A small writing on Spain

Spain is a Western European country. The country consists of Peninsular Spain which is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, two archipelagos, one in each sea, and two autonomous cities in North Africa.
The Spanish mainland is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east, by the Cantabric Sea that includes the Bay of Biscay to the north, and by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal to the west. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off the African coast. It shares land borders with Portugal, France, Andorra, the British colony of Gibraltar, and Morocco. It is the largest of the three sovereign states that make up the Iberian Peninsula the others being Portugal and Andorra. With an area of 504,030 km², Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe (behind France).
Spain is a constitutional monarchy organised as a parliamentary democracy, and has been a member of the European Union since 1986. It is a developed country with the ninth largest economy in the world and fifth largest in the EU, based on nominal GDP.
Culture in Spain: La Tomatina Tomato Fight
Surely the worlds' biggest food-fight: every year around 30,00 people descend on the Spanish town of Bunol (in the Valencia region of Spain) to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other.
The festival is started with a ham-on-a-stick contest where competitors raced up a pole to retrieve a smoked leg of ham. When the ham is cut down, people put on eye protection and cry for tomatoes as trucks dump the squishy produce onto the village streets. They then proceed to pelt each other with them until all have been used up.
The festival on the last Wednesday of August is called 'the Tomatina' and is basically a town-wide tomato fight. It is thought the tradition began in 1945 when a fight erupted among two young members of a carnival crowd. A vegetable stall was nearby in the town square and every started throwing tomatoes at each other. Exactly one year later, young people met at the square, but this time with their own tomatoes. Another food-fight started but was broken up by police.
In the following years this practice was banned by the authorities, but due to popular demand was given official recognition in 1959. This was only to occur if participants would respect the start and the end of tomato-throwing being announced with a banger.

URIBE VELEZ´S BIOGRAPHY

Born July 4, 1952 in Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia. Is the 56st president of Colombia, whose first period ran from 2002-2006 and is currently his second period from 2006-2010. He is a lawyer, educated at the University of Antioquia, with a specialization in administration and management from Harvard University.
Uribe is the first of five children; he is married to Lina Moreno de uribe for 22 years, and has two sons, Tomas and Geronimo.
Uribe was elected as one of Antioquia´s senator between 1986 – 1990n and once again between 1990-1994. He was elected governor of the department of Antioquia.

CHARLOTTE CHURCH´S BIOGRAPHY

Charlotte is a talented singer, who had a normal life when she was a young, at the age of eleven she participated in a show TV and she won. Then she got a contract with Sony and her first album "voice of an angel" was a success.
The problems with her manager were very difficult and she decided paid 2 million to go. Them she decided that her mother can be her new manager. and the second album was a success too. After this album charlotte decide to leave school, and concentrate in her career. And the people said that it was a bad decision. And in my opinion I don´t care if I a good singer, this is my life and I´m going to survive singing. Charlotte went to live with her boyfriend and her mother was supportive her.
When the newspaper said that "this is the end of charlotte career" she said that she hasn´t done anything terrible. Just like a normal teenager. In conclusion she has very rich and happy girl and absolutely love making music. People in the music industry say she can do anything she wants...and she sometimes will.

CoLoMbIa HaS NeW CaNdIdATe

The representative of Magdalena, Taliana María Vargas Carrillo, she is 20 years old, was crowned like Young lady Colombia 2007-2008, in Cartagena. The candidate was one of the large favorite during all the National Contest of Beauty.

"ThIs Is YoUr LiFe"

Welcome to "ThIs Is YoUr LiFe"
Our celebrity in this week´s article is the world-famous hero of the James Bond films.
He was born in Ireland in 1953 but he has lived in California for over 15 years. He is married to Keely, and they have two sons. He is one of the most popular James Bonds ever.
Pierce Brosnan is happy now but things used to be much diferent. When he was only a baby, his father left and his mother moved to London. He lived with his granparents until he was six.
He left school when he was 16 and took various jobs to earn money, including washing dishes and driving a cab. For a while he was even a fire-eater in a circus. Though he looks cool now, at that time he had long hair and beard.
Brosnan has been an actor since the age of 21. He finally found success in 1980 with the TV series Remington Steele. He was 27 years old. In 1995 he starred as James Bond in Goldeneye. The film was an instant hit and took $350 million at the box office-the biggest Bond film ever. But at home, Brosnan is a different man. His favourite hobbies are fishing and painting.

Comparing Restaurants

There are many rastaurants available for people who work and study at La Sabana University. Two of the most important are "El Mesón De La Sabana" and "El Humero", which are very well knwon for almost everybody in the University.
Although these two restaurant are good options if you want to give up food made at home or when you do not want to cook for yourself, there are several differences between them. El Mesón is located in the University while El Humero is located in the town centre. Beside, El Mesón offers more varied food than El Humero since they have a bar salads which is made of fresh vegetables and fruit. In contrast, El Humero doesn´t have this service. Food in El Humero is not as varied as in El Mesón. Considering the prizes it is worth saying that El Mesón has better prizes for students than El Humero, which is a lot more expensive. Taking into account the place, it is clear that both restaurants are big, however, El Meson is more comfortable than El Humero and we could say that El Humero is not as big as El Mesón since there are three different sections very well distributed. El Humero has more tables and chairs than El Masón but it has a self service area, which makes it faster and easier.
People from La Sabana University have significant places to eat out. El Mesón and El Humero are two restaurant where people can have a good time eating good food.

VOCABULARY

1.People talk about a) achievements when they refer to the things they have accommplished in their lives.

2The a) plot refers to the main events of a history.

3. The majestics is the most b) luxurious hotel in the city. it has five stars.

4.I b) cant stand when peple chew gum during an oral presentation.

5. Painters have to deal whit b) shadows when painting pictures.

6. The b) remains of the parthenon are in athenas.

7. a) Get in touch is the same as start having contact with someone.

8. A child who has just lerned to walk is a b) toddler.

9. When you want to settle down, you a) get engaged someone.

10. Firefighters a) cope with people trapped under debris.

B GRAMMAR.
THE NEXT IS AVERY SHOR BIOGRAPHY ABOUT ERNEST HEMINGWAY.
Ernest hmingway was born in 1899 in chicago. during his life 1 C.WHICH was full of trip, he 2.B.USED his experiences as the basis for many of his novels. hemingways novels 3.A. HAVE BEEN the most famous novels writings since the last century due to the passion he 4. C.EMPLOYED in each one if his words.
He 5. A.RACEIVED the novel prize for litaretire in 1954 6.A.WHEN he started to realize that his end 7.C. WAS GETTING closer. his death 8.B. ARRIVED in 1961. nowadays, he 9.B. CONTINUES being one of the most famous writers in history and amny countries 10.C.HAVE TRANSLATED his masteroieces to more than 10 languages so far.

LISTENING QUIZ

First part
Ania and Dan are sport people.

Ania, who comes from Lublin Poland, is a champion gymnast. she s 17 years old and lives in a small apartment with her mother. she trains very hard (1) usually, about eight hours every day...

Dan, from bucharest in Romania, is a professional footballer with a big italian football club. he lives... but dan has to live a healthy life- he never smoke and only (2) occasionaly drinks alcohol, and most...

Second part
3 where does dan live?
D In a big villa near Milan

4 what does Dan spend his money on?
C Fast cars and the best restaurants.

5 Does ania enjoy her lifestyle?
c She absolutely love it.

6 What time does ania normally get up?
b At 7:00 am.


Third part

1 The main idea of the biography is to show mozarts:
C) Both private life and musical talents.

2 Mozart was composing by:
A) The age of five

3) From 1774 to 1777 mozart worked as Konzertmeister at:
A) The prince-archbishops court

4) From 1770 to 1773 mozart visited Italy:
B) Three times

5) In 1777 mozart worked in:
c) Paris

6) In 1779 and 1780 mozart worked:
a) Salzburg at the cathedral

7) Mozart got in trouble with the prince-archbishop and either was fired or resigned in:
b) 1781

8) In 1787 mozart got a minor court appointment to write music for court balls, as:
B) Kammermusicus

9) In 1786 mozart composed three comic operas with a famous librettist:
C) Lorenzo da ponte

10) Mozart died in :
B) Vienna in 1791.

QUIZ...A Friend in need…

Hello. My name is Pierre and I´m seventeen years old. I live in Paris, France. I have got short straight hair and brown eyes. I am quite tall and slim. I love playing computer games and I like reading too. I absolutely like getting up late and talking on the phone with my friends. I don´t like doing exercise, I´m very lazy! But I love lying 9on the beach in summer!! At the weekends, I like watching TV and going to the movies with my friend Eric.

Hi! My name is Anna and I´m fifteen years old. I live in Moscow, Russia. I have got long, blonde and curly hair. I get up early every day because I start classes al 7 am every day. I don´t like catching buses that is why the school picks me up at 6:30 am. I like practicing sports but I don´t like arts. I quite like music class but I can play the piano. At the weekends, I like doing nothing in the park.

Hi! My name is Mario and I´m twenty six years old. I live in London, England. I am tall and I have got brown and wavy hair. However, I have got blue eyes. I am quite keen on reading and doing exercise. I´m not lazy! I love being outdoors with my friends in my free time. At weekends, I like taking a walk with my girlfriend Diane.


I. Answer the following question in a complete form.

a. Who´s got a girlfriend?
Mario has got a girlfriend

b. Who likes being indoors?
Pierre likes being indoors

c. Who doesn`t like arts?
Anna doesn´t like arts

d. Who doesn´t like being indoors?
Mario loves being outdoors with his friend

e. At what time does Anna leave to school?
Anna leaves to school at 6:30 am

II. Indicate whether the statement is True, false or Not Stated (NS). Please, write a complete word.

a. Pierre likes going to the movies during the weekends. True
b. Anna can play a musical instrument True
c. Mario lives in Russia. False
d. Pierre likes doing exercise. False
e. Mario always lies on the beach. False
f. Anna loves art and gets up late. False
g. Mario studies Medicine al college. NS
h. Pierre absolutely loves getting up early.False
i. Anna has got short hair and brown hair. False
j. Anna likes practicing sports. True

SHAKIRA´S BIOGRAPHY

Crsitina say: One of my favorites singers
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, on February 2, 1977, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is the youngest sibling of her parents' eight children. Her father William Mebarak, who is American of Lebanese descent, and Colombian mother, Nidia Ripoll, both supported their daughter's ambition of becoming a singer.

Shakira knew early on that she wanted to be a professional musician and by the time she was 8, she was already writing her own songs. This undeniable prodigy even began playing the guitar by 11 years of age.

While in school, Shakira was making her musical talent known by winning talent shows playing the guitar, and she was even kicked out of her school choir because her voice drowned out the other choir singers. Elsewhere, Shakira impressed judges at local and national competitions, who declared her winner of these contests.

At the age of 13, Shakira had become Sony Colombia's newest artist, and her first album, entitled Magia (Magic) was released. The album was a compilation of songs that she had written between the ages of 8 and 13.

The album was well received and Colombian listeners were beginning to realize who this feisty musician was. The 16-year-old Shakira was chosen to represent her native Colombia at the Festival OTI in Spain, but since she was under the minimum age, she could not participate.

Shakira's second album, Peligro (Danger) was released, and was met with considerable success. Not neglecting her education, she returned to school to receive her high school diploma.

Shakira knew early on in her career that she wanted to sing in the rock genre, despite Sony's original attempts to make her a pop singer, adhering to the commercial standards of the time. Following her heart, Shakira's third album, Pies Descalzos went on to become a huge hit, and featured her own rock, pop and Latin inspired tunes.

Released in 1995, Pies Descalzos's success is largely due to the Latin American radio airplay it received. It spawned number one singles such as "Estoy Aqui" and "Donde Estas Corazon" and many more consecutive hit singles. The album soared up to number one in eight countries and sold over four million copies.

Following the worldwide success of her album, Shakira went on a 2-year international tour, selling out in every venue. Her popularity pushed her to release Portuguese remixes of her songs for her fans in Brazil.

Shakira entered the realm of acting with a role on the Colombian soap opera El Oasis from 1994 to 1997, but her true passion remained music.

In 1998, Shakira released her fourth album, Donde Estan Los Ladrones?, which has received much critical acclaim and was considered Shakira's breakthrough album -- at least in the Latin genre. The album went multi-platinum in U.S., Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Central America, Mexico, and went platinum in Spain.

Produced by ?ber-producer Emilio Estefan -- who also became her manager -- the album is the perfect blend of gritty, thought-provoking lyrics and rock-laden tracks, while still preserving the Shakira that her original fans knew and loved.

Often referred to as the Latin equivalent of Alanis Morissette thanks to her long dark hair (at the time) and rock-infused style, Shakira, whose name means "woman full of grace" in Arabic, succeeds to captivate her audience without the bitterness that Morissette is usually associated with.

Shakira was chosen as the cover girl for Time Magazine's issue featuring the article "Era of the Rockera," and has also graced the cover of Cosmopolitan. In addition, Shakira was named an official goodwill ambassador by the Colombian government and Latin Female Artist of the Year at the World Music Awards.

While she released an MTV Unplugged album in 2000 -- which MTV didn't air at first, but later aired on MTV Latin America -- she had yet to breakthrough in mainstream English pop.

But a performance on the CBS-aired Latin Grammys in September 2000 (and several awards), and a catchy song "Whenever, Wherever," made American audiences sit up and take notice. Shakira's English recording debut, Laundry Service was released in 2001, and with the help of "Whenever, Wherever," its accompanying video (which features Shakira walking very seductively amid a desert and wildlife) and the follow-up single, "Underneath Your Clothes," has been certified double platinum. The now platinum-haired beauty is curving her way to superstardom.