English Lesson Archive

British women are officially the fattest in Europe

British women are the fattest in Europe. The deeply worrying statistics are contained in a report from Eurostat***, the EU’s statistical agency, which compares obesity levels in 19 countries from 2008-2009. According to alarming figures a quarter are obese – so fat it threatens their...

Irritating British Bedtime Habits

You have just got off to sleep when suddenly your partner decides to tuck the duvet around them and roll away from you. This ‘tuck and roll’, as it’s called, is one of a number of irritating bedtime habits that have been revealed in a recent survey of British couples - according to...

Great British Dishes

Food is always a good talking point in any conversation. So today, let’s talk about some great British food dishes. Britain has some fabulous mouth watering choices. So what are they? Well, let’s start with one of the most popular – freshly bought fish and chips from the fish and chip shop....

Events in London – January to March

Today’s English lesson focuses on more happening events in London.

January - The New Year’s Day Parade in London is the first big event of the New Year. It runs through many of the West End’s famous streets. The parade, which started in 1987, features more than 10,000 performers...

A traditional Christmas in England

Pre Christmas - The English like to celebrate Christmas well ahead of the actual day. Before the kids break up from school toddlers might visit Santa’s grotto in a local department store. Children at primary and secondary schools might hold Christmas bazaars. Kids at secondary...

Why do we dream of a white Christmas?

Why do we dream of a white Christmas? Why do we get Christmas cards with snow on them? The culprit is the writer Charles Dickens. His childhood coincided with a decade of freakishly cold winters. Thus in his writings he describes persistently a Britain smothered in snow on Christmas Day,...

Pippa’s top 10 Xmas tips

Pippa Middleton, the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, has published her guide to the festive season. Pippa’s ‘Top 10 tips for a Perfect Family Christmas’ has been published on the Party Times online magazine that she edits for her family’s mail-order business. It says the most important...

NFE CHRISTMAS QUIZ - DECEMBER 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Christmas Music
2. Santa
3. International...

Ooo la la! Marks & Spencer reopens in France

Paris - After a decade in retreat Marks & Spencer the British retail clothes and food giant has reopened in France. Yesterday, it opened its doors in the French capital. The new three storey shop lies in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe. Its new £50m 10-year lease makes it one of the most...

The link between Bletchley Park and Google

For nearly half a century Bletchley Park, a Victorian manor house near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, lay neglected and unloved; its dilapidated buildings falling into disrepair. By the 90s, its boarded-up huts at its rear were due to be torn down. Yet for more than 50 years the...

Cripes! Spiffing English words dying out

Cripes! Thanks to the Twitter generation some spiffing words in the English language are slowly dying out. Traditional words like ‘balderdash’ and ‘cripes’ are being replaced with modern trendy shortened text-style terms like ‘lol’, ‘jel’ and ‘soz’. In fact, a quarter of us use these terms...

Why doesn’t the USA have high speed rail?

Why doesn’t the USA have high speed trains? Good question! China has them, so does Japan. They are all over Europe. All run between 300-431kph (186-268mph). Yet in America the fastest train does a mere 241kph (150mph) and that is over a very short distance. The average speed in the USA of...

Baby gorillas being trafficked endangers species

In recent months the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen a surge in the number of baby gorillas being trafficked The Guardian newspaper in Britain recently reported. This is posing a fresh risk to the endangered species wildlife officials have warned. The authorities in the country say...

Bangkok floods – possible disease

Bangkok - Floodwater continues to pour into the Thai capital flooding outlying areas of the city, forcing many of its two million residents to evacuate. This has provoked intense anger from those living in the deluged districts. Residents in some suburbs feel their districts have been...

Taj Mahal could collapse due to rotting wood foundations

The Taj Mahal in India could collapse within five years unless urgent action is taken to shore up its wooden foundations, campaigners have warned. The 358-year-old marble mausoleum is India’s most famous tourist attraction, bringing four million visitors a year to the northern city of Agra....

What is happening in Burma?

What is happening in Burma? That’s the question. Burma or Myanmar, as it’s also known, appears to undergoing change. In recent weeks news stories coming out of the country report there has been considerable change by the newly elected government since it took office. The most significant...

A sensational year for English wine

Thanks to the long Indian summer in England wine producers in the country are this year predicting a grape harvest of ‘sensational’ quality. The recent spell of hot weather that created a mini heatwave, combined with a previous hard winter and mild spring, should help produce a crop of...

South Sudan adopts English as its official language

Africa’s newest country South Sudan has adopted English as its official language. Why? Because its new leaders believe English will make them “different and modern”. After decades of civil war, the widespread learning of English will present some serious challenges for a country brought...

Apple’s Steve Jobs dies

The co-founder and former chief executive of US technology giant Apple Steve Jobs recently died at the age of 56. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer since 2004. Apple said he had been “the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives” and had made the...

Should France preserve Hitler’s Atlantic Wall?

Sections of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall in France are being restored by enthusiasts. But should it be preserved? Should the Nazi fortification be fully embraced as part of the country’s image? The so-called Atlantic Wall – Hitler’s defensive system against an expected Allied attack – stretched...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - October 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

Microsoft unveils Windows 8

Microsoft has unveiled its new Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8 is designed to run on tablet computers, as well as desktop and laptop PCs. The software, which is due to be released in 2012, will work on the popular ARM-designed low-power processors for the first time. Microsoft has...

New generation of airships to transport goods around the world

The US space agency NASA is working on a project aimed at revolutionising the way cargo is transported around the world. A new generation of airships using helium rather than hydrogen is set to transport goods around the world that could replace ships, railways and lorries as a means of...

The Ongoing Euro Crisis

Not a day seems to go by when there isn’t a news story about the Euro crisis. Either it’s ‘The Euro is about to crash’ or ‘Euro saved’. Eurozone leaders are desperate to retain their ‘baby’. They take whatever action they need to keep the Euro intact in the Eurozone. The fact is that Greece...

Events in London – October to December

Today’s English lesson focuses on more happening events in London.

October – Witness Halloween in London! Get spooked on October 31st. Watch out for many witches at parties in clubs across the capital. Get haunted at the Tower of London or get spooked at the London Dungeons. October...

No US jobs added in August results in stock falls

The US economy added no jobs in August, according to the US Department of Labor. The August number was worse than expected. The predicted figure was about 70,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate remained unchanged from July at 9.1%. The previous two months figures were also revised. In July...

Melbourne tops most liveable city list 2011

The Australian city of Melbourne has edged out Canada’s Vancouver to take the title of the world’s most liveable city for the first time in almost a decade. The city’s mayor Robert Doyle said he was “absolutely delighted” with the news. This year Vancouver fell to third place behind the...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - September 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

Hadrian’s Wall

Today I thought we could look at Hadrian’s Wall. But what is Hadrian’s Wall and where is it? For that matter who was Hadrian? Well, Hadrian’s Wall was a defensive fortification on the edge of Roman Britain; on the edge of the Roman Empire. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian...

The Workliday

I have invented the word Workliday. The word is made up using the words work and holiday. The thing is these days how many of us actually switch off from the office when we go on holiday? The answer is probably very few people completely switch off. With the arrival of laptops, Blackberrys...

Are mobile phones safe for children to use?

Are mobile phones safe for children to use? That’s the question many parents face when deciding whether they are or aren’t. There are many arguments for and against. Children’s nervous systems are still developing, and there are fears that radiation could penetrate into their brains....

Family feud over Czech castles and palaces

An interesting article in Britain’s Daily Telegraph recently was about a family feud between the Czech Foreign Minister and his sister for their castles and palaces in the Czech Republic. Elizabeth von Pezold is the daughter of one of Central Europe’s most aristocratic families. She has...

The London riots

London – Tuesday 9th August - lunchtime - The capital was overnight once again under attack from a mob of rioters. Parliament has been recalled by the Prime Minister David Cameron, who himself cut short his holiday to fly home to deal with the situation. British newspapers today reported...

The Mysterious English Crop Circles

Summertime in South West England sees strange things happening in the farmers’ fields. Mysterious crop circles suddenly appear. No one can explain them. Are they a hoax or are aliens leaving their mark on the English countryside? Maybe it is down to Mother Nature creating these crop circles...

Events in London – July to September

Today’s English lesson focuses on some events happening in London.

July – In the first week of July London sees the final week of Wimbledon. The famous annual lawn tennis championship is the world’s premier tennis tournament. First started in 1877 the event plays host to all the...

Norway Tragedy

Norway this weekend was recovering from what has been described as its greatest tragedy since World War II. The tragedy started on Friday 22 July when a massive bomb detonated in the centre of the capital Oslo shattering buildings all around. Then about two hours later a lone gunman went on...

More call centre workers in the Philippines than India

Over the last decade more and more companies have relocated their call centres to India. However, it might surprise you to know that the Philippines has now overtaken India with more agents employed there than in India. In fact, some Indian companies have even shifted some of their...

A visit to London

London is probably the world’s most visited city, such is its popularity. It draws in visitors from all over the globe. It is a huge city. So what should one see in London? Tourists should try a ride on a double decker bus; go on a journey on the London Underground and a trip in a London...

Birth of a new country – South Sudan

South Sudan has been celebrating its creation as a new independent East African nation. The new country celebrated in Juba, its new capital, on Saturday 9th July 2011, raising its flag before tens of thousands of its cheering citizens. The country has finally managed to break free...

The British roundabout revolution in the USA

A British roundabout revolution is slowly sweeping across America. The US famous for its stop signs and traffic lights is now starting to embrace the British roundabout. The city of Carmel in Indiana is one such example. It has been described as ‘the Milton Keynes of the USA’. Lying on the...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - July 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

Going underground on London Underground

Most people who visit London tend to try out the London Underground. Going on the tube is an experience in its own right. It is part of the exciting London experience when seeing the sights. Oyster cards are a popular way to get around. London Underground first opened on January 10th 1863...

VW Camper Van tent set to be a hit this summer

A tent that looks like a VW Camper Van is set to be a hit at camping sites and music festivals this summer. The life size replica of the original VW Camper Van has been officially licensed by the German car manufacturer for the first time. The pop up tents each contain two zip-separated...

Kate and Wills to get servants

Prince William and his new wife Kate are to get servants. Originally the Royal couple said they could manage without them. In fact, they made a point of pledging to spend their early years of marriage servant free. It means they won’t be cleaning the toilets or scrubbing the casserole...

Salsa dancing in Cuba draws in foreign tourists

It’s the weekend and in Cuba at Havana’s Las Canitas nightclub young and old burn up their energy on the dance floor. Salsa is hot in Havana. Dancers twirl to the latest salsa hits. In fact, Cubans pride themselves on their intricate, hip-swivelling moves. They can usually tell the...

Economic impact of E. coli on the agricultural industry

‘Fear’ is what is stopping the sales of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables right across Europe following the recent E. coli scare in Germany. The result has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of farmers across Europe, especially those in Spain. Tens of...

Would you take your mother for a meal to McDonald’s?

Would you take your mother for a meal to McDonald’s? That is the question. Well, would you? I ask it, as I took my 87-year-old mother to McDonald’s recently. What an eye opener that was! Why? Because it was her first visit to a McDonald’s in about 40 years! It will probably be her last! She...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - June 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

New York’s new generation of yellow taxis

New York’s famous yellow taxis are set to change. New York City has picked the Nissan minivan to be its next cab. The Japanese car company Nissan Motors has won the contract to provide the next generation of New York taxis. The deal was announced recently by New York Mayor...

Cable car to span River Thames in London

London is to get a spectacular cable car system across the River Thames, which will ferry spectators between two of the London 2012 Olympic venues, the cities transport authority Transport for London (TfL) said recently. Gondolas will glide 300ft (91.44 meters) above the water suspended...

The campaign to clean up dog poo

Today’s theme is about dog poo. I mean, there is nothing worse than stepping on some freshly deposited dog poo, is there? Call it what you like; dog fouling, shit, poop, waste or dog crap, it is very annoying when you put your foot in it. Oh, shite…! Why don’t the owners pick it up and put...

Rare earth metals shortage

Look at your mobile phone, Blackberry or low energy light bulb. Now ask yourself what is inside it? Yes, it is made with different components. The technology is great. But what are the components made with? The chances are some of them are made with rare earth metals. Where do these...

534 School detentions in three days!

School detentions recently hit the news headlines in Britain when one headmistress handed out an amazing 534 detentions in three days! Following complaints by some parents of the City of Ely Community College in Cambridgeshire the story made the news in Britain. The detentions follow the...

A visit to Budapest!

Many people who visit Central Europe like to visit Budapest. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The mighty river Danube flows majestically north to south right through its centre. The city is rightly known as ‘The Queen of the Danube’. It is also known as the ‘City of...

Bratislava or Bust!

Whilst flicking through the British newspaper The Times recently an interesting charity advert caught my eye…

• ‘Bratislava or Bust!’ July 22-26 2011. Meningitis Trust.
• Set yourself a challenge with a difference for 2011. 1 car. Your friends. 5 days. 6 countries. 1,000 mile road trip of a...

Places to visit in England: South West England

Craggy coastlines, sweeping beaches, glorious green fields, historic houses and rolling hills make up South West England. The region is also known as the ‘West Country’. Certainly, it’s the perfect place for almost any kind of holiday. It’s largely rural and still relatively unpopulated....

World Ice Hockey Championships 2011

The 75th International Ice Hockey Championships in 2011 will be held in Slovakia. The tournament takes place between 29th April and 15th May 2011. It will feature the world’s top ice hockey nations taking part. Slovakia’s capital Bratislava and the country’s second city of Košice will...

British Royal Wedding 2011

The wedding of the decade is rapidly approaching. The British Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton edges closer day by day. The nation and the world wait with baited breath as to what the bride will wear as she walks down the aisle of Westminster Abbey in London....

Go to work – on an ostrich egg!

News from the UK advises that Waitrose the supermarket chain has just started selling ostrich eggs. The eggs that can be 24 times bigger than a hen’s can weigh in at almost 2kg (4.4lb). For those hoping to “go to work on an ostrich egg” might think twice and save that particular treat for...

A visit to Vienna!

Most people who visit Central Europe like to visit Vienna. Known as the ‘music city’ the city has class, culture and charm. Vienna has imperial grandeur! It is the capital city of Austria. Former capital of the Austrian Empire it then became part of the Austro Hungarian Empire. The...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - April 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

Modern women today

Modern women today see balancing their work and home lives as their biggest challenge in today’s world. They also see Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher as their greatest role models. Almost two out of five women now see themselves as feminists. Nearly three out of four women would...

A degree in slavery

In today’s world is an internship simply a degree in slavery? That’s the question Britain’s Daily Mail discussed recently. It said it is the employment scandal of our age. Highly educated graduates working for nothing as interns in supposedly glamorous jobs. The paper names the people who...

The origins of the word ‘OK’

There are many thoughts as to the origin of the word OK. It is likely to have had African origins. The first written use of the word OK was in Tennessee, America, in 1790. An Andrew Jackson wrote: "Proved a bill of sale from Hugh McGary to Gasper Mansker, for a Negro man, which was...

Forest loss slows as Asian nations plant

Forest loss across the world has slowed, largely due to a switch from felling to planting in Asia. China, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines have all seen their forested areas increase in size. There are also gains in North America and Europe, but forests are being lost in Latin America...

Horse enjoys a refreshing pint in his local pub

A horse walks into a pub and says, “Mine’s a pint please!” Really? Well, Basil the horse does! The Welsh Cob stallion visits his favoured watering hole every Sunday at the Meynell Ingram Arms in Burton, Staffordshire. In fact, Basil finds nothing more relaxing than a refreshing pint in his...

Coffee and chocolate are the key to a long life

Coffee and chocolate are among the key foods and drinks needed to live a long and healthy life. Tea is another. These form part of a list of 20 “lifespan essential” foodstuffs that has been drawn up by Professor Gary Williamson from the department of food science at Leeds University...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - March 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

The difference between Czechs and Slovaks

What’s the difference between a Czech and a Slovak? This is not a joke! It could be but for now it is a question for you to think about.

Generally speaking the Czechs, who live in the ‘heart of Europe’, are culturally assertive, more dynamic and are mostly atheist. Their men more ‘cunning’....

Britain’s dementia shame: 50,000 forced into care homes

Getting old is a thing most people dread. As we get old people develop different forms of illnesses. ‘Pill popping’ becomes the norm. Young people take little notice of the old, preferring to enjoy life. Yet one day they too will become old. One particular illness older people suffer from...

Places to visit in England: East Anglia

Today let’s look at the region of East Anglia in England. The area covers the East of England and includes the counties of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex. In fact, if you want a short break, be it a weekend away, a week or more then why not try East Anglia? It has many seaside...

The domino effect: Tunisia, Egypt – Who is next?

It started in Tunisia when one young unemployed man set himself on fire in a stance against unemployment, price rises and poverty. Sidi Bouzid’s death created a revolution in the country that forced regime change. In fact, the sudden flight of President Ben Ali revealed how weak his...

UN says 2,500 languages face extinction

The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO says the world is in danger of losing 2,500 of the 6,900 languages spoken in the world today. In its latest edition of the ‘Atlas of the world’s languages in Danger’ the UN reports a multi-fold increase since the last atlas was compiled in 2001 when...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - February 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography Middle East
3. The World...

The bacteria time bomb in your home

Most of us never give a second thought to how long we’ve had that chopping board, or that hairbrush or those pillows. But while they may all look clean and serviceable enough, these seemingly innocent household items can actually harbour potentially harmful bacteria if used too...

Ski in Slovakia in style

There are many places in the world to go and ski - like the Alps, Bulgaria or North America. But have you ever considered skiing in Slovakia? The country that is in the heart of Central Europe has an abundance of ski slopes in the Tatra Mountains. In fact the country has a long...

Should Britain leave the EU?

Should Britain leave the EU? Britain’s Daily Express newspaper thinks so. It recently explained why and hopefully it now makes an interesting theme to discuss. The British newspaper demanded ‘our country’ back from the EU! They called it ‘a crusade for freedom’. They wish to see Britain...

Central Europe’s Glorious Ball Season Starts

Long cold winter nights in Central Europe can be brightened up by receiving an invitation to a Ball. The annual Ball season in the region has now commenced and will continue until Ash Wednesday. The most famous Ball in the world has to be the Opera Ball in Vienna. Many call it the jewel in...

Things that make Britain great

What things make Britain great? There are 101 answers to this thought: There is its football league with fans worldwide. Bands and singers have been leading the charts since the 60s. Great Britain is constantly producing top movie stars. It is the source of some of the best TV shows...

The mystery of Eleanor Rigby revealed

You have all heard the song Eleanor Rigby. But just who was she? Many people have asked that since the track was released by the Beatles on their 1966 Revolver album. It is one of the Beatles most recognisable and unique songs with striking lyrics about loneliness. According to the song...

NFE General Knowledge Quiz - January 2011

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography General
3. The World...

Cockney English

Today we will be looking at some Cockney English. What’s that I hear you ask? Well, it’s a form of spoken English that many traditional working class people spoke in the East End of London in places such as Bow, Stepney, Hackney, and Shoreditch Poplar. So what is a Cockney? Well, a...

Oxford compiles top 10 irritating phrases

Researchers have recently compiled a list of the most irritating phrases - Britain’s Daily Telegraph reported. Heading the list was the expression ‘at the end of the day’ which was followed by the phrase ‘fairly unique’. In third place was ‘I personally’. This expression BBC Radio 4...

Scientific advances could bring back the dodo & mammoth

Long-extinct creatures like the dodo and the woolly mammoth could be brought back to life again thanks to the advancement of science. Other such creatures could live again such as the fearsome sabre-toothed tiger, the Tasmanian tiger and the woolly rhinoceros. We could even see the lumbering...

Traditional food in the United Kingdom

Today we will look at some traditional dishes from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and England. Scotland has some interesting dishes. The most famous is haggis, the ingredients of which include sheep’s lungs, heart and liver that are minced with spices, oatmeal and onion, and...

Nazis flying saucers – film sparks UFO debate

A new sci-fi film* about the Nazis has reignited a debate in Germany about Hitler’s development of flying saucers. The Finnish sci-fi comedy ‘Iron Sky*’ centres on real life officer Hans Kammler, who was said to have made a significant breakthrough in anti-gravity experiments towards the end...

‘Tis the season of Christmas markets!

‘Tis the season of the year to be jolly. Christmas is on its way. So why not get into the swing of Christmas and visit a traditional Christmas market? The magic of them will soon put you under their spell. All over continental Europe you’ll find them. In recent years they have become more...

NFE CHRISTMAS QUIZ - DECEMBER 2010

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Christmas Music
2. Santa
3. International...

Why do we dream of a white Christmas?

Why do we dream of a white Christmas? Why do we get Christmas cards with snow on them? The culprit is the writer Charles Dickens. His childhood coincided with a decade of freakishly cold winters. Thus in his writings he describes persistently a Britain smothered in snow on Christmas Day,...

A traditional Christmas in England

Pre Christmas - The English like to celebrate Christmas well ahead of the actual day. Before the kids break up from school toddlers might visit Santa’s grotto in a local department store. Children at primary and secondary schools might hold Christmas bazaars. Kids at secondary...

Prince William to marry Kate Middleton

Prince William is to marry Kate Middleton. The couple announced their engagement on Tuesday 16th November. The prince said, “The timing is right now. We are both very, very happy and I am glad that I have done it.” He has given Kate his mother’s ring. He said, “It's very special to me.” He...

Social networking in today’s world

Hands up those of you who like to chat online? How many of you use Facebook? Probably quite a few of you, as in today’s world we can’t seem to live without it. So what is a social network? It is a way of communicating with other people. Why do we use them? Because we like to communicate with...

Is Africa a new Chinese colony?

Less than one hundred years ago Africa was still being colonised by the western imperial powers. Large parts had still yet to be discovered. The British Empire was nearing its peak with red covering many countries on the new map of the African continent. France, Germany, Italy, Portugal...

Yemen cargo bombs foiled

An international terror alert was sparked recently at East Midlands airport in Britain after several bomb making devices were discovered. The devices were en route from Yemen to several synagogues in Chicago, USA. Just before their discovery an MI6 officer responsible for Yemen late...

General Knowledge Quiz - November 2010

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. Geography Oceania
3. The World...

Rusyns survive time in Central & Eastern Europe

One of the joys of living in Central Europe is to discover more about its history. On a trip over from Luxembourg, a while back, I came across an interesting article in Time Magazine about ‘Lost Tribes in Old Europe’. One of these ‘lost tribes’ is that of the Rusyns who are located in eight...

Great British Desserts

Today let’s look at some great British desserts. Traditional favourites are apple pie, apple (and blackberry) crumble and rhubarb crumble. All are served with custard or fresh cream. A similarly popular pie is lemon meringue pie. This tasty pastry tart is filled with thick lemon sauce and...

Mystery of the real Robinson Crusoe solved

After nearly 300 years the mystery of the whereabouts of a campsite of a marooned Scottish sailor who is said to have inspired the fictional castaway Robinson Crusoe has now been solved. Archaeologists have finally found the campsite of Alexander Selkirk whose real life experiences stuck on...

The things that make Slovakia great

So what do Slovaks think that make their country great? Well, many love its nature. The beautiful forests and mountains that are in its national parks. The Tatra Mountains are perhaps the country’s greatest asset. They form part of the Carpathian Mountain range. Another great thing in...

The Great Hungarian Toxic Disaster

Hungary’s recent toxic sludge spill is the country’s worst ever environmental disaster. On the 4th October a reservoir holding deadly waste burst after heavy rains, releasing at least a million cubic metres of toxic red muddy water. It was like a mini tsunami and devastated three nearby...

Chile’s Trapped Miners

Deep underground in a gold and copper mine in San Jose, Chile, 33 miners await rescue. Buried alive these men have now lived at 700m (2,296ft) underground, cut off from the outside world, for longer than any other miner in history. Hopes of getting them all out alive rest on a drilling...

General Knowledge Quiz - October 2010

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. African Geography
3. The World...

Studying English abroad

Many students want to learn English, as it is the business language of the world. One can blame the British Empire for that! Of course, there are 101 other languages out there to learn but where to learn English? In England is the obvious answer! However, many students in non-English speaking...

Sarkozy suggests Roma ‘should be sent to Luxembourg’

French President Nicholas Sarkozy sparked a bitter European Union row by suggesting that the European Commissioner who compared his Roma policy to Nazi deportations should offer to host expelled gypsies in her native country of Luxembourg. The French President’s policy’ on expelling...

The most commonly misspelled words in English…

The most commonly misspelled words in English were recently published. A survey of 3,500 Britons by the market research company www.OnePoll.com discovered that ‘Separate’ is the most commonly misspelt word in the English language. The eight-letter word came top due to regular placing of an...

A lost world discovered in Papua New Guinea

A lost world of giant woolly rats, fanged frogs, grunting fish and tiny bear like creatures has recently been discovered in Papua New Guinea. The exciting discovery was made by scientists and biologists in a remote volcanic jungle crater on the main island on the Pacific island. The scientists...

The British Empire – where the sun never set

At its peak the British Empire was the largest empire the world had ever known. It was said ‘the sun never sets on the British Empire’ because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous colonies or subject nations. Its power and...

A visit to Prague

Hands up those of you that have been to Prague. I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t - such is its popularity with visiting tourists. So why do people go there? There are undoubtedly a 101 reasons why you should visit Prague - such is its charm. For those who haven’t, it might just be worth...

General Knowledge Quiz - September 2010

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. North American Geography
3. The World...

My friend's sister is a pole dancer!

My friend's sister is a pole dancer. Really! I must admit I was a tad surprised when he told me. He even sent me a link of her on YouTube. (See below) It's not what you think! I met her once years ago. She's not the sort of girl you'd expect to do pole dancing. Ange70x took it up as a hobby...

Pakistan floods: Millions homeless: More aid needed

The recent floods in Pakistan have caused utter devastation across many parts of the country. Millions of people are now homeless, many are now without jobs. The agricultural heartland of the country has been destroyed. The monsoon-triggered floods have hit a fifth of Pakistan. An estimated...

France’s new medieval castle takes shape

Deep in the forests of central France something totally unique is happening. A knight’s castle is under construction. It’s the vision of one man, Michel Guyot, whose idea was to build a complete 13th century castle by using only authentic tools and locally sourced materials. Every detail of...

Russia burns: Moscow under smog: Grain export ban

The heat wave that has gripped Russia this summer continues. As a result devastating fires continue to burn continuously right across Central Russia. The fires have caused havoc. There has been no rain for months. In parts, the land resembled the results of implementing a ‘scorched earth...

Mangrove loss faster than land-based forests

Mangrove forests are disappearing faster than land-based forests according to a new United Nations report the UN News Service and CNN reported recently. “The World Atlas of Mangroves” says the destruction of the world’s mangrove forests is happening up to four times faster than the...

English lessons for today’s diplomats!

English is the business language of the world. You can thank the British Empire for that, not to mention today’s internet. So it is vital for those in international business to be able to speak English. It doesn’t matter whether it’s British English, American English or Australian English,...

General Knowledge Quiz - August 2010

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! Play a JOKER in one round and get DOUBLE points in that round. Show it before you start the round. There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round.

Topics include:

1. Music
2. South American Geography
3. The World...

J’adore Blackpool, Chuck: YouTube lures the French to the British seaside resort

British seaside resort Blackpool is hoping to attract a throng of French visitors after relaunching itself as a romantic and sophisticated holiday destination. Tourism chiefs have harnessed the power of YouTube with a new 90-second film that’s artfully shot. Its images include the...

Germany rejects Spanish ‘transfer bid’ for octopus

Germany recently rejected a ‘transfer request’ to transfer Paul, the famous World Cup predicting Octopus, from a zoo in Germany to Spain. Paul shot to worldwide fame during the World Cup after he correctly predicted the outcome of all of Germany’s seven matches in the tournament. Known...

I spy with my little eye…

If you like cold war thrillers that involve cloak and dagger type operations then the chances are you’ll think of the Orson Wells classic The Third Man. We can add Ian Fleming’s most famous spy James Bond, 007. In real life the Austrian capital recently saw one of the biggest spy...

Etiquette lessons for students

Students are to be given etiquette lessons from next term at a school in Wales. The reason is that teaching staff are so fed up with the demise of good etiquette they have decided to place politeness on the curriculum for all children. Thus from next term pupils at Llandovery College...

Queen Elizabeth II addresses United Nations

Last week Queen Elizabeth II visited the United Nations in New York where she addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time since 1957. She said: “The UN had moved from being a high-minded aspiration to being a real force for common good.” She added, “For over six decades the...

Zimbabwe ‘blood diamond’ trade talks collapse

Should Zimbabwe be allowed to resume diamond sales? That’s the question delegates from 70 countries at talks in Israel recently had to decide. The organisation that controls the international diamond trade failed to find an answer after allegations of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe’s...

General Knowledge Quiz - July 2010

Score 10 points for every correct answer – Score 5 points if half right! There are 12 rounds with 6 questions in each round. A total of 720 points!

Topics include:

1. The UK
2. European Geography
3. Music
4. Sport
5. World History
6. Film 1
7. Europe
8. Pot Luck
9. The UK Today
10. South East Asian...

Brushing teeth halts heart disease

When was the last time you visited the dentist? How often do you brush your teeth? If your answer to the latter question is twice a day then this, according to dentists, is the right answer. People who fail to brush their teeth twice a day are putting themselves at risk of disease, say...

Russia begins to cut off gas to Belarus

Russia has begun to cut off gas supplies to its neighbour Belarus. On Monday it cut gas supplies by 15% amid claims Belarus owes ₤135m (US$200m) in unpaid bills. On Tuesday it cut the gas supply by another 15%. This follows Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s order on Monday to Russian gas...

Mind your manners guys on your first date

Going on a date tonight? Be it your first or fifth date most people would want to make a good impression. Wouldn’t you? A recent survey published in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper said clicking your fingers at a waiter on a first date is faux pas. It was voted the rudest,...

Centre-right opposition ‘wins’ Slovak election

Slovakia - A coalition of four centre-right opposition parties has won enough seats to unseat Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s coalition government. With most of the votes now counted opposition supporters across the country were partying the night away knowing the results will bring...

Czechs offer “Retro” communist holidays

A Czech travel agency has come up with a novel idea for a holiday. It is offering holidaymakers “retro” holidays where punters are given the opportunity to turn back the clock and re-live the past. These ‘communist’ holidays are package holidays for people nostalgic for the trade union...

South Africa World Cup 2010 – The fever mounts

Football fans worldwide are gearing up for this year’s 2010 football World Cup, which is being held in South Africa. In what could be called ‘the greatest show on earth’ the best teams in the world are ready to compete in what will be the 19th Football World Cup. The opening ceremony...

Mysterious Slovak words in Yellow Submarine

Turmoil in Thailand: The battle of Bangkok

Thailand’s capital Bangkok continues to see ongoing fighting between the “Yellow shirts” (the government) and the “red shirts” (the opposition) (the United Front for Democracy (UDD)). The “civil war” intensified in the city’s shopping district after renegade Thai general Khattiya Sawasdipol...

Patients die in Britain as foreign doctors can’t speak English properly

Patients have died in Britain because British MPs failed to ensure foreign doctors working out-of-hours shifts can speak English properly. The matter hit the headlines recently in the British press. Alarm bells were sounded by some senior British MPs who stressed: “The next government must...

A crisis of Greek proportions

There’s been trouble in Athens just recently. A Greek crisis of monstrous proportions that if not capped could bring down other economies in Europe. Greece, virtually bankrupt, has been brought to its knees in the last few weeks with turbulent unrest and civil strife in the Greek capital....

Irritating British bedtime habits

You have just got off to sleep when suddenly your partner decides to tuck the duvet around them and roll away from you. This ‘tuck and roll’, as it’s called, is one of a number of irritating bedtime habits that have been revealed in a recent survey of British couples - according to...

Devastating oil slick hits US coastline

A massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico has now hit several US state coastlines. The slick has been caused by a leaking oil pipeline. It follows a huge explosion aboard the BP (British Petroleum) operated Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The rig sank on April 22, two days...

Women more attracted to men in expensive cars

It is a well known fact that women prefer men with expensive cars. Now research has proved this point – Britain’s Daily Telegraph recently reported. A university team at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff showed women pictures of the same man sitting in two cars – a £70,000...

Icelandic volcanic ash creates travel chaos

Spectacular scenes emerged from southern Iceland recently as its Eyjafjallajoekull volcano began erupting. On April 14th it suddenly began sending a plume of ash 8.5 km (5.3 miles) high into the air. The volcanic ash spewed out gradually spreading across Europe, causing travel chaos, not...

Diplomatic English - Flip Flop Diplomacy

How many diplomats wear flip flops at work? Not many I hear you say! Certainly few would meet the American president at the White House in Washington wearing them. Least of all in the middle of a harsh freezing winter in February! So who in the diplomatic world might wear them then? The...

Grammar - Revise your symbols

Today, I thought it would be useful to revise some symbols. We sometimes use symbols in our writing e.g. we use @ for at in our e- mail addresses somewhere. On our keyboards we can use € for euro, ₤ for pound, and $ for dollar. We might even squeeze in a number (i.e. #) or shorten and to &....

Eurovea Galleria opens in Bratislava

A brand new state-of-the-art multi-functional shopping mall opened in Bratislava recently. The new Eurovea Galleria opened its doors to the public for the first time during the last weekend in March. Located in a prime location on the Danube riverfront Eurovea has already become a major...

Easter folklore traditions live on in Slovakia

While Easter is loved by men in Slovakia it is positively hated by women. Let me explain…If you are a girl from a village in the east or centre of Slovakia Easter Monday is not always fun. Why? You are likely to be chased by the village boys who will throw you in the nearest stream. Worse...

Revise your punctuation - 2

Today we’ll look at some more English language punctuation marks. Don’t confuse a dash (i.e.–) with a hyphen! (i.e.-) A dash is used to denote a sudden change in the construction or sentiment: e.g. “The heroes of the Great War – how we cherish them.” A dash is also used to replace the words:...

Revise your punctuation! - 1

Many students are good at reading articles in English but when it comes to punctuation in dictation (a listening, writing and spelling exercise) they sometimes run into problems. While we use punctuation marks in written form we don’t often say them aloud. It is of course just a question of...

Good morning Borneo!

You are fast asleep in your hammock in the tall green dense jungle when suddenly your radio alarm clock rings: The DJ yells, “Good morning Borneo! This is Radio Gibbon calling… The news headlines. Another 3 gibbons have been rescued…” Believe it or not this radio station in Indonesia...

Lost city found in Amazon

In 2002, a Finnish archaeologist Alceu Ranzi was flying over the Amazon when suddenly he came across geometric shapes dug into the earth. The shapes made up a series of trenches topped by banks and connected by a network of straight roads. Ranzi then contacted a historian and archaeologist...

The search for the lost city of El Dorado

For centuries many different explorers have searched for the lost city of El Dorado in the Amazonian jungle. El Dorado in Spanish means ‘the Golden One’. Some explorers claim to have had success in discovering lost civilisations in the Amazon jungle. Each time though it beguiled them, leading...

British oil dispute with Argentina deepens

A new dispute is escalating in the South Atlantic between Argentina and Britain over the disputed Falkland Islands. This time, it is about black gold – oil. So far, it is only a diplomatic war of words between the two countries. The trigger for the latest bout of words was a ship called Thor...

Cream coloured carrots make a comeback

Ask anyone what colour a carrot is and the chances are they’ll tell you it is orange. Recently however the humble carrot in the UK has had a makeover. Now cream coloured carrots have made a comeback. They are crisp and crunchy in texture and sweeter in taste than their orange cousin. The new...

Bratislava old and new

Today we are looking at the Slovak capital Bratislava. Let’s start with its Old Town. Dating from the 15th century, its centre has largely been preserved and is a positive delight to see. It has charm! Since the collapse of communism and gradually since independence the Old Town has seen much...

Killer spiders invade Sydney!

Never mind crocodiles and sharks, it is killer funnel-web spiders that you have to look out for in Sydney, Australia. Recently several residents were bitten by a plague of these poisonous arachnids. The spiders are a real menace at this time of the year, especially for Sydneysiders. The...

Life’s greatest pleasures

Just what are life’s greatest pleasures? Is it popping bubble wrap or maybe watching a DVD? Perhaps it’s even your mum’s cooking or waking up in a room with an amazing view? Of course, there are many ideas and what may be good for one may be different for others. So just what are the little...

A visit to Bratislava

If you fancy visiting Central or Eastern Europe, would like a refreshing change and an interesting place to visit, then could I suggest Bratislava in Slovakia? It’s smaller than nearby Prague, Budapest or Vienna but is most certainly worth a visit, as many visitors have recently discovered....

Haiti – International Rescue

Help from around the world is now arriving in Haiti following the devastating earthquake that hit the country recently. The tiny Caribbean country that is one of the poorest in the world was hit by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12. More than 3m people have been affected....

So how were the Noughties for you?

The Noughties are now over. Another decade has ended. So how were the Noughties for you? Was the era a success or will you regard them like having had a big hangover? How will you remember them? What was the best bit of the Noughties? There are many things that happened in this era. The TV...

Great British dishes!

Food is always a good talking point in any conversation. So today, let’s talk about some Great British food dishes. Britain has some fabulous mouth watering choices. So what are they? Well, let’s start with one of the most popular – freshly bought fish and chips from the fish and chip...

New super sweet tomato hits the shelves!

A revolutionary new tomato tasting, as sweet as a peach, recently hit the shelves in the UK. The new Sugardrop tomato is the sweetest tomato ever created and is a natural hybrid of two different varieties of the fruit. It has been developed to encourage children to eat more healthily and...

Susan Boyle’s at No 1 – ‘I Dreamed a Dream’

Britain’s Got Talent superstar Susan Boyle, 48, has made history with the release of her new album ‘I Dreamed a Dream’. The album was the fastest selling debut album in history in the UK for a female artist. It sold a staggering 411,820 copies in its first week. In the U.S. it also went...

Beans Meanz a bit less from Heinz!

Baked beans lovers in Germany and Austria recently kicked up a bit of a fuss after it emerged that tins of the famous Heinz variety contained fewer beans than cans sold in Britain. European fans of the famous Heinz product have been angered after it emerged in an Austrian newspaper that the...

British Headmaster sends pupils home who fail to stand when he enters the classroom

A British Headmaster in Cheshire recently sparked a ‘respect’ row by sending home pupils who failed to stand up when he entered the classroom – Britain’s Daily Mail recently reported. Kevin Harrison, 55, is the Headmaster (or in these politically correct times Headteacher) of the 900-pupil...

Philippines calamity following tropical storm

Torrential rains in the Philippines caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana caused utter devastation across the country recently. One of the worst places to be affected was the capital Manila. It suffered its worst ever flooding with more than 80% of the city submerged. More than 246 people were...

Steam train reunites British Schindler with Jewish children he rescued from Nazis

A steam train carrying evacuees from the former Czechoslovakia who escaped the holocaust as children arrived at London's Liverpool Street station on Friday (4th September). They were met by the man who saved their lives. Sir Nicholas Winton, an indefatigable 100-year-old, greeted the...

Sky Europe finally goes bankrupt

Ailing low cost Central European airline SkyEurope has finally gone bankrupt. After struggling for months it finally admitted defeat at the beginning of September. The airline that existed for 7 years has had ongoing financial problems. It is yet another casualty of the economic recession that...

Tragedy at 13th Slovak music festival

Tragedy struck in Slovakia recently at a music festival attended by over 33,000 music lovers. The 13th open air music festival called Bazant Pohoda was being held over the weekend of July 18th-19th at a military airfield near Trencín, Slovakia when the gig was hit by freak weather...

Witch required for Wookey Hole Caves in Britain - must be able to cackle!

An old hag with an evil laugh is being sought after to live in Wookey Hole Caves this summer. The caves near Wells, Somerset, are one of Britain's top tourist attractions. Laced with stalactites and stalagmites they are a favourite among tourists who visit the West Country. An advertisement...