Olympics BMX cycling

BMX - short for Bicycle Motocross - is still a very new Olympic event, making its debut at the 2008 Olympics games in Beijing.


The BMX competition joins road, track, and mountain bike events to make bike racing the most exciting collection of sports in the Summer Olympic Games.


BMX is a new Olympic event, so there's not yet a huge "Hall of Champions" to look back on. But certainly there were some memorable performances in Beijing that got things started. The BMX athletes are a rare breed -- with the explosive legs of a racer, the strength and flexibility of an acrobat, and the steel nerves of a daredevil, you'll see athleticism and artistry here like nowhere else.

London BMX cycling

Races are held over a short, tight, twisting circuit with multiple turns and jumps. Eight riders compete in each race. They start from a manually-operated gate and hurtle down a steep slope. First to the finish line wins. The challenge is not to fall off as you whizz around the challenging course.

Reahttp://bicycling.about.com/od/olympiccycling/a/olympic_bmx.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8313763/London-2012-Olympics-BMX-cycling-guide.html

The olimpic flame is coming

97 days 're left before one of the greatest events of the whole world 's life 'll start. Consequently, as I try to keep pace with the latest events happening in the world, I feel like posting so facts about Olympic games 2012.

 

1)     There are over two dozen distinct competitions in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

2)     Olympic mascot Wenlock (right) and Paralympic mascot Mandeville (left) are the official mascots of the 2012 London Summer Olympics that are getting lots of attention worldwide.

3)     7.7 million Olympic Games tickets will be available for London 2012.

4)     2000 newts will be relocated from the Olympic Park to the Waterworks Nature Reserve.

5)     800,000 people are expected to use public transport to travel to the Games on the busiest day. This is more than the entire population of Leeds.

6)     53m will be the height of the Olympic Stadion. This is three metres taller than Nelson's Column.

7)     205 Nations will be competing at the London 2012 Games.

8)     4,000 trees will be planted on the Olympic Park and Olympic Village sites. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth planted the first tree in October 2009 on the Olympic Stadium site.

9)     90% of material that will be reclaimed from demolition within the Olympic park can be reused or recycled.

10)Approximately 260,000 loaves of bread are expected to be consumed at the London 2012 Olympic Games

To learn more interesting facts about London Olympics 2012 visit following links:

http://carlien-van-de-kreeke.suite101.com/london-2012-olympic-games---facts-a219061
http://www.chiff.com/a/olympics-trivia.htm

http://www.london2012.com/

Herbert George Wells

Biography

Sometimes called the father of modern science fiction, H.G. Wells was born on September 21, 1866 in Bromley, Kent, England. His father, a professional cricket player and shopkeeper, and his mother, a former lady's maid, raised Wells with the idea that he would find a place in the work world that they were accustomed. He aspired to a different place in society.

When he was thirteen, he left school to become a draper's apprentice, a job his family expected would be proper for a boy of his station. The work repelled him, however. He worked briefly in a drugstore, returned for a stint as a draper's assistant, then finally found a job as a teacher's assistant in a grammar school. Education and academia suited him well. In 1884 he entered college with a scholarship to study biology. He was able to study under one of the great biology teachers of the time, Thomas Henry Huxley, and Wells graduated in 1888.

The writings of Jules Verne undoubtably influenced Wells, and he wrote his first novel, The Time Machine, partly in response to this new kind of literature that Verne produced. The story appeared in various forms in magazines from 1888 to 1894 and was released in its current form in 1895. The book was successful, and Wells did not need to teach or worry about money from that time on.

Wells' early novels continued in the science fiction mode of The Time Machine. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897) and The War Between the Worlds (1898) cemented his position within the genre. For many readers, these early novels are the extent of Wells' writing. He's the "time machine guy" or the "martian guy." Wells, however, wrote short stories, mainstream fiction and non-fiction essays his entire life, most of them espousing in some form or another his views on humanity, society and the direction he saw the world going. Some of these works were also science fictional in nature.

More biographical information along with numerous other links and resources about H.G. Wells can be found at http://www.bath.ac.uk/~lisjpo/wellsian.html

A complete bibliography can be found at http://www.bath.ac.uk/~lisjpo/biblio.htm and at http://members.tripod.com/~gwillick/biblio/HGWellsbib.html

The A&E website contains information on how to order their video biography of H.G. Wells at http://www.schoolroom.com/videos/v13531.htm

The H.G Wells Society web page can be found at http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~lhsjamse/wells/wells.htm.  Information about The Wellsian the official newsletter of the H.G. Wells Society can be found at http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~lhsjamse/wells/wellsian.htm

Information about Wells and copyrights can be found at http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~lhsjamse/wells/hgwcopy.htm

An H.G. Wells discussion group exists at http://www.rdg.ac.uk/~lhsjamse/wells/hgwcopy.htm

An article about H.G. Wells, entitled "H.G. Wells, the Poe of Science Fiction" can be found at http://www.nucleus.com/~dreamwvr/hg_wells.htm

Letter to our British friend

Dear friend!
 This year we have started United kingdom country studies subject and we want to learn more about British system of education. We were surprised to learn that 90% of schools in Britain are now comprehensive. Our Ukrainian system of education is different. Ukrainian students have no possibility to choose what subjects to study. At 10th form we have approximately 20 different subjects. We have 12-point scale of educational evaluation.
We’re studying at Specialist school number 15 with foreign language base.We think that we’re lucky to be studying at 15 school. It gives us diverse possibilities of self- development, provides us with the latest facilities in the field of education. It is necessary to say that our teachers are highly qualified, experienced professionals, helping us to cope with the avalanche of knowledge.
How many lessons do you have per day? Do you have home tasks? Do you like studying?
Sincerely yours, Tanya and Marina

About Irish Newspapers

Here you can explore the most complete list of national and local newspapers from Ireland:
http://www.newspapers24.com/irish-newspapers/index.html Get multiple perspectives on Ireland news, current events, politics and business; read articles and commentaries about Ireland sports, travel, real estate, culture and entertainment; search obituaries and classifieds ads; as well as browse Irish newspapers archives. In addition to the list of newspapers, you can find also Ireland maps, pictures and brief information about Ireland. The most popular newspapers are:

• The Irish Independent
• The Irish Times

Here are the links of these newspapers, where you can find information on diferent items, such as breaking news, sport, business, health and so on:
http://www.independent.ie/
http://www.irishtimes.com/

 

 

Christmas Celebrations Around the World

Today we have started our research on Christmas Traditions. We have never thought that such activity would be so interesting and breath-taking. To be sincere, all information was great, but for us personally the traditions of Germany and Mexico were the most exciting. For instance, a unique aspect of the German Christmas decorations (kids can not take part in the beautification of the Christmas tree) and the legend of the Aztecs (Mexico’s ancient worship of the sun) became amazing discoveries for us. Besides, the fact that in France a law was passed decreeing that all letters written to Santa would responded to with a postcard attracted our attention.

To learn more follow the next links:                                                          http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/germany.htm

http://french.about.com/cs/culture/a/christmas.htm
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/xmasindex.html

William Blake

 

Owing to lessons of English literature we have a possibility to learn about the most salient English writers and acquaint with their works. On learning William Blake I’ve become fascinated by his creativity. Consequently, I’m eager to post some information about this artist in order to shed some light on this idiosyncratic man.

Poet, painter, engraver and mystic William Blake was born in London, on November 28,1757. His parents, James and Catherine, ran a hosiery shop and were political radicals and religious Dissenters. William attended school only long enough to learn reading and writing, leaving at the age of ten, and was otherwise educated at home by his mother. He began writing poetry when he was twelve and was apprenticed to a London engraver at the age of fourteen. His poetry and visual art are inextricably linked.

In 1784, he set up a print shop, but within a few years the business floundered and for the rest of his life Blake eked out a living as an engraver and illustrator. His wife, Catharine, whom he married in 1782, remained faithful and diligent and she helped him to print the illuminated poetry for which he is remembered today.

In 1789, he published his Songs of Innocence, the gentlest of his lyrics, but the collection was followed by Songs of Experience, containing a profound expression of adult corruption and repression. His long list of works shows relentless energy and drive. As one of the most complex writers known, it is impossible to summarize his career - he was a combination of extremes. He’s great, You mat ensure this by your own, when reading his poems or gazing his paintings.