twinge
in his heart but he soon
forgot about it and
did nothing to change
himself.
Come winter, something
awful happened to Saad.
As he struck a match
to light up the gas
heater, the flame
suddenly rose too
high. He hadn’t
realised it but his
face was too close
to the heater. Before
he could get it a considerable
distance away, the damage was
done. More than half of his face
had burnt.
Now, while dabbing cream onto the
affected area that would heal it but a
few marks would still be left, Saad’s
ears were ringing with the warning
voices and his eyes were wet with
tears. But it was too late.
By Kanza Naeem
16
STORY
17

Though snakes have bad reputations, they are
reptiles. A rattlesnake can produce the sound
of a rattle from its tail. It uses this “rattle” to work
as an alarm to keep away predators and lure birds
and other prey animals.
Three layers
Rattlesnakes have three layers of skin. The bottom
layer contain colour, the second layer contain scales,
and the upper layer is thin which cover the eyes and
still allow it to see. The third layer is shed several
times a year to allow for growth. Rattle snake is an
amazing creation of Allah in the vast animal kingdom.
Did you know?
Baby rattlesnakes are more
dangerous than adults because
they have less control over the
amount of venom they inject.
How do rattlesnakes
rattle?
The sections at the end of a
rattlesnake’s tail are hollow and
loosely connected to each other. A
rattlesnake vibrates its tail when
it is disturbed, causing the loose
sections to rub together which we
hear as the characteristic rattle.
How do they hunt in
darkness?
A rattlesnake’s triangular head
contains a hollow spot between the
eyes and nostrils called a pit. This
pit is actually a sensory organ that
helps rattlesnakes hunt in darkness
by detecting body heat.
Fun facts
A rattlesnake rattle is made of the
same material as your hair and
fingernails (keratin which also makes a
rhino’s tusk)
Rattlesnakes grow continuously.
New segment is added each time
snake shed its skin.
Rattle snakes sometimes bite
without releasing the poison. These
types of bites are known as “dry bites”.
Rattlesnakes are excellent
swimmers.
The heaviest and the smallest
Eastern diamondback weigh up to 20 pounds and
are up to 8 feet long while the smallest is pygmy
rattlesnake which is only about 18 inches long.
In winter
Rattlesnakes prefer dens where they stay during
winter season. If they do not find out a den before
winter, they would die.
They are predators
These snakes quickly attack their prey with a
venomous bite and do not squeeze their victims to
death.
Storage of water
Like camels, Allah has made the body of rattlesnakes
in such a way that they can store water in their body
for long which helps in desert living.
1: Stay calm. By becoming
agitated, the will heart beat
faster and thus increasing
2: Let the initial wound
naturally bleed out. More
blood will come out at first.
3: Do not wash the wound.
If you wash the wound, the
hospital will not be able to
identify the snake species.
4: Do not make “X” incisions
over the fang injuries or suck
out the toxin. It will cause
excessive bleeding.
5: Remove tight clothing and
jewelry because bites from
venomous snakes cause
swelling.
6: Do not use a tight
encircling band or tie a piece
of cloth around the affected
area.
7: Do not put any ice or cold
substance on the bite.
8: Tie a bandage, loose
enough to fit one finger in,
2-4 inches above the bite.
By Javeria Ashraf
18
WILDLIFE
19

An astrolabe is a device used for measuring altitude,
including the height of objects in the sky. For
many centuries, it was used by both astronomers and
navigators, and explorers who used it to determine
latitude, longitude, and time of day.
You will need
. Piece of cardboard
. Piece of string 12 inches
. Small weight
. Plastic straw
The high jump method of
jumping head first and
landing on the back is
called the Fosbury Flop.
It takes 3,000 cows
to supply the NFL with
enough leather for a
year’s supply of footballs.
Golf is the only sport
played on the moon. On
February 6th, 1971, Alan
Shepard hit a golf ball.
The original basketball
basket was closed at
the bottom; a ladder was
needed to recover the
ball.
Michael Jordan was once
one of the best high
school pitchers in North
Carolina.
Among all sports, only
American football causes
more injuries.
Most NASCAR teams
use nitrogen in their tires
instead of air.
Horse racing is one of the
most dangerous sports as
2 and 3 jockeys are killed
each year.
Olympic Badminton rules
say that the birdie has to
have exactly 14 feathers.
The two most common
causes for pausing or
suspending a cricket game
are rain and bad light.
The referee tossed a jump
ball after every basket in
basketball until 1937.
Steps to be taken
1. Make a drawing of
astrolabe on a piece of paper
and glue it to a piece of
cardboard. Cut the astrolabe
out with scissors.
2. Using a paper hole-
puncher, carefully make a
small notch at each of the
lines marked along the curved
edge of the astrolabe.
3. Cut a drinking straw to
the same length as the sides
of the astrolabe.
4. Tape the drinking straw
to the edge of the astrolabe.
5. Carefully poke a small
hole through the astrolabe,
pass the string through it, and
tape it there.
6. Tie the small weight to
the opposite end of the string
as shown.
7. You have now
constructed an astrolabe!
Measuring the
Altitude of the Sun
. Hold the astrolabe so that
the straw points in the direction of
the Sun. Do not look through the straw.
Do not look directly at the Sun.
. Aim the straw so that you see the shadow
of the straw on your hand. Move the straw slightly
until a small circle of light forms on your hand. The
straw is now pointing directly at the Sun.
. Ask someone to read the Sun’s altitude (in
degrees) where the string crosses the scale. Take
note of the time of day the reading was made.
One day a week, at the same time each day,
measure the altitude of the Sun with your astrolabe
and record them in the chart provided. Is the
altitude increasing or decreasing? The changes
you notice will be different depending on the
time of year. In the spring, the altitude of the
Sun increases. In the Fall, you should notice a
decrease. The cause of the change in altitude (ie
the location of the Sun) is the tilt of the Earth’s
axis, which causes the Earth to face the Sun at an
angle of 23 degrees.
20
V SHINE LAB
21
SPORTS

Who amongst us doesn’t love to keep precious
items safely and see them often to savor the
treasured memories? Scrapbooking is one visually
creative and emotionally rewarding way of doing so.
Scrapping has thus become a hugely celebrated
pastime across the globe. Let’s learn a bit about
scrapbooks and try making some ourselves.
We gather up pictures and bits of our past
and scrapbook them into a gift that will last.
(Kimberly Rinehart: Scrapbooker’s Verse)
By Anum Khan
Why do it?
Scrapbooking is valued as a productive
educational tool and a fulfilling activity. It is a
form of artistic expression that allows an outlet
to our imaginative minds. We can experiment with
colours, add notes to pictures, stick add-ons and
do all possible decors to bring our photos, printed
media and artwork to life. There is no reason why
we should not invest time in scrapping to cherish
our special memories in our special ways.
Scrapbooking goes digital
Scrapbooking has gone digital with technological
advancements. Many scrapbooking ideas/projects
are available online with step-by-step guidance.
Multiple professional templates can be printed and
used for scrapping easily. Not just this, countless
scrappers publish their digital scrapbooks on the
internet and get online feedback from the public.
There are many softwares designed to create
layouts and albums for digital scrapbooks, allowing
freedom to add personal touches in them.
Scrapbook Facts
Almost 4 million women in USA consider
themselves to be scrapbookers by trade.
Scrapbooking is the third largest craft industry
in the world.
Mark Twain was a devotee of scrapping and in
1872, he even marketed his ‘Mark Twain’s Patent
Scrapbook’.
Thomas Jefferson, ex-president of USA, was an
avid scrapbooker who filled his albums with
newspaper clippings of his presidency for future
reference.
The scrapbooking industry doubled in size
between 2001 and 2004 to $2.5 billion and has
been increasing ever since.
Scrapbooking is timeless - it has survived
centuries and makes us realize that every person’s
story is special and needs to be documented.
Scrapping is actually about scraps of life that
deserve compilation. Let us get on with it
responsibly and preserve the past for the future.
Really, all we need is papers/book, photos/cut-
outs, glue and a pen! Let your creativity speak and
watch the memories come to life.
Showcase your
favourite quotes!
We all have collections of valuable
quotations, stamps or coins. Let’s use
our creativity to make a scrapbook for
our favorite quotes.
You’ll need:
1. Empty album/diary.
2. Printed quotations.
3. Pictures of personalities.
4. Colourful scrap paper/ribbons.
6. Embellishments (beads, stickers,
etc.)
7. Colours/glitter/pens.
8. Adhesive.
Method:
1. First, entitle your scrapbook (eg ‘Wisdom
Bank’) using colourful pens. Border it using
ribbons or embellishments.
2. Design the layout of your scrapbook. Decide
if you want one quote or more on each page with
the pictures of those who said them.
3. Start sticking your quote and the picture one by
one uniformly. You can write a personal footnote
using colourful ink.
4. Spill some creativity on your scrapbook: make
borders, draw abstract art, stick colourful papers
and add flowers and stickers.
Do not act too messy. Your scrapbook should
portray your collection in your unique way. Once
ready, show it off to friends, read it often and of
course, keep adding more quotes to it!
Limitless ideas!
Scrapbooks mostly focus on an event, such as
travel, birthday or wedding. Scrapping is also
done on individual biographies and can tell a story
in an illustrated manner. Scrapbooks are made
for gifting purposes too. Many scrappers save
their precious recipes, clippings, certificates and
even funny incidents in their scrapbooks. Almost
everything can be placed in a scrap book if we
have an artistic eye!
Birth of scrapping
In 15th century, people loved keeping
commonplace books and diaries. This hobby
gradually morphed the origin of scrapbooks when
embossed covers, engraved locks, pressed
flowers and feathers were extensively used in 18th
century. Time has refined scrapping to such a level
that today, more than 1600 stores specially sell
scrapbook supplies.
What is scrapbooking?
The word ‘scrapbook’ – first used in late 18th
century - comes from ‘scraps’ which are leftover
pieces that people initially decorated their albums
with. Scrapbooks are personalised albums made
to preserve collected items, eg photographs,
clippings, cards, keepsakes etc, in a logically
interesting order. Scrapbooking involves a personal
touch by sticking/drawing interesting stuff that
makes the scrapping experience artistically
wholesome.
It’s about colours and
designs!
Scraps are widely used but using anything can
make scrapbooking fun. We can play with colours
and textures. Colourful inks can be used in
handwriting with various fonts/sizes. Chalk, pencil,
pastel, charcoal –everything goes well. Even spare
gift wraps, buttons, stickers and flowers can be
added as embellishments in scrapbook to make it
more engaging.
23

You are now the best people brought forth for (the guid-
ance and reform of) mankind. You enjoin what is right and
forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. Had the People
of the Book believed it were better for them. Some of
them are believers but most of them are transgressors.
(Surah Al-i-Imran, Ayah 110)
“Righteousness is good morality, and wrongdoing is that which
wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out
about.” (Muslim)
The slip of the tongue is more dangerous than the slip of the
feet. (Uthman ibn Affan)
Whoever when you please him says about you what is not in you,
when you anger him will say about you what is not in you. (Imam
Shafi‘i)
Patience is that the heart does not feel anger towards that which
is destined and that the mouth does not complain. (Ibn Qayyim)
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the
people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
(Abraham Lincoln)
If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything. (Mark
Twain)
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of
enthusiasm. (Churchill)
Amr bin Thabit became a Muslim
during the battle of Uhud, and died
as a martyr in the same battle. When
asked about him, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) said that he was
from the People of Paradise, even
though he had not offered a single
prayer.
Mix a box of mixed biscuits with a
boxed biscuit mixer.
Flee from fog to fight flu fast!
A pleasant place to place a plaice
is a place where a plaice is pleased to
be placed.
The crow flew over the river with a
lump of raw liver.
If one places a tiny amount of
liquor on a scorpion, it will instantly go
mad and sting itself to death.
The planet Venus does not tilt, so
consequently, it has no seasons. It is
the only planet that rotates clock-wise.
The liquid inside young coconuts
can be used as a substitute for blood
plasma.
Oak trees do not produce acorns
until they are fifty years of age.
The letter J does not appear
anywhere in the periodic table of the
elements.
If you weighed all the electrons used
to store the information on the internet,
it would weigh less than a chicken’s
egg.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients
of dynamite.
Fingernails on a chalkboard
Baby crying
Train scraping on tracks
Person chewing food with an
open mouth
Would do you think more…?
Go to www.google.com and type in
your name. At the top there will be a
number – the number of times people
who share your name are mentioned
on the internet across the world!
1. The sun setting against the
horizon makes Cairo seem magnificent.
(Flower)
2. Asad decided to jump in, knowing
the water would be cold. (Colour)
3. Look, I will be there in few min-
utes. (Fruit)
4. As the mug was full, I very care-
fully added the cream. (Body organ)
5. When you are through with wash-
ing the dishes, you may go and play.
(Texture)
Answers upside down
In the name of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most
Merciful
Sayings of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him)
Fascinating Facts
Some Annoying Sounds
Google Yourself…
Stickers at Boys’ Doors
Find hidden words in
sentences
Quotes
A Martyr of Uhud Tongue Twisters
Rose,Pink,Kiwi,Liver,Rough
Keep out!
I hate pink
Boys rule
Genius @ work
Tough enough
No girls
allowed
Let’s rock
25

Why Don’t People
Ride Zebras?
Zebras are wild animals and
therefore, they do not allow
humans to ride them. They
are vicious, unpredictable.
Is “Humpty Dumpty” based
on a real life character?
Far from being an egg, a theory is that
Humpty Dumpty represented King Richard III,
called the “humpbacked king”. It was said
that his horse was named “Wall” or his men,
who abandoned him. The king fell off his
horse and was supposedly hacked to pieces
on the field.
What is the toughest
creature on earth?
Cockroaches could withstand a nuclear
explosion but the water bear is the toughest
known creature on earth which is no larger
than about a millimeter. It could survive
extraordinary temperatures and high
radiation.
Enjoy these crazy and cool
questions answered!
Do cats are right or
left handed (paw) like
humans?
Cats are typically right pawed or left
pawed. The majority of domestic cats
are right pawed (50%), 10% of them are
ambidextrous, and the remaining 40%
favour their left paw.
What are the things
money can’t buy?
Few are a full driving license, a planet
(there’s an international agreement that
prohibits any country or individual from
buying one), and Nobel Prize.
How come birds sit on high
voltage wires?
Birds do not get electrified if they do not touch
more than one wire. If a bird touches two wires
at the same time, the bird is toast. (Danger:
Never try to touch even a single electric wire of
an electric pole or any exposed wire)
Why detectives are
called “Private Eyes”?
In 1850, Allan Pinkerton opened up the
America’s first private detective agency. The
logo he devised was a big, all-seeing eye.
How did they get
the stripes in stripe
toothpaste?
Different colours are kept in separate
compartments in the tube and the tubes
contain a nozzle system that forces the
coloured bits out of the tube at the same
time as the white stuff.
Why can’t we tickle
ourselves?
Cerebellum (an area at the back of the
brain) can predict sensations when your own
movement causes them but not when someone
else does.
27

Fruits
By Malaika Imran, 4th, Middle East
International School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
I don’t like apples
I don’t like
peaches
But to be good
in health
I have to eat
them all
To eat the
chunks of fruits
No matter what
I like.
The Five Prayers
By Syeda Sadia Maryam, Grade 8
I said a little prayer
just before dawn,
And then another at
the end of the morn.
Along came Asr as
school ended for the
day,
Then Maghrib came as the sun went away.
Isha came as the moon rose high,
Then I jumped into my bed and closed my
eyes.
Ship Wrecked
By Rija Zaidi
I was excited as it was
the first time I was going
alone with my friends
on a ship. My father had
warned me to come back
early. I told my friends
about the warning of my
father. We discussed
and decided to go
back because we could not take any risk.
Suddenly the rain drops touched my nose
and then a wave of the sea broke our ship
into pieces. When I was awake, I was on a
dirty island where I am right now waiting for
someone to come and help me.
The Legendary
Keystones
By Ahmad Akhtar Mahdee, 5th, Silver Oaks
School System, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Ali, Rafay, and Immad were three friends.
One day they saw a
bottle floating in the
sea. They swam and
grabbed the bottle.
After coming to land
they opened the bottle
and they found a
map. They couldn’t understand its wordings
so they went to a wise old man who told
them that it was a map to find keystones of
legends. Ali, Rafay, and Immad decided that
they would find the keystones of legend. They
kept following the map. They came to some
old looking ruins. They went in there and
found a path. The path led to the keystones
but they had to fight a dragon. They made an
attack together and killed the dragon. Each
of them took one keystone and put them on
their gloves. It was amazing. Immad could
make thunder and Rafay could make ice and
Ali had the powers of a superman.
Oh! Mother
By Hassan Shakeel, 5-B, Star Links School,
Karachi, Pakistan
Teach me good and bad
Make me happy whenever I am sad
Home is not with you
Home is a heaven with you
Heaven is under your feet
You keep the house neat
You work the whole day
May you live a very long life.
God
By Talha Rabbani, 8th, Fauji Foundation Model
School, Sheikhupura, Pakistan
The One Who has made sun
Is the God whose partner is none
He is the Lord of everything
Greater than Him is nothing
Everything that is water or tree
The Creator of everything is He
We should be thankful to Him
For His blessings that have no rim.
I wish
By Ahmad Haaroon, 5th, Bahria College
Karsaz, Karachi, Pakistan
I wish I become a scientist,
And invent something too.
I wish I go to Arabia,
And perform hajj with cool.
I hope Allah will fulfill my
wish,
And help me too.
Treasure map
By Saad Bajwa, 7th, Bahria Foundation
College, Islamabad, Pakistan
Once I found a
treasure map
In the mouth of my
cat
I wore my treasure
hat
And took out the
map.
I sailed on the sea,
I climbed on the
trees
Back home I was licking cream
After all it was a dream!
Rabbits
By Mohammad Abubakr, Karachi, Pakistan
Rabbits are very sweet,
They like carrots to eat,
They jump very high,
And reach up to the sky,
Everyone like rabbits,
And rabbits like to eat carrots.
29

E G A Y E Z E A Q I G S N E N J
G R I O H A M B S L C R Z G O N
S D S O D S P U I F B S U D L I
G P E L E T H E S E N M E P O M
S T E S L I C N E P E M N M G N
C O R Y R E N E C S A N N N E M
H S U R B E T G F J S D I H T Z
I G Z T I E K E M Z M D D O R L
S R U O L O C R E T A W E R D J
E R O X L I P F A H D G F N R W
H A U X F U N A S M S O V M B O
D G A O D H W E E C E P Z S P W
C R O H L S O M T R T E Q T L E
O G H O L O L T L M I P I B L P
S N O Y A R C E T L Z E R H H B
S A G S N G R A B O I T T A O Z
Let’s find
drawing stuff in
this crisscross!
Brush
Crayons
Colours
Markers
Outline
Pencils
Water
Scenery
Sheet
Shading
Kids! Here is your chance to win lots of prizes.
Just answer the following questions and mail us
at our postal address or email at mindgame@
vshineworld.com with your complete name and
address by February 28, 2014.
All entries with correct answers will be picked for
draw to select five winners.
Answers mailed twice with the same name and
address will not be accepted.
1. Complete the series
51 48 42 33 21 ?
2. Odd one out
4. Write three differences. (Differences are
required only in written form so don’t tear out the
page)
5. Hidden among the words of this sentence below
is a word relating natural phenomenon. Find it.
We found the cup and saucer, both
under the bed.
3. Unscramble the anagram to discover
a word relating a school subject.
R E G P Y H A O G
Winners December 2013
Prizes would be delivered February 28, 2014
1. Rehan Atif (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
2. Abdul Wahid (Lahore, Pakistan)
3. Junaid Zia (Doha, Qatar)
4. Ayesha Farrukh (Islamabad, Pakistan)
5. Aeman Khalid (Texas, USA)
Answers December 2013
1. 79
2. a
3. Restaurant
4. Line under nose, Nobita’s mouth,
ear invisible.
5. Tiger
(a) (b) (c)
31
WORD SEARCH

Follow this platypus through the murky Australian stream it
calls home.
Help this mouse find his way through the mess in the basement to
the other side of the room, where there’s cheese at the door --
before the cat chases him!
Yes! I had finally built it! It took me so long and
so many failures but I had now successfully
built it. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The robot,
version CN-55 had opened its artificial eyes.
The robot could do anything. Its microprocessor
or brain could process 10 times the data a human
brain could process, in a millisecond. It had all the
latest weaponry and my own, hand-built anti-matter
engine; its heart. It only needed a few grams of its
special fuel to let it work for a century at the least.
Perhaps it was invincible.
It could only be shut down by saying a code in my
voice.
The robot was now walking steadily towards me.
It was observing the laboratory painted white,
my unfinished work and my notebooks on the
desk. The room was artificially lighted and all the
windows were closed. My assistant stood beside
me observing the robot which was now standing
in front of us. I quickly instructed the CN-55, “Pick
up that apple over there.” It grabbed the apple and
presented it to me, “Here you go doctor”, it said
in its human-like voice. Its motor controls were
working properly, and response time and eye co-
ordination was also working.
I took dozens of other tests and then told my
assistant to place the robot in the lab to its resting
place. I was now making some notes and trying
to perfect a slight defect in the CN-55 when all
of a sudden my assistant appeared panting and
frightened.
He quickly told me in a fast paced tone, “Doctor!
The robot… something happened to it after I
reprogrammed a code in its database, it flew out of
the lab with all the weaponry locked at fire mode!”
”Whoa! Slow down, and what was the code that
you reprogrammed?” I asked him.
I was worried. He handed me a piece
of paper with the code written on it. I
read the code and as I identified it, I
jumped out of my seat and said, “Oh
no! The code must have changed
its purpose.”
We quickly tracked it
down and reached where
the robot was present. It
was firing bullets. I yelled out of the
microphone of the car the shutdown code
and it immediately fell to the ground. I lifted the
robot’s body with help of my assistant. We took it
to the lab and after some thoughts I dismantled it,
because it was dangerous.
By Muhammad Usama
32
STORY
33
MAZE

Words Page No. Type Meanings
Virtuous 5 Adjective Having good moral qualities and behaviour
Landscape 14 Noun All the visible features of an area of land
Sacred 15 Adjective
Regarded with great respect and reverence by a particular religion,
group, or individual
Haughty 16 Adjective
Unfriendly and seeming to consider yourself better than other
people
Altitude 20 Noun Height above sea level
Embellish 23 Verb
To make something more beautiful or interesting by adding
something to it
Plaice 24 Noun A sea fish with a flat, circular body, or its flesh eaten as food
Enthusiasm 24 Noun
A feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and
an eagerness to be involved in it
Liquor 25 Noun Strong alcoholic drink
Acorn 25 Noun
An oval nut that grows on an oak tree and has an outer part
shaped like a cup
Magnificent 25 Adjective Very good, beautiful, or deserving to be admired
Withstand 26 Verb
To bear or not be changed by something, or to oppose a person or
thing successfully
Radiation 26 Noun
A form of energy that comes from a nuclear reaction and that can
be very dangerous to health
Vicious 26 Adjective
Describes people or actions that show an intention or wish to hurt
someone or something very badly
Wrecked 28 Adjective Very badly damaged
Keystone 29 Noun
The middle stone in the top of an arch that has a special shape
and holds all the other stones in position
Dismantle 32 Verb
To take a machine or something complicated apart, usually to
make it unable to work
Invincible 32 Adjective Too powerful to be defeated or overcome
Murky 33 Adjective Dark or cloudy
Stream 33 Noun A small river that flows on or below the surface of the ground
34

Monthly V SHINE International February 2014 with interesting stuff

Monthly V SHINE International February 2014 with interesting stuff

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Monthly V SHINE International February 2014 with interesting stuff