THE SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP. THE BEST RUGBY IN EUROPE.

Let´s talk about rugby. Although not the most popular of sports in Spain, it is one of the most important sports in many English-speaking countries, not only in Europe, but also in South Africa, New Zealand or Australia, countries where it is the "National Sport".

The locations of the Six Nations participants

This Saturday ( Feb 2nd), the Six Nations Rugby Championship starts in Cardiff, Wales,  with one of the best rugby matches one can see all over the world: Wales against Ireland. It is the first match  of a championship which started to be played as far in time as 1883 and which can be considered as the European Rugby Championship.

The Six Nations Championship and Triple Crown trophies

 

The tournament was initially played by the Four British nations: England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, being subsequently enlarged to five teams (with the addition of France in 1910) and to six nations in 2000 (when Italy was accepted).


OVERALL RESULTS

 The last winners, Wales, received the Championship Trophy in 2012, after winning each of its five matches. Overall, England has the most victories (26). Wales could equal them this year since they have won it 25 times. France has 17 victories, Scotland 14 and Ireland 11. Italy has to win their first trophy yet.


THE TRIPLE CROWN TROPHY

This trophy can only be awarded to either England, Ireland, Wales or Scotland and only when one of these nations wins all the three matches against the other three, being England the nation with the greatest number of trophies (23).

THE WOODEN SPOON

Among the most famous traditions of the tournament, we can speak about The Wooden Spoon, which is awarded to the team who finishes at the bottom of the table. No physical spoon exists or has ever existed, however. Anyway, the six teams do their best to avoid winning a trophy of such a dubious prestige. Ireland has won it 36 times, a record no good Irish fan will be keen to recognise.

NATIONAL ANTHEMS

Rugby is a sport of traditions. One of them refers to anthems. Before the start of each game the national anthems of both teams are sung by their players and supporters. You can see here those of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England.

If you are lucky enough to watch one of these matches in a local pub, you will be able to see everybody there sing along their players. I have been so fortunate on some occasions,  while drinking a pint of beer and I can tell you that  it´s something that no real sports fan should miss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U2: ROCK FROM IRELAND.

U2, Rock from Ireland

Few rock bands in the world are best-known as the Irish band U2 is. Over the years, they have sold more than 150 million copies of any of the twelve albums they have released so far.They have also won more Grammy Awards (22) than any other band and many of their songs are usually listed among the greatest songs in rock history.


Formed in 1976, the band consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). Since the beginning, the group stood out because of their lyrics, which focused on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns. Their sound is built on melodic instrumentals and Bono´s expressive vocals.

The band has also appeared in The Simpsons

Their first album, Boy, was released in 1980. With this album and the next three they became successful as live performers, but it wouldn´t be until 1987 that, with their album The Joshua Tree, they passed "from heroes to superstars", according to the magazine Rolling Stone. The next albums, Rattle and Hum and Achtung Baby increased their success and their prestige and they consolidated as one of the most important rock bands ever.



Another important aspect of U2 is the fact that its members have collaborated, individually and as a band, with other musicians, artists, celebrities and politicians to address issues concerning poverty, disease and social injustice.

 "With or Without You"

Let´s enjoy some of their most famous songs. They are part of rock history. They are part of our history. You can tell us if you like them and, in that case, which of their songs are your favourites. You can help us to share most songs of U2.

"I still haven´t found what I´m looking for"

"One"

PIECES OF HISTORY: ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

With twelve nominations to the Oscars 2013, including Best Picture, Best Director for Steven Spielberg and Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln has become the film which everybody is speaking about in the United States right now.

The film depicts the last four months in Lincoln´s life, placing a special focus on the President´s efforts in January 1865 to have the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the House of Representatives.

It was released in the United States last November and is scheduled to be released in Europe in the next few months. Up to this moment, the film has received extensive critical acclaim and it would be a real surprise if it didn´t become the greatest success in the next Academy Awards Ceremony to be held on 24 February.

Let´s talk now about Abraham Lincoln, the historical character, since he is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest presidents in the United States history and one of those whose influence on Western civilization has been more decisive.

Lincoln became the 16th president of the United States in 1861, serving until his assassination in April 1865. His importance soon proved to be very big as he successfully led the country through its most difficult time in history, the American Civil War (1861-1865). He got over all these problems preserving the Union while ending slavery and promoting the economic and financial modernization of the country.


Some Lincoln´s sentences have pervaded public conscience


His most important achievement was to end with slavery, getting its abolition with his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and pushing through Congress the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which finally freed all the slaves in the whole country in December 1865.

At the end of the Civil War, Lincoln set as his main objectives the reconciliation and reconstruction of the nation. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by the actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth making it impossible for him to carry out that task.

A. Lincoln is assassinated at Ford´s Theatre in Washington

Lincoln´s name and figure went straight on into the collective memory of all American citizens, being usually ranked by scholars and the public as one of the three greatest  U.S. presidents, along with George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt.




Lincoln´s Memorial, built in the honour of President Lincoln

His sentences and speeches are among the most famous and best-known in history. The Gettysburg Address is one of these speeches which are now iconic, the same as many other things related to Abraham Lincoln are. Here you can listen to it and read its lyrics.





SCHOOL YEAR 2012/13. BAILEY JOHNSON.

Hi everybody! A new school year! This is Bailey Johnson, our new Conversation Assistant Teacher. Please, welcome her!

Bailey working in the English Department

FREDDIE MERCURY. THE GREAT PRETENDER.

Queen in The Simpsons

Few rock bands embodied the pure excess of the 70s like Queen. It was formed in London in 1971 by Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), John Deacon (bass guitar) and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals). They could not imagine they would become one day one of the most popular and best-selling music artists in the world.

They enjoyed success in the UK since their first album, Queen, but it would not be until the release of  Sheer Heart Attack(1974) and A Night at the Opera(1975) that they gained international success. The latter featured "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was their first great success. Their 1977 album, News of the World, contained two of rock´s most recognisable anthems, "We Are The Champions" and "We Will Rock You".

In the 1980s, the band was one of the biggest stadium rock bands in the world and they gave some of the greatest live performances in rock history. In 1991, Freddie Mercury died of bronchopneumonia, a complication of Aids. That was the beginning of the band´s breakup. They had released 18 number one albums and sold about 300 hundred million albums.



Freddie Mercury deserves special attention since he was not only the composer of many of the hits for Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range. In some music polls, he has been considered the greatest male singer of all time and the prestige magazine Allmusic has characterised him as "one of rock´s greatest all-time entertainers".

His death made him a rock legend and today he is an icon of rock music all around the world. Fortunately, he left us Queen´s songs. We can enjoy them whenever we want. Mercury´s magic is still alive even though he died so many years ago now.

You can look for more information and videos at www.queenonline.com

U.S. ROUTE 66: "THE MAIN STREET OF AMERICA"

U.S. Route 66 was a highway which originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona to end at Los Angeles, California. It covered a total of 2,448 miles ( 3,940 km). Established on November 11, 1926, it soon became one of the most famous roads in America.


 
Driving Route 66 across Arizona

Also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Mother Road or the Main Street of America, it served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The Dust Bowl, a period of severe drought and dust storms in 1934 and 1936 which forced hundreds of thousands of people from the Great Plains to migrate to California, was marvellously depicted in the novel The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck.



Route 66 Motel Sign

Removed from the United States Highway system in 1985, it has been entirely replaced by the Interstate Highway System. Nowadays, portions of the road have been designated a National Scenic Byway with the name of Historic Route 66. This road has been recognized in popular culture by both a hit song and the Route 66 television show in the sixties.

We leave you with a video of the song. Don´t miss the images of the Mother Road. John Mayer is singing:

SPANISH PLAYERS IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

This season, the much-travelled 26-year-old Spanish player Michu has really taken the English Premier League by storm. Playing for the modest Swansea, he has become, with no doubt, one of the greatest stars of the first half of the season. His name stands out between the main scorers in the League and his surprising irruption has even made Manchester United coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, question the capability of his club scouts, since they had never reported him about such a player.

Michu, after scoring a goal for swansea

But he is not the only Spanish player who we can find in English Premier League teams. At least other 19 players from our country have taken over the English League. Some of them are internationals with our national team but some others are football journeymen looking for the opportunities that many Spanish teams denied them. Within this category, we can mention the names of Michu´s teammates at Swansea: They are Chico Flores, Ángel Rangel and ex-Valencia winger Pablo Hernandez. A photo of these four players was famous some weeks ago.

The four Swansea Spanish players celebrating a goal

 Let´s remember the names of these players. After all, they have deserved the recognition of good Spanish fans. To begin with, We will have a look at Cazorla, one of the best players our football has produced in recent times.

Santi Cazorla has been another Spanish signing of this season that has already paid dividends with his club, Arsenal, where he plays along with Mikel Arteta and Ignasi Miquel.

 

Cazorla has had a brilliant debut for arsenal

Even the current European Champions, Chelsea F.C., has a number of players from or country in its ranks. Perhaps the most well-known of them all is Fernando Torres, the man who gave Spain the Euro 2008 with his goal., but he is not the one who is drawing the main attention this season. That honour goes to Juan Mata, who has already had some important performances  for the London team. Along with Mata and Torres we find Oriol Romeu, a young miedfielder coming from La Masía.

Torre and Mata playing for Chelsea

We mustn´t forget the names of some other players who belong to more modest teams. After all, they help to spread the reputation of Spanish football all over the British Islands. We refer to Albert Crusat, Jordi Gómez and Iván Ramis (they all play for Wigan Athletic) or Daniel Sánchez Ayala and Carlos Cuéllar (playing for Norwich City and Sunderland respectively). A strange case would be that of Esteban Granero, who went straight on from winning the Spanish League with Real Madrid last season to being in the wrong position of the English table this year with Queen´s Park Rangers.

Going back in time, we could say that it all began some years ago at Liverpool, when the main team of the city, Liverpool F.C. signed a great number of Spanish players, what even made them be known as "The Spanish Liverpool". At that time, important players such as Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa, Fernando Torres or Pepe Reina defended Liverpool´s shirt with great success, winning the Champions League in 2005.  From them all, only Pepe Reina continues playing for Liverpool F.C but it doesn´t mean that he is the only player from our country to keep on the tradition in that team, as left-back José Enrique is enjoying his best footbal days there.

This is a video where Liverpool fans sing for Fernando Torres before a Champions League match, during his time playing for The Reds. The lyrics were: His armband proved he was a red  // Torres, Torres / / You´ll never walk alone// Torres, Torres//  We bought the lad from sunny Spain // He gets the ball and scores again // Fernando Torres // Liverpool´s number nine.




David Silva has confirmed as one of the great stars in England

Last but not least, we can´t forget those players living and playing in Manchester. We talk about  David Silva (one of the great stars of the whole League) and Javi García, signed this season by Manchester City, and David De Gea, Manchester United´s goalkeeper.


All these players form the present-day Spanish army at the English Premier League. They play every week in the English football fields and contribute to export and make the prestige of our football yet bigger and bigger.



QUOTATIONS IN ENGLISH. GREAT IDEAS IN SMALL PILLS.

Sometimes you can express your thoughts and ideas much more easily by means of a few words than through a big number of pages. That is why we can say it is possible to talk about great ideas in small doses. We like many of these quotations and we are going to show them to you from time to time. We hope you will like them too.