The Olympic Games

During this year the Olympics have been held in London. But to learn a bit more about the history of the Olympic Games have a look at this site and search for the information to answer the following questions on the different sections you will find on the left:

• When and where did the modern Olympics begin?
• Why was important the 'sacred truce'?
• What was the price for the winner?
• How did the Games end?
• What was the punishment if anyone was caught cheating?
• What was the Heraia?

Do you know which sports have been included in the 2012 Games? Find out in the following sites:
London 2012 Olympics
London 2012 Paralympics
Click on the different sports to learn more about it, participants, results, etc.

To have some fun play the following game. You have to listen to the commenataries and match them with the pictures.

Now answer the following questions:

1. Do you do any sport at school? Which one?

2. Which sports are you good at? Which ones are you not good at?

3. Which Olympic events did you watch?

4. Which events would you like to compete in?

5. In your opinion, what is the most exciting Olympic event? What is the most interesting?

6. Do you have any sports heroes? Who are they?

May Day

How did you spend May Day? Did you know that the English word Mayday has two completely different meanings? Firstly, Mayday is a holiday. Secondly, it's the international distress radio signal. The original phrase was French - "m'aider" which means "help me". You know the English word "aid" as in "first aid". The French word is "aider."
On the 1st May, the International Workers' Day is celebrated. Listen to this audio about labor day and complete the following text.

Animation réalisée sur le site http://www.komcitiz.com

Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated _________________. It originated from the eight-hour day movement in the nineteenth century. Labor _________________ hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep. It then became a reason for workers to celebrate their social and economic progress _________________ twentieth century. Today, people are happy it is a day off work and perhaps _________________ of this important holiday. Most countries celebrate this day on May 1. In some countries it is called May Day _________________ known as International Workers’ Day. More and more countries are moving the day to the first Monday in May, _________________ -day weekend.

People around the world celebrate Labor Day _________________. In China it marked the beginning of a seven-day holiday called Golden Week. People _________________ country traveled to their hometowns or visited resorts. However, in 2008, the Chinese government went _________________ public holiday. Indians have celebrated Labour Day since May 1, 1927. There are many festivals and processions organized by different labour organizations and people _________________ for huge parties. Italians celebrate the day with a huge, free music concert in Rome. Up to one million people attend the spectacular. For most people, it _________________ enjoy the nice weather and have a picnic with family, friends and co-workers.

What kind of May Day protester are you? Do the following quiz.

If you want to learn more about May Day celebrations and traditions in the UK such as the Maypole, Morris dancing or Jack in the Green visit this website.

Education is the key

Education is the key to solve most of the world's problems and two teenagers from Glasgow have created a campaign to make the world leaders aware of this reality and spread the message about the importance of the millenium goals. With this campaign they have won the Steve Sinnott Award for Young Campaigner.

Read the following article by The Guardian and have a look at their campaign.

Eilidh Naismith and Billy Davidson, from Glasgow, are the Send My Friend to School Young Ambassadors for 2012.

They will be helping to get UK kids involved in the campaign, reminding world leaders of their goal of getting all children in school by 2015.

Eilidh and Billy, both aged 15, travelled to Malawi in February 2012 to meet children in and out of school, and find out for themselves about what stops young people getting an education.

They'll be helping to spread the word, speaking in Parliament and at conferences, and encouraging schools and youth groups to take part in Send My Friend to School’s ‘Go for Gold!’ activities this year.

With 67 million children still missing out on school world leaders need to Go for Gold! to meet their target of getting all children an education by 2015. Young Ambassadors, Yas and Nav, introduce Send My Friend to School's Olympic-inspired theme for this year, and show what they learned on their visit to Guatemala last year.

Of these 67 million children more than half are girls. Watch the film to find out what you can do to help and join the campaign to give every child the chance to get an education.

Look at me

This video is an adaptation from Todd Alcott's poem. Can you imagine a title for it?

Then watch the video again and pay attention to the images you see, are they familiar to you? Make a list of the items you see.

Are you supersticious?

Have you realized that yesterday it was Friday 13th? Has anything special happened to you?

Does this date fill you with fear, anxiety and foreboding - or is it simply another day on the calendar? Whether you're superstitious or not, try to find out why Friday the 13th is such an infamous date.

Listen to this audio and answer the questions you will find in this website. Then try to learn the useful words and expressions that you will find here to talk about superstitions and Friday the 13th and do this quiz.

Finally, learn about some other superstitons with this slideshow by The Independent.