31st December 2022: New Year's Eve

As you all know, in Spain we eat twelve grapes at midnight. The actual countdown is primarily followed from the clock on top of  the Correos building in Puerta del Sol square, Madrid. It is traditional to eat twelve grapes, on on each chime of the clock. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year. Nowadays the tradition is followed by almost every Spaniard, and the twelve grapes have become synonimous with the New Year. After the clock has finished striking twelve, people greet each other and toast with sparkling wine (such as champagane or cider).

The King's Christmas Broadcast 2022

 

King Charles III adresses his first Christmas speech to his country and the Commonwealth. Pay attention to his pronunciation, rhythm and entonation. Read the full transcript down below.

"I'm standing here in this exquisite chapel of St. George at Windsor Castle, so close to where my beloved mother the late Queen is laid to rest with my dear father. I'm reminded of the deeply touching letters, cards and messages which so many of you have sent my wife and myself, and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our whole family.

Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season, and remember them in each cherished tradition.

26th December: Boxing Day 2022

Today is Boxing Day. No, it has nothing to do with the sport of fighting with the fists. This is the reason for the name:

A box, usually of earthenware, in which contributions of money were collected at Christmas, by apprentices, etc.; the box being broken when full, and the contents shared.

So, the name Boxing Day derives from the tradition of giving seasonal gifts, on the day after Christmas, to less wealthy people and social inferiors, which was later extended to various workpeople such as labourers and servants.

7 O´Clock News / Silent Night 2022

Recorded on August 22nd, 1966, "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" is the twelfth and final track on "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme", a 1966 album by Simon and Garfunkel. The track consists of an overdubbing of two contrasting recordings: a simple arrangement of the Christmas carol "Silent Night", and a simulated "7 O'Clock News" bulletin of the actual events of 3 August 1966.

8 Facts about Spain's 'El Gordo' Lottery 2022

The following article was published by PR Newswire on7th December 2010.

Christmas Carols & Songs 2022

O Come All Ye Faithful 

The text to the carol O Come All Ye Faithful was originally written in Latin (Adeste Fideles) and was intended to be a hymn, it is attributed to John Wade, an Englishman. The music to O Come All Ye Faithful was composed by fellow Englishman John Reading in the early 1700s. The tune was first published in a collection known as "Cantus Diversi" in 1751. In 1841 Rev. Frederick Oakley is reputed to have worked on the familiar translation of O Come All Ye Faithful which replaced the older Latin lyrics "Adeste Fideles".

We wish you a Merry Christmas. 

The author and composer of We Wish You a Merry Christmas cannot be traced however it is believed to date back to England in the sixteenth century. The tradition of carollers being given Christmas treats for singing to wealthy members of the community is reflected in this Christmas song - We Wish You a Merry Christmas! Over the years the fashion for figgy puddings mentioned in We Wish You a Merry Christmas has faded. But for the curious, the recipe consisted of the most important ingredient which was of course figs together with butter, sugar, eggs ,milk, rum, apple, lemon and orange peel, nuts, cinnamon, cloves and ginger! Not dissimilar to the modern day Christmas Puddings!

Auld Lang Syne. 

Although not strictly a Christmas song this section would not be complete without the inclusion of the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne. The song Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung by most of us on the stroke of midnight each New Years Eve. However in Scotland, where Auld Lang Syne originates it is also sung on Burns Night, January 25th, to celebrate the life of the author and famous poet Robert Burns. The lyrics of Auld Lang Syne actually consist of five verses. The words 'Auld Lang Syne' literally translates from old Scottish dialect meaning 'Old Long Ago' and is about love and friendship in times past. The lyrics in the song Auld Lang Syne referring to 'We'll take a Cup of Kindness yet' relate to a drink shared by men and women to symbolise friendship. Happy New Year!!!

No copyright infringement intended. For educational non-commercial purposes only.

Merry Christmas 2022

Labor English Zone wishes Merry Christmas

At Labor English Zone we know what present we want for Christmas!

Free English Workshop

Tonight, from 18:00 to 19:00 and next Thursday 22nd and Tuesday 27th RC Celta are organizing free English workshops at their head office "A Sede" on Príncipe Street.You can join by clicking here.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Advent 2022

What is Advent? (Reblogged from here and here)

The word Advent comes from the Latin word for “arrival”: adventus. The celebration of Advent, whether with wreaths in church or calendars at home, marks the beginning of the Christmas period. It’s one of the major seasons celebrated by most Christian churches in the Western tradition: Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and many additional Protestant churches mark the roughly month-long period with special observance.

Most Advent calendars start on December 1st, but the actual first day of the Advent season changes every year. In 2022, that day is Sunday November 27th. The final day is the same every year: December 24th, Christmas Eve — though many calendars run through Christmas Day.

The reason for the shifting start date is somewhat straightforward: as celebrated by Christian churches in the Western tradition (as opposed to Eastern Orthodox churches, which keep a different calendar), the season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and is celebrated on each successive Sunday leading up to Christmas.

Once Advent finishes, the 12 days of Christmas start... It is the period that in Christian theology marks the span between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, the three wise men. It begins on December 25 (Christmas) and runs through January 6th (the Epiphany, sometimes also called Three Kings' Day).

Thanksgiving 2022: Thursday 24th November

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Traditionally, it has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. While it may have been religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday. It is sometimes casually referred to as Turkey Day.

In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, which is Columbus Day in the United States. In the United States, it falls on the fourth Thursday of November. Since being fixed at the fourth Thursday in November by law in 1941, the holiday in the United States can occur on any date from November 22 to November 28. When it falls on November 22 or 23, it is not the last Thursday, but the penultimate Thursday in November. As it is a Federal holiday, all United States government offices are closed and employees are paid for that day. It is also a holiday for the New York Stock Exchange and most other financial markets and financial services companies.

Ashton United F. C. Crest

 

Ashton United Football Club is a football club in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football, and play at Hurst Cross.

Non-League Ashton United claim to have made a cheeky bid to sign Erling Haaland on loan from neighbours Manchester City during the World Cup. With top-flight football taking a break for the global showpiece in Qatar, the prolific Haaland will be out of action in the coming weeks as Norway failed to qualify.

Ashton, of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, English football’s seventh tier, believe they can offer the striker the perfect solution to help him maintain his match fitness. “It just makes sense,” the Robins manager, Michael Clegg, told the club’s website. “City aren’t playing, and we want to help by keeping Erling fit. It makes more sense than him playing golf for six weeks."

“We think he will be a great fit for us and would slot in with our squad dynamic really well.”

Ashton, who are based six miles from City’s Etihad Stadium, are 11th in their division and were beaten 2-0 in front of a crowd of 622 at Gainsborough on Saturday. Haaland has scored 23 goals in 18 appearances for Premier League champions City since his £51m summer move from Borussia Dortmund.

Pep Guardiola said last week Haaland would be allowed some time off – which he expected him to split between a holiday in Marbella and a visit home to Norway – before returning to training in early December.

But now, ESO students, the important detail here... take a good look at Ashton United crest (the image at the top of this post):

Can you notice anything familiar in it?

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Nov 19th: International Men's Day 2022

International Men’s Day is recognised on the 19th November, it is marked in around 80 countries worldwide and provides an opportunity to consider some of the issues that may affect men in particular and the ways in which we can support their wellbeing. It also focuses on men’s health, improving gender relations, highlighting male role models, and promoting positive expressions of masculinity. It’s also an opportunity to recognize men who don’t fall into traditional manifestations of masculinity,

It’s generally accepted that men can find it more difficult than women to address issues relating to their physical or mental wellbeing and are less likely to seek help. For example, men are less likely to visit their GP or pharmacy than women (www.menshealthforum.org.uk) and research shows that only 50% of men feel comfortable discussing mental health issues (BITC, Mental Health at Work Report 2017).

International Men’s Day is a great opportunity for you to:

• Highlight some of the social issues than men and boys face
• Make a difference for the men and boys in your community
• Celebrate men and boys in all their diversity
• Have some serious fun

Movember 2022

Is it November or is it Movember?

Men’s health is in crisis. Men are dying on average 5 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons.

A growing number of men – around 10.8M globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. And across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 69% of all suicides.

Movember is uniquely placed to address this crisis on a global scale.

Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

It is a portmanteau of the Australian-English diminutive word for moustache, "mo", and "November". The Movember Foundation runs the Movember charity event, housed at Movember.com. The goal of Movember is to "change the face of men's health."

By encouraging men (whom the charity refers to as "Mo Bros") to get involved, Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths. Besides annual check-ups, the Movember Foundation encourages men to be aware of family history of cancer and to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Using the moustache as the driving symbol of the movement, Movember focuses on the three key areas of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health & suicide prevention. Since inception, the Movember Foundation has raised $837 million and funded over 1,200 projects in more than 20 countries.

Learn more by clicking here.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Feelings & Emotions

How are you feeling today?

Turn this coloured wheel (click on the image to download it or to see it enlarged) and find the right adjective to express and describe your feelings and emotions accurately:

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial pursposes only.

Halloween 2022

Halloween is approaching and to celebrate it at LaborEnglishZone we give you again a very interesting post on the origins of this holiday.

Have a nice Halloween and enjoy the post!

Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night: Remember, Remember, the 5th of November - 2022

In 1605, thirteen young men planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Among them was Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor.

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

Why the Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot.

Daylight Saving Time - Autumn 2022

Daylight saving time (DST)—also summer time in several countries, in British English, and European official terminology—is the practice of advancing clocks so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. Typically clocks are adjusted forward one hour near the start of spring and are adjusted backward in autumn.

When DST starts in central Europe, clocks advance from 02:00 CET to 03:00 CEST.  

Though mentioned by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, the modern idea of daylight saving was first proposed in 1895 by and it was first implemented during the First World War. Many countries have used it at various times since then.

ESO 2, 3 & 4 Syllabus

ESO 2, 3 & 4 Students,

To access ESO 2 syllabus, click here.

To access ESO 3 syllabus, click here.

To access ESO 4 syllabus, click here.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

God Save the King

 

‘God Save the King’: British national anthem changes lyrics after queen’s death

(by Andrew Court, reblogged from New York Post)

The lyrics of Britain’s national anthem have been changed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The long-reigning monarch, 96, died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, with her eldest child, Charles, now ascending the throne. In honor of the UK’s new royal ruler, the national anthem has been tweaked from “God Save the Queen” to “God Save the King.” The content of the song will remain the same, with the word “queen” simply being swapped out for “king,” and the she/her pronouns changed to he/him.

The national anthem was written in 1745 and was originally titled “God Save the King” in honor of then-ruler King George III. The song did not become the country’s anthem until the early 1800s. Since then, the anthem has switched back and forth between “God Save the King” and “God Save the Queen,” depending on the sex of the monarch.

On Thursday, many Britons took to Twitter to say it would be “weird” to hear the changed national anthem after 70 years of “God Save the Queen.”

“I suppose Britain’s national anthem switches back to God Save the King — that’s gonna be weird for a while,” one stated.

Meanwhile, another chimed in saying the country would subsequently alter in a myriad of other small ways, too.

“I cannot emphasize enough how much Britain will change in the coming year,” they wrote. “New monarch. New money. New national anthem. New stamps. It will change in a thousand seemingly minor, but major ways.”

The death of the queen came Thursday evening British time, just hours after Buckingham Palace said that her doctors had been “concerned for Her Majesty’s health.” Charles released a statement after the death was announced, mourning his late mother:

“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty, the queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” the 73-year-old said.

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

Charles’ coronation is not expected to take place for months, as the country enters a prolonged period of mourning. 

His wife, Camilla, 75, will be called the queen consort.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Best 2022 Graduation Speech, by Jakob Cabaleiro: "What do I know?"

This year's best graduation speech is by 4 ESO B student Jakob Cabaleiro who has not only written a brilliant commencement address, but he has delivered it in style and grace, and with excellent pronunciation, intonation and stance, and with remarkable composure, serenity and good spirit. Congratulations!

As usual, this student is the chosen one to speak on behalf of their 4 ESO classmates at the graduation ceremony to be held at 1 pm on Wednesday 22nd June.

WHAT DO I KNOW?

Good afternoon, everybody!

Thank you very much for attending this ceremony. I’ve practiced this speech in class and at home, but… gosh, it’s just not the same with all you here. And, I mean, why shouldn’t it? Today’s the day! Today’s the fricking day! Now, where was I? Right. I hadn’t even started yet. So, what I was about to say is that… I don’t know. I may have thought I knew when I wrote this, or when I practised it… I may even think I know it right now. But the truth is that I don’t. In a few minutes, days, weeks, months or years, I’ll look back at this speech and think: “what the hell was I saying there?” Let me explain:

You’ve probably heard the stories of kids who wanted to be cowboys, astronauts or aristocrats, later football stars, firefighters or aristocrats, and now scientists, teachers or, you guessed it, cryptobros. You can see a gradual change from cool to normal, except for the ones who just want to be rich and do nothing. Don’t get me wrong, that’s cool, but not very realistic, and… I’m drifting away again. So, for me, it was a bit different.

First, I wanted to be on the telly, then I wanted to be a sports journalist, after that, I wanted to write about movies, and now I want to make movies. You can see that change there too, just into another direction. Instead of going from the most to the least cool, it goes from the most to the least rich. The funny thing, however, is that, back when I still wanted to just be on the telly, I was asked if I ever wanted to make movies. And my answer was: “Of course not, why would I?” But what did I know back then?

Looking back now at that chain of desires, you can see a thread uniting all of my ideas. The thing is: I’ve always loved stories. And even though I also liked to tell them, I preferred hearing them. And even so, it wasn’t one of my main hobbies. Audiobooks were rare, books were acceptable, movies were okay, and comic books just existed. That changed in 2016, when I was invited to the cinema for someone’s birthday. I’m sorry I don’t remember whose it was, but I think it was Beltrán’s or Victor’s. One of the

two invited me to his birthday and the other one spent the entire movie answering my questions about who that guy was, or that other one. The movie, I remember. Captain America: Civil War made me love a movies like never before. It’s not a perfect movie, but at that time it was a lot better than other movies I’d watched at the cinema, say Mall Cop 2 or the Annie remake. Additionally, it made me want to know more about the characters I’d seen. That’s how I got into superhero movies, which eventually led me to the entirety of cinema.

But these superhero movies also had another effect on me. I started comparing my choices with those these characters would take. And, since then, this moral compass is something I’m deeply grateful for.

And all these superheroes go back to Superman, the ultimate archetype. So one could say that the ones responsible for how I am right now are, besides Víctor and Beltrán, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of the Big Blue.

But that’s of course not everything. It’s impossible to get through sixteen  years of life without any help whatsoever. That’s why I’d like to thank my mum, my dad and especially my brother for always trying to answer my ridiculous questions. Then I would also like to thank my friends. The… the seven of them. They know who they are. Also, my teachers, all of them. That’s too many to name one by one, and I’d probably forget some, so I’m only going to highlight Lorena, the first teacher I had in my entire life, and Cándido, who still was teaching us with all his energy less than a year before his passing. Additionally, saying that my classmates were of no importance would be a lie, so thank YOU too. And congratulations for graduating (if you did) and have a nice end-of-year trip (if you’re coming).

Wow, graduation. Saying the word out loud and knowing it’s the day, knowing it’s your turn… makes you feel all grown-up. But, considering thaI will spend the next years of my life studying and learning even more, I see that I’m really not that grown-up. I think I’ve learned stuff in these thirteen

years here, but what do I know? Nothing.

Well, actually, there’s one thing that I DO know. I know for a fact that we have some nice drinks and desserts here, so please enjoy them, now that I’m done. Or am I? What do I know? I think I am. That’s all, folks!

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.