Did you know?
01.12.2011 08:46New Year's Eve on Times Square, New York
Did you know that over one billion TV viewers throughout the world tune in to the New Year's celebrations in Times Square every year? This month, we look at how the tradition started and give you some fascinating facts around one of the biggest parties in the world.
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04.11.2011 10:52Christmas
It's nearly Christmas again – presents have to be got, decorations put up and cakes made. To prepare you for the festive season, we thought we'd give you some fun Christmas facts to share with your students this year. You could prepare them for your students as a true/false quiz, a multiple-choice game or use them as a springboard for a discussion on facts, figures and songs in their languages.
05.10.2011 11:05Guy Fawkes
'Remember, remember the 5th of November ...' Every British child knows the rhyme about Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament in the Gunpowder Plot. But why did he do it? What went wrong? And how is it 'celebrated' today? Read on to find out more ...
04.07.2011 21:54Summer's coming
Yes, those lazy summer days are here again! Will it be an Indian summer or will it rain for Wimbledon? We can never rely on the weather but there are certain things which happen in the English-speaking world come rain or shine. This month's 'Did you know?' has lots of information about traditions and events in the UK, USA and – even though it's officially winter there – Australia!
11.05.2011 12:00Victoria Day (Canada), Memorial Day (USA)
As the weather improves and we start thinking about long weekends on a beach or outside with friends, two national holidays in North America mark the beginning of summer – 'Victoria Day' in Canada and 'Memorial Day' in the USA. Read on to find out more about these two very different holidays …
10.02.2011 11:45Valentine's Day, President's Day, St David's Day
Spring is coming, the weather is getting better, flowers are starting to appear and everyone has new energy. There are lots of really interesting special occasions over the next few months and we have information on a couple of them. Read on to find out more …
13.12.2010 11:30Welcoming the New Year
How do you celebrate New Year's Eve and New Year's Day? Do you make New Year's resolutions? This month's 'Did you know?' looks at what happens between the 31st December and 1st January in different parts of the world. Read on to find out more about how we welcome the new year.
11.11.2010 14:39Wacky Christmas traditions and events
Why do people in the English-speaking world hang up stockings on Christmas Eve? What are 'Boxing Day' and 'hunting the wren', and what do they have to do with the festive season? See this month's 'Did you know?' for the answers to these questions and lots more.
20.10.2010 11:50Halloween
The leaves are starting to fall off the trees, the evenings are getting shorter and winter is coming. We want to stay inside where it’s warm, unless of course, you are going trick-or-treating on 31st October. This month we will look at this special day, which is not only popular in the USA. Read on to find out more ...
21.07.2010 12:10Accents in the English-speaking world
English is not a logical language when it comes to pronunciation. Just think of the long vowel sound in these words: meat, meet, receive, delete. Four spellings for the same sound. And then we have the different ways of pronouncing English around the world, in different regions of the same country and between people of different classes. Read on to find out more about the way we speak English ...
07.05.2010 10:52The Guinness World Records
Your students can do a lot in English both in and out of the classroom, at all levels. This month’s 'Did you know?' looks at the fascinating world of the 'Guinness World Records' and the Can dos that people from all over the world have achieved. Read more to find out: Does the 'Guinness World Records' book have anything to do with Guinness beer? How did the idea start? Who holds the most records?
01.03.2010 16:55Easter Special
What's the connection between Mardi Gras, doughnuts and Shrove Tuesday? Find out by reading the 'Easter Special' in 'Did you know?'.
12.01.2010 09:59The same procedure as every year
Happy New Year! How did you celebrate your new year? Did you make any resolutions? And did you watch 'Dinner for One' on television? Freddie Frinton's sketch about James, the butler, serving dinner to Miss Sophie and her friends has become a TV classic and a New Year tradition in Germany.
03.12.2009 09:39Christmas Trivia
Why are robins associated with Christmas? Where does the word carol come from? When was celebrating Christmas illegal in Britain? Find out the answers in our Christmas trivia.
09.11.2009 18:00Nobel Prizes
Did you know what Yasser Arafat, Lech Walesa and Willi Brandt have got in common? They are all winners of the Nobel Peace Prize.
09.11.2009 15:04Ig Nobel Prizes
Did you know there's a spoof on the Nobel prizes - the Ig Nobel prizes? These are also awarded each year to ... "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think" and to spur people's interest in science, medicine, and technology.
24.09.2009 15:08Toeing the line in the House of Commons
The chamber of the House of Commons, where the MPs propose and debate legislation, is an impressive sight and the proceedings there are governed by tradition.
27.08.2009 16:41Erster Testbeitrag im Network Blog!
Hier entsteht der Network Community Blog. In Kürze sind hier nicht nur Blogbeiträge sondern auch Veranstaltungshinweise zu finden.
