(B+) - Hansi and His Party - an evening that was never to be!

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Hansi and His Party - An evening that was never to be!

One day, Hansi Seiler, a good friend of mine, decided to move. He'd had enough of the view and fancied a change. And, then, after some looking, Hansi Seiler found a nice flat in a nice part of town, Vienna's 3^rd district.

And so, Hansi Seiler moved flat. And, 3 months later decided to have a house-warming party. A select dinner for close drinking friends and his mother. And, the invitations went out.

Now, dinner parties involve organization. Hansi made lists, borrowed chairs from his brother, and the Gasthaus where he went everyday lent him the glasses and plates. And, then the great day arrived.

Hansi got up and went shopping, and his afternoon was spent making salads, peeling potatoes, putting beer and wine in the bath tub to cool, and generally doing what had to be done. And, then at 8 on the dot, we arrived.

But, there was no smell of cooking and no drink to say welcome. Hansi told us to keep our coats on. We were all going out! Why, we all wanted to know!

The reason was simple. The time had arrived for Hansi to put the meat in the oven and the rice on to cook. So far – so good. But, then came the surprise. It was then, 3 months after moving in, that Hansi discovered his stove didn't work. A tragedy?

Not really. Hansi gave the food to his mother to freeze and off we all went to the Gasthaus. And there we stayed and had fun for the rest of the evening. Full circle again! There are places one can't get away from.

But, of course, Hansi bought a new stove and was happy. But, Hansi still hasn't used it. Cooking was never for Him. But, who knows? Celebrations can sometimes come out of the blue, and, maybe, one day, Hansi will need his new stove. But, there will be a difference. Hansi's stove definitely works! But, will he know how? Which knob for this and which knob for that? And, the oven?

The Gasthaus will always be better. We are, after all, creatures of habit!

Hansi Seiler, a man of good heart who moved flat and tried to cook a nice meal. But, never again. The Gasthaus will always be better!

Hansi and his party - An evening that was never meant to be!

Vocabulary

bath tub – Badewanne

difference – Unterschied

invitations – Einladungen

move – übersiedeln

peeling – schälen

stove – Herd

Questions

Why did Hansi move flat?

Where did Hansi find a new flat?

What do dinner parties involve?

From whom did Hansi borrow some chairs?

Who lent Hansi some glasses and plates?

What was Hansi's very big surprise?

What did Hansi do with the food?

Do you like cooking?

(B+) - The Toorington Bells - Hilde Latham - No Storm in a Tea Cup - Hilde and Carol and a man with a heart!

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Toorington Bells - Hilde Latham

No Storm in a Tea Cup – Hilde and Carol and a man with a heart!

Hilde Latham is the leader of the Brownies in Toorington. And, camping and hiking are a part of her life. But, what happened in Ireland a long time ago was something that Hilde has never forgotten. Hilde and her best friend Carol were hiking in Ireland.

It was a beautiful day. Hilde and Carol had just finished a very nice picnic and were looking forward to a leisurely walk to their next destination. The City of Cork. And, as they went on their way they were happy. The weather was perfect for hiking. And, the city of Cork, a meal and a bed would be waiting for them.

And then, they both felt it at once. A sudden sharp wind. It had come out of the blue. And, above the sky was beginning to blacken. This was a storm that was coming at speed! And then came the rain and it was torrential. All of a sudden, the weather was no hiking weather. The girls had to get out of the storm. But, where to? There was no shelter in sight - trees were out of the question – there was thunder and lightning. Hilde and Carol were in the middle of nowhere. And so, getting wetter and wetter, they went on their way. And, soon the two girls were soaked through to the skin.

And, there was the bridge. They both saw it together. And, there they found shelter. They were out of the storm. But, not alone. There were four cyclists waiting as well. And, being Irish, they were cheerful and happy. Not to worry, the storm wouldn't last very long. But, it did. It didn't stop raining for a very long time. And, just after eight, two very cold and very hungry and very wet girls arrived at the hostel in Cork. And, then came the horrible surprise. There were no beds. The hostel was full. But, there was Peter!

And, Peter Dunn, the hostel manager was a man with a heart. And, Hilde and Carol not only enjoyed a very nice meal, but also a comfortable night on the living room floor on cushions and blankets. And, the breakfast the following morning was the best Irish breakfast that Hilde and Carol had ever experienced. And, it was this wonderful kindness that Hilde and Carol took home to England. A wonderful memory of a wonderful man.

Hilde Latham is the leader of the Brownies in Toorington. And, camping and hiking are a part of her life. But, her hike down to Cork in a storm was something that's still in her mind. And, of course there was Peter - and, the kindness he gave them was a wonderful end of a wonderful time in a wonderful country.

No Storm in a Tea Cup – Hilde and Carol and a man with a heart!

Please wait - Vocabulary  following - 20  seconds!

Vocabulary

camping – Zelten

caught in a storm - von einem Sturm überrascht

dangerous – gefährlich

destination – Zielort

experienced – erlebt

hiking – Wandern

horrible surprise – Schreckliches Überraschung

kindness – Güte

leisurely – locker

memory – Erinnerung

shelter – Obdach

soaked through to the skin – waschlnass

torrential – sehr stark

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A9949 – Short stories and more and The Toorington Bells.

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(A) - Cockroaches - look behind your fridge if you dare!

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Cockroaches by Nigel A JAMES

Cockroaches are not very fussy. They eat all that they can find. And, their favourite dishes are unwashed plates that have been left overnight  in the sink. For them, there's nothing more delicious than food that is rotten!

And, the place they love best is under the fridge. It is warm, it is quiet, and it's not far from food! For them it's fantastic!

So, what about your kitchen? Just look behind the fridge if you dare! There might be very many little cockroaches there!

And, what about little Jenny? She lives in London and her cockroaches live in  the pocket of a coat in her cupboard.  They are friendly and easy to keep. They can look after themselves. And Jenny doesn't have to take them for walks. They go out on their own every night! What could be better?

Vocabulary

choosy – wählerisch

considerate – rücksichtsvoll

cockroaches – Kakerlaken

dare – wage (dare/dared/dared)

delicious – schmackhaft

dish – Gericht

favourite dish – Lieblings Gericht

fridge - Kühlschrank

fussy – heikel

in common – gemeinsam

might be – vielleicht sein

nocturnal – nachtaktive

overnight – übernacht

rotten – verdorben

sink – Abwasch

unwashed plates – schmutzige Tellern

Questions

What do cockroaches eat?

Why don't people like cockroaches?

Why do cockroaches like living behind fridges?

What is the best place to find food in a kitchen?

Why is it not good to leave dirty dishes in the sink?

Who is the fussiest person you know?

When did you last look behind your fridge?

Where do Jenny's cockroaches live?

(B) - A Palace of Glass - Sadly- A now silent palace of glass where the young used to go and have fun!

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Palace of Glass

On the waterfront in Alsoors, a small Balaton village in Hungary, is a palace of glass. And, it was there that countless young people used to dance and have fun. But, sadly no more. This once popular disco is now shuttered and barred, and the youngsters have all disappeared. But, this huge building of glass was not always a disco, it was something else, too. And. Aranka Acs, who grew up in a nearby village, told me the following story.

When she was a child, Aranka Acs and her family used to spend many long summer days down by the lake in Alsoors. Lake Balaton was the perfect place for summer days out. And, it was to the communal canteen that most people went for their lunch. And, it was this canteen that later became the disco. But, Aranka Acs has no feelings of nostalgia when she thinks back to the canteen.

Being built of glass, the building was unbearably hot, and people ate and left as quickly as possible. This palace of glass was not a nice place to linger. And, the food, too, was not very nice. It was industriously produced, and the limited choice was always the same. People went there because there was no where else to go. But, then came the end of the socialist era and this daytime disaster became a night-time wonder of good fun and music. And, it stayed that way for 25 years. So, buildings, too, have more than one life.

But, what is the future of this now empty and silent palace of glass? The choices are many. But, I secretly hope that this magnificent lake-side palace of glass will once again become a palace of life. A place for the young. There is now a black hole where fun used to be and it's keeping the youngsters away. And, a place without youth is a place that's not living. The building's still there. Why not open it up and let it live once again?

Vocabulary

ate – (eat/ate/eaten) – ass

daytime – tagsüber

disappeared (disappear/disappeared/disappeared) – verschwand

grew up (grow/grew/grown – up) - wuchs-auf

limited choice – begrenzter Auswahl

linger – weilen

night-time – nachts-über

shuttered and barred - geschlossen und geriegelt

unbearably – unerträglich

waterfront - Ufer

wonder – Wunder

Questions

Where is Alsoors?

What was the palace of glass until recently?

What was the palace of glass when Aranka Acs was a child?

Was the palace of glass a nice place for lunch?

Why did the people go to the palace of glass for lunch?

When did the canteen become a disco?

For how long did the palace of glass remain a disco?

(B/C) - THE TOORINGTON BELLS - The Basildon Fare comes every year - and with it - its magic!

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THE TOORINGTON BELLS – The Basildon Fare and Iris Cauldicot

The Basildon Fare comes down from Essex each summer. And, this is a wonderful day for the people of Toorington. And, the Basildon Fare has everything that a fare usually has. A helter skelter with its dizzy downward ride at great speed, a ghost train that makes the girls scream, a weight lifting competition that's popular amongst the farmers, and, of course, all the other attractions that come with the fare. But, the Basildon Fare has one thing that no other fare has. The Basildon Fare has a chamber of mirrors. And, this is no normal collection of mirrors!

The mirrors of the Basildon Fare chamber of mirrors show life as it was a long time ago. And, that's why it's loved by the women of Toorington. And, that's why Iris Cauldicot gets up at 4 in the morning so she can be first in the cue. And, when the doors open at 9, Iris Cauldicot is always the first to go in. Into the chamber of mirrors.

And, as she stands in front of the mirror she feels a very strange feeling - a kind of excitement that's impossible to describe. A feeling that can only be had in the Basildon Fare chamber of mirrors. And, there she stands in a trance. And, then the magic starts working. Little by little, Iris Cauldicot starts going back. And, everything happens at once. Grey becomes blond, overweight becomes thin, not attractive is once again beauty, and even eyes become alive just like then. And, this sensation goes on for 72 seconds. It is then time to return to the now.

But, now the now is much different than before, and, just like everyone else, Iris Cauldicot knows that the Basildon Fare will be back again in 12 very quick months. And then, once again, Iris Cauldicot will taste the taste of long ago youth!

The Basildon Fare comes down from Essex each summer. And, this is a wonderful day for the people of Toorington. And, the Basildon Fare has one thing that no other fare has. The Basildon Fare has chamber of mirrors that is no normal chamber of mirrors! Everything in Toorington is just how you want it to be.

Iris Cauldicot, The Basildon Fare and its Chamber of Mirrors.

(B/C) - The Village of Tilaj - Its good days have gone!

There are places that feel like the end of the world, and the village of Tilaj is high up on the list. For this small Hungarian village has not only almost stopped living, it's disappearing as well, and where it is going is back into itself, for this is a place that should never have been!

Upon arriving in this small Hungarian village, one is met by a picture of life that has packed up and gone. Tilas's time was short and it finished a long time ago. And its sun started setting with its children who were leaving. For Tilaj had nothing to keep them. And from nothing comes nothing and Tilaj came from nowhere!

There were no old established families, nor any memorials to the plague, and non of the usual layers of time that can be seen in houses of varying times. Everything was built at more-or-less the same time, and, worst of all, there was no real church. Tilaj had never a heart and not even a school. It was simply for sleeping and bringing up children. And the last real shop closed a long time ago. 

But, in a way, it was perfect for that which it offered. It was built to take care of needs. And, in those days, people were poor. And, a small house in the damp by the river in Tilaj was the most that many could afford. And life wasn't that bad! Everyone not only grew their own produce, but also kept chickens and pigs. Living in Tilaj meant never seeing hunger, and there was always plenty to drink. There were grapes in every garden and fruit on every tree. And, this was a paradise for children, and, in paradise the children were happy.

The long hot summers days were perfect for playing. With a river to splash in and a forest to hide in, there was all that was needed for hours of summer time fun. The kids were never at home,and that was good so. And, then, of course, came the winter. And, in those days the winters were hard and the snow it was much. And the very long evenings were for learning in front of the fire. 

And, the children learned, played, grew up and moved on. And, where they once played is now the place of their past, and so Tilaj slowed down to how it is now. A beautiful spot of unspoiled nature with its river and forest and calls of the wild. And all on a road that's coming from somewhere and going to nowhere! 

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(A) - Earth Worms - They taste great in sandwiches, too!

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Earthworms are the most important little animals on earth. And why? They eat old and decaying vegetation, and, the tunnels that they make aerate the earth. And, it is this that helps our crops grow. But, not all earthworms are the same. There are long ones, short ones, grey ones, pink ones, and even ones with little black heads. All in all, there are more than 26 different species of earthworms in Europe.

And, earthworms are very tasty, too. Birds, badgers and moles eat them for dinner, and, if you were to be hungry, you could eat them as well! And, why not? There are, after all, enough to go round. There are 2 million earthworms for every piece of ground the size of a football field!

And, how does little Susi catch earthworms? The answer is simple! She digs a hole in her garden and waits. And, what does she do with the earthworms she catches? She puts them in her little brother's sandwiches! What a nice little girl!

An Earth Worm Eater Going On Holiday!

Vocabulary

aerate – lüften

all in all – alles im allem

badger – Dachs

catch – fangen

crops – Getreide

decaying – verdorben

earthworm – Regenwurm

dig (dig/dug/dug) – ausgraben

enough to go round – genug für jeder

hole - Loch

important – wichtig

mole – Maulwurf

species – Arten

tasty – lecker

there are – es sind

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(A) - Happy Birthday Vespa - This 2 wheel dream is still as young as ever!

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Happy Birthday Vespa!

This month is a very special month for Italy. Its favourite form of transport, the Vespa, is 70 years old.

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Designed by Corradino D'Ascanio in 1946, the Vespa, so-called because of its wasp-like shape, soon became a world-wide success. Everyone wanted one. And, the Vespa soon became a film star as well.

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In 1953, A Vespa appeared with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday, and later a Vespa played a role with Anita Ekberg in Fellini's La Dolce Vita.

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Nowadays, Vespas are still very popular. Last year, more than 160,000 were sold. Happy Birthday Vespa!

Vocabulary

appeared -(appear/appeared/appeared) – erschien

designed (design/designed/designed) – entwürfen

favourite form of transport – lieblings Fortbewegungsmittel

Italy – Italian

month - Monat

Nowadays – Heutzutage

played a role – spielte eine Role

popular - beliebt

sold -(sell/sold/sold) - verkauft

wasp-like shape – Vespa-ähnlich Gestalt

Questions

Why is this month a special month for Italy?

How old will the Vespa be this month?

Who designed the Vespa motor scooter?

In which two films did the Vespa star?

Who starred in Roman Holiday?

How many Vespa scooters were sold last year?

What colour is your dream Vespa?

(B) Caroline Wosolby - A Key-ring of Bone - Memories and thoughts!

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Carolina Wosolbe – A Key-Ring of Bone

Carolina Wosolbe has a hobby. It's unusual and fits in her bag. And, it not only keeps Carolina in touch with her past and the places she's seen, it also keeps people in mind. Carolina's hobby is her life. She collects key-rings. And, Carolina has key-rings from London, Paris, Rome, and New York, and all the other places she's visited as well. And, although Carolina bought most of her key-rings herself, many were presents from friends and relations as well. And, each Saturday night, Carolina chooses three of her key-rings to use for the next seven days. But, this is no easy choice. Carolina has more than 400 key-rings.

But, one of Carolina's key-rings is a very special key-ring. In fact, it's her favourite. It's the one that her dear Uncle Seppi gave her when she was just seven years old. Uncle Seppi, Carolina's favourite uncle, had just come back from a trip to the jungle, and the key-ring he gave her was made out of bone. But, sadly, Dear old Uncle Seppi disappeared in the Congo just seven weeks later. He was looking for diamonds. He was never seen again.

And, every time Carolina takes out her keys to open her door, she's reminded of journeys she's taken and the people she's known and still knows. Carolina's hobby is her past and her present in one. And, everyone knows what to give her for Christmas. And, Carolina's key-rings not only tell of the good times she's had, they make promises, too - to go there again. Carolina Wosolbe has a hobby. It's unusual and fits in her bag.

Carolina Wosolbe – A Key-Ring of Bone

Clearing up after a day selling key-rings

Vocabulary

bought – buy/bought/bought - kaufte

in mind – im Kopf behalten

key-ring – Schlüsselanhänger

she's – she has

trip – Reise

Questions

Why is Carolina's hobby unusual?

How many key-rings has Carolina got?

Who gave Carolina her favourite key-ring?

Where did Uncle Seppi get this key-ring?

Where did Uncle Seppi disappear?

What was Uncle Seppi doing when he disappeared?

Why is your hobby unusual?

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Good listening

.

(B) - Ushi Hadere - The Magical Subjects of Trees! - Trees make wonderful pictures - but - not so easy as it looks!

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Ushi Hadere - The Magical Subject of Trees

Ushi Hadere's hobby is photography and her subjects are trees. And, one day, she showed us her photos. And, it was the magical strength of the trees that clearly showed in her pictures. But, trees, I believe, are not easy to shoot!

They never say cheese and a smile is out of the question, and, nor do they look left or right. Trees are as they are. They are static. It is you who has to do all the work. And, it is you who has to walk round and round until the perfect angle appears. But, not so for Ushi Hadere!

Trees, she says, are intelligent. It is they who not only decide where the best shot should come from, but also the best time of day and the right light as well. All we have to do is listen and follow! And, for Ushi it works every time!

And, there is something else, too. Trees not only change with the seasons, they become good friends as well! And, Ushi Hadere believes it is they who dress up for us. Trees always look nice. And that is the beauty of Ushi Hadere's work. Her pictures are photos of life and they speak to us all! And, this is hardly surprising. There is a small part of tree in us all. We can't live without them. And, taking photos of them could possibly be the best tribute of all!

Ushi Hadere's hobby is photography and her subjects are trees. Why don't you try it as well?

Vocabulary

angle – Blickwinkel

come through – zeigt sich

dress up – sich schön machen

exception – Ausnahme

struck me – to strike me – beeinflussen

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