Monthly V SHINE International January 2014 with interesting stuff inside

Printed by Ayesha Printers Published by Najeeb Ahmed Hanfi
Registration No. MC-1360
Countries Issue Price Annual Subscription
(12 Issues)
Pakistan Rs 85 Rs 1,000
Saudi Arabia SAR 10 SAR 100
UK £ 3 £ 36
Qatar QR 10 QR 100
UAE AED 10 AED 100
USA & Others US $ 5 US $ 50
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Hope you are doing well. The way we feel about ourselves greatly
influences how we live and act. Self-confidence is a way of life which
projects our efforts and outcomes.
Confidence is not something that can be learned like a set of rules. In
fact confidence is a state of mind. We can boost our confidence levels
by positive thinking, gaining and practicing knowledge and learning from
past mistakes. While low-confidence is the outcome of fear of failures,
criticism, being unhappy with personal appearance, feeling unprepared,
poor time-management and lack of knowledge. Do what you believe is
right, even if others mock or criticise you for it.
Self-confidence has many rewards for you such as popularity, success
and respect. It also teaches us to get to the root of the problem; focus
on it and understand that we need to resolve issues before we move on.
There is a need to understand that no one is perfect. Even the most
confident people have insecurities. At some point in our lives, we may
feel we lack something. Life is full of ups and downs. We must accept
this because this is a reality. However, we also know that everyone
is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then
focus on your talents. Remember that perfectionism may keep you from
accomplishing your goals. Set and achieve small goals. Celebrate them
and get ready for the next phase. This is going to boost your confidence
like no other thing in the world.
Be thankful to Allah for everything you have. Remember that people who
lack self-confidence will find it difficult to become successful.
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
A-1, Shamoonabad,
Block-13, Gulshan-e-Iqbal,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Phone: +92.21.34810875
Cell: +92.333.3440293
UK Office
202 North Gower Street
London, NW1 2LY
Tel: 0207 387 2157
KSA
+966 503655640
E-mail
magazine@vshineworld.com
Website
www.vshineworld.com
JANUARY 2014
Volume 4, Issue 1
www.vshineworld.com

5 A Journey Soaked In Blood
6 Dear Editor
7 Poems
8 Ask Uncle Shine
9 The Giant In City
10 Siblings: Rivals Or Allies?
12 V SHINE Kitchen
13 Hidden In Sight
13 Jokes
14 Senegal
16 All Is Well That Ends Well
17 History At A Glance
18 Firefly
20 V SHINE Lab
21 Mountain Biking
22 New Year Resolution
24 Mixed Bag
26 A Glance At 2013
28 Young Writers
30 Mind Game
31 Word Search
32 An Evil Fairy And I
33 Maze
34 Word Box
We both are the messengers of Allah and
wish to invite people to One God,” Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) replied
softly.
Taaif is a lush green valley, situated 65
kilometres east from Makkah. Umro Bin Ouaf
was chief of the tribe. He had three sons Abd-
ya-Leil, Masood and Habib.
The prophet (peace be upon him) called the
people of Taaif towards the one and the only
God but they refused and misbehaved with
him badly.
He was too sad and grieved but he believed in
his God so he called Him with true heart and
his God never left him alone.
Suddenly he felt that a cloud was sheltering
him and Angel Gabriel called out loudly from
it.
“Allah has heard what you prayed. He sent
the angel of mountains to you. He will follow
whatever wish you have.”
The angel of mountains said salam and
asked: “If you order me, I’ll press these
people between these two mountains Abu
Qubees and Queqean that surrounded this
valley. They will be destroyed.”
But Muhammad (peace be upon him) was
sent as Rahmatul-Lil Aalameen (merciful to
the worlds) for all the races, nations and
people. He said: “Not at all, I hope that Allah
will raise a generation from these who will
believe in one Allah alone with no partners
and will worship Him.”
By Humaira Khatoon
He looked too weary and disheartened.
Some mischievous lads chased him for
many hours, passing comments and hurling
stones on him. He was injured and bleeding
badly. The boys hit him so hard with stones
that his shoes were filled with blood. Such
cruel were the people of Taaif.
In his search for a safer place, he found a
garden of grapes. He was too tired that he
sat leaning with the wall under the shade
of a thick climber of grapes. Owners of
the garden Utba Bin Rabeea and Sheeba
Bin Rabee saw a tired passer-by sitting by
the wall. They sent him a bunch of grapes
through their slave Adaas. The injured
man started eating grapes after reciting
“Bismillah”. Adaas had never heard these
words “Bismillah” so he asked: “Aye,
stranger! What did you say? Where do you
come from? People here don’t say these
words.”
The injured man was none other than
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),
the last messenger of Allah. When the
people of Makkah did not respond positively
on the call of Islam and turned against
him, the prophet thought he should preach
in other tribes so he set off for Taaif. Zaid
Bin Haris (may Allah be pleased with him)
accompanied him in the journey.
Adaas told the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) that he was a Christian from Naenwa.
“You are from Younus Bin Maata’s nation.
JANUARY 2014 | V SHINE
5
STORY

The article on Allama Iqbal was a great piece of work.
Please publish about Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Many
thanks for increasing our knowledge and vocabulary.
My mom is happy with my habit of book reading and
it is greatly helped by V SHINE. Once again thanks.
(Abdullah Sheikh, Islamabad, Pakistan)
V SHINE is my favourite magazine. It is a treasure of
activities and information. “Iqbal, the poet of east” was
amazing. Keep it up! (Laiba Maqbool, Rawalpindi,
Pakistan)
I am a regular reader of V SHINE. No magazine can
beat it. I would say that you people are doing a great
job. (Kamran Mujtaba, Islamabad, Pakistan)
Hey you guys rock. I never saw such a beautiful
magazine. I liked all the stories especially “The
Raindrop” and “The Bull and Ambulance”. May Allah
give you success (amin). (Jamal Ahmed, Los Angeles,
USA)
Congratulations on stepping into the fifth year of
success. I have been reading V SHINE from the very
first issue. I just love it. Please publish detective
stories. I am a big fan of yours. (Yahya Mohsin,
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
I’m writing to you guys for the first time. I liked “The
captive lady” and “The Brain” article. “The Bull and
Ambulance” was also good and I just love walruses so
thank you for the informative article. My cousin Rabia
Ghulam Muhammad wrote to you in October issue.
May Allah bless you all (amin). Keep rocking. (Bismaa
Behlim, Karachi, Pakistan)
Jordan was a very informative article and so was
dragonfly. Information on amazing places was
awesome. I wish I could write for V SHINE. (Saima
Hyder, Toronto, Canada)
Title was nice. I liked the cover story too. Many thanks
for publishing such a nice magazine. My friends and I
talk about V SHINE everyday. Please publish my letter
as I have challenged my friends that you will see it in
next magazine. (Sidra Yaqoob, Lahore, Pakistan)
Mixed Bag is my favourite segment. Please add more
riddles and tongue twisters. I have translated some
jokes from Urdu. Would you publish them in your
magazine? (Shahrukh Faisal, Birmingham, UK)
Walrus is an interesting animal. I liked information
about it. Please publish about piranha. I look for the
jokes first in the magazine. Hidden In Sight is an
interesting segment. (Saad Irshad, Dubai, UAE)
Colours of My Life
Rhyming the letter X
The Rose
The colour pink
Makes me sink
In the beauty of nature
And the friendship link
Afterwards red
Reminds of rose beds
And the extreme feelings
Under the bright shade
Purple is next
The colour best
To show your mood
When joy is your guest
Green, green
What a nice scene
When the carpet of grass
By the river could be seen
And it’s yellow
When the sun says hello
Rising above
By the tulip fellows
Colours in my life
Are the colours of nature
I can see them very bright
In my future.
By Huda Mohsin
X is not easy for us to rhyme,
So we’ll not waste much of your
time
In higher math X is hard to find,
But Allah’s path is clear even to
the blind.
Selected by
Ammar Ahmed
One day a wish arose
My sentiments allowed me
From deep my heart
Evolved the prose
In praise of the queen of flowers
The rose
Blessed with heavenly fragrance
Among all the flowers
It has a special eminence.
A part of parties in general
Or sad events like funeral
To wipe someone’s tears
To perfume the airs
It has been used for years
With many shapes and hues
Holds secrets and clues
An expression of feeling
Aid for broken heart healing
For the sake of spirituality
A rose is always prominent
This is reality…
By Sidra Raza
6
LETTER BOX
7
POEMS

Bad Words
I have developed a habit of saying bad words
and abuses after I befriended some bad boys in
the class. How can I get rid of it? (Ammar Junaid,
Lahore, Pakistan)
Dear Ammar,
How beautiful is your name. Would you like if someone
calls you with a bad word instead of your name? If
you cannot control yourself you will lose your good
friends and nobody will like you. It is very good that
you realise your fault, now it is easy to get rid of it.
Pray and read Qur’an daily with translation. Offer
prayers. This will help you develop control over
your tongue. The good words are like pearls
and bad words are like fire. Now choice
is yours.
Bullies In Class
I have joined a new school but the
students of my class make fun of me. I try
to talk to them but they never listen anything.
Help me please and tell me how to make them
my friends. (Hussain Jafri, Karachi, Pakistan)
Dear Hussain,
Do not worry. It is only for a few days. They will
become your friends soon. Give them a smile and
forgive them for their attitude. Try to assist them
out wherever they need help. Not all boys are
bullies. You will find many good friends who will
also help you with your studies. A newcomer
usually experiences problems at new
place. Try to keep you cool. Soon they
will be your friends.
Brother Trouble
I have three brothers. One of them makes
trouble a lot. I treat him very nicely by helping
him with his homework and projects. However,
when I tell anything important to him, he does not
listen to me. When I remind him that I have helped
him, he says: “It was only a small work. I could have
done it myself.” Please help! (Syeda Maryam Sadia,
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
Dear Maryam,
Does he ask you to help him or you do it because he
is your brother? Now if he requests you to help him,
apologise politely and tell him that you are a little busy.
Now see how he responses to this attitude. If you can
help him without any complaints and expectations,
then carry on. It is a good deed. He thinks he has a
right upon you. You need to tell him “no one helps
you more than me”. So if he requires your
help, he must listen to you.
It was a pleasant summer day as Sam roamed
the streets, wandering from café to café, looking
for something good to eat. Clouds obscured the
sun and the breeze tickled his neck, bringing
with it the scent that promises rain.
“Hmm… Smells like Petrichor - the smell of
rain on dry earth.” Being an avid cameraman
and explorer, he remembered reading about
it during one of his travels.
His thoughts revolving around the subject,
he suddenly spotted something that got him
excited: it was a street vendor selling hot
dogs! It had been ages since he had had this
delicious snack.
As he was paying the vendor, he suddenly lost
his balance as the ground rumbled like there
was an earthquake. It shook in a rhythm like it was
doing so with the footfalls of something heavy.
As he looked into the distance, from behind a
skyscraper came out a roaring beast. As its voice
carried down towards the throngs of people, the
panicking began. The crowds started dispersing
like sparks from a flame and there was utter chaos
everywhere.
As screaming pierced his ears, Sam recognised the
monster with a shiver running down his spine; it
was Godzilla - the gigantic mutant dinosaur.
There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his
stomach as the mammoth beast wreaked havoc
upon the city, squishing everything that came in its
path.
Initially, he started running in the direction opposite
to the destruction; the burning smells and the
smoke, just like everyone else. But then something
held him back.
After some hesitation, he changed tracks and
started running towards the beast like a madman.
Being so passionate about his work, he carried his
camera everywhere and it was this passion that
could’ve been the death of him that day.
The blood was rushing to his ears and his heart
felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.
The camera was slipping in his sweaty palms as
he looked for the perfect cover, darting between
pieces of debris.
The lizard was quite some feet ahead, rising
mightily from the ground, its tail swishing around,
breaking down high-rise apartments. Its skin was
glistening with sharp scales and its cave-like mouth
gave a clear view of those piercing yellow teeth,
even from that distance.
Sam’s dream of becoming the best cameraman in
the country was blocking out every sensible thought
in his head.
He fumbled with the controls on the camera for
the perfect view as the lizard drew ever nearer,
while trying to avoid coming in the way of falling
materials. The camera started filming and Sam
was transfixed by the wonder of it all. And then, in
the lens of his shaking camera, he saw the beast’s
foot lift up… and start bearing down upon him.
Frozen with fear, he knew there was no time for
him to escape. Shaking like a leaf, with a sob stuck
in his throat, he braced himself for the end and
closed his eyes.
After a few moments, he felt something lift from
around him. Peeking through his eyelids, he
realised something: he had come in between its
claws and avoided being squished to death! It was
truly a miracle.
By Kanza Naeem
8 JANUARY 2014 | V SHINE
9
STORY

When it surfaces
up?
Sibling rivalry occurs mostly
between sibling who are
close in age, are of the same
gender or if one of them is
more intellectually gifted than
the other.
Positivity
brings
prosperity
You should not
repress feelings
of anger or
resentment, but
encourage each of your sibling to express it in
a more positive manner. For as much as you
can, you should try and sort out your issues
among yourselves—and ask parents for help,
only when you feel the situation has gone out
of hand.
We are one in a million
All the people have peculiar skills,
strengths and challenges. Be close to
your parents and siblings for it will leave
little time for rivalry and jealousy with
your sibling.
Be an ally... not a rival
Most of us go through times when a
conflict is inevitable. However, if you
are an elder sibling you can use the
example of your own for strong sibling
relationships. Tell them that respect and
support for siblings will bring positive
results.
Inevitable issue
There are times when the issue of
favouritism among siblings just won’t die. No
matter your parents efforts to reassure all of
their love for you and your uniqueness, the
issue won’t go away or diminish.
Comparison cuts
How many times have you said it to your
parents? “It’s not fair!” Or “You let her do
it. Why won’t you let me?” You should not
make comparisons between your siblings.
If your parents buy your elder sibling a
gadget, do not take it as inequality. It might
be possible that your brother needs it for
educational purpose.
How much is too much?
Brothers and sisters don’t have to
be absolute arch
enemies to be dealing
with sibling rivalry. In
fact, bits and pieces
of sibling rivalry pop
out every day as
normal behaviour.
It's normal, so
take it easy!
Since we’re all
individuals, unique
and different, we won’t get along with
everyone. We especially won’t get along
all the time with those closest to us. If we
begin with identifying feelings as normal,
then we can learn to respond to our
feelings in healthy ways.
Time to appreciate your
siblings
Choose your sibling’s favourite
colour and use that colour paper or use a
lot of that colour(s) in the card.
Draw a
picture with
maybe a little
writing on the
front cover.
On the
inside, write a
message saying
something like,
Thanks so
much for
everything!”
Give it to your
sibling with a
warm hug!
Cheers! You have found a new friend!
Jealousy, competition, favoritism, difficulty
sharing — To some extent, each of these
branches of the tree of “sibling rivalry” grow in
every family.
By Saba Amir Gondal
10
COVER STORY
11

How do cats eat spaghetti?
The same as everyone else – they put
it in their mouths!
Why did your brother wear a wet shirt
all day?
Because the label said, ‘Wash and Wear’.
Science teacher: Can you tell me one
substance that conducts electricity?
Amna: Why er......
Science teacher: Wire is correct.
Why did the witch go to the
psychiatrist?
Because she thought everybody loved
her.
Father: Why did you put a toad in your
sister’s bed?
Son: I couldn’t find a spider.
What do snakes write on the bottom of
their letters?
With love and hisses.
Cookery teacher: Rabia, what are the
best things to put in a fruit cake?
Rabia: Teeth!
“Talha,” said her teacher. “You can’t
bring that lamb into school. What about
the smell?”
“Oh, that’s all right, Miss,” replied Talha.
“It’ll soon get used to it.”
Teacher: Didn’t you know the bell had
gone?
Silly boy: I didn’t take it, Miss.
Find these items in the big picture
By Tabassum Khalid
Ingredients
. Butter: 100 gram, melted, plus a little
extra for the tin
. Crunchy biscuit: 200 grams
. Icing sugar: 100 gram, plus extra to taste
. Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoon
. Cream cheese: 300 ml pot
. Raspberries: 450 gram
Method
1. Line the base and sides of a 20cm
loose bottomed or spring form tin with butter.
Use smudges of butter to help the paper stay
in place around the sides.
2. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and
crush to crumbs using a rolling pin then mix
thoroughly with the melted butter.
3. Chill while you prepare the filling.
4. Put the soft cheese, icing sugar and
vanilla in a bowl
5. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
6. Tip in the cream and continue beating
until mixture is combined.
7. Scatter over 100 grams of raspberries.
Your cake is ready.
Here is a quick recipe of a cheese cake that does
not require baking. The cake will be ready in just
20 minutes with thick cream cheese topping and
buttery biscuit base.
Hot chocolate (also known as cocoa) is a hot
beverage typically consisted of shaved chocolate,
melted chocolate or cocoa powder.
Ingredients
. Milk: 2 cups
. Malted milk: 2 tablespoons (Horlicks)
. Corn flour: 2tablespoons
. Icing sugar: 3 tablespoons
. Cocoa powder: 2 tablespoons
Method
1. Pour the milk into a large pan and bring to
boil on medium heat.
2. Add all the chocolate mix ingredients in it.
3. Give it a good whisk and leave to bubble
away for a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy your hot drink in chilly winter.
By Saleha Perwez
12
V SHINE KITCHEN
13

Senegal sits on Africa’s west coast; its capital,
Dakar, is the westernmost city on the continent
of Africa, making it a leading centre for
European and trans-Atlantic travel.
A Low-lying Country
The country surrounds Gambia on three
sides and is bordered on the north by
Mauritania, on the east by Mali, and on
the south by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Senegal is mainly a low-lying country, with a
semi desert area in the north and northeast
and forests in the southwest. The largest
rivers include the Senegal in the north and
the Casamance in the southern tropical
climate region.
Muslims against French
Colonialism
During the 18th century, the French began
to colonise the nation. Senegalese Muslims
took a variety of responses to French
colonisation. Especially in the countryside,
the Senegalese got united against
colonisation.
Sine-Saloum Delta
It lies in the south of Senegal. It’s a
large area of mangrove forests, lagoons,
islands and rivers. A highlight for visitors
to this region is
taking a boat ride
up the rivers to
spot pelicans and
flamingos and enjoy
the lovely fishing
villages along the
way.
Senegambian
Stone Circles
The Senegambian Stone Circles were
added to the World Heritage List in
2006. Each circle comprises 10 to 24
stones, some weighing in at almost 10
tonnes!
History
Senegal has been inhabited for thousands
of years. The Arabs arrived in the 11th
century and many people converted to
Islam. When Europeans first arrived Senegal
became a major area for slaves. In 1960
Senegal declared its independence.
The Dakar
Rally
The Dakar Rally is an
annual off-road race. Most
events since the inception
in 1978 were from Paris,
France, to Dakar, Senegal.
The country hosted the
rally from 1979 until 2007.
St Louis
The former capital of French West Africa, St
Louis was established in 1673 and house
lots of interesting decaying French colonial
architecture.
Upset In Football History
Senegal entered their first World Cup of
football in 2002. Their first match (which
was also the opening game of the World Cup
tournament) shocked the world when Senegal
won against
the defending
champions France.
Food
Fish is very important. Chicken, lamb, pea,
eggs, and beef are also
used in Senegalese
cooking. Yassa is
either chicken or fish
that is first marinated
with spices, and then
simmered in a pan with
onion, garlic, mustard,
and lemon juice.
Goree Island
It is a small island just off the
coast of Dakar. Goree Island is
a big tourist attraction because
of its history as a major slave-
trading centre. You can see the
“House of Slaves”, and several
other interesting museums.
Fast Facts
Official name: Republic of Senegal
Population: Nearly 13.1 million. Muslim 94%,
Christian 5%, Others (1%)
Capital: Dakar
Currency: CFA Franc
Major language: French (official), Wolof
Natural Resources: fish, phosphates, iron
ore
By Umair Safdar
14
COUNTRY PROFILE
15

Spread of
Buddhism
In the 300s
BC, one of the
great Mauryan
kings, Asoka,
became a
Buddhist, which
helped Buddhism
to succeed. At first, most
Buddhists were in India. But by 500 CE,
under the Guptan Empire, travelling Buddhist
monks spread Buddhist ideas west to the
Sassanian Empire and east to China and
other parts of East Asia. Travelling Buddhists
also brought other Indian things like sugar
with them to China. In China, Buddhism got
stronger and stronger. Soon most of the
Buddhists were in China and not India.
Islam in
America
10-30% of
the African
slaves brought
to America were
Muslims. Journalist
Alexander Russell
Webb converted to Islam
in 1888. He becomes a well-known speaker
and advocate of Islam. Many Muslims
migrated to America from Lebanon, Syria,
and Jordan, India and other countries in
late 19th century. One of the first mosques
in America established in Detroit in 1919.
The Islamic Circle of North America
established in 1968.
Early Russia
By 500 BC, some
of the people
living in Russia
were called
the Scythians.
Russian people
had some hard
times between
about 300 and 600 CE,
when they were invaded. But the first time
that those people united into one country
was about 800 CE. About this time, Vikings
met the Slavs, who were also moving into
Russia, and together they united Russia into
a kingdom with its capital at Novgorod. The
medieval kingdom of Russia included only
the westernmost part of what is now Russia,
but it also included most of modern Ukraine.
Applying
diacritical
points in
Qur’an
The Arabic
script has
numerous
diacritics, including
i’jam (consonant
pointing), tashkil (supplementary diacritics).
The latter include the Harakat (vowel
marks). Tashkil is optional to represent
missing vowels and consonant length.
The bulk of Arabic script is written without
Harakat. However, they are commonly used
in some religious texts that demand strict
adherence to pronunciation rules such as
Qur’an. Hajjaj bin Yousuf applied diacritical
points in Qur’an.
Amidst the buzzing of the students, the principal
suddenly entered. A sudden quiet descended
in the class.
“Assalam-o-Alaikum! As you know, the annual
session is about to end. Therefore, I’ve decided to
arrange a competition between you all. From today
onwards, a girl who exhibits the best character until
the end of the term will be awarded the prestigious
Golden Cup,” she announced.
As she left, each and every girl vowed to give her
best to win the competition.
There was one girl in the class who was almost
perfect - Ramla. Most of the class was sure she
would win the cup.
She had all the qualities of a star student. But, like
in most cases, there existed an anti-Ramla as well
in the class. She was Kashaf; the one who always
envied Ramla’s standing in the school. She had
been trying her best to win against Ramla but failed
every time.
“Aha!” Kashaf thought, as the principal left, “this is
going to be the perfect opportunity to put Ramla to
shame at last.”
It was Tuesday. The competition began. It was Arts
period. Kashaf decided to go through with the first
phase of her plan. As Ramla neared her desk,
Kashaf sneaked up and pushed the paint bottle
on Ramla’s desk. The bottle toppled over,
and scarlet paint drenched Ramla’s attire
and stained the spotless tiled floor. All eyes
were on Ramla now. Before she could say
or do anything, their Arts teacher arrived
- and guess what, she scolded Ramla for
being clumsy and ordered her to wipe off
the paint.
Kashaf continued to pull stunts like these every
other day to stain Ramla’s reputation. The
teachers were shocked to see Ramla in such a
state. Kashaf had destroyed Ramla’s reputation,
grinning from ear to ear every time when Ramla
got punished.
As the end of the term drew near, Kashaf fell sick
and could not attend school. She was in a rage.
The final touch of her evil plan could no longer
work. Meanwhile, at school, every one noticed
a different Ramla. She was back to her own
disciplined self.
Finally, the big day arrived. At the assembly hall,
everyone was anxiously waiting for the principal
to announce the winner. The Principal, Mrs Maher
approached the stage. “Salaam, my dears! Hope
you are in a good state of Imaan and health.
Before I announce the winner, let me tell you that
this Golden Cup is an embodiment of success,
ambition and hard work. The cup holder for this
session is…. Ramla Raheel!”
A great applause echoed down the hallway.
Everyone was amazed and happy at the same
time, that Ramla was the winner. Ramla, herself
was completely elated. Everybody cheered and
praised her.
Back home, Kashaf heard the odious news
through one of her classmates. I should never
have acted like this, Ramla truly deserved to win.
She thought glumly. She decided to confess to
Ramla. The next day, Kashaf told Ramla about
what she had been doing with her and asked for
her forgiveness.
“Don’t worry! I forgive you. Now here...” Ramla
ended up pushing a strand of brunette curl from
Kashaf’s forehead. Kashaf managed a smile, a
sad little smile. “Thank you very much Ramla!”
By Sumaiya Azeem
16
STORY
17

In a dark
summer night
when you walk with nobody
around, you will witness one
of Allah’s strongest and most
beautiful creations ie fireflies
appearing in thousands and
thousands and flashing under
the moonlight.
More than
2,000 species
Fireflies belong to
the species that are
bioluminescent and
produce their own light.
There are more than 2,000
species of fireflies. Only some
species produce adults
that glow.
One inch
in length
Fireflies are soft
bodied-beetles. They are
measured one inch in
length.
Short life
Fireflies live for only
two months more than
or less. Their lifespan
depends usually on how
well they hide from
prey.
It’s a beetle,
not a fly
Fireflies do not belong to the
group of flies like houseflies. They
are beetles. They are in the insect
class and in the order coleopteran,
which includes beetles. They are
related to ladybugs.
Amazing facts
Firefly larvae sometimes
called glow warms.
Japan host firefly festivals
every year.
The greatest numbers of
fireflies are found in Asia
and South America.
The secret
behind blinking
The light in fireflies is produced
by a chemical reaction involving
a special protein, a pigment called
luciferin and oxygen. The protein
named luciferase, acts as
enzyme starting the chemical
reaction that generate
light.
By Javeria Ashraf
Did you
know that…?
In the late evening the firefly
will flash a yellowish light to
communicate with other fireflies.
The males will flash approximately
every five seconds and
the females will flash
approximately every two
seconds.
A bird and a firefly
Far away in a forest there was a nightingale lonely and upset. It looked
here and there as darkness started encompassing the earth with the setting
of the sun.
What made it sad, the loneliness or was it the darkness?
Nightingale was crying and worried about how it will reach home. A firefly nearby
went up to the nightingale and said: “Worry not, for I am at your service.
Although I am a tiny creature but I will help you with my heart and soul and
make sure you reach your home. I have been gifted by Almighty Allah with
a light which shines like a lamp. So worry not, oh dear nightingale, I
will lighten up the path for your home.
18
WILDLIFE
19

Have you ever rubbed your feet across carpet
and then touched a metal door handle?
If so, then you know that you can get shocked!
Lightning works in the same way. Make your
own lightning and learn how it works.
You will need
. A small piece of wool fabric
. An aluminium pie pan
. Styrofoam plate
. A pencil with a new eraser
. One thumbtack
Mountain biking is the sport of riding
bicycles off-road, often over rough
terrain, using specially designed mountain
bikes. A mountain bike is for those with a
nerve for adventure. It is light and hence easy
to carry and walk up or down a mountain, on
difficult terrains.
Where It Started?
The history of this extreme sport goes way
back to 1970 in California, USA. It was on
Mount Tamalpais that made that mark of
being the origin of mountain biking. The first
prototype of mountain bikes were all downhill
purposed. Meaning they never rode their
bikes uphill, they had to transport them up to
the starting point and ride them downhill.
Different Types
Mountain biking can generally be broken down
into multiple categories: cross country (XC),
trail riding, all mountain, downhill, freeride,
slopestyle, dirt jumping and trials.
Do It All Yourself
Because riders are often far from civilisation,
there is a strong ethic of self-reliance in the
sport. Riders learn to repair their broken
bikes or flat tires to avoid being stranded
miles from help. Many riders will carry a
backpack containing all the essential tools
and equipment for trailside repairs, and many
riders also carry emergency supplies in the
case of injury miles from outside help.
Mountain Bike Orienteering
It is an orienteering endurance racing sport on a
mountain bike where navigation is done along trails
and tracks. It adds the skill of map navigation to
mountain biking.
Have These On Go
Gloves, glasses, shoes, GPS navigation device,
pump to inflate flat tires, water bottles, bike
tools and extra bike tubes, high-power lights for
mountain biking at night.
Wow… That’s Interesting
The longest mountain bike race in the world
was a ride from Canada to Mexico with 2700 miles
over the continental divide in the Rockies.
Derailleur is the device that changes your
gears on a mountain bike.
Mountain Bikers use a term of Granny Gear
when in the lowest gear on a bike. There’s no
need to tell you why it’s called granny gear!
Chris Kovarik is one of the world’s top
Downhill Mountain Bikers!
Shimano is the world’s largest Mountain Bike
component brand.
A company “Mountain Cycle” makes the
bicycle namely “Shockwave”.
Steps to be taken
1. Turn the aluminium pie pan upside-down
and push the thumbtack through the centre.
Push the eraser end of the pencil into the
thumbtack. The pencil should be standing straight
up.
2. Put the Styrofoam plate upside-down on a
table. Very quickly, rub the bottom of the Styrofoam
plate with the wool for a minute or two.
Pick up the aluminium pie pan using the pencil as
a handle and place it on top of the upside-down
Styrofoam plate that you were just rubbing with the
wool.
3. Touch the aluminium pie pan with your
finger. You should feel a shock. If you don’t feel
anything, try rubbing the Styrofoam plate again with
the wool.
4. Once you feel the shock, try turning the
lights out before you touch the pan again.
What is Static Electricity?
Static electricity is the build-up of an electrical
charge on the surface of an object. It’s called
“static” because the charges remain in one area
for a while rather than moving or “flowing” to
another area. We see static electricity every day.
It can even build-up on us. For example, when we
rub our feet on the carpet and then zap something
when we touch it.
When Lighting Happens?
Lighting is a powerful and dangerous example
of static electricity. Lightning happens when the
negative charges, which are called electrons, in
the bottom of the cloud (or in this experiment
your finger) are attracted to the positive charges,
which are called protons, in the ground or in this
experiment the aluminium pie pan. The spark that
you had seen is like a miniature lightning bolt!
By Daniyal Raza
20
V SHINE LAB
21
SPORTS

The early Roman calendar, comprised 10
months, started from March 1st. Numa
Pontilius, the Roman king, added the months
of January and February. He moved the new
year from March to January. But this new year
date was not always strictly followed. In 46 BC,
Julius Caesar formed a new solar calendar and
introduced January 1st as the beginning of the
new year officially.
Awhole new year is at your step, today! Isn’t
it amazing! Think of all new you can do.
New resolutions, gifts, get-togethers… it’s a long
list. But have you ever wondered about January
1st, disputes, old celebrated traditions, meaning
of January?
So, here’s a whole new year’s package for you
with something new of your own and old from
the history.
January named after Roman god Janus, means
door. It’s a god with two faces, one looking
backwards and one forward, at the same time.
So, January is door to the year.
In 567 CE, the council of Tours abolished
January 1st again for it was considered
unchristian and set December 25th as the
beginning of the new year.
In 1582, the Gregorian calendar restored
January 1st as new year’s day. Still many
Catholic countries did not adopt this calendar.
The British adopted Gregorian calendar in 1752.
Until then, the British Empire considered March
1st as the new year day. Russians adopted it
even late after 1918!
Even, nowadays many cultures start their years
at different time in the year.
Time to get creative and set your own tradition.
New Year is the time for the new hopes and
promises and also a time to have a thoughtful
review of the previous one. Why not set a
tradition. Sit in a quiet corner with a piece of
paper. Write whatever good deeds and mistakes
you can recall from the last year. Review your
list. Which side is weaker or stronger? Are you
surprised or happy? If happy, then excellent. If
surprised, don’t worry you have a new year at
your foot. Get up.
Tradition of making New Year resolutions is
almost 4,000 years old.
The most common New Year resolution is to
lose weight.
New Year is the oldest of all holidays.
The first New Year’s Eve ball was dropped in
Times Square (New York) in 1907 because the
fireworks were banned.
Many cultures believe that anything given or
taken on New Year, in the shape of a ring is
good luck. Rings symbolise “coming full circle”.
The Romans began the tradition of exchanging
gifts on new year, by giving branches from the
scared trees to each other.
New year resolutions are tricky. Every time the
list is long but only a few are accomplished. So
here’s a simple recipe.
1. Setting goals in parts
Motivation is tricky. It melts quickly making it
difficult to keep your resolutions all year. So, it’s
better to divide the year into three or four parts.
It helps you to have deadlines to keep a little
pressure or check on us. Set goals for first part.
By the end of the each part, review your goals.
If all have been achieved-excellent! If not, reset
your goals to be accomplished in the next part.
2. Let your light shine
Set goals to help the people or environment
around you daily or once a week. This not only
helps you earn good will of the people but Allah
also. Help your mom with the dishes, dad in
washing car, grandpa with reading newspaper,
teachers with the soft boards, neighbours
with carrying heavy grocery, plant a tree, just
anything.
When you get praised, you feel motivated to
achieve other goals.
3. When to start?
Tomorrow? Next week? Stop! It’s TODAY. No
matter how much we plan the future, we work in
the present. Today is our time! You have energy
and excitement today. So get to work today.
January 1st Dispute
Meaning of January
January abolished again
Make your own tradition
Fun facts
New Year traditions of oldA recipe for New Year
resolutions
By Lead Pencil
23

Ta, Seen. These are the verses of the Qur’an and a clear
Book (1) As guidance and good tidings for the believers (2)
Who establish prayer and give zakah, and of the Hereafter
they are certain (in faith). (3) Indeed, for those who do not
believe in the Hereafter, We have made pleasing to them
their deeds, so they wander blindly. (4) (Surah An-Naml)
Do not wish to be like anyone except in two cases. (The
first is) a person, whom Allah has given wealth and he
spends it righteously; (the second is) the one whom Allah
has given wisdom (the Holy Qur’an) and he acts accord-
ing to it and teaches it to others. (Related by Bukhari)
1. What can you catch but not throw?
2. Where do fish keep their money?
3. What walks all day on its head?
4. What is round and all the water in the ocean can’t fill it up?
5. What goes around and around the wood but never goes into the
wood?
6. What has four fingers and one thumb, but is not alive?
Answers upside down
Iron is not natural to the earth. It did not form on the earth but came
down to earth from outer space. This may sound strange but it’s true.
Scientists have found that billions of years ago the earth was stuck by
meteorites. These meteorites were carrying iron from distant stars which
had exploded. The Holy Qur’an says: We sent down iron with its great
inherent strength and its many benefits for humankind (57:25). Allah uses
the words ‘sent down’ for iron. It is clear from the verse that iron is not an
earthly material, but was sent down for the benefit of humanity.
To make one good action succeed
another, is the perfection of goodness.
(Ali ibn Abi Talib)
My sin burdened me heavily. But
when I measured it against Your Grace,
O Lord, Your forgiveness came out
greater. (Shafii)
Inside beauty beautifies the exter-
nal image even if it is not appealing.
(Ibnul-Qayyem al-Jawzy)
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to
my angel mother. (Abraham Lincoln)
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep
your balance, you must keep moving.
(Albert Einstein)
A life spent making mistakes is not
only more honourable, but more useful
than a life spent doing nothing. (George
Bernard Shaw)
Quicksand is a mixture of fine granular
materials, clay and water. Sometimes
the water can be replaced by air and
form “dry quicksand”. Quicksand is
most likely to occur in riverbanks,
beaches, lake shorelines, marshes and
near underground springs. It’s true that
struggling in quicksand – or just about
any quick movement – causes you to
sink more. Slow movements are much
more effective. By raising your legs
slowly and laying on your back, you can-
not sink into quicksand.
Pirates terrorised ships on the high
seas hundreds of years ago. The
Jolly Roger, a white skull and cross-
bones on a black background, was
the traditional flag of a pirate ship.
Crisp crusts crackle crunchily.
The crow flew over the river with a
lump of raw liver.
A noisy noise annoys a noisy oyster.
We surely shall see the sun shine
soon
A proper cup of coffee from a proper
copper coffee pot.
Contrary to popular
belief, the white is not the
healthiest part of an egg. It’s
actually the shell.
The “ice cream” you see
in ice cream ads is often
mashed potatoes be-
cause they will not melt
during production.
The tongue is the only
muscle that is attached
from one end only.
The fastest nerve cells
are carrying messages along
their axons at an amazing
268 mph.
The coconut is the
largest seed in the world.
Minus 40 degrees
Celsius is exactly the same as
minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
The names of all the continents
end with the same letter that they start
with.
In the name of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most
Merciful
Sayings of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him)
Quotes
How to Escape Quicksand?
What is Jolly Roger?
Tongue Twisters
Amazing Facts
Riddles
Iron Not Natural To Earth
Cold,inariverbank,anailinahorseshoe,sieve,thebarkofa
tree,glove
25

By Maha Ashar
February
12
North Korea
conducted
its third
underground
nuclear
test, prompting widespread
condemnation and tightened economic
sanctions from the international
community.
April 24
An eight-storey
commercial
building
collapsed in
Bangladesh,
leaving
1,129
dead and
2,500 injured.
August 19
The 500th
eruption in a
year of Mount
Sakurajima
in Southern
Japan
covered the major
city of Kagoshima in a cloud of ash.
October 10
Delegates from
some 140
countries and
territories signed
the Minamata
Treaty, a
UNEP treaty
designed
to protect
human
health and the
environment from emissions
and releases of mercury and mercury
compounds.
November
8
Typhoon
Haiyan
“Yolanda”,
one of the
strongest tropical cyclones
on record, hit the Philippines and
Vietnam, causing devastation with
at least 5,653 dead.
August 21
More than
1,400 people
were killed
in Syrian
chemical
weapons
attack
including at
least 426 children.
September7
Tokyo won bid to host
2020 Olympics. The
Japanese capital will
be the first Asian city
to host the Olympics
twice, having also
hosted the 1964
Games.
February 15
A meteor
exploded over
the Russian
city of
Chelyabinsk,
injuring
1,491 people
and damaging over 4,300
buildings. It is the most powerful meteor
to strike Earth’s atmosphere in over a
century.
July 3
Elected
President
Mohamed
Morsi was
deposed in a
military coup
d’état in
Egypt.
August 14
The massacre in
Egypt and Rabia
al-Adawiya Square
where the anti-
coup protests
took place.
Thousands
were martyred and
injured.
Let’s have a look at important
events happened last year
27

In school
By Scientist Sadiya Malik, 7th, International
Indian School, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
On a hot day
Thinking of myself fool
As I may
Standing in cafeteria
In a long line
With all those bacteria
I was kind and fine
My hair blowing
because of breeze
Thinking of taking something freeze
With the thought of all my fake friends had
gone
I suddenly realised I was left alone.
Chao-xing
By Arooj Haider, 6th, Silver Oaks School,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Once upon a time
there was a Chinese
girl named Chao-xing.
One day her father did
not return home. The
next day there was
a phone call. Some
people had killed her father. Chao-xang
started a karate school. She had a group
of students. When that killer team learnt
this they came to kill Chao-xing. She was a
strong girl. She died in a fight but her one of
student Lee had finished Chinese team in
this fight.
A beach trip
By Hareem Zehra, Beaconhouse School
System, Karachi, Pakistan
Once upon a time there
lived a girl named Aliza
in North America. She
lived with her parents and
younger sister Saima. One
day the family planned a
trip to seaside as summer
vacations were going on.
So the next morning they
packed all the necessary stuff that could
be taken and set off for the trip. Aliza and
Saima asked their parents if they could
go a little farther. Their parents allowed
them. They were making a mud castle
when suddenly a huge gigantic wave came
and took both of them into the sea. They
started drowning and shouted for help. They
were lucky that there were two swimmers
in the sea who saved them. Both of them
apologised the parents for their mistake.
A tale of teahouse
By Zaina Ahmad, 10th, Beaconhouse School
System, Islamabad, Pakistan
The fan had been
rotating
For an hour or so
It made creaking
noises
Which would
continuously grow
The dusty brown table
Looked a hundred years old
The nails spring out
From each of its fold
Finally came the moment
I had been waiting for
My cup of tea arrived
That I had waited for.
What do I love?
By Souson Fahim, Hala International School,
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
What do I love?
Do I live a fancy glove?
Do I love a friend in need?
Or do I love a fat cat to feed?
No, I don’t love any of these
Not even a triangle cheese
She is everything to me
She is my mother.
The secret of magic
mirror
By Laiba Rashid, 9 Years, Pakistan
International School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
One day a girl with her
family moved to a new
house. While exploring
her room she found
a pink colour closet
in her new bedroom.
She turned on the light
and found a large mirror inside of her closet.
She touched the mirror and she felt it was
watery. Then with a full force she fell into
the other side of the mirror on to the ground.
When she stood up, she found herself in a
new world of fairies all around. This made
her so much happy. Suddenly she realised
that now it’s very late and came back
through the same mirror. She got the secret
of the magic mirror.
I have a cat
By Noman Shah, Pakistan International
School, English Section, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
He hunts and walks
About my house,
He is always out,
To catch a
mouse.
I play with him,
And keep him
clean
A smarter cat,
You’ve never
seen.
Parrot and red chilies
By Anousha Khalid, 6th, Karachi Public
School, Karachi, Pakistan
In a faraway rainforest there
lived a family of parrots. The
baby parrot of that family was
very young and disobedient.
It was a sunny morning and
the baby parrot was playing
with his friends. Suddenly a
hunter came wandering over
there. His friends flew away
instantly while his parents started calling him
to the nest. But that silly parrot didn’t listen
to them. The hunter hid behind a bush and
spied the parrot. Parrot saw some fresh red
chilies lying under a tree. He wolfed all the
chilies. He felt an instant sleeping sensation
coming over him and he fainted. Actually, the
hunter medicated those chilies those. When
he woke up, he found himself in an airy cage.
29

K O A W E X P R E S S T R A I N
V R G W G D L B S A Y I T N N G
O E J P Y G A H A S R R F R J S
N O U G W A T R A C K A R O H H
F O N F U H F R M S N A O H P M
R A C A W A O G R E O P G N I R
G W T S L N R O N A X E C G E P
L E I E M G M D D I M A M L E D
T A O A S E D X E H L O W D H V
L S N E G Q E Q E I E E O L R H
F G O G I S S A T W G N N O K J
N J N D I F I N Q G E O A E V I
F E O F G S G T S L N I B P T T
N A Y C E M F V E D S G O R E V
E A N C A R P E S D C T J I T Q
N D P F E S E R O X M A S X A Y
Find these hidden
words in a
crisscross
Horn
Bogie
Cab (control
room)
Express train
Guard
Junction
Platform
Signal
Track
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 January 31, 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
80 55 39 30 ?
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 colour. Find it.
I agree not to eat all the cookies
3. Unscramble the anagram to
discover a word relating a food.
O A C R A M I N
Winners November 2013
Prizes would be delivered by January 31, 2014
1. Faiza Malik (Birmingham, UK)
2. Hassan Sheikh (Florida, USA)
3. Akif Ahemd (Karachi, Pakistan)
4. Junaid Tariq (Lahore, Pakistan)
5. Abdullah Hanif (Duabi, UAE)
Answers November 2013
1. b
2. Helsinki
3. Eye of a green and an orange
creature, missing red button
4. 60
5. Badminton
(a) (b) (c)
31
WORD SEARCH

I t was Monday morning. I was
getting ready with my family
for a tour to the Giethoorn, the
most beautiful place in Holland,
which was enclosed by water
everywhere. I went to the steep
hills and saw a small cave. I walked
past the grass beneath my feet
and went into the cave.
When I pulled the curtains, I saw
the most astounding thing in my
life. A beautiful garden filled with
flowers. And the most astonishing
thing was that I saw many fairies
soaring above the sky. Some
fairies came to me but suddenly
dark clouds appeared directly
above my head and thunder
buffered down. I asked the fairies
about the situation. They told me
that long time ago there was a
princess who was ruling this whole
place but later an evil fairy came
and tried to take over the kingdom.
But the princess refused, so the
fairy took the princess away.
The name of the evil fairy is Gylon.
I saw her coming towards me.
She was holding a staff in her
hand. “Stop Gylon,” I warned the
evil fairy, “you are not to hurt the
fairies.”
“How dare you speak to me like
that?” thundered Gylon angrily
as she waved her staff in front
of me and began to cast a spell.
I suddenly grabbed the staff and
began to wrench it from her hands.
Suddenly I let go of the staff and
it flew towards the fairies who
promptly picked it up. I grabbed
Gylon and asked her to tell me
where the princess was.
“You will never find her,” said
Gylon. I took the staff from the
fairies and tried to break it.
“No don’t you ever do that,” said
Gylon.
“Tell me where the princess is,”
I said. Gylon was so furious so
she cast the spell unpredictably
and the princess appeared in
front of us. Gylon was going to
snatch her staff from me. I rapidly
threw it on the ground. The fairies
immediately crushed the staff with
a boulder. We were so glad that
the princess had come back. And
she crowned me. I was very glad
and thanked her. As I got home
I saw my parents packing things
for their return. I was sad to leave
the house, but since I had a great
adventure I kept that as a secret.
By Eraj Javed
Help the ship find a safe passage
through the ice.
See how fast you can munch your
way through this pile of popcorn.
Find your way to the centre of this
maze.
32
STORY
33
MAZE

Words Page No. Type Meanings
Eminence 7 Noun The state of being famous, respected, or important
Obscure 9 Verb To prevent something from being seen or heard
Mutant 9 Noun An unpleasant and frightening thing
Havoc 9 Noun Confusion and lack of order, especially causing damage or trouble
Encounter 9 Noun A meeting, especially one that happens by chance
Lagoon 15 Noun
An area of sea water separated from the sea by a reef (= a line of
rocks and sand)
Miniature 20 Adjective Describes something that is a very small copy of an object
Orienteering 21 Noun
An activity in which you have to find your way to somewhere on foot
as quickly as possible by using a map and a compass
Contrary 25 Noun The opposite
Crackle 25 Verb To make a lot of short, dry, sharp sounds
Coup
(pronounced as
ku)
26 Noun
A sudden illegal, often violent, taking of government power,
especially by part of an army
Massacre 26 Noun An act of killing a lot of people
Storey 26 Noun A level of a building
Condemn 26 Verb
To criticize something or someone strongly, usually for moral
reasons
Solidarity 27 Noun Support for the members of a group, especially a political group
Set off 28 Verb To start a journey
Wolf 29 Verb To eat a large amount of food very quickly
Airy 29 Adjective With a lot of light and space
On track 31 Idiom Making progress and likely to succeed
34

Monthly V SHINE International January 2014 with interesting stuff inside

Monthly V SHINE International January 2014 with interesting stuff inside

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Ähnlich wie Monthly V SHINE International January 2014 with interesting stuff inside

Ähnlich wie Monthly V SHINE International January 2014 with interesting stuff inside (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Monthly V SHINE International January 2014 with interesting stuff inside