Sunny weather, happy and friendly people, tortilla, flamenco and corrida!
We are in Spain!
Spain is a country full of adventure, holidays, laziness (leniuchowanie) and love. Old architecture and Spanish history mix (mieszają się) with culture and stories of particular regions. In Spain there are seventeen autonomous communities. It means that wherever you go, you meet different people, cultures and customs. Very often language that people speak is not Spanish! They will, of course, understand you but they also use their own languages: Catalan (kataloński) in Catalunya (Barcelona) or Basque (baskijski) in Basque Country!
You can find everything you need in Spain – the most beautiful beaches and great clubs, fantastic food in small local bars or fancy restaurants. Unfortunately, there is also one thing that makes animals’ friends worried – bullfighting! Stay with us and you will find out more about this ”sport” and how people protest against (przeciwko) it.
laziness – leniuchowanie; lenistwo. Zapamiętaj, że do niektórych przymiotników możesz dodać ‘ness’. W ten sposób powstanie rzeczownik, np. happy – happiness (szczęście); sad – sadness (smutek); lonely – lonliness (samotność)
wherever – gdziekolwiek; ‘ever’ w połączeniu z pytajnikami tworzy nowe słowa: who – whoever (ktokolwiek); when – whenever (kiedykolwiek); what – whatever (cokolwiek)
Zadanie
Przeczytaj tekst, a następnie odpowiedz, czy zdania pod tekstem są prawdziwe, czy fałszywe.
A brave knight
Alonso Quixano, a retired (emerytowany) country gentleman, lives somewhere in La Mancha, Spain. His favourite books are about chivalry (rycerstwo) and he spends all his time reading them. He reads so many stories that he starts to live in his own world, a world of fantasy, honour and bravery (odwaga). He believes every word in the books and he knows he, himself, is a knight (rycerz).
One day his need for adventure and honourable deeds (honorowe uczynki) is so strong he decides to start his journey on his horse called “Rocinante”. He changes his name into Don Quixote de la Mancha and finds himself a companion (towarzysz) called Sancho Panza.
This is how the novel of Miguel de Cervantes y Saaredra starts. Although in the beginning it seems to be a comedy about an elderly man being a trouble for his relatives (krewni). His mental disorder (choroba psychiczna) puts him in many funny situations.
That’s true but the book is not so simple. This is a very philosophical story about deception, but also difficulties of the world and friendship.
This novel is one of the most popular and loved all over the world. Many film adaptations of the book were made. Children can watch cartoons (kreskówki) about a brave knight and his companion. And, of course, everybody knows the phrase ”tilting at windmills” (walczyć z wiatrakami) which describes a situation when somebody does a pointless (bezsensowna) thing. Like Don Quixote in a popular scene in the book…
1. ”Don Quixote” was written by Alonso Quixano. TRUE FALSE
2. The main character loves books about knights. TRUE FALSE
3. Don Quixote believes that books tell true stories. TRUE FALSE
4. Don Quixote travels with Sancho Panza. TRUE FALSE
5. The novel is a simple comedy. TRUE FALSE
6. ”Tilting at windmills” means fighting with somebody dangerous. TRUE FALSE
Odpowiedzi
1 – F; 2 – T; 3 – T; 4 – T; 5 – F; 6 – F.
Zadanie
Przeczytaj tekst, a następnie w luki wstaw odpowiedź a), b) lub c) tak, aby zdania były poprawne.
Stop the bullfighting!
The game of bullfighting (walka byków) (Spanish: ”corrida”), usually _____________________ (1) at five o’clock in the afternoon. Three matadors wearing expensive clothes march into the ring. Those people are paid a ____________________ (2) of money for the performance, even up to $25,000 per show! Their main aim is ___________________ (3) kill the bull.
The bull is freed (uwolniony). It runs down the street to the ring _______________ (4) the matadors are waiting. While the bull is running, people, Spanish but also tourists, start running away. The bull _____________ (5) angry, frightened and confused (zdezorientowany). It attacks the people. When it arrives to the ring, its long painful (bolesna) death begins. Matadors kill the animal ______________ (6) swords (miecze) and spears (piki) in a very sophisticated way (wyszukany sposób). The longer the bull is alive, the happier the audience (widownia) is. ___________ (7) the poor animal is too slow, some men try to annoy it with red clothes. Finally, the last sword is used. The bull dies in a paddle (kałuża) of its own blood. This is bullfighting, corrida. The beloved ”sport” of Spain.
But there are people who don’t want ______________ (8) let animal suffer (cierpieć) anymore. There are many organizations which take care of animals’ rights. More and more people fight against (przeciwko) bullfighting.
1. a) starts b) start c) starting
2. a) lot b) much c) more
3. a) be b) to c) for
4. a) who b) what c) where
5. a) are b) is c) not
6. a) with b) in c) on
7. a) if b) why c) a
8. a) not b) it c) to
Odpowiedzi
1 – a); 2 – a); 3 – b); 4 – c); 5 – b); 6 – a); 7 – a); 8 – c).