2016 WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR ...

2016 is about to end and we want to remember the events that have marked this year. There are too many events to mention so,  unfortunately, we have had to omit some. Here are the 8 ones we think must be remembered.

TIME FOR A STORY - THE DARK FIGURE

She couldn’t sleep,  something kept her awake:  a noise , a feeling, a fear. She couldn’t understand what it was. She was lying down on her bed, in her room, motionless in the dark. Her open eyes tried to penetrate the darkness because it was where her demons hid. All her senses were alert, looking for a sound, a movement, anything that proved the presence of another person. The last weeks had been difficult, especially after that strange feeling had become a concern and finally certainty.  Someone followed her. Her house was watched. Someone spied on her movements: where she went, what she did, who she met. Everywhere she went he was with her: always.

Sometimes she had seen him from a shop window after she had  entered. A tall and young man with black hair and blue eyes,  so intense and penetrating to  seem unreal. He was always with her, and he knew she knew it , he knew she felt his presence. Then there was that night in the park. She had left her home to go jogging. Leaving the house she looked around furtively to try to see the black figure, as she had begun to do since she had discovered the stalker. She hadn’t seen him anywhere. She felt relieved, calmer so she started running. The sun was setting and the light of the street lamps illuminated the path,  she ran between the trees. The wind was the only sound other than that of her footsteps. A black figure. Suddenly something (or someone?) tried to make her fall. She remained motionless for a few seconds which seemed hours, then she reacted and started running fast, faster and faster.

THE GOLDEN BALL

The Golden Ball is a football award instituted in 1956 by a sport French magazine called France Football. Every year it is assigned to the best footballer who plays for an European club. To win this award you must be strong and you must win a competition with your team.

CHRISTMAS ACCORDING TO CHARLES DICKENS

A Christmas Carol  is a novella published by Charles Dickens in  1843. It’s the most important in the series, The Christmas Book.

It is one of the most famous and touching Christmas stories in the world.  It is the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a man who loves money and hates everything and everyone else. On Christmas Eve, in his cold, dark house,  he is visited  by three ghosts:  Christmas past, current and future. They take him on a journey from which he will return a different man. His life will change forever.

MERRY CHRISTMAS... FROM THE BEST TV SERIES!

●The Big Bang Theory

Penny is interested in an attractive physicist at University. So Leonard becomes disappointed. Sheldon is finding the perfect Christmas gift for Penny.

Penny’s Christmas gift to Sheldon

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD

These days the Christmas atmosphere has joyously invaded all our homes and is spreading all over the world. Christmas is celebrated in lots of different countries and cultures in the world.  So what I’d like to do with you today is a virtual journey through 4 different countries and their Christmas celebrations. I ‘ve chosen to take you to China, Republic of Congo, Australia and Jamaica with me. Ready to take off?

CHINA

In China, only about one percent of people are Christians, so most people only know a few things about Christmas. Because of this, Christmas is only often celebrated in major cities. In these big cities there are Christmas Trees, lights and other decorations on the streets and in department stores. Santa Claus is called “Shen Dan Lao Ren” and has grottos in shops like in Europe and America. In Chinese Happy/Merry Christmas is “Sheng Dan Kuai Le”. Only a few people have a Christmas Tree . If people do have a tree,  it is normally a plastic one and might be decorated with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns.

CHRISTMAS MOVIES FOR EVERYONE!

CHRISTMAS BOOKS

The Polar Express

The Polar Express was written by Chris Van Allbusrg in 1985.

It's the night of Christmas Eve and a child whose name isn't mentioned, splees in his bedroom and he doesn't believe in Santa Claus. But that night he hears a train whistle, The Polar Express,

which will take him to the Noth Pole, to Santa's house. During the trip he meets many children who love drinking hot chocolate and they sing Christmas songs all together. When he arrives at the North Pole, he meets Santa Claus and he starts believing in him. Santa gives him a bell whichhas the same sound of Santa's sleigh.

SPORTS DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

Many sports during Christmas holidays will stop, but if you are a sport fan you don’t have to be worried because there are many sport events to watch on TV. The majority of football championships (Serie A,Ligue one,Bundesliga and Liga), Formula 1, Moto GP and tennis tournaments stop in this period. Instead, Premier League, Serie B, rugby, basketball and horse racing continue.

CHRISTMAS SONGS & ... MICHAEL BUBLE'!

Hello everyone!

It is Christmas time, at last! And in this my new post I would like to share with you what I think are the most beautiful Christmas songs.

TERROR & DEATH IN BERLIN AND ANKARA

                      

19th December 2016 - Something terrible happened: two men killed 12 people and 48 people were wounded.

How did they act? They hit the Christmas Markets with a 7-tonne truck. In the truck there were two men: one was found dead, the other would have jumped out and fled on foot.

WHAT ABOUT A MUSIC CHALLENGE?

Hi guys!

We are back with a music challenge!

Are you ready to have fun with us?

NICO ROSBERG: A YOUNG F1 CHAMPION

In these last days we have heard a lot about Nico Rosberg. He is a Formula 1 pilot and he drives for the Mercedes team. He has recently become the new Formula 1 world champion and he has surprised everyone a few days later with his decision to quit F1 forever! Isn't that unbelievable? Anyway, we must be happy for him since this means Nico is totally free and  the priorities in his life are really cear in his mind. But what are we going to discuss here in this post today? Just 6 curious things about Nico Rosberg, the latest F1 champion! 

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT COLDPLAY? (PART II) A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS

A Head Full of Dreams is Coldplay’s 7th studio album. It was released on December 4, 2015. Coldplay recorded the album with a different style and sound from its predecessors. For various songs, they collaborated with Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher, Tove Lo, Khatia Buniatishvili and Merry Clayton. The album also features a sample of President Barack Obama - a great fan of Coldplay -  singing "Amazing Grace" at Clementa C. Pinckney's funeral on "Kaleidoscope".

What about having a detailed look at the tracks in this album? They are all fantastic!

1. A Head Full Of Dreams

This song marked a rebirth for Chris Martin , after a long period of depression because of his divorce from his ex wife, Gwyneth Paltrow. He managed to give back colour to his life . He said :

everything that happens to you is fine. The idea is to accept everything without running away from anything, and believe that things will turn for the better and become colored

ALESSANDRO NESTA, “THE WALL”

Hello friends! Today I am going to write about one of the strongest defenders in the history of football. His name is Alessandro Nesta and his nickname is “The wall” because he was so strong that nobody was able to uncheck him. 

GILMORE GIRLS REVIVAL: THE COUNTDOWN IS OVER

The wait is over: Lorelai and Rory Gilmore are back. Only four episodes to melt all doubts  after a long absence.

The Gilmore Girls are back for an event series of four episodes (called Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall), we will slip back to Stars Hollow to see what has happened in the lives of the Gilmore girls in these last ten years.

THE A-TEAM VIDEO INSPIRED OUR STORIES

Our English teacher sometimes gives us music videos to watch and work on as an assignment. We loved this song,  so when we were asked to write the story of the  girl in the video, we were touched and inspired. These are some of our stories based on The A-team by Ed Sheeran.

Chiara's story

Chiara

Hi I’m Effy and I died last  night.

My wrong decisions have led me to this, it’s all my fault. I didn’t want to die so young. I don’t wish anyone to live my life. This is my story.

My life has never been easy. I was born in a poor family.  My father died when I was a child. My stepfather worked in a factory and my mother … a shop assistant. My stepfather had drinking issues. When he came back home drunk he abused my mother. Every night I was afraid for my mother’s life. He never touched me, with me he was kind. In the meantime, I was trying to be a good daughter. I was good at school, I also won a scholarship. My dream was to become an architect and go to live with my mom in a house by the sea. But one night my worst nightmare became true. My father Killed my mother.

TOP 10 ... BEST GOALS!!

Good morning everyone!  Welcome to my top ten! Today I’m  going to talk with you about football!!! And I mean it:  I really expect to talk football with you in our comment section so, don’t be shy, please!

Let’s start then!  I’ll show you the best goals in the history of football in this video, I’ll tell you which one is my favourite below and then … I’m really curious to know about your favourite ones!

HOLLYWOOD & BEYOND: EMMA WATSON

Born in 1990,  Emma Watson reached world fame thanks to the Harry Potter saga, playing the character of Hermione Granger, from 2001 to 2011. She also starred in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah, Colonia. 

She is also a green fashion designer and has created an ecological collection of only of organic fiber clothing.

In July of 2014 Emma Watson was appointed Goodwill Ambassador, ambassador of good will from the section of the United Nations that deals with gender equality in the world. Emma Watson has also become one of the faces of the “He For She” UN campaign, to break down the gender differences and violence against women. In September of 2014 she spoke at the United Nations headquarters in New York to launch this campaign.

CHAPECOENSE: CHAMPIONS IN HEAVEN

On the night of November 28, 2016 a plane with 81 people aboard,  the charter airline Boliviana Lamia, heading for the airport of Medellin, crashed in Cerro Gordo, 57 km from the Colombian capital. Aboard also the Chapecoense Brazilian team,  Santa Catarina state, which flew to the final of the South American Cup (the equivalent of the Europa League) against Atletico Nacional. For Chapecoense is the first end of the story.

A SPECIAL LESSON AT ST. SCHOLASTICA'S MONASTERY

Hi guys! In today’s post  we would like to share some interesting moments from our special lesson at St. Scholastica’s Abbey

The monastery of Saint Scholastica is the most ancient benedectine monastery in the world. In particular, we visited the historic library where 20, 000 paper documents and 380 manuscripts,  written one by one by amanuensis,  are kept.

THE SIMPSONS

The Simpsons are a cult cartoon series popular all over the world. The Simpsons  were  created by cartoonist Matt Groening U.S. at the end of the 80s for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Set in a fictional town called Springfield, the show is humorous in many aspects of the human condition; it is a satirical parody of society and the American lifestyle epitomized by its protagonist family, which consists of Homer, Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

TWO SPORTS & TWO CHAMPIONS

Hifriends! In this post we want talk about two sports and two champions  These sportsaren’t as popular as football  in Italy  but we like them and we would like to share our interest with you.

BASKETBALL

In Italian we call it Basket, short for what in English is basketball. It is a team sport where there are two 5 – player teams.

You have to use only your hands to score a point in the rival basket.

Basketball  was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a Canadian P.E. teacher.

Now it is played all over the world, even though it is extremely popular in the  U.S.A.