EASY (Levels A2/B1) When we think of Easter, we think of painted eggs, the Easter bunny, and chocolate. But what are the origins of Easter? The festival of Easter is a Christian adaptation of a pagan ritual. Pagans believed that eggs represented fertility and rebirth and the Christian Church also made the eggs a symbol of religion. At Easter they painted eggs, and gave these as presents – a ritual that still exists today. The Easter Bunny, like Santa Claus at Christmas,  is a...

2012 marks the diamond anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She has reined over the 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms for the past 60 years. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary came to the throne in 1952 after the death of her father King George VI. When she was born Elizabeth was third in line to the throne and was never expected to become Queen. However, when her Uncle Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry his divorced American girlfriend, her father became King and...

One of the best ways to improve your English language skills is by reading English language books. In honour of that… I’m giving you some information on the best selling English language books ever! Many of you will find these books are at a level that’s too difficult for you or find the English language used  archaic* but it’s good to know information about some of the best stories ever told and who knows….if you keep practising and studying English, you could be enjoying these...

Think green. Think shamrocks. Think Guinness, folk music and the lush rolling hills of the Fair Isle they call ‘Emerald’. Thoughts such as these can only mean one thing: Ireland. And every year on 17th March the world looks to Ireland in the wake of ‘St. Patrick’s Day’. The one day of the year when pubs are filled to the rafters (that’s an idiomatic expression meaning “full” or “overcrowded” for all you English language learners!) and drinking copious amounts of alcohol is...

This month in Babylon Idiomas Valencia:  take a look at our new list of books in our English Library.  We have books and short readers for all levels, from elementary to advanced.  This month´s feature book is GULLIVER´S TRAVELS by Jonathon Swift.  This book is a classic in English Literature.  Swift is famous for his potilical and social satire in his writings, commenting on the culture of his time. SUMMARY – Reader level 2 (pre intermediate-intermediate): Gulliver travels...

Christmas Stockings My favourite Christmas tradition is that of the Christmas stocking. On Christmas Eve before you go to bed you hang a Christmas stocking either by the fireplace or by the end of your bed and when you wake in the morning you find it filled with presents from Father Christmas or Santa Claus. In Victorian times a well behaved child would receive fruit, nuts and coins and sometimes small gifts in their stockings whilst naughty children would receive only a lump of coal. Today,...

On the 5th of November in the UK, families wrap up in their scarves and gloves, go to the local school field or to a friend’s house to celebrate Bonfire Night. They watch the firework display that is put on and gasp at the bonfire’s flames. Children will write their name with sparklers (small hand held sticks that sparkle when burnt) and everyone will go home with a massive smile on their face. As well as Bonfire night, the 5th of November can be known as Fireworks night or Guy Fawkes...

It’s time for a Royal Wedding! Kate Middleton is going to fulfil every young girls dream and marry her Prince, the much loved Prince William, on April 29th and everybody is talking about this highly publicised Royal Wedding. kate middleton Royal Weddings have always been a much celebrated occasion in Britain, with Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s wedding attracting world-wide audiences of 750 million; this figure rises to a billion when the radio audience is added in. William and...

New Year’s Tradition – Where does it come from?? Well, first things first, happy New Year everybody! Yes, I know it was almost two weeks ago, but only today did I stop to think where all this tradition and hectic celebration comes from. Turns out it’s actually the oldest celebrated holiday in history…  Janus, a mythical king from ancient Rome, had two faces, one at the front of his face to look at the future and the other at the back, to look at the past. So being, Janus used to be...

Those crazy Romans! If you managed to stay awake through one of your high school history classes you’d probably recollect some tidbits about their wild festivals, colossal architecture, or that even some fortunate families enjoyed the convenience of a flushing throne. Although it can’t be considered the primary cause for the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Romans did in fact use poisonous lead as a sweetener! This post is not however about the end of Roman civilization, but the...