Japan, was built to honor Emperor Meiji.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Meiji 95
Mekong River
The Mekong is the longest river in
Southeast Asia. It flows for about 2,700
miles (4,350 kilometers) through China,
Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
The Mekong begins at a height of more
than 16,000 feet (4,900 meters) in the
mountains of Tibet. At first it flows very
swiftly through the rugged land of
southwestern China. Later in its course
the river becomes calmer and wider. It
forms the boundary between Laos and
Myanmar and part of the boundary
between Laos and Thailand.
Near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the
Mekong is linked to the Tonle Sap, or
the Great Lake. During the rainy season
the river’s swollen waters back up into
the Tonle Sap. South of Phnom Penh,
the Mekong flows through Vietnam. It
eventually empties into the South China
Sea south of Ho Chi Minh City.
The Mekong creates a huge delta, or
triangular piece of land, in southern
Vietnam. The delta has rich soil and is
one of the world’s great producers of
rice. Farmers are able to grow rice even
during the dry season because they can
use the Mekong’s waters to irrigate, or
water, their fields.
#More to explore
Delta • Irrigation • River
Melon
Melons are sweet fruits. They have a
fragrant, juicy inside that is usually eaten
fresh. Melons are a good source of vitamins
A and C. Common melons
include cantaloupe, honeydew, and
casaba. Melons are related to gourds,
cucumbers, pumpkins, and squashes.
Watermelons also are related, but they
are not considered true melons.
Melons originally grew in central Asia.
Today people grow them in warm areas
throughout the world. Melon plants are
annuals. This means that they last for
only one growing season. They must be
replanted the following year.
A woman rows a boat in the Mekong delta
region of Vietnam.
96 Mekong River BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Melon plants are vines that are 7 to 8
feet (2.1 to 2.4 meters) long. The leaves
are large and usually rounded. The flowers
are yellow and shaped like a bell.
They are about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters)
across. The fruits differ in size, shape,
texture, color, and flavor. They weigh
about 2 to 9 pounds (1 to 4 kilograms).
Melon plants need a lot of water.
All melons have hard rinds, or skins,
that protect the fleshy inside, called the
pulp. The pulp can be white, green, or
orange. Many seeds grow in the middle
of the pulp. People sometimes dry the
seeds and eat them as snacks or use them
in cooking. A melon must be ripe before
it is picked.
#More to explore
Fruit
Memorial Day
In the United States, Memorial Day
honors the memory of soldiers who died
in the nation’s wars. The holiday falls on
the last Monday in May. On Memorial
Day, Americans attend parades, church
services, and other social events. People
also decorate soldiers’ graves with flowers
and flags. The president of the
United States often visits the Tomb of
the Unknowns at Arlington National
Cemetery. The tomb honors unknown
American soldiers who fought for their
nation.
Memorial Day began in about 1866,
after the American CivilWar. People
wanted to honor the soldiers who had
died in that war’s battles.Women’s
groups began laying flowers on soldiers’
graves. Because the day included decorating
graves, it was originally called
Decoration Day. AfterWorldWar I
(1914–18) the name of the holiday was
changed from Decoration Day to
Melons, including cantaloupe and honeydew,
are healthy and tasty fruits. Watermelons
are related to these fruits, but they are
not true melons.
People visit a World War II memorial in
Washington, D.C., on Memorial Day.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Memorial Day 97
Memorial Day. For many, the holiday
also signals the beginning of summer.
#More to explore
American CivilWar •WorldWar I
Memory
Memory is the process of storing experiences
in the brain and recalling them
later. People use their memories during
every moment of their lives. They must
remember words and ideas to speak or
to write. Even to walk or to eat, people
remember the movements they learned
as children.
Scientists know that memories cause
chemical changes in the neurons (nerve
cells) in the brain. The chemical changes
create what are called memory paths.
These paths can remain in the brain for
seconds or for a person’s entire life.
Levels of Memory
Many scientists believe that there are
two levels of memory. One level is shortterm
memory, or working memory. The
other level is long-term memory, or permanent
memory.
Short-term memory is a way to store
information temporarily. It lasts about
15 to 30 seconds. An example is keeping
a telephone number in mind after looking
it up and while dialing.
Long-term memory is the storage of
information for longer periods. It can
last days, months, years, or a lifetime.
Repeating and practicing motions or
tasks help the brain to store information
for a long time. If a person dials a telephone
number many times, the number
will move from short-term to long-term
memory.
Types of Memory
Scientists also think that there are different
types of memory. These include
motor-skill, factual, and emotional
memory.
