domingo, 22 de octubre de 2023

The Princess of Asturias Awards & Leonor's Pledge of Allegiance to the Constitution


In an emotional evening, the winners of the 43rd edition of the Princess of Asturias Awards received the warm applause of the audience and the recognition of the Spanish Royal Family last Friday, while Princess Leonor read a mature speech about sacrifice and service, that made her parents gaze at her with profound pride. Then a band of pipers and drummers played the anthem of the principality of Asturias to contribute to the solemn and joyous atmosphere for the ceremony. Meryl Streep received the award for Arts, Nuccio Ordine for Communication and Humanities, Hélene Carrière D'Encausse for Social Sciences, Eliud Kipchoge for Sports, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) for International Cooperation, Jeffrey Gordon, E. Peter Greenberg and Bonnie L. Bassler for Scientific and Technical Research, Mary's Meals for Concord and Haruki Murakami for Literature. 

The award ceremony was the prelude of a historical week for Princess Leonor, who has taken a week off her military training at the Military Academy of Zaragoza to pledge alliance to the Spanish Constitution and become the official heir to the throne, according to the Daily Mail, which also published the new photos released for her 18th birthday. These two articles are suitable for C1 students, you can find the key words under the following paragraph. 

The texts and videos about the Award Ceremony come from the Princess of Asturias Foundation and they are suitable for B2 students and above.  You can find interesting vocabulary for example, in Meryl Streep's multimedia contents: holder, to star [in a Broadway production], to stand out, a leading role, to gain [recognition], [her best] performance, to earn [her an Oscar], committed to [defending women's rights]. In Nuccio Ordine's: to earn [a PhD], outstanding, numerous [articles], well-being. In Hélene Carrière D'Encausse's: to head [a Department]. In Eliud Kipchoge's: to stand atop [the highests podium], so-called, ups and downs, [to be] nicknamed, prowess, [ability] to focus, to cut [thirty seconds] off [the previous record], to go through [the arches], to smash [the world record], [300 metres] to go, a lap [of the track], endurance runs, tempo runs, to come down to [this], [history] unfolding, a marathon event, a [considerable] chunk, a history maker, [simply] stunning, scrambling [for superlatives]. Haruki Murakami: a graduate [in Literature], to converge, an unnerving [writer], the dreamlike [world], to be rooted, a budding [writer], to garner [success], a writing fellow [at Princeton University], an earthquake, [universal] scope. DNDi: a non-profit organization, underdevelopment, research, headquarters, to be chaired, funding, [public and private] entities, ailments, affordable [access], to plague [our world], neglected, toxic, scars, powerless, to launch [an initiative], to harness [the science], to develop [drugs], a conductor, a hit, to run clinical trials, to deliver [a treatment], to shape [the next years]. Jeffrey Gordon, E. Peter Greenberg and Bonnie L. Bassler: to spearhead, the microbiome, epithelial [cells], polysaccharides, thereby, to make up [the microbiota], a [new] approach, distinguished, gut, undernourished [children], to play a key role, to address [a problem], an acknowledgment, thrilling. Mary's Meals: to aim [to provide], relief, to achieve a goal, to carry out [its work], to devise, to the utmost, [local] produce, likewise, to ensure, fundraising, affiliates, to beat [in harmony], remarkable, to dwell, to struggle, a ladder, [all] walks of life.

The Daily Mail report on the oath of allegiance to the Constitution, you can find complex words like: to hail, to swear loyalty to the constitution, to be flanked, the heir [to the throne], [to look] regal, to be gripped, to step [on to the stage], [to look] composed, allegiance, queen regent, to engulf, to be betrayed, a [slighthint [of nerves], a touching [moment], to glance, reassurance, to be honed, a stint, a boarding school, to mark [the anniversary], an unwavering delivery, to state, a commitment, to step up [her role], Queen-in-training, poignant, [hair] pulled back, a sleek ponytail, understated [make up], a fleeting [gesture].

In the Daily Mail photo report, you will find these words: a snap, a casual [display], a chic [display], a V-neck [t-shirt], to gaze [away], minimal [make up], to reveal, the coming of age, the queen-in-waiting, [to take an] oath, [to preserve] the Magna Carta, the successor, to wave [a flag], appreciation, to be bustling [with revellers], to be chaired, cavalry, squadron, to be deployed, to be up to par, an impressive [speech], to watch on, to entail, to praise, incredible, to achieve, the principality [of Asturias], outstanding, a low-key [birthday], fanfare, the Royal Mint, to mark [the birthday], the effigy, to be engraved, to undergo [military training], to be dubbed, a strict [timetable], [to be on] manoeuvres, to head to. 


★★★
Further reading: If you are interested in the microbiome and inmune system research, you can check these past entries in the blog: How the Inmune System Works and Super Poo Donors Wanted.

domingo, 8 de octubre de 2023

Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize, 2023

Narges Mohammadi has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her long fight for human rights and women's rights in Iran. She has led campaigns against capital punishment, supported the struggle of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement to abolish the mandatory use of the hijab; she has been jailed for her political activism in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, where she has denounced solitary confinement as a common practice to gag political prisoners, and she has documented abuse against women in custody. She is currently serving a 10-year-long sentence, including 154 lashes, according to the New York Times.

If you want to read more, you can check the report "Who is Narges Mohammadi...?" published by Australian SBS News, which is suitable for B2 students and above, where you can find interesting words like: jailed, a [human rights] advocate, to honour, to call for [the release], an op-ed, in custody, to galvanize [protests], to serve [multiple sentences], lashes, incarceration.

You can watch the story on this PBS NewsHour report, which has subtitles and is suitable for C1 students, where you will find words like: to bolster, willing, to be dragged (out of a train), fearless, to belong to [the people], to be confined, relentless [intimidation], to galvanize, ongoing [protest/ detention], to ebb, an [unprecedented] crackdown, preventive arrests, an assault, to document [violence and abuse]. The NewsHour report includes an interview to Summer Lopez, Chief Program Officer for Free Expression at  Pen-America, an organization that aims to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide.