The UK’s largest pizza delivery firm Domino’s has reported buoyant sales in the first three months of the year, as consumers trapped indoors by the cold weather turned to ………………… (1) food sent directly to their doors. ………………… (2) in Domino’s 670 UK stores were up 6.6% in the first quarter of 2013 compared with the same period last year, the company reported, attributing strong growth in part to new products, such as a hot-dog stuffed crust pizza, as well as ‘buy one get one ………………… (3)’ offers.

The pizza ………………… (4) firm did a roaring trade in the cold snap, shaking off the effects of snowfall that had previously hit sales. ………………… (5) the first seven weeks of 2013, when heavy snowfall snarled up traffic in many parts of the country, sales growth was 1.7%, but rose to over 12% in final six weeks of trading. “All in all it was a very strong end to the quarter,” said Lee Ginsberg, Domino’s chief financial officer. “Some of the really cold weather has been keeping people ………………… (6).”

Domino’s also reported that it now makes 62% of UK sales via the internet, up from 50% one year ago. Pizza lovers are increasingly using their smart ………………… (7) to place their orders and tapped in £82.4m of orders via mobile devices in the first quarter. Ginsberg said some stores had made 80% of their sales online during online promotions, which “shows where the ………………… (8) is”.

Domino’s expansion shows no sign of slowing and the company confirmed plans to ………………… (9) 60 new outlets in the UK this year, as well doubling its franchises in Germany, taking the store count to 36. The company reported ………………… (10) sales in six “mature” stores in Germany rose 40% in the first quarter from a low base. The German business is not expected to be profitable until 2015.

source: Guardian

1.       A) slow, B) quick, C) fast, D) cheap
2.       A) bills, B) sales, C) salaries, D) money
3.       A) home, B) half, C) away, D) free
4.       A) delivery, B) consumer, C) factory, D) cooking
5.       A) When, B) During, C) Still, D) Already
6.       A) at work, B) outdoors, C) at the pub, D) indoors
7.       A) brains, B) phones, C) friends, D) bank accounts
8.       A) news, B) past, C) money, D) future
9.       A) open, B) shut down, C) sell, D) clean up

Answers: 1) C, 2) B, 3) D, 4) A, 5) B, 6) D, 7) B, 8) D, 9) A

delivery – szállítás, kézbesítés
buoyant – élénk, lendületes
consumer – fogyasztó
trapped – beszorult, valahol ragadt
directly – egyenesen
quarter – negyed
to compare – összehasonlítani
to attribute – tulajdonítani
growth – növekedés
product – termék
stuffed – töltött
crust – (kenyér)héj, (pizza tészta) perem
offer – ajánlat, kínálat
roaring – (itt) rendkívül sikeres
cold snap – hirtelen, rövid lehülés
to shake off – lerázni
to snarl up – bonyolítani, megnehezíteni
to rise – növekedni, emelkedni
financial officer – pénzügyi vezető
increasingly – egyre inkább
order – megrendelés
to tap in –  besöpörni
expansion – terjeszkedés
sign – jel
to confirm – alátámasztani, igazolni
mature – érett, fejlett
to expect – várni, számítani valamire
profitable – jövedelmező

Pécs is a town in the southern part of Hungary with Mediterranean atmosphere, colours and shapes. It owes its irresistible charm to the inseparably intertwined imprint of historical eras and cultures.

Ancient Roman burial sites, a Turkish minaret and türbe, medieval castle walls and the Bishop’s Palace, the harmonic unity of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque residential buildings and an abundance of museums make Pécs one of the most promising cultural destinations in Hungary.

All of the above also explain why the town was selected to be the European Capital of Culture in 2010.

The brightest jewel of the town is the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter where the unique legacy of the founding family of the famous porcelain manufacturer lives on with new content.

Besides the street of artisanal stores, coffee-houses, restaurants, contemporary exhibition spaces and atmospheric promenades, the Quarter is also home to one-of-a-kind sights, such as the Gyugyi Collection presenting the Golden Age of the Zsolnay Factory or the mysterious Zsolnay Mausoleum.

Taste premium wines in the cellar villages of Villány

Located near Pécs, Villány is the southernmost of Hungary’s 22 wine regions, whose premium red and rosé wines are regularly awarded at domestic and international wine competitions.

The long and hot summers and the mild winters in the Southern region favour the production of full-bodied, spicy wines.

This is where Hungary’s very first wine route was set up: in addition to the protected, landmark cellar-streets, old press-houses and small family businesses of Palkonya, Villánykövesd, Villány, Nagyharsány and Kisharsány, wineries operating with state-of-the-art technology also welcome visitors with open doors.

source: XpatLoop

Válaszolj a következő kérdésekre a szöveg alapján angolul.

1. What does Pécs owe its charm to?
2. What is in harmonic unity in Pécs?
3. What happened in 2010?
4. Which is the most famous ‘jewel’ of the town?
5. What are the one-of-a-kind sights?
6. What is Villány?
7. What do good to the production of full-bodied and spicy wine?
8. What was set up in this region?

Key/Megoldások: 1. the inseparably intertwined imprint of historical eras and cultures, 2. the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque residential buildings, 3. Pécs became the European Capital of Culture, 4. The Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, 5. the Gyugyi Collection presenting the Golden Age of the Zsolnay Factory or the mysterious Zsolnay Mausoleum, 6. a cellar village, whose premium red and rosé wines are awarded both at domestic and international wine competitions, 7. long hot summers and mild winters, 8. the first wine route

The Reason You Rarely See Windows in Grocery Stores

Pulling up to their nearest grocery store or supermarket, shoppers will often see large windows spread across the front entrance. But once inside, natural light all but disappears. Stores rarely have windows along walls, near the front, or skylights. What gives?

The lack of windows is a component of retail shopping psychology, where retailers try to create an environment where people feel comfortable to spend both time and money. It’s why many stores have tile floors, which cause carts to make a lot of noise—forcing shoppers to instinctively slow down and browse more, or why stores may play up-tempo music when a store is busy to speed shoppers up.

In the case of windows, stores are after a sense of suspended time, where shoppers won’t notice inclement weather or encroaching darkness. The longer they shop, the more they spend.

There are practical considerations, too. Large windows letting in sunlight might cause fading on packages, making them seem worn to consumers. Swapping out valuable wall space for windows would also reduce the number of displays—and products—available to shoppers.

It’s possible this retail theory could eventually go out of fashion. Discount supermarket chain Aldi has experimented with stores in Germany that let in more natural light, though UV coatings are needed to prevent sunlight from affecting fresh food quality or product label fading.

Whether that will become more common in the grocery industry at large remains to be seen. If you’re feeling stifled by the lack of light, there’s always a farmer’s market.

source: MentalFloss

A következő feladatban próbáld eldönteni, hogy a következő állítások igazak (T), hamisak (F), vagy nem volt róluk szó a cikkben (NM).

1. In a windowless environment, retailers make customers feel secure to spend both time and money.
2. Without windows, stores create a sense of suspended time, where shoppers’ attention is influenced by neither poor weather nor encroaching darkness.
3. The more time customers spend in the shop, the less they spend.
4. Aldi has experimented with stores in Germany that let in more natural light using UVB coatings to prevent sunlight from affecting fresh food quality or product label fading.
5. Aldi’s experiment has proved that using natural light will become more common in the grocery industry at large.

keys/megoldások:
1. F, they feel comfortable; 2. T; 3. F, the longer they shop, the more they spend.;
4. NM, all we know is that UV coatings are needed to prevent sunlight from affecting
fresh food quality or product label fading.; 5. NM

On this day 20 years ago, Shrek was riding high at the Box Office, S Club 7 were number one with Don’t Stop Movin’ and millions up on millions of us were inconsolable as Monica and Chandler, the one unbreakable couple in Friends, got married.  

Monica had the dress of her dreams after fighting tooth and nail; Chandler managed to overcome has last minute panic of spending the rest of his life as one half of ‘the Bings’ and they took one step closer to their dream suburban life with adopted baby twins in their Westchester County home.  While Ross and Rachel squabbled over the definition of a break, Friends found its most solid couple in Monica and Chandler who low key gave the sitcom its heart.  But, actually, Monica and Chandler was never even meant to be a thing. Their one night in London was initially supposed to be just that until the fans had their say and writers Marta Kauffman and David Crane caved.

‘We had no idea what response that was going get,’ Marta previously said. But the studio audience was so shocked, filming had to be paused.  ‘We thought it was going to be funny and we were going to get rid of it,’ she continued.

‘Suddenly the audience told us they had been waiting for that and we had to rethink how we were going to keep going and change the relationship. But that wasn’t a person — it was an entire, immediate expression of joy.’  Initially, Monica was supposed to hook up with Joey – which wasn’t only a storyline that played out on the show, but the writers were poised to set the unlikely pair up because they were ‘the most sexual of the characters’.  But 20 years on, where would Monica and Chandler be now?

Well, it’s likely that will be among the main talking points in the upcoming Friends Reunion on HBO Max, as well as the lives of Ross, Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe when the cast finally come together for the very first time since the final episode aired in May 2004.

source (article; video and pictures): Metro; Friends – Monica and Chandler’s Wedding, Part 5 / 5, Favorite Videos, Youtube

A cikk elolvasása után próbáld megtalálni, melyik befejezés a legjobb a cikkben olvasottak alapján az itt következő mondatoknál.

John Lennon factbox

Oct 9, 1940: John Winston Lennon born in Liverpool, England

1957: Forms Quarrymen skiffle-rock group with Paul McCartney. George Harrison joins one year later

1960-62: With name changed to The Beatles, they perform over 280 gigs at Hamburg rock clubs

1962: Beatles – now with Ringo Starr on drums – release first single, Love Me Do. Lennon marries Cynthia Powell, son Julian born 1963

1965: Beatles play to crowd of over 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City. Appointed MBEs in Queen’s Birthday Honours list

1966: Lennon states that Beatles are more popular than Jesus, setting off backlash against group

1967: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band released

1968: John and Cynthia break up over his infidelity         

1969: Lennon marries Yoko Ono. Give Peace a Chance recorded. Lennon returns MBE in protest over Vietnam War

1970: Beatles break up. Lennon debuts solo album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

1971: Lennon and Ono move to New York. Imagine released

1972: Nixon administration spends four years trying to deport Lennon for his vehement stance against Vietnam war

1974: Lennon releases album Walls and Bridges, which includes number one single, Whatever Gets You Thru the Night. Makes final concert appearance at Madison Square Garden with Elton John

1975: Deportation order overturned. Lennon and Yoko’s son Sean born – Lennon takes break from music

1980: Double Fantasy released

Dec 8, 1980: John Lennon shot dead by crazed fan Mark Chapman outside Lennon’s Dakota building apartment in Manhattan

sources (article and pictures) Graphic News and Associated Press, Getty Images

Döntsd el, hogy a következő állítások helyesek (T) vagy hamisak (F) a szöveg alapján.

keys/megoldások: 1. F, he joins in 1958; 4. F, they play to crowd of over 60,000 fans; 5. F, he states that the Beatles is more popular than Jesus; 6. F, they break up because of John’s infidelity; 7. F, the Beatles break up in 1970.; 9. F, he takes a five-year break; 10. F, he is shot by crazed fan

Al-paca My Doctor’s Bag

This therapist uses a squadron of more than 40 alpacas to de-stress her clients dealing with trauma and anxiety.

Victoria Barrett, 55, from Worcester, has been a trained counsellor for more than 20 years – but last year decided to add a herd of furry helpers to her therapy business.

And she has been inundated with requests for help after word spread of her 43-strong alpaca gang, who help counsel clients using Camelidynamics.

Amazingly, Victoria is even able to pair up specific alpacas who she thinks will match each client – because their unique personalities make them ideal for helping trauma survivors.

Victoria said: “The very nature of an alpaca, being a prey animal and fear-driven, is that you’re always working to gain their trust and confidence.

“There’s a lot of synergy between working with alpacas and working with a person who has been through trauma, the techniques are the same and they can resonate with each other.

 “I found this philosophy called Camelidynamics, it’s the least intrusive, most positively reinforcing way of working with alpacas – I’ve studied this for 10 years.

“We have lots of different clients, one was a girl who had suffered childhood and adulthood abuse, she was scared and reserved but after one session with the alpacas, she said it made her smile in a way she had not for years.”

“We went out with two children and their mother, her youngest who was autistic, and she said she had not seen him that happy in a long time, she had tears in her eyes.”

Victoria Barret started simplyalpaca 10 years ago, she has a total of 43 alpacas that live on her farm and over the last three years has developed.

Camelid Connection – which helps council anyone who is struggling with trauma, anxiety or stress.

Victoria said: “It’s the feel and touch, as well as the aura of the alpacas that helps, when an alpaca isn’t familiar with another person it will act the same as a person who is uncomfortable.

“Together, they form a relationship based on trust, using the same methods a therapist uses with a client to gain trust in the consultation room.

“Being a qualified therapist, I already had the tools to help people, but through Camelidynamics, I have found a way in which through the alpacas I can offer help that is as constructive and helpful as general therapy.

 “Alpacas are fear-driven, so how you work with them is the same as you would with a person, particularly with anxiety or any type of trauma.

“We allow people to match the animal’s feelings with their own and that creates a relationship or a safe place for people to release their feelings.”

Victoria explained that working with animals, and alpacas, in particular, is a very useful way to explore sensitive, and difficult-to-approach feelings that people might not trust to tell another person.

Victoria said: “The alpacas don’t judge, it doesn’t matter how you look, sound or act, they will always be attentive to someone who has taken the time to form a connection with them.

 “This is one of the reasons they work so well, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to come across or what anyone is going to think.

“It really is a level of support that is hard to find in a person, and especially hard for someone who has had their trust broken.

Victoria spent 30 years working with West Midlands Ambulance Service and has been a qualified counsellor for 20 years. She has dealt with people who have suffered trauma in some context for much of her professional life.

Victoria: “Alpacas offer unconditional support, and together we offer structured step-by-step methods that gradually give people their confidence, and self-worth back.

“I’m proud to say we’re the only place in the country that offers this unique combination of therapy and Camelidynamics.

A következő mondatoknál döntsd el, melyik befejezés egészíti ki őket a cikkben olvasottak alapján.

A videó megnézése után válaszoljatok az angol kérdésekre, angolul.

1. What made them buy their first 10 alpacas?
2. How does Camelidynamics work?
3. What is the connection between the techniques they use with the animals and the people?
4. Why are alpacas unusual animals and what should be done to overcome this difficulty?
5. Why did she start thinking about combining alpacas with the therapy?

keys/megoldások: 1. It was a bit of a why not and because they’re just such lovely creatures.; 2. to gain the animals cooperation using science based techniques.; 3. The skills that they try and teach and the way of being with animals work really well with people; 4. They don’t actually like to be touched so in order to get that contact you really need to work on a relationship and work on gaining their trust; 5.  When she got frequent comments after walks or people just being in the field with the animals reported that they felt much better.  

The brain can work in ways we can’t comprehend. In numerous studies they have been able to see just how much normal things like music can affect, and even alter, it completely. These facts about music will give you an insight into the complexity of your own mind.

1. The chills you get when you listen to music, is mostly caused by the brain releasing dopamine while anticipating the peak moment of a song.
   Dopamine is a feel-good chemical released by the brain. This chemical is directly involved in motivation, as well as addiction. These studies found a biological explanation for why music always has been such a huge part of emotional events around the world since the beginning of human history.
2. There are few activities in life that utilizes the entire brain, and music is one of them.
   With Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI), a research team recorded a group of individuals who were listening to music. They found that listening to music recruits the auditory areas, and employs large-scale neural networks in the brain. In fact, they believe music can activate emotional, motor, and creative areas of the brain.
3. Playing music regularly will physically alter your brain structure.
   Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change throughout life. Changes associated with learning occur mostly at the connections between neurons. When studying musicians, they found that the cortex volume was highest in professional musicians, intermediate in amateur musicians, and lowest in non-musicians.
4. The brain responds to music the same way it responds to something that you eat.
   As stated above, dopamine is a chemical released by the brain. This chemical is connected with the feeling of euphoria which is associated with addiction, sex, and even eating. Dopamine is what enables a person to feel the pleasures of such things. A study using only instrumental music proves that anticipation for a musical rush released the same kind of reactions in the brain as anticipating the taste of your food.
   
   
5. Listening to music while exercising can significantly improve your work-out performance.
   Dissociation is a diversionary technique which lowered the perceptions of effort. This technique can divert the mind from feelings of fatigue, and heighten positive mood states like vigor. By using music during low to moderate exercise intensities, you will find yourself with an overall more pleasurable experience while working out.
6. An emotional attachment could be the reason for your favorite song choice.
   Favorite songs are often context-dependent. Even though many people often change their favorite song depending on the most recent releases, it is proven that long-lasting preferences are due mainly to an emotional attachment to a memory associated with the song.
7. Your heartbeat changes to mimics the music you listen to.
   Music is found to modulate heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. The cardiovascular system mirrored deflating decrescendos, and swelling crescendos in a study of 24 volunteers. Distinguishing changes in sound patterns were even found to be equipped in those as small as a developing foetus.
   
   
8. Listening to happy vs. sad music can affect the way you perceive the world around you.
   The brain always compares the information that comes through the eyes with what it expects about the world, based on what you know. The final results in our mind is what we perceive as our reality. Therefore, happy songs that lift your spirits make you see the world around you differently than that of a sad person.
9. An “earworm” is a song that you can’t seem to get out of your head.
   An earworm is a cognitive itch in your brain. This “brain itch” is a need for the brain to fill in the gaps in a song’s rhythm. The auditory cortex is a part of your brain that will automatically fill in a rhythm of a song. In other words, your brain kept “singing” long after the song had ended.
10. Music triggers activity in the same part of the brain that releases Dopamine, the “pleasure chemical”.
    The nucleus accumbens is a part of your brain that releases Dopamine during eating, and sex. The most interesting part, is that the nucleus accumbens is just a small part of the brain that gets affected by music. It also affects the amygdala, which is the part of the brain used to process emotion.
11. Music is often prescribed to patients with Parkinson’s Disease and stroke victims.
    Music therapy has been around for decades. Music triggers networks of neurons into organized movement. The part of the brain that processes movement also overlaps speech networks. These two key elements help patients overcome the obstacles that most affect them such as basic motor skills, and speech difficulties.
12. According to a study, learning a musical instrument can improve fine motor and reasoning skills.
    In a study of children, it is revealed that those with three or more years of musical training performed better in fine motor skills and auditory discrimination abilities then those who had none. They even tested better for vocabulary and reasoning skills, even though those are quite separate from music training.

source: unbelievable-facts.com

Döntsd el, hogy az alábbi félmondatokat melyik opció fejezi be a cikkben olvasottak alapján.

Where have you been during the quarantine and tell us something that you learned?

I’ve been back and forth from Nashville, Texas, and North Carolina. I know travelling is very limited but I’ve been super careful about staying at home before I go see my family or my boyfriend. I’ve learned a lot about myself on a lot of levels. I’ve been able to be creative but also really soaking this time in to focus on just overall health and wellness.

You shot your entire music video for “Never Have I Ever” during this crazy time, all socially distanced from your home right? Tell us how that worked and what you loved about it?

It was a very different approach for a music video, but an experience I’ll never forget! I was in my hometown near Houston and we decided to pick up and drive to Austin, TX where I’ve grown up going to my whole life. The crew was very limited, everyone had masks and gloves on.. we were super careful! Due to everything and not being able to fly many people in, my mom took the role of being my glam girl – haha! She’s a hairdresser so it worked out perfectly. The whole day came together a lot better than we all thought.

Back on Season 4 of NBC’s The Voice, you WON! What was that experience like? Were you surprised? And how has that changed your career?

It changed my life – haha. I was super surprised!! I walked into that experience not knowing a thing about the industry and was a baby! I was only 16 years old. I was fresh. It taught me a lot, especially with my confidence. I was super shy all and around nervous about the whole thing! My coach, Blake Shelton, knew I was shy and he was a huge help with getting me out of my shell and making me feel more comfortable on stage, he was just really great. The whole journey completely turned my life around. I’m very grateful!

What was touring with some of your idols like?

Unreal! My very first tour ever was with Brad Paisley and I mean how incredible is that!? I still think about that and I’m in awe! Many of the artists I’ve gotten to tour with are people I look up to. I would watch their show every single night just soaking in everything. I was a sponge just soaking up anything I could, whether it be stage presence, how they talked to the crowd, and everything in between. I’ve been super blessed!

How did growing up in Texas influence you as an artist? Who did you listen to most growing up?

It influenced me a lot. I grew up around western music and even Spanish music, which a lot of people don’t realize how big of a role it plays in my life. Talk about real cowboys – haha. I remember always hearing George Strait playing, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, even “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus!! My dad always played The Eagles on repeat which inspired me in so many ways. Spanish music came from my mom’s side. She always has it on–even till this day. My grandmother only spoke to me and my sister in Spanish and even made us sing it! I am very grateful to have been exposed to such a broad variety of musical genres growing up, as it plays a significant role in my own music.

When did you realize you wanted to purse music professionally? Who has been your greatest supporter in doing so?

To be honest, I didn’t have a date on it. I always knew singing was number one for me but I was too shy to do anything about it on my own. I had to be pushed out of my comfort zone and that’s exactly what happened. My mom signed me up for The Voice and said, “let’s just go see what will happen!” I was terrified, but as soon as I kept making it and doing it, I noticed that I would turn into this different person on stage and was able to perform and leave my shyness behind. My whole family and friends have been my biggest supporters through all of this, and then I got blessed with an incredible boyfriend who is a huge supporter.

What has been the biggest struggle for you in your career so far and how have you overcome it?

I feel like I’ve run into some struggles, but if I could pick one it would be songwriting. I’ve learned a lot through songwriting but there are areas of it I’ve had to work on and now I realize that if I just come in with my story and what I want to say, then I’m okay. I thought I had to be a pro and know how to play every instrument, etc., but that’s not what it’s about. It’s all creativity. Be yourself, come with your story and just be honest. Then before you know it, you have a really cool song under your belt!

Are all of your songs based on your own life? What makes you know when a song is ready to be “done”?

90% of my songs are based around true events and they always will be. I also love putting out songs that other people can relate to, but again they’ll always be somewhat true. I feel like a song is done when I can blare it in my car, or I can see it on stage, or the music video for it, or one day an award show. Or it just all around pumps me up!!

What message do you want your music to send to people?

I want my music to be a safe place for people. I want it to be music they want to throw on to feel good! I’m always going to preach about honesty and show my vulnerable sides and I’m always going to put out music both women and men can listen to and find their own ways of relating to it! I’ve always been the sweatpants, chill, friends with everyone type of girl and have no shame walking into a house party with my hair thrown in a bun in sweats which I’ve done many times haha. I’ll always be there for you, but I’ll also shoot ya straight– I guess I want to show a lot of that through my music as well!

What are you most excited about?

I’m excited about my journey or I guess in other words, my future. Even though we’re in weird times, it’s taught me a lot and my creativity has gone all over the map. I’m working as much as I can with what I can on my career behind the scenes and even though I have my days of doubt, it just makes me really excited on what could happen and where these new ideas can take me.

source: on the basis of NEW NOISE: DANIELLE BRADBERY interview in Wonderland.

A videóklip megnézése után töltsd ki a dalszöveget tartalmazó interaktív tesztet, és kiderül mennyire volt fülbemászó a dal szövege számodra!

Budapest is without doubt the city of baths, therefore no holiday is complete without visiting at least one hot spring in the Hungarian capital.

Thermal baths offer an endless number of entertainment opportunities for everyone, but there are a few things worth considering before your visit. Budapest has a dozen thermal baths, all very popular among Hungarians and foreign tourists alike. Whether you are visiting the most famous baths or the lesser-known places, here are some rules that every visitor should keep in mind, based on a list compiled by Frugal for Luxury.

Visit on a weekday

It is worth doing some rescheduling to your trip to visit the thermal baths on weekdays: not only will you save some money as tickets are cheaper during the week, but you will also avoid the crowds that usually flock there on the weekends.

Select the type of ticket you need

Most thermal baths offer many different types of tickets, usually to determine the length of time the ticket enables you to use the facilities. If you are only planning on a quick afternoon splash, there is no need to pay for a full-day ticket. Please note that tickets are for no re-entry in most of these places: once you go out, you will not be able to go back in.

Kid-friendliness

Some may worry about taking their kids to these places, but the general experience is that these places are very welcoming with families and their children and that kids do have the opportunity to have fun there. And if they have had too much of it, a staff member is usually always ready to help out with band-aids or anything else.

Lockers are included in the price

It might not be that obvious that the ticket you purchase does include a locker for your belongings. You are given a bracelet you can use to open the locker door. If you forget the number of your locker, just scan your bracelet on the screen provided.

Pack your pool slippers

Pool slippers or flip-flops are just as important as your swimsuit: if you do not have a clean(!) pair, you might be directed to the store to buy one – you will want to save that money for something else.

Bring a swimming cap

If you are planning to use the swimming pool, you will most likely be asked to use a swimming cap. Better to bring your own than having to buy one on the spot (see above). Also, if you have long hair, you might get asked to tie it up before entering a pool.

Bring your bottle of water

We highly recommend that you bring your own water – especially if you are visiting in the blazing summer heat or if you are planning to do a sauna session. Each thermal bath has at least a few water fountains, in case you need to refill your bottle.

Respect other people’s privacy

Many people visit thermal baths to relax and enjoy the healing power of hot springs. Whether it is the sauna or an immersion pool, keep in mind that other people might not be interested in other people’s storytelling or having wild kids splashing in the pools.

source: Daily News Hungary

A cikk elolvasása után a tesztben szereplő kérdésekre találd meg a 3 lehetőségből azt, amelyik NEM helyes.

1. The Japanese love Sopron
In 2016, Japan Travel Association of Travel Agents (JATA) assembled a list of “30 beautiful villages in Europe” and Sopron made it to the list. This is a big deal considering that only one village made the list even from England and Scotland, both of which are full of beautiful small villages.

2. The most loyal town
After the Treaty of Trianon, there were a few Hungarian cities that had a referendum to decide whether they would like to remain a part of Hungary or not. Sopron’s residents had the chance to decide if they would like to become part of the war-winning Austria or remain a part of Hungary. People decided to remain a part of Hungary, so the city has been called the most loyal town in Hungary ever since. The referendum was held on 14 December, 1921. This is the reason why 14 December is the day of Sopron.

3. Trumpet from the tower
The Fire Tower of Sopron has become a symbol of the city throughout the years. Lower parts of the 58-metres-tall tower were built between 1290 and 1340. The main function of the tower used to be observation. The trumpet from the tower signalled many things: e.g. the approach of the enemy, fire or the arrival of cargo.

4. The most famous square used to be a lake
Széchenyi square is one the most famous sights in Sopron surrounded by beautiful monuments. There used to be a lake where today’s square is. This lake was the place for the administration of justice: bakers whose bread was not of proper size or weight, were bathed in the lake as a form of public humiliation. This is the reason why the lake was called “Two bakers lake.” The lake was drained in 1828 and the construction of Széchenyi square began.

5. Popular filming location
Many Hungarian film adaptations of iconic Hungarian pieces of literature were filmed in Sopron, such as A Noszty fiú esete Tóth Marival in 1937 [The Noszty boy’s affair with Mari Tóth] or A kőszívű ember fiai in 1964 [The heartless man’s sons].

Not just Hungarian, but international productions were also filmed in Sopron. In 2011, scenes from the popular historical-fiction drama series The Borgias were filmed here. In 2017, scenes from the English biographical drama TV series The Crown were also filmed in Sopron.

source: Daily News Hungary

A cikk elolvasása után, döntsd el, hogy a következő állítások igazak vagy hamisak a szöveg alapján.

Dr Ferenc Jordán, the network researcher biologist of the Balaton Limnological Institute, has a gloomy outlook for the Hungarian sea if we do not start taking better care of it. The researcher has some ideas about what should be done in order to avoid the worst possible outcome. Dr Ferenc Jordán, network researcher biologist and Director of Centre for Ecological Research, Balaton Limnological Institute (BLI) gave an interview to thevip.hu. He believes there is no real union for Lake Balaton, which can lead to an ecological catastrophe.

If things do not change, Balaton can become a green, algae-infested swamp.

Universities and research centres are examining the lake on a regular basis, building a collective knowledge about the lake. Still, unfortunately, decisions are not being made with this knowledge in mind. What happens to the lake is primarily determined by a handful of people, investors, politicians, etc. Businesses and building up the shores are more important than what is best for nature.

At BLI, Tihany, researchers are constantly examining the lake from various aspects, and they all come to the same conclusion: the clearing of green spaces (forests, meadows, and reed) should be strictly forbidden. Unfortunately, it is very easy to find loopholes in the current regulations, and the fee for illegal clearing is also minimal, huge investments easily pay them. We also should not let them build up the shores.

New data reveals that the baits used for fishing also pose a severe phosphorus-loading in the lake. Dredging (a standard remediation method that uses large excavating equipment to remove sediment from the lake and river bottoms) is a controversial method. Some researchers support it, others deem it useless, and the rest believe it does more harm than good. Jordán supports more research to be done to be sure of what is best for the lake. However, he emphasises how hard it is to research with such little data available.

It is also important not to have any constant disturbance in the lake so that the systems can harmonise with each other. The lake’s ecosystem cannot set in if there is continuous interference, contamination, and emergence of new invasive species.

Good news is that there is currently no problem with external contaminants that got into the water. The filtration and decantation systems built in the 1980s and 1990s seem to work well.

source: article by Kitti Erdő-Bonyár, Daily News Hungary

A cikk elolvasása után döntsd el, hogy a következő állítások igazak vagy hamisak a cikk alapján.

Dobogókő– this is a popular hiking destination, one of the best sites in Hungary. There is a variety of options to reach the summit and more adventurous people can continue their journey to other sites as well.

Rám-szakadék– is one of the locations that can be accessed from Dobogókő. It is one of the hardest, if not the hardest hiking routes in the country, through an incredibly long gorge.

Prédikálószék – the most breath-taking place of the region, however, it is quite challenging to go there. It has the best lookout over the Dunakanyar.

Gödöllő– is a location easy to reach using Budapest’s public transport and it has an incredibly beautiful castle to visit. Also, the city’s arboretum is worth a visit too.

Hármashatár-hegy– this summit can be reached by a range of ways, and there are many things to see – such as the Oroszlán-szikla and the Árpád kilátó (look-out tower).

Naplás-tó – the biggest stagnant water of the capital, without any commercial shops or snack bars. It is a calm location and ideal for animal lovers – it is home to nearly 150 bird species.

Zugligeti Libegő/János-hegy, Erzsébet Kilátó– the Zugliget Chairlift can bring you up to the summit of János-hegy, which is the highest point in Budapest. From this vantage point, the whole city can be admired.

source: article by Sára Kata, Hungary Today

A cikk elolvasása után, válaszolj a következő kérdésekre röviden.

1. Which is probably the hardest hiking route through an incredible long gorge in Hungary? 
2. Which is the biggest stagnant water of the capital city of Hungary?
3. What vehicle can bring you up to the highest point in Budapest?
4. What mentioned places can you see from the summit of Hármashatár-hegy?
5. Which popular hiking destination is advised to visit in the article?

Key/Megoldások: 1. Rám-szakadék, 2. Naplás-tó, 3. Zugliget Charilift, 4. Oroszlán-szikla, Árpád lookout, 5. Dobogókő