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The hardest language

People often ask which is the most difficult language to learn, and it is not easy to answer because there are many factors to take into consideration. Firstly, in a first language the differences are unimportant as people learn their mother tongue naturally, so the question of how hard a language is to learn is only relevant when learning a second language. A native speaker of Spanish, for example, will find Portuguese much easier to learn than a native speaker of Chinese, for example, because Portuguese is very similar to Spanish, while Chinese is very different, so first language can affect learning a second language. The greater the differences between the second language and our first, the harder it will be for most people to learn. Many people answer that Chinese is the hardest language to learn, possibly influenced by the thought of learning the Chinese writing system, and the pronunciation of Chinese does appear to be very difficult for many foreign learners. However, for Japanese speakers, who already use Chinese characters in their own language, learning writing will be less difficult than for speakers of languages using the Roman alphabet. Some people seem to learn languages readily, while others find it very difficult. Teachers and the circumstances in which the language is learned also play an important role, as well as each learner's motivation for learning. If people learn a language because they need to use it professionally, they often learn it faster than people studying a language that has no direct use in their day to day life. Apparently, British diplomats and other embassy staff have found that the second hardest language is Japanese, which will probably come as no surprise to many, but the language that they have found to be the most problematic is Hungarian, which has 35 cases (forms of a nouns according to whether it is subject, object, genitive, etc). This does not mean that Hungarian is the hardest language to learn for everyone, but it causes British diplomatic personnel, who are generally used to learning languages, the most difficulty. However, Tabassaran, a Caucasian language has 48 cases, so it might cause more difficulty if British diplomats had to learn it. Different cultures and individuals from those cultures will find different languages more difficult. In the case of Hungarian for British learners, it is not a question of the writing system, which uses a similar alphabet, but the grammatical complexity, though native speakers of related languages may find it easier, while struggling with languages that the British find relatively easy. No language is easy to learn well, though languages which are related to our first language are easier. Learning a completely different writing system is a huge challenge, but that does not necessarily make a language more difficult than another. In the end, it is impossible to say that there is one language that is the most difficult language in the world.

Questions Q1 - The question of how hard a language is to learn is relevant to both first and second language acquisition.

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True False

Q2 - Portuguese is definitely easier than Chinese.

True False

Q3 - A Japanese speaker may well find the Chinese writing system easier than a speaker of a European language.

True False

Q4 - The Hungarian alphabet causes problems for British speakers.

True False

Q5 - Hungarian is the hardest language in the world.

True False

Q6 - Hungarian has as many cases as Tabassaran.

True False

Q7 - Many British diplomats learn Tabassaran.

True False

Q8 - The writer thinks that learning new writing systems is easy.

True False

History of Halloween

Halloween falls on October 31st each year in North America and other parts of the world. Like many other holidays, Halloween has evolved and changed throughout history. Over 2,000 years ago people called the Celts lived in what is now Ireland, the UK, and parts of Northern France. November 1 was their New Year's Day. They believed that the night before the New Year (October 31) was a time when the living and the dead came together. More than a thousand years ago the Christian church named November 1 All Saints Day (also called All Hallows.) This was a special holy day to honor the saints and other people who died

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for their religion. The night before All Hallows was called Hallows Eve. Later the name was changed to Halloween. Like the Celts, the Europeans of that time also believed that the spirits of the dead would visit the earth on Halloween. They worried that evil spirits would cause problems or hurt them. So on that night people wore costumes that looked like ghosts or other evil creatures. They thought if they dressed like that, the spirits would think they were also dead and not harm them. The tradition of Halloween was carried to America by the immigrating Europeans. Some of the traditions changed a little, though. For example, on Halloween in Europe some people would carry lanterns made from turnips. In America, pumpkins were more common. So people began putting candles inside them and using them as lanterns. That is why you see Jack 'o lanterns today. These days Halloween is not usually considered a religious holiday. It is primarily a fun day for children. Children dress up in costumes like people did a thousand years ago. But instead of worrying about evil spirits, they go from house to house. They knock on doors and say "trick or treat." The owner of each house gives candy or something special to each trick or treater. True or False?

1. The Celts thought the spirits of dead people returned to the earth on October 31st.

True

False

2. The Celts created All Hallows.

True

False

3. All Hallows is on October 31st.

True

False

4. The word Halloween comes from the word Hallows eve.

True

False

5. A thousand years ago Europeans wore costumes to get candy.

True

False

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6. Americans still carve turnips to use as lanterns.

True

False

7. Today Halloween is especially for children.

True

False

8. Children get candy by saying "trick or treat."

True

False

Catching a Cold

Many people catch a cold in the springtime and/ or fall. It makes us wonder... if scientists can send a man to the moon, why can't they find a cure for the common cold. The answer is easy. There are literally hundreds of kinds cold viruses out there. You never know which one you will get, so there isn't a cure for each one. When a virus attacks your body, your body works hard to get rid of it. Blood rushes to your nose and brings congestion with it. You feel terrible because you can't breathe well, but your body is actually "eating" the virus. Your temperature rises and you get a fever, but the heat of your body is killing the virus. You also have a runny nose to stop the virus from getting to your cells. You may feel miserable, but actually your wonderful body is doing everything it can to kill the cold. Different people have different remedies for colds. In the United States and some other countries, for example, people might eat chicken soup to feel better. Some people take hot baths and drink warm liquids. Other people take medicines to stop the fever, congestion, and runny nose. There is one interesting thing to note- some scientists say taking medicines when you have a cold is actually bad for you. The virus stays in you longer because your body doesn't have a way to fight it and kill it. Bodies can do an amazing job on their own. There is a joke, however, on taking medicine when you have a cold. It goes like this: If takes about 1 week to get over a cold if you don't take medicine, but only 7 days to get over a cold if you take medicine. True or False? 1. There is a cure for the common cold.

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True

False 2. There are 22 different cold viruses in the world.

True

False 3. Heat in your body kills viruses.

True

False 4. Congestion means your head feels hot.

True

False 5. Some people eat chicken soup to feel better when they have a cold.

True

False 6. Scientists always think taking medicine is good when you have a cold.

True

False 7. Bodies work hard to try to get rid of viruses.

True

False

Levi's Blue Jeans Levi Strauss was born in Germany in the mid 1800's and emigrated to the United States as a young man. He lived in New York City and learned the dry-goods business for several years. In 1853 he took his knowledge and his dreams to San Francisco (California., USA.) His dream to succeed came true over the next 20 years as he became a very successful businessman. Many of Levi Strauss' customers were cowboys and miners. They needed clothing that was strong and durable. Strauss found a special fabric from France that was comfortable and lasted a long time. It was called "serge de Nimes," which was later shortened to the worddenim. Another man named Jacob Davis bought large amounts of the denim fabric from Levi Strauss. He was a tailor who made pants for hard-working men. One of his customers was continually tearing the pockets off his pants. So Jacob Davis decided to put rivets on certain parts

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of the pants to make them stronger. The customer loved the new pants so much that he told all his friends, and soon Jacob Davis was busy making lots of pants with rivets. Jacob Davis soon realized that using rivets was a great business idea, and he didn't want anybody to steal that idea. He decided that he would need to get a patent. But being a poor tailor, he didn't have enough money to pay for the patent. After thinking it over, he went to the businessman Levi Strauss and told him his idea. He said, "If you agree to pay for the patent, we will share the profits from the riveted pants." Levi Strauss did agree, and the new riveted pant business was called Levi Strauss and Company. Today Levi's jeans are more popular than ever, and Levi's name continues to live on. True or False? 1. Levi Strauss was born in 1853.

True

False 2. Levi Strauss wanted to become a great businessman.

True

False 3. Levi Strauss sewed pants in his business.

True

False 4. Jacob Davis sewed pants in his business.

True

False 5. Jacob David used denim to make pants.

True

False 6. Jacob Davis put rivets in pants because they looked good.

True

False 7. Levi Strauss didn't want to pay for Jacob Davis' patent.

True

False 8. Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis became business partners.

True

False

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Robin Hood Robin Hood is the archetypal English folk hero, an outlaw who, in modern versions of

the legend, stole from the rich to give to the poor.

This redistributionist form of philosophy-in-action anticipates the work of writers such as

Proudhon and Karl Marx by many hundreds of years. Although most noted for his material

egalitarianism, in the stories he also pursues other types of equality and justice. However, as

mentioned below, Robin Hood was not originally so generous.

The stories relating to Robin Hood are apocryphal, verging on the mythological. His first

appearance in a manuscript is in William Langland's Piers Plowman (1377) in which Sloth, the

lazy priest boasts "I ken (i.e. 'know') 'rimes of Robin Hood." Three years later the Scottish

chronicler John Fordun wrote that, in ballads, "Robin Hood delights above all others".

Printed versions of Robin Hood ballads appear in the early 16th century — shortly after

the advent of printing in England. In these ballads, Robin Hood is a yeoman which, by that time,

meant an independent tradesman or farmer. It is only in the late 16th century that he becomes a

nobleman, the Earl of Huntington, Robert of Locksley, or later still, Robert Fitz Ooth.

His romantic attachment to Maid Marian (or "Marion") (originally known as Mathilda) is

also a product of this later period and probably has something to do with the French pastoral play

of about 1280, the Jeu de Robin et Marion. Aside from the names there is no recognizable Robin

Hood connection to the play.

The late 16th century is also the period when the Robin Hood story is moved back in time

to the 1190s, when King Richard is away at the crusades. One of the original Robin Hood ballads

refers to King Edward (Edward I, II, and III ruled England from 1272 to 1377). The idea of

Robin Hood as a high-minded Saxon fighting Norman Lords originates in the 19th century, most

notably in the part Robin Hood plays in Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (1819), chapters 40 - 41,

where the familiar modern Robin Hood—"King of Outlaws and prince of good fellows!"

Richard the Lionheart calls him—makes his debut.

The folkloric Robin Hood was deprived of his lands by the villainous Sheriff of

Nottingham and became an outlaw. The Sheriff does indeed appear in the early ballads (Robin

kills and beheads him), but there is nothing as specific as this allegation. Robin's other enemies

include the rich abbots of the Catholic Church and a bounty hunter named Guy of Gisbourne.

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Robin kills and beheads him as well. The early ballads contain nothing about giving to

the poor, although Robin does make a large loan to an unfortunate knight.

In the ballads, the original "Merry Men" (though not called that) included: Friar Tuck,

Will Scarlet (or Scathlock), Much the Miller's Son, and Little John — who was called "little"

because he wasn't. Alan-a-Dale is a later invention in Robin Hood plays.

Questions about the text

1. Robin Hood appeared in print in the beginning of the 16th century.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. The stories relating to Robin Hood are of questionable authenticity.

True.

False.

We don't know.

3. The folkloric Robin Hood was considered a criminal.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. According to an early ballad, Robin Hood kills the Sheriff.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. The legend of Robin Hood was associated to King Richard and the crusades.

True.

False.

We don't know.

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William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616

(O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English.

His ability to capture and convey the most profound aspects of human nature is regarded by

many as unequalled and the English Renaissance has often been called "the age of Shakespeare".

He was among the few playwrights who have excelled in both tragedy and comedy and

several of his plays contain songs that are among the finest lyric poems in English.

He also wrote 154 sonnets, two narrative poems, and a handful of shorter poems.

Shakespeare wrote his works between 1588 and 1613, although the exact dates and chronology

of the plays attributed to him are often uncertain.

Shakespeare's influence on the English-speaking world shows in the widespread use of

quotations from Shakespearean plays, the titles of works based on Shakespearean phrases, and

the many adaptations of his plays.

Other signs of his continuing influence include his appearance in the top ten of the "100

Greatest Britons" poll sponsored by the BBC, the frequent productions based on his work, such

as the BBC Television Shakespeare, and the success of the fictional account of his life in the

1998 film Shakespeare in Love.

Some of his famous plays are "Romeo and Juliet", "Macbeth", "Hamlet", "Othello",

"Antony and Cleopatra", "The Comedy of Errors", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", among

others.

Questions about the text

1. William Shakespeare was a great writer of both tragedy and comedy.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. How many sonnets did he write?

2.

100.

154.

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3. His books are full of quotations.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. The film "Shakespeare in Love" is based on his life.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. Many of his books contain songs.

True.

False.

We don't know.

6. He died in 1616.

True.

False.

We don't know.

7. "100 Greatest Britons" is one of his famous masterpieces.

True.

False.

We don't know

Red Telephone Box

The red telephone box, a public telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was a once familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom. It has all but disappeared in recent years, replaced by a number of different designs. The few kiosks that remain have not been replaced because they are regarded as being of special architectural and historical interest. The first standard public telephone kiosk introduced by the United Kingdom Post Office was produced by Somerville & Company in 1920 and was designated K1 (Kiosk no. 1). This design was not of the same family as the familiar red telephone boxes. The red telephone box was the result of a competition in 1924 to design a new grander kiosk. The competition attracted designs from a number of noted architects. The Fine Arts Commission judged the competition and selected the design submitted by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott as the winner. The Post Office made a request that the material used for the design be changed

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from mild steel to cast iron, and that a slight modification be made to the door; after these changes, the design was designated K2. The kiosks were painted red was so that they might be easily recognised from a distance by a person in an emergency. In some rural areas the boxes were painted green so as not to disrupt the natural beauty of the surroundings. From 1927 K2 was mainly deployed in and around London. K3 designed in 1930, again by Gilbert Scott was similar to K2 but was constructed from concrete and intended for rural areas. K4 (designed by the Post Office Engineering Department and proposed in 1923) incorporated a machine for buying postage stamps on the exterior. Only 50 kiosks of this design were built. K5 was a plywood construction introduced in 1934 and designed to be assembled and dismantled and used at exhibitions. In 1935 K6 was designed to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V K6 was the first standard telephone kiosk to be used throughout the country. Many thousands of K6 boxes were deployed in virtually every town and city and it became a British icon. K6 telephone boxes eventually began to be replaced in large numbers in the early 1990s Thousands of old K6 kiosks were sold off at public auction. Some kiosks have been converted to be to used as shower cubicles in private homes. In Kingston upon Thames a number of old K6 boxes have been utilised to form a work of art resembling a row of fallen dominoes. In 1959 architect Neville Conder was commissioned to design a new box. The K7 design went no further than the prototype stage. K8 introduced in 1968 was designed by Douglas Scott and Bruce Martin. It was the first box to replace K6 in significant numbers, and the last design be painted predominantly red. Upon the privatisation of Post Office Telephone's successor, British Telecom (BT), the KX100, a more utilitarian design, replaced almost all the red boxes; a few remain, mainly in rural areas. The KX100 PLUS, introduced in 1996 featured a domed roof reminiscent of the familiar K2 and K6. Subsequent designs have departed significantly from the old style red telephone boxes. In response to BT's plans to replace red boxes with more modern designs, several of the former have been listed.

Questions about the text

1. The red telephone box was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. The first telephone box was known as

red.

Sommerville & Company.

K1.

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3. The red telehone box was known as

K1.

K2.

Scott.

4. In rural areas the telephone boxes were painted green.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. Some kiosks had also postage stamps machines.

True.

False.

We don't know.

6. Many old K6 boxes were thrown to the Thames.

True.

False.

We don't know.

7. British Telecom telephone box design is known as

K10.

BT.

KX100.

House of Lords

The House of Lords is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the House of Commons. The House of Lords is an unelected body, consisting of 26 senior clerics of the Church of England (the "Lords Spiritual"), as well as 669 members of the Peerage (the "Lords Temporal"). Lords Spiritual serve as long as they continue to occupy their ecclesiastical positions, but Lords Temporal serve for life. Members of the House of Lords are known as "Lords of Parliament". The House of Lords originated in the 14th century and has been in almost continuous existence since. It was abolished in 1649 by the revolutionary government that came to power during the English Civil War, but was restored in 1660.

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The House of Lords (the "Upper House") was once more powerful than the elected House of Commons (the "Lower House"). Since the 19th century, however, the powers of the House of Lords have been steadily declining; now, the Upper House is far weaker than its parliamentary counterpart. Under the Parliament Act 1911, most legislation passed by the House of Commons can be delayed, but cannot be rejected, by the House of Lords. Reforms were enacted under the House of Lords Act 1999, which removed the automatic hereditary right of many peers to sit in the Upper House. Additional reforms are contemplated by the current Labour Government, but have not been passed into law. In addition to performing legislative functions, the House of Lords also holds judicial powers: it constitutes the highest court of appeal for most cases in the United Kingdom. The judicial functions of the House of Lords are not performed by the whole Chamber, but rather by a group of members with legal experience, who are known as "Law Lords". The House of Lords is not the only court of last resort in the United Kingdom; in some cases, that role is fulfilled by the Privy Council. The full, formal style of the House of Lords is: The Right Honourable The Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament Assembled. The House of Lords, like the House of Commons, meets in the Palace of Westminster.

Questions about the text

1. The members of the House of Lords are elected by the people.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. Members of the House of Lords are known as "Lords of Parliament".

True.

False.

We don't know.

3. The House of Lords has more power than the House of Commons nowadays.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. The House of Lords can reject legislation passed by the House of Commons.

True.

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False.

We don't know.

5. The House of Lords has also judicial powers.

True.

False.

We don't know.

6. The House of Lords meets in the Palace of Westminster.

True.

False.

We don't know.

Charles, Prince of Wales

The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor) (born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is heir apparent to the thrones of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth Realms. He has held the title of Prince of Wales since 1958 and is styled HRH The Prince of Wales, and in Scotland, HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay. Constitutionally he is the second most senior member of the British Royal Family after the Queen. The Prince of Wales is well known for his extensive charity work, particularly for the Prince's Trust. He also carries out a full schedule of royal duties, and increasingly is taking on more royal roles from his ageing parents. The Prince is also well known for his high profile marriages to the late Diana, Princess of Wales and subsequently to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. He was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester in 1958, though his actual investiture did not take place until 1 July 1969. This was a major ceremony, held at Caernarfon Castle in north Wales, a place traditionally associated with the creation of the title in the 13th century. Previous investitures had taken place at various locations, including the Palace of Westminster, the seat of Parliament. The Welsh borough of Swansea was granted city status to mark the occasion. The investiture also aroused considerable hostility among some Welsh nationalists, and there were threats of violence. In the late 1970s, the Prince of Wales established another first when he became the first member of the Royal Family since King George I to attend a British cabinet meeting, being invited to attend by Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan so as to see the workings of cabinet government at first hand.

Questions about the text

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1. Prince Charles was born in...

1948.

1949.

1950.

2. He received the title of Prince of Wales in...

1958.

1959.

We don't know.

3. He married only once.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. He was the first member of the Royal Family to attend a cabinet meeting.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. Constitutionally he is the second most senior member of the British Royal Family after the

Queen.

True.

False.

We don't know.

The Beatles

The Beatles were one of the most influential music groups of the rock era, and many consider them the best musical group on Earth. Initially they affected the post-war baby boom generation of Britain and the U.S. during the 1960s, and later the rest of the world. Certainly they were the most successful group, with global sales exceeding 1.1 billion records. While they were originally famous for light-weight pop music (and the extreme hysterical reaction they received from young women), their later works achieved a combination of popular and critical acclaim perhaps unequaled in the 20th century. Eventually, they became more than recording artists, branching out into film and — particularly in the case of John Lennon — political activism. They achieved an iconic status beyond mere celebrity, with far reaching effects difficult to exaggerate.

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The members of the group were John Lennon, (James) Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), all from Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Original drummer Pete Best was asked to leave the group just before it started recording. Stuart Sutcliffe was with them in Hamburg but also left. Beatlemania began in the UK and exploded following the appearance of the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States, on February 9, 1964. The pop-music band became a worldwide phenomenon with worshipful fans, hysterical adulation, and denunciations by culture commentators and others such as Frank Sinatra. Some of this was confusion over the sources of their music (a similar confusion was evinced in 1956 over Elvis Presley by commentators who were unaware of the tradition of blues, R&B and gospel out of which Presley emerged), and some of it was simply an incredulous reaction to the length of their hair. At any rate, it was regarded by the band members with both awe and resentment.

Questions about the text

1. They were the best selling group in history.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. All the members were from Liverpool.

True.

False.

We don't know.

3. They appeared on TV on February 9, 1964.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. There was some confusion about the sources of their music.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. Their music was copied by Elvis Presley.

True.

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False.

We don't know.

6. Frank Sinatra didn't like the Beatles too much.

True.

False.

We don't know.

Fish and chips

"Fish and chips" is deep-fried fish in batter with deep-fried potatoes, and a popular take-away food. Fish and chips is originally from the United Kingdom, but also very popular in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and some coastal towns of the Netherlands and Norway; and also increasingly so in the United States and elsewhere. For decades it was the dominant (if not the only) take-away food in the United Kingdom. The fried potatoes are called chips in British and international usage; and while American English calls them french fries, the combination is still called "fish and chips". (Potato chips, an American innovation, are a different potato-derived food, and are known as crisps in the United Kingdom.) Fish and chips have separately been eaten for many years – though the potato was not introduced to Europe until the 17th century. The originally Sephardi dish Pescado frito, or deep-fried fish, came to Netherlands and England with the Spanish and Portuguese Jews in the 17th and 18th centuries. The dish became popular in more widespread circles in London and the south-east in the middle of the 19th century (Charles Dickens mentions a "fried fish warehouse" in Oliver Twist) whilst in the north of England a trade in deep-fried "chipped" potatoes developed. It is unclear when and where these two trades were merged to become the fish and chip shop industry we know today. The first combined fish and chip shop was probably the one opened in London by Joseph Malin in 1860. During World War II, fish and chips were one of the few foods that were not rationed in the UK.

Questions about the text

1. Fish and chips are popular only in England.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. Americans call "French fries" what British call "chips".

True.

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False.

We don't know.

3. Americans call "chips" what British call "crisps".

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. The potato was introduced to Europe in the 18th century.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. The dish became popular in the 19th century.

True.

False.

We don't know.

6. The first fish and chip shop was opened in the 19th century.

True.

False.

We don't know.

7. Fish and chips were not eaten during World War II.

True.

False.

We don't know.

Jane Austen

Jane Austen (December 16, 1775–July 18, 1817) was a prominent English novelist whose work is considered part of the Western canon. She stands as a model of the writer whose apparently sheltered life did nothing to reduce the stature and drama of her fiction. She was born at the rectory in Steventon, Hampshire, her father being a clergyman, and lived for most of her life in the area. She had six brothers, and an elder sister, Cassandra, to whom she was very close. The only undisputed portrait of Jane Austen is a coloured sketch done by Cassandra which resides in the National Portrait Gallery in London. However, a full-length painting owned

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by a family member, traditionally held to be of Jane as a teenager, is now increasingly considered authentic by authorities. Her brothers Frank and Charles went to sea, eventually becoming admirals. In 1801 the family moved to Bath; after the death of her father in 1805, Jane, her sister and her mother lived with Frank and his family for several years until they moved in 1809 to Chawton. Here her wealthy brother Edward had an estate with a cottage, which he turned over to his mother and sisters. (Their house today is open to the public.) Jane never married; she was once engaged to a younger man, Harris Bigg-Wither, but changed her mind. Having established herself as a novelist, she continued to live in relative seclusion, and began to suffer ill-health. It is now thought she may have suffered from Addison's Disease, the cause of which was then unknown. She travelled to Winchester to seek a cure, but died there and was buried in the cathedral. While her first novel, the posthumously published Northanger Abbey, pokes fun at the Gothic novels of Ann Radcliffe, Austen is most famous for her later works, which took the form of socially conscious comedies of errors. These, especially Emma, are often cited for their perfection of form, while modern critics continue to unearth new perspectives on Austen's keen commentary regarding the predicament of young, unmarried, upper-class English women in the early 1800s. The order in which she began and completed her novels is different from that of their publication. Her novels were fairly well received when they were published, with Sir Walter Scott in particular praising her work. Her reputation has only increased since, and she is now considered one of the greatest English novelists. Austen's chief gift was to be a close observer of human society and social interaction. It should be noted, however, that almost every scene in her novels features women, purportedly because she did not know how men spoke when not in the presence of women. Some contemporary readers may find the world she describes, in which people's chief concern is obtaining socially prominent marriages, to be unliberated and disquieting; however one should bear in mind that a "good marriage" was then the only available form of social security other than degrading work as governess, or living as hanger-on in a relative's household. Her most famous novels are: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815).

Questions about the text

1. Jane Austen's father was a clergyman.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. Cassandra was older than Jane.

True.

False.

We don't know.

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3. Jane's house in Chawton may be visited by the public.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. Most of the characters in her novels are women.

True.

False.

We don't know.

5. In the world that she describes, marriage is not very important.

True.

False.

We don't know.

The Wild Life

Long before the arrival of Europeans on the Canadian prairie (the wide grasslands of what is now called Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), the First Nations people lived in a harmonious relationship with their natural surroundings. Every item of their culture, from sewing needles to homes was obtained from nature. Their homes were called teepees and were like large tents made from the skins of deer. These people - tribes with names like the Blackfoot, the Peigan and the Blood people - were nomadic, which means that they travelled from place to place following the animals they hunted or the growth of the berries and fruits on the bushes and trees. They had horses, although horses came to North America after escaping from the Spanish explorers who brought them here to explore the areas around Mexico and Texas. Boys and girls were both expert riders. They did not use saddles or reins or stirrups; they rode "bareback". Their clothes were made from deer skins and buffalo skins and decorated with the parts of other animals - tails from squirrels and gophers, quills from porcupines and the delicate bones of birds. These children of nature did not ever have to go to school. They did not have to study to get into a prestigious college, nor did they have to worry about finding a job after graduation. This does not mean their life was easy. The winters were very long and very cold and there were sometimes wars between tribes. There were also the very great dangers involved in the buffalo hunt. Warriors rode at top speed (with no saddle) beside the huge buffalo shooting arrows to bring them down. The chances of a buffalo turning

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suddenly or of falling off the horse were very great. We must remember that there were also no hospitals in those days. Even so, the young people of the tribes must have enjoyed a very pleasant lifestyle: fishing and gathering berries in summer, hunting in the forests in the early morning, dancing around the fire at night and listening to the old people tell stories and legends from long ago.

1. Riding "bareback" means riding without any equipment on the horse. A. ? True

B. ? False

2. First Nations people never killed deer. A. ? True

B. ? False

3. First Nations people had no enemies. A. ? True

B. ? False

4. Mathematics was not a priority for the kind of life they led. A. ? True

B. ? False

5. The First Nations people did not develop a written language. A. ? True

B. ? False

6. People were rarely killed while hunting buffalo. A. ? True

B. ? False

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world (after Oxford). It is situated in the town of Cambridge, England. According to legend, the university was founded in 1209 by scholars escaping from Oxford after a fight with locals there. Cambridge has produced more Nobel prize winners than any other university in the

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world, having 80 associated with it, about 70 of whom were students there. It regularly heads league tables ranking British universities, and a recent league table by the Times Higher Education Supplement rated it sixth in the world overall and first for science. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge, often referred to together as Oxbridge, compete to be seen as the strongest overall university in the UK. Historically, they have produced a significant proportion of Britain's prominent scientists, writers and politicians.

Questions about the text

1. The University of Cambridge is the oldest university in England.

True.

False.

We don't know.

2. The University of Cambridge was founded by scholars from Oxford.

True.

False.

We don't know.

3. Many Nobel Prize winners were students at the University of Cambridge.

True.

False.

We don't know.

4. Many scientists, writers and politicians were students at the University of Oxford and the University

of Cambridge.

True.

False.

We don't know.