Any Questions - Popular Topics RSS

NCEA exam papers

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:49:51 GMT

Where can I find old exam papers for NCEA?

External assements - including exams - are available from the NZQA site. This is the link for the subject resources page. You will find exam papers (external), exemplars (real answers, with comments about why it was marked like that), and lots of other information.

Remember, websites change all the time - so the links we have now may be different in a couple of months! Just let us know in the comments.

HOT TIP: try your local library, or school library, as they may have some printed out for you. A list of New Zealand public libraries (those with websites) is available at the National Libraries' directory of New Zealand libraries.

We also have tips on finding exam papers for IB.

Board Games

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:25:15 GMT

How do you make board games?

LEVEL: Primary/Intermediate

A search engine is a good place to start for this type of question. You can pick your favorite search engine and choose some search words (these are the most important words in your question). We used Google, with the search words “making board games”.

HOT TIP: Look for addresses in the results that have .edu in the URL. These are quality sites from educational institutions such as universities.

One educational website we found was Making Your Own Board Games. This site doesn’t have any pictures, but has useful tips, and tells you how to make ancient Viking and Egyptian board games too!

Another website we liked from our google search was an online Board Game Maker that lets you make your own board games on your computer and then print them out. The website is designed for teachers, but it’s easy to use and has lots of themes to choose from.

A Wikihow website also came up in our search, with easy to follow instructions for designing your own board game.

HOT TIP: You have to be careful with Wiki sites, because anyone can put information there. In this case, the entry is someone sharing how they made something, so it is likely to be helpful. It’s generally a good idea to compare the information you get from Wiki with information from other websites and books.

ANZAC poetry

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:40:12 GMT

What poems are read at ANZAC Day?

Level: Intermediate / Secondary

A search using the key words poppies ANZAC poem in a general search engine like Google will find some good results. The New Zealand History Online website has some great info (including the answer to this question). The Anzac site has a Typical Order of Ceremony for an Anzac service.

For the other famous poem that is read at ANZAC day services search using the key words For the Fallen.

HOT TIP: For more information on ANZAC Day and its traditions, check out our answer for ANZAC Day too.

Newton's third law of motion (experiments)

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:13:16 GMT

How can I explain Newton's third law (that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction) in a simple demonstration?

We recommend using the search engine dogpile to find some good websites. Dogpile searches using 'natural language' so you can just type your question into the search box.

HOT TIP: Dogpile suggests other possible searches to try under Are you looking for? (on the right hand side of the page). Sometimes this is great for narrowing down or expanding your topic if you are not finding what you want. When looking at your results list, try to avoid the links which say "sponsored link". These are usually trying to make money or sell you something. They may have some useful info, but try other websites first.

Try the keywords demonstrate Newton's third law. There are lots of options but we quite liked Swift's Newton's 3rd law site.

One of the sites we often use for science-type questions is How Stuff Works - and they have a whole section on Newton's laws.

HOT TIP: Check out our ManyAnswers entry on Science Fair Projects for more great links!

Selling New Zealand land

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:39:19 GMT

Should NZ land be sold to foreigners?

Level: Secondary

This question could mean either:

1. the sale of public land (e.g. rivers and beaches) to overseas businesses, or
2. the selling of private land (e.g. a house and section) to someone who is not from New Zealand.

We will be looking at the first meaning, a question which has been hotly debated in the lead up to the 2011 general election.

The selling of public land (or anything else owned by the New Zealand Government) is often called the "sale of state assets". The NZ Government Treasury website has a useful page explaining what is currently owned by the Government. It also includes a brief history of sales of state assets in New Zealand.

There are lots of newspaper articles with different viewpoints on the Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre (available through the EPIC databases.) Simply search for "asset sales new zealand" or "asset sales elections".

HOT TIP: To get to the EPIC databases you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can log on to AnyQuestions.co.nz between 1 and 6pm Monday to Friday and one of the librarians can help you online.

HOT TIP: Check out our other entries on the New Zealand general election 2011.

Sir Apirana Ngata

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:19:25 GMT

What did Sir Apirana Ngata do in his life?

LEVEL: Intermediate / Secondary

Hot tip: we use the online Dictionary of NZ Biography. It has a good article on Sir Apirana Ngata's life.

There's also some information on Te Ara from the 1966 Encyclopedia. If you want more information about Sir Apirana Ngata - you could try some of these articles on Te Ara, found doing a search on the site.

We also like the article on the NZHistory.net.nz site on Sir Apirana Ngata.

Wikipedia also has an article on Sir Apirana Ngata - but remember, anyone can add information on Wikipedia - so it's always a good idea to check with other sources, like the Dictionary of NZ Biography and Te Ara, as they are both really reliable and trustworthy sources of information.

Need more info? Check out our ManyAnswers entry on finding biographical information.

Louis Sachar (author)

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:16:29 GMT

How long did it take Louis Sachar to write the book Holes?

Level: Intermediate

Many authors have their own websites including Louis Sachar. From his homepage you can click on Holes: The Book. There's a very useful Q&A section which has more about writing this book (including how long it took).

HOT TIP: If you want to find an author's website you could try these things:

Just type their name into a search engine. Often it will come up at the top of the results list!
If there are too many websites (which there might be if the author is very famous) you can also add the words official site onto your search e.g. J.K. Rowling + official site
Sometimes the publisher of an author will also have some great info and interviews at their site - so look for publishers names in the URL address.
To find information about New Zealand authors, such as V.M. Jones - check out the NZ Book Council site. You can select the authors name from the alphabetical list.

How many kids are there in the world?

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:39:17 GMT

Right now how many kids are there around the world?

LEVEL: Primary / Intermediate

We thought this was a really interesting question! But, it all depends on what you mean by 'kids' - we thought about it and decided to search Google for world population under 18.

Some of the sites we found are:

Wikipedia: World population - scroll down for demographics of youth. Remember, anyone can edit wikipedia, so you have to check the information found there against other sites and books.
Population Reference Bureau - scroll down the list for relevant entries, like population age <15 or Youth Ages

For New Zealand information, check out the People page at Statistics New Zealand.

Pukeko

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:46:27 GMT

Pukeko

Level: Primary / Intermediate

Pukeko is a Māori name for a fascinating New Zealand bird sometimes known as a Swamp Hen. The Pukeko is a bird and a member of the Rail Family. There are some excellent sites to find all sorts of information about the Pukeko:

Department of Conservation is a good place to start. From their home page, use the search box and type in the word Pukeko. Click on the first link that comes up called: Pukeko: Wetland bird. It gives you a short overview and links to other pages such as Facts about Pukeko and Threats to Pukeko.

Te Ara: the Encyclopedia of New Zealand is also very worthwhile having a look at. From their home page, use the search box and type in the word Pukeko. Click on the first link that comes up called: Pukeko and Australian coots. This takes you to part of a story on Wetland birds which includes the Pukeko and other New Zealand birds that live in a similar habitat.

HOT TIP: We chose these sites because they’re either from a government organisation (Ministry or Council) OR a reputable organisation. You can tell this by their web address – they have either .org or .govt in their address. They’re also New Zealand sites, so relevant for us.

Another good site to look at is New Zealand Birds. Once again, from their home page, use the search box and type in the word Pukeko. Click on the first link that comes up called: New Zealand Birds / Birds / Gallery / Pukeko, Porphyrio porphyrio. This sends you to a page with a large amount of text on it. There are facts, history, diet, habitat and general info on the Pukeko.

HOT TIP: Check out some of our other pages on ManyAnswers on New Zealand birds: Penguins, Kiwi and Takahe.

Hone Heke chopping down the flagpole

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 11:54:30 GMT

Did Hone Heke cut down the flag pole and if he did then why?

Level: Intermediate / Secondary

There is information about Hone Heke and the flagpole on the Christchurch City Libraries site. (Scroll to the bottom of that page to read about Hone Heke).

The Te Ara encyclopedia also has some information about Hone Heke and his area, and a more detailed biography. The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography also has an extensive biography.

NZHistorynet also has some information and images.

HOT TIP: Also check out our entries on the Treaty of Waitangi for more links.