THE BOOK FAIR IN MÁLAGA 29th APRIL - 8th MAY

Another year is being celebrated the Book Fair in many Spanish cities, the annual meeting with news of the publishing world and bookselling in general. 

In Malaga the Book fair is celebrating from the 20th  April to 8th of May its 45 edition in the Palmeral de las Sorpresas. The Book Fair is also a good opportunity to enjoy the beautiful PORT and  of the best view in Malaga during an excellent season. 

If you want to find rarities, old books, comics, encyclopedias, and lots more, just wander to  along the port. If you like reading, this is your opportunity to roam about and buy whatever you want. 

Around fifty posts turn the Palmeral de las Sorpresas in a great celebration of the written with the presence many local and national authors. 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Read about his life, listen and put in chronological order

.Now check how much you've learnt

MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA'S LIFE

No name is more associated with Spanish literature — and perhaps with classic literature in general — than that of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. He was the author of El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, which is sometimes referred to as the first European novel and which has been translated into nearly every major language, making it one of the most widely distributed books after the Bible.

WORLD BOOK DAY

World Book and Copyright Day - April 23

By celebrating this Day throughout the world, UNESCO seeks to promote reading, publishing and the protection of intellectual property through copyright.

23 April: a symbolic date for world literature for on this date and in the same year of 1616, Cervantes and Shakespeare all died. It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.

The idea for this celebration originated in Catalonia where on 23 April, Saint George's Day, a rose is traditionally given as a gift for each book sold. St. George's day is celebrated in and around Catalonia and has been celebrated since 1436. He is the patron Saint of Catalonia.

In Catalonia St. George's day coincides with the Fair of the Book and the Rose. On this day every man offers a rose to his loved one (wife or fiancée), and in return she gives him a book. The book is in memory of Cervantes. This custom was started in 1926, to commemorate Cervantes death (author of "Don Quixote").

Get information about Shakespeare and Cervantes and do the test.

Good luck!

Shakespeare and Cervantes

THE LEGEND OF SAINT GEORGE

St. GEORGE'S DAY 23rd APRIL

ST. GEORGE'S DAY (Patron Saint of England)


It is the church festival of St. George, regarded as England’s national day . On this day English people wear a rose pinned to their jackets.

St George's Day History

St George's Flag

St George's Day Celebration

The Legend of St George and the Dragon

Only in Britain

MIGUEL DE CERVANTES

• Born: 29 September 1547
• Birthplace: Alcala de Henares, Spain
• Died: 23 April 1616
• Best Known As: Author of Don Quixote
• Full name: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra


Miguel de Cervantes wrote the epic satire Don Quixote, which is regarded as the first true modern novel. Little is known of Cervantes's early life; at 23 he enlisted in the Spanish militia and then fought against the Turks in the battle of Lepanto (1571) where a gunshot wound permanently crippled his left hand. He spent four more years at sea and then another five as a slave after being captured by Barbary pirates. Ransomed by his family, he returned to Madrid but his disability hampered him; it was in debtor's prison that he began to write Don Quixote. The title character, a dreamy middle-aged nobleman, sets out through Spain on a makeshift quest to fight injustice through acts of chivalry. Cervantes wrote many other works, including poems and plays, but none had the impact or popularity of his masterpiece.
Because of his injury Cervantes was nicknamed "the cripple of Levanto"... Don Quixote is the basis for the musical Man of La Mancha... Cervantes died on the same day as author William Shakespeare.

SHAKESPEARE AND CERVANTES WEB QUESTS

                                                SHAKESPEARE AND CERVANTES

WORLD BOOK DAY 23rd April

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE

(1564-1616) British writer. William Shakespeare is recognized as one of the greatest writers of all time, known for works like "Hamlet," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Romeo and Juliet," "Othello," "The Tempest," and many other works.

With the 154 poems and 37 plays of Shakespeare's literary career, his body of works are among the most quoted in literature. Shakespeare created comedies, histories, tragedies, and poetry. Despite the authorship controversies that have surrounded his works, the name of Shakespeare continues to be revered by scholars and writers from around the world.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. He died on April 23, 1616.

In November 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. When they married, he was eighteen and she was 26. They had three children.

The portrait believed to look most like Shakespeare is on the title page of the First Folio.
The First Folio was published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death.

Shakespeare not only wrote plays; he also performed on stage as a professional actor in London.

Shakespeare is buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

The inscription on the stone beneath his monument reads:
GOOD FREND FOR JESUS SAKE FORBEARE, TO DIGG THE DUST ENCLOASED HEARE: BLESTE BE Ye MAN Yt [that] SPARES THES STONES, AND CURST BE HE Yt MOVES MY BONES

WEB TAKS

Shakespeare: Life and Historical background

SHAKESPEARE GAMES

You can try your hand at four interactive and fun Shakespeare games created specially to help you apply your knowledge of the Bard and his plays.

SHAKESPEARE GAMES

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE PLAYS

Do you know how many plays Shakespeare wrote?

ROMEO AND JULIET

In the Italian city of Verona, two families hate each other. Romeo is from the Montague family and Juliet is a Capulet, but they fall in love at first sight. This is their tragic love story. 

MACBETH

Scotland is at war, and the hero of the battle is Macbeth. This is the story of Macbeth's rise to power, and the terrible consequences of his ambition. 

HAMLET

We are in Denmark, and Hamlet's father, the king, is now dead. Hamlet's uncle has married Hamlet’s mother, and become the new king. A ghost appears, saying he is the dead king, and tells Hamlet he must take revenge. 

QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY - 21st APRIL

THE BRITISH QUEEN: ELIZABETH II

The Queen celebrates two birthdays each year: her actual birthday on 21 April and her official birthday on a Saturday in June.

Official celebrations to mark Sovereigns' birthday have often been held on a day other than the actual birthday, particularly when the actual birthday has not been in the summer. King Edward VII, for example, was born on 9 November, but his official birthday was marked throughout his reign in May or June when there was a greater likelihood of good weather for the Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour.

The Queen usually spends her actual birthday privately, but the occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday: a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London. In 2006, Her Majesty celebrated her 80th Birthday in 2006 with a walkabout in the streets outside of Windsor Castle to meet well-wishers.

On her official birthday, Her Majesty is joined by other members of the Royal Family at the spectacular Trooping the Colour parade which moves between Buckingham Palace, The Mall and Horseguards’ Parade.

LONDON BRIDGE

On 18 April 1968, the London bridge built in 1831, was sold to the American entrepreneur Robert McCulloch for US$2,460,000.

Why was the old London Bridge sold?

In 1962 the bridge was found to be in disrepair and sinking into the Thames due to the increased traffic. It needed to be replace.

Where is the old London Bridge now?

The ols London Bridge which spanned the River Thames for almost 140 years, from the 1830's until 1968, was moved moved 7,000 miles to Lake Havasu City, USA, as a tourist attraction.

Brief history of London Bridge

There has been many London Bridges - each one either falling down or having to b replaced due to not being fit for purpose. The first London Bridge is thought to have been built by the Romans sometime in the first century. The first few London Bridges were wooden bridges, these were eventualy replaced with a stone bridge, the first one being started in 1176.

Throughout its history, London bridge has been a busy thoroughfare, and was once lined with shops. The road over the bridge was only about 4m wide between the shops. It was so narrow it often jammed with people, horses and carts.

In 1757 the houses and shops on the bridge were demolished. A new bridge was built in 1831 to replace the old one. The present london bridge opened in 1973.

THE FIRST MCDONALD_15th APRIL

McDonald's History

                                                                   
The first McDonald's Restaurant opened in Des Plaines, Illinois by McDonald's Corporation founder, Ray Kroc, on April 15, 1955.

Travel through time using our Interactive Timeline! See the birth of McDonald's, the launch of your favorite menu item, McDonald's characters, or advertising jingles!
You can navigate the timeline by clicking on the various years at the right, or by clicking on the top of each event window. Enjoy the memories!

Travel Through Time With Us!

THE FIRST UNION "JACK"_12th APRIL

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It comprises of three flags - England, Scotland, and St Patricks (representing Ireland) After Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne and became King James I of England. It was a Union of the Crowns, but not yet of the nations. Each country still kept their own parliaments and national flags - the red St George's cross and the white St Andrew's cross.

England

Scotland 

On 20 October 1604 James I proclaimed a new title for himself as 'King of Great Britain'.

On 12 April 1606, the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use at sea, thus making the first Union 'Jack'. However, the old flags of England and Scotland continued to be used by their respective countries on land.

A royal decree declared that the ships of the Kingdom of Great Britain "shall bear on their maintops the red cross, commonly called St. George's cross, and the white cross, commonly called St. Andrew's cross."

The first Union Flag (1606)

UNION FLAG 12th APRIL 1606 OFFICIAL FLAG OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

A flag containing three other flags. The Union Flag - the flag of the United Kingdom (UK)

The Union Flag, popularly known as the *Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is the British flag.

It is called the Union Flag because it symbolises the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up up of the individual Flags of three of the Kingdom's countries all united under one Sovereign - the countries of 'England, of 'Scotland' and of 'Northern Ireland' (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom). As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality it could not be included on the flag.

The following pages will tell you how the Union Flag (Union Jack) came to be the UK's national flag and the making of the United Kingdom.

APRIL FOOLS' DAY ACTIVITIES

Most April Fool jokes are meant to be funny and not to hurt others. The best April Fool joke is the one where everybody laughs - even the person who the tricks was played on in the first place.

 LISTENING COMPREHENSION

QUIZ APRIL FOOL'S DAY

 QUIZ 2 APRIL FOOL'S DAY

MUSEUM OF HOAXES