Table of contents for N. 483 in Speak Up Italia

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! Like most countries, Aotearoa/New Zealand celebrates New Year’s Eve1 on 31 December, following the Gregorian calendar. In fact, due to2 its time zone, the country is one of the first places in the world to welcome the new year. Māori culture has many iwi or tribes, each with its own linguistic and cultural tradition. All celebrate Matariki, Māori New Year, which occurs in June or July in the middle of the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, when temperatures can fall to below 0°C. Each tribe marks Matariki in its own way. In Māori cosmology, a profound spiritual connection exists between the people and the land. Matariki is the Māori name for the mother of a cluster3 of stars known as the Pleiades. Depending on the tribe, each…

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! The English Renaissance humanist and statesman1 Thomas More is a controversial figure. Consided one of Britain’s most principled2 atesmen, he is also maligned3 for his utal treatment of Protestant heretics. A evout Catholic, he refused, as a matter f conscience, to accept King Henry VIII s head of the Church in England, rather an the Pope. He paid for his principles ith his life. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS More was born in London on 7 February 1478. The son of a well-connected lawyer, his closest ancestors were a brewer4, a baker5 and a candlestick6 maker. After an elite school and university education, he became a lawyer and entered local government in London, hoping to relieve7 the city’s poverty. In 1505, he married Jane Colt, the daughter of…

Manchester rock group 10cc had recorded together since 1968. Their iconic track I’m Not In Love, released in 1975, was their US breakthrough hit1. The song’s origins say something about reserved masculinity in the north of England. When the wife of band member Eric Stewart asked him why he didn’t tell her he loved her more often, the guitarist admitted that he felt “repeating those words would somehow degrade the meaning.” He decided instead to write a song listing the reasons why the relationship was important to him. It was initially recorded as a bossa nova, but drummer2 Kevin Godley was unhappy with the results and suggested recording it with a huge choir3. The band then spent three weeks recording their own voices and using multi-tracked tape loops4 to create…

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! For thousands of years, dogs have lived side-by-side with humans. In many homes today, they are considered a member of the family. Some dogs dress well and dine on1 expensive organic dog food! We still refer to dogs with the old-fashioned expression ‘man’s best friend’ (although many women love them too) because of the positive characteristics we associate with them: loyalty, protectiveness and affection. However, long before dogs became our loyal companions, their ancestors roamed2 the wilderness in packs3, hunting prey4. Genetic evidence suggests that dogs descended from the grey wolf and that domestication occurred in at least two stages in different parts of the world, beginning in Asia over thirty thousand years ago. EVOLUTION So, how did the wolf evolve into the friendly dog?…

SCAN, READ & LISTEN 13 PROFICIENCY C2 GLOSSARY 1 to soak up: assorbire 2 tangle: groviglio 3 strangler figs: piante strangolatrici 4 to spot: avvistare 5 cheetah: ghepardo 6 to sun: prendere il sole 7 reeds: giunchi 8 to flee: fuggire 9 to pull up: fermarsi 10 watchful: vigile 11 to happen upon: imbattersi in 12 cub: cucciolo 13 to eye: osservare 14 unpaved: non asfaltato 15 to unfurl: dispiegarsi 16 barely a pinprick: una traccia minima 17 airstrip: pista di atterraggio 18 hyacinth macaws: ara giacinto 19 to screech: stridere 20 palm-shaded: ombreggiato da palme 21 sultry: soffocante 22 catch: pesca 23 to set out: partire 24 to draw: attirare 25 soft-sell approach: approccio commerciale non invadente 26 to ease: muoversi con cautela 27 creek: ruscello 28 as if on cue: neanche a farlo apposta 29 otters: lontre 30 in tow: a rimorchio 31 overhanging: sporgente 32 gasp: sussulto 33 whir: ronzio 34 to wirthe: contorcersi 35 jaws: mascelle 36 to poach: cacciare di…

SCAN, READ & LISTEN 16 UPPER INTERMEDIATE B2 ↘ GLOSSARY 1 to top: raggiungere il primo posto 2 in the grip of: in preda a 3 to come to terms with: fare i conti con 4 turmoil: agitazione 5 to ponder: riflettere 6 to avoid: evitare 7 purposeful: determinato 8 though uncertain: sebbene incerto 9 to seal: confermare 10 to award: assegnare, conferire The celebrated Canadian-American novelist Saul Bellow (19152005) wrote about the experiences of Jewish immigrants in America, and the ideals and challenges of the modern age. Published in 1964, Herzog immediately topped1 the bestseller lists. The novel recounts five days in the life of protagonist Moses E. Herzog, a cultural history professor in the grip of2 an existential crisis. LETTERS At forty-seven, Herzog believes he has failed as a writer, as an academic and as a father.…

ARTICOLI PER LIVELLI Tutti i nostri articoli hanno un codice di colore che indica il livello di difficoltà dell’inglese in base al Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. A2 PRE-INTERMEDIATE B1 LOWER INTERMEDIATE B2 UPPER INTERMEDIATE C1 ADVANCED C2 PROFICIENCY GLOSSARIO In ogni articolo troverai le parole più rilevanti affiancate da un numero del colore corrispondente al livello di difficoltà, oltre alla traduzione nel glossario correlato. Gin and tonic is arguably1 Britain’s favourite drink ↘ GLOSSARY 1 arguably: probabilmente 2 to skyrocket: andare alle stelle EXPLAINS Le frasi evidenziate in giallo sono quelle che hanno bisogno di approfondimenti, come nel caso di riferimenti storici o culturali, frasi fatte, proverbi o espressioni di slang. Troverai la spiegazione alla fine dell’articolo. SPEAK UP IN CLASS Ogni mese su Speak Up troverai anche degli esercizi pensati per…

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! One of three self-governing island territories within the British Isles, the Isle of Man is an island of just 221 square miles (572 sq. km) located in the Irish Sea off the northwest coast1 of England. It is home to a sporting competition that really is one of a kind2: the World Tin3 Bath Championships. The event takes place each year in Castletown on the south coast of the island. Castletown was the island’s historic capital until 1869, when a town further up4 the eastern coast called Douglas became the capital. Castletown is named after the medieval Castle Rushen, which has Viking origins. The town has been hosting the World Tin Bath Championships since 1971, when the first event was organised by the Castletown Real…

On 22 June, Britain celebrates Windrush Day. It marks the anniversary of the arrival of the HMT1 Empire Windrush in 1948. The ship docked2 at Tilbury in Essex on the River Thames, after thirty days at sea, bringing hundreds of people from the Caribbean after the war. It was not the first: the SS3 Ormonde arrived in Liverpool from Jamaica the year before. It certainly was not the last. However, these passengers were symbolic of what became known as the Windrush Generation, the Commonwealth citizens who came to live in Britain between 1948 and 1971. IN SEARCH OF A NEW LIFE At the time, the Caribbean countries were suffering from chronic unemployment, a situation made worse by the effects of a deadly hurricane in 1944. Many residents had served in the British…

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! If you have heard of the London borough1 of Greenwich in south-east London it is probably in the context of its association with the Prime Meridian2, the imaginary line of 0° longitude that runs through the borough, and that separates the Eastern from the Western Hemispheres. The Greenwich Meridian is the basis for Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Until 1972, GMT served as the world’s time standard, and it is still used in the UK and in some parts of the world today. NAVIGATION Greenwich is a green and more peaceful contrast to the hubbub3 of central London. It is famous for the Cutty Sark, the 19th-century clipper ship that is grounded4 here as a symbol of the borough’s maritime history. It is this connection to…

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! Born on 14 November 1948, King Charles III will celebrate his official birthday on 14 June with the King’s Birthday Parade1. This tradition, also known as Trooping the Colour, dates back to2 the reign of King Charles II, monarch of Great Britain and Ireland from 1660 to 1685. The original idea was to help soldiers familiarise themselves with the regimental flags3 of their regiments. This was because flags were used as means for soldiers to see other members of their troop and assemble4 easily on the battlefield. In 1748, Trooping the Colour was performed to celebrate King George II’s birthday. He chose to schedule the event in the month of June despite his birthday being in November. When George III, the grandson of King George…

EXERCISES IN Work It Out! According to the World Happiness Report, the cheeriest1 country in the world is one nature-loving Nordic nation: Finland. On paper, it’s not hard to see why. It’s one of the world’s least corrupt countries, built on a democracy and quick to give women the vote. Education, from daycare2 to university, is free. Crime is low, the water is clean, the air fresh and there are more saunas than cars. But is it noticeably3 a nice place to be? And can the Finns teach me (and the rest of the UK, which ranks 20th in the Happiness Report) anything about wellbeing in the land of forests and freedom? I start in Helsinki. With a population of just 630,000, this is a pocket-sized, but delightful capital city,…

SCAN, READ & LISTEN 17 UPPER INTERMEDIATE B2 ↘ GLOSSARY 1 steak: bistecca 2 to make things right: sistemare le cose 3 on the brink of: sull’orlo di 4 bankruptcy: bancarotta 5 acute: acuto 6 the other way around: il contrario 7 Upstate New York: nord dello stato di New York 8 spare no expense: non badare a spese 9 sure thing: senz’altro 10 delighted: entusiasta 11 liable: responsabile 12 to file for bankruptcy: dichiarare fallimento 13 contractors: operai 14 to whisper: sussurrare 15 to let go: lasciare andare 16 to take the final breath: esalare l’ultimo suspiro 17 barely: a malapena 18 reward: ricompensa 19 deceit: inganno 20 gold-digging: interessata ai soldi It wasn’t that Chris wanted his father to die; but everyone died sometime, and his father was old – and he was sick, too. He had terminal cancer. And based on how he looked today, he…

SpeakUp 483 UNIT 1 Page 8 B1 LEVEL Māori New Year SOLUTIONS PAGE 74 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS pass down a legend tramandare, trasmettere una leggenda 1.1 VOCABULARY ▶ Read the article and match the words (1-7) with their meanings (a-g). 1.2 READING COMPREHENSION ▶ Read the article and answer the questions choosing from the options. 1) When does Matariki take place? a In June or July, depending on the year. b Every year on June 20th. c At any time of the year, depending on the lunar calendar. 2) What caused the decline of many Māori traditions? a Frequent food shortages. b The appointment of the first New Zealand government. c British colonisation. 3) What’s the meaning of “iwi” in the Māori language? a Tribe. b Prayer. c…

www.speakup.it SPEAK UP PIÙ COMODO Il nuovo sito web di Speak presenta strumenti e risorse interattive per creare un’esperienza utente coinvolgente e dinamica. Le tecnologie all’avanguardia che abbiamo applicato e la moderna interfaccia permetteranno di esplorare nuovi modi divertenti per migliorare e praticare l’inglese con maggiore comodità. Scopri subito il nuovo sito e inizia esplorare la vasta gamma di articoli e risorse! TEST DI LIVELLO Verifica qual è il tuo livello di inglese con il nostro test gratuito e scopri i tuoi progressi con i nostri articoli classificati per difficoltà. ESERCIZI INTERATTIVI Leggi e ascolta gli articoli e controlla i tuoi progressi con l’inglese grazie ai nostri test interattivi. Super comodo! PRACTICAL ENGLISH Un ampio catalogo di lezioni di grammatica, consigli, e materiale scaricabile per imparare quando e dove vuoi.…

Monopoly is one of the world’s most iconic board games1. Its origins go back to 1903, when an American game designer called Lizzie Magie invented an educational game called The Landlord’s2 Game. Her intention was to illustrate Georgism, based on the economic principles of Henry George. Georgists are anti-monopolists. They believe that people should have equal access to the benefits of land, which is a natural resource. The Landlord’s Game presented two distinct rule sets: one advocated for wealth distribution and another promoted monopolisation. VARIATIONS Between 1906 and the 1930s, many variants of The Landlord’s Game appeared in the US. As big American cities reached for the skies3, the games incorporated elements such as property trading and development. In 1932, Charles Darrow adapted the game, developing his own version, known…

Famed for its muddy1 fields and revellers2 wearing wellies3, Glastonbury Festival in Somerset is a rite of passage4 for many who live for live music. The first edition of the festival was held on 19 September 1970 and attended by 1,500 people, who paid just £1 to enter the festival grounds. Since then, Glastonbury has become the biggest outdoor music and performing arts festival in the world. It has a capacity of 210,000 people, who pay anything from £370 (€448) per person to attend. KING ARTHUR The music festival takes place on the site of a working farm called Worthy Farm. It is programmed every year for four years, with the fifth year a ‘fallow year5’ to allow the land to recover. It is located near Pilton, in an area…

The Royal Observatory in the London borough of Greenwich is celebrating its 350th anniversary this year. More than a museum, it is a fascinating place where science can be lived and breathed by all the family. From school visits that allow pupils to learn about stars, space and time, to teacher training activities, the observatory offers a varied and engaging1 programme including podcasts, a blog, learning resources and lectures2 given by scientists. Members of the public can attend events to unpack3 complex ideas and gain a better understanding of phenomena such as gravitational waves, the formation of planets, and the role of dust4 in the universe. Those looking for a career in science can also apply for work experience at the observatory, where they can learn more about what a…

Throughout1 most of its history, the British Army has had regimental bands to promote military music and boost2 troop morale. However, the number of bands was reduced at the end of the Cold War. The Royal Corps of Army Music, a unit of soldier musicians in the British Army, was first formed in 1994. While British Army musicians might be best known for the bearskin3 hats and the smart4 red uniforms that they wear at Trooping the Colour, also known as The King’s Birthday Parade, their job extends far beyond pageantry5. Army music comprises duties6 at overseas7 army bases and ceremonial events throughout the year in honour of newly-trained army cadets, repatriated soldiers and veterans. To find out more, Speak Up spoke to two military musicians, Major Matthew Simons, the…

SCAN, READ & LISTEN 15 UPPER INTERMEDIATE B2 ↘ GLOSSARY 1 storehouse: magazzino, deposito 2 basketball courts: campi da basket 3 purposebuilt: costruito appositamente 4 to house: ospitare 5 to showcase: esibire 6 world-first: primato mondiale 7 glass cases: vetrine di vetro 8 live-feed screens: schermi con trasmissioni in diretta 9 overlook: punto panoramico 10 to display: mostrare 11 up close: da vicino 12 alongside: insieme a 13 craftsmanship: artigianato 14 to run throughout: svolgersi durante 15 underrepresented: sottorappresentate 16 outstanding: straordinari 17 fine arts: belle arti 18 lavish: sfarzosi 19 opening parties: feste di inaugurazione 20 caught up: coinvolte 21 to cut staff: ridurre il personale 22 to fuel: alimentare 23 heated emotions: emozioni accese 24 former: antica 25 label: etichetta London’s Victoria and Albert Museum offers unprecedented access to its collections with the opening of V&A East Storehouse1. This new site is part of East Bank, London’s sports and cultural quarter in…

Hello, I’d like to place an order for some printer ribbons1, please. Good afternoon. Do you have an account with us? Yes, we do. The company name is DropShop Limited. Ah, yes, I’ve found you on the system. Which ones would you like to purchase? The same as usual: the CMYK multipack for the 5350 model. Do you have those in stock? We certainly do2! How many do you need? The minimum order quantity is twenty units. I need around forty. Is there a discount for large orders? Indeed there is! You get 10 per cent off on orders over fifty. I guess I’ ll take fifty then! Please charge it to our account. Done! Is there anything else you need? No, that’s all for now. How soon will we…