Romy News - 24 February 2024

Hello, it’s Romy! Welcome to the weekend episode of “Romy’s News”! Today is Saturday, and we have lots of cool things to discover together.

First, we’ll talk about Félix Lebrun, our table tennis champion, who is facing a big challenge. Then, we’ll unravel a mystery: why do we sneeze? And finally, we’ll dive into the magical world of painting with the Impressionists.

So, are you ready for an adventure full of surprises? Let’s go!

We start with a story that will blow your mind! Our French table tennis team did something amazing! On February 24th, at the World Championships, they defeated Taiwan and now they are going to play against China in the final. Félix Lebrun, a table tennis ace, led the French team to this incredible victory in the semi-finals.

You must be wondering who this Félix Lebrun is? Félix is a young table tennis champion, super strong, with many victories under his belt. He is climbing quickly in the world rankings and he is only 16 years old! Yes, you heard that right, 16 years old! Wow!

Félix has a brother, Alexis, who is also a star in table tennis. Together, they form a dynamic duo. Alexis, who is 19 years old, plays with Félix in the French team, and they give it their all to win.

So, why is it so special to be in the final? It’s been 27 years since France last did it! An eternity! Well, now it’s a real challenge that the Lebrun brothers will have to face against China. China is the giant of this sport, they have won the World Championships 10 times in a row! Oh guys, give others a chance to win! … But our team has shown that they can dream big, so I believe in them!

Did you know that there are other famous siblings in French sports? Like the Karabatic brothers in handball, the Hernandez brothers in soccer, and the Manaudou siblings in swimming. They all show that when you are with family, you can go further.

So, don’t forget to support our team during the final. It’s a historic moment for sports in France. And you, who would you like to team up with to achieve something amazing? I would love to have a brother or sister to share my victories… and my candies! …

We have just talked about our amazing table tennis players, and now we will answer a very interesting question. It’s a question from Alice, who is 9 years old and lives in Rennes. She asks us: “Why do we sneeze?” So, buckle up, we’re diving into the mystery of our bodies.

Have you ever sneezed so loud that everyone turned around? It’s because your body is doing a big clean-up. A sneeze is your body expelling air super quickly to get rid of things it doesn’t like in your nose, like tiny specks of dust or flower petals.

Often, it’s also because something tickles the inside of your nose. It could be dust, animal fur, or even cold air. Your nose works very hard to keep your body healthy by stopping these intruders from going any further.

Sneezing is a way for your nose to say “Out!” to germs and particles we don’t want. It’s like your nose is the guardian of your body, making sure nothing bad enters.

Did you know that a sneeze can go super fast, over 100 km/h? Wow! And you know, there are people who sneeze just by looking at the sun! Isn’t that amazing?

Our bodies do amazing things to keep us healthy. So, think for a moment: when you sneeze, what is your body trying to get rid of? And how do you sneeze? I try to keep it discreet, but sometimes I sound like a fireworks show! Talk about subtle! …

After exploring the mystery of sneezing, let’s now dive into a completely different world, full of colors and light. I invite you to discover with me an artistic movement that has completely transformed painting: Impressionism. It’s like opening a window to a new artistic world!

Impressionism is like trying to capture a dream on a canvas. The artists of this movement, which began in the 1870s, often painted outdoors to capture the play of light and the changing colors of nature. They wanted to show how a specific moment, with its light and colors, made them feel.

These painters used small brushstrokes to create their paintings. Up close, you would see lots of tiny dots or short lines of colors. But if you step back, these strokes blend together to form a lively image, like a captured moment.

Among these artists, there are names you may have already heard of: Claude Monet, with his incredible painting “Impression, Sunrise”, which even gave the movement its name; Vincent van Gogh, whose canvases seem to vibrate with energy; Pierre-Auguste Renoir, who painted joyful and bright scenes; and Camille Pissarro, a bit like the wise one of the group, who liked to paint scenes of everyday life.

At the time, many people found these paintings strange. They didn’t resemble the “serious” art they knew. But the Impressionists opened a new window to the world, showing that art can be a personal impression, a moment captured with emotion.

I challenge you to look around you and imagine how you would paint what you see with small touches of color, like an Impressionist. Maybe next time you draw, you can try to capture not only what you see, but also what you feel.

To conclude, remember that Impressionism teaches us to see the world in a new and colorful way. And if you feel inspired, why not try to create your own Impressionist masterpiece? You could even start by drawing your snack with lots of small touches of color. Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover the next great artist in you… just by looking at your sandwich!

—- And there you have it, the end of our artistic adventure today. I’m going to take what we learned with the Impressionists and go soak in some sunshine and play outside. It makes me want to see the colors and light around me, a bit like Monet would have done.

If you missed any episodes this week, now’s the perfect time to listen to them with your parents. You could discover together lots of interesting and fun things.

I wish you a wonderful Sunday, filled with games, discoveries, and maybe even some artistic moments. See you on Monday for new adventures on “Romy’s News”. Until then, have fun and take care of yourself. See you on Monday! And remember… Curiosity doesn’t wait!