InfoAnda - At National Bee, kids vie to be US best speller

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Palin joins Arizona gov. to defend immigration law | 16 May 2010
Spanish premier visits troops in Afghanistan | 6 November 2010
Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys to raise funds for Haiti | 22 January 2010

Bin Laden's ex-driver set free in Yemen | 12 January 2009

">Forum Views () ">Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : At National Bee, kids vie to be US best speller

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Search Search: At National Bee, kids vie to be US best speller AFP - Saturday, May 30 WASHINGTON (AFP) - - If Keiko Bridwell ever comes across a thylacine, she's likely to throttle it because the carnivorous marsupial from Tasmania got her kicked out of the final of the US National Spelling Bee. ADVERTISEMENT "I spelled it with an 'o' instead of an 'a,'" Bridwell, who was one of a record 293 children aged nine to 15 who had come to Washington Thursday for a shot at the title of Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion and 30,000 dollar prize. Most of the spellers were from the United States, but teens and tweens had also come from China for the first time, as well as the Bahamas, Ghana, Guam, and South Korea. Not all those who gathered in the ballroom of the Grand Hyatt hotel in Washington to spell words most people will never use in their lifetime -- in front of an audience that included Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden -- were native English speakers. More than half were boys, but the eventual winner after a long night of brain-wracking, emotion and rather obscure words was Kavya Shivashankar from Kansas, a 13-year-old girl of Indian origin who wants to be a neurosurgeon when she grows up. Shivashankar wrote each word on her hand, including the one that won her the competition, "Laodicean," which means lukewarm or indifferent especially in religion or politics, as she spelled it out for the official pronouncer, Jacques Bailly, an American professor of Latin and ancient Greek who is fluent in French and German. Bailly challenged the spellers, as competitors are called, with the names of cheeses like Neufchatel and Caerphilly; musical terms like "passacaglia" and "goombay;" parts of the anatomy such as "iliopsoas," and more. He read out French words from "baignoire" to "becquerel" to "grisaille" that have slid over into English; German- and Bantu-origin words, Latin- and Greek-origin words; pronouncing them all with a thick American accent. "This country is made up of people of so many different nationalities, and all of them brought their languages here," said Barry Bridwell, Keiko's father. "That's what makes the English language and this competition so difficult," he said. The contestants could repeat the word, ask what part of speech it is, what its origins are, what it means, and whether it has any alternative pronunciations. "A lot of people ask us how we choose the words but we like to keep that a mystery," said Lee Rose, spokeswoman for Scripps. Even though many of the words sounded remarkably foreign, all can be found in Webster's Third New International dictionary, the official reference book of the competition, she said. Then, starting from the moment a word passed the lips of the pronouncer, the speller had a total of two and a half minutes to spell it correctly. Success meant a competitor went on to the next round; failure brought a "ding" sound, and they had to leave center stage and go over to the loving embrace of their proud parents. Kennyi Aouad, 13, who is in eighth grade in Indiana, was dinged after slipping up on "Palatschinken," the Austrian or southern German name for crepes. Ramya Auroprem, exited over another German-origin word, "Fackeltanz," a dance -- literally a torch dance -- often performed at weddings. A Breton word, "menhir," meaning an upright monumental stone, stumped one of the final three, Aishwarya Pastapur from Illinois. She got the "h" and the "i" in the wrong order. The youngest finalist, 12-year-old Tim Ruiter from Virginia, who was also the only home-schooled youngster in the finals, had prepared for the competition by studying some 10,000 index cards on which he had printed out words that he knew he had to work on, his father John told AFP. He was stumped by "maecenas," a generous sponsor or patron who was arguably less than generous with Ruiter. But the boy for whom second grade teachers used to prepare a separate list of vocabulary words because he already knew all the words his peers were just learning, vowed to be back next year for the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee, a competition which remains as popular in the age of spell checkers as it was when it first began in 1925. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: Entertainment & Lifestyle Iggy Pop: "Literature's like coke, music's like heroin"AFP - Saturday, May 30 New Beatles museum opens in HamburgAFP - Saturday, May 30 Music producer Spector faces sentencing for murderAFP - Friday, May 29 Singing sensation Susan Boyle 'considered quitting show'AFP - Friday, May 29 Marcel Marceau auction raises $680,000AFP - Friday, May 29 Enlarge Photo Kavya Shivashankar celebrates with her father and sister after winning the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in Washington DC on May 28. Most of the spellers were from the United States, but teens and tweens had also come from China for the first time, as well as the Bahamas, Ghana, Guam, and South Korea. Most Popular – Entertainment Viewed Talent judge defends singing sensation Boyle Canada's governor eats raw seal heart World first: Japanese scientists create transgenic monkeys GM bankruptcy takes shape with US in driver's seat GM tweaks rescue plan as Chrysler back in court View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

Other News on Friday, 29 May 2009
Up to 35 insurgents killed in Afghanistan: officials
Russian 'Jungle Book' girl adapting to daily life
Blogging guru chips away at Great Firewall of China
Talent judge defends singing sensation Boyle
Time Warner to spin off ailing AOL
Blast at mosque in Iran's Zahedan kills 30: report | International |
Scores hurt as riots mar Barcelona celebrations
Iceland govt asks parliament to vote on EU membership
Israel dismisses US demand on settlements
Chatty Chavez begins Venezuelan talk-show marathon | International |
Mexican trains, trucks hijacked in new crime wave | International |
German unemployment rate falls to 8.2%
GM bankruptcy takes shape with US in charge
Lawmakers step down over British expenses scandal | International |
It's a girl: Thai zoo says panda cub is doing well
Seven charged with sectarian murder in Northern Ireland | International |
Obama to meet Palestinian leader Abbas
Verizon to sell Palm Pre, new BlackBerry Storm | Technology |
EU to study how Google Books impact authors | Technology |
Sony Ericsson unveils gesture gaming phone | Technology |
NYC police seek clues to explosion at Starbucks
OPEC holds output steady, sees economic recovery
Pakistan's forex reserves rise to $11.19 bln
S.Korea bank shares soar on hopes of M&A, lower capital
Wired South Korea mourns ex-president online
Judge says Boyle threatened to quit | Entertainment |
Family movies on way Up at box office | Entertainment |
Tom Sizemore arrested on drug warrant | Entertainment |
Depeche Mode singer has tumor removed | Entertainment |
DreamWorks to release five films every two years | Entertainment |
Indonesian court clears company, govt on mud disaster
Chatty Chavez begins Venezuelan talk-show marathon | Entertainment |
Just a Minute With: Japan's Oscar-winning Yojiro Takita | Entertainment |
Global newspaper sales inched up in 2008: industry body
Dutch city to close cannabis cafes near schools
Crisis hits iconic Christian Lacroix
Marcel Marceau auction raises $680,000
Italo renaissance sparks electro-music rethink
U.S. slams British press over report of abuse photos
Irish EU vote seen as litmus test
South Korea worries North may take more action | International |
Dell quarterly net profit down 63 percent
Blast at mosque in Iran's Zahedan kills 30
Bullish OPEC banks on demand bounce
Over 20,000 died in Sri Lanka rebels' defeat: report | International |
Future of newspapers is digital: Murdoch
Georgia struggles for EU's ear: president
Iran mosque bombing kills 19 worshippers: agency
GM bankruptcy takes shape with US in driver's seat
Weeping South Koreans pack streets for Roh's funeral | International |
Ancient eruption 'killed off world's sea life'
Microsoft unveils new Bing search engine
Up to 35 insurgents killed in Afghanistan: officials
Obama meets Abbas, presses Israel on settlements | International |
Israeli troops kill a Hamas leader in West Bank
Stem cell breakthrough gets closer to the clinic
Color Kindle 'multiple' years away: Amazon CEO
35 militants killed in Afghanistan: U.S. forces | International |
Nineteen die in Iran mosque bombing: governor | International |
Zhao's Chinese memoirs go on sale in Hong Kong | International |
Iraq leader vows to end corruption amid scandal
Big quake off Honduras kills 6, crumbles houses | International |
Victims recall U.S. abuse; other Iraqis shrug | International |
SKorea, US troops raise alert after NKorean threat
Deadly Pakistan blasts kill ten
Dalai Lama named honorary citizen of Warsaw
Obama meets Palestinian leader Abbas
Bombs and gun battle rock Pakistan's Peshawar
UN rights chief presses for Sri Lanka probe
Dell aspires to be top Asia PC brand by 2012 | Technology |
Myanmar slams foreign interference over Suu Kyi
Utah workers criticize voiding of drilling leases
Xbox 360 to show Sky live and on-demand programming | Technology |
Boulder cops say 3 dead in planned murder-suicide
Australia isolates ship, orders swine flu vaccine
Man pleads not guilty to killing Chandra Levy
Pakistan seeks English version of Mumbai evidence
Japanese industrial output up 5.2 percent in April
China to crack down on Internet bars: state media
S.Korean bonds edge up early, production data eyed
Seoul shares open higher; pressured by banks
Japanese consumer prices down 0.1 percent in April
AirAsia quarterly profits up 26 percent
Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui to raise up to $8.3 bln
Microsoft Rolling Out New Search Engine Called Bing
U.S. To Host Leaders Of G-20 At September Summit In Pennsylvania
Nobel Prize-Winning Viagra Maker Dies At 92
Florida Eyeing Bounty To Wipe Out Everglades Scourge
Britons see French as sexier, but less witty: poll
Leno move shakes up U.S. television | Entertainment |
H1N1 Flu Kills Illinois Man, Third Death In State
Singing sensation Susan Boyle 'considered quitting show'
Steve Martin hits U.S. chart with banjo music | Entertainment |
U.S. President Meets With Palestinian Authority President On Advancing Mideast Peace
One in 4 kids in US is Hispanic, not recent immigrant: report
Wall Street Rallies As Treasury Concerns Ease
Microsoft Hopes Bing Has Big Bang
Dr. Dre debuts Detox in Dr. Pepper ad | Entertainment |
FDA OKs New Ankle Prosthesis
Producer recruiting military for film projects | Entertainment |
New Low Cost Airline Offers Nine Dollar Flights
Tom Sizemore arrested on drug warrant | Entertainment |
Spielberg's Tintin to unspool in late 2011 | Entertainment |
Cheap Trick selling new album online | Entertainment |
Captain and Somali pirates set to go Hollywood | Entertainment |
Rihanna to testify in Brown case | Entertainment |
Russia, Belarus talks end in 'scandal': press
Death toll from Iran mosque bomb up to 23: reports
Opel future in the balance as bidders stall
Myanmar's Suu Kyi ill, court delays trial | International |
Book-burning row clouds Egypt's bid for UNESCO job
'Old woman' wows China's Pop Idol clone: report
Warships block vessel from rebel-held Somali port | International |
GM tweaks rescue plan as Chrysler back in court
Cyclone strands millions in India and Bangladesh | International |
Countries destroying cluster bomb stockpiles: report | International |
Iran official says mosque bombers hired by US
12 face federal human trafficking charges
White House downplays North Korea's threats
Clinton warns N. Korea against belligerent actions
Six Wounded After Rap Group Opens Fire At Austin Nightclub
Court Upholds Taking DNA Samples From Indicted Federal Felons
Court upholds 'not guilty' ruling on ex-Samsung boss
Concluding A 60-Day Review, Obama Bolsters National Security With Cyber Czar Position
Asia, Middle East to boost defence spend: Boeing
Obama Administration Orders Year-Long Ban On Roadless Forest Activities
S.Korea output rising but no sign of recovery
U.S. Economy Shows Sign Of Recovery As It Contracts By 5.7% In First Quarter
Seoul shares up led by techs, autos; banks fall
NZ dollar sits at highs after budget; bonds gain
Major Newspapers Hold Unpublicized Meeting In Chicago
Nader: McAuliffe Tried To Bribe Me In 2004
Pakistani c.bank buys back 21.4 bln rupees of bills
Insider Poll Says Republicans Shouldn't Block Sotomayor's Appointment
Burris Blames State Impeachment Panel For Not Asking About Wiretapped Call
Update: Tropical Depression 1 Steers Clear Of Land
China: green rules for overseas investors
Geithner to reassure China on investment
Ebbing violence heralds IT boom in Indian-Kashmir
Leno move shakes up U.S. television | Entertainment |
Congress party allots flats to Slumdog child stars | Entertainment |
S.Korea's pension fund to cut U.S. bond holdings
Internet sensation Boyle bids to win TV show final | Entertainment |
At National Bee, kids vie to be US best speller
Music producer Spector faces sentencing for murder
Victims slam govt over Indonesia's mud volcano
Tough anti-smoking measures split Croatia
Hungarian towns in horse race to attract tourists
New Low Cost Airline Offers Flights Under $10
Florida Eyes Bounty To Wipe Out Everglades' Slithering Scourge
Microsoft Dubs New Search Engine 'Bing'
Survey: Men, Women Average 30 Minutes Daily Or 8 Days A Year In Bathroom
Japanese Scientists Create First Transgenic Monkeys With Skin That Glows Green
Winner Of $232M Powerball Jackpot From Winner, S. Dakota
Canada's Governor General Defends Her Act Of Eating Raw Seal Heart
Maryland Saves Turtles And Gas By Enlisting Goats To Trim Grasses
Courtney Love Owes Over $300,000 To American Express For Credit Card Debt
Sienna Miller Was "Terrified" Of Handling Guns When Filming Her New Film "GI Joe"
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01