Deportes: Pau Gasol y lo bueno de marcharse al extranjero

Pau Gasol is a brilliant example of how you can make far more of your life by going abroad to live and work.  This is what Wikipedia in English has to say about him:

Pau Gasol Sáez (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈpaw ɡəˈzɔɫ]) (born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain. Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, with whom he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the Memphis Grizzlies franchise records for career games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. After seven seasons with the team, Gasol was traded to the Lakers on February 1, 2008. His younger brother, Marc Gasol, who was involved in that trade, is also a professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.

Today we're going to read a text about Pau which talks about how - in retrospect - every decision and step he took in his life was absolutely the right one.  And there aren't many of us who can claim that!

First, the comprehension questions in English.  As always, try and predict possible answers before you look at the Spanish text itself.

1. In retrospect, every decision Pau has taken in his life appears, today, to be the correct one.  How did it look ten years ago?  
2. Why weren't people convinced Pau was doing the right thing?  What reasons were given?
3. What has he managed to surmount?
4. What characterises his personality?
5. What has helped him react positively to the risks of success and the dangers of occasional failure?
6. How does the text describe Pau's physical appearance?
7. What event and which players convinced Pau he wanted to dream of playing top-flight basketball?

Now the text itself.

And remember, if you're still having problems understanding the text, you can always use the Google Translate version here to help you get your head round what it is saying.  But do try your very best to answer the comprehension questions using your knowledge of Spanish and your ability to read for gist (understand general meaning) - before you actually end up using Google Translate.

Cocina: Steve Jobs y unas dietas muy especiales

Steve Jobs was clearly an influential man.  He co-founded Apple, now the biggest IT-sector company in the world.  He achieved many things in his life.  He made computing very simple and productive for many people - but that search for simplicity affected him in other parts of his life.

Today we are going to read about Steve Jobs and his diet.

First the comprehension questions.  As always, try and predict their answers - this will help you read for general meaning and will allow you to understand the text better.

1. What did the magazine Forbes tell us in 2008 about Steve Jobs and food?
2. What happened to his skin?
3. What did Steve Jobs do in the second year of his company Apple?
4. Which book influenced him?  In what decade was it a hit?
5. What did he decide to do after he had a liver transplant?
6. When his illness got worse, what did he ignore?
7. Who got very angry at the breakfast table?  Why?
8. What three possible explanations does the text give for Steve Jobs' eating habits?

Now the text itself.  And remember, if you still need help in order to understand what it says, you can always use the Google Translate version here.

Meanwhile, the model answers and vocabulary for today's text will be out on Monday.  If you'd like to receive the newsletter, subscribe here.  Enjoy your weekend - and don't forget to read a little bit of Spanish every day of the week!

Cultura e historia: Haciendo cola en el INEM

The Spanish organisation INEM (currently called SPEE - text in Spanish) is responsible for a number of things - all related to the management of employment and unemployment in Spanish territory.  Here's a lovely cartoon which sums up its focus!

The Spanish, however, unlike the English and people from other countries, do not enjoy having to "hacer cola" - that is to say, "queue up" -  and wait for things.  They - as is often the case - have a quite different, quite imaginative, way of dealing with this peculiar daily difficulty.

I was chatting with a work colleague about this belief only yesterday. She has a house in Spain and her husband, now retired, does the shopping when they are out there. They have, however, always been bemused at how chaotic Spanish social organisation seems to be. One example we talked about yesterday goes as follows: when you go into a grocer's to do a bit of shopping and there are a number of people in the shop waiting to be served, the English will carefully line up and expect everyone else to do the same. Silence often reigns, as each person can only really speak to two people - the one in front or the one behind. And, as the English rarely choose to engage people they don't know in conversation, not even these limited opportunities are taken advantage of. Social networking, at this trivial level, comes really hard to a dyed-in-the-wool Englishman or Englishwoman.

In Spain, though, it is different. To my colleague's uneducated eyes, it is a total breakdown of fair play and justice. Or it was until yesterday, when I explained there is clearly method to the madness.

When you enter a Spanish shop, the first thing you see is a crowd of shoppers milling around the counter, waiting to be served. They chatter, exchange gossip - basically interact with each other for any and every reason. There is freedom of movement, the opportunity to talk to everyone, a physical closeness and air of informality that promotes a useful and constructive sense of community. Nevertheless, it is true that to the unpractised eye disorganisation is the overriding driver. How can social fairness and justice operate in such an environment?

It's easy, once you know how. Like any good magic trick, the explanation lays quite bare the erstwhile invisible structure. The only two phrases you need to know when you go shopping in Spain are:

1. On entering the shop, as the last person to arrive: "¿Quién es la última?" ("Who is the last person?")
2. And in answer to the above, when you yourself are the last person: "¡Soy yo!" ("That's me!")

As you can see, the Spanish, in their wisdom, have created a system of social organisation which allows them to queue up, gossip, locally network and support community interaction without losing out on the twin virtues of social fairness and justice. They do not need to obediently line up in silence and miss out on the opportunity to communicate the latest community news with all and sundry.

They can be open, honest, fair and just - all at the same time.

And that last sentence sort of summarises the Spanish at their best.

Let's first look at some comprehension questions on unemployment in Spain.

1. How many people were unemployed in Spain in the first quarter of 2011?
2. What was the general unemployment rate?
3. What's the unemployment rate for young people?
4. What does the IMF think is the biggest problem between generations?
5. What advantages do older workers have?
6. What is the current situation of most younger workers?  What sorts of contracts do they have?
7. What negative effects does this have on productivity and training, in particular?
8. What has this led to in relation to youth unemployment?

Now the text itself:

El desempleo en España refleja la totalidad de las personas desempleadas en España. Según la Encuesta de Población Activa correspondiente al primer trimestre de 2011, la cifra de desempleados en el país es de 4.833.700, con una tasa de desempleo del 20,89%. Desde 2009 España tiene la máxima tasa de desempleo del primer mundo (véase el anexo: Países por desempleo). La tasa de desempleo juvenil en España es del 43,61%.

[...]

El Fondo Monetario Internacional considera que en el mercado laboral español existe una dualidad que es fuente de insolidaridad intergeneracional. En el que han convivido a lo largo de los últimos años por una parte trabajadores, en general de más edad, con contratos de trabajo de carácter indefinido, con una mayor protección laboral e incrementos salariales elevados con otros trabajadores, en general más jóvenes, con contratos de carácter temporal y bastante desprotegidos. Esta dualidad ha producido efectos negativos sobre la productividad ya que en estos contratos temporales, empleador y empleado no han tenido incentivo en la formación laboral y en el que el régimen de negociación de subidas salariales ha hecho que el ajuste de la crisis se haya hecho básicamente vía despido de los contratados temporales y perjudicado la creación de empleo, lo que ha incidido en la elevación de la tasa de desempleo de los jóvenes hasta límites muy altos.

Remember, if you still need support in understanding this text (and in this case you might do - it's a little more technical than other texts we have seen), use Google Translate to provide you with a workable English alternative.  And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter - you'll get model answers to the comprehension questions as well as useful vocabulary.

Ricos y famosos: Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias is a famous Spanish singer.  His father is also a singer - the internationally-known superstar Julio Iglesias (in Spanish here).  Enrique is very popular in both Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking countries.  Below, you can see a video of one of his best known songs.  In this video, he's singing in Spanish.



Beautiful, isn't it?

Now we come to today's text, which is about Enrique's early life.  Here are the comprehension questions - as always, please try and predict possible alternative answers before you go to the text they are about.

1. When did his parents get divorced?
2. What happened to his grandfather in December 1981?
3. Where did Enrique and his brother go to live as a consequence?
4. Why?
5. Was he close to his father?  If not, why not?
6. Who brought him up?
7. Which university did he go to?  What did he study?
8. When did he begin to get really interested in music?
9. Did he tell his family about his wish to go into the music industry?
10. How did his nanny Elvira help him?
11. Why didn't he use his own surname?
12. Did he finish his studies?
13. Where did he start to make his first disc?

Now the text itself.

Iglesias nació el 8 de mayo de 1975 en Madrid, es el hijo menor del cantante Julio Iglesias y la celebridad Isabel Preysler. Tiene dos hermanos, Julio Iglesias Jr. y Chabeli Iglesias. Sus padres se divorciaron en 1978, cuando Enrique tenía 3 años de edad.

Después de que la organización terrorista ETA secuestrara a su abuelo, el doctor Julio Iglesias Puga, en diciembre de 1981 en España, y ante el miedo de sus padres, Enrique Iglesias y su hermano Julio José Iglesias se vieron en la necesidad de separarse de su madre e irse a vivir a Miami en 1982, y vivir en casa de su padre. Enrique tenía 7 años de edad.

Con una figura paternal ausente debido a la carrera artística y los constantes viajes de su padre, la formación del joven Iglesias estuvo más a cargo de sus abuelos paternos y de su niñera Elvira Olivares. En 1993, Enrique se graduó de preparatoria en Gulliver Preparatory School y comenzó su formación académica profesional en la Universidad de Miami en donde inició un Bachelor of Arts en Administración de Empresas. A pesar de que la música formó parte importante de la vida de Enrique Iglesias desde su nacimiento, no fue sino hasta la adolescencia y al descubrir que tenía facilidad para componer canciones cuando empezó a sentir una verdadera curiosidad y a pensar más seriamente en la posibilidad de tener una carrera profesional en la música.

Enrique Iglesias dio los primeros pasos de su carrera a escondidas de su familia. Sabiendo que sus padres se negarían probablemente a esa posibilidad, decidió pedir ayuda a su nanny Elvira, quien conociendo los deseos que tenía el pequeño de los Iglesias, lo apoyó y le dio 500 dólares para que grabara la demo con la que se daría a conocer en las discográficas. Así, podría conseguir un contrato de grabación. En el intento de no ser juzgado por su apellido y de aprovecharse de la fama de su padre Julio, Enrique Iglesias se empezó a promocionar por las discográficas de Latinoamérica usando el nombre de "Enrique Martínez". Decía que era originario de Guatemala.

A los 18 años de edad, Enrique consiguió su primer contrato discográfico, con el sello Fonovisa. La compañía decidió firmar por tres años con el hasta entonces desconocido artista. Meses después, Enrique se fue a Toronto, Canadá para empezar la grabación de su primer disco, teniendo que dejar así su carrera universitaria inconclusa.

And remember, if you still need help in understanding the text after the exercises above, copy and paste it into Google Translate and look at the translation on the right-hand side of your browser.  (As this is a Wikipedia text, if you paste the browser address into Google Translate instead of the text itself, it'll probably take you to the English version on Wikipedia - which doesn't always have the same original text or structure.  Your choice!)

Finally, don't forget that you can always subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest answers to the comprehension questions and useful vocabulary to help you along.  Subscribe here now - and get today's answers tomorrow!

Literatura: ¿Los Diez Mandamientos?

The Ten Commandments (text in Spanish here) are, of course, part of the sacred literature that is the Bible - and are fundamental to the religions of Judaism and Christianity.  Yesterday, I stumbled across a light-hearted and updated version for what the blogpost in question describes as the so-called "Tourists 2.0" - that is to say, tourists who spend most of their time communicating with people halfway across the world via social media, instead of talking to those they have right next to them.

So if you ever needed a good reason to learn and understand Spanish, then this text has to be one of them.  It's very funny!

As always, first we'll look at the comprehension questions - and try and predict their possible answers:

1. Where do the archaeologists come from?
2. Where have they been working?
3. What have they discovered?
4. Who did it supposedly belong to?
5. What device does the first commandment suggest you should use for everything?
6. When should you turn on your mobile phone?
7. How frequently should you sent photos on Twitter?
8. What should you never forget?
9. What should you avoid?

And now the text itself.  Remember, we're trying to read for general meaning in these exercises - the aim isn't to understand everything.  If you do get frustrated - or simply can't answer all the comprehension questions - then remember you can always use Google Translate to generate an imperfect but useful translation of the text into Google English! 

Finally, if you'd like to receive model answers to the questions as well as some useful vocabulary to the text, why not subscribe to our newsletter?  Today's newsletter, which you can see by clicking on the link "Ver boletín" in the right-hand column - relates to yesterday's text.  Tomorrow's newsletter, meanwhile, will give you the answers and vocabulary to today's text.  And if you want a backlist of all the previous newsletters to date, just send us an email to more@ole-ok.com.

Deportes: Alex Ferguson y el sabor de la derrota

We're not a very football-orientated family these days.  Both the lads have played in local football teams - and played very well.  Our daughter also played for a couple of years - fittingly, in the style of the Spanish; intelligently kicking into space and never giving up on a tackle.

But - amongst the pressures of learning and work - we seem to have lost our personal involvement in the game.

Our middle son still supports Liverpool, though.  And my personal preference is the wit and wisdom of Barcelona at its best.  Which doesn't stop either of us understanding what Manchester United's Alex Ferguson has brought to the game - or, indeed, being shocked at the size of the defeat the team suffered in yesterday's derby with Manchester City.

Today's text describes Ferguson's reaction, immediately after the match.  The sign of great character lies, of course, in how one reacts to savage and overwhelming defeat.  The ability to honestly understand the implications; the desire to pick oneself up and move on; the hunger for future battle ... these are all indications of a special kind of man.

As always, first the comprehension questions.  Remember, this text was written for native Spanish-speakers.  Nevertheless, with our translation tools and developing gist-reading skills to hand, we will attempt to understand it.  Since you are reading for gist (that is to say, for general meaning), try and predict the possible answers to the questions before you look at the text.

1. What's the first word (in this case, adjective) the text uses about Ferguson?  How would you describe the meaning of this word in your own words?
2. What was the final score?
3. What was the atmosphere like off the pitch?
4. What fundamental mistake did Manchester United make whilst trying to make up the difference in goals?
5. Who was very happy?
6. What had happened to Balotelli, the Manchester City player, during the week before the match?
7. How many of the goals did he score?
8. What did the Manchester City manager say about Manchester United's attacking mentality?

Now the text itself.  And if you're still having problems understanding all of the words, use Google Translate's version which you can find by clicking here.  Remember, if you hover over any sentence in this translation, you can compare the instant English (not perfect but useful) with the original Spanish.

Finally, don't forget you can sign up for our newsletter - and get model answers to the above questions plus a vocabulary list tomorrow.

Cocina: Huevos al salmorejo

Spanish cooking is varied and interesting.  In particular, it excels at using simple ingredients imaginatively.  Here's one example: a recipe for "huevos al salmorejo".  As always, we'll take a look at the comprehension questions themselves.  Then we'll study the text and look for the answers.  And finally, if we're still having problems, we'll use Google Translate to help us on our way.

First, the comprehension questions:

1. How many people is the recipe for?
2. What kind of dish does the text say this is?  (I've had it as a main course - but that's not what the text itself says.)
3. What are the ingredients?
4. What meat is used?
5. What do you have to do to the meat first?
6. What kind of pan do you need to use?
7. How many pans do you need to use?
8. Do you need to use anything else apart from the hob?  If so, what?
9. What do you serve the finished food in?

Now the text itself.  Remember, as always, to try and predict the possible answers to the comprehension questions before you go to the text.  And if you're still having problems with the text, you can use Google Translate to provide you with an imperfect but helpful translation here.

Tomorrow is the start of the weekend - so we won't be posting anything new until Monday.  Hope you are able to recharge your batteries for the challenges of the week to come.

We'll be sending out today's newsletter shortly, with answers to the comprehension questions from yesterday's text on Nigerian religious practice in Spain - as well as some useful vocabulary to support you in your learning.  If you want to get this information, why not subscribe now?  It only takes a second, and by doing so, you can complete your learning!

¡Hasta luego!  Y hasta la semana que viene ...

Cultura e historia: La Misa en cantidades industriales

Many people say Spain is not an overtly racist country.  Most Spanish people will, in fact, tell you this.  Sometimes, for an outsider, their attitude towards "gitanos" (their term for "travellers" - or those people we still sometimes call "gypsies") seems to border on being an example of racism.  On the other hand, there are very few European countries these days which seem to react positively to the needs of such peoples.

Which is not to excuse the position at all.

Today's text is not about racism exactly - though it is about the clash of cultures and how people from different countries and belief systems see things differently.  The text is titled "Misa nigeriana en una nave industrial" - and describes how a Nigerian pastor preaches in English to his faithful in premises on an industrial estate in Villaverde, Spain.  As always, let's have the comprehension questions in English first - and, as always, do try and predict the possible answers before looking at the text itself.

1. What's the preacher's name?  What does he use to communicate with his faithful?
2. Is the industrial estate busy or empty?
3. What kind of religious community is it?
4. When does it pray?
5. How many churches does it have in Madrid?  How many does it have across Spain?
6. Why do they now choose to hold their Mass on industrial estates?
7. What do they sit on?
8. How many African immigrants are there in Madrid?
9. How old is the pastor?  When did he arrive in Spain?
10. What is Ike's opinion of Holland?  Who has Ike spoken with?

Now the original text.  And please try and get the answers first, before you use Google Translate to clarify more of the text.  Don't forget: it's always good to use your dictionary, because the act of looking for something and writing down its meaning always helps you remember the word much better afterwards.

If you're still having big problems answering the comprehension questions, then click here to go to the Google translation in English.  And if you'd like model answers and helpful vocabulary tomorrow, why not sign up to our newsletter? 

Whilst if you'd like back issues of the newsletter, just send us an email to more@ole-ok.com.

Ricos y famosos: Pues, precisamente eso ...

"Telenovela" (link is in Spanish) is the Spanish word for "soap opera".  Soap operas are popular TV programmes, where a large group of different characters live, work and have arguments together.  Many Spanish-speaking "telenovelas" originate in South America, where there is a vibrant TV and film industry.

Here's an example of the opening credits of one "telenovela" called - wouldn't you know it? - "Ricos y famosos".



You can find out more about the characters here (in English) and here (in Spanish).

Now to today's text.  We're going to focus on the "argumento" of "Ricos y famosos"- that is to say, the storyline or plot.  First, as always, the comprehension questions:

1. How did "Ricos y famosos" start off?
2. What was the relationship between the two families?
3. As the storyline developed, what happened to the good and bad people?
4. What happened in many episodes?
5. What was unusual about this "telenovela" in relation to another one called "Por siempre mujercitas"? 

Below, you can find the "argumento" itself:

Empezó como la historia de amor entre dos chicos que, por una mala jugada del padre de él, las dos familias quedaron enfrentadas y el amor que ellos sentían se hacía dícifil de llevar a cabo sin que alguien tratara de separarlos.

A medida que pasó el tiempo, en la telenovela había más personajes malos que buenos. Los únicos buenos parecían ser sólo Valeria (Natalia Oreiro) y Diego (Diego Ramos). Y muchas veces, había capítulos donde la maldad era predominate sobre la bondad. Y en esta telenovela, además, se aprovechó el personaje malvado de Carla (Carina Zampini), que ya había hecho en "Por siempre mujercitas", y se la trasladó a ésta para que siga haciendo de las suyas junto a Salerno (Oscar Ferreiro), el padre de Diego. Fue la primera vez que un personaje se trasladaba de una telenovela a otra en Argentina, sin que ninguna de las dos tengan alguna relación.

If you'd like to see this instantly translated into a helpful - though not perfect! - English, copy the above text, click here to go to Google Translate, paste the text into the left-hand window, press the translate button - and you'll see it in the right-hand one.

And if you'd like model answers in Spanish to the comprehension questions above, along with useful vocabulary, why not sign up to our daily newsletter?  This is how it all works.

Literatura: Vicente Molina Foix

Vicente Molina Foix started his creative life amongst the cauldron of creativity that was "La Movida Madrileña" (in English).  You can read more about him here (in Spanish) (copy the text and paste it into Google Translate here to get an English translation).  Whilst you can find his blog here.

He's a prolific creator - and has just published a new collection of short stories.

We're going to read a short text about him and his new collection.  First, the comprehension questions.  As always, try and predict the possible answers before you read the text.

1. What's the name of his new collection of short stories?  What does it mean in English?
2. Who is one of his favourite authors?
3. Could this collection be considered a homage to this author?
4. Are the stories the same?
5. Do they use different styles?
6. What links the different stories?  What happens in all of them?
7. What feeling do you find in most of them?
8. What kind of humour does Molina Foix use?

Now the text itself.  And if you're really struggling, once you've read through the article and tried to answer the comprehension questions, why not look at the Google translation?  Remember, if you hover over a sentence in English, the Spanish original will pop up - so you can easily compare and contrast the original Spanish with the translated English.

Meanwhile, if you click on the link at the top of the right-hand column which says "Ver boletín >>" (above the blue button "Suscribirse"), you'll be able to see the newsletter for yesterday's piece on the English, the Spanish, football and the Invincible Armada.  If you'd like to receive this newsletter on a daily basis, why not sign up now?

Deportes: "España hunde a Inglaterra" de John Carlin

In El País this weekend, there's a brilliant post from John Carlin about the historical relationship between England and Spain - from the sinking of the Armada to the present-day dominance of Spain in the world of football.  It's wonderful whether you like football or not - and even whether you care about history or not.  This is the text we're going to look at today.

First some comprehension questions to help you understand what it's about.  As always, try and predict the answers, even before you read the text itself:

1. In the opinion of the writer, what has defined England's sense of itself since 1588?
2. What helped to undermine this sense of itself in the 20th century?
3. Before, when England qualified for the final phase of a football competition, what was the reaction of the English tabloids and press in general?
4. In the opinion of the writer, was this a reasonable reaction?
5. What has changed since England got through to the final phase of the Eurocopa?  What has been the reaction of commentators and football pundits this time round?
6. Who does most of the press think England will not be able to beat?
7. What's the difference between the Spain from last year's World Cup in South Africa and this year?  What does Spain do better now?
8. In the opinion of the writer, what are English footballers seriously missing?  And what other thing do they also need to acquire?

You can find the original text here and the Google translation here.  But please try and resist the temptation to look at the translation for as long as possible!!!  The important thing is to practise your ability to survive by understanding from context and reading for gist (general meaning).  Remember, when you actually go to a Spanish-speaking country, you won't be able to use your teacher to help you!

:-)

And we'll publish model answers to the comprehension questions tomorrow via newsletter - so if you want to keep up-to-date with those, why not subscribe now?

Cocina: "¡Canguingos y patas de peces!"

My wife tells me that when she was a child, she used to ask her mother the following question - as children do:

"Mami, ¿qué hay para comer?"

And she'd get the following curious reply - from her ever-present grandmother:

"¡Canguingos y patas de peces!"

Now I've had a quick look round the Internet to see if anyone can explain the meaning of "canguingos".  Unfortunately, even my wife doesn't know!  There is a Facebook page on the subject, which you might like to look at, though.  This can be found here.  It would appear, at the time of writing this post, that at least 1,599 people were told the same thing in their childhoods - and continue to pass on the message to their own children!

Just underlines how imaginative the Spanish are about food, don't you think?

Anyhow, today we're going to examine the history of the Spanish tortilla de patata (omelette with potato).  First the comprehension questions:

1. Where and when do we first hear of the egg omelette? 
2. Can you find the two words for "potato" which the text mentions?  Where did potatoes originate?
3. Where does the first document to mention the tortilla de patata come from?
4. Which soldier was supposed to have invented the tortilla de patata - and why?
5. Who else was said to have invented it?  What was the name of the guest she supposedly cooked it for?  Why did she use the ingredients she used?
6. Recently, a new study has identified another mention of the tortilla de patata which is actually cooked today (without frying the onion and potato beforehand).  When and where does this study say this version was invented?

Now the text:

Historia

En las crónicas de Indias se tiene documentado que en 1519, ya se conocía la tortilla de huevo tanto en Europa por los conquistadores españoles como en América al menos por los aztecas, quienes la preparaban y vendían en los mercados de Tenochtitlan; En esos textos la tortilla de Mesoamérica solía referirse como pan de maíz, por lo que la alusión a la tortilla de huevo se realiza sin confusión:

.." Venden huevos de gallinas y de ánsares, y de todas las otras aves que he dicho, en gran cantidad; venden tortillas de huevos hechas. Finalmente, que en los dichos mercados se venden todas cuantas cosas se hallan en toda la tierra.."

Segunda carta de relación de Hernán Cortés.²

.."Carne y pescado asado, cocido en pan, pasteles, tortillas de huevos de muy distintas aves. Es innumerable el mucho pan cocido y en grano y espiga que se vende, juntamente con habas, judías y otras muchas legumbres.."

Historia general de las Indias, Francisco López de Gómara.³

La papa o patata es una planta originaria de América del Sur, y fue conocida por los españoles de mano de los incas. Los incas llamaban a la planta papa en quechua. La similitud de la papa con la batata favoreció que en el siglo XVII en España llamaran patata a la primera.⁴

El primer documento conocido en el que aparece una referencia a la tortilla de patatas es navarro. Se trata de un anónimo "memorial de ratonera", dirigido a las Cortes de Navarra en 1817;⁵ en él se explican las míseras condiciones en las que viven los agricultores comparándolos con los habitantes de Pamplona y de la Ribera navarra. Después de una larga enumeración de los míseros alimentos tomados por los montañeses aparece la siguiente cita: "...dos o tres huevos en tortilla para cinco o seis, porque nuestras mujeres la saben hacer grande y gorda con pocos huevos mezclando patatas, atapurres de pan u otra cosa...".

La leyenda dice, empero, que fue el general Tomás de Zumalacárregui quien, durante el sitio de Bilbao, inventó la tortilla de patatas como plato sencillo, rápido y nutritivo con el que saciar las penurias del ejército carlista. Aunque se desconoce si es cierto, parece ser que la tortilla comenzó a difundirse durante las primeras guerras carlistas. Otra versión de la leyenda afirma que lo inventó una anónima ama de casa navarra, en cuya casa paró el mencionado Zumalacárregui, la señora, que era pobre y lo único que tenía eran huevos, cebolla y patatas, acabó haciendo un revuelto con todo ello, revuelto que gustó mucho al general, que luego la popularizaría.

Recientemente el libro La patata en España. Historia y agroecología del tubérculo andino escrito por Javier López linaje, científico titular del Centro de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales del CSIC, sitúa el origen de la tortilla española en la localidad extremeña de Villanueva de la Serena. El citado libro contiene datos concretos que hablan de la tortilla de patatas en esta localidad unos veinte años antes de las primeras menciones en la leyenda tradicional, si bien estas informaciones están actualmente siendo estudiadas por diversos científicos e historiadores tanto locales como estatales.⁶

Una nueva teoría de su descubrimiento se debe al cocinero aragonés Teodoro Bardají Mas que el 17 de marzo de 1935 en el semanario ellas da a conocer una receta original de la tortilla.⁷ Se trata de la que conocemos hoy como tortilla española con la variante de que no fríe con antelación las patatas y la cebolla. Es muy posible que esta sea el origen más cercano de la tortilla de patatas que se cocina en la actualidad. Ferrán Adriá describe en algunas de sus preparaciones culinarias platos de tortilla española.⁸

Now you've read the text and tried to understand it, using the comprehension questions to support you and perhaps Google Translate to provide you with a rough translation, why not sign up to our newsletter and get the answers and more vocabulary on Monday!  As well as a new text on the subject of sports.

"Why on Monday?"  Good question.  Because the weekends are for relaxing - and recharging our batteries for the challenges of the coming week.

Have a lovely weekend, one and all.

:-)

Cultura e historia: Los "puentes" largos de España

The Spanish national sport por excelencia isn't - as you might assume - bullfighting.  In fact, surveys would seem to indicate that even amongst the Spanish its popularity is fading fast.  No.  If we're really looking to understand the Spanish - and what defines their zest for working to live rather than living to work - we need look no further than their love of hunting "puentes" at the beginning of each calendar year.

What's a "puente" then?  Well, nothing more nor less than a long weekend.  (The word also means "bridge" - which is why the Spanish use it in this context.)

But one of the glories of Spain is that these long weekends can often seem more like aqueducts.  Many Spanish workers have what are called "días de asuntos propios" ("days for one's own business"), where they can choose to take an extra two or three days' holiday.  Imagine the month of December.  As well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we have the 6th of December (Constitution Day) and the 8th December (the fiesta of la Inmaculada).  And just imagine if the 6th and 8th fall on Tuesday and Thursday.  If you are lucky and early enough to get your days in at work - well, it's not just a long weekend you get but a fantastic nine-day break!

Not everyone agrees, however.  Here's an article on the subject of how the Spanish CEOE (the equivalent to the British CBI - a business organisation which generally looks to limit employees' rights in the interests of lower costs) is now looking to move all Spanish public holidays to Fridays or Mondays.  Read the comprehension questions below and then try and understand the text as best you can.  Remember, this is a real text from an online newspaper which is read by Spanish native-speakers.  So if you do have problems understanding, even after using the comprehension questions, don't think twice about using Google Translate to provide you with more context.  The translations are never perfect - but they do provide you with a helpful background.  And they also allow you to survive in the language without the help of your teacher!

First the questions.

1. Why do the CEOE and other organisations think shortening "puentes" is a good idea?  What do they think it would achieve?
2. What could be the downsides of shortening "puentes"?  Who could be affected negatively?
3. Who doesn't agree at all with the proposal?  
4. Where does this person work?  
5. Can you think why they don't agree?

Finally, don't forget to sign up to our newsletters - they come out daily and provide model answers to the comprehension questions, as well as useful vocabulary to help you with your learning.

Ricos y famosos: Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, Duquesa de Alba

Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, the Duchess of Alba, is a popular and notable figure in the Spanish "prensa del corazón".  She apparently has more titles than any other noble anywhere - at least in those sorts of places where legal governments govern.  You can find a list of these titles here.

We're going to focus in this post on her life in London during the Second World War.  First, look at the following questions:

1. Why did the Alba family leave Spain for London in 1936?
2. What position did Cayetana's father hold there?
3. What happened to their official residence?  Who was responsible?
4. What was saved from destruction?  How?
5. Who did she meet at the age of sixteen?
6. What relation did she have to Winston Churchill?
7. Which future queen did she play games with?

Now read the following text for general meaning and understanding - that is to say, the gist - and see what you understand. 

Su vida en Londres

Al estallar la Guerra Civil Española en el verano de 1936, los Alba se exiliaron en Londres, lugar donde su padre sería nombrado embajador de España, cargo que mantendría hasta la publicación del Manifiesto de Lausana.¹ Atrás dejaron el Palacio de Liria, su residencia oficial, que a finales del mismo año quedaría destruido casi al completo debido a un bombardeo de la aviación franquista. Afortunadamente el siniestro no destruyó los principales tesoros de la familia: algunas de las obras de arte de los Alba habían sido trasladadas con anterioridad a los sótanos del Banco de España y otras fueron rescatadas del fuego por milicianos y voluntarios.

Durante su exilio en la capital británica, Cayetana sufrió los estragos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y vivió en carne propia la serie de bombardeos que afectaron a la ciudad. A los 16 años, tenía como compañero de clases a un hijo de Tolstoi, entre otros compañeros de diversas partes del mundo, hijos todos ellos de diplomáticos.

En varias ocasiones estuvo de visita en la casa de su pariente, Winston Churchill, donde las hijas de éste le hacían la reverencia protocolaria. Así mismo compartió juegos con la futura reina Isabel II del Reino Unido.

Cayetana, fruto de su esmerada educación, habla con fluidez cinco idiomas.6

Remember, if you've still had problems understanding some of the text, why don't you use Google Translate to give you a rough idea of what it means?  And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter - to complete your learning with "Un Texto Al Día".

Literatura: "Donde los árboles cantan" de Laura Gallego

Laura Gallego is young, popular, successful - and a writer.  She's sold hundreds of thousands of copies of her books and has been translated into sixteen languages.  You can read more about her here at her website.  Here are some questions to help you along your way.

1. How old was she when she wrote her first book? 
2. Who did she write it with?
3. How old was she when she published for the first time?
4. Does she do anything apart from writing?
5. What is her favourite book?
6. What other kinds of books does she like?
7. What does she like doing in her free time?

She's on the point of publishing her new book "Donde los árboles cantan".  You can find more background to this book here and Chapter 8 in .pdf format here.

Try reading some of Chapter 8, if you can.  As always, read for gist - for general meaning, for anything you can understand.  Don't focus too much on individual words - don't let them trip you up.  Use your dictionary if you must but don't use it every time you don't understand something.

What do you feel about the story?  Does it provoke any reaction at all?  What is it about?  Can you tell?  If it's too difficult, why not use Google Translate to help you get more context?

If you still can't capture what defines Laura Gallego, why don't you try and see if you can find a book of hers translated into English?  Sometimes, a useful halfway house into a culture can be to read good literature in translation first.

Happy reading!

Deportes: Pep Guardiola y el futuro

Pep Guardiola is the manager of the Barcelona football team.  He likes to plan for the future - but not too far in the future. 

Read this text and see if you can answer the comprehension questions below.  It's a real text from a real online newspaper - so don't worry if you can't understand every word.  Try and see if you can capture the gist - that is to say, the general meaning and some of the detail.

Remember, if you visit a Spanish-speaking country, this is what you'll have to do anyway - learn how to survive without your teacher.

And if you'd like model answers to the questions themselves, why not sign up for our daily newsletter - where we'll also provide you with useful vocabulary!

1. Is Pep Guardiola an actor?  If not, why does the text mention the word?
2. How frequently does Pep renew his contract?
3. Who did this year's contract include - apart from Pep?
4. When was it renewed?
5. Who does Pep believe guarantees the stability of a football club?
6. If the president of Barcelona, Sandro Rosell, has to think of ways of keeping on the right side of Pep, which player in particular does Pep himself have to think about keeping happy?
7. Why do you think Pep doesn't like to sign up for more than a year at a time?  Is he afraid of the future do you think?  Or is it for some other reason?

If you feel you need further help understanding this text - please don't give up!  Why not try Google Translate as a way of supporting your learning?  The translations aren't perfect - but they'll give you an idea.  And then you can compare the English translation with the original - and maybe even answer some of the questions above!