TRUE OR FALSE?

Are these statements TRUE or FALSE? 

1. American people celebrate Guy Fawkes Night on November 5th every year. 

2. The British open their Christmas presents on December 24th. 

3. The fourth of June is a public holiday in America. 

4. American children celebrate Halloween more than the British children. 

5. In Britain the Queen has two birthdays. 

6. The Day after Christmas Day is called Boxing Day in Britain. 

7. January 6th is not a holiday in Britain or America. 

8. St. David is the patron saint of Scotland. 

9. St. Patrick's Day is a big day in USA. 

10. Americans call their November holiday Thanksgiving in memory of the first succesful harvest of the second group of pilgrims in 1621. 

KEY

1F/ 2F/ 3F/ 4T/ 5T/ 6T/ 7T/ 8F/ 9T/ 10T

Did you know all of them? Which one was the most surprising for you? Do you know the reasons why they are true or false? Leave your comments! 

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving Day

Why? 

In the 17th century, pilgrims emigrated from England to New England (North America) and took their traditions with them . One of their traditions was Thanksgiving Day, a day in which they thanked God for all the good things they had (specially food at that time). From that moment, Americans have been celebrating this feast to thank God for all the blessings and possessions they have. 

What? 

Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for families and friends to get together for a special meal. The meal often includes a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and vegetables. 

The day after Thanksgiving, that is Black Friday is the day of the biggest sale of the year. There are various deals and offers that one can avail on Black Friday that is falling on 23rd November this year. One only needs to be an early bird..

Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns on or around Thanksgiving Day. Some parades or festivities also mark the opening of the Christmas shopping season.

Where? 

Thanksgiving as we know it today is celebrated mainly in Canada and in The United States.

When? 

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the States every fourth Thursday of November. The following day is the Black Friday where people usually go shopping and do not neither work nor study. Some people have a four-day weekend so it is a popular time for trips and to visit family and friends

                                         Do you know the meaning of the words in bold? 

MALTA

What do you know about MALTA? Where is it? Is Maltese the official language? Why is it so famous? Malta is a touristic country which  attracts people from all over the world. People visit this place because they love the sun, the hot weather, the beaches and the nightlife. Let me tell you some interesting facts about this country: 

• There are approximately 500.000 inhabitants in Malta. The capital city is Valetta. 
• The country has two official languages: Maltese and English. 
• Malta is a multicultural country. It was besieged by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Normans among others. 
• The British ruled the island for a long time and Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and became a republic in 1974. Malta is nowadays part of the European Union. 
• The English language is used everywhere and Maltese people use it and learn it from a very early age. Although Maltese is also used, English is the official language due to tourism and commerce. In fact, many people (mostly teenargers) go there to study English (and to go party, of course). 
• As the British ruled the country for a long time, there are things that remind us of their presence: the language, phoneboxes, mailboxes, food, timetables...etc
• Malta is famous for its beaches but the truth is that the beaches are not sandy beaches and sometimes tourists are disappointed with this. There are more beautiful beaches in other parts of the world. 
• Maltese people seem nice and friendly. They speak English perfectly. They are usually dark, short and tanned. 
• The government passed the divorce law in May 2012!!!! 

             

      

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

This week British people have celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. What is the Jubilee? It's a celebration that commemorates the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne after the death of her father, George VI. Only Queen Victoria (19th century) celebrated the Diamond Jubilee. Therefore Elizabeth is the second monarch in the history of Britain that celebrates 60 years in the power. Queen Elizabeth became Queen of Britain when she was 26 years old. 26 years old!!! That's very young to be a queen! She was a very responsible girl and she was ready to be queen when her father died. 

Do you know who her father was?? Her father was George VI. He was not supposed to be the king. His older brother was meant to reign the country. However, his brother's desire to marry a divorced woman changed history. Unexpectedly, George  became king. He had a stutter*. I'm sure you've heard about this man... Have you watched The king's Speech? Colin Firth played George VI! 

                                                      * to have a stutter: ser tartamudo 

What have British people done to celebrate the Jubilee? They have organised parades, concerts, festivals, dinners... Have a look at these pictures and you will see: 

They also organised an amazing concert with singers such as Paul Mccartney, Robbie Williams, Elton John, Kylie Minogue etc.. Watch this video and you'll see how much Brits love their queen!

                    

In the pub

Have you ever been to a British pub? If you have, find the information which is not true about British pubs. Find 8 mistakes in the text. (they are not grammar mistakes! you have to find 8 things that are false about English pubs).  

Last week I went into my local pub. It is just around the corner from where I live. It is called the White Hart and has a sign outside with a bunch of flowers arranged in a heart shape. The landlord is a good friend of mine and over the years has earned a large amount of money from me. I sat at my usual table and he came over me to ask what I wanted to drink. I asked for a half litre of beer as it was a very warm day and Fred, that is his name, brought it to me. As it was not very busy I went to a shelf where the daily paper is kept and selected the local town evening newspaper. There was not very much new in it and I had soon read it. After I had finished my first drink two friends came into the pub so I ordered a bottle of white wine for the three of us and we began to play bridge. Two hours later I was quite merry and had lost some money so I asked for the bill, paid and walked home. 

• Do you like pubs? 
• What are the differences between Spanish and English pubs? 
• Why are they so typical in England? What can you do there? 

For students , teachers and English lovers

                                          * A beautiful pub in Brighton (England) . I went there last summer.  

OLIVER TWIST, Charles Dickens

April 23rd is a symbolic day in world literature. It is the international day of the book. It is the international day of the book because two of the best writers , Shakespeare and Cervantes died on 23rd April 1616. Shakespeare was also born that day. Isn't it a coincidence? 

To commemorate this special day, I am going to devote some lines to one of the best books in English literature: Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist is a great story about an orphan boy who is trapped in the London's criminal world. He faces a lot of problems until he discovers his true identity. 

We are reading this book in class and we are going to work with it in depht since this year we celebrate the bicentenary of Charles Dickens (1812-1870). Since we have read only six chapters, I invite my students and whoever is interested in literature to choose two of the following questions and answer them: 

1. What do we know about Oliver's mother? 

2. Who is the first person who wants to teach a job to Oliver? Which job? 

3. Why was Oliver punished for asking for more soup? Does this depict the economic situation in England at that time? 

4. What is the meaning of these words: artful- dodger- twist . Is there any symbolism in the characters' names? 

5. Tell me something you read about Charles Dickens that you consider interesting. 

6. Have you enjoyed the story so far? What is your opinion about it? 

Oliver Twist, una de las obras más importantes de la literatura inglesa por todo lo que representa y por el gran autor por quien fue escrita. Con esta entrada invito a mis alumnos que la están leyendo y a cualquier otra persona que esté interesada en el tema a escribir algo sobre la obra o su autor. Celebro así a mi manera el día del libro, un día muy representativo para aquellos que aman leer.