(Rowling does not have a middle name,
so she chose “K” in honor of her grandmother
Kathleen.)
Other successful Harry Potter books
followed. Movie versions of the books
began coming to theaters in 2001.
#More to explore
Book and Bookmaking • Literature for
Children
Rubella
Rubella is a disease that is also known as
German measles or three-day measles. A
germ known as a virus causes rubella.
The rubella virus passes from person to
person through coughing and sneezing.
The virus that causes rubella is not the
same virus that causes regular measles.
Rubella is not usually a serious disease.
However, pregnant women with rubella
may pass the virus to their unborn children.
Infected children may be born
with deafness, heart defects, vision problems,
or other disabilities.
A rubella infection begins with a fever.
The throat and the glands at the back of
the neck may be sore. After one or two
days a rash begins on the face and spreads
downward. The spots of the rash are
either pink or light red. The spots may be
so close together that they look like
patches. The rash lasts about three days.
Rubella is usually a mild illness that does
not require medical treatment. Patients
with rubella should rest and take pain
medication if a doctor recommends it.
Scientists developed a vaccine for rubella
in 1969. (A vaccine is a substance that
prevents people from getting a certain
disease.) Rubella is now rare in the
United States. Most children get a vaccination
that protects them against
rubella, measles, and mumps.
#More to explore
Measles • Mumps • Virus
Rudolph,Wilma
Wilma Rudolph was an outstanding
athlete in track and field events. She was
the first U.S. woman to win three gold
medals in a single Olympics. People
called her the world’s fastest woman.
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on
June 23, 1940, near Clarksville, Tennessee.
As a childWilma had many illnesses,
including polio. This disease
made her unable to walk without a leg
The red rash of rubella can be seen on a
person’s arm.
100 Rubella BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
brace or a special shoe. By age 12, however,
she could walk normally.
Rudolph became a graceful yet powerful
sprinter. She won a bronze medal at the
1956 Olympics. She won her three gold
medals at the 1960 Olympics. She set
world records in the 100- and 200-meter
dashes and in the 4 . 100-meter relay.
After these victories Rudolph’s hometown
of Clarksville planned a welcomehome
parade for her. Rudolph, who was
African American, refused to participate
unless blacks and whites could attend
the event together. This was the first
time that both races had gathered
together in Clarksville.
Rudolph retired from running in 1962.
She later became a track coach and a
national sports commentator. She died
on November 12, 1994, in Brentwood,
Tennessee.
#More to explore
Olympic Games • Track and Field
Rug and Carpet
Rugs and carpets are thick textiles, or
pieces of cloth, that people use as floor
coverings. They are often decorative as
well as useful. The term rug usually
means a floor covering that is not fastened
down and does not cover the
entire floor. Carpet usually means a floor
covering that is fastened down and covers
the entire floor.
Most rugs and carpets are made by
weaving together two sets of yarn. One
set stretches from top to bottom. The
other set goes from side to side. The
yarn is made of wool, nylon, or other
fibers. Many rugs and carpets have a
raised surface called pile. The pile may
be made of loops of yarn. Or it may be
made of strands of yarn that stick up
from the carpet backing. Flat-woven
rugs have intersecting strands of yarn
but no pile.
Today many rugs and carpets are made
on machines that can produce them
quickly and inexpensively. But for thou-
Wilma Rudolph wins the women’s 100-
meter dash in the 1960 Olympics.
Colorful rugs line the walls and floor of a
tent in Kazakhstan.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Rug and Carpet 101
outs, and play rarely stops. The game
starts with a kickoff—one team kicks
the ball to the other team. The two
teams then move up and down the field
as they gain and lose control of the ball.
The players may catch the ball, throw it,
or run with it. Teammates may pass the
ball to each other either sideways or
backwards. They may not pass the ball
forward. Players may also kick the ball.
The two ways of scoring points in rugby
are called tries and goals. A player scores
a try by touching the ball to the ground
behind the opponent’s goal line. A
player scores a goal by kicking the ball
over the crossbar between the opponent’s
goalposts.
After a try, the scoring team can kick a
type of goal called a conversion goal.
During play, a player scores a dropped
goal by dropping the ball and kicking it
after it bounces. A team can score a penalty
goal after the other team breaks the
rules.
Rugby Union and Rugby League award
different numbers of points for tries and
goals. In both versions, however, a try is
worth more points than a goal.
As in American football, the team
defending its goal tries to tackle the
opponent who is carrying the ball. One
type of tackle forces the player to the
