Monday, October 31, 2016

Biography: Stephen Hawking




1.      Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford, England on January 8, 1942. He grew up in a highly educated family. Both of his parents had attended Oxford University and his father, Frank, was a medical researcher. The Hawkings, as one close family friend described them, were an "eccentric" bunch. Dinner was often eaten in silence, each of the Hawkings intently reading a book.

Early in his academic life, Hawking, while recognized as bright, was not an exceptional student. During his first year at St. Albans School, he was third from the bottom of his class. By his own account, Hawking didn't put much time into his studies. He would later calculate that he averaged about an hour a day focusing on school. And yet he didn't really have to do much more than that.

He wanted to study math at university but Oxford didn't have a math degree at the time so he chose physics and chemistry instead. Stephen found college coursework to be very easy. After graduation, he went to Cambridge to study for his PhD.

2.      While Hawking was working on his PhD at Cambridge University, he began to have health issues. His speech became slurred and he became very clumsy, often dropping items or falling for no reason. After going through a series of tests, doctors discovered that Hawking had a disease called ALS (also called Lou Gehrig's disease). At the time, the doctors said he only had a few years to live.

Although Hawking was initially depressed over his diagnosis, he decided that there were things he wanted to accomplish with his life. He began to study and work harder than ever before. He wanted to earn his PhD before he died.
But the most significant change in his life was the fact that he was in love. He met and fell in love with a girl named Jane Wilde. Between his work and Jane, Hawking had a reason to live.


Despite the initial grim diagnosis from his doctors, Hawking has lived a full and productive life with the help of science and modern medicine. Although he is confined to a wheelchair and cannot talk, he can communicate using a touch pad computer and a voice synthesizer.

3.      Stephen spent much of his academic work researching black holes and space-time theories. He wrote many important papers on the subject and became a noted expert on relativity and black holes. The radiation from black holes has become known as Hawking Radiation.

Stephen also enjoyed writing books. In 1988 he published A Brief History in Time. This book covered modern subjects on cosmology such as the big bang and black holes in terms that could be understood by the average reader. The book became very popular selling millions of copies and remaining on the London Sunday Times best-seller list for four years. 

***
Source:  http://www.biography.com/people/stephen-hawking-9331710#als-diagnosis




Monday, October 10, 2016

The Little Match Girl

Script of the Story
This is a story that happened long, long ago on the other side of the world. This was a time when children of poor families were sent out to sell flowers in summer and matches in the winter. The story takes place in mid-winter. It’s Christmas Eve. The snow is falling and it’s nearly dark.

The Father and Little Match Girl enter down street aisle. The father asked the little match girl who starved to sell matches, but the little match girl and her father gave slipper freezing the little match girl. The Little Match Girl puts on the slippers. Her father hands her the matches which she takes and tucks into her apron.

The Little Match Girl moves forward into the street and the Father returns back down the aisle. The Little Match Girl meanders through the street scene trying to sell her matches. She is hunched and cold and miserable. The street cast respond in mime to her calls. Her father says that the little match girl should not go home until all the matches were sold.

In the cold and the darkness the poor little girl walked bareheaded through the falling snow. She had no coat, no hat and no slippers. She left home with slippers on, it is true, but what was the good of that? They were very large slippers, which were her mother’s.
(Two boys enter down street aisle) Two boys dodged roughly past her with oranges stole from the orange seller. The Little Match Girl was knocked to the ground, her slippers lost, her matches spilling all around. And then the boys found the little match girl’s slipper. The boy moves away down the street aisle with her slippers.

The Little Match girl stands in the middle of the stage holding out her matches. People shopping for Christmas gifts pass by her. They move around the stage and pass behind her and in front of her as they mime the scene. She holds the matches out to each person as they pass. They turn their head away from her. She turns to hold them out to the next person who passes. A well dressed mother and child carrying parcels walk enter down street aisle then she offered a match to a well dressed mother and her child, but they refused.

The Little Match Girl trembles with cold. Fewer people pass the girl as she holds out matches to them. They gradually leave the stage area to get into position behind the windows. She tries to sell matches to the ribbon seller and the orange seller. He walks away from her and exit behind window. The little girl is left alone. She sits down in the corner on the ramp beneath the street lamp.

Nobody had bought anything from the little girl no one had given her a single penny!
She crept along trembling with cold and hunger, a picture of sorrow, the poor little thing! The flakes of snow covered her hair. From behind the windows the candles glowed. Delicious smells of roast goose wafted through the night air for it was Christmas Eve. The Little Match Girl grew colder and colder but did not dare to go home for she had not sold any matches and could not bring home even a single penny.

The little girl strikes a match on the brick wall. Wonderful light. As she held her hands over the flame it seemed to the little girl that she was dancing in front of a roaring fire. It seemed that the fire warmed her and the little girl stretched out her arms towards the fire.

The flame from the little match went out. Little Match Girl shivers with cold and looks at burnt out match . The fire vanished. All that was left was a burnt out match in her hand. The little girl was so cold. She rubbed another match against the wall: it burned brightly. Its flame lit up a window.

Inside she could see a table. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth, upon it people placed splendid plates and glassware. Then a large Christmas pudding was brought out. The pudding was so huge it could barely be lifted to the table it and it was steaming famously with a stuffing of apple and dried plums. The little girl could smell
the goose and imagined the taste of apples and plums on her tongue. The flame from the little match went out.

The table and the wonderful food vanished. All that was left was a burnt out match in her hand. The little girl was so cold. She took another match and rubbed it against the
wall. It burned brightly. In the next window the little girl could see a beautiful Christmas tree, sparkling with decorations. But  soon the flame from the little match went out. The Christmas tree and the gifts, the children and the music vanished.

The lights the little girl had seen on the Christmas tree seemed to rise up into the sky
higher and higher. She saw them now as stars in heaven. One fell down and formed a long trail of fire

The little girl’s grandmother was the only person who treated the little girl with love. Before she died, the grandmother had told the little girl that when a star falls, a soul ascends to heaven. The little girl drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the grandmother, so bright and radiant and with such an expression of love. The grandmother took the girl and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, where there was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety - they were with God.

The cold continued through the night. Eventually morning came and light filtered over
the cold hard snow. People came out of their warm houses wrapped in their hats and cloaks. Their feet crunched over the snowy ground.

In the corner of the two houses sat the little girl. She was smiling and leaning against the wall frozen to death on the Eve before Christmas. The people in the street saw a little girl who was cold and dead. They did not know what beautiful things she had seen, no one dreamed of the splendour in which, with her  Grandmother. She had entered the joy of a new year.

Dialogue of the Story
Narrator: This is a story that happened long, long ago on the other side of the world. This was a time when children of poor families were sent out to sell flowers in summer and matches in the winter. The story takes place in mid-winter. It’s Christmas Eve. The snow is falling and it’s nearly dark.

The Father and Little Match Girl enter down street aisle.


Father: Hurry up! It’s time for you to go and sell matches.
Little Match Girl: I’m so hungry! Can I have a crust of bread?
Father: There’s no food left. Take the matches and sell them. Then we can buy bread!
Little Match Girl: I have no shoes or slippers to wear in the snow.
Father: Here, wear your mother’s (hands her slippers), she’s still asleep.

The Little Match Girl puts on the slippers. Her father hands her the matches which she takes and tucks into her apron.

Little Match Girl: Thank you Father.
Father: Don’t come home until you sell them all. Do you understand?
Little Match Girl: Yes Father. Goodbye.

The Little Match Girl moves forward into the street and the Father returns back down the aisle. The Little Match Girl meanders through the street scene trying to sell her matches. She is hunched and cold and miserable. The street cast respond in mime to her calls.

Narrator: In the cold and the darkness the poor little girl walked bareheaded through the falling snow. She had no coat, no hat and no slippers. She left home with slippers on, it is true; but what was the good of that? They were very large slippers, which were her mother’s.

(Two boys enter down street aisle) Two boys dodged roughly past her with oranges stole from the orange seller. The Little Match Girl was knocked to the ground - her slippers lost, her matches spilling all around.

Little March Girl: Oh no! My slippers! Where are they?
Little Boy: What are you looking for?
Little Match Girl: I lost my slippers, please help me find them!
Little Boy: Let me see….. Look! I found them!
Little Match Girl: Oh thank you!
Little Boy:Not so fast … Now they belong to me. See you!
Little Match Girl: Please no!

The boy moves away down the street aisle with her slippers.
The Little Match girl stands in the middle of the stage holding out her matches.
People shopping for Christmas gifts pass by her. They move around the stage and pass behind her and in front of her as they mime the scene.

Little Match Girl: Matches, matches, would you like to buy matches?

She holds the matches out to each person as they pass. They turn their head away from her.
She turns to hold them out to the next person who passes.
A well dressed mother and child carrying parcels walk enter down street aisle.

 Mother: I’m so glad we’ve finished our shopping.
Girl: Thank you for buying me the doll mother. It’s so pretty.
Little Match Girl: Matches ma’m? Would you like to buy some matches?
Mother: We don’t need matches. Get away from us.
They push past the Little Match Girl
Girl: She’s so dirty.
Mother: I know darling. Hurry!
Girl: (looks back at the Little Match Girl) Look at her dress, mother, it’s so old and she isn’t wearing any shoes.
Little Match Girl: (Following the mother and child) Please buy some matches. They’re only a penny.
Mother: Get away from us. (Pulling child by the hand they exit behind window)

The Little Match Girl trembles with cold. Fewer people pass the girl as she holds out matches to them.
They gradually leave the stage area to get into position behind the windows. She tries to sell matches to the ribbon seller and the orange seller.

Little Match Girl: Matches, matches! Would you like some matches?
Ribbon Seller: Get away from me! You’ve been bothering me and my customers all day!
Ribbon seller exists behind window. The Little Match Girls approaches the orange seller.
Little Match Girl:Sir, Sir… please… would you like to buy some matches? They are magical, you know.
When you light one, all your wishes come true.
Orange Seller: That’s nonsense! Those are fairy tales. Get away from me.
Little Match Girl: But, sir, please buy one… its light will give you the most wonderful New Year.
Orange Seller: I told you. I don’t want matches today. Why don’t you go home, it’s a cold night.
Little Match Girl: I can’t sir, my father told me not to go home until I sell them all.
Orange Seller: I’m sorry, I don’t need matches.

He walks away from her and exits behind window. The little girl is left alone.
She sits down in the corner on the ramp beneath the street lamp.

Narrator: Nobody had bought anything from the little girl; no one had given her a single penny!
She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!
The flakes of snow covered her hair. From behind the windows the candles glowed.
Delicious smells of roast goose wafted through the night air for it was Christmas Eve.
The Little Match Girl grew colderand colder but did not dare to go home for she had not sold any matches and could not bring home even a single penny.
Little Match Girl: Oh, I wish I could cover myself with something. My hands and feet are so cold!
She looks at the matches then puts them down. She looks at them again.
I will light just one of my matches to warm my fingers a little.
The little girl strikes a match on the brick wall.



Little Match Girl: I feel warm now. Oh, what a wonderful light. What is that, over there?
It’s a fire. My feet and hands feel so warm.
Narrator:How the flame blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle; it was a wonderful light. As she held her hands over the flame it seemed to the little girl that she was dancing in front of a roaring fire. It seemed that the fire warmed her and the little girl stretched out her arms towards the fire.

Narrator: The flame from the little match went out.

Little Match Girl shivers with cold and looks at burnt out match.

Narrator: The fire vanished. All that was left was a burnt out match in her hand. The little girl was so cold.
She rubbed another match against the wall: it burned brightly. Its flame lit up a window.



Lights up behind the window. Actors arrange Christmas feast.
They place each thing on the table with a flourish.



Narrator: Inside she could see a table. On the table was spread a snow-white tablecloth; upon it people placed splendid plates and glassware. Then a large Christmas pudding was brought out. The pudding was so huge it could barely be lifted to the table it and it was steaming famously with a stuffing of apple and dried plums. The little girl could smell the goose and imagined the taste of apples and plums on her tongue. The flame from the little match went out.

Light fades out behind the window.
Little Match Girl shivers and looks at burnt out match.

Narrator: The table and the wonderful food vanished. All that was left was a burnt out match in her hand. The little girl was so cold. She took another match and rubbed it against the wall: it burned brightly. In the next window the little girl could see a beautiful Christmas tree, sparkling with decorations.



Lights up behind second window. Children are tying ribbons around box presents and decorating a tree.

Little Match Girl: Oh, what a wonderful Christmas tree. The lights are as bright as stars!
Narrator: Soon the flame from the little match went out. The Christmas tree and the gifts, the children and the music vanished.

Light fades out behind window. Little match girl shivers with cold and looks at burnt out match.

Narrator:The lights the little girl had seen on the Christmas tree seemed to rise up into the sky higher and higher. She saw them now as stars in heaven. One fell down and formed a long trail of fire.
Little Match Girl: Oh, there’s a star falling and it’s leaving behind it a bright streak of fire. Someone is going to heaven!


Little Match Girl, shivering with cold, moves to ramp to sit under street lamp.

Narrator: The little girl’s grandmother was the only person who treated the little girl with love. Before she died, the grandmother had told the little girl that when a star falls, a soul ascends to heaven. The little girl drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the
grandmother, so bright and radiant and with such an expression of love.


Little Match Girl strikes her last match. Grandmother appears illuminated in shadow inside
the church window on stage. The Little Match Girl moves towards her.
Little Match Girl:Grandmother, Oh take me with you - I know you will go away when the match burns out. You will vanish like the warm fire, the roast goose, and the glorious Christmas tree. (Match goes out)


Grandmother silently moves back into the church. The Little Match Girl returns to stage. With her life ebbing away in the freezing cold, she lies down on the ramp and sleeps.

Narrator: The grandmother took the girl and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, where there was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety - they were with God.


Street woman emerges from behind window scattering paper snowflakes as the narrator speaks.


Narrator: The cold continued through the night. Eventually morning came and light filtered over the cold hard snow. People came out of their warm houses wrapped in their hats and cloaks. Their feet crunched over the snowy ground.


Street cast become aware of the Little Match Girl frozen to death on the ramp.
They stop and surround the ramp, looking at the little girl.

Narrator: In the corner of the two houses sat the little girl. She was smiling and leaning against the wall, frozen to death on the Eve before Christmas.
Man in the Street: Poor child, she froze to death… on Christmas Eve!
Woman in the Street: It’s so sad… (picks up a burnt out match) she tried to warm herself with the matches.

Street cast leave their lanterns around the little match girl and exit slowly, heads bowed, down the street.
The Narrator leaves her position and exits down the street. The Little Match Girl is left surrounded by
lanterns in a pool of light.

Narrator: The people in the street saw a little girl who was cold and dead. They did not know what beautiful things she had seen; no one dreamed of the splendour in which, with her Grandmother she had entered the joy of a new year.

The End

Source : https://allencentre.wikispaces.com/The+Little+Match+Girl+Script
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