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Letter of the week

FLOWER POWER

What can you do with a 30-foot flower? You can�t keep it in a little flowerpot, that�s for sure. However, scientists say that there are many uses for the sunflower, which has been known to grow as tall as 30 feet.

Native Americans have been using this plant as a source of nutrition for years. Only recently have others been realising its value. The seeds of the sunflowers are high in proteins, calcium and vitamin D. Birds love these seeds, as do many people. Grinding the seeds makes a delicious flour and oil can be obtained from the seeds and used for cooking. The stems can be used to make paper, fuel or even sliced in a salad.

A red rose may be more beautiful and romantic, but it doesn�t have nearly as many uses as the sunflower.

Phloyphlailin Panmongkol, Roi Et

Actually, Phloyphlailin, the tallest sunflower � according to the Guinness Book of World Records � was 25 feet and 5 inches high and grew in Holland. You�re right that the plant has many uses, although I doubt many girls would want a bunch of 30-foot sunflowers on Valentine�s Day rather than roses. I could be wrong, of course. � Editor

HORSING AROUND

Hi my name is Nuttapol Hemsiri and I�m in Matayom 2. I wrote this letter to tell you about horses. I love horses very much and I think they are smart animals. I have a small stable at my house so I can ride horses every evening when I come home. My horses� names are Jacky, Bond and Harry. My dad bought them from Malaysia and they are taller than Thai horses. Horse riding is a good hobby and is also a good sport, too. If you have free time, please come to my house and enjoy horse riding.

Nuttapol Hemsiri, Songkhla

I used to be a keen horse rider, Nuttapol, although I don�t think that there are many Thai horses that would be big enough for me. As to whether horses are smart animals, would you let someone sit on your back and kick you to make you move? � Editor

WHAT DANGER?

There are many festivals in Thailand such as Songkran, and each festival carries with it the identity of Thailand. People have fun and like these festivals so much. Songkran is about throwing water at other people. Why? Because Songkran festival is in the summer and the summer in Thailand is very hot.

Songkran is also Thailand�s New Year festival. On these days, people should go to visit their birthplace. It is so much fun and I like it so much because I like throwing water at other people. In my opinion, this festival is not really a dangerous festival, but sometimes people use water guns to shoot water far away and it can hit people hard. These people can get hurt and it�s not fun, so we should be careful when we play and enjoy ourselves.

Natdanai Urairat, Songkhla

My opinions are divided on this issue. I agree that it�s nice to get wet and have a good time during Songkran as long as you dress in old clothes. However, I would say that it is a dangerous festival as there are so many deaths, and the toll rises every year. More cars on the roads, more people drink-driving and fewer people celebrating Songkran rather than just having water fights isn�t such a good thing. � Editor

IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY...

Did you ever fall in love with somebody? What do you think about the meaning of this word?

Some people think love makes you blind. I don�t know why, but I think love makes the world a pink colour. Love is a beautiful thing � when you fall in love, everything is good and perfect. Sometimes people can�t say �I love you� to someone else because they are afraid and shy. But when you know that somebody loves you, yet you don�t say you love them, it makes that person sad.

I think everybody has love such as love for their parents and friends, but love shouldn�t make you frustrated.

Saowarat Ruengkhanab Woranari Chaloem School, Songkhla

Love can truly make you blind, Saowarat. Have you noticed that when people first fall in love, they only see the good things in the other person? They are often blind to their partner�s faults and only see them when they have been with that person for some time. That�s a natural part of being with in a relationship with someone. However, I do agree that if you love someone, you should tell them. � Editor

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