WOMEN'S DAY 2011

"Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women" is the official theme for International Women's Day 2011. Click here for more information and browse the United Nations website to get a deeper insight in the world around you.

Then, click here and read about women who made a difference in their very different lives....Read about Amelia Earhart, Georgia O'Keefe, Ellen Ochoa, Wilma Rudolph and many others. Any comment?

NO MAN IS AN ISLAND

If you were an island, which one would you like to be? Well, the character played by Hugh Grant in About a boy, the film based on Nick Hornby's novel, has no doubts at the beginning of the story: He’d like to be Ibiza. However, as John Donne stated in his Meditation XVII, “every man is a piece of the continent”, and this is what both Literature and Life show us: we are all involved with each other. Since no human being is isolated, what affects any single man or woman miles away from you, does affect you. Next time you watch the news, think about this.

'No Man is an Island'

No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

John Donne, Meditation XVII

If you are still interested in islands, do you know that the British Isles are made up of quite a few islands? Click on the links below and learn about them!

http://www.visitchannelislands.com/ (Channel Islands)

http://www.islandsofireland.com/ (Ireland)

http://www.welshicons.org.uk/main/geography/islands-of-wales/ (Wales)

http://www.cornishlight.co.uk/scilly-isles.htm (Cornwall)

http://www.scottish-islands-federation.co.uk/ (Scotland)

Love, love, love

What does “walk the aisle together” mean? And what about “to dump someone”, “to find Mr Right”, “to have a crush for someone”, or “to be on the rocks”? All these phrases have to do with LOVE and RELATIONSHIPS. Click here to find out their meanings and to read more interesting ones. Once you have finished, Why don’t you try the quiz? Have you ever experienced any of them ? You can find more information here. Leave a comment and tell us about your favourite one!

Many English words used to talk to someone you love or you care about have to do with sugar….”sweatheart”, “my sweet”, “honey”, “sweetie”, “sweetie pie”. For those of you who have a sweet tooth as well as a sweatheart, here is the key to sweeten life on Saint Valentine’s Day.
For dessert, you can enjoy two of the most important ingredients of any good love story:
Boy meets girl and The first kiss.

Have a great Valentine’s Day!! This is Jordi's contribution to wish you a sweet happy day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JywK_5bT8z0

LOVE IS ALL AROUND

If you have visited this blog recently, you must have noticed that red and pink hearts and lovable little creatures have "invaded" us. Saint Valentine's Day is coming soon and we are getting ready for it, so watch this space!!

Mathem' alphabet

2nd Year Secciones Europeas students listed this Maths vocabulary for our Etwinning project MATHEM'ALPHABET. How many words are you familiar with? http://www.slide.com/r/mGnuwpaD0j9m0jTbnN-kcc-QsRH5azjU?previous_view=lt_

40 - LOVE : ADVANTAGE LITERATURE

If you like tennis, you may be familiar with the quite peculiar terms used in tennis scoring system: “15”, “30”, “40”, and particularly “love” (0) and “deuce”.

What is the origin of these terms? What is the origin of tennis? Click here to learn more about this. Would you like to become a Wimbledon ball boy/ball girl? What do you know about the great classic champions? Here you will find all the information and much more. Next time Nadal wins at Wimbledon, the most famous lawn tennis temple will have no secrets for you!!




Now that you master tennis English, enjoy reading this poem by Roger McGough (Litherland (U.K.) 1937)

And for a memorable tennis-literature doubles final, watch the tennis balls scene of HENRY V, by William Shakespeare. The French ambassadors, representing the Dauphin (the son of the French king) sends tennis balls to Henry, laughing thus at the English king’s claim to his lands in France. The young English king will carry on his promise: “And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his /Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones” ( Henry V, Act I, Scene II ) and declares war to France…..

Julian, Dick, Anne.....

The first contact many children in my generation (and older and younger ones) had with England and the English people came mainly through Enid Blyton’s books. In the beginning, it was Famous Five and their adventures, then it was the Secret Seven’s turn, and as we grew older the girls at Malory Towers and Saint Clare's fascinated us with that strange school world of common rooms, uniforms, lacrosse and dining halls long before Hagwarts was conceived…. But if anything at all stirred our imagination, that was, no doubt, the name of a (non-alcoholic) drink: GINGER BEER !!!Times are a-changing, and so are the Famous Five, as you can read here. If you still feel curious about ginger beer, try your own one with this recipe!.

If you want to go on reading about Enid Blyton and her books, browse the Enid Blyton society website by clicking here. What Enid Blyton character are you? Try this quiz and let us know and if you feel like singing, here's your chance with the Famous Five opening theme....