Ask Mr Brain...all will be explained

What do elephants use their trunks for? The elephant's trunk is an extension of its upper lip and nose. It is flexible, muscular and has a very sensitive tip with one 'finger' on Asian elephants and two fingers on African elephants.

Elephants use their trunks to pick up small objects and grab vegetation when feeding. They feed on grasses, leaves, branches and bark which they pull up and push into their mouths.

Elephants drink by sucking up water into their trunks and squirting it into their mouths. They can also use the same method for squirting water over themselves for a shower to keep their skin cool.

The trunk is also used as a 'snorkel' to breathe through when elephants are crossing deep rivers. Elephants also use their trunks for communication by touch and smell. When elephants meet, they often use their trunks to touch each other as a form of greeting.

The trunk can also be used as a trumpet to amplify sounds to ward off enemies and to show aggressive behaviour towards other rival elephants.

What causes asthma? Can it be controlled? Asthma is a respiratory disorder in which the patient suffers the onset of constricted passages in the airway and it becomes harder and harder to breathe. Asthma is characterised by laboured breathing and wheezing because of the constricted airway.

Although attacks usually result from allergic reaction, specific allergens are not always identifiable. Triggering factors include illness, stress, dust mites, pollen, exposure to chemicals and exposure to irri tants. Asthma can be controlled by using an inhaler, doing breathing exercises and, if possible, by identifying and avoiding allergens.