Monday, 28 September 2015

Easy Text (A+) - Umbrellas - An answer to every day Engllish weather!

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Umbrella Parade by Nigel A JAMES

Your Umbrella 

Umbrellas are part of everyday life. Everyone has one, and they come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

The word umbrella comes from the Latin word Umbra and it means shade, and indeed the first umbrellas, which by-the-way were called parasols, were used by the Chinese to keep off the sun.

But it was the English who revolutionized the umbrella! In 1843,  Henry Holland invented its modern  design, and everyone, including Queen Victoria, bought one!

Nowadays, everyone in Britain has at least 3 or 4 umbrellas. Great Britain is, after-all, the rainiest place on earth!

Vocabulary

after-all - immerhin
at least – mindestens

bought – kaufte (to buy/bought/bought)
by-the-way – in übrigens
design - Form

colour - Farbe
everyday - tagtäglich

indeed – tatsächlich
invented – erfand (to invent/invented/invented)
nowadays - heutzutage

shade - Schatten
shape – Form
size – Große
umbrella - Regenschirm

Questions and Points!
Where were umbrellas first used?
How many umbrellas have you got?
Why are umbrellas so popular in Great Britain?
Who revolutionized the umbrella?
Did the King of England buy an umbrella?
Why are umbrellas good Christmas presents?
What does the Latin word umbra mean?
What is the rainiest place on earth?
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Sunday, 27 September 2015

Intermediate Text (B1) - A Hot Journey From Veszprim to Gyor - A train full of fun!

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A Hot Summer Journey from Veszprim to Gyor




It was a very hot day when we took the train from Veszprim to Gyor. We were in Hungary. And, our short journey north was full of summer time fun. Amongst the passengers were hikers, picnickers, school children on trips, families out for the day, and regular passengers, too. And, there was noise. There was the sound of eating and bottles being opened. There was laughing and singing. And, of course, the screaming of kids every time the train came to a tunnel. And, the magic of the country passed us by at very slow speed. And, that was just right.

This short Hungarian route is unique. It is 80 kilometres of beauty non stop, and the three hours that it takes are worth every minute.

And, there is plenty to see. On its way north, the train passes through the Bakony. An area of outstanding natural beauty. There are forests and streams, and the fauna and flora are simply amazing. A paradise for those who love nature. And, of course there are towns and villages, too. And, they haven't changed for many long years.

And, these are not only places of life as it is now. These are places of history, too. There are castles, monasteries, churches, farms, schools, inns, and much more as well. And, all to be seen from the train. And, this is the sense of the trip. The journey itself.

So, next time you have time, why not take it and go down to Hungary and take the train from Veszprim to Gyor and back again, too. And, by the way, there is plenty to see and do in both of these places as well. And, that's how Hungary is. A country full of surprises. And, perhaps, this little train is the biggest of all.
Vocabulary


amongst – unter – köztünk
castle – Burg - var
hiker – Wanderer - vandor
inn – Gasthaus - vendeglö
monastery – Kloster - kolostor
noise – Lärm – larma/zaj
outstanding – außerordentlich - különleges
perhaps – vielleicht - talan
screaming – Schreien - kialtani
took – (take/took/took) – nahm - elvenni
trip – Ausflug - kirandulas
worth – wert - ertek

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Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Regular Text (C - plus++) - Walls - They keep us in and they keep us out! But,do they really work? An essay. Writen and read by Nigel A JAMES

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Walls - by Nigel A. James
A short essay to keep thinking in place!

Walls have never failed to interest me. Whilst still very young, I remember being fascinated by the thought of that which was behind a very long brick wall which lay on the way to my school. Unfortunately, I never found out. And then, later on, I couldn't help wondering why Berlin needed a wall which ran bang through its middle. Walls, in a word, are a subject of interest.

And, they come in many different shapes, lengths, sizes and heights. And, all this has to do with the purpose for which they were built. And, the number of reasons for putting up walls are, in reality, very, very few. In fact only two.

Walls are either for keeping people or animals in, or for keeping them out. And, walls are a very big part of our lives. All of us need them.

Walls are the guardians of our privacy. We need them to separate that which is ours from everyone else's. And the stronger and higher the better. And, society is walls within walls within walls. Some are good and some are bad, and many are necessary and some are of no use at all. And, our walls begin with ourselves.

Many people build invisible walls around themselves to prevent others from getting too close. And, other people see walls which aren't really there. Walls are both real and imaginary.

Prisons, of course, need walls to keep people in, and quite rightly so. But, what about national borders which are there to keep people out? These, too, are walls – but – of a different nature. Shouldn't national boundaries be a thing of the past? We are, all of us, all part of the one same world!

So, which walls do we really need? There is a saying in America that says that good garden fences make very good neighbours. There is a lot of truth in this pocket sized piece of wisdom. And, the truth of this saying lies in the fact that there are very many people who are not happy with having just that which is theirs, they want more. And, the only way to prevent others from getting that which is yours is to build a wall to protect it. So walls, at the end of the day, are all about angst.

And, history is full of examples of angst. There is the Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, the wall which separated the two sides in Israel, the Maginot wall which failed in the war, and, of course, the wall which stops the Mexicans entering the United States of America. There are countless other examples as well.

But, most walls are really incapable of resisting the attempts of those determined to pass. How many people escaped from East Berlin? Did the Maginot line stop the Germans from invading France in the Second World War? How effective is the wall along the Mexican border? The point is that all walls have doors, and not all doors look like doors.

Doors, just like walls, come in many different forms. It all depends on the wall. The Berlin wall, for example, allowed people to pass in a variety of ways. There were ladders, tunnels, disguises and cunning, and so-on. Walls are only as strong as the imagination of those who build them!


So, if walls don't really work, why bother putting them up?

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Sunday, 20 September 2015

INTERMEDIATE TEXT (B+) - Oven Baked Northern Traditions! Harold Moser in Helsinki.

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Afternoon Tea in Helsinki - by Nigel A JAMES

Oven Baken Northern Traditions!




Harold Moser used to work in Helsinki. And, there he fell in love with Finnish chocolate cake. It was the best, he adored it, and ate it whenever he could. And, the following true story happened one summer.

Harold had become very good friends with a young Finish couple, and one day they invited him round for afternoon tea. And, Harold was delighted.

And, the party was just as a tea party should be. There were plenty of sandwiches, lots of hot tea, and there was a cake. The cake that Harold loved most. A chocolate cake. And, there it was, freshly baked, and waiting to be eaten. But, the cake just sat there and waited!

And, it waited and waited, and soon it was time for Harold to leave. And, just a little confused, he said thank you and left. And, the young couple, too, were confused. What was wrong with the cake?

And, Harold found out the very next day. In Finland, the tradition has it that the guest, not the host, cuts and serves the first piece of cake. And, being Austrian, Harold had no idea of this rather strange Finish custom. But, this isn't the end of the story. The young couple invited Harold again. But, this time Harold knew better. He knew what to do and was looking forward to a nice slice of freshly baked chocolate cake. But, when Harold arrived he got a surprise. There was no chocolate cake. The young couple had made a strawberry cake. Harold obviously didn't like chocolate. But, Harold smiled and cut and served the cake as he should. And, the strawberry cake was delicious, but not so good as a chocolate one.

And soon, all became clear. It had all been a collision of traditions, a cultural misunderstanding. And, everyone laughed. And, the next time that Harold came round there was a chocolate cake waiting for him. And, with time, Harold became very good at cutting and serving. So, next time you're in Finland, remember the rule. It's you who cuts first and serves. And, that's a very good finish for a very Finnish story from Finland!

Vocabulary

adored (adore/adored/adored) – schwärmen - csodalni
collision – Zusammenstoß - öszecsapas
confused - verwirrt - megzavarodva
custom – Brauch - szokas
delicious – Schmackhaft - finom
delighted - erfreut – boldog
Finnish – finnische - finn
invited - (invite/invited/invite) – einladen - meghivni
looking forward – auf etwas freuen – örülni valaminek
misunderstanding – Missverständnis - tevedes
obviously – offensichtlich - nyilvanvaloan
rather – ziemlich - meglehetösen
strange – ungewöhnlich - szokatlan/különös
surprise – Überraschung - meglepetes

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Saturday, 19 September 2015

Easy Text (A) - Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

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Gotthold Ephraim Lessing


.


Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German poet, playwright and author. He was born in Kamenz on the 22nd of January, 1729.

After finishing school, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing studied medicine and theology in Leipzig. Later, he lived as a free-lance writer and journalist in Berlin. There he wrote very many plays, books and poems.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing died in Braunschweig on the 15th of February, 1781.

And little Susie? Her favourite work by Lessing is a book called Miss Sarah Sampson. It is a tragedy.

Vocabulary

favourite – Lieblings - kedvenc
free-lance – Freiberuflich - szabaduszo
poet – Dichter - Költö
poem – Gedicht - Vers
play – Theaterstück – szinjatek,darab
playwright – Dramatiker – Drama iro
writer – Schriftsteller - Iro

Questions

Was Lessing Swiss?
When was Lessing born?
Where was Lessing born?
What did Lessing study?
Where did Lessing study?
Where did Lessing write many books?
When and where did Lessing die?
What is your favourite Lessing work?

And now the text once again!
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Thursday, 17 September 2015

Regular (c+) Poet's Corner - Eugene Field and Little Boy Blue - A great poet and a work of great feeling!

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Eugene Field
The Poet of Childhood




Eugene Field was one of America's most popular poets. He was born in 1850 and died in 1895, and, during his very short life he wrote more than 300 poems. But, he was a very special poet. He only wrote poems for children and was known as the Poet of Childhood. And, Eugene Field not only knew about children, he loved them as well.
At the age of 21, Eugene Field married Julia Sutherland Comstock, and they had 16 children. And, it was for his children that he wrote most of his poems, and, night after night they fell asleep to the rhythm of his work. But, of course, Eugene Field had to work hard to support his very large family. And, with his writing skills he became one of America's most popular newspaper columnists.

But, it was only in 1876 that Eugene Field started publishing his poetry. His first book was called A Little Book of Western Verse. It was an immediate success. But, his most popular poem was Little Boy Blue, a sad little poem about patient toys waiting for their little owner who toddled off to bed and died in his sleep.

And, sadly, Eugene Field died too early, too. He was only 45 years old. But, he hasn't been forgotten. In the Midwest of the United States of America there are more than 100 schools which are named after him. Eugene Field was a great American and he knew how to write about feelings, and, that's why Little Boy Blue was his greatest of all. It was a subject that most understood. It was close to very many hearts.

And now, here it is: Little Boy Blue


Little Boy Blue
by Eugene Field (1850 – 1895)


The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time - was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

“Now, don't you go till I come,” he said,
“And don't you make any noise!”
So, toddling off to his trundle bed,
He dreamt of his pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an Angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue.
Oh! the years are many, and the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!

And, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
And the smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.
...
Vocabulary -

childhood – Kindheit - Gyermekkor
poem – Gedicht - Vers
poet - Dichter- Költö
support – unterstützen - tamogatni
popular – beliebt - nepszerü
toddle – (toddle/toddled/toddled) – zotteln -ingadozo jaras, tipeges /kisgyermeke/
trundle bed – Rollbett - Kihuzhato agy


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Monday, 14 September 2015

Intermediate Text (B1+) - Homelessness - A story of everyday life!

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Homelessness - A Story of everyday life



There's a man who's sleeping in the park. It's the middle of the night and it's winter. He has no where to go. He's homeless.

So, why is he homeless? What went wrong in his life? Why did this once respected professor of economics lose all that he had? And, what was it that drove him onto the streets? And, how does he feel at the end of each day? Where has his dignity gone? And, who does he think of? How many doors have been shut in his face? Does someone still love him?

And, what about his nightly fear of being attacked? And, his daily battle for food? And, where does he get his small pleasures in life? Maybe from a bottle? And, his companions? Luckily or unluckily, this man is not alone with his plight. There are many more just like him. Homelessness is now the biggest urban problem we have. So, how can we help? And, is there a permanent solution?

On the surface, at least, the answers to these questions are relatively simple. We can build homes and do all sorts of things. It's mainly a question of money. But, it's the cause of the problem that's the question. And, this is no simple matter.

In fact, it's impossible. There is no single solution for the causes of homelessness. Each case is different. And this is the irony of the situation. Whatever the reason, the results are always the same. A bed on a bench in a park. Everyone's the same on the streets. And, it could happen to us all! It's all to do with circumstances!

So, before you go to your bed, just think how lucky you are. You have somewhere to sleep; there are many who haven't. And, maybe, they were once better than you!

Turn out the light and have pleasant dreams!

Vocabulary

cause – Ursache - oka
circumstances – Umstände - körülmenyek
dignity – Menschliche würde - kitünoseg
drove – (drive/drove/driven) -trieb (treiben) - hajtani
homeless – Obdachlos -häjlektalan
plight – Notlager - megiger
reason –Grunde - inditek
results – Wirkungen - eredmeny
solution – Lösung - oldas
surface – Oberfläche - felszin
whatever - was immer – akarmit
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Maggy Steiner

  Maggy Steiner had a wonderful childhood.  She went to school in Vienna, and spent her summers with her uncle and aunt and her two cousins ...