OWLs on the Air
CQ CQ CQ Calling all OWL agents. This is Hemmingway, OWL Communications Officer. OWLs, as you may know, communicate by a series of what you might call "hoots". We can communicate very long distances, as you can plainly hear if you listen for us at night. However, it seems that the OWL language is a bit tricky for people to understand. For example HOOT means "hello" and HOOT means "I have just caught a nice juicy mouse down by the river near the large rock". What is so hard to understand about that, I ask you? Anyway, The Professor wants me to find a way to communicate to OWL agents all around the world; even in places where there are none of your annoying telephone wires or mobile phone towers. At first I thought this was quite impossible, but then I found that some people actually do it all the time with little more than a "squawk box" and a piece of wire. Strangely it is called "pork radio", err no, "ham radio". So from now on OWL agents will be able to communicate to all parts of the world "on the air" and not just through the air. Bravo! Now, listen carefully, here is how it works:
- First an adult OWL agent will set up a squawk box at your school or mobile library.
- Then, when the blessed thing is turned on, you will be able to talk to other children from heaven knows where. Of course it will be a complete surprise!
- Children can take it in turns asking each other questions like:
- Do you live in the city or the country?
- Do you eat juicy mice?
- Have you read any really good books lately?
- What do you do for fun after school?
Well what could be more interesting that talking to other OWL agents without hooting at the top of your voice?