On the anniversary of PereQuart's death, TheGrandma, from Santanyí,has beenrereading and remembering another greatwriter, Blai Bonet.
The islanders have a character very marked by the sea. It is normal. Entire generations have lived without ever leaving their island and this marks the local idiosyncrasy. The Mallorcans are no exception and this is because Mallorca isone of the largest islands in the Mediterranean, but like all islands it is finite.
Mallorcan culture is of enormous majesty, rooted in the land, its people and this blue and infinite horizon that can always be seen from any part of the island.
Mallorcan artists have painted the island, sung about it and written about it and it is through art that they have expressed states of mind, illusions and disappointments, dreams, hopes and fears.
One of the best Mallorcan poets of the 20th century was Blai Bonet, born in Santanyí. He was a novelist and poet who captured the colors of the island like few others and who wrote one of the most beautiful poems ever written about the island, a poem that sheds light, not so much because it speaks of light, but because its language seems to illuminate what it describes. It is a poetry that does not argue or explain: it makes a vision appear. It is the union between matter and transcendence. In many religious poets, spirituality tends to distance itself from the physical world; however, Blai Bonet does just the opposite. Faith passes through colors, through animals, through the earth, through the Mediterranean light.
Blai Bonet (1926-1997) was a Mallorcan poet, novelist and art critic.
Bonet released El Mar (The Sea) in 1958. In 1962, his collections of poems L'Evangeli segons un de tants (The Gospel According to One of Many) was awarded the Carles Riba Poetry Prize, but it was not published due to Spanish Francoist censorship, delaying it for more than five years.
In 1990, he was awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi by the Catalan Government.
He was a member of the Association of Catalan Language Writers. He was a participant in the resurgence of Catalan literature in the 1960s.
Blaus i sol de roses blanques. El pati verd i blanc de primavera, ple de bels astorats davant la Pasqua.
Blues and sunlight of white roses. The green-and-white courtyard of spring, filled with lambs' bewildered bleating before Easter.
With the arrival of summer, in a few days, the Mallorcan squares will be filled with ball de bot, glosses, castanets and ximbombes. Enjoying Mallorcan popular culture,so threatened by densification and globalization, is a privilege that we must protect and preserve and that TheGrandma loves a lot.
The ximbomba is a musical instrument belonging to the family of friction membranophones, or indirectly rubbed drums, with either a single or multiple rod, fixed or movable.
The instrument consists of three main parts: a vessel that acts as a resonating chamber, a membrane, and a rod, which together produce sound when set into vibration. In the present example, the vessel is made of ceramic, the membrane is of animal hide, and the rod is a reed cane. The membrane is stretched and secured by means of cords and fitted over the mouth of the ceramic vessel. A hole in the membrane allows the cane rod to be inserted. The membrane vibrates when the rod is rubbed rhythmically up and down by hand, preferably with a moistened hand. The sound produced by the ximbomba is of indeterminate pitch, low, and monotonous.
The ximbomba originated in Africa, specifically in the region of present-day Congo. It reached the Iberian Peninsula around the fifteenth century, brought by enslaved people from the Congo area. In the sixteenth century, the Spanish Tercios stationed in Flanders introduced the instrument into the Low Countries. It is believed that the ximbomba was played in rituals associated with the winter solstice. For this reason, throughout the Iberian Peninsula and in other parts of Europe, it became associated with the Christmas season.
In the Balearic Islands, particularly in Mallorca, the instrument has traditionally been used by rural communities to accompany cançons de fadrinalla (popular songs sung by young people), especially during Carnival celebrations.
The instrument is known by different names according to the region: simbomba in Catalonia, ximbomba in Mallorca and Menorca, pandorga in the Valencian Country, etza-gor in the Basque Country, and zambomba in Andalusia.
I sa ximbomba ja no sona, ni sona, ni sonarà i perquè té sa pell de ca
i sa canya qui no és bona.
I jo que volia tocar...
I en anar a segar es canyar coiràs una canyeta
i per sa meva ximbombeta
i pes darrers dies sonar.
Sa ximbomba ja és passada,
i jo que volia ballar i mumare em fa filar i cada vespre una fusada.
And my ximbomba sings no longer, nor today nor yet again And or its skin is made of doghide And its reed is weak and thin.
And I wanted to play...
And when you cut the reeds tomorrow, bring a little one to me And for my tiny ximbomba's music
And through the last days yet to be.
Now the ximbomba is worn and silent,
And though I longed to dance and play
And but my mother has me spinning And every evening of the day.
After a few very intense weeks with TheMorgans, The Grandma continues with other trainings, but this time online. Online training has its pros and cons like anything, but one of the interesting things is that it allows you geographic mobility because you only need a good internet connection, so The Grandma has decided to escape the big city for a few days and recharge her batteries in one of her most beloved places, Mallorca,before it is invaded by foreigners in need of an easy party and a crazy life.
Enjoying the most wonderful places on this beautiful island in the company of good music and good reading is a pleasure that should never be given up, so TheGrandma has chosen the poetry collection of one of her most admired classical poets, Aλκμάν.
Alcman, in Ancient Greek Aλκμάν or Alkmán, (7th century BC) was an Ancient Greek choral lyric poet from Sparta.
He is the earliest representative of the Alexandrian canon of the Nine Lyric Poets. He wrote six books of choral poetry, most of which is now lost; his poetry survives in quotation from other ancient authors and on fragmentary papyri discovered in Egypt. His poetry was composed in the local Doric dialect with Homeric influences. Based on his surviving fragments, his poetry was mostly hymns, and seems to have been composed in long stanzas made up of lines in several different metres.
Some fragments of Alcman's poetry reflect early cosmological ideas, where he poetically describes the origins of the universe and natural phenomena. His works blend mythological narratives with reflections on the cosmos, a characteristic feature of early Greek thought before the emergence of formal philosophy. Alcman's hymns suggest an interest in the order of the natural world, the role of primordial forces, and the creation of the cosmos; themes later explored more systematically by Presocratic philosophers like Thales, Anaximander, and Leucippus.
Scholars argue that Alcman's poetic cosmogony represents an important step toward the philosophical inquiry that developed in ancient Greece. While he did not formulate scientific theories, his lyrical exploration of the cosmos contributed to the broader intellectual tradition of early Greek cosmology.
Dormen els cims de les muntanyes I el fons de la mar I el promontori llunyà I el precipici
Dorm tota casta de bèsties Que la terra fosca nodreix I animals salvatges del món I la família de les aus I els monstres d'estances profundes Del mar violeta
Dorm la nissaga d'aucells de les ales molt grans I els monstres d'estances profundes Del mar violeta
Aquesta nit dormiran Aquesta nit jo també dormiré
Dins els boscos i selves llunyanes On viuen les flors
Dormen petites abelles Dins el rusc amagat
Aquesta nit dormiran Aquesta nit jo també dormiré
Asleep are the mountain heights, And the deep places of the sea; Asleep the distant promontory, And the sheer cliff.
Asleep are all the tribes of living things Whom the dark earth sustains; The wild creatures that roam the world, And every brood of birds.
Asleep the creatures of the violet sea, In their profound abodes; Asleep the race of mighty-wingèd birds.
This night shall they sleep; This night shall I also sleep,
In forests and in far-off jungles, Where flowers have their dwelling.
Small bees lie sleeping Within the hidden hive.
This night shall they sleep; This night shall I also sleep.
Today, The Grandma has been enjoying one of her favourite TV Series of all time, Forever, the American fantasy crime drama centered on the characters of Dr.HenryMorgan and Detective Jo Martínez created by MattMiller.
Forever is an American fantasy crime drama television series that aired on ABC as part of the 2014–15 fall television season.
Created by Matt Miller, it centers on the character of Dr. Henry Morgan, animmortal New York City medical examiner who
uses his extensive knowledge to assist the New York City Police
Department (NYPD) in solving crimes and to discover a way to end his
immortality. Flashbacks within each episode reveal various details of Henry's life.
The
series' network aired a sneak preview on September 22, 2014, and
resumed the series at 10 p.m. EST on September 23, 2014. Reception of
the series was mixed.
In
the United States, television critics were divided over the series'
similarity to other crime dramas and its premise. In contrast, voters in
several online polls ranked the series as one of the best of the
television season. Forever's broadcast was well-received in France and
Spain.
Although ABC gave the series a full-season episode order on November 7, 2014, it cancelled Forever after one season. ABC
cited the show's low ratings as the rationale behind the decision.
Television critics believed that other factors explained the network's
decision, as the show gained viewers who watched up to seven days later
on their DVRs. Fans of the series reacted strongly, creating a social
media campaign to save the series; despite these efforts, the series
remains canceled.
Dr. Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd) is a New York City medical examiner
who studies the dead for criminal cases, and to solve the mystery of
his own immortality. His first death was 200 years ago while trying to
free slaves as a doctor aboard a ship in the African slave trade. Each
time he dies, Henry disappears almost immediately and returns to life naked in a nearby body of water. He has also stopped aging.
Henry's long life has given him broad knowledge and remarkable observation skills which impress most people he encounters, including New York PoliceDepartment Detective Jo Martinez (Alana de la Garza). Only antiquarian, Abe
(Judd Hirsch), whom Henry and his now-deceased wife Abigail found as a
newborn in a German concentration camp during World War II, knows that
he is immortal. Henry is stalked by Adam, who is also an immortal, and claims to have been alive for around 2,000 years.
As sad and dreadful as death may be, it forces us to cherish every moment because the truth is... Life is precious because it's finite.
Dr. Henry Morgan
Ioan Gruffudd as Doctor Henry Morgan.
Born in 1779, Henry is a New York City medical examiner who studies the dead for criminal cases and to solve the mystery of his immortality.
His
first death was in 1814 while trying to free slaves as a doctor aboard a
ship in the African slave trade. Since that time, Henry disappears each
time he dies and returns to life naked in a nearby body of water.
He has been married twice; his first wife Nora, whom he married before he became immortal, had him committed to an asylum, and his second wife, Abigail,
whom he met during the Second World War and remained with until 1984,
when she left to find somewhere they could be together without being
judged for Abigail's apparently greater age.
He abandoned his original career as a doctor in 1956 after he and a butcher were shot; Henry
chose to crawl away and die instead of trying to save the other man
because he feared others finding out his secret. Although knowledgeable
about many topics, Henry demonstrates a general lack of knowledge
about modern popular culture. He also dislikes cell phones but will use
one if necessary.
Alana de la Garza as Detective Jo Martínez.
Jo is a sharp, no-nonsense, determined
detective with the NYPD who is both intrigued and disgusted by Henry's
detailed medical knowledge when examining a corpse.
She finds his behavior to be out there,
but still relies on his insight for solving homicides. Originating from
a rough background with a law-breaking father, she is also a recent
widow; her husband was a lawyer who died of an unexpected heart attack
while running on a treadmill on a visit to Washington a year before she
met Henry. She is stationed at the 11th Precinct.
Joel David Moore as Lucas Wahl.
Henry's assistant in the Medical Examiner's office,
who expresses uncertainty about how little he knows about his boss, and
an uncanny memory for his daily activities. He studied film in college
before working in the medical examiner's office. He makes horror films
in his spare time.
Lucas tends to use popular culture references in his speech, many of which Henry does not understand.
Donnie Keshawarz as Detective Mike Hanson.
Jo's partner, who is stationed at the 11th Precinct. He was in a band when he was younger. He is married and has two sons. He also has a brother.
Judd Hirsch as Abraham "Abe" Morgan.
Henry's adopted son and main confidant. No one knows Dr. Henry Morgan better than his son, Abe. The keeper of Henry's immortality secret, although he has claimed that he worked with Henry's
father to explain their association to strangers. At the end of World
War II, he was rescued from Belsen, after surviving a death march from
Auschwitz.
He
currently owns an antique store where Henry uses the basement for his
immortality research on himself. Abe fought in the Vietnam War and has a
two-time ex-wife named Maureen Delacroix (Jane Seymour).
Abe's research into his family tree revealed that he is a distant relative of Henry's, as one of his ancestors was the illegitimate son of Henry's womanizing uncle.
Lorraine Toussaint as Lieutenant Joanna Reece.
Jo and Hanson's supervisor at the 11th Precinct.
MacKenzie Mauzy as Abigail Morgan.
Henry's second wife and Abe's adoptive mother.
Henry
met her toward the end of World War II when they were working as
medical personnel near one of the Nazi concentration camps. Over the
years, she worked as a nurse in addition to being a housewife.
The latest time period in which Abigail has been shown is 1982, when she was still married to Henry but looked a generation older than he (Janet Zarish); in 1984, she vanished without a trace despite Henry's best efforts to find her. Henry has acknowledged that the end of his relationship with Abigail caused him a lot of pain that prevents him from dating anyone for whom he has real feelings.
Burn Gorman as Lewis Farber/Adam.
A 2,000-year-old immortal who claims that he has been here since the beginning
and that he has not found a death for himself. Analysis of his blood
revealed that he had contracted several extinct diseases, including the
bubonic plague.
Adam was
tortured as part of the Nazis' research into his immortality, leaving
him with a hatred of the Nazis and a sympathy for other Holocaust
survivors, including Abe. Adam first appeared as Henry's appointed psychiatrist and convinced a patient that he could pass on his immortality.
Adam continued to try to find a lost dagger, one that not only caused Adam's first death but also was used to kill Julius Caesar. Adam appears in five episodes.
Yes, some memories are precious... and we need to hang on to them. But Emily Dickinson wrote, 'Forever is composed of nows,' and she's right. If we root ourselves too deeply in the past, we'll miss what's right in front of us.
Today, The Grandma has been readingabout an amazing figure, HenryMorgan,the Welsh privateerand LieutenantGovernor of Jamaica, who capturedPanama.
Sir Henry Morgan, in Welsh HarriMorgan, (c. 1635-25 August 1688) was aWelshprivateer, plantationowner, and, later, LieutenantGovernor ofJamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, heraided settlements and shipping on theSpanish Main,becoming wealthy as he did so. With the prize money from the raids he purchased three large sugar plantations on the island.
Much of Morgan's early life is unknown. He was born in Monmouthshire, but it is not known how he made his way to the West Indies, or how he began his career as a privateer.
He was probably a member of a group of raiders led by Sir Christopher Myngs in the early 1660s during the Anglo-Spanish War. Morgan
became a close friend of Sir Thomas Modyford, the Governor of Jamaica.
When diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of England and Spain
worsened in 1667, Modyford gave Morgan a letter of marque, a licence to attack and seize Spanish vessels.
Morgan subsequently conducted successful and highly lucrative raids on Puerto Principe (now Camagüey in modern Cuba) and Porto Bello (now Portobelo in modern Panama).
In
1668, he sailed for Maracaibo and Gibraltar, both on Lake Maracaibo in
modern-day Venezuela. He raided both cities and stripped them of their
wealth before destroying a large Spanish squadron as he escaped.
In 1671, Morgan attacked Panama City,
landing on the Caribbean coast and traversing the isthmus before he
attacked the city, which was on the Pacific coast. The battle was a
rout, although the privateers profited less than in other raids. To
appease the Spanish, with whom the English had signed a peace treaty, Morgan
was arrested and summoned to London in 1672, but was treated as a hero
by the general populace and the leading figures of government and
royalty including Charles II.
Morgan
was appointed a Knight Bachelor in November 1674 and returned to the
Colony of Jamaica shortly afterward to serve as the territory's
Lieutenant Governor. He served on the Assembly of Jamaica until 1683 and
on three occasions he acted as Governor of Jamaica in the absence of
the post-holder.
A memoir published by Alexandre Exquemelin, a former shipmate of Morgan's,accused him of widespread torture and other offences; Morgan won a libel suit against the book's English publishers, but Exquemelin's portrayal has affected history's view of Morgan.
He died in Jamaica on 25 August 1688. His life was romanticised after
his death and he became the inspiration for pirate-themed works of
fiction across a range of genres.
Henry Morgan was born around 1635 in Wales,
either in Llanrumney or Pencarn, (both in Monmouthshire, between
Cardiff and Newport). The historian David Williams, writing in the
Dictionary of Welsh Biography, observes that attempts to identify his
parents and antecedents have all proved unsatisfactory,although his will referred to distant relations. Several sources state Morgan'sfather was Robert Morgan, a farmer.
Nuala Zahedieh, writing for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, states that details of Morgan's early life and career are uncertain, although in later life he stated that he had left school early and was much more used to the pike than the book.
It is probable that in the early 1660s Morgan
was active with a group of privateers led by Sir Christopher Myngs
attacking Spanish cities and settlements in the Caribbean and Central
America when England was at war with Spain. It is likely that in 1663 Morgan
captained one of the ships in Myngs' fleet, and took part in the attack
on Santiago de Cuba and the Sack of Campeche on the Yucatán Peninsula.
In
1669 Mariana, the Queen Regent of Spain, ordered attacks on English
shipping in the Caribbean. The first action took place in March 1670
when Spanish privateers attacked English trade ships.
In response Modyford commissioned Morganto do and perform all manner of exploits, which may tend to the preservation and quiet of this island.
By December Morgan was sailing toward the Spanish Main with a fleet of over 30
English and French ships carrying a large number of privateers.
Zahedieh observes that the army of privateers was the largest that had
gathered in the Caribbean at the time, which was a mark of Morgan's renown.
Morgan's
first action was to take the connected islands of Old Providence and
Santa Catalina in December 1670. From there his fleet sailed to Chagres,
the port from which ships were loaded with goods to transport back to
Spain. Morgan took the town and occupied Fort San Lorenzo, which he garrisoned to protect his line of retreat.
On
9 January 1671, with his remaining men, he ascended the Chagres River
and headed for Old Panama City, on the Pacific Coast. Much of the
journey was on foot, through dense rainforests and swamps.
The governor of Panama had been forewarned of a potential attack, and had sent Spanish troops to attack Morgan
and his men along the route. The privateers transferred to canoes to
complete part of the journey, but were still able to beat off the
ambushes with ease.
After three days, with the river difficult to navigate in places, and with the jungle thinning out, Morgan landed his men and travelled overland across the remaining part of the isthmus.
The
privateers, including Captain Robert Searle, arrived at Old Panama City
on 27 January 1671; they camped overnight before attacking the
following day. They were opposed by approximately 1,200 Spanish infantry
and 400 cavalry; most were inexperienced.
Morgan
sent a 300-strong party of men down a ravine that led to the foot of a
small hill on the Spanish right flank. As they disappeared from view,
the Spanish front line thought the privateers were retreating, and the
left wing broke rank and chased, followed by the remainder of the
defending infantry. They were met with well-organised firing from
Morgan's main force of troops. When the party came into view at the end
of the ravine, they were charged by the Spanish cavalry, but organised
fire destroyed the cavalry and the party attacked the flank of the main
Spanish force.
In an effort to disorganise Morgan's
forces, the governor of Panama released two herds of oxen and bulls
onto the battlefield; scared by the noise of the gunfire, they turned
and stampeded over their keepers and some of the remaining Spanish
troops. The battle was a rout: the Spanish lost between 400 and 500 men,
against 15 privateers killed.
Panama's
governor had sworn to burn down the city if his troops lost to the
privateers, and he had placed barrels of gunpowder around the largely
wooden buildings. These were detonated by the captain of artillery after
Morgan'svictory; the resultant fires lasted until the following day.
Only
a few stone buildings remained standing afterwards. Much of Panama's
wealth was destroyed in the conflagration, although some had been
removed by ships, before the privateers arrived.
The privateers spent three weeks in Panama and plundered what they could from the ruins. Morgan's second-in-command, Captain Edward Collier, supervised the torture of some of the city's residents; Morgan's fleet surgeon, Richard Browne, later wrote that at Panama, Morganwas noble enough to the vanquished enemy.
The value of treasure Morgan
collected during his expedition is disputed. Talty writes that the
figures range from 140,000 to 400,000 pesos, and that owing to the large
army Morgan assembled, the prize-per-man was relatively low, causing discontent.
There were accusations, particularly in Exquemelin's memoirs, that Morgan left with the majority of the plunder.
He
arrived back in Port Royal on 12 March to a positive welcome from the
town's inhabitants. The following month he made his official report to
the governing Council of Jamaica, and received their formal thanks and
congratulations.
Morgan died on 25 August 1688; Albemarle ordered a state funeral, and laid Morgan's
body at King's House for the public to pay respects. An amnesty was
declared so that pirates and privateers could pay their respects without
fear of arrest. He was buried at Palisadoes cemetery, Port Royal,
followed by a 22-gun salute from the ships moored in the harbour. Morgan was a wealthy man when he died. His personal wealth was valued at £5,263.
His
will initially left his plantations and slaves to his wife, Mary
Elizabeth, but because they were childless, on her death his estate was
to pass to his nephews, the children of his brother-in-law Byndloss. The
burial of Lady Morgan was recorded in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica on 3
March 1696.
Today, The Morgans & TheGrandma are in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.
Aftersome daysenjoying Hogwarts, the D-Day has arrived and TheMorgans have an interesting adventure to live: an A2CambridgeEnglish Exam.
Many thanks to Andrea, Elsa, Cristina, Joan, Jordi, Jose, José Luis, Kehiny, Lídia, Sandra, Valentina, Vanessa, Veronica and Xènia for trusting this project.
Thanks to MJ and Mercè for a great coordination, Yolandafor keeping the classroom always ready and to Óscar for taking care of our computers.
Long live The Morgans and good luck in Caribbean lands!
Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and the International EnglishLanguage Testing System (IELTS). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
(CEFR), the standard used around the world to benchmark language
skills, and its qualifications and tests are aligned with CEFR levels.
Cambridge Assessment English is part of Cambridge Assessment,
a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge which merged
with Cambridge University Press to form Cambridge University Press &
Assessment in August 2021.
Each Cambridge English Qualifications focuses on a level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
English
qualifications designed for adult learners. A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and
B2 First have the same exam format as the schools versions of these
qualifications, but use different topics and content suited to adult
learners.
In the 1980s Cambridge Assessment English, the British Council and IDP Education formed the international IELTS partnership which delivers the IELTS tests.
In 2010 Cambridge Assessment English
and the English Language Institute Testing and Certificate Division of
the University of Michigan agreed to form a not-for-profit collaboration
known as CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments). Cambridge Assessment English owns 65% of the venture.
Since 2011 Cambridge Exams Publishing, a partnership between CambridgeAssessment English
and the English Language Teaching (ELT) business of Cambridge
University Press, develops official Cambridge preparation materials for Cambridge English and IELTS exams.
In 2013 Cambridge Assessment English formed a joint venture with the Box Hill Institute to deliver the Occupational English Test, known as OET.
In 2019 Cambridge Assessment English
acquired English Language iTutoring (ELiT), an artificial intelligence
developed off technology from the University of Cambridge, to support
new English language assessment products.
Cambridge Assessment English was involved in the early development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and all Cambridge English qualifications and tests are aligned with the levels described by the CEFR.
Each
Cambridge English Qualification targets specific CEFR levels but the
exam also contains test material at the adjacent levels. For example B2
First is aimed at B2, but there are also test items that cover B1 and
C1. This allows for inferences to be drawn about candidates’ abilities
if they are a level below or above the one targeted. Candidates are
encouraged to take the exam most suitable to their needs and level of
ability.
The
main influence behind the design of the exam was the
grammar-translation teaching approach, which aims to establish reading
knowledge, rather than ability to communicate in the language.
In
1913, the first requirement for CPE candidates was to translate texts.
Translation remained prominent in foreign language teaching up until the
1960s. It was a core part of CPE until 1975 and an optional part until
1989.
However, CPE was also influenced by Henry Sweet and his book published in 1900: A Practical Study of Languages: A Guide for Teachers and Learners, which argued that the most natural method of teaching languages was through conversation. Due to this influence, speaking was part of Cambridge English exams from the very beginning.
-1209. University of Cambridge founded.
-1534. Cambridge University Press founded.
-1858. University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) founded.
-1913. Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) introduced. Now known as C2 Proficiency.
-1939.
Lower Certificate in English (LCE) introduced. Renamed First
Certificate in English (FCE) in 1975 and now known as B2 First.
-1941. Joint agreement with the British Council-British Council centres established.
-1943-1947. Preliminary English Test (PET) introduced. It was reintroduced in 1980 and is now known as B1 Preliminary.
-1971. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) initiated.
-1988. The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examination Board becomes part of UCLES.
-1989. Specialist EFL research and evaluation unit established.
-1989. IELTS launched. A simplified and shortened version of ELTS launched in 1980.
-1990. Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) founded.
-1991. Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) introduced. Now known as C1 Advanced.
-1993. Business English Certificates (BEC) launched.
-1994. Key English Test (KET) introduced. Now known as A2 Key.
-1995. University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE) becomes part of UCLES
-1997. Young Learner English Tests (YLE) introduced. Now known as Pre-A1 Starter, A1 Movers, and A2 Flyers.
-1997. BULATS launched.
-2001. CEFR published.
-2002. UCLES EFL renamed University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).
-2002. One million Cambridge ESOL exam candidates.
-2010. CaMLA established (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments).
-2011. Cambridge Exams Publishing joint venture with Cambridge University Press established.
-2013. Cambridge ESOL renamed Cambridge English Language Assessment.
-2015. Cambridge English Scale introduced.
-2016. Linguaskill reading and listening introduced.
-2016. Linguaskill writing introduced.
-2017. Cambridge English Language Assessment renamed Cambridge Assessment English.
-2020.
The University of Cambridge announces it plans to merge two of its
non-teaching departments, Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University
Press.
-2021. Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press merge to become Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
Cambridge is heaven, I am convinced it is the nicest place in the world to live. As you walk round, most people look incredibly bright, as if they are probably off to win a Nobel prize.
Hi, I'm Xènia Morganand I was born in Ιθάκη (Ithaki), Ιόνιο Πέλαγος (IonianSea). From a veryyoung age I was fascinated by music and illustration. I am a tuner.
A few months ago, I discovered that the famous Welsh pirate Henry Morgan was
an ancestor of mine and that I had brothers and sisters to meet. Thanks
to The Grandma, an Andorran grandmother, who made every effort to
locate us, today I know them all and to celebrate this meeting we
decided to spend two months together travelling and reviewing our level
of English because we have all decided to retire to Kingston, Jamaica, to enjoy the Morgan fortune, and English is its official language.
-What's your full name?
-My name is Eleni Papadopoulou.
-How do you spell your second surname?
-P-A-P-A-D-O-P-O-U-L-O-U
-Are you a student? What are you studying?
-No, I'm not a student. I completed my studies in music and acoustics several years ago.
-Are you working? What is your job?
-Yes, I am. I'm an instrument tuner. I tune pianos and other musical instruments to make sure they produce the correct sound and perform at their best.
-Do you like your job? Why?
-Yes, I do. I enjoy working with music and helping musicians achieve the best possible sound. Every instrument has its own character, which makes my work interesting.
-Where are you from?
-I'm from Ithaki, a small island in Greece.
-How long have you lived there?
-I lived there throughout my childhood and early adulthood. Although I travel for work, Ithaki will always be my home.
-Why are you studying English?
-I'm studying English because I often work with musicians from different countries. It also helps me read technical manuals and attend international workshops.
-How long have you been studying English?
-I've been studying English for about two months. I started learning with The Morgans and continue using it regularly in my profession.
-Tell me about your town.
-Ithaki is a beautiful Greek island with crystal-clear waters, green hills, and a rich history. It is traditionally associated with the legendary home of Odysseus.
-What music do you like?
-I enjoy classical music, jazz, and traditional Greek music. Listening to different styles of music helps me develop my ear for tuning instruments.
-Can you play any instrument?
-Yes, I can play the piano and the violin. Learning to play instruments has helped me understand how important accurate tuning is.
-Tell me about your favourite place.
-My favourite place is Vathy Harbour. I love sitting by the water, sketching the boats, and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.
-What do you like doing in your free time?
-In my free time, I love illustration. I enjoy drawing landscapes, people, and scenes from everyday life. I also like reading, walking, and visiting art exhibitions.
-Do you practise any sport? Which?
-Yes, I do. I enjoy swimming and hiking. Living on an island gives me many opportunities to spend time outdoors.
-How did you become interested in tuning instruments?
-I became interested in it while studying music. I was fascinated by how small adjustments could completely change the quality of a sound.
-What is the most difficult part of your job?
-The most difficult part is working on very old instruments. They often require a lot of patience and careful attention.
-Why is tuning important?
-Tuning is important because even a talented musician cannot perform well if the instrument is out of tune. Good tuning improves the overall musical experience.
-How did you become interested in illustration?
-I've loved drawing since I was a child. It allows me to express my creativity and capture moments that inspire me.
-Do music and illustration influence each other in your life?
-Yes, they do. Music often inspires my drawings, and illustration helps me think creatively when solving problems in my work.
-Would you like to combine your two interests in the future?
-Yes, I would. I'd love to create illustrated books about musical instruments and the stories behind them.
-How is a normal day with The Morgans?
-We haven't got similar days. Every
day is different and this is something very important because it offers
to you the possibility of living fantastic experiences every day and
you can enjoy them with all your heart because you know that next day
you're going to put the score to zero and we're going to start again. It's a non-stopping life.
-Which is your best memory with The Morgans?
-It's difficult to choose only one. I
remembered when we travelled to different places and I was drawing our adventures. I love drawing and being able to draw the family has been something very special for me.
-Which is your favourite song?
-I'm Ioanian. I love Mikis Theodorakis and Kharis Alexiu, but I will choose the poem that has made my island most famous, 'Ithaka' by Konstantinos Petru Kavafis, a poem that talks about life and death and which was recited in English by Sir Sean Connery with music composed by another legendary Greek, Evànguelos Odisseas Papathanassiu aka Vangelis.
Παντα στoν νoυ σoυ ναχεις την Ιθακη. Τo φθασιμoν εκει ειν o πρooρισμoς σoυ. Aλλα μη βιαζεις τo ταξειδι διoλoυ. Καλλιτερα χρoνια πoλλα να διαρκεσει και γερoς πια ν'αραξεις στo νησι, πλoυσιoς με oσα κερδισες στo δρoμo, μη πρoσδoκωντας πλoυτη να σε δωσει η Ιθακη.
Η Ιθακη σ'εδωσε τ'ωραιo ταξειδι. Χωρις αυτην δεν θα βγαινες στoν δρoμo. Αλλα δεν εχει να σε δωσει πια.
Κι αν πτωχικη την βρεις, η Ιθακη δε σε γελασε. Ετσι σoφoς πoυ εγινες, με τoση πειρα, ηδη θα τo καταλαβες oι Ιθακες τι σημαινoυν.
Keep Ithaka always in your mind. Arriving there is what you’re destined for. But don’t hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you’re old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.
Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you wouldn't have set out. She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you’ll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
.jpeg)
%20&%20The%20Grandma%20(I).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
%20&%20X%C3%A8nia%20Morgana%20Papadopoulou%20(I).jpg)