Notes:
emperor penguin コウテイペンギン；
lay an egg 卵を産む；
hatch (ひなが）かえる；
brave 勇敢な
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On the evening of Father’s Day in 2014, there was a TV special on the greatest fathers in the world. The emperor penguins probably have the hardest job: when the female lays the egg, she leaves the male to look after it. The male has to spend two months without eating, just keeping the egg warm until the baby hatches. The African bull frog is probably the bravest father: he fights with snakes and even cows if they get near his eggs. The gorilla is probably the gentlest father. He takes care of several females and all their babies, even ones that are handicapped. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)

Notes:
the Persian Empire ペルシア帝国
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May 9 is “Ice Cream Day” in Japan. It started in Japan in 1965, but the first ice cream was sold in Japan much earlier, about 100 years ago. I thought ice cream was something modern. However, the history of ice cream may go back 2,500 years to the Persian Empire. The Chinese seem to have eaten a kind of ice dessert for over 1,000 years. For most of history, ice cream was a dessert for rich and powerful people. Then, someone started selling it at a station in Britain in the 1800s. Now, it is popular around the world, a favorite dessert. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)