Saint George and the Dragon

I can't think of a sweeter way to get to know about this legend but by means of a four-year-old girl's voice.
Listen to her enthusiastic telling of the story and find out why Saint George is England's patron saint, celebrated on 23rd April. 

Happy Earth Day!!!!

It is a well deserved celebration! What are we without our planet?
NASA has had a fantastic initiative to combine Earth Day activities and people's beloved hobby: selfies!!!
You can still participate and join the initiative by uploading your own selfie :)

Do you feel like listening to inspiring talks about EARTH? Click on this TED TALKS LINK and enjoy the special playlist offered and compiled on the topic.

Culture Mania by OUP

Oxford boasts this attractive Culture site, CULTURE MANIA, in which to read about interesting facts and assorted topic articles, and what is more!, you can filter content by course level or difficulty. Pretty useful!
You can start having a taste by reading this article about a year in Spain told by a foreigner. If you find an expression in green on the way, put your mouse over it and you will get a definition so that you try and guess the meaning before cheking it up in the dictionary :)

Click here to go to the site

Nelson Mandela and the Apartheid

For 27 years, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for believing and fighting for a free and equal society. When he was released in 1990, he led the charge for a multi-racial democracy. He became South Africa's first black president and a world leader in peace and social change. He was able to put an end to the apartheid. His death in Johannesburg last Dec. 5, 2013 meant a great loss for the world.

Apartheid was the name given to South Africa's brutal policy of segregation that lasted from 1948 to 1994. Under Apartheid, mixed marriages were prohibited, and every individual was classified by race. There were separate beaches, separate buses, separate toilets, separate schools and even separate park benches. THIS VIDEO will explain what Apartheid was in detail and the following one will show you the history of Apartheid, its harsh legacy and its abolition. 46 years of history in 90 seconds!

TED's Talks: Jamie Oliver

It is not a secret how interesteing and appealing TED's talks are! There are a myriad of different speakers and subjects covered. This post is to show you one I especially like. I am a fan of British Chef Jamie Oliver and have followed his cooking-related adventures, which include a fight for healthy and nutritious food not only at a family level, but also in schools and similar institututions.
Truth is that he has recently won a more than noteworthy case against McDonalds (read article here) for using "pink slime" in its burgers. You can learn about "pink slime" in this shocking video filmed during Jamie's Food Revolution show in America and that EVERYBODY should watch. I hope you enjoy Jamie's talk about teaching kids to eat wise :)

6 Minute English article: When does adulthood start?

Do you remember 6 minute English clips?
I told you about it some months ago, but yes...memory tends to play tricks on us :P
I'll play conscience here by suggesting this section's last post under the title WHEN DOES ADULTHOOD START?  Don't you have 6 minutes to listen to some English today?
Click here to have access to the 6 Minute English BBC page.

Celtic Heritage in Southern England

One of the many interesting sights the South of England has to offer are chalk figures from Celtic times, a very interesting local heritage indeed. Personally, I was extremely and pleasantly shocked when I saw them on different hills for the first time. No one had ever told me about their existence. Impressive figures such as Cerne Abbas Giant or  The White Horse truly surprise the traveller as he or she enjoys a visit around the south of England. Click here for more information.
You can watch them in the following youtube clip

New Year, New Life?

So how is 2014 treating you????
Well, erm....we all try to start the new year in the best possible way. It is like the omen of good things to come...More often than not, we ideally design how to change and improve those things we are not happy with everytime the new year comes closer. Unfortunately, they tend to be along list of wishy-washy good intentions rather than real resolutions we end up committing to.
Thanks to a collegue in a forum, Yolanda Gimenez Ballesteros, this video was posted and I thought of sharing it :)

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR LISTENING SKILLS

Mind Mapping

According to Tony Buzan, mindmaps will help you remember thousands of words and phrases mainly for two reasons:

1. They group related concepts together and that mirrors the way in which your brain organises and stores new inforamtion.
2. They are visual, which helps you recall all information, especially language. That makes them idieal for learning and revision.