1. SOLIDARITY
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|January 2014|
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FIRST EDITON

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SOLIDARITY

3. SOLIDARITY
Editorial!
Did you ever thought
about a way, where you can find
entertainment,
information,
brain teasers and book reviews
while sitting comfortably in your
sofa at home.......??? Then
"Solidarity" is what you've been
looking for!!!
"Solidarity" is a magazine
consists of book reviews,
Biographies, brain teasers,
quizzes, sports news, shopping,
latest developments in IT and motor vehicles, adverts Etc. It is a
reading material that is suited for all ages. So readers are just
pages away from gaining valuable information or being
thoroughly enjoyed.
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Our aim is to give the readers a complete package by
covering every aspects and needs of the reader, and we hope that
you will enjoy reading this magazine.
By: Dilshan Perera

4. SOLIDARITY
Contents
 [06]Travel
Rio de Janeiro
 [13]Future Transportation
Mercedes Benz S-class 2014
 [14]Fun and knowledge
Crossword and Sudoku
22
 [16]Gadgets
 [17]Book Review
Bachelor of Arts
 [18]Astrology prediction
13
 [21]Biography
Zinedine zidane
 [22]Leisure
Hiking makes you smart
 [25]Flying fish
Michael Phelps
 [27]American Music
 [29]Book Review
Around the world in 80 days
 [30]Tea
 [31]America’s Strength
Barack Obama
 [34]Health and fashion
Health tips and fashion tips
 [35]Book Review
Village by the Sea
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 [36]Comic Corner
 [38]Book Review
Oliver twist
 [41]Advice
Guidance for a better life
 [42]The Iron man
Robert John Downey.Jr
Indika De Saram
 [49]Contributors Page
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 [43]Recipe Corner
 [46]Sports Center
 [47]Exclusive interview

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SOLIDARITY

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SOLIDARITY

7. SOLIDARITY
RIO DE JANEIRO
Rio is located in Brazil which is the largest
country in Latin America .Rio is considered to be the
second largest city in Brazil with 6.32 million of
population. This city also is very famous for the
statue of Jesus Christ which is the largest Art Deco
statue in the world. And Part of the city has been
designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in
2012. There are many places to visit and very
attractive sites, from all these places here are four places which attracts the most
number of tourists per year.
Statue of Christ Redeemer and Corcovado
Mountain
Statue of Christ Redeemer is considered as the
largest Art Deco Statue in the world, which is 30m tall.
Located at the Peak of Corcovado Mountain. It is
considered as a place where highest number of tourists
are attracted.
It’s a half-day tour, where cog trains are used to
climb up to the mountain, over a dense Atlantic rain forest of Tijuca. While climbing up
to the mountain you can also experience breathtaking views of one of the world's most
beautiful cities
Tijuca National Park
A lush Atlantic rainforest. Its absolute wonder,
considered as the world's largest Urban forest
which covers an area of 32km2. It is situated in
the Corcodova Mountain, consisting the Statue
of Christ with some fantastic picnic areas and
many waterfalls. Many species of animals, birds
and insects live in this tick rainforest. The
tourists are provided with a range of different
packages and given with mini-cars to travel
around the park spending the whole day. This
place is also popular of attracting more foreign tourists.
By: Achira Fernando
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Lagoa is a Lagoon and district in the Lagoa, Zona Sul of Rio. Lagoa is connected to the
Atlantic Ocean, allowing sea water to enter by a canal along the edge of a park locally
known as Jardim de Ala. It’s a place where most of the tourists are attracted in Rio,
places such as; Statue of Christ Redeemer, Corcovado Mountain and Jardim Botnico is
located.
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Lagoa

8. SOLIDARITY
Things to do/Activities/Carnivals
There are a loads of activities and exiting things
to do in Rio, and we'll be showing you some of the few
famous activities in Rio.
The Plataforma show
The Plataforma show this is not a show to miss. The
plataforma show is a samba extravaganza! This often
features the winning acts and dances of the previous year’s
Rio carnival. It is a very colourful experience and an existing
way to spend your nights in Rio.
The Maracana
Stadium
If you are a sports fan, this is the place to be
in Rio! Maracana stadium is the home
ground of the famous Brazilian football
team, which can hold up to 73,000 people.
Watching a football match at Maracana with
the Brazilians is a dream of many football
fans.
Historical places
And beside the entertainment, Rio is filled with historical values. You can visit places
such as Bento Monastery, The Imperial palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral to get
to know about the historical facts about this city.
Beaches
Copacabana beach is one of the world’s famous
beaches. Known mainly for its beauty,
Copacabana beach is filled with people and
activities, such as beach volleyball/football,
surfing, sun bathing etc. It is a great way to spend
your afternoons and to relax.
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It is the biggest carnival of the planet and
it is the main event in Rio. The carnival
lasts five days and millions of people
around the world gathers to Rio to witness
this colourful magnificent event. It is one
of the greatest spectacles in the world,
and a show that one have to see and live
it!
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The Rio Carnival
By: Dilshan Perera

9. SOLIDARITY
CULTURE AND FOOD
Culture
Rio de Janeiro is a city which has a unique historical culture. Portuguese is the most widely
used language in Rio. When it comes to dressing the people in Rio also known as the
Cariocas likes to wear dresses which are light, casual and comfortable. The people in Rio
share some unique and interesting social etiquette
where when greeting, Women kiss men (two
kisses, right cheek first), women kiss women.
While men on the other hand exchanges a firm
handshake
and a tap on the back. They have their traditional
dancing style of samba, which is colourful and
entertaining. These are some facts about the culture
in Rio.
Food
Arroz e feijao – It is the most traditional meal you can get in Rio. It consists with rice and
beans with chicken or fish and French fries/salad. Rice and beans are commonly eaten as
everyday lunch, along with a different variety of and vegetables meats in Brazil.
Churrasco rodizio – It can be prepared with up to ten types of meat, including wild boar,
chicken, and even alligator, accompanied with a salad or rice.
Bobo de camarao – It is another type of famous food in Brazil which also known as shrimp
bobó. Actually it’s a Brazilian dish of shrimp made of coconut milk, manioc puree. It’s
traditionally served with white rice
Feijoada – A black bean stew with beef and pork. This is known as the national dish
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Moqueca – Fish or shrimp stew with coconut milk
By: Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran

10. SOLIDARITY
Shopping in Rio de Janeiro
Shopping is a number one item on the list for the tourists who comes to Rio,
and Rio de Janeiro does not disappoint them.
Rio De Janeiro is equipped with world class shopping malls, which are homes to world
renown brands such as Chanel, Cartier, Lauboutin, Michael Kors, Tiffany's Etc., and
also much popular for Brazilian gems and jewellery. Here are some of the famous
places to shop in Rio de Janeiro.
Village Mall – Was opened on
December 2012 with the aim of
becoming one of the lavishing
shopping malls in the city. Equipped
with 134 stores and restaurants.
Fashion Mall – Situated in the south
zone of Rio, between Leblon and
Barra.
Known as the icon of Carioca fashion
and attracts crowd not only with their
stores but also for its natural, beautiful environment and its greenery.
Leblon – Also located towards the
south of Rio, where it’s known as the
“region that dictates Rio fashion”. It
has over 200 stores.
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Botafogo Praia – Botafogo Praia is
located in the city of Copacabana, and
known mainly for antiques. Has over
170 stores, cinemas and restaurants.
Rio Sul shopping – Also situated at
Copacabana, equipped with over 400
stores which speared over seven
stories.
By: Sasanka Kudagoda

11. SOLIDARITY
Places to stay
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Rio De Janeiro city has plenty of great
accommodation. Among those places bringing a
new concept in hospitality, Miramar Hotel by
Windsor which ranks 1st in hotels in Rio, provides
you 201 luxurious and comfortable apartments and
guarantee a magnificent view of Copacabana beach
at a rate of $800 onwards.
For beach lovers Hotel Copacabana
Palace which ranks 2nd will suits best since it is
located just in front of the world famous
Copacabana beach. It’s a five star hotel with all the
luxury facilities which was put up in 1923.
Hotel
Fasano is another five star hotel which provides
you accommodation for $700 per night. The hotel
itself provides you with best rooms with balconies
overlooking the crashing of waves of Ipanema
beach. Also it provides you with a lovely rooftop
pool.
Hotel Rlais & Chataux Santa Teresa is probably the
finest boutique hotel in Rio. It provides you with
artfully designed rooms, in a lavishly restored
building (building (part of a coffee plantation in the
19th
century) at a fair rate of $460 per night.
For nature lovers the one and only
place to stay is the hotel das Cataratas
located in the middle of the Tijuca forest
near the Grumari Beach. Also surrounded
by Atlantic Rainforest and full of leisure
infrastructure. Also it provides you with
indoor games like volleyball, swimming,
tennis as well as some adventurous
activities such as hiking and boat riding at a
rate of $600 onwards.
There are many hotels in Rio such as Ipanema Inn, Marina Hotel,
Promenade Casa de Mar, Apa Hotel Rio de Janeiro , Atlantico Copacabana Hotel Rio De
Janeiro, Golden Tulip Ipanema Plaza Rio De Janeiro ,Hotel Astoria Palace Copacabana
,Mar Palace Copacabana Hotel Rio de Janeiro, Promenade Casa Del Mar Hotel Rio De
Janeiro, Rio Presidente Hotel Rio de Janeiro, Orla Copacabana, Augusta’s Paysandu and
much more awaiting your arrival.
By: Sasanka Kudagoda

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13. SOLIDARITY
Future of Transportation
Mercedes Benz S-Class 2014
The S-Class is a series of luxury cars produced by German automaker
Mercedes-Benz. The classification first started on 1972 with the W116 S-Class. It has
served as the flagship model for Mercedes Benz for almost over fifty years. It has
ranked as the world's best-selling luxury sedan.
Mercedes-Benz S -Class 2014 is the
latest modal of the S-Class franchise.
It has a 455 horse-power, Twin-turbo
V8 engine with a top speed of 130
MPH. The exterior body design of the
new S-Class is setting with an
impressive composition of exciting
lines and dynamic contours. Both the
exterior and interior lights are
coloured LEDs which is efficient and
very attractive.
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There is a huge progress in the technology
after the earlier version of the S-Class. The
new S-Class is more than just the sum of breath-taking technical innovations. The new
S-Class is the first vehicle in the world capable of identifying bumps and holes in the
road and adjusting the suspension to the situation with the help of ‘MAGIC BODY
CONTROL’ feature. 'AIRMATIC' feature is an advanced air suspension feature which
offers even greater comfort.
The ‘PRE-SAFE impulse’ feature is one of the most valuable features which are inbuilt
to the car. It is fixed to the front seat belt system, in a heavy collision the seat belts
pulls the occupants to the opposite direction to the impact and keeps the occupants
safer.
One of the biggest needs of a luxurious sedan is its interior. The new S-Class turns
every journey into a comfortable and relaxing one. The seats
are covered with high quality leather and have adjustable
air cushions in lumbar and shoulder areas which make an
energizing experience.
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Sound system plays an important role in
every luxurious sedan. In the new S-Class it is
in-built with Burmester High-End 3D
Surround Sound system provides an
unparalleled experience, offering 3D sound in
a vehicle for the first time.
By: Achira Fernando

14. SOLIDARITY
Fun & Knowledge
Did you know...
Crossword
Did you know all the
blinking in one day
equates to having your
eyes closed for 30
minutes
Did you know your brain
uses between 20 - 25% of
the oxygen your breathe
Did you know the longest
street in the world
Across
is Yonge street in Toronto
Canada measuring 1,896 1 Captivate (7)
km (1,178 miles)
5 Ride a bike (5)
Did you know all the
planets in our solar
system could fit inside
Jupiter
Did you know a cat uses
its whiskers to determine
if a space is too small to
squeeze through
Did you know Monopoly
is the most played board
game in the world
8 Take an oath (5)
9 Leaf vegetable (7)
10 Afternoon show (7)
11 Penurious (5)
12 Worthless (2,4)
14 Kidnap (6)
18 Fencer's weapon (5)
20 Japanese art of paper
folding (7)
22 Given a reprimand (7)
23 Copious (5)
24 Breakwaters (5)
25 Glowing (7)
Down
1 Bridegroom's attendant (4,3)
2 Cereal (5)
3 Capital of Ontario (7)
4 Team game (6)
5 Room on board (5)
6 French castle (7)
7 Foe (5)
13 Farewell (7)
15 Bandit (7)
16 Cut into three parts (7)
17 Marvel (6)
18 Disrobe (5)
19 Noblemen (5)
21 Greek vowel (5)
Sudoku
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Did you know it
took Leonardo Da
Vinci 10 years to paint
Mona Lisa
By: Dilshan Perera

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SOLIDARITY
S

16. SOLIDARITY
These
special
binoculars can be attached to
an iPhone to enable easy
viewing
and
recording.
Transferring of the viewing
image to the phone's camera
lens is done by the eyepiece of
the binocular, turning the
iPhone into a viewfinder. The
binocular
provides
a
magnification of 8X for a 465foot field of view at 1,000 yard
since it is equipped with 36mm
lenses. The screen displays
magnified images similar to
that of an external monitor
when the camera mode of the
phone is switched on. When
detached from the iPhone, the
field glasses also functions as a
regular binocular.
The Acupressure Foot Massager
The ideal massager
Orbotix Sphero
The Scoreboard Lights Air
Hockey Table
The illuminated rail
will show who is ahead, the Air
Hockey Table is embedded with
LED’s in the rail. When the
scores are tied these LED’s stay
white while turning blue or red
as the player pulls ahead. The
LED’s blink in the colour of the
leading player until the trailing
player catches up, while a
powerful
blower
motor
attached under the table keeps
the hurtling puck moving fast.
The adjustable legs ensure that
the playing surface remains an
even plane regardless of the
floor surface.
Whistle Key Finder
comes
with
fingertip-like
acupressure
massage,
alleviating
heat
and
compression. Users will only
have to insert their feet into the
Acupressure Foot Massager’s
footwalls and select the time
where you left your keys. As the
name suggests you need to
simply whistle and it will light
up and start beeping until it’s
located successfully. It is very
easy to carry around since it is
very light similar to a key tag.
Make sure to have the
Whistle Key Finder on your key
ring if you’re one of those
people who always forget
’Sphero’ is considered
to be the first robotic ball that
can
be
controlled
by
smartphone. It enables you to
move it around the furniture or
drive your family pet crazy by
moving it around with a simple
tilt, touch or tap on your
smartphone.
Flying Alarm Clock
Does the recurrent
alarm that you keep switching
off make your work late almost
every day? Then the Flying
Alarm Clock will suits you best.
This interesting alarm clock has
a propeller key which will takes
off as soon as the alarm starts
to ring and the clock will release
a continuous noise that will
only be silenced by the
propelled key. So you are
compelled to get up and fetch
the key
By: Sasanka Kudagoda
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The IPhone Binoculars
from the digital control panel as
10, 15 or 20-minute session.
The 192 acupressure nodes in
the Foot Massager will knead
the trigger points arrayed with
three speeds, at the bottom of
the feet to counter fatigue. 24
red LED’s emit far infrared heat
increasing the blood flow to
relieve soreness of muscles,
penetrating deep into tissue.
The device has soft inflatable
chambers and three pressure
levels for the top of the feet.
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Gadgets

17. SOLIDARITY
Book: Bachelor of Arts
Writer: R.K Narayan
Publisher: Nelson
Genre: Novel
Country: India
Bachelor of Arts is a story which is set in Indian
culture, where a boy called Chandran is the main character.
It is about his life style and how he faces his educational
work with the disturbances from his family background.
It starts with his college life when he has no plans
for his future. He considered 'love' as a distant dream, he
doesn’t have a career to think about! When the novel opens
he is yet to learn many things in life. Cultural aspects make
his love life ruined hence his love life ends in
disappointment. This disappointment makes him go crazy
and he ends up becoming a Sanyasi. After eight months he
realizes that everything about him is fake and hence plans
to return to his parents. After returning, he carries out his
career well and his love life continues again and he ends up
falling in love with Susila.
Chandran is a very ambitious man; he is a student of history and his aim was to get
the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His best friend was Ramu. Chandran is very lazy and although
he had exams coming up he roams around with his friend Ramu and somehow manages to
waste his time. Chandran's college days are similar to ours, it gives us a flashback into our
past, planning out and scheduling the time for studying, but similar to our plans he too
couldn't follow the schedule according to his plan. There are four members in his family
including his brother. It is a typical Indian family. But even though his plans for studying don't
work out still he is very good at debates and other written work in history studies.
This book clearly reveals the effectiveness of the realistic issues that Chandran faces,
giving a clear expression of the emotional aspects of the characters in the book. As R.K
Narayan has the experience of the Indian culture he expresses
the family background in a way that no other author can do
the same. He hasn’t used difficult words but has clearly
explained the story in simple language which show the
exact feelings of the writer. With his experience and his
ability he has managed to provide the reader with the exact
emotional feelings which Chandran faces in the story.
I think this is a great book for everyone to read,
especially for the ones who are schooling and as well as for
adults, as Chandran is a good example for us. The book
shows us how to build a successful career. It explains the
Indian cultural aspects and of cultural beliefs very well.
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Star Rating:
By: Achira Fernando

18. SOLIDARITY
Astrology prediction 2014
Jupiter starts the
year in your home
zone. In other words
expect some very
fortuitous events involving either (or both
of) your home and family. Travel with your
family is possible too. As of July 16 you're
going to have extra luck on your side when
it comes to your romantic life, a child
(you’re own or someone else's) and/or in
regards to a creative project you have on
the boil.
You have one of the
greatest
Jupiter
blessings happening in
your chart right now.
Jupiter is in your mind zone which means
that, in theory, it's easier for you to think
positively than it has been in years. If
you're not finding this, try hard to focus on
the best possible outcomes in your life. As
of mid-July, Jupiter moves into your home
zone resulting in a happier home
and family life.
GEMINI
CANCER
Jupiter is currently
in your money box.
Since Jupiter is the
planet of plenty,
you would think this is a surefire good
thing. And it's true that this placement can
bring money out of the blue. However it
can also see you over-spending, if you
have a propensity for blowing your
budget. As of mid-July, Jupiter moves into
your mind zone increasing your ability to
manifest your dreams.
Jupiter is currently in
your sign and will stay
there until July. So is
the departure of lucky
Jupiter from your sign a bad thing?
Thankfully not, because as Jupiter leaves,
he moves into your money box. This only
happens once every 12 years and as
Jupiter is the planet of plenty it can signal
a time when your fortunes increase no
end.
LEO
VIRGO
Hopefully the past six
months or so have helped
you see the bright side of
life. Jupiter has been in
your fear zone, doing what he can to make
you realize that many of your fears are
unfounded and certainly not worth
spending your time on. Now as lucky
Jupiter moves into Leo, you can expect to
feel like life is just that much easier. You
haven't had this blessing in your chart
since 2003, so make the most of it!
If you haven't been
getting out and about
and having fun with
your friends recently,
now you can make up for lost time. Jupiter
is a very popular planet and he's in your
friends zone until July, so give and accept
as many social invitations as you can. This
is a great time to make new friends and
contacts. As of mid-July, he starts to boost
your spiritual appreciation of life.
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TAURUS
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ARIES

19. SOLIDARITY
SCORPIO
Here's some good
news. One of the
things you are being
challenged to do now
is to learn to love
yourself again. You should, in theory, be
settling down after a rather tumultuous
few years when you had to forgive
yourself and others for all sorts of things.
And now here comes Jupiter moving from
your work zone into your friends zone,
taking your popularity to a 12-year high, as
of mid-July. Use the time between now
and then to work hard so you can play
hard later
There's
a
certain
serendipity about the
move of Jupiter into
your career zone. It is
happening just at a time when you need it
most. The reason? You have been dealing
with Saturn for so long, working like a dog,
that your career probably feels as much of
a drag as anything else. Happy Jupiter's
move from your travel zone into your
career zone in July means the rewards and
the fun at work can actually start to kick in
now too.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
Jupiter has spent the
past few months in
your eighth house
which is a rather
weird part of your chart, connected to sex
and money and anything you consider
taboo. If you have had a bit of strangeness
in your life lately, now you know why. But
now? He's re-emerging into the light and
into your ninth house; your travel zone.
Yes, your chances of going off to see the
world (or studying) soar in July.
You have had lucky
Jupiter in your love
zone for a while now.
How's it going? If
you're single have you at least had more
offers and suitors? If you're attached,
hopefully your love life has improved –
and if it hasn't, hopefully you have found
the courage to flee! Now Jupiter moves
into your sex zone. And remember, he's
the planet of opportunity and fun (This
new position is also good for you
finances).
AQUARIUS
In theory, Jupiter is
the reason why you
are still standing,
despite the rather
undue pressures that
have been heaped upon you in the work
department of late. He made things
bearable. Now, he's about to make things
even better. As of mid-July, he moves into
your love zone for the first time in over a
decade. Basically, even relationships
which have suffered recently have the
chance to improve. Lucky you and lucky
lovers! Single? Great time to mingle.
PISCES
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Jupiter has been aiding
and abetting you where
romance, creativity and
kids are concerned. As
of mid-July, he will be moving into the part
of your chart related to your work and
health. In other words, when he moves, he
will help you to enjoy your work more (or
find a job you love, if you are not happy
where you are now) and/or he will help
you sort out any health concerns.
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LIBRA
By: Dilshan Perera

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SOLIDARITY

21. SOLIDARITY
By: Dilshan Perera
Page
Zinedine Yazid Zidane was born on the 23rd of
June 1972
in Marseille, France. Nicknamed
Zizou, he started playing soccer at an early age. At
the age of 10 Zidane joined the US Saint-Henri
football club. He played as an attacking midfielder.
Even regarded as a brilliant player since Zizou was
a kid, nobody imagined him as a perfect contender
to take the place of the great French player Platini.
Zidane moved to Cannes from US-Saint-Henri and
to Bordeaux from Cannes. In the year 1996 Zidane
moved to the Italian giants Juventes, where his
career as a professional footballer started to
blossom. He played for two champions league
finals for Juventus, and led them to two Italian
league titles with 24 goals and 24 assists. This
caught the eye of the footballing giants Real
Madrid. Madrid bought Zidane for a then world
record transfer fee of £46 million. So at that time
Zidane was the most expensive player in the
world. He flourished at Real Madrid and he helped
Madrid to win the champions league in 2002 and
the Spanish league. Zidane has won the world
footballer of the year award four times. Zidane
played in Madrid in their Galacticos era where the
world famous players such as Raul, Beckham,
Ronaldo, Figo and Roberto Carlos played in Real
Madrid.
Zidane's greatest achievement was winning the
world cup and the Euro's in 1998 and 2000 respectively with France. He scored two goals in
the world cup final against Brazil. Winning the world cup in his home country in front of his
home crowd was one of the limelight’s of his career. Then he captained and led France to the
2006 world cup final where they lost to Italy on penalties. That was the last match of Zidane's
career but it was a tragic day for him and France where Zidane was sent off in extra time for
punching Italian defender Materazzi with his head. But Zidane won the golden ball award
which is given for the best player in the world cup. Zidane has played 681
matches in his club career and has scored 125 goals and has capped by
France 108 matches where he scored 31 goals. In 2001 Pele included
Zidane in the list of 125 greatest living footballers. Zidane is known as a
footballing legend and will be remembered for generations to come as one
of the greatest footballers ever to have played the game.
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Zinedine Zidane

22. SOLIDARITY
HIKING
Source:
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/julyhike.png
http://netdna.webdesignerdepot.com/uploads/2013/01/6.jpg
Source:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z
205/JekyllnHyde_photos/June%2028th/09
0625-_Governor_Sanford.jpg
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Yes, the fresh air, views and exercise
make each backpacking trip
worthwhile. Not only that now, new
research have proved that, staying at
home is just plain dumb. Read this
exclusive article and learn how
backpacking boosts brainpower?
Source:
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HOW HIKING MAKES
YOU SMART?
MOST DANGEROUS
HIKES

23. SOLIDARITY
Hiking makes you smart
The neurology researchers from Stanford
University hypothesize that the exposure
to nature causes are important for number
of changes to the brain. These changes
usually let you focus more acutely, think
more clearly and let you perform your
maximum in your cognitive ability.
Shortly:” Wilderness makes you smarter”.
The longer you are out there (up to a
particular point), the smarter you will get.
Recent studies have proved that wilderness
also affect stress reduction and overall
happiness. Just imagine a world where backpacking becomes the science-recommended
method to prepare for chess tournaments, SATs and all biggest mental challenges of life. The
idea that comes out is something about being in the wilderness causes the physiological
changes: the release of certain hormones or the switch of activity from one per of the brain
to another. If you’re a backpacker, you’ve probably noticed that some changes has occur after
a few days on the trail. Stress tend to melt away. You become more and more focused in
thoughts. Your mind just feels calm, clearer.
Top Risky Hiking
#1: Huayna Picchu, Peru
This is considered to be the most dangerous hikes. The real danger starts
when you walk the trail past the mythical city which is also known as the
“Hike of Death.” The Inca staircases are carved out of granite and climbs
about 1,000 feet less than a mile, nevertheless the route is completely full
of slippery stones, crumbling rock and exposed corners.
#2: The Maze
The most remote section of Canyon lands National Park. More than 2000
visitors are received in each year. The red rock labyrinth which is also
known as “The Maze” is very difficult to navigate and very difficult to reach,
full of dead-end gullies, and always the danger of rock falls are presents.
#3: El Caminito Del Rey
El Chorro is another dangerous hike located in Spain. It hangs on sheer
cliffs over 100 feet up. The two-mile steel and concrete path was built over
100 years ago in order to serve workers in a hydroelectric plant, but with
the time it has become a destination for adventure seekers
By: Sasanka Kudagoda
Page
If you love all those Lord of the Rings locations, you have to travel Mt.
Aspiring National Park on New Zealand’s South Island. Despite these
views, within last few years more than 12 people have lost their valuable
lives when hiking in this island.
23
#4: Cascade Saddle

24. Page
24
SOLIDARITY

25. SOLIDARITY
“Records are always made to be broken no matter
what they are”
Page
Michael
Phelps was born on the
30th of June 1985 as the
youngest of a family with
three children. His
mother was Deboran Sue,
a middle school principal
and his father was Michael
Fred Phelps a retired State
Trooper. His parents divorced in 1994
when he was just 9 years old. Though he became
an Olympic medalist he was a little scared to put his head
under water when he was 7 years old. As a result he
started with the backstroke first so that he didn’t need to
worry about being underwater. Though
he started to swim at the age of 7, within
3 years he held a National record in
his age group with his commitment
and effort. With all his talents he
qualified for the 2000 Summer
Olympics when he was 15 years old
and became the youngest male to
make a United States Olympic
swimming team in 68 years.
Unfortunately he couldn't win a
medal but was able to become 5th
in the 200m Butterfly stroke race.
However, ,he didn't gave up , he
practiced more and more with his
trainer Bob Bowmen who had
trained him since he was 11
years old. As a result of his
commitment, he was able
to set a swimming record in
the 200m Butterfly
stroke race in
2001 when
he was 15
years and 9
months,
breaking the
record previously held by Lan Throne, in 400m Freestyle at 16 years and 10 months. With his
courage and commitment he was able to accomplish a number of achievements.
25
-Michael Phelps-

26. SOLIDARITY
Then again in the
same year he was able to establish a new
record in the 200m Individual Medley and
100m Butterfly events. The following year,
at the same event he broke his own record
in the 400m Individual Medley with a time
of 4:09:09. When he graduated from
Townson at the age of 17 he was able to set
five world records. In the 2004 Summer
Olympics he broke his own record in the
400m Individual Medley. He became world
famous by winning 8 medals including 6
Gold medals in the 2004 Olympic Games in
Athens. But unfortunately he was arrested in the same year for driving under the influence of
alcohol in Salisbury. Phelps continued to establish world records in Pan Pacific Championship
in 2006. In the 2008 Olympics in Beijing he won 8 Gold medals. In every Gold medal
performance he set a new world record. He was very self-confident. In the 2008 Olympics all
the 7 other swimmers in his event were looking around to check if Phelps was around but he
was not. In the 2012 Olympics Phelps was able to increase his number of Gold medals to 22.
However, after London Olympics Phelps announced that he was retiring from his sport.
He used to listen to Eminem on his headphones and once he said that
he doesn't know even the name of the song but it just fired him up. He has big feet and big
hands which made it easy for him to swim and his coach once said that he didn’t like to lose
easily. Currently Phelps is 28 years old and is 6ft and 4inches tall. He mostly swims the
backstroke, butterfly, freestyle and individual medley. He is also called as “MP”, “The Balimore Bullet” and as “Flying Fish.”
1st
2nd
3rd
Olympic Games
18
2
2
World Championships(LC)
26
6
1
World Championships(SC)
1
0
0
Pan Pacific Championship
13
3
0
Total
58
11
3
Page
26
Event
By: Sasanka Kudagoda

27. SOLIDARITY
American Music
Eminem, Rihanna Remain Atop Hot 100 with 'The Monster'
Eminem feat. Rihanna the song 'The Monster' has
pulled up to the No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100
which holds off Pitbull and Kesha's "Timber" at
the No.2.
Mirror UK originally reported potential legal
action for similarities between "Midnight
Memories" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
The crew of One Direction may have tough situation on
their hands over chorus of group's new song "Midnight
Memories", which topped Billboard 200 last week. As
three-chord hook that is similar to Def Leopard’s classic
"Pour Some Sugar On Me"
"I Got To Write, Sing, Act & Bring It All Together":
Justin Timberlake on His 'Milestone' Role for
'Inside Llewyn Davis'
Justin Timberlake accepts Favourite Pop/Rock Male Artist award
onstage during the 2013 American Music Awards on November
24, 2013 in Los Angeles
Page
27
Counting Stars
by One Republic On to the No.1
Adult Pop Song of the year.
By: Achira Fernando

28. Page
28
SOLIDARITY

29. SOLIDARITY
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
Book: Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Publication year: 1873
Genre: Adventure
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne which falls under the
category of, adventure stories, is a very interesting book. It is an
unusual and a unique story which is of course the specialty of the
author Jules Verne. The story takes place in the late 1800's in
London but it spreads throughout the world.
The story is mainly based on three characters. The main character
of the story is a very rich, but a generous man named Phileas Fogg.
Fogg is a very calm and a quiet man who likes to keep his distance
from social life. He is a man who plans and schedules every activity
of his day and he never went above his schedule. As the story moves
forward you will see how Mr. Fogg thinks ahead and plans his work
accordingly. The story begins when an argument began among a group
of people whether anyone can go around the world in 80 days. With the challenge issued
accepted by Mr. Fogg, he began the 80 day journey around the world.
That brings out the second character, Jean Passpartout, Mr. Fogg’s servant. Passpartout was
looking for a job when he met Mr. Fogg. He had just got the job with Mr Fogg when he found
out that Mr. Fogg had decide to travel around the world, which came as shocking and
disturbing news to him as he was trying to settle down to his new job. Passpartout is a humble
and a faithful man. As the story goes on we can see how he helps out his master on his journey.
Now we come to another important character in this story, Mr. Fix the policeman. Mr. Fix's
entrance to the story is an interesting one, and it changes the readers’ mindset about the main
character, Mr. Fogg. A huge bank robbery takes place in London and Mr. Fogg becomes the
main suspect of the robbery. Mr. Fix, a determine policeman is after Mr. Fogg to bring him to
justice. Besides those three main characters there is another character in the story that
appears halfway through the story, but is an important actor. This is a girl named Aouda who,
in the middle of these adventures manage to steal the heart of Mr. Fogg gives a romantic
approach to the story line.
In my view one of the strong points of the story is that a lot of scenes and adventures happen
in a short period of time, which keeps the story moving at a rapid pace with excitement. The
only small weak point of the story for me is the information given of the journey.
For a journey around the world, the writer could have
added more scenes and descriptions about the locations.
But Jules Verne has done extremely well writing the story
in a short way.
All in all, Around the World in 80 Days is a very good book
to read. It has all aspects of a story like excitement,
adventure, romance etc. It is written in a manner which
anyone can enjoy, from kids to adults. So I would
recommend everyone to read the book and enjoy the 80
days around the world!
Page
29
STAR RATING:
By: Dilshan Perera

30. SOLIDARITY
Tea
The world’s green gold
Tea making
Tea is made only from the succulent leaves the
tender buds of the plant known as Camellia
Sinensis.
Tender leaves are mostly handpicked by female
plantation staff now a days, as the quality of the
end product of both green and black depend on
good harvesting practices and the proper
method of transportation of the green leaves
from field to factory.
Harvest of the green tea is weighed and placed on sheets where warm air is
allowed to passed through to reduce the humidity of the leaf
The withered leaves are rolled on traditional Tea rollers and the rolled wet leaves
are known as “The Dhool”.For the oxidation process “Dhool” which is rich in
enzymes, is placed on tiled with a natural draft to fresh the air to allow optimum
enzyme activities to take place with controlled temperature and humidity for a
specified duration.
In order to arrest the oxidation and removed moisture down to 3%, this Dhool is
then allowed to pass through hot air blown driers. Then the “Drier Mouth “tea is
created which is a mixed dry crisp mass of a variety of tea leaf sizes known as “Drier
Mouth “tea.
TEA TIPS
Page
30
Good quality strong tea is always pleasant to enjoy with milk. No sugar is needed
when excellent quality tea is used. Presence of Anti –oxidants in brewed tea helps
to protects organs and cells from harmful cell damaging free radicals.
Consumption of well-made tea perfectly brewed in good water is a quite pleasant
drinking experience on its own. Addition of any sweeteners are unnecessary.
Fresh brewed green and black tea have strong anti-bacterial properties.
Presence of Fluorides in tea promotes oral health, reducing gum diseases and tooth
decay
Drinking brewed tea without any additives of milk or
sweeteners helps expedite fat reduction.
By: Sasanka Kudagoda

31. SOLIDARITY
Barack Obama
Barack Obama was born August 4, 1961. His
parents were both students at the University of
Hawaii. He is biracial. His father, Barack Obama Sr.,
was a black man from Kenya, and his mother Ann
Dunham, a white woman, had grown up in Kansas.
Barack's grandfather had been a soldier in the army in
WorldWarⅡ.
His parents separated when he was two years old and
his father returned to Kenya. After the divorce his
mother remarried, this time to a student from
Indonesia, and the family moved to Jakarta where
Barack was enrolled in an Indonesian school. When he
was ten years old he went to live with his grandparents
(his mother's parents) who had moved to Hawaii.
While attending school in Hawaii he was one of only
three
black
students
in
the
school.
Page
In 1992 he married Michelle Robinson, a young
woman who had been his adviser when he started
working at the Chicago law firm. Six years later their
first daughter Malia Ann was born. Three years after
that they had a second daughter, Natasha whom they
call "Sasha". Young children have not lived in the
White House in over 25 years. Amy Carter was nine
years old when her father, Jimmy Carter became
President.
Barack's mother Ann died of cancer in 1994 at the age
of fifty-two. In 1996 he was elected to the Illinois State
Senate, and eight years later he was elected to the
United States Senate.
31
He only had contact with his father on one
occasion after that, and then for only a month. His
father die in a car accident in 1982. After graduating
from high school he attended college in Los Angeles
and then graduated from Columbia University in New
York. In Chicago he worked with low-income families
and housing development. Next he attended law
school at Harvard and became a civil rights lawyer. He
also taught at the University of Chicago Law School.

32. SOLIDARITY
Page
32
In 2004, the year John Kerry was nominated to run for President on the Democratic
ticket, Obama gave the keynote speech at the Democratic convention. He gave a very
impressive speech, and people at that time took note of his leadership ability. In 2007
he announced he would run for the Democratic nomination for President of the
United States. Hillary Clinton also wanted to be the Democratic nominee. After
months of campaigning Obama won the
nomination. Then he and John McCain, the
Republican candidate, campaigned tirelessly for
months. On Election Day November 4, 2008 an
early victory was achieved and Barack Obama
became the first African American to ever be
elected to the highest office in the land, the
presidency. It was a truly historical event in the
country.
Unfortunately his beloved grandmother, Madelyn
Dunham did not live to see her grandson elected.
She died on November 3rd, the day before the
election. After the election people began naming
their new-borns after Barack and Michelle. The
story of Barack Obama has only begun to be
written. The nation and the world watch as he
starts to accomplish the goals he has set for the
betterment of Americans.
By: Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran

33. Page
33
SOLIDARITY

34. SOLIDARITY
Health Tips
Tip #1. Eat a Nutritious Breakfast
A nutritious breakfast will be very
important after a long night sleep.
It will help you to do better in your
work. For quick, healthy breakfast:
Yogurt with fruit, Peanut butter on
toasted whole-grain bread, Toast
with Cheese slices, and fruit on
cereals.
Tip #2. Drink plenty of water.
65% of your body contains water. It has been proved
that a large number of diseases are caused by the lack
of water we add to the human body. Make sure you
drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.
Tip #3. Don’t be a couch potato… Get moving
Walk, ride bicycles or jog when going somewhere.
Instead of taking an escalator to climb stairs. Try to do
something active at least for 30 minutes
every
day.
Five Fashion
Shopping tips for
you
Spend money on shoes that will
suit you because they may make
or break an outfit. Even you can
wear them with jeans and look
fabulous!
Tip #4. Meditation
Meditation is very good for the health
as it develops both physical as well as
spiritual condition and calms one’s
mind.
Tip #5.
snacks.
Choose
Don't buy something that you will
not need due to its fantastic sale
price. I know we all usually do this
but it decreases closet space and
is a waste of money.
healthy
When you eat snacks it is wise to choose nutritious
snacks from different food. Some choices would be:
celery sticks with raisins and peanut butter an apple or
graham crackers.
Buy items that matches your
lifestyle. If you usually live in your
jeans then it doesn’t matter you
spend $150.
Tip #6. Include fibre and whole grains in your diet.
Eat breads such as bagels, whole-wheat and pita.
Oatmeal and Spaghetti are also good selections.
Tip #7: Copy your kitty.
Learn to do stretching exercises
when you wake up. It helps to
boosts circulation and digestion,
and eases back pain.
Spend money on staples on bags,
shoes, a black pair of pants, a
cashmere sweater and skimp on
belts, socks, scarves, trendy tops,
sunglasses and hats.
By: Sasanka Kudagoda
Before you shop it is better to
know what you really own. It is
better to make a point your closet
to go through in every season and
make sure you enter the shop
knowing your belongings.
Page
Smoking basically threaten your
health, wrinkle your skin and makes
your skin look older. Smoking
narrows the tiny blood vessels in the
layers of skin, which lead to
decreases blood flow. Stopping this
bad habit will lead you to a healthy
life.
34
Tip #8: Avoid smoking

35. SOLIDARITY
Village By The Sea
Page
“Village By The Sea “by Anita Desai was the
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize winner in 1983. It relates a
story about a poor family that lives in a village called Thul which
is 14Km away from Bombay. The characters in the book are
comprised of a bedridden sick mother, a drunkard father, Lila, a
13 year old girl, Hari, a 12 year boy, Bela, Kamal and their dog
Pinto. This family lives in a very small hut on a very small piece
of land which is not adequate to make a living on. Due to their
father's ill habit of drinking and mother's inability to work, Lila
and Hari had to run the whole family giving up their schooling. In
the story these small children have to bear much more
responsibilities with the critical condition of their mother's
illness and with the increase of debts.
Though this book is tagged as a “Children's
Fiction” it brings out much more serious, worthy, important messages. The most prominent
is “change is inevitable in life and society”. So the writer herself use the characters to show
that the only solution is to adapt to the change. She also shows the living condition and
simplicity of people in village Thul, the complexity, the crowd, and the hard living conditions
of city life in Bombay. She shows the contrast between rich and poor, the city man and villager,
the educated and uneducated. In some chapters she highlights the superstitious beliefs that
still prevail in Indian rural life.
In each chapter Anita Desai has described the beauty of the nature, the
beauty of natural phenomena whenever she gets the chance. Also the writer, uses an IndianEnglish way of writing which make the book much simpler and make the reader easy to
understand .She uses many Indian terms such as “bhai,sahab,babhu,kunkum powder” etc.
To be honest I myself wept while reading some chapters because of some
tough conditions they went through, their wisdom and sometimes because of the success of
them which gave me an inner happiness, victory and joyful tears.
I'd like to recommend this book for all of you of any age group because it talks
about universal aspects that one can take many advice from such as being optimistic and
keeping hope on life. This book is really sensitive and very emotional, in fact, I think you should
have that feeling otherwise you will not enjoy the
book.
You may think that the kids like Lila, Hari,
Bela and Kamal growing up in depth of poverty,
with non-existing bed ridden mother and an
alcoholic father, with no proper guidance or
supervision would end up as bad a lot. What do
you think will be their destiny?
I don't think of revealing anymore about the
book. You will have to read it so it will be more
interesting and understandable.
35
Author: Anita Desai
Publication Year: 1982
Publisher: Heinemann
Number of pages: 156(1st edition)
Genre/s: Realistic young-adult novel
RATING
By: Sasanka Kudagoda

36. SOLIDARITY
Comic Corner
Ricky: This new watch I got is waterproof and can tell time underwater
Rocky: That's nothing dropped my watch into Mississippi river three
years ago and is still running.
Ricky: The same watch?
Rocky: Nope, the Mississippi.
Music Student: Do you think I will ever be able to do something
with my voice?
Music teacher: It might come in handy in case of a fire.
Teacher: What's the formula for water?
Mike: HIJKLMNO
Teacher: who told you that?
Mike: You did, you said it was from H to O (H2O)
Teacher: What did the dinosaurs eat?
Student: Judging from the ones I saw in the museum,
they didn’t eat anything.
If George Washington were alive today, what would
he be famous for?
Old age
Teacher: Can you tell me what happened in 1776?
Student: I can't even tell you what happened last night.
Page
36
What's the most important thing about the 8th century
scientists?
They are all dead.
By: Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran

37. Page
37
SOLIDARITY

38. SOLIDARITY
Oliver Twist
Author: Charles Dickens
Publication Year: 1838
Publisher: Richard Bentley
Genre/s: Fiction
Page
England. Oliver's mother dies moments after his birth, and since
no one knew her name or the identity of Oliver's father, the baby
is considered an orphan and sent to a baby farm. At the baby
farm, Ms Mann gives minimal care to the boys underfeeding and
mistreating them. When Oliver turns 9 years old, Mr Bumble, the
parish beadle takes him from the baby farm to live in the
workhouse and work picking oakum. The boys in the workhouse
have difficult lives, and after suffering slow starvation for
months, they become desperate and draw lots to see who will
ask the master for more food. The job falls to Oliver, who
nervously requests more food after the next meal.
The master and the board, a group of men who oversee the workhouse, are
aghast at Oliver's request. After ordering the boy into immediate confinement, they
offer a reward of five pounds to anyone who will take Oliver off the parish's hands. An
abusive chimney sweep offers to apprentice Oliver, but when Oliver begs the
magistrate in charge of making the decision not to send him with the man, the
magistrate denies the chimney sweep's request. Later, an undertaker, Mr Sowerberry,
takes Oliver from the parish as an apprentice and treats him better than anyone has
before.
Mr Sowerberry’s wife, however, underfeeds Oliver and treats him poorly, as
does Noah Clay pole, another of the undertaker's apprentices, and Charlotte, the
Sowerberrys' maid. Noah constantly bullies Oliver. After Oliver is promoted by Mr
Sowerberry, Noah is filled with jealously and insults Oliver's birth mother by calling
her names. In a fit of anger, Oliver throttles Noah and beats up the bigger boy. Mrs
Sowerberry and Charlotte come to Noah's defense, restraining and beating Oliver.
They convince both Mr Sowerberry and Mr Bumble to beat him when they arrive in
the aftermath of the fight. When Oliver is sent to his room that night, he cries and
decides to run away. Oliver escapes the Sowerberry home, but after walking every day
for a week, he is exhausted and starving. Oliver then meets a boy named Jack Dawkins,
nicknamed the Artful Dodger. Dodger is friendly to Oliver, giving him food and offering
him a place to stay in London in the home of an old gentleman. The gentleman turns
out to be a man named Fagin, nicknamed the Jew, the leader of a gang of young
pickpockets. Oliver naively believes the boys make wallets and handkerchiefs to
support themselves. One day, thinking they are going to make goods in a factory,
Oliver asks to go with Dodger and another boy, Charley Bates. It's only after the two
boys have picked a man's pocket that Oliver realizes what they do. Terrified, Oliver
flees the scene. When the victim, Mr. Brownlow, sees Oliver fleeing, he realizes that
he has been robbed. He pursues Oliver, and an angry mob follows. Oliver is caught and
38
Oliver Twist is born in a workhouse in a small town in

39. Page
taken to the magistrate, but Mr Brownlow begins to have second thoughts about
Oliver's guilt.
Just as Oliver is about to be sentenced to hard labor, a bookstall owner arrives
and clears his name by telling the magistrate that he saw the other boys pick Mr
Brownlow's pocket. By this time, Oliver is sick and passes out in the courtroom. Mr
Brownlow takes Oliver home, and with the help of his housekeeper, Mrs Bedwin,
nurses Oliver back to health. Mr Brownlow and Mrs Bedwin show Oliver more
kindness than he has ever experienced. In Mr Brownlow's house, Oliver sees a portrait
of a woman, and it has a strange effect on him. Even Mr Brownlow remarks on the
resemblance between Oliver and the woman in the portrait. Fagin is furious when
Dodger and Charley return without Oliver. He throws a pot of beer at them, but it
misses and hits a visitor, Bill Sikes. Sikes is a brutal thief and an associate of Fagin's.
Both men agree that they must find Oliver before he reveals their criminal
operation to the authorities. They send a girl named Nancy, a member of Fagin's gang,
to the police station. She pretends to be Oliver's distraught sister to get information
on his whereabouts. The gang finds out where Oliver has been, and when the boy goes
out to pay for some books for Mr Brownlow, Nancy and Sikes kidnap him. They bring
Oliver to Fagin's hideout. The gang steals his new clothes and takes the five pounds
Mr Brownlow gave to him.
Nancy feels bad for Oliver and defends him. Determined to force Oliver into
becoming a criminal, Fagin sends him to help Sikes with a burglary. Sikes tells Oliver
to go through the small window of a house and open the front door for them. Sikes
threatens to kill Oliver if he does not cooperate. Oliver goes into the house with the
intention of warning the sleeping occupants but finds them awake instead. Oliver is
shot in the arm. Sikes helps Oliver get back through the window, but he leaves the boy
in a ditch. Oliver wakes up delirious and knocks on the front door of the house he was
to help rob. He ends up being taken care of by the wealthy owner, Mrs Maylie, and
her niece, Rose.
After the botched robbery, Monks, a mysterious associate Fagin has been
working with, confronts Fagin and admonishes him for his inability to turn Oliver into
a criminal. He would like to have Oliver thrown in jail, but he does not want to be
involved if the boy is killed. In a scheme to become master of the workhouse, Mr
Bumble marries the workhouse's wealthy matron, but the marriage is not a happy
one. After having an argument with his wife, Mr Bumble goes to a local pub where he
meets Monks. Monks questions him about Oliver, and Mr umble arranges to exchange
information about Oliver for money.
Mrs Bumble, who heard the deathbed confession of the nurse who delivered
Oliver, tells Monks what she knows and gives him a locket and a wedding ring with the
name "Agnes" engraved on it. Monks throws the jewelry in the river. Monks tells Fagin
everything he learned from the Bumbles, unaware that Nancy is eavesdropping.
Feeling guilty about her involvement in Oliver's kidnapping and determined to help
the boy, Nancy goes to Rose and Mr Brownlow to let them know that Oliver is in
danger. Suspicious of Nancy's behaviour, Fagin has Noah, who by this time has stolen
from
Mr Sowerberry, fled to London and now works for Fagin's gang, spy on Nancy.
Fagin learns that Nancy has secretly met with Rose and Mr Brownlow. He tells Sikes
but twists the truth to make it seem as if Nancy has informed on Sikes. In a fit of rage,
39
SOLIDARITY

40. SOLIDARITY
Sikes beats Nancy to death. Sikes tries to hide from the police but is eventually
pursued by an angry mob demanding justice. He accidentally hangs himself on a rope
that he was using to escape a rooftop. Based on the information that Nancy provided
about Monks, Mr Brownlow is able to find him and force the man to explain his
relationship to Oliver.
Monks is really Edward Leeford, Oliver's half-brother. Mr Brownlow was a
close friend of Monks' and Oliver's father, Mr Leeford, which is why he has a picture
of Agnes (Oliver's mother) in his house. Mr. Leeford and Monks' mother had an
arranged marriage, and although they separated, they never divorced. Mr. Leeford
met and fell in love with Agnes. She became pregnant, but he died before the child
was born. Mr. Leeford left a stipulation in his will that his unborn child would receive
an inheritance only if he did not commit a crime.
Monks has been trying to find Oliver and ruin his chances of inheriting. Mr.
Brownlow convinces Oliver to give half his inheritance to Monks, who takes it, moves
to the New World, squanders it and ends up in prison where he dies. Fagin is arrested
and sentenced to death for his crimes, and Noah is pardoned because he testifies
against Fagin. The Bumbles admit their part in hiding Oliver's identity, and Mr.
Brownlow sees to it that they never hold public office again. The couple is disgraced,
loses everything and ends up in the workhouse they once ran. Rose turns out to be
Agnes younger sister, and therefore, Oliver's aunt. Mr. Brownlow adopts Oliver as his
son.
Page
40
RATING:
By: Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran

41. SOLIDARITY
Guidance for a better Life
Respect one and other
Respect each and everyone's opinion. They might not be right, but we should protect their
right to say it. Also it helps us to have healthy relationships.
Page
41
Never give up
Life will through a lot of challenges for us that will make
us fall, but remember to archive your goals you should be able to stand up to them no
matter what!
By: Dilshan Perera

42. SOLIDARITY
Robert John Downey, Jr.
Page
42
Robert Downey, Jr was an American actor born in
April 4, 1965. He made his screen debut at the age of five
appearing in the film Pound, which was written by his
father Robert Downey, Sr. His father is a famous
American actor, writer and film director and his mother
Elsie Downey was also a famous actress. He has a sister
called Allyson Downey. His father was a drug addict and
exposed Downey to drugs at a very early age. He
struggled with drug addiction which led to numerous
arrests and eventually end up with him being admitted to
SATF (Substance Abuse Treatment Facility) and state
Prison in California in 2000.
Robert Downey's first relationship was with Sarah “As Sherlock Holmes in
Jessica Parker after meeting at the movie Fistborn. But in Sherlock Holmes, Tony Stark
1991 they separated, after Jessica realized that Downey in Iron Man and Avengers”
was heavily addicted to drugs. On May 29th, 1992,
Downey married Deborah Falconer who was a very popular actress. One year after their
marriage, in September 7th 1993, Falconer Downey had a son with her; Indio Falconer
Downey. As Downey was arrested after their son was born due to drug addiction,
Falconer left Downey and took Indio with her. At last Robert Downey and Deborah
Falconer got divorced on April 26th 2004. Since their divorce Downey now sees his
son very frequently.
In 2003 when the film Gothika was filming, Downey met the executive producer Susan
Levin. Throughout the shooting of the film Susan and Downey quietly got together,
First Susan refused but at the end of the filming, relationship between Susan and
Downey grew. As the relationship continued, the night before Susan's 30th birthday
Downey proposed to her. On 27th August 2005 the couple got married at Amagansett,
New York. On 7th February 2012 they had a son, Exton Elias Downey. His wife Susan
helped him out to drop his addiction to his drugs and alcohol. As a tribute to his wife
he tattooed one of his biceps with the words "Suzie Q". He has been drug-free since
July 2003 thanks to his wife Susan. In the past he used to be a Christian but now he is
a "Jewish-Buddhist".
He starred as Charlie Chaplin where he earned his first Academy Award for Best Actor
for the 1992 film ‘Chaplin’. He has a successful career; he has earned many credits and
honors throughout his career which lead him to be awarded two Academy Awards, three
Golden Globe awards and numerous other awards and nominations with a tremendous
popularity and commercial success. The most popular roles he performed were as
Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes (2009), Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows
(2011), as Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012),
Iron Man 3 (2013). After the movie Sherlock Holmes in 2009 he became popular
throughout the world. He is an actor who can act perfectly for action movies as well as
in comedy movies and drama too. He was spectacular in Iron Man movie starring as
Tony Stark, and this is why he has become the favorite actor of most people.
By: Achira Fernando

43. SOLIDARITY
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Recipe Corner

44. SOLIDARITY
Fried Rice
Ingredients - 2 cups cooked rice
2 Tbs sesame oil
1 small white onion, chopped
½ frozen peas and carrots,
thawed
2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce
(more or less to taste)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp chopped
green
onions (optional)
Instructions - Preheat a large skillet or wok to medium heat. Pour sesame oil in the
bottom. Add white onion and peas and carrots and fry until tender.
Slide the onion, peas and carrots to the side, and pour the beaten eggs
onto the other side. Using a spatula, scramble the eggs. Once cooked,
mix the eggs with the vegetable mix.
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Add the rice to the veggie and egg mixture. Pour the soy sauce on top.
Stir and fry the rice and veggie mixture until heated through and
combined. Add chopped green onions if desired

45. SOLIDARITY
Devilled Egg
Ingredients -:
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1 dozen eggs
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp minced onion or shallot
1/4 teaspoon tabasco
Salt and pepper
Paprika
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Method-: First hard boil the eggs. (See how to make hard
boiled eggs.) Fill up a large saucepan half-way
with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the
eggs with at least an inch of water. Add a
teaspoon of vinegar to the water (this will help
contain egg whites from leaking out if any of the
shells crack while cooking). Add a pinch of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil.
Cover, and remove from heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water
from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells
while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool
water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.
Peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove
the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a
serving platter. Using a fork, mash up the yolks and add mustard, mayonnaise, onion,
tabasco, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg
white halves. Sprinkle with paprika.
By: Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran

46. SOLIDARITY
Sports Center
Sri Lankan former captain and
Wicketkeeper
batsman
Kumar
Sangakkara won the ICC ODI Cricketer
of the year award in the recently held
ICC awards ceremony. Sanga has scored
1033 runs in 18
innings during the
year with an average
of 73.78 and a strike
rate
of
93.82.
Sangakkara cracked
and career best 169
against the proteas at
the R. premadasa
stadium.
All Blacks completes an
unbeaten year
The New Zealand all blacks continued their
dominance by going 2013 unbeaten. They
beat the likes of England, Ireland, and
spring box and beat the wallabies three
times in 2013. It is the first time that a
team remained unbeaten throughout a
year.
46
It was May 19th 2012, where the biggest
football match of the year was held in the
Alliance Arena in Munich, Germany. Bayern
Munchen took on Chelsea. The home team
dominated the game from the beginning as
expected, but the spirited Chelsea team held
them for 83 minutes until Thomas Muller
scored and put the German Giants on top.
With only 7 minutes to go everyone thought
the match was out of hand for Chelsea. But it
was not to be, Didier Drogba managed to
equalize to Chelsea just 2 minutes into the 90
minutes leaving the score 1-1 at 90 minutes
leading to extra time.
Bayern won a penalty, but Robben's spot kick
was saved by Petr Cech. So it came down to
the penalty shootout. Chelsea managed to
score 3 out of their first 4 penalties with
Lampard, Luiz, Cole converting the spot kicks
while Mata missed his penalty. But Bayern
missed 2 from their 5 penalties with Olic and
Schweinsteiger missing their spot kicks.
Finally Didier Drogba scored the final penalty
that earned the title for Chelsea. It was a
memorable night for Chelsea as they were
Crowned the Champions of Europe for the
first time.
Sangakkara snatches the
ODI cricketer of the year
award
Page
Champions league Final
2012
By: Dilshan Perera

47. SOLIDARITY
Interview with Indika De Saram
We had the privilege to meet up with Indika de Saram, one of
the top cricketing talents this country has seen, and we would like to share that
experience with you.
He made his debut in the National side in 1999 tour of Zimbabwe. He is a hard hitting
middle order batsmen and also a handy wicket keeper and also bowls right arm off
breaks.
Full name
-: Edirisuriya Mohottige Samantha
Indika De Saram
Date of birth -: 2nd September 1973
Hometown -: Matara
School
-: St. Thomas College, Matara
Ques: When did you start playing cricket and why have you chosen this path?
Answ: "At the age of 7, and I was directed towards cricket from my family background.
Where my father and brothers all player cricket at school level."
Ques: What are the highlights of your schooling cricket career?
Answ: "I scored 304 runs of 149 balls with 25 six's and 19 boundaries at Uyanwatte
stadium against Sri Devananda College. That was an unforgettable moment in my
cricketing life."
Ques: Did you take part in any other sporting activities in school?
Answ: "Yes, I took part in 100m/400m relays and put and disks throw events in the
college athletic meet."
Ques: What was your ambition when you were a kid?
Answ: "To play for Sri Lanka and bring honour and glory to my country."
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Ques: Who was your role model when you were growing up?
Answ: "Sir Vivian Richards"

48. SOLIDARITY
Ques: Tell us a little bit more about your cricketing career and achievements after
school.
Answ:"I played for Bloomfield
Cricket and Athletic Club, Colts Cricket
Club, Moors Sports Club, Ragama
Cricket Club, Tamil Union Cricket and
Athletic Club and currently plays for the
Colombo Cricket club. I have scored
12115 runs in 208 first class at an
average of 39.20 and the highest score
being 237. I have scored 65 fifties and
28 centuries. And I played 4 test
matches and 15 ODI's for Sri Lanka."
Ques: What would you recall as your
happiest and saddest moments in your cricketing life?
Answ: "The happiest moment of my life is when I captained the Sri Lanka team that
won the Hong Kong six's tournament in the year 2007 for the first time. And saddest
moment would be when I was overlooked by the selectors when I was in top form and
scoring runs at the first class level."
Ques: What are your future plans?
Answ: “I am planning to retire from first class cricket after
this season and to take on umpiring and coaching."
Ques: What is your advice for youngster who play cricket?
Answ: "You cannot go forward in this game only with talent.
You also need discipline, hard work and dedication. And
also you should give more priority to your studies as well as the game.
Thank you very much for dedicating your valuable time sir and all the best for your
future.
Interviewed by: Dilshan Perera
Achira Fernando
Sasanka Kudagoda
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Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran

49. SOLIDARITY
Sasanka Kudagoda
Hi! I’m Sasanka Kudagoda from Kaluthara. I’m 17
years old and I’m currently studying at IIT. I’m a
simple minded person who loves to help others and
to enjoy my life with sensitive, humble, kind,
trustworthy, loyal and lovely people. I love to watch
movies, listen to music, read interesting articles and
photography. Swimming is a big part of my life, I’d
love to swim and has taken part in many swimming
events during my schooling life. Michael Phelps is my favourite swimmer. My
ambition is to be a better person and to do an honest service to the community and
to my country
Achira Fernando
I’m Achira Fernando and I’m 16 years old. I’m a big fellow
of 6”1 feet tall. I’m interested in playing video games and hates
fashion. I love listening to music and waste time sleeping. I live in
Panadura and it’s the city I hate the most. When I’m free I use to
watch movies while finishing a bowl of popcorn.
Jeevinojan Vijaykumaran
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I'm Jeevinojan Vijayakumaran. IIT
Foundation Student. I enjoy keeping up with the
developments of the world of technology and
the entertainment industry. I enjoy exploring
the rich variety of cuisine this country has to
offer. It has been a great pleasure contributing
to this magazine from the exotic cuisine of Rio,
Brazil to stimulating book reviews to the life and
time of Barrack Obama. There won't be any
shortage of great material.

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