the ant

Look at the ant with its small body and delicate form. See how it crawls on the earth and leaps at its livelihood. It carries the grain to its hole and stores it in its storage. It collects during the summer for the winter, and during strength for the period of its weakness.

(Sermon 185)

Dot to dot 7

Connect the Dots and see what you find

English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions (Beginning with C)

Cake's not worth the candle

Calf lick

A calf lick is the weird parting in your fringe where your hair grows in a different direction, usually to one side.

Call a spade a spade

A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience.

Call it a day

If you call it a day, you stop doing something for a while, normally at least until the following day.

Call on the carpet

If you are called on the carpet, you are summoned for a reprimand by superiors or others in power.

Call the dogs off

If someone calls off their dogs, they stop attacking or criticising someone.

Call the shots

If you call the shots, you are in charge and tell people what to do.

Call the tune

The person who calls the tune makes the important decisions about something.

Call time

(UK) If you call time on something, you decide it is time to end it.

Calm before the storm

A calm time immediately before period of violent activity or argument is the calm before the storm.

Can of worms

If an action can create serious problems, it is opening a can of worms.

Can't dance and it's too wet to plow

(USA) When you can't dance and it's too wet to plow, you may as well do something because you can't or don't have the opportunity to do anything else.

Can't do it for toffee

If you can't so something for toffee, you are incapable of doing something properly or to any sort of standard.

Can't get a word in edgeways

If you can't get a word in edgeways, you don't have the chance to say anything because the person you are with is is talking all the time.

Can't get to 1st base

If you can't get to first base, you're having difficulties starting something.

Can't hack it

Unable to perform an act, duty, job etc. (example: I have to quit my job as a computer technician; I just can't hack it.)

Can't hold a candle

If something can't hold a candle to something else, it is much worse.

Can't see the forest for its trees

If someone can't see the forest for its trees, they are too focused on specific details to see the picture as a whole.

Canary in a coal mine

(UK) A canary in a coal mine is an early warning of danger.

Card up your sleeve

If you have a card up your sleeve, you have a surprise plan or idea that you are keeping back until the time is right.

Carpetbagger

A carpetbagger is an opportunist without any scruples or ethics, or a politican who wants to represent a place they have no connection with.

Carrot and stick

If someone offers a carrot and stick, they offer an incentive to do something combined with the threat of punishment.

Carry the can

If you carry the can, you take the blame for something, even though you didn't do it or are only partly at fault.

Carry the day

If something carries the day, it wins a battle (the sense is that the battle has been long and could have gone either way) or competition for supremacy.

Case by case

If things are done case by case, each situation or issue is handled separately on its own merits and demerits.

Case in point

Meaning an instance of something has just occurred that was previously discussed. For instance, a person may have told another that something always happens. Later that day, they see it happening, and the informer might say, 'case in point'.

Cash cow

A product, business, etc, that generates a continuous flow of money or a high proportion of overall profits is a cash cow.

Cash in your chips

If you cash in your chips, you sell something to get what profit you can because you think its value is going to fall. It can also mean 'to die'.

Cast a long shadow

Something or someone that casts a long shadow has considerable influence on other people or events.

Cast aspersion

If you cast aspersion, you try to blacken someone's name and make people think badly of them.

Cast doubt on

If you make other people not sure about a matter, then you have cast doubt on it.

Cast iron stomach

A person with a cast iron stomach can eat or drink anything without any ill effects.

Cast pearls before swine

If you cast pearls before swine, you offer something of value to someone who doesn't appreciate it- 'swine' are 'pigs'.

Cast sheep's eyes at

If you cast sheep's eyes at at someone, you look lovingly or with longing at them.

Cast your mind back

If somebody tells you to cast your mind back on something, they want you to think about something that happened in the past, but which you might not remember very well, and to try to remember as much as possible.

Cast your net widely

If you cast your net widely, you use a wide range of sources when trying to find something.

Casting vote

The casting vote is a vote given to a chairman or president that is used when there is a deadlock.

Castles in the air

Plans that are impractical and will never work out are castles in the air.

Cat among the pigeons

If something or someone puts, or sets or lets, the cat among the pigeons, they create a disturbance and cause trouble.

Cat and dog life

If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.

Cat burglar

A cat burglar is a skillful thief who breaks into places without disturbing people or setting off alarms.

Cat fur and kitty britches

(USA) When I used to ask my grandma what was for dinner, she would say 'cat fur and kitty britches'. This was her Ozark way of telling me that I would get what she cooked. (Ozark is a region in the center of the United States)

Cat got your tongue?

If someone asks if the cat has got your tongue, they want to know why you are not speaking when they think you should.

Cat nap

If you have a short sleep during the day, you are cat napping.

Cat's arse and cabbage

(UK) The idiom  "cat fur and kitty britches" reminded me of this saying that my granny used when asked what was for dinner, and was her way too of saying you get what you're given! This was in Gloucestershire, UK and in the first part of the 20th century.

Cat's lick

(Scot) A cat's lick is a very quick wash.

Cat's pajamas

(USA) Something that is the cat's pajamas is excellent.

Cat's whiskers

Something excellent is the cat's whiskers.

Catch as catch can

This means that people should try to get something any way they can.

Catch hell

If you catch hell, you get into trouble or get scolded. ('Catch heck' is also used.)

Decimal to Fraction Conversion

How to convert decimal to fraction

1. Count the number of digits (d) to the right of the decimal point of the decimal number x.Example: 2.56 has 2 digits to the right of the decimal point, so d=2.
2. Calculate the factor (f) for making the decimal number an integer:
   f = 10^d
   Example:
   
   f = 10² = 100
3. Multiply and divide the decimal number x by the factor f:
   x × f / f  =  y / f
   Example:
   
   2.56 × 100 / 100 = 256 / 100
4. Find the greatest common divisor (gcd) of the fraction. Example:
   
   gcd(256,100) = 4
5. Reduce the fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by the gcd value:Example:
   
   256 / 100 = (256/4) / (100/4) = 64/25

Decimal to fraction conversion table

Decimal	Fraction
0.01000000	1/100
0.10000000	1/10
0.11111111	1/9
0.12500000	1/8
0.14285714	1/7
0.16666667	1/6
0.20000000	1/5
0.22222222	2/9
0.25000000	1/4
0.28571429	2/7
0.30000000	3/10
0.33333333	1/3
0.37500000	3/8
0.40000000	2/5
0.42857143	3/7
0.44444444	4/9
0.50000000	1/2
0.55555555	5/9
0.57142858	4/7
0.62500000	5/8
0.66666667	2/3
0.60000000	3/5
0.70000000	7/10
0.71428571	5/7
0.75000000	3/4
0.77777778	7/9
0.80000000	4/5
0.83333333	5/6
0.85714286	6/7
0.87500000	7/8
0.88888889	8/9
0.90000000	9/10

Birthday Gifts Word Search

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BOOKS		PRESENTS
BOWS		RIBBONS
CARD		SCISSORS
CLOTHES		SHOP
GIFT BAG		TAPE
GIFT BOX		THANK YOU
GIFT CARD		TISSUE PAPER
GIVE		TOYS
RECEIVE		WISH LIST
PACKAGE		WRAPPING PAPER

the sun

Look at the sun and the moon, the plants and the trees, the water and the stones, at the alteration of day and night, the gush of the oceans, the great number of the mountains and the height of their peaks, at the difference of languages and the variety of tongues.

(Sermon 185)

Let's colour: Rapunzel

Who or What is a Gladiator?

By Ritu Asthana; Illustration by Anup Singh

It all started in ancient Rome. The most brutal sport that has ever existed in the history of the world was the fights between gladiators. The 'sport' traces its roots to the custom among the Etruscan people, a civilisation in Italy that existed before the Roman civilisation. At the death of the master of the house, servants would duel to the death for the right to follow their owners in death and provide help and company.

The first 'gladiatorial games' were 'offered' in Rome in 264 B.C by sons of Junius Brutus Pera in their father's honour after he had died. A gladiator was either a professional fighter or a slave, trained to entertain the public by engaging in combat with another person.

Gladiatorial combat soon became a very popular form of public sport. People began to offer these 'games' and the number of matches. While the earliest gladiatorial combat consisted of three matches, a century later, Titus Flamininus offered 74 matches lasting over three days!

At first the fights were confined only to funeral ceremonies, but gradually they became the chief amusement of the Romans and were held in huge arenas.

Early gladiators were prisoners of war or slaves or condemned criminals but soon free citizens became gladiators hoping to win fame and fortune. With the popularity of these games, the State assumed greater control, and gladiators were trained in imperial schools. Under a manager, a troupe of gladiators could be sold or hired out, and wealthy citizens hired many as bodyguards.

In Rome, the fights were first staged in the markets and then in the Forum, where temporary stands were erected. Amphitheatres (open air theatres) were constructed so people could watch these games. The largest of the amphitheatres was the Amphitheatrum Flavium, or Colosseum, which was inaugurated by Titus in 80 A.D. that could seat as many as 50,000 spectators.

Called the games or circus, the spectacle was usually staged for Caesar and Rome. On the day of the games, the gladiators were ceremoniously led in and paraded around the arena before presenting themselves at the emperor's podium. The gladiators wore splendid armour of gold and silver.

After the parade, there was a mock battle with wooden weapons to build up the appetite of the spectators. Then the fight was begun in earnest with a variety of weapons. Wounded gladiators could lay down their shield and raise the left hand to plea for mercy where it was left to Caesar to decide his fate. As patron of the games, it was Caesar who made the final decision, although it often was necessary to appease the whims of the public.

Caesar decided based on what the public wanted - a thumbs up sign and the gladiator's life would be saved. If they held their thumb down the victim was killed.

Victors were awarded crowns or a palm branch and whatever prize money that had been set before the start of the games, as well as any money awarded by the crowd.

With the passage of time, the Romans got bored with even those 'mild' battles and invented new spectacle like women gladiators. However, Emperor Septimius Severus outlawed the practice.

Increasingly, the fights became more and more bloody. Gladiators were set to battle with lions, tigers and other wild beasts. There were many efforts to stop these cruel sports. Thankfully in 326 A.D., Constantine abolished the games and the remaining schools closed by Honorius in 399 A.D. But gladiatorial combats continued, in one form or another, until 404 A.D., when Honorius finally prohibited them altogether.

Multiplication Squares (Fiddly)

For each of the squares below, fill in the boxes so that the first two numbers in each column and row multiplied together equal the third number.

2 4 6 12	3 9 4 6
5 5 2 3	6 7 6 42
4 5 5 10	1 3 4 24
3 3 9 2	4 2 4 16