A Brief History of the Ice Cream Truck

It’s the sound of summer: a string of jangly notes cutting through the sticky-hot air. The response is Pavlovian. Mouths water. Parents reach for their wallets. Kids lace up their shoes and hit the pavement. For Ben Van Leeuwen, it was no different. Growing up in suburban Riverside, Conn., he’d race toward the siren song. The ice cream truck was coming.

In the sea of sweaty people elbowing to place orders, Van Leeuwen always took his time. He’d inspect the full menu. He’d imagine the flavors – Strawberry Shortcake, Choco Taco, King Cone. Then he’d pick what he always picked: a Reckless Rainbow Pop Up. “We were poor,” he laughs. The push pop was cheap.

Today, Van Leeuwen is an ice cream magnate. With six trucks and three storefronts in New York City, the company prides itself on its quality. Handcrafted recipes combine ingredients like Michel Cluizel chocolate from France, pistachios from Sicily, Tahitian vanilla beans from Papua New Guinea.

The history of frozen street treats begins long before Van Leeuwen encountered his first push pop – it begins before even mechanical refrigeration. That the cold treat had to come to America before it could move off kings’ tables and into the hands of common folk makes the story that much sweeter.

WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM

Difficult to obtain and harder to store, ice itself was once a luxury. When the Roman Emperor Nero wanted Italian ice, he ordered it the old-fashioned way—dispatching his servants tofetch snow from mountain tops, wrap it in straw, and bring it back to mix with fruits and honey—a practice still popular with elites in Spain and Italy 1,500 years later. Around the world, monarchs in Turkey, India, and Arabia used flavored ices to punch up the extravagance at banquets, serving frosty bouquets flavored with fruit pulp, syrup, and flowers—often the grand finale at feasts intended to impress. But it wasn’t until the mid-16th century, when scientists in Italy discovered a process for on-demand freezing—placing a container of water in a bucket of snow mixed with saltpeter—that the ice cream renaissance truly began.

The innovation spread through European courts, and before long, royal chefs were whipping up red wine slushes, icy custards, and cold almond creams. Cooks experimented with every exotic ingredient in their arsenal: violets, saffron, rose petals. But while the excitement for ice cream grew, the treats were clearly reserved for the elite. The dessert needed a trip across the pond and a few more centuries of innovation before it could trickle down to the masses.

Ice cream came to America with the first colonists. British settlers brought recipes with them, and the treat found space at the Founding Fathers’ tables. George Washington loved it. Thomas Jefferson was such a fan that he studied the art of ice cream making in France and returned with a machine so he could churn his own flavors at Monticello. But even in this monarch-free land, the frosty desserts were an extravagance. Vanilla and sugar were expensive, and access to ice was limited. To serve the dessert year-round, Jefferson built himself an icehouse, refrigerated with wagonloads of ice harvested from the nearby Rivanna River. Still, even with all the means and materials, the road to producing ice cream was rocky.

Making a scoop was laborious. Cooks had to extract the iced mixture from a frozen pewter bucket, churn and blend it with cream by hand, and place the concoction back into the bucket for additional freezing. To get the desired silky texture, this churning had to be repeated multiple times over days. The process was long and taxing, and generally managed by servants or slaves.

THE ICE AGE

In the 1800s, the ice delivery industry exploded. Companies began harvesting frozen rivers and transporting ice to homes at affordable prices. Before long, ice cream was regularly served in parlors and tea gardens across the country. By the 1830s, ice cream’s role as an Independence Day treat was well established. But for the poor urban populations who couldn’t afford July 4th ices or the fresh ingredients to make ice cream at home, immigrant street vendors came to the rescue. Fresh off the boat and with limited job prospects, these innovators used their culinary talents to grasp at the American dream, selling frozen treats from carts chilled with ice.

Italyand France was where ice cream was first truly developed; they made it delicious. In the U.S., they developed the business. The cheap wooden wagons let proprietors avoid rent and taxes that came with setting up a store. And demand for their wares was always high.

Before the invention of the ice cream cone, vendors scooped ice cream into a regular glass, which a customer would lick clean. Then they returned the glass to the peddler, who would swish it in a pail before refilling it for the next customer. It was an entirely unsanitary practice.

But it was the ice cream sandwich that truly melted the social boundaries, as blue and white collars alike huddled around pushcarts on hot summer days. They started ice cream as a street food. It was a walk-around food—you’d stand up and eat it. Ice cream had become a staple of the American diet—not just for the rich and powerful, but for everybody—and it was about to get even more mobile.

On a winter evening in 1920, candy maker Harry Burt was puttering around his ice cream shop. Burt had made a name for himself by sticking a wooden handle on a ball of candy to create a lollipop. Ready for a bigger challenge, he set out to create an ice cream novelty. He started by mixing coconut oil and cocoa butter to seal a smooth block of vanilla ice cream in the silky chocolate coating. The treat looked good, but it was messy. When his daughter Ruth grabbed for the bar, more of the chocolate coating ended up on her hands than her mouth. Burt’s son, came up with a better idea: Why not use the sticks from the lollipops as handles?

In 1920, Burt invested in 12 refrigerator trucks for distribution around the city. He made sure they were pristine white and put professional-looking drivers in signature white uniforms to signify cleanliness and safety to parents. Then he crafted a scheme for luring the kids. He promised to follow a specified route so families would know when to expect the truck to come by. A bell chimed so everyone would know they could come out and purchase ice cream. Before long, the sound was synonymous with the ice cream man.

The ice cream trucks – except for the trucks’ tune technology—the jingle is now blasted loud and clear through electronic circuits—are unchanged, right down to the classic menu on the side. For close to 50 years, that menu board has changed only four times.

Whether they’re vintage or modern, classic or creative, ice cream trucks have a seductive allure that’s about more than just ice cream. They summon a particular kind of nostalgia—the sense of freedom and possibility that comes from long, carefree summer days and the particular thrill of having a dollar in your pocket and a long list of treats from which to choose. The ice cream man has basically been doing the same thing for hundreds of years now—exciting crowds by delivering something utterly familiar wrapped in different packages. But there’s comfort in that.

source: mentalfloss

Practice some of the words in the text by using them to fill in the gaps in these sentences.

1. The Emperor Nero ordered his servants to …………… snow from the mountains.

2. InItalian courts a …………… of snow was used for freezing.

3. InEuropean courts cooks experimented with exotic …………… .

4. Ice cream was exported to America by the first …………… .

5. First servants or slaves managed the long …………… of making ice cream.

6. Inthe early 19th century …………… appeared where ice cream was served.

7. Poorer people could buy ice cream from street …………… .

8. Ice cream was scooped into a regular glass before the invention of the ice cream …………… .

9. Ice cream became a …………… of the American diet in the 20th century.

10. The ice cream truck reminds people of long …………… summer days.

Key:

1. fetch

2. bucket

3. ingredients

4. colonists

5. process

6. parlors

7. vendors

8. cone

9. staple

10. carefree

History is the study of past events, particularly in human affairs. We can learn what happened in the past reading records of the past (like books, newspapers, letters) or by looking at old object and artefacts (like pottery, tools, human and animal remains).

A historian is somebody who studies history, while an archaeologist is a person who studies the past by looking for the remains and artefacts left by people who lived long time ago.

If you want to know more about the past, you can go to libraries, archives and museums that collect and keep things from the past.

Periods in history

Ancient Egypt:The Egyptian Empire, was a society that began about 3150 BC, and lasted until 20 BC when it was invaded by the Roman Empire.

Ancient Greece:Ancient Greece is called “the birthplace of Western civilisation”. About 2500 years ago, the Greeks created a way of life that other people admired and copied. Athenian democracy is the first known democracy in the world. Also, the Ancient Greeks started the Olympic Games and left new ideas in science, art and philosophy.

The Roman Empire:The Roman Empire was the largest empire of the ancient world. It dates from 27 BC, when Octavian became the Emperor, Augustus. The empire was the third stage of Ancient Rome. Rome was first ruled by Roman kings, then by the Roman Republic.

The Middle Ages:The Middle Ages are a time period in European history, which started around the year 476 CE with the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and continued until around the time Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492.

The Renaissance:The Renaissance is a period in the European history, beginning in about 1400. The Renaissance was seen as a rebirth of studying ancient times and gave humanity many famous artists, writers and philosophers.

The French Revolution:The French Revolution took place between 1789 and 1799, and ended when Napoleon Bonaparte became military dictator for fifteen years.

The early nineteenth century:The Realism and Romanticism of the early 19th century gave way to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism in the latter half of the century, with Paris being the dominant art capital of the world.

Hungary’s first railroad line was built in 1846 between Pest – which had 300,000 residents at that time – and the nearby town of Vác. The terminal of this railway was more or less in the place of today’s Nyugati Railway Station, and was called Pesti Indóház. Due to a high increase in traffic, there soon came a need for expansion, which the management of the city only allowed if the new railway station would align with the Grand Boulevard. The owner, the Austrian State Railways, decided to demolish the Pesti Indóház and construct the Nyugati Railway Station in its place (the original building was not pulled down until the new station was constructed in order to let traffic pass smoothly).

Certain contemporary ideas even envisioned Keleti Railway Station to be built on the Grand Boulevard as well, which would have been beneficial for various reasons – and also incredibly expensive, as the railway lines would have been elongated on a viaduct all the way to the boulevard. Finally, the ministry signed the cheaper solution, and the new “rival” station was built at the end of Rákóczi Road.

The design plans of the new station, with a cost of 8 million forints, were made by Austrian architect August de Serres, who was later employed by the company of the world-famous designer of the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel. As a result of the construction works initiated in 1874, the station was erected with a light structure, and appeared as an imposing edifice with a pioneering spirit amid the contemporary architectural trends in the city. Due to its innovative iron structure, many people visited Budapest specifically to admire the new station.

Nyugati Station was built with a 146-meter-long hall deliberately made so that all train carriages could be reached from beneath a covered platform. The 6,153-square-meter, 25-meter-high hall with its glass façade was adjusted to the curves of the boulevard. The side structures were enhanced with windows, and were decorated by – according to the trends of those times – two tall domed corner towers on each side, and a French-style dome in the middle. They installed a central ticket center, waiting rooms, baggage storage, a station master’s office, police and guest rooms, and other offices, as well as a separate waiting room for Emperor Franz Joseph himself.

The official opening of the then-so-called Budapesti pályaudvar (Budapest Railway Station) was on October 28, 1877, and the opening ceremony was attended by various influential people of the era, such as ministers, politicians, members of Parliament, the royal judge, and even the national commander in chief, who paid a visit with a huge military escort. The notables were welcomed and guided by de Serres himself, and the first train embarked on its first journey to Vienna from here two days later.

The station played an important role in the modernization of the Magyar railways: Siemens & Halske’s modern switching system was introduced here for the first time in 1881, and later, the first electric Kandló locomotives embarked on their trial journeys from here. In 1891, when the station became the property of the Hungarian State Railways, it was renamed Nyugati Railway Station. This name had actually nothing to do with the station’s location within the city, or with the points of the compass, but with the company who financed the construction. At those times, the railway station’s hall served as a sort of a mini city; mansions were built around it, the main tram line had a stop here, and it housed a luxury restaurant, a hairdressing salon, and several other commercial units.

Its first spectacular expansion began in 1901, and lasted for three years; on the side near Podmaniczky Street they established a manufactory, a coal-delivery railway station, and a relief engine station; the Northern Freight Train Station was opened in 1908, and ten years later, the station at Irinyi puszta was installed. After the Treaty of Trianon, the country was in a dire economic state, which resulted in ideas for the elimination of Nyugati Railway Station, and the installation of a new station at Rákosrendező. Eventually, this never happened, but some restructuring still fit in the budget: the trains heading to Cegléd and Szob were separated at the Budapest Zoo.

The building unfortunately suffered serious damage during the heavy fighting of World War II. The system could only be reinstalled in the summer of 1945, and the renovation of the buildings took several years. At the end of the war, there were plans for ceasing the station’s work, but finally due to the lack of financial funding, traffic was ‘only’ temporarily withdrawn from Nyugati.

In the ’50s, the most modern transfer station of the time operated here. Occasionally, the important freight trains took the place of – in the past – less significant passenger trains. The station’s strangest and at the same time most fortunate accident dates back to October 2, 1962. During a 40 km/h reversing, ten carriages became detached, and broke through the glass wall of the waiting room; the last carriage landed on the boulevard. As the unfolding disaster was announced through the loudspeaker quickly enough, only one person – an elderly lady – was injured severely.

In 1975, due to considerable corrosive damage, the building was declared to be life-threatening. Instead of a total demolishment, the authorities instead opted for a full reconstruction that was finished in December of 1979, so “Budapest’s Gate” could form a structural unit with the rebuilt Marx Square (today’s Nyugati Square). The square shone as a real transport hub; among many others, tram 47/49 ran all the way here, and the terminal of one of the trolleybuses was also here.

Budapest’s next modernization, the construction of metro 3 in 1981, affected the area again. An underpass system was built beneath the station and the square, while an overpass was built between Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Road and Váci Road. For this reason, in 1978 the notorious hotel by Nyugati Railway Station that the residents nicknamed Westend was demolished by explosion.

The next memorable milestone in the station’s history was in 1999, when a few tracks were closed down due to the construction of WestEnd City Center. The newly installed parking lot and the roof terrace of the shopping center covered the former roof tracks, and the façade underwent a facelift as well. In 2005, due to the possible establishment of a government district, the idea of the station’s demolition once again re-emerged, and a possible new location was again Rákosmező, where people could have traveled on the elongated line of the Millennium Underground. Due to its historic significance, the station’s hall would have been preserved with a different function.

In 2006, smaller tracks and buildings were demolished, but no serious alterations have occurred ever since. Some people think that the renovation of a technically obsolete hall and the expansion of the system equipped with 17 platforms would be necessary. Renovation plans for this not-so-pristine station have already been made, but so far, only the nearby Nyugati Square has been beautified.

source: welovebudapest.com

Can you answer the following questions based on the text?

1. Who designed Nyugati Railway Station?

2. Which two places were connected by the first Hungarian railway line?

3. How long has Nyugati Railway Station been on the Grand Boulevard?

4. How many residents did Pest have in 1846 when the first railway line was built?

5. What happened on October 2, 1962?

Key

1. The design plans were made by Austrian architect August de Serres.

2. Pest and Vác.

3. It has been there since 1874.

4. It had 300,000 residents at that time.

5. During a 40 km/h reversing, ten carriages became detached, and broke through the glass wall of the waiting room and the last carriage landed on the boulevard. Fortunately only an elderly lady was severely injured. 

The Agricultural Revolution

Around 10,000 BC, humans started shifting from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled farming communities, marking the Agricultural Revolution. With the domestication of plants and animals, humans were able to produce food more efficiently and in large quantities, leading to population growth and the formation of civilizations. This event marked the beginning of structured societies and laid the foundation for significant advancements in technology, culture, and politics.

The Birth of Democracy in Athens

In the 5th century BC, the city-state of Athens in Ancient Greece introduced the concept of democracy. Citizens had the right to participate in decision-making processes, introducing a form of governance that valued the collective voice. Although far from the inclusive democracies of today, this radical shift from monarchy and oligarchy has deeply influenced the political landscape of the modern world. The Athenian democracy served as a model for future democratic systems and inspired political and social reformers throughout history.

The Founding of Major Religions

The founding of major religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam had profound impacts on global culture, politics, and societal norms. These religions, originating between the 6th century BC and the 7th century AD, provided moral frameworks, shaped civilizations, and often influenced or dictated the laws and governance of various societies. The spread of these religions led to the creation of new cultural practices, beliefs, and customs that continue to shape the world today.

The Fall of the Roman Empire

The fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476 marked a significant turning point in world history. It brought about major changes in the political, cultural, and economic landscape of Europe, and its impact can still be felt today. This event led to the fragmentation of Europe and the rise of feudalism, which eventually gave way to the modern nation-state system. The fall of the Roman Empire was a complex and multifaceted event, with factors such as military pressure from barbarian tribes, economic instability, and political corruption all playing a role. Its aftermath was characterised by a period of instability and uncertainty, with power struggles and territorial disputes among various factions. However, it also paved the way for new forms of governance and social organisation, with the emergence of feudalism and the eventual rise of modern nation-states.

The Printing Revolution

In the 15th century, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, transforming the way information was produced and disseminated. This revolution made books more accessible, promoting literacy, aiding the spread of ideas, and facilitating the scientific and cultural advancements of the Renaissance. The printing press made it possible to share knowledge on a massive scale and contributed to the democratization of information, laying the foundation for the modern information age.

The Discovery of the New World

Christopher Columbus’s voyage in 1492 led to the discovery of the New World by Europeans. This event marked the beginning of centuries of exploration, conquest, and colonization that reshaped the world politically, culturally, and demographically, leading to significant global exchange and conflict. The discovery of the New World led to the introduction of new crops, animals, and diseases to Europe, and the exploitation of resources from the Americas fuelled European economic growth.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution, starting in the late 18th century, dramatically changed the world’s economic structure. New manufacturing processes, the rise of factories, and advancements in technology transformed societies from predominantly agrarian to industrial and capitalist. This period saw significant improvements in living standards but also introduced new social and environmental challenges. The Industrial Revolution led to the development of modern capitalism and laid the groundwork for the globalization of the world economy.

World Wars I and II

World Wars I and II, which occurred in the first half of the 20th century, had a significant impact on the world. These wars changed the global political landscape, leading to the decline of European colonial empires and the rise of the US and USSR as superpowers. The wars triggered technological advancements, reshaped national boundaries, and led to the formation of the United Nations, which aimed to maintain international peace and security. While the World Wars introduced massive destruction and loss of life, they also led to significant social and political changes. For instance, the rise of civil rights movements and the development of new international institutions were some of the notable outcomes of the wars.

The Formation of the United Nations

The United Nations was established in 1945, following the catastrophic events of World War II, to prevent future global conflicts. It has since played a crucial role in promoting international cooperation, human rights, and economic development, marking a significant step towards a global community. The United Nations has been instrumental in maintaining peace and security around the world, providing humanitarian assistance in times of crisis, and promoting sustainable development and human rights. Its efforts have helped to build a more peaceful and just world, and its continued work will be vital in tackling global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and inequality.

The Digital Revolution

The Digital Revolution, which began in the late 20th century, has transformed society in countless ways. With the advent of the Internet and digital technology, communication, commerce, education, entertainment, and much more have been reshaped, making the world more interconnected than ever before. In essence, the Digital Revolution has brought about a new era in human history, where we are increasingly reliant on technology for our daily lives, work, and leisure. This ongoing revolution continues to shape the contemporary world, blurring the lines between physical and digital realities and presenting new opportunities and challenges for individuals and societies alike. While the Digital Revolution has brought many benefits, it has also introduced new concerns, such as cybersecurity, privacy, and the digital divide. As we move forward, it will be essential to balance the benefits of digital technology with the need to address these concerns and ensure that everyone has access to the opportunities presented by the digital age.

– Jenkins. Oakley. Knight.

– Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

‘Round yon virgin Mother and Child

Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace.

– Jim? Jim! No, don’t do it!

– Halt!

– My name is Jim.

– My name is Otto.

– Pleased to meet you, Otto.

– Rose, she’s called.

– Happy Christmas.

Christmas is for sharing.

———————–

The story behind the ad:

By December 1914 the Great War had raged for almost five months and claimed nearly one million lives. Letters and diaries from the Western Front describe how the guns fell silent on Christmas Eve.

“We were in the trenches on Christmas Eve and at about 8.30 the firing was almost at a standstill. In some parts, we put up Christmas trees with burning candles. The English greeted us with clapping and cheering.”

We heard a commotion in the German trenches and then they began to sing Silent Night.

After that, a mass exchange of things started in no man’s land between German and English soldiers.”

“As the day broke the enemy would be seen to bob up and down. And as the British didn’t fire they plucked up enough courage to get out of their trenches. I met their officer and we arranged a local armistice for 48 hours. As far as I can tell this effort of ours extended itself throughout the whole line. The soldiers on both sides met in their hundreds and exchanged greetings and gifts.”

“The Christmas truce wasn’t just one event, it was a whole series of events scattered along a fairly small area of the front line. But it certainly wasn’t continuous. Some soldiers died on Christmas Day 1914. They got out of the trench thinking there was a truce and they were shot by Germans who didn’t want a truce. So it was a very courageous thing for them to do.”

“It was an experience of a lifetime I should think. And one very rare.”

“And then we started exchanging everything that we were carrying. Tobacco, chocolate, schnapps, shoulder badges, and many other things. It was a charming sight.”

“During the day we had football matches with a new ball sent by some kind friends.”

“We may never know what really happened. We can’t be 100 percent sure that there was a football match between the Germans and the Allies. There probably was, almost certainly was. What matters is the message that whole event carries, which is you know that even in the toughest of times in the heat of war and in the most dreadful occasions there can be great humanity. „

“The Christmas truce certainly happened. Who knows all the details behind it. But it’s a really good way for people to start to understand the First World War and humanity. Not just the scale and destruction but also all those moments of charity and support and human contact that easily get lost otherwise. It’s a great hope for future peace when two great nations hating each other as foes have seldom hated should on Christmas Day and for all, that word implies lay down their arms, exchange smokes, and wish each other happiness.”

Volt néhány német szó, kifejezés a videóban. Biztosan össze tudod párosítani az angol jelentésével, még ha nem is tudsz jól németül!

Key

1. d.
2. a.
3. g.
4. b.
5. f.
6. c.
7. h.
8. e.

History is the study of past events, particularly in human affairs. We can learn what happened in the past reading records of the past (like books, newspapers, letters) or by looking at old objects and artefacts (like pottery, tools, human and animal remains).

A historian is somebody who studies history, while an archaeologist is a person who studies the past by looking for the remains and artefacts left by people who lived long time ago.

If you want to know more about the past, you can go to libraries, archives and museums that collect and keep things from the past.

Periods in history

Ancient Egypt:The Egyptian Empire, was a society that began about 3150 BC, and lasted until 20 BC when it was invaded by the Roman Empire.

Ancient Greece:Ancient Greece is called “the birthplace of Western civilisation”. About 2500 years ago, the Greeks created a way of life that other people admired and copied. Athenian democracy is the first known democracy in the world. Also, the Ancient Greeks started the Olympic Games and left new ideas in science, art and philosophy.

The Roman Empire:The Roman Empire was the largest empire of the ancient world. It dates from 27 BC, when Octavian became the Emperor, Augustus. The empire was the third stage of Ancient Rome. Rome was first ruled by Roman kings, then by the Roman Republic.

The Middle Ages:The Middle Ages are a time period in European history, which started around the year 476 CE with the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and continued until around the time Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492.

The Renaissance:The Renaissance is a period in the European history, beginning in about 1400. The Renaissance was seen as a rebirth of studying ancient times and gave humanity many famous artists, writers and philosophers.

The French Revolution:The French Revolution took place between 1789 and 1799, and ended when Napoleon Bonaparte became military dictator for fifteen years.

The early nineteenth century:The Realism and Romanticism of the early 19th century gave way to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism in the latter half of the century, with Paris being the dominant art capital of the world.

We usually think that we are completely different from ancient people. Weird traditions, unknown languages, and so on. But archaeology shows that we’re quite wrong.

Here is a list of interesting facts about the life of ancient Egyptians. You’ll probably learn something new.

1. They extracted iron from meteorites.

Archaeologists found metal beads in an ancient tomb. These beads were unique because the Egyptians started to smelt iron only 2,000 years later. So how did they get metal beads? The answer is hidden in one hieroglyph that means iron and can be translated as “metal from the sky.” The beads were probably made of meteorite material.

2. They invented toothpaste.

There are several proofs that the Egyptians have been producing toothpaste since 5000 BC. They used to produce powder consisting of various ingredients available to them (burned eggshells and pumice). But nowadays we don’t know the exact way to use such paste. We can only guess.

3. They used antibiotics in treatment.

Though antibiotics were officially invented in the 20th century, the doctors of ancient Egypt used moldy flatbread to cure festering wounds. And such medication worked well.

4. They formed the world’s first police.

The world’s first police force was formed during the Middle Kingdom period (years 2050-1800 BC). It included the most loyal warriors and foreign mercenaries. The Egyptian police were accompanied by dogs and monkeys. Officers protected temples and city squares, upper-class representatives, and caravans from criminals. They were just like modern policemen (but with monkeys).

5. They were the first to produce beer 

Most of us know that the workers who built the pyramids were paid with 4-5 liters of beer a day. So we can conclude that brewing was at a really good level. The Egyptians were one of the first to produce this drink.

6. Surgeons performed very difficult operations.

The ancient Egyptians possessed accurate and unique medicinal knowledge that could be compared to modern practices. Scientists who examined mummies found traces of some challenging operations: heart bypass surgeries, organ transplantation, and even plastic surgeries. Unfortunately, their knowledge has been lost, and we can’t say what ancient doctors would be able to do now.

7. They used door locks.

Door locks were created in Egypt and China, probably because such devices were needed. The more people who lived nearby, the more reasons neighbors found to lock their door. Egyptian wooden locks had a simple mechanism.

8. They bowled.

In one ancient settlement near Cairo, a playroom going back to 3200 BC with carved lanes and balls of various sizes with holes for fingers was found. The rules differed, but the game was still recognizable.

9. They treated eyes.

Eye infection was a common disease among the Egyptians. They used various (and sometimes strange) methods of treatment: sometimes they used bactericidal paint and remedies made of…human brains.

Here’s how one of the recipes looked: “Divide a human brain into 2 parts. Mix the first half with honey, and apply on the eye in the evening. Dry the second half, and apply in the morning.” Did it help? We don’t know.

source: brightside.me

Can you fill in the gaps in the sentences about the Egyptians?

1. They brew …… .

2. They extracted …… from meteorites.

3. The Egyptians have been producing …… since 5000 BC.

4. The …… protected temples and city squares.

5. They treated eye infection with a remedy made of …… .

6. They could …… with balls.

7. They cured festering wounds with …… .

8. Egyptian wooden …… had a simple mechanism.

9. Organ transplantation, and even plastic surgeries were performed by …… .

Key

1. beer 2. iron 3. toothpaste 4. police 5. human brains 6. bowl 7. antibiotics/moldy flatbread 8. locks 9. surgeons

There’s a song in Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper 

An Italian musician claims that there is a song encoded in the ‘Last Supper’. By drawing the five lines of a musical staff across the painting, the loaves of bread on the table and the hands of Jesus and of the Apostles each represent a musical note. If you play the notes it sounds like a requiem, and it’s like a soundtrack that emphasizes the passion of Jesus.

Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Café Terrace at Night’ refers to da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’

There are 12 patrons at the café sitting just like the Apostles and the waiter in the middle looks somewhat like how Jesus is traditionally depicted with his long hair. There’s also a subtle cross image right behind the server in the windowpane. A figure is departing in the shadows referring to Judas who is about to betray Jesus.

Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Adam’ has a reference to the human body

Michelangelo was not only a very talented artist creating masterpieces but he was also interested in the human body. He began dissecting corpses when he was still a teenager so that he could understand how people are put together. In the painting which is on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel God is surrounded by a red cloak shaped like an anatomically correct image of the human brain showing Michelangelo’s amazing expertise in the field. He even managed to depict some of the more complex brain parts, like the cerebellum and the pituitary gland. The figure beneath God, wearing a green scarf, is an almost perfect representation of the vertebral artery.

The ‘Mona Lisa’ hides letters and numbers

When the painting was viewed under a microscope the letters LV were visible in one of her eyes, and there were a few less-decipherable letters there as well. On the arch in the background number 72 is visible.  We don’t know what these symbols mean. LV could stand for Leonardo Da Vinci, but what does 72 mean? It’s still a mystery.

In Jan van Eyck’s ‘The Arnolfini Portrait’ there is a small version of its creator

We can see the self-portrait in the mirror. In the reflection, there are two figures visible but they are discernible only with a magnifying glass. Many people think the one with his arm raised as if in greeting is van Eyck, because of the artist’s signature which translates to “Jan van Eyck was here 1434” According to that the man in the mirror might as well be van Eyck himself.

Pieter Bruegel’s ’Netherlandish Proverbs’ hides more than a hundred proverbs

If you look at the picture it’s a busy Dutch street for the first sight. But it’s also a collection of the images of well-known proverbs like running like your butt’s on fire, the blind leading the blind, there’s always a bigger fish, to get the world in the palm of your hand, armed to the teeth and hitting your head against the wall.

Caravaggio self-portrait in his Bacchus picture

The painting shows the Roman god Bacchus drinking a glass of wine. The whole setting looks quite ordinary but a group of experts managed to see something peculiar inside the carafe of wine in the bottom left corner. Caravaggio made a portrait of himself inside the bottle. The portrait shows him at the age of 25, with dark curly hair, holding a paintbrush and working at an easel.

A mystery man in Picasso’s ’Blue Room’

The ’Blue Room’ is regarded as one of Picasso’s earliest masterpieces. It is one of the melancholy scenes dominated by varying shades of blue. Underneath the painted surface there’s a hidden portrait of a man wearing a bow tie, resting his chin on his hand. It’s not known who the mystery man is, but it’s definitely not a portrait of Picasso himself.

Botticelli’s’Primavera’ is a thorough collection of plants

Apart from the centre figures of mythological creatures including Venus, Mercury, and the Three Graces, there’s incredible attention to detail in the garden background. The painting depicts at least 500 species of plants, all of which have been identified by botanists, and includes some 190 separate kinds of flowers.

There’s a woman’s face in Picasso’s ’Old Guitarist’

Money was tight in Picasso’s Blue Period from 1901 through 1904, so the artist often reused his supplies. ’The Old Guitarist’ was painted over a previous work. If you look closely at the man’s neck, you can see the outline of a woman’s face and figure through the fading blue paints.

The English poem The Rape of the Lock (1717) by Alexander Pope satirizes the intricacies of a lady’s toilet as she carefully prepares herself for a gala social gathering.

“From each she nicely culls with curious toil,

And decks the Goddess with the glitt’ring spoil.

This casket India’s glowing gems unlocks,

And all Arabia breathes from yonder box.”

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

Around 4500 years ago, communities in Scotland, the Indus Valley (present day Pakistan), and Mesopotamia used pipes to carry waste from inside of buildings to outdoors.

Toilets in Egypt used a keyhole shape to increase comfort, whilst the Romans built sewer systems to carry waste into streams and rivers.

Flushing first appeared in Knossos, on the island of Crete about 4000 years ago. Rainwater captured in rooftop pans was used to wash away waste via pipes.

Fortifying Defenses

By the Middle Ages, flushing went out of fashion. In came “garderobes”, which were closets with seats overhanging the castle moat. The waste would slide down the castle walls and hopefully be washed away … eventually. If not, it would certainly help deter invasion!

Garderobe is French for “wardrobe” and also served as a place to temporarily store the coats and other possessions of visitors. According to a description of a garderobe at Donegal Castle, people believed that the smell of ammonia would help keep fleas away.

Watch Out Below!

The British word loo is from the French guardez l’eau, meaning “watch out for the water”.  In medieval Europe, people often threw the contents of their chamber pots out the window onto the streets.  But being considerate folk, they would warn passersby by yelling “Guardez l’eau!” … at least to those they liked. In England, “Guardez l’eau” became “gardy-loo” and then shortened to “loo”.

The chamber pots could be exquisitely beautiful designs.

Fit For the Queen

Sir John Harington (1561 – 1612) invented Britain’s first flushing toilet. Called the Ajax (“jakes” was an old slang word for toilet), he installed one at his manor in Kelston.

Harington’s design had a flush valve to release water from a tank to empty the bowl. He also gave one to Queen Elizabeth I at Richmond Palace, but it is thought she refused to use it because it was too noisy. The Ajax did not see popularity in England but was adopted in France under the name Angrez.

The term ‘John’ that’s often used in the USA is considered a direct reference to John Harington.

Flushed With Victorian Pride

George Jennings (1810 – 1882), an English sanitation engineer, invented the first public flush toilets.

He installed the “Retiring Rooms” at The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London.

Jenning’s Pedestal Vase won the Gold Medal award at the International Health Exhibition in London, 1884 for its flushing capacity. In a test, its 2 gallon flush washed down:

10 apples of average diameter 1 ¼ inches

1 flat sponge about 4 ½ inches in diameter

plumber’s smudge coated over the pan

4 pieces of paper adhering closely to the soiled surface

The Victorians invented ‘sanitary science’—the study of public health, dirt, and disease—and were obsessed with sewers, sanitation, and cleanliness. Why, then, did Victorian London remain so notoriously filthy?

In the Crapper

According to Plumbing and Mechanical magazine, returning American World War One veterans used the slang word “crapper” after seeing so many toilets in England wearing the corporate logo “T. Crapper/Chelsea”.

However, the word crap can be traced to an Old Dutch word, krappe, meaning “a vile and inedible fish”.

Toilets could be dangerous places

King Edmund II of England was “stabbed from beneath as he answered a call of nature” in 1016.

King George II of Great Britain met his end in the bathroom after breakfast.

Catherine the Great, empress of Russia suffered a fatal stroke on a commode in St Petersburg in 1796.

Toilet Euphemisms:

Lavatory, bog, loo, convenience, privy (UK)

Restroom, bathroom, pot, john (US)

Dunny (AU/NZ)

Water closet (W.C.), comfort room (C.R.), powder room

source: fiveminutehistory.com

Can you match the toilet words to the country where they use them?

Key

Martin Luther was an academic and religious figure who was strongly against the corruption of the Catholic Church in the 16th century.

Around this time, the church was heavily involved in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire and the practice of selling ‘indulgences’ was becoming increasingly common.

This meant those who felt they had sinned could simply buy a pardon and, in exchange for their money, a prayer would be said or a candle lit to ‘absolve’ them of their sins. These pardons were essentially religious ‘get out of jail free cards’ and the more money people paid for them, supposedly the more years were taken off their time in purgatory .

Increasingly resentful of the ways of the Catholic Church, on the 31st of October 1517, Martin Luther published his 95 Theses attacking the corrupt practices of the papacy and essentially sparking the biggest revolution the Christian faith has ever seen.

In light of the 500th anniversary of this huge historic event, here are some interesting facts you probably didn’t know about Martin Luther.

1. The legend of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church is just that, a legend

The story goes that Luther stormed up to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, hammer in hand, and nailed his incendiary document to the front door. While this is a fittingly forceful image for the start of a religious movement which has violently shaped European history, several scholars have agreed that there is little evidence to suggest this dramatic gesture ever took place.

There were apparently no eye-witnesses and according to the New Yorker, Martin Luther himself seemed unclear on what he actually did to spread his 95 Theses, apart from sending them to the local archbishop.

2. Martin Luther was not originally his name

The name ‘Martin Luther’ is known throughout the Christian world, just like that of his namesake, the iconic human rights activist and baptist preacher Martin Luther King Jr. But neither Martin Luther, nor Martin Luther King Jr. were born with those names.

The father of Protestantism was in fact born ‘Martin Luder’ to a family from a coal mining town. It is commonly believed that, in the same year he published his theses, Martin changed his surname from ‘Luder’ to ‘Luther’, which some believe was in line with the Greek word ‘erleutherios’ meaning freedom and liberty.

Meanwhile Martin Luther King Jr was born Michael King Jr. His father changed both their names after being inspired by a tour of various holy sites throughout Europe on which he learned about the huge effect of Martin Luther on the church.

3. A near death experience inspired him to become a monk

Martin Luther was the eldest of a large family and his father planned for him to study law in order to help with the family business. But it appears Luther had other plans. At age 21 he was caught up in a large storm and the story goes that he prayed to St. Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, to save his life, promising to become a monk if he survived. Some claim this was a common practice in young people at the time, who did not want to follow in the path chosen for them by their parents. Whatever his reasoning, Luther honoured his promise and was ordained two years later.

4. He had a big influence on Christmas

Before the reformation, children in Germany often received presents on December 6th, the day of St. Nicholas. Meanwhile Jesus’ birth was not specifically celebrated at all, as the Epiphany on January 6th was the main day of celebration as this was the day the three wise men are said to have visited Bethlehem. Luther was against St. Nicholas being so particularly revered, so over time St. Nicholas’ day lost more and more of its importance in the Protestant faith. In its place the birth of Christ began to be celebrated which led to the modern celebration of Christmas Eve on December 24th in Germany and many other European countries.

5. Martin Luther only left the German speaking lands once in his whole life

It seems odd for someone with such a wide-reaching influence, but according to the New Yorker, Martin Luther only traveled outside of the German speaking lands in Europe once. He was sent to Rome in 1510 in a failed mission to deal with problems in the Augustinian order.

6. Luther had to be ‘kidnapped’ by his friend to avoid severe repercussions from the Catholic Church

After publishing his 95 Theses, Luther was called to Rome to answer for his heresy. When he did not comply, he was excommunicated but brazenly burned the paper which announced his excommunication in a pit used by a Wittenberg hospital to burn old rags.

He avoided execution for this because of his huge popularity with the general public, but in 1521 he was called to a Diet in the town of Worms, an assembly of the Holy Roman Empire, to explain himself. In Worms, Luther announced he would only retract his criticisms of the church if they could show him sufficient evidence from the holy scripture to support the practices he deemed tobe corrupt. As he was travelling back from Worms, Luther’s protector, Frederick the Wise, ordered a group of knights to “kidnap” and hide him until the Catholic church had calmed down.

7. He translated the entire New Testament from Greek to German in just 11 weeks

After being ‘kidnapped’ and taken to in an isolated castle in Eisenach, he spent 11 weeks of his 10 months in captivity translating the New Testament, which he did single handedly at a blazing rate of 1,800 words a day. Luther then went on to translate the Old Testament from Hebrew. He wasn’t the first person to translate the Bible into German, but many consider his version to be the most beautifully written and it was certainly the most popular.

8. Martin Luther not only had a huge impact on the church, but also on the German language

Luther was a prolific writer and wrote almost 120 works in his lifetime. What’s more, he was lucky to have been born just 10 years after the invention of the printing press. This meant his works reached thousands of people at a time when literature was sparse. Most of his writing was in Early New High German and experts credit the widespread use of this dialect to the popularity of Luther’s writing, especially his translation of the Bible.

3,000 copies of the first edition of Luther’s German New Testament were made and each cost the equivalent of a calf. Despite this high price, all 3,000 copies of the Bible sold out as soon as they were put on sale. The Lutherian Bible also included 128 woodcut illustrations all done by the same artist. In 2002 a beautiful two volume facsimile of Luther’s original Bible was published by German art book publisher Taschen, which had the drawings in colour.

9.. His wife was the one who proposed

One Catholic tradition Luther opposed was celibacy in priests and in 1525 he married Katharina von Bora, an ex-Cistercian nun. He met her while helping a group of nuns who had recently left a Cistercian convent in light of the reformation. While eleven of the twelve nuns were either returned to their families or found husbands, the 26-year-old Katharina was left.

Though Luther claimed to have not felt any kind of “burning” attraction towards the young woman, she wanted him and proposed marriage, to which he agreed, the New Yorker writes. Katharina managed his huge household which, apart from their large number of children, also included 20 or so students, 8 orphaned children, a large family escaping the plague, various visitors and a small staff. Historians noticed a change in Luther’s attitude towards women after his marriage and he appeared to respect his wife a great deal, calling her “the most holy Frau Doctor” in letters.

10. Luther was often shockingly foul mouthed

Suprizingly for a man of God, but perhaps unsurprisingly for such a bold revolutionary and someone with such aggressive faith in his convictions, Martin Luther is known to have expressed himself with crude and sometimes downright vulgar statements. According to historian Erik H. Erikson who wrote the book ‘Young Man Luther’ (1958), not only did Luther called the Vatican a “whorehouse” but while in a state of depression, he supposedly once said at the dinner table “I am like a ripe s**t and the world is a gigantic a**hole. We will both probably let go of each other soon.”

source: thelocal.de

Watch the video and fill in the gaps in the script with the words in the table.

This is the story of Martin Luther. He got up to some pretty adventurous things. He was …… (1) by knights on horseback, lived in …… (2) in a castle, and helped some nuns escape from a …… (3) by hiding them in barrels. But as a young man he was troubled by a deep sense that he wasn’t right with God. Once in a thunderstorm a lightning bolt nearly struck him. He thought he was going to die. He cried out for help to one of the …… (4) saying rashly: „Save me, and I’ll become a monk.” He survived. And so, true to his word he gave up his studies as a lawyer and became a monk. His friends and family said he was wasting his …… (5). In the monastery he started reading the Bible. He discovered that it was God’s …… (6) and love that was all that was needed to be right with God. For the first time in his life he found a deep …… (7) with God. Luther was invited to be a lecturer at the University of Wittenberg. He taught through books of the Bible and his lectures were popular, even ordinary people from the town came along. In those days the Catholic Church was telling Christians that their good behaviour could earn them …… (8). But Luther knew from the Bible that no amount of good work could earn you forgiveness. Not even the …… (9) was able to give forgiveness from God. Only God could do that. Luther saw that the church had left behind what the Bible taught and was even making things up for its own gain. He decided he must teach against these false ideas. He made his complaints public by nailing them to the place in town where people published important documents: the door of the castle …… (10). He explained that it wasn’t possible to buy God’s forgiveness or to live a life that was good enough to …… (11) to know God. His writings showed that God wants to forgive the wrong that we’ve done and that it is only possible because Jesus, the Son of God came to pay the …… (12) that our wrong deserved. Jesus did this as He died in our place. Luther’s ideas quickly spread throughout Europe thanks to a recent invention: the printing press. The Pope wrote a document saying that Luther had to take it all back and if he didn’t he would be treated as a …… (13). Luther refused and publicly burned a copy of the Pope’s letter. Luther’s ideas shook things up religiously, politically and culturally. He was soon summoned to stand before the Emperor and answer for his supposed crimes of explaining what the Bible said. The Emperor declared Luther an outlaw …… (14) his literature. That’s when he was rescued and went to live in disguise in a castle. Dressing in knight’s clothing he changed his name to Sir George and grew his hair and a beard and spent his time …… (15) the New Testament. Again it was published widely, meaning ordinary people could read the Bible for the first time. Luther then secretly returned to Wittemberg. He continued to write books and translate the Bible. He also got married and had a family. Europe was buzzing with Luther’s message about the Bible. Today, 500 years on, the truths of the Bible that Luther knew continue to impact millions of people. People who’ve come to know God personally knowing the peace and …… (16) Jesus offers us. The forgiveness that Luther found is still available today. We can all be in a right relationship with God, because of one man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Key

1. kidnapped 2. disguise 3. convent 4. saints 5. talent 6. mercy 7. peace 8. heaven 9. Pope 10. church 11. deserve 12. punishment 13. heretic 14. banning 15. translating 16. forgiveness

Being able to name a year is a pretty basic English skill, but there are a few things that can make it complicated, and there are a number of differences between British and American English.

Let’s start with the (relatively) easy ones. For years like 1345, 1682 or 1961, we say the first two and the second two digits as if they were single numbers like this:

1345 – thirteen forty-five

1682 – sixteen eighty-two

1961-nineteen sixty-one.

If the third digit is zero, there are two possible ways of saying the year:

1407: fourteen oh seven or fourteen hundred and seven

1901: nineteen oh one or nineteen hundred and one

However, the second way is less common and may sound slightly old-fashioned, especially in American English.

For years ending with two zeros, the convention is:

1500: fifteen hundred

And for those ending with three zeros:

1000: (the year) one thousand

(We often add ‘the year’ at the beginning to make it clear that we are naming a year, since ‘one thousand’ could be used in many other contexts.)

There is an added complication with years from 2000 onwards. We always say (the year) two thousand, but for years after that, there are two possibilities, which depend on whether you are speaking British or American English:

2003: twenty oh three (British and American) or two thousand and three (British)/two thousand three (American)

2012: twenty twelve (British and American) or two thousand and twelve (British)/two thousand twelve (American). (The 2012 Olympics, which were held in London, are always referred to as the twenty twelve Olympics.)

For years before 1000, we often say the first number separately, then the last two numbers as a single number.

465: four sixty-five

In British English, we can also say: (the year) four hundred and sixty-five

For very low number years, we often specify AD (or CE – see below).

AD can be placed before or after the year, though traditionalists prefer to have it before, as it would be in Latin.

15: AD fifteen or (the year) fifteen AD

In the Christian-based method of naming years, AD stands for Anno Domini (a Latin phrase meaning ‘in the year of the Lord’). The year 1 AD is said to be the year in which Jesus was born. Years before that are labelled BC (Before Christ). There is no year 0, either AD or BC.

Although the abbreviations AD and BC have been current since around 1800, many people now prefer to use CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before the Common Era), especially in academic texts. The numbering system is the same, but it avoids reference to Christianity.

Years before 1 AD/CE always have BC/BCE after them, and the higher the number, the longer ago the year:

350 BC: three fifty BC (For these, there is no need to say ‘the year’ because BC makes it clear that it is a year, though some people do so, particularly in British English.)

And as for the title of this post – well, 1066 is the most well-known year in British history – do you know why?

source: dictionaryblog.cambridge.org

Do you know the British history? Can you match the years and the events?

Key

1. c.

2. e.

3. a.

4. b.

5. d.

“August 6, 1945. I had finished my night shift at a local factory in Hiroshima and had the next day off work, so I planned to go to the mountains in nearby Miyajima with friends.

We agreed to meet at the station at 8.15am – but as I opened the front door, there was a huge explosion and I was knocked unconscious.  I later discovered a nuclear bomb had detonated 3km away.

When I woke, my head was bleeding and I was 100ft from my home, or what was left of it. There was a dark cloud in the sky and on the ground everything was flat and had burnt – there wasn’t a single house in sight.

All around me, it was hysteria. People were badly burnt. Everyone was looking for water, and for their relatives. Thousands of dead bodies were strewn about.

Aftermath

I went to the factory but couldn’t see any of my co-workers alive, so I went to find my mother, who worked as a nurse at a local hospital.

When I arrived, there were lots of dead bodies, all so burnt you couldn’t recognise their faces.

We drank water from the river, but there was no food, so we ate grass to survive.

I searched the city for her for six days, and finally found her in a school that was serving as a shelter. I called her name.

Her voice was weak, but she called back. She hadn’t had water in six days and her eyes were covered with bandages, but I put her in a cart and wheeled her back home.

There were so many flies on her, it took three days to clean them off. My neighbours were delighted to see her. They helped me remove her bandages – it was only then I saw that her eyes were badly burnt and her eyeballs were falling out of her skull. But we had no medicine and couldn’t do anything for her.

I was furious. That bomb was a killer that had exterminated 80,000 people at once.  I couldn’t forgive the United States. I wanted to go to America and fight but I had no money to get there.

After the war, Japan was so damaged that no one came to help us in Hiroshima. We made tiny houses out of trees and drank water from the river, but there was no food, so we ate grass to survive.

Eventually, I took my mother to another hospital. The doctors had died of starvation and the only person there with medical qualifications was a vet. He said we should remove my mother’s eyes but he didn’t have the proper tools, so he used a knife.

I’ll always remember the sound of my mother screaming. Fortunately she survived and lived for many years.

Ultimately, the experience was hellish. I resolved that war should never happen again and became a peace worker.  I finally got to America in the 1960s and met one of the people who created the atomic bomb at a meeting at the United Nations in New York.

He apologised. He told me that he hadn’t known how much damage the bomb was capable of. Since it was dropped, he’d been anti-war.

Today, I pray for peace around the world. Weapons make humans evil. We don’t always have to fight.”

source: The Telegraph

Atomic bomb facts:

– The lead scientist on atomic bomb project was J. Robert Oppenheimer. He is often called the “father of the atomic bomb”.

– The first bomb dropped on Hiroshima was made from uranium.

– The bomb dropped on Nagasaki was made from plutonium, which was even more powerful than uranium.

– It is thought that at least 135,000 people died from the Hiroshima explosion and another 70,000 in Nagasaki. Many of these people were civilians including women and children.

– Hiroshima was chosen because it was a large port city with an army base. It also had not been damaged much by earlier bombings. This would show just how powerful the new weapon was.

Can you fill in the gaps in the text about the Hiroshima bombing with one of the words given?