The white cliffs of Dover

The white cliffs of Dover are the first sight that greets you before arriving in England by ferry. The cliffs are white because they are primarily chalk with pieces of flint mixed in. Thousands of people visit these cliffs each year as they are a significant tourist attraction. The cliffs are the biggest cliffs in the United Kingdom. They are 8 kilometres long and reach a height of 110 meters. Because they are so high that ships sailing near the English coast can see them, the white cliffs have been a significant landmark for people from many different countries throughout history. A system of tunnels leading from Dover Castle, built during the Napoleonic War, are hidden under the cliffs. During WWII, the tunnels were expanded and modified. Soldiers utilized it as a safe haven after attacks along the shore. Winston Churchill set up a military base in the tunnels so that he could spend time there while remaining safe. One of the cliffs is called Shakespeare Cliff where allegedly the legendary author William Shakespeare used to sit and find inspiration. A well-known icon of the white cliffs is the Exmoor ponies. You can participate in National Trust-led guided walks on the cliffs and you can also take a boat tour down the shore to get a better view of them.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a massive man-made circle of standing stones located on England’s Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. It’s one of the world’s most famous prehistoric structures, having been built over hundreds of years ago. It’s also one of the world’s greatest mysteries. The construction of this remarkable monument altered over time as it was erected and renovated by generations of ancient peoples, according to archaeological study. What it was utilized for is a mystery to which no one has a definitive explanation. Stonehenge may have been a calendar, according to some academics, tied to the study of the stars. Other legends indicate the site was a healing centre where sick people went in the hopes of being healed by the monument’s supernatural abilities. However, one thing is certain: Stonehenge definitely was a graveyard. About 200 people are thought to be buried on the premises, according to experts.

Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral, officially called the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, and one of the most important specimens of Early English architecture. From 1220 to 1258, the cathedral’s main body was constructed in under 38 years. The cathedral features the United Kingdom’s tallest church spire (123m). The “Tower Tour” allows visitors to see the interior of the hollow spire, which includes historic wood scaffolding. The cathedral also boasts the largest cloister and cathedral close in the United Kingdom. It houses the world’s oldest working clock (dating from AD 1386) and the best-preserved of the four original Magna Carta copies (all four original copies are in England).

Canterbury Cathedral

Canterbury Cathedral is one of England’s oldest and most famous Christian monuments, located in Canterbury, Kent. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral, which was erected in 597, was fully restored between 1070 and 1077. Following a fire in 1174, the east end was significantly enlarged and reconstructed in the Gothic style, with significant eastward additions to accommodate the flow of visitors visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was assassinated in the cathedral in 1170. “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” King Henry II is supposed to have screamed in frustration after many disagreements with the strong-willed Becket. Becket was murdered in his own cathedral by four knights who took the king’s words literally.

The name of the town is well-known for the Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a collection of stories in a book with this title. It was composed in the 14^th century and it was one of the earliest books written entirely in English. The story follows a group of pilgrims as they make their way from London to Canterbury. To pass the time while they journey, each person recounts a story. Each individual would tell two stories on the way there and two stories on the way back, according to Chaucer’s arrangement. But only 23 were completed, while one was only partially finished. Prose is used in two of the stories while the rest of the book is written in verse. The tales were so popular that Chaucer was invited to recite his stories to the king and the royal court.

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and it is the second-best university in the world behind Harvard University. There are 38 colleges and six private halls at the university. Each of these colleges has its own facilities and personnel. The Bodleian Library (established in 1602) is the University of Oxford’s major library and one of Europe’s oldest libraries. It is the United Kingdom’s second-largest library, behind the British Library.

Christ Church is a college of the University of Oxford. The college is associated with Christ Church Cathedral which acts as the college chapel and whose dean is the college head. Christ Church has produced thirteen British prime ministers, more than any other Oxbridge college. It was used as a venue in the production of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter films, as well as the film version of Philip Pullman’s novel Northern Lights. Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, was also a member of Christ Church. The college gardens, quadrangles, and meadow are Grade 1 listed.

Christ Church is unique in that that it has both a cathedral choir and a college choir. Twelve men and sixteen boys make up the cathedral choir. The eight to thirteen-year-old boys, who attend Christ Church Cathedral School, are picked for their musical aptitude. The choir, which broadcasts on a regular basis, has a number of award-winning CDs and has performed for Mr. Bean’s TV themes.

Christ Church has one of the most important private collections of drawings in the UK, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo among its holdings. The collection consists of approximately 300 paintings and 2,000 drawings, with a rotating selection on display for the public.

Language Point:
People versus Peoples. A people a person többes száma és a jelentése emberek, míg a peoples jelentése népek, vagyis különböző nemzetiségű emberekre utal.

Teacher: Ah – good evening everyone, and welcome to the second of our Italian language classes, in which we’ll be helping you brush up your Italian. Last week we started at the beginning, and we learnt the Italian for a ‘spoon’. Now, I wonder how many of you can remember what it was?
Teacher: Not all at once! Sit down Mario. Giuseppe!
Giuseppe: Il cucchiaio.
Teacher: Well done, Giuseppe, or, as the Italians would say ‘Molto bene, Giuseppe’.
Giuseppe: Grazie signor … grazie di tutta la sua gentilezza.
Teacher: Well, now, this week we’re going to learn some useful phrases to help us open a conversation with an Italian. Now, first of all, try telling him where you come from. For example, I would say: ‘Sono Inglese di Gerrard’s Cross’, I am an Englishman from Gerrard’s Cross. Shall we all try that together?
All: Sono Inglese di Gerrard’s Cross.
Teacher: Not too bad, now let’s try it with somebody else. Er… Mr… ?
Mariolini: Mariolini.
Teacher: Ah, Mr Mariolini, and where are you from?
Mariolini: Napoli, signor.
Teacher: Ah … you’re an Italian.
Mariolini: Si, si signor!
Teacher: Well in that case you would say: ‘Sono Italiano di Napoli’.
Mariolini: Ah, capisco, mile grazie signor…
Francesco: Per favore, signor!
Teacher: Yes?
Francesco: Non conosgeve parliamente, signor devo me parlo sono Italiano di Napoli quando il habitare de Milano.
Teacher: I’m sorry … I don’t understand!
Giuseppe: (pointing to Francesco) My friend say ‘Why must he say…’

German: Bitte mein Herr. Was ist das Won für Mittelschmerz?
Teacher: Ah! Helmut – you want the German classes.
German: Oh ja! Danke schön. (he starts to leave) Ah das deutsche Klassenzimmer… Ach! (he leaves)
Giuseppe: My friend he say, ‘Why must I say I am Italian from Napoli when he lives in Milan?’
Teacher: Ah, I… well, tell your friend … if he lives in Milan he must say ‘Sono Italiano di Milano…’
Francesco: (agitatedly, leaping to his feet) Eeeeeee! Milano è tanto meglio di Napoli. Milano è la citta la più bella di tutti … nel mondo…
Giuseppe: He say ‘Milan is better than Napoli’.
Teacher: Oh, he shouldn’t be saying that, we haven’t done comparatives yet.

to brush up – felelevenít
I wonder – szeretném tudni
Not all at once. – Ne mindenki egyszerre.
useful phrases – hasznos mondatok
to open a conversation – beszélgetést kezdeményezni
Shall we try it all together? – Megpróbáljuk mindannyian egyszerre?
to point to – mutat valakire, valamire
agitatedly – felhevülten, idegesen
to leap – szökell
comparatives – (melléknév) összehasonlítás