Cheese rolling

This is a 200-year-old tradition: every year a group of "brave" competitors roll down a hill ( Cooper’s Hill ) in Gloucester, England. The first person to arrive at the foot of the hill wins the cheese, which weighs about 3.5 kilos. Those who come second or third receive a small cash prize. The slope has a surface that is very rough and uneven and it is almost impossible to remain on foot for the descent. Injuries incurred are usually minor.

If you want to watch a video, follow this link.
Are there any curious traditions in your area? When do they take place? Which are their origins?

Earth Day

Earth Day -- April 22 -- each year marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. On April 22, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values. Now, the fight for a clean environment continues. Why not be a part of this history and a part of Earth Day? Earth Day falls on Thursday, April 22, 2010--and it's the 40th Anniversary of the holiday.

There are many films that deal with this issue. Did you see Wall-E ? After mankind has used up all of the Earth’s resources and abandoned it for a new, lazier frontier in space, it is up to Wall-E, a garbage collecting robot, to convince the human race to return and re-cultivate.

Now discuss in pairs what you have just seen in the clip above. Make notes in your notebook.

Flightless Bird, American Mouth

Listen to this song by Iron & Wine.