Golf tournament hit by rain

The Ryder Cup golf tournament became big news this week when huge amounts of rain disrupted play. For the first time in its 83-year history, the US versus Europe tournament had to be played over four days rather than three.

More than half of the average rainfall for one month fell in just three days over the golf course in Wales, and there were problems with the waterproof clothes worn by the American golfers. Just over two inches of rain (5.2cm) fell, turning the course to mud and puddles.

However, many people have pointed out that the tournament is usually held in September. They say that staging the Ryder Cup in Wales (a rainy part of the UK) in October (a rainy month) means problems were likely.

The tournament was won by the European golfers.

Political row over money for children

For decades, parents in the UK have been paid money every week for each child they have. Child benefit is paid to every mother no matter how rich or poor the family is.

This week the Chancellor, George Osborne, announced that some families would not get child benefit any more. There is a huge row about this.

One problem is that the benefit will not be paid if either the mother or the father is earning more than GBP 44,000 a year. But it will be paid if both parents are earning less than this. So some families earning up to GBP 86,000 a year will still get child benefit while others earning GBP 44,000 will not.

People think this is unfair to mothers who choose to stay at home and care for their children rather than going to work.

Bestselling book full of mistakes

The Corrections, by American writer Jonathan Franzen, came out in the UK last week. The book has been described as "the novel of the century" by one newspaper in the United States, and UK readers were keen to read it too.

Mr Franzen has been signing copies of his novel in British bookshops – and was horrified to find that it contained spelling mistakes and other problems he had corrected. He said "hundreds" of changes had been made, and asked fans not to read this version of his book.

It turned out that the wrong version of the book had been sent to the printers in the UK. It was an uncorrected version, and 80,000 copies were printed. Many of these will now be pulped.

Now the publisher is reprinting the book without mistakes.

Ballroom dancing back on TV

One of the most popular British TV shows has just started again.

Strictly Come Dancing is a competition held over many weeks in which well-known people learn how to do ballroom dancing with professionals.

Each week, the competitors have to perform a new routine in front of judges. Viewers also vote on who should leave the competition each week.

This year's dancers include a 72-year-old magician, a rugby player, a much-loved actress in her 60s and a sex therapist.

Some of the most popular people on the show in previous years have been some who are very bad at dancing but enjoy themselves. The viewers like to keep these contestants in the show, perhaps to annoy the judges.

by Susan Young
susan@englishuk.com