2nd comenius ebook wordcrossing

II Volume, Trikala 2013

WordCrossing: Comenius Project

“Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes "Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be."

The son of a deaf surgeon, Miguel de Cervantes was born near Madrid in 1547. He became a soldier in 1570 and was badly wounded in the Battle of Lepanto.

Captured by the Turks in 1575, de Cervantes spent five years in prison. He was freed in 1580 and returned home. De Cervantes finally achieved literary success in his later years, publishing the first part of Don Quixote in 1605. He died in 1616.

Don Quixote Edition: Minoas (Μίνωας) 2000 Translated by Georgia Delhgiannh-Anastasiadh De Cervantes published the first part of Don Quixote in 1605. The novel tells the story of an elderly man who becomes so enamored by old stories of brave knights that he seeks out his adventures. The title character soon gets lost in his own fantasy world, believing he is one of these knights, and convinces a poor peasant, Sancho Panza, to serve as his squire. In one scene, Don Quixote even fights a windmill, mistaking it for a beast. Quixote regains his senses before the novel ends. It became the world's first best-seller, eventually being translated into more than 60 different languages. De Cervantes published the second part of the story in 1615.

“What I enjoyed most about this novel were the exciting adventures and the stories of the various people he met along the way . However , one thing that I did not like was the ending . I found it somewhat pessimistic and sad.”

Chrysa Giannakou

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“I like this book very much because it is full of adventure and the plot is very excited.

Besides, I like knights and I admire Don Quixote because he is very brave, fearless and courageous. Still this book is actually a work of art by Cervantes.�

George Ntailianis

Chrysa Giannakou, George Ntailianis and Georgia Floka for the Greek Comenius team Visit the following links for more information. http://www.biography.com/people/miguel-de-cervantes-9242997?page=1#%27donquixote%27 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_sfxR3vYRI http://www.ert.gr/webtv/et1/item/9008-Don-Kichwths-01-122012#.UWHMkTdWJ8Y

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Ryszard Kapuściński was born in Pinsk, Poland, in 1932. He started writing for a newspaper at the end of the 1950s. He was a foreign correspondent for PAP, the Polish Press Agency from 1962 to 1981.

When he asked to go abroad he had Czechoslovakia in mind...and he was sent to India.

Before his departure, his boss gave him Herodotus’s Histories. This book will be his companion during all his travels.

This was only the beginning of his ‘adventures’: he then was a reporter in China, Africa and Latin America.

He wrote several books: Polish Jungle (Busz po polsku) (1962), Another Day of Life (Jeszcze dzień życia) (1976); The Soccer War (Wojna futbolowa) (1978); The Emperor (Cesarz) (1978); Shah of Shahs (Szachinszach) (1982); Imperium (Imperium) (1993); The Shadow of the Sun (Heban) (2001); Travels with Herodotus (2007) are all translated into Italian.

With The Emperor he became very famous; he was a candidate for the Nobel prize and he received many awards in different countries including Italy. Among the others, he was awarded the “Elsa Morante”prize and the “Ilaria Alpi” prize.

He died in Warsaw in 2007.

PODRÒZE Z HERODOTEM (TRAVELS WITH HERODOTUS) It’s 1951 and Ryszard Kapuściński is studying at Warsaw University’s department of history.

After his studies he begins to work as a reporter for a Polish newspaper. In these years, after Stalin’s death, the censorship disappears, people become more independent and a lot of censored books, like the Greek historian Herodotus, are published. His editor sends him to India, satisfying his wish to “cross the border”, and gives him The Histories.

When he starts this first journey, he also meets the Western world for the first time, spending ent, not even its language, so he looks for everything that can be useful to learn English and the Indian culture. He studies English reading a book by Hemingway.

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Months later, after gaining knowledge of Indian traditions, the editor sends him to China.

Here he has got the same problem, so he combines his work with readings about Chinese traditions and the reading of Herodotus. He learns the theories of Mao Tse Dong and visits lots of famous places, but when he is in the middle of his studies, he has to return to Poland.

But he soon starts travelling again and his adventure in Africa begins: he moves to this continent tormented by wars (Angola, Ethiopia...) , with his inseparable mate.

Crossing the stories about his life and his travels with The Histories, he compares himself to Herodotus: both, in fact, are reporters and for this reason they travel around the world.

This book describes cultures, traditions and events, but Kapuściński always shows his real interest in ordinary people’s experiences.

This quotation permits to understand better his constant desire to cross borders, and also explains why we like him: “We do not really know what draws a human being out into the world. Is it curiosity?

A hunger for experience? An addiction to wonderment? The man who ceases to be astonished is hollow, possessed of an extinguished heart. If he believes that everything has already happened, that he has seen it all, then something most precious has died within him—the delight in life.” ― Ryszard Kapuściński, Travels with Herodotus

WordCrossing: Comenius Project

WordCrossing: Comenius Project

WordCrossing: Comenius Project

Review of a book Odyssey by Homer

“Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing is bred that is weaker than man.”

Last month I read an exciting story about the Greek hero Odysseus.

This is one of the greatest works of literature to be written, attributed to the blind poet Homer.

With a timeless charm the Odyssey tells the story of the long journey by Odysseus. He is brave, strong and very clever. The poem mainly centers on Odysseus and his heroic journey. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach his home in Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors, who compete for Penelope’s hand in marriage.

During his journey Odysseus has got many amazing adventures and he has to overcome many obstacles and temptations. Athena, goddess of wisdom, is on Odysseus’ side. Unfortunately, Poseidon, god of the sea, wants for his destruction.

Every time Athena helps him gain some ground, Poseidon finds a way to introduce new difficulties to Odysseus. On his return home he faces cyclops, lotus-eaters, sea monsters, hostile giants and sirens. The book ends as Odysseus wins a contest to prove his identity, slaughters the suitors, and retakes the throne of Ithaca.

I would recommend that book to everybody, because it makes you to think about your life, your fears, selfcentred behavior and all changes that you can do.

If you like Greek mythology, stories written in verse and you enjoy epic

adventure tales, this book is the best choice.

Monika Kasperczyk Class 3 “b” Poland, 29th March Comments:

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I also read the Odyssey by ancient writer Homer and I was totally captivated

by Odysseus’ adventures during his journey. Personally, I think it is really well-worth reading and timeless book good for young people, just like we. Simply, for me Homer`s book is a great masterpiece.

Justyna Zdańska

WordCrossing: Comenius Project

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Edmondo De Amicis – a short biography

Edmondo De Amicis was born on 21 October 1846 in Oneglia, Italy.He went to the Military Academy of Modena, and became an Army officer in the new Kingdom of Italy.

De Amicis fought in the battle of Custoza during the Third Independence War. The spectacle left him disappointed, and contributed to his later decision to leave military life.

The nationalist message visible in De Amicis' works was soon fused with a commitment to socialism (a trend visible in Heart). In 1896, he adhered to the Italian Socialist Party. He was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1901.

De Amicis died in Bordighera. His last years were marked by tragedy and he spent them in reclusion. He was marked by his mother's death and the frequent conflicts with his wife. Ultimately, these were the source of an even greater emotional shock for De Amicis, as they led to his son, Furio's suicide (as schoolchildren, Furio and his brother Ugo have served as inspiration for Heart).

Student: Gergely Lorand, XI E Coordinator English teacher: Nedelea Cristina

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CUORE (HEART) - REVIEW

“Heart” is set in Turin during the Italian unification.What drew me into the novel from the outset was the main character, Enrico, who writes a diary about his life as a primary school student in Italy. His parents' and sister's voices are also heard in the novel from time to time and every month there are different events that carry Enrico towards maturity.

I was fascinated by the moral values of that time, such as helping those in need and patriotism that are quite rare nowadays. During the story Enrico comes across different situations in which his parents or teacher try to make him aware of other people’s feelings. Therefore, his sympathy and compassion make him think twice before acting.

I was also amazed to learn how much love the poeple of that time had for their country and how much they respect they had for each other.

The novel contains a whole gallery of characters, with differend backgrounds and personalities.The main characters are: Enrico, the one who wrote the diary, a mediocre student, his parents and sister who give him occasioanal advice about life.

In his class there are: Derossi, the smartest of all, Garrone is the one that protects the

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weak and hates unjust people and the teacher, mister Perboni who is a fatherly figure for his students.

You will really love this book because you will be transported in the life of a child from the nineteenth-century Italy and it will make you understand better the mentality of that time.

Student: Gergely Lorand, XI E Coordinator English teacher: Nedelea Cristina

WordCrossing: Comenius Project

Heart

by Edmondo De Amicis

This book is both emotional and historical. It gives us a picture of urban Italian life of that time.

The main character is Enrico ,a boy of about 10 years old, who is writing his school life in nine months.This book shows us the patriotism in that time and the values which we don’t have any more. Written in the form of a diary, it is very simple in strucure and it is rather easy to understand the lessons and the messages that lie behind those simple stories.This is a great book for young children, because it makes them be cautious with people around, it teaches them whom they cand trust.

There are more characters in the novel. Enrico is the main character, he writes the,diary, the stories. Then, there are his parents and sister who help him when he is in need, his teacher who teaches him the most basic values and his classmates.

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I recommend this book to everyone, no matter of age, religion, nationality, gender because the book shows us what respect, love, life is. Even those who do not like reading will enjoy this book. The reason is very simple: it touches your HEART. Student: Ĺžerban BuĹ&#x;ecan Coordinator English teacher: Nedelea Cristina

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LAST TRAIN TO ISTANBUL STORY: The book talks about a Turkish family. Fazil and Lenna are the parents and they had two daughters Selva and Sabiha. Selva falls in love with Rafa , a Jewish boy, but their families are against the marriage so the lovers decided to escape to Paris to start a new life without problems. A few years later they had Fazil, their son. At the same time Sabiah married with Macit, an important government worker of Turkey, they are doing everything possible not tot enter in the second world war. While the war was going on, the germans every day occupy more countries, and gained more territory.

Sabiha is having a bad time because she feels lonely, her husband is all the time working out of home, so she goes to the psychologist and they have a short love story. Macit and Sabiha had a daughter, called Hülya.

In Paris things are getting worse, the Germans have occupied the country.

The Vichy’s Government let the Gestapo enter in France. So that Nazis are able to arrest the Jewish, and take them away to the concentration camps.

Rafa works on a friend’s chemist in Marseille. One day Gestapo found him and arrested him, because he’s Jewish.

Selva, who saw it all, quickly called Tarik, a friend of Sabiha and a colleague of Macit. He stopped the train and took the Jews back home. Finally he comes back home safe and sound. http://www.dr.com.tr

In fact they went to Marseille to be safer and more protected, and when this fails.They decide to come back to Turkey, with their new friends and neighbours. Fortunately they get the chance to get a train to Istambul. All of them were preparing many things for the long journey. The day agreed many Jews boarded that train. The journey took many weeks, all of them became a good friends. When they arrived, the brother of Rafa, the family of Selva welcomed them and to rebuild their relationship, it was a great surpise for Selva to see her father there waiting for her.

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Ayşe Kulin She was born in 1941 in Istanbul and she’s a Turkish contemporary novelist and columnist.

Also she has written short stories titled Güneşe Dön Yüzünü in 1984, some biographies, advertisements, she has worked like a screen writer, cinematographer, drama series, advertisements and films, for one titled Kırık Bebek in 1986, she won a screenplay award from the Turkish culture ministry.

She has married twice; her latest novels Hayat and Huzun describe her life with her spouses, Mehmet Sarper and Eren Kemahli. Both ended in divorce but she has 4 sons from the marriages.

She has written up to now 23 books and six of them have been translated into English. One of these is a novel called Last Train to Istanbul, Turkish title: Nefes Nefese, in English, Breathless. http://www.seninle.com.tr/images/stories/ayse-kulin.jpg

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Reviews for the novel “ Kyra Kyralinda ” ( Written by a Romanian writer – Panait Istrati ) First of all, I would like to say that I liked Kyra Kyralina very much. It isn’t a boring book.It’s a fluent book and

It makes a pleasant reading . I have read too

many books in which life stories are mentioned, but none of them was good like this book. I think this is the difference of Panait Istrati. I liked this book very much because I have found the possible problems I will have in the future and understood the worth of my family. In this novel, After Stavro had lost his mother and his sister, he had too many bad events. For example , he was kidnapped. If he had had a family, they would have protected him. I strongly recommend reading this painful life story to those who haven’t read Kyra Kyralina yet. When I started the book, I could not put it any more. The reader is connected to it. Lessons to be learned in a life story were told so nice. After finishing this book, I realized the value of life.

The only thing that I didn’t like was the end of the book. We don’t know what happened to Stavro in his rest life. According to me, the book shouldn’t have finished like this.

Sinem Sevgili In this book, I saw the worth of family, the worthless of money, and the important place of happiness in our lives. I learnt that happiness is got with love and health , not money . I recommend this book to everyone, because one day, we may learn from the experiences that Stavro had . If you read this book, you can understand more quickly what, when and how you should do. This book taught me to catch happiness and to continue life what may happen to us.

Diler Avcı I liked this book very much, because the book is very fluent and impressive. Stavro's life and the events in the book guided me and gave me a lesson of life. After reading Kyra Kyralina, I understood that money doesn’t really bring happiness and happiness is more important. I will take care the people in my life ,because it is difficult to live without them. . .

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Stavro

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Bazaar

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