The Boston Tea Party wasn’t a social event. It was an act of rebellion and it helped start the movement for the U.S.A. to become independent from Britain. In 1773, Boston was the capital of Massachusetts, one of 13 British colonies in the future United States. For several years, the British government, in financial trouble, … Continue reading “Starting a Revolution with Tea in Boston”
On 16 December 1773, an event took place that went on to spark the American Revolution: citizens of Boston, Massachusetts, dumped hundreds of crates of tea into the sea to protest against British “taxation without representation”. This December, the city is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. This article paired with two … Continue reading “250 Years of U.S. Democracy: The Boston Tea Party”
We were sad to hear of the death of Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt at the age of 95. He had been taking photos for 80 years. The retrospective exhibition he curated himself at the Musée Maillol in Paris last year is currently on show in Lyon, till 17 March. It is a rich record of … Continue reading “Elliott Erwitt: A Life in Photos in Lyon”
‘Tis the season for various dictionaries to reveal their “words of the year”. It has been the word on everyone’s lips, so it’s not surprising that the UK’s Collins Dictionary, as well as Australia’s Macquarie Dictionary people’s choice was AI. But we came across a few we were unfamiliar with, such as “rizz” and “cozzie … Continue reading “Words of the Year: 2023”
Black Legends is a musical comedy that traces more than a century of African American music along with landmarks in the civil-rights movement and Black American history. We know some of you took classes when it was on last year. It’s back on in Paris until at least the end of January. The musical doesn’t … Continue reading “Black Legends”
Anti-bullying actions are taking place in November in the United Kingdom, in Australia, and in France too. Anti-Bullying Week 2023 is coordinated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year it has the theme “Make A Noise About Bullying” and will take place from Monday 13 to Friday 17 November. The … Continue reading “Bullying Is Never OK”
Everyone has at least heard of Bollywood but how many of us really know how huge and culturally-loaded this industry is? This is what this A2+-B1 article explores! You and your students will get to understand how powerful Bollywood is and how it hinges on both tradition and modernity to appeal to its audience. As … Continue reading “Celebrating Bollywood”
Hollywood is often used as a synonym for the cinema industry but Bollywood in India actually releases more films. The Indian film industry makes 2000 films every year, about three times as many as Hollywood. Cinema came very early to India. The Lumière Brothers’ pioneering films were shown soon after their European release in 1896. … Continue reading “Bollywood Superstars”
At age 87, veteran British filmmaker Ken Loach says The Old Oak will be his last film and it closes the trilogy set in the north-east of England after I, Daniel Blake (Cannes Palme d’or 2016) and Sorry We Missed You (2019). It looks at the arrival of a group of Syrian refugees to be … Continue reading “Ken Loach Trying to See the Hope”
On 14 October, Australians voted 60-40% against a referendum proposal on a change to the Constitution that would have given Indigenous Australians a greater voice in the legislature. If approved, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice would have been a consultative body to advise lawmakers on issues affecting Indigenous Australians. Labor Prime Minister Anthony … Continue reading “Australia Says No in Indigenous Representation Referendum “
