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RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Palmerston North intermediate school kids gunning for world literature quiz title
Back, from left, is Hridaansh Chettri, coach Lynette Collis and Yahli Klein. Front, Annabelle Godfrey, left, and Avon Pan. Photo: RNZ/Jimmy Ellingham It's a typical weekday afternoon at Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School's library. But among the smattering of pupils browsing the shelves sits a focused group of four bright young minds who have their eyes on a world title. The school team is off to the World Kids' Lit Quiz in Johannesburg, South Africa, in just under a fortnight after sweeping through the regional and national quizzes. There, they'll face schools from the likes of the US, Australia and Indonesia. The format for the world quiz is like a game show, where the first team to buzz in and correctly answer secures the points. They could be asked about anything, from nursery rhymes to young adult fiction. When RNZ visited the team of 13-year-old Annabelle Godfrey and 12-year-olds Avon Pan, Hridaansh Chettri and Yahli Klein were getting put through the paces by coach and school librarian Lynette Collis. She asked about authors and books, and used YouTube videos for quiz training sessions. Avon said there was a lot of knowledge to retain. "It just gets ingrained into your head. If you've read a book and it's from your childhood you just memorise it and it's in your head for life. "If there's a specific book that we need to learn about we try to remember the author and, mostly, everything in it." The team members all have different areas of expertise - for Hridaansh, it's authors. "I've been making flash cards and trying to memorise dates and their previous hobbies and stuff like that, because there's always going to be an authors round and a titles round in the quiz." The rest is uncertain. The quiz itself takes up only one day of their trip, on 13 August. The rest of the time they'll get to look around Johannesburg and experience the local culture. It's a reward for the hard work they're putting in now. "We read a lot of books. We also do questions about each one. I'd say on average we probably read three or four books a week," Yahli said. "Whenever I have time I just read as many books as I can and just go through it and try to memorise everything. That's probably two or three books a day, if I have time, in the evening," Avon said. That's on top of the regular training sessions with Collis. "I think they've been reading their whole life and they are ready for it right now," she said. "If we had to do a quiz tomorrow they'd be ready because they will have either read the books or they won't have read the books, so as long as they have fun they're going to be amazing." She said the team's success had created a buzz around the school. And in an age where as many as 40 percent of young adult New Zealanders don't like reading , Annabelle said people should just give it a go. "Reading lets your perspective shift from the real world to anywhere you want it to. That's why I'd recommend it over watching a video, and normally you can't find videos that are really high fantasy like I read." Yahli said she didn't used to like reading, but that changed once she picked up a book. Annabelle said she also liked writing fiction, and the other teams members liked putting pen to paper too, although for Avon getting there was a process. "When I was younger I absolutely despised writing. It was my greatest enemy. I couldn't think of any ideas," she said. "When I got into reading a lot of books I got more ideas and a wide spread of imagination." For now, they're concentrating on reading, and despite the expectation of a world tournament Hridaansh said training hadn't dimmed his love of the printed word. "If anything it made me want to read more because usually I feel like life gets in the way - you have all this other stuff you do as well as reading, so it's not a priority. "But, going into this competition gives you a purpose to read." School principal Hamish Ruawai said he would follow the team's progress from afar, as would other pupils at the school. "One of the lucky things we have at our school is our library, which the board commits a lot of funding to. "It's great to have books in front of you. That's the way to go." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- RNZ News
Hymns on Sunday, 3 August 2025
Arthur Sullivan was the music half of the successful theatrical partnership, Gilbert and Sullivan. Alongside those catchy songs from Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore, he also wrote hymn tunes. You can hear one this week, paired with words by poet Christopher Wordsworth (nephew of William). St Mary of the Angels Church, Boulcott St, Wellington Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ) Words/Music: Charles Wesley/Thomas Campbell Recording: Marquis MAR 175 And can it be that I should gain An int'rest in the Saviour's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? [ Repeat last two lines ] Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [ Repeat last two lines ] No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [ Repeat last two lines ] Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ) Words/Music: Francis Pott/Edwin Monk Recording: Hyperion 112121 Angel voices ever singing round Thy throne of light, angel harps, forever ringing, rest not day nor night; thousands only live to bless Thee and confess thee Lord of might. Thou who art beyond the farthest mortal eye can scan, can it be that Thou regardest songs of sinful man? Can we know that Thou art near us and wilt hear us? Yea, we can. Yea, we know Thy love rejoices o'er each work of Thine; Thou didst ears and hands and voices for Thy praise design; craftsman's art and music's measure for Thy pleasure all combine. Honor, glory, might, and merit Thine shall ever be, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, blessed Trinity: of the best that Thou hast given earth and heaven render Thee. Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ) Words/Music: Christopher Wordsworth/Arthur Sullivan Recording: Hyperion 112102 Alleluia! Alleluia! Hearts to heaven and voices raise: Sing to God a hymn of gladness, Sing to God a hymn of praise: He, who on the cross a victim, For the world's salvation bled, Jesus Christ, the King of glory, Now is risen from the dead. Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits Of the holy harvest-field, Which will all its full abundance At His second coming yield: Then the golden ears of harvest Will their heads before Him wave, Ripened by His glorious sunshine From the furrows of the grave. Christ is risen, we are risen! Shed upon us heavenly grace, Rain and dew and gleams of glory From the brightness of Thy face: That we, with our hearts in heaven, Here on earth may fruitful be, And by angel-hands be gathered, And be ever, Lord, with Thee. Alleluia! Alleluia! Glory be to God on high; Alleluia to the Saviour Who has gained the victory; Alleluia to the Spirit, Fount of love and sanctity; Alleluia! Alleluia! To the Triune Majesty. Artist: Choir of Gloucester Cathedral Composer: John Mason Neale/Henry Smart Album: Priory PRCD 704 Stars of the morning, so gloriously bright, filled with celestial resplendence and light, these that, where night never followeth day, raise the Trisagion ever and aye. These are thy ministers, these dost thou own, Lord God of Sabaoth, nearest thy throne; these are thy ministers, these dost thou send, Help of the helpless ones! man to defend. These keep the guard amidst Salem's dear bowers, Thrones, principalities, virtues and powers, where, with the living ones, mystical four, Cherubim, seraphim, bow and adore. Then, when the earth was first poised in mid space, then, when the planets first sped on their race, then, when were ended the six days' employ, then all the sons of God shouted for joy. Still let them succour us; still let them fight, Lord of angelic hosts, battling for right; Till, where their anthems they ceaselessly pour, We with the angels may bow and adore. Artist: Choir of Truro Cathedral, Andrew Nethsingha (dir), Christopher Gray (organ) Words/Music: Psalm 23 paraphrased Herbert/attrib Collignon Recording: Priory PRCD 710 The God of love my Shepherd is, And He that doth me feed; While He is mine and I am His, What can I want or need? He leads me to the tender grass, Where I both feed and rest; Then to the streams that gently pass: In both I have the best. Or if I stray, He doth convert, And bring my mind in frame, And all this not for my desert, But for His holy name. Yea, in death's shady black abode Well may I walk, not fear; For Thou art with me, and Thy rod To guard, Thy staff to bear. Surely Thy sweet and wondrous love Shall measure all my days; And as it never shall remove So neither shall my praise. Artist: Otago Girls' High School Choir Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Colin Gibson Recording: Private CD812 Our life has its seasons, and God has the reasons why spring follows winter, and new leaves grow, for there's a connection with our resurrection that flowers will bud after frost and snow. Refrain: So there's never a time to stop believing, there's never a time for hope to die, there's never a time to stop loving, these three things go on. There's a time to be planting, a time to be plucking, a time to be laughing, a time to weep, a time to be building, a time to be breaking, a time to be waking, a time to sleep. Refrain There's a time to be hurting, a time to be healing, a time to be saving, a time to spend, a time to be grieving, a time to be dancing, a time for beginning, a time to end. Refrain Artist: American BoyChoir Words/Music: Daniel Schutte Recording: Albermarle Records 2019 I, the lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save. I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send? Refrain Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. I, the lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people's pain. I have wept for love of them. They turn away. I will break their hearts of stone, Give them hearts for love alone. I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send? Refrain I the lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame. I will set a feast for them. My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide Till their hearts be satisfied. I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? Refrain Artist: Choirs of Knox Church and Knox College, Dunedin Words/Music: Graham Maule, John Bell/Trad Recording: Praise Be CD Lord Jesus Christ shall I stand still And stare at You hung on the tree Or shall I move to where You move And die and live again for me Shall I to sin and failure cling Consorting with the guilt I hate Or on Your shoulders shall I fling The wrong I breed and contemplate. Shall I Your story read and tell To note Your mark on history Or shall I make Your story mine And live by faith and mystery Shall I embrace the love You show And covet this sweet holy thing Or of that love shall my heart speak My hands relate my being sing. Shall I retreat from where You fall And seek a safer path through life Or shall I meet You in the world Where peace is scarce injustice rife Lord Jesus Christ the God who lives To love and die and rise again Make me the who, and You the why Your way the how, and now the when.
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ Live: Greta O'Leary is live in studio
Anticipation has been hotly building for Greta's debut album after a couple of her singles made a big splash last year, both reaching #1 on the Student Radio Network Top 10. The record arrived in May, it's called 'River Dark'. And now she's going on tour, playing 8 shows around the North Island starting August 16th in Auckland.
