An ancient cave interests scientists

At the base of a hill in South Africa, a cluster of huge stones marks the entrance to one of humanity's oldest known dwelling places. In fact, humans have (1) ................... Wonderwerk Cave for 2 million years - most recently in the early 1900s, when a farming family (2) ................... it their home. Wonderwerk holds another distinction as well: the cave contains the earliest (3) ................... evidence that our ancient ancestors were using fire for cooking.

Like many archaeological finds, this one was accidental. Researchers were trying to (4) ................... the age of primitive stone tools that had been unearthed in the cave. In the process, they (5) ................... across the ashes of a campfire containing what turned (6) ................... to be remains of food from a million years ago. That was 200,000 years older than any (7) ................... discovered remnants of human-controlled fire. At Wondenwerk, the researchers are digging ever deeper, analysing soil up to 1.8 million years old, (8) ................... evidence of even older fires.

Working with huskies

Just over a year ago, I left my job to work with huskies in the Arctic Circle in the far north of Finland. At 26, I was restless. I was dreaming of Arctic landscapes, cold and bleak expanses, perhaps in reaction to the noise and crowded living of London. So I found a small company run by Anna McCormack, and her husband, Pasi Ikonen, deep in Finnish Lapland. They agreed to take me on as a husky dog handler for a busy winter season. From December to February, there is plenty of business taking tourists out on sled rides pulled by huskies across the ice and snow (for anything from an hour to a five-day stretch). They started with six dogs, which rapidly expanded to more than 100

Recently, they took over a second property the 'wilderness farm', which they wrote was a picturesque but basic outpost with untrustworthy electrics and no running water. I could join the team for three months, they told me, if I knew what I was letting myself in for. The hours are long, the conditions tough and the work very physical.' I started packing straight away.

November 6, London

On my flight out I look out of the window. It is said that spring marches north at a rate of about 26 km per day, a tidal wave of opening flowers and leaves. I think what I am seeing, however, is the opposite movement, with winter marching south, and the rivers freezing over

November 7, Helsinki and Hetta

We drive north by bus through endless dark forest - thin conifers, welghed down by snow-stopping occasionally to let reindeer lumber out of the way. I arrive at the farm after dark, and am barely through the door when I'm handed a pair of boots and turned out into (line 41) the cold. 'Do you want to be thrown in at the deep end? Anna asks. It's a rhetorical question.

I follow the sound of barking, which grows to a wall of noise by the time I reach the dogsheds. Three figures are running back and forth up the lines of huskies, pulling them out and harnessing them to sleds. The dogs are almost hysterical with excitement, straining against the ropes in their desperation to be off. I can barely hear to introduce (line 51) myself, but the others are too harried to stop and talk much anyway. I hover on the sidelines and rub the forehead of one of the quieter dogs. Someone gestures at me impatiently - 'Get in!'- and I almost fall into the nearest sled. A command rings out, and with a jerk we are off into the dark, with only a head torch for light.

November 15, Hetta It does not take long to be initiated into the ranks of the husky guides. 'Are you useful?' Anna asks. I'm stumped. I don't know. Am 1? Further questioning reveals that no, 1 am not: 1 have never driven a snowmobile, haven't done woodwork since school and have never chopped anything with an axe. 'You do have a driving licence?' someone asks finally. I nod, relieved.

The basics of dog-sledding can be picked up very quickly: lean into the corners, put both feet on the brake to stop, and, whatever happens, don't let go of the handlebar. But everything else seems to be very complicated. Simple tasks such as feeding and watering the dogs become very difficult in sub-zero conditions. A bowl of water will freeze solid while you watch, so we must make a 'soup' of meat in hot water for the dos. By the end of my first week my head is going round and round after so many instructions and my muscles ache from dragging heavy sleds - and from being dragged around myself by over enthusiastic huskies. But I am triumphant.

'I can chop with an axe, hammer a nail, and use a circular saw,' I email friends excitedly. 'In the snow.

So you want to become a journalist?

Susannah Butter tells us what being a journalist is really like.

A - A journallst's life can be hectic. The morning is usually the busiest part of the day because the newspaper I work on has to be ready for printing by noon. I work on the features pages - that Is, on longer articles, often about interesting people's lives, which requires a lot of thought and organisation. With some of our articles we can take time to think, do proper research and write them in advance. Whereas others are more urgent, timely pleces with a quick turnaround. I'm sometimes asked to write a story that's needed for the next day. It can be scary knowing you have to find lots of information, write around 1,000 words and get ideas for pictures in just a few hours. I like digging up stuff that hasn't been reported and then presenting it in a way that readers will understand and value. It's great when you see people reading and enjoying a piece you've written. At all times, you need to think about how a story can be sold for example, what accompanying plcture and headline will draw people in. 

B - Writing an article can involve having to find people's addresses and knocking on doors to ask them questions. My job allows me to meet and talk to a huge range of interesting people, and it changes all the time. In just one week, 1 might be working on an interview with a singer, a piece about coffee shops and an investigation into an unsolved crime. I think I'd get bored working on one thing all the time! My least favourite thing is probably chasing people for answers-this can involve a long chain of people that eventually leads you to the one person you want to write about. You have to be patient and persistent, politely reminding people what you want and when. You have to know just how far you can push them.

C - Pursuing a career in journalism was a natural choice for me because I'd always read newspapers and been quite nosy about other people's lives. At university, I did a bit of student journalism, editing the arts pages of a student newspaper and doing some writing. In my final year, I went to a careers talk about journalism. After I graduated, I emailed the journalist I'd met at the talk and asked her for work experience. I got it and really enjoyed it. People kept telling me that print journalism was dead, that there's no money in it in the age of the internet. But 1 figured that I'd give it a go anyway. I decided to take it seriously and get as qualified as I could. I've never regretted it. 

D - For those considering a career in journalism, I would recommend reading as much as you can and keeping your eyes and ears open in everyday situations, which is great for getting ideas for stories. You also need to think about articles which work well and why, and remember this when you sit down to write your own. Being a good writer is an advantage, but in my experience journalism is as much about having new ideas and getting things done (preferably quickly!). But don't assume you will be writing front-page stories, or even having your name on any articles at first. Initially, it's about getting to know the people and the system. If they like you, they're more likely to give you an interesting task, listen to your ideas or give you advice.