4-1 (06) release dates: January 21-27 TM TM Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. By BETTY DEBNAM from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. Turin (Torino) Winter Olympics Feb. 10 to 25 Ciao, Italia (Hello, Italy) What do you know about the host country of the Winter Olympics? Here’s a sampling of Italy from A to Z. Ancient Rome was one of the Italy is shaped like a boot. It is a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea. At the north it is bounded by France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. Italy is 170 miles wide at its widest point. It is 708 miles long. photo courtesy Fototeca ENIT world’s most powerful empires more than 2,000 years ago. The Romans’ ideas about roads, laws, government and buildings still influence us today. Neve and Gliz are the mascots of the 2006 Winter Olympics that will be held in Turin (Torino), Italy, Feb. 10-25. Today, the economy of Italy is stronger than in the past. The country used to depend on agriculture. Today, manufacturing and tourism are the main sources of income. There are some big companies, but Italy has many smaller companies, too. The northern part of the country is the main manufacturing center. The southern part does not offer as many manufacturing jobs, so it is not as prosperous. Italy is a member of the European Union, a group of countries that join together for better trade. The currency, or money, they use is called the “euro.” Food and eating good The Colosseum in Rome was built during the time of the Roman Empire, in the first century A.D. It could seat about 50,000 people, who went to see fights between animals and people. It is a popular tourist attraction today. Italy is well-known for its designers, who create cars, handbags, clothes, shoes and other items that are in demand for their style and fine workmanship. meals are important to Italians. While there are some supermarkets, many people shop at small, neighborhood markets. Popular foods include pasta, risotto, minestrone and pizza. McDonald’s is also popular there. Many families still eat their main meal in the middle of the day. The family is very important to the Italian way of life. Families spend a lot of time together. Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®. ® 4-2 (06); release dates: January 21-27 Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. More About Italy The Vatican photo courtesy Fototeca ENIT Can you speak Italian? The Basilica of St. Peter is the largest church in the world. It was built over the tomb where St. Peter is thought to be buried. It contains hundreds of works of art. The dome was designed by the famous artist and architect Michelangelo. It is in the Vatican. Vatican City, the center of the Roman Catholic Church, is the smallest country in the world. It is about the size of Central Park, a big park in New York City. The Vatican is ruled by Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican has its own post office, newspaper, museums, and a huge library of more than 2 million books. It has a population of about 1,000 people. Vatican City is located in the heart of Rome. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. Mini Spy . . . ball palla (PAHL-lah) yes si (SEE) no no (NAW) car macchina (MAH-kee-nah) family famiglia (fah-MEAL-yah) TM Mini Spy and her friends are enjoying an Italian dinner. See if you can find: • question mark • word MINI • lima bean • letter E • pig • acorn • number 2 • ladder • letter D • carrot • two birds • fish • bell • lips • letter A How are you? Como sta? (koh-meh STAH) One uno (OO-noh) Very well Molto bene (MOLL-toh BEHneh) Two due (DOO-eh) Three tre (TREH) Please per favore (PEAR fah-VOHreh) father padre (PAH-dreh) Four quattro (KWAHT-troh) Excuse me Mi scusi (Mee SKOO-zee) mother madre (MAH-dreh) five cinque (CHEENG-kweh) Good evening Buona sera (boo-OH-na SEH-rah) Six sei (SEH-ee) Goodbye Arrivederci (ah-ree-vehDAIR-chee) dog cane (KAH-neh) Seven sette (SET-teh) from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. Brown Basset ws The Ned’s Houn TM TRY ’N FIND ITALY Words and names that remind us of Italy are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: WINTER, OLYMPICS, VICTOR, EMMANUEL, OPERA, SOCCER, SICILY, VENICE, ROME, PASTA, WINE, MOUNTAINS, POPE, VATICAN, CITY, CIAO. WILL YOU WATCH THE OLYMPICS? N O M C K W X V Y X A Q W I D E M Q E A C N F N R L O M R T I I W E L E O E Y C T U V P S R P E I N A O J C M O G A B P V C I G O M B Z K I O P W M U Q D T N A M E I V N Y C S I Y H L N L T T Y C L B R J E A A H U O Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®. S O C C E R I O F V R O T C I V N Z A F Y L I C I S S ® 4-3 (06); release dates: January 21-27 Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate TM Go dot to dot and color this famous attraction in Rome. Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Marvelous Manicotti • 1/2 pound manicotti noodles • 1/2 pound cream cheese, softened • 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, • 1/4 cup butter shredded • 1 egg, beaten 1 • 3 cups tomato or spaghetti sauce • /3 cup chives • 1 pound ricotta cheese What to do: 1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and let cool. Set aside. 2. In a bowl, combine the butter, egg, chives, ricotta cheese and cream cheese. Stir well. 3. Using a spoon, fill manicotti noodles with the cheese mixture. 4. Place noodles side by side in a greased casserole dish. 5. Cover with the mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. 6. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 minutes. Makes 7 servings. Note: You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. You’ll need: Meet John Travolta Actor John Travolta is Italian from his father’s side and Irish from his mother’s. It was John’s mother who got him interested in acting. She sent him to a drama school in New York where he trained in dance, voice and acting. When he was 16, he played his first role in a summer production of the musical “Bye Bye Birdie.” As a teenager he moved to New York and took summer jobs doing TV commercials. He would travel between New York and Hollywood for acting parts. Then, at 18, John played a part in his first Broadway show, “Grease.” He later played the character of Vinnie in the popular TV series “Welcome Back, Kotter.” John, 51, grew up in Englewood, N.J., with his five brothers and sisters. His father, Salvatore, was a tire repair shop owner. John enjoys music and as a child played the violin. He has released several albums and also has written two books. He is married to actress Kelly Preston. They have two children. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. The Mini Page® TM Flags of Our States Poster L K R IGH T M IN ES IL To TO C GRA IN 1869 O To From ES S EQUA L IV Do you know any Italian jokes? We have given you two jokes, first in English and then in Italian. Now you do! 1890 Donna: Why did the chicken cross the Alabama • Full-color flags from all 50 states • Date each state entered the union Missouri Wyoming • Display size is 221/2 inches by 281/2 inches • Ideal for the classroom or home To order, send $4.95 plus $2.75 postage and handling (folded and mailed flat) or $4.95 plus $4.25 postage and handling (rolled in a tube). Send check or money order (U.S. funds only) payable to: Andrews McMeel Universal, P.O. Box 6814, Leawood, KS 66206. Please send _________ copies of The Mini Page Flags of Our States poster (Item #5637-0) at $7.70 each (folded) or $9.20 each (tube). (Bulk discount information available upon request.) Toll-free number: 1-800-591-2097. www.smartwarehousing.com Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________________ State: ___________ Zip: ____________ road? Dilbert: To get to the other side. Donna: Perché il pollo attraversò la strada? Dilbert: Per arrivare dall’altra parte. Daisy: Where do you take a noisy dog? Duncan: To the dog park. Daisy: Dove porti un cane rumoroso? Duncan: Al parco dei cani. Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®. ® 4-4 (06); release dates: January 21-27 Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. More About Italy Many holidays and festivals are observed in Italy. For example, there are religious, food and opera festivals. Italian workers usually get six weeks of vacation. Italy has several islands off the coast. The largest ones are mountainous Sicily and Sardinia. Mount Etna, an active volcano, is in Sicily, and ancient ruins such as Greek theaters are on Sardinia. Mountains Northern Italy includes the cities of Venice; Genoa, a big seaport; and Milan, the fashion capital and also the country’s richest city. The Po Valley has good farmland and is also a manufacturing center. Soccer (calcio; KAL- Julius Caesar (100 to 44 B.C.) was a powerful military leader and ruler of ancient Rome. King Victor Emmanuel became the first king of a united Italy in 1861. Before then, the country had been divided into separate states or countries. Leonardo da Vinci was an important artist of the Italian Renaissance. He was a sculptor, architect and engineer as well as a great painter. Michelangelo was another famous artist. Sites to see: • Embassy of Italy in Washington: http://www.ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/ • Italian Government Tourist Board: http://www.italiantourism.com/ • Kids Village – Torino 2006 http://www.kidsvillage.torino2006.org/ Southern Italy includes the central and southern parts of the country and these important cities. Rome is the capital of the country. The biggest attraction there is Vatican City, the home of the pope and the center of the Roman Catholic Church. It is an independent state with its own government. Florence was the center of the Renaissance. Naples is a big shipping port. As compared with northern Italy, southern Italy does not have as much manufacturing. cover about three-fourths of the country. The Alps in the north separate Italy from the rest of Europe. The Apennines range runs down the length of the peninsula. © Turisimo Turin photo by Giusseppe Bressi Gelato (jeh-LAHtoh) is Italian ice cream that is made in many flavors. Turin, or Torino, is in the foothills of the Alps. It is the capital of the Piedmont region. The 2006 Winter Olympics will be held in Turin. It is an important commercial center at the foot of the Alps. It is also the home base of the car manufacturer Fiat. Italians love the opera. Verdi was among the great Italian composers (1813-1901). The population of Italy is around 58 million. That’s a lot of people in an area the size of Arizona. The Italian Renaissance (REHN-uh-zahnce) was a period of 300 years from 1300 to 1600. This was a time of great thought, architecture and art. see-oh) is by far the most popular sport in the country. Italy is divided into twenty regions. Like our states, each region has its own capital and government. Unique is one way to describe Venice. It attracts many tourists. The city was a wealthy and powerful center of trade in the 1300s and 1400s. It was built on mud banks. Some of the streets are flooded with water from the nearby sea. Tourists often ride in boats called gondolas to see the city. Italy is one of the largest wine producers in the world. There are many vineyards. Italians also raise olives, rice, sugar beets and wheat. Italians are known for putting a lot of zip into their conversations. They often express themselves with their hands when talking. The Mini Page thanks the Embassy of Italy for help with this issue. Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®. © Turisimo Turin photo by Giusseppe Bressi Discover Italy From A to Z in ® Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate by Betty Debnam Appearing in your newspaper on ____________. from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. (Note to Editor: Above is cameraready, one column-by-41/4-inch ad promoting Issue 4.) release dates: January 21-27 4-5 (06) from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The MIni Page Publishing Company Inc. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate TM Standards Spotlight: Ciao, Italia (Hello, Italy) Mini Page activities meet many state and national educational standards. Each week we identify standards that relate to The Mini Page’s content and offer activities that will help your students reach them. This week’s standards: • Students understand the physical and human characteristics of places. (Geography: People and Places) • Students understand how culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions. (Geography: People and Places) Activities: 1. Make an Italy collage with newspaper words and pictures about Italian foods, products, people and places. 2. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper to make two columns. Label one column “People” and the other “Places.” Now list important Italian people under the first column and interesting Italian places under the second column. 3. What can you identify to show that Italy (a) has a long cultural tradition, (b) manufactures many different products, (c) is popular with tourists, and (d) has many good foods? 4. Collect several newspaper stories about events in modern Italy. Paste each story on a piece of paper. Then write a paragraph for each story explaining how Italy’s history or geography has influenced the current news. 5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about one of Italy’s famous cities. Select a city to research. Use these questions to guide your research: Where is the city located? When was it founded? What are some important historical events that have taken place there? What are some of the cultural contributions made by the city? What famous Italians were born there? What is the role of the city in modern Italy? (standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi) (Note to Editor: Above is the Standards for Issue 4.) photo courtesy NYY/Mark Mandrake ® from The Mini Page by Betty Debnam © 2006 The Mini Page Publishing Company Inc. Supersport: Joe Torre Birthdate: 7-18-40 Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y. Whether it’s an exhibition game or the World Series, New York Yankees manager Joe Torre is a picture of poise. In 10 seasons as the Yankees’ skipper, he has guided his players to four World Series titles. His teams have made the playoffs 10 times. Before becoming one of the game’s most successful managers, Torre succeeded as a player and compiled a .297 career batting average. Baseball was a family affair. Joe’s brother, Frank, played in the big leagues, too. Joe and his wife, Ali, are involved with his Safe at Home Foundation, which promotes awareness of domestic violence. They have four children. (Note to Editor: Above is copy block for Page 3, Issue 4, to be used in place of ad if desired.) 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