Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

trees.

There are about 180 species, or types, of

woodpecker. They include the birds

called flickers and sapsuckers.Woodpeckers

look like songbirds in many

ways. But scientists classify woodpeckers

in a different grouping, the order Piciformes.

They are related to toucans.

Woodpeckers live nearly all over the

world. They are most common in South

America and Southeast Asia.

Woodpeckers vary in length from about

6 to 18 inches (15 to 46 centimeters).

They are often black and white with

patches of red or yellow on the head.

Most woodpeckers fly with short

swoops. Each of their feet has two toes

pointing forward and two toes pointing

backward. This helps the birds cling to

tree trunks. The strong, rigid tail feathers

help the bird hold itself against the

tree. The long, sticky tongue helps the

bird trap insects.

Most woodpeckers eat insects found in

tree bark. The bird uses its bill to tap

holes into the bark. This normally does

not hurt the trees. In fact, woodpeckers

eat insects that are harmful to trees.

Some kinds also eat fruit. Sapsuckers

also feed on sap, a liquid made by trees.

Flickers eat mainly ants on the ground.

Woodpeckers are usually silent, except

in spring. Then males call loudly and

drum on hollow wood or even metal.

This warns other males to stay away.

#More to explore

Bird • Songbird

Woods, Tiger

The U.S. golfer TigerWoods achieved

outstanding success at his sport. He

began winning golf championships at a

very young age. He was just 21 when he

first won the Masters Tournament, in

1997.

Woods was born on December 30,

1975, in Cypress, California. His father

was African American, and his mother

was from Thailand. His first name is

Eldrick. His father gave him the nickname

Tiger.

Woods first picked up a golf club at the

age of 18 months. He won more than

Tiger Woods watches the golf

ball he has just hit as it moves

closer and closer to the hole.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Woods, Tiger 59

 

30 junior tournaments before becoming

a teenager. At age 15,Woods won his

first of three U.S. Junior Amateur titles.

He then won three U.S. Men’s Amateur

titles.

Woods went to college at Stanford University

in California. While he was there

he became the national college champion.

Soon afterward he decided to

become a professional (paid) golfer.

The four most important golf tournaments

are the Masters, the Professional

Golfers’ Association (PGA) championship,

the U.S. Open, and the British

Open.Winning all four during one’s

career is known as a Grand Slam. In

2000Woods became only the fifth

player in golf history to complete a

Grand Slam. At age 24, he was also the

youngest.

Because he was so successful, several

companies paidWoods to advertise their

products. He used some of this money

to form a charity to help children.

#More to explore

Golf

World Music

The term world music describes types of

music that come from places other than

the United States or Great Britain.

Therefore, the singers of world music

often do not sing in English. But world

music is not just one style of music. Different

types of music from Africa, Asia,

South America, the Caribbean islands,

and Europe all can be called world

music.

The first popular examples of world

music came from Africa in the 1980s.

One of the early African world music

stars was King Sunny Ade, from Nigeria.

He led a large band that included guitars,

drums, and singers. The style was

new to people outside Africa, and his

records sold well.

Record companies soon began selling

more and more world music. Fans liked

it because it was different from other

styles of popular music. It allowed them

to hear music from cultures very different

from their own. Some U.S. rock

musicians, including David Byrne and

Paul Simon, began working with musicians

from other countries. In 1990 the

music magazine Billboard started a

world music chart—a list of the topselling

world music albums. In 1991 the

first Grammy awards for world music

were given.

Tiger Woods

won six

straight golf

tournaments in

1999–2000.

This was the

second-longest

winning streak

in professional

golf history.

African musician Youssou N’Dour, from

Senegal, sings at the Montreux Jazz Festival

in Switzerland.

60 World Music BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Popular world music performers have

included Cesaria Evora, from Cape

Verde; Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, from

Pakistan; and Youssou N’Dour, from

Senegal. The Gipsy Kings, from France,

and the Buena Vista Social Club, from

Cuba, were popular world music groups.

#More to explore

Music • Popular Music

WorldWar I

WorldWar I lasted from 1914 to 1918.

It was known at first as the GreatWar

and theWar to End AllWars. It was the

largest war that the world had seen up to

that time. Most of the battles took place

in Europe and the Middle East. More

than 8 million soldiers and sailors died,

and more than 20 million were injured.

The war was so bad that many people

thought no one would ever start another

war. However, the results ofWorldWar

I helped to causeWorldWar II, which

broke out in 1939.

War Breaks Out

A murder in the city of Sarajevo led to

the war. Sarajevo was the capital of Bosnia,

a region of the Austro-Hungarian