Words that start with R

The red panda is a small animal, not much larger than a cat, that eats bamboo. It is not related to the giant panda but is in fact more closely related to weasels.

Redcurrants are a small berry related to gooseberries that are from Europe. They are quite sour and are only used for making jams and other cooked food. A paler, less sour type of redcurrant is called the whitecurrant.

When many coral colonies grow close together over a very long time, they build up to form a reef. Reefs can get so high they come out of the water at low tide, and can be dangerous to ships.

Something reflects light if it is shiny enough that the light hits it and bounces back off it. The man in the picture has sunglasses that reflect light.

Refraction is the way that light or sound changes direction slightly as it passes through different materials.
In the picture, light is refracted as it passes from the air to the water, which makes the fingers in the picture look distorted.

A reign is the time that someone is in power, or the act of them being in power. For example, "the King reigned for twenty years".
Words that sound the same as reign but are spelt differently are rain and rein.

lan Reins are long strips of leather connected to the mouthpiece or bit of a horses's bridle. Reins are used to steer and control a horse while you are riding or driving it.
Words that sound the same as rein but are spelt differently are rain and reign.

Relax means to rest, slow down and feel calm. When you relax you stop being worried or busy.

People often relax by listening to music, or just sitting quietly.

A remote control is a device that makes other devices work without having to get up and press the buttons on them. You can change the channel on your television with a remote control.
Remote controls work by sending a signal in a beam of invisible light to the device they control. The device has a sensor on it so it can 'see' that light. This is why remote controls work best when there is nothing in between the remote control and the thing you are trying to control.

You rescue someone when you take them away from a dangerous or bad situation. People who are hurt and cannot get out by themselves are rescued and taken to a hospital.