Pronunciation Diary 2 - Intonation

Chosen pronunciation model: British English


In order to improve my intonation I have been listening to the podcasts of the British Council. I liked these podcasts very much, as besides the interesting topics they offered a great opportunity of spoken input too.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/professionals-podcast-english-listening-downloads-archive.htm

My next - supposedly long term - aim is to acquire the musicality and rhythm of the English language. In order to do so, I have started listening to http://www.ted.com/
where I not only find very interesting lectures, speeches and interviews but I can also study the transcript and with the Ben Franklin method I can learn how to use my voice when speaking in English. Apart from this, I have read that exaggerating the stress and the intonation can be very helpful for beginner pronunciation learners, so that they get used to the proper sound of the language, so I decided to give it a try.


As I have been searching for pronunciation exercises, I encountered some really funny tongue twisters provided by the British Council. They are quite a challenge and worth trying!
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/tongue-twisters

Though the best pronunciation challenge is definitely the poem The Chaos by Gerard Nost Trenité. I know this amazing poem from grammar school, where I attended an English drama club. We divided the poem into smaller sections and performed it on a Talent Day. It was great fun practising it and we were so proud of what we learnt of the English pronunciation!

Pronunciation Diary 1 - Sounds

Chosen pronunciation model: British English

My pronunciation problems might stem from the problem that when I started to learn English, acquiring the right sounds and learning the exact position of the tongue and lips when producing them was never really explained to me. 

As time went by, I managed to master the pronunciation of most consonants. However, I still have some serious problems with differentiating vowels, such as:
/æ/ cat, /e/ met; /ə/ away, /ɒ/ rock, /ɔ:/ call

I have been practising them with the help of the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/sounds/), though me producing these sounds is still far from perfect.

What I find especially complicated is pronouncing the words beginning with 'e-' or 'ex-'.
For example /ɪɡˈzɑːmpl/, extreme /ɪkˈstriːm/, exfoliate /eksˈfəʊlieɪt/ are all pronounced differently.


Concerning consonants, I had not been sure how to distinguish between 'V' and 'W' but since I watched Ronnie's video about it, it causes no problem any more.

I found Rachel's video concerning the 'TH' sounds also very helpful, as it explained the differences perfectly.

Pecha Kucha Experience

“the Process”

Although I have prepared numerous Power Point and Prezi presentations so far, Pecha Kucha differs considerably from them and requires slightly different skills too. First of all, it was quite a challenge to structure the text of our presentation into 20 units and to condense the content of one subtopic into 20 seconds. It was a great advantage that the scope of our topic was not too small or specific and we could freely decide how to process the great amount of information we gathered. What I really enjoyed was the quest for the perfect pictures, which had to be both of high quality and had to express the main point of that specific 20 seconds. Giving a presentation in pairs also requires more responsibility. However, it has not caused any problems in our case. I was lucky to have Harald as my assigned partner since he is not only creative but also very dutiful. Pecha Kucha is not only about writing a well-constructed text and choosing the right pictures but also about timing. As a result of all these features, Pecha Kucha requires more practicing and more considerate preparation.

“the Product”

I really liked listening to the presentations of others. Almost without exception everyone prepared very well. However, after seeing the presentations, I came up with a short list of Pecha Kucha no-nos. First of all, timing should be really taken into consideration. Continuous speaking which is not in harmony with the pictures can be very disturbing. Secondly, too much information on the slides is quite distracting. Finally, only reading from the paper and not keeping eye contact is not a positive feature either. I hope we are doing more PKs in the future because it was certainly a very interesting experience!

Improving my Vocabulary

My vocabulary notebook

How the entries in my vocabulary notebook usually look like

As I'm a visual learner, for me one of the most important tools for learning – and especially for vocabulary learning – is using colours. I've created a complex system for myself which helps me find certain pieces of information quickly. As the pictures show, I use different colours for the word itself, its word-class, its important grammar features, synonyms and antonyms, pronunciation, explanations and example sentences or collocations. In case of complicated words I even add a German or Hungarian translation. Sometimes I even draw illustrations for the word or expression, so that I can combine more types of visual input.

Illustrations

My strategy

I usually collect the definition and example sentences of a word from different sources. One of my best sources is my Oxford Advanced Learner's Monolingual Dictionary, which has an electronic and an online version too, so it's easily available wherever I am. I often use Vocabulary.com as well, especially in case of the Porter words. I like that all words are gathered in one place with plentiful explanation and numerous examples. I also use Vocabulary.com to test myself.

The most efficient method for me is combining the words with certain pictures – usually with mental ones. I try to associate the word with a scene, with people or with little stories or memories. This way I stimulate more parts of my brain when recalling these memories. It's a very entertaining way of memorising things.

Example

Let me show you an example, but please don't laugh!

Let's take a word from the Porter list I have never heard of before:

cogent = clear and persuasive

Cogent looks like 'agent' and reminds me of the word 'Kojak'. Now let's imagine that the good-looking Lieutenant Kojak steps in front of you, looks at you in a persuasive way and gives you a clear argument for lollipops being healthy.

Now you remember exactly what exactly a cogent argument is: clear and persuasive. Isn't this method fabulous?

EU Language Quiz

Just imagine that Europe contributes with 11% (740 million people) to the world's total population.
(data from 2011, http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/world_population.htm)
In Europe 234 living languages exist which is a really huge number.
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/languages.htm
I'm just fascinated by the diversity of languages in Europe and I find it amazing how many languages developed throughout the centuries, sometimes even in geographically small areas.

Dear Frank, thanks for recommending this language quiz, it has just made me even more conscious of how much I'm fascinated by the phenomenon of languages.

How do you sneeze in your mother tongue?

So, after doing (the first half of) the quiz here are my results and the most important things I learned:

Number of questions answered: 30
Number of correct answers: 21 (though some of them only for the second time)
Score: 175
http://ec.europa.eu/languages/quiz/quiz_en.htm

Did you know that...?:

• Mark Twain had troubles with learning German, he had been suffering with trying to master the language for 20 years! He complained that sometimes he would need a telescope in order to find the verb at the end of the sentence. Mark Twain claimed that Friedrich Schiller was able to put the whole history of the Thirty Years' War between two parts of a separable verb.
  (I know exactly what Twain meant... :)
  
  
• The saunas in Finland were not only used for relaxing but also for healing the sick and for giving birth because that was to most hygienic place on a farm. The mothers stayed there for a couple of days with their newborn babies.

• Latvian and Lithuanian are the only Baltic languages and they are among the oldest Indo-European languages. Lithuanian is also called "the dinosaur of languages" because it's so archaic.
  
• The word 'robot' was first used by a Czech playwright in the 20th century.
  (I though it was much older!)
  
• Slovene poetry is pretty romantic! Slovenian has a rare grammatical form referring to exactly two entities, thus making it easier to express love.

What surprised me the most:

• The Wiener Schnitzel actually comes from Milan! It's called cotoletta alla Milanese and the difference is that the Italian version contains the bone. There are different theories how it came to Austria but none of them is sure.

And last but not least, the easiest question (at least for me):

• Hungarian is the only language in Europe which places the family name before the given name. The reason is that the family name is usually a description, such as a personal feature (Kis Anna = Anna Little), original nationality (Német Anna = Anna German) or profession (Kovács Anna = Anna Smith) and these descriptions are always before a noun - or a name, in this case. It was really strange for me here in Austria to get used to the 'general' European way. Apart from Hungary this type of name order is used in some parts of Africa and Asia, for example in China and Japan.

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue..."

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence inside your shoe"

This saying probably dates back to the Victorian era symbolizing the bride's past, present and future. The "something old" part means that the bride has to wear literally something old, usually a jewel for example from the grand-grandmother which symbolizes her relationship to her old family. Generally her wedding dress represents the "something new" which is the symbol of the new life. The borrowed item (usually an accessory) is the best from a married female family member because it brings luck for the bride's marriage as well. The blue color is the symbol of loyalty which was/is considered one of the most important qualities of a bride/wife. And finally, the silver sixpence represents luck and money, it brings wealth to the couple.

You might have known this saying before, but did you know that earlier women didn't really marry in white dresses? Girls wore their best clothes for the wedding and as white dresses weren't practical, most of the girls didn't own one. It was Queen Victoria, the Queen of England who decided to have a white wedding dress for the first time and not a silvery one like other members of the royal family earlier. She was an extraordinary personality without doubt which is proven by this fact as well. Thanks to Queen Victoria, the longest reigning queen of England so far, white wedding dresses appeared all over the world.

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter

My favorite American book so far is The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The name Hawthorne might sound familiar to those who are engaged in early American history as one of his ancestors - John Hathorne - was a judge involved in Salem witch trials. The writer added a "w" to his name because he wanted to hide any kind of connection with the ancestor. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in the beginning of the 19th century and is considered to be one of the greatest figures in American literature, especially in that century. He died in 1864 and was survived by his wife and three children. He had a happy marriage with Sophia Peabody. To show their relationship, here is a quote:

Of his wife, whom he referred to as his "Dove", Hawthorne wrote that she "is, in the strictest sense, my sole companion; and I need no other—there is no vacancy in my mind, any more than in my heart... Thank God that I suffice for her boundless heart!"

In his writings he depicts his and mostly his ancestors' America. Hawthorne gives a true picture of the Puritan's life and how they handled anyone different from them. His most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter is set in the 17th-century Boston. The story is centered about a woman called Hester Prynne who gets pregnant while her husband hasn't arrived to the New World yet. Hawthorne describes wonderfully how the Puritan society treats her and her child called Pearl. They are absolutely excluded form the community. Hester has to wear a big letter "A" on her clothes which stands for adultery. As a result of her not being part of the Puritan settlement anymore, she can observe these narrow-minded people. In spite of being excluded, she still helps the poor and those in need, so people slowly start to realize that - despite her sin giving birth to a child out of wedlock - she is a caring and helpful person. Hester Prynne has to suffer a lot throughout her life, especially when her husband appears. No one knows the identity of Pearls's father but the husband seems to know everything. His evil figure makes the whole novel quite sinister.

Those who haven't read the book might find this description quite dark but it's a very interesting psychological novel demonstrating the human nature both with its wickedness and endurance. The story shows how a woman have to become independent and strong because she insists on keeping her secret - the identity of her child's father. Apart from these, the common spirit of a community is described perfectly as well, the novel shows how easily people can be influenced by one person, either good or wicked.

My English Learning Biography

The English language is spoken by 750 million people as a second or foreign language in the world.

How did I become one of them?

I come from western Hungary (the world-famous Pannonia) and in this part of the country German is the general foreign language in primary schools, which children start to learn around the age of 10. In spite of this, I didn’t start with German but with the English language at the age of 8 since one of our family’s friends is an English teacher and she offered to me that I can attend her extracurricular English lessons. I really enjoyed these first English lessons and despite being the youngest one in this class, I turned out to be quite successful. This gave me motivation to continue with English even after these extracurricular lessons ended. I took private lessons from this teacher thanks to whom I got to really like the language itself and the culture of the English speaking countries.

After finishing primary school, I knew one thing for sure: I love languages and I want to engage in English on every account. That’s the reason why I chose a grammar school 50 km away from home where I could attend an English bilingual class. Without doubt that was my most influential language learning experience. The bilingual class meant that in the first year I had 18 English lessons in a week delivered by 3 excellent teachers, one of whom is a native speaker from London. From the second year the number of simple English lessons decreased but new subjects appeared: World History, Geography and Civilization of the English Speaking World where the language of the lesson was English. These subjects contributed to the development of my vocabulary in various fields, such as sciences, culture, literature, etc.

In grammar school I was a member of an English drama club organized by our native speaker English teacher. This extracurricular activity really improved my speaking skills and made me more self-assured when speaking in a foreign language. Once we participated in an English speaking drama contest in Hungary where we played T.S. Eliot’s piece called Family Reunion.

Drama Contest

Although I’ve been learning English on and off for more than a decade, I still feel I’m very far from perfect. My biggest problem is that I’m a perfectionist and my mistakes disturb me very much. That’s one of the reasons it takes me so long to finish my blog project for this term. I not only need inspiration but confidence as well to write a new post. I hope by the end of my study I could become one of the most enthusiastic and self-confident bloggers of the university.

Presentation Day and the Chosen Topics

A historical event took place on the 19^th and 20^th of June in the life of the students studying English and attending the University of Graz: the Culture Days. The students’ task was to write an 800-word-paper and then to create an 8-minute-presentation from the chosen culture topic. Not just other students studying English were invited to the event where the presentations were held but everyone was welcomed.

As all students having chosen English as a foreign language were supposed to observe more closely 10 presentations, for this I chose the presentations of the second day.

The 7 ‘home’ culture presentations (USA) I went to see:

1. Lucie Bois: Comic books and superheroes
   
2. Harald Pasch: Scientology: A Religion Made in America

One of the first presentations I decided include in my list for the oral exams was the one about Scientology. I have always found it interesting, how religions are being formed, not just in the Middle Ages but even nowadays. I would be interested to get to know more about this religion, its history and what its followers believe in.

3. Tiana Jerkovic: Racial Segregation as Depicted in 2 Movies

Since in the first semester I attended lectures on American History and Literature, I thought I already had certain knowledge about segregation and how it is depicted in literature. To be honest, apart from literature I never really paid attention to this phenomenon appearing anywhere else, so this presentation raised my interest.

4. Alexandra Haunold: How the Columbian Exchange changed the World

What I really liked about this presentation was that this well-known topic wasn’t about the historical events and dates, but the impacts were emphasized which are very important even nowadays. I’m really interested in this part of the history so it was an easy decision to also choose this topic for the KGP.

5. Anna Agabani: Why on earth would anyone live Tornado Alley?!
   
   
6. Sonja Haunschmid: Deaf Art

Although I chose the topics above because I was particularly interested in them and had already known them more or less, this presentation grabbed my attention because I have never heard of it before. I find it a very important part of culture, how deafness is handled.

7. Lejla Kurtic: Delta Blues

To be honest, I’m not especially fond of blues itself but I like music very much and I truly appreciate those people who want to achieve something and despite the difficulties they manage to make their life more enjoyable, for example in this case with the help of music.

And the 3 ‘foreign’ presentations (IRELAND):

1. Sabrina Krassnig: Witchcraft in Ireland
2. Shirin Mahrouzadeh: Homophobic Bullying in Irish Schools
3. Lisa Moder: The History of ISL

I found these two days very interesting and I’m very proud to have seen these hard-working fellow students who spent so much time perfecting their knowledge on their chosen topics in order to introduce them to others.

Fanaticism and the "Free Jahar" Movement

Definition of fan: (probably short for fanatic)

1. an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art), usually as a spectator
2. an ardent admirer or enthusiast (as of a celebrity or a pursuit)

(according to Merriam-Webster)

An enthusiastic devotee

As we all know, fans can be very diverse, e.g. fans of football or other sports, movies, bands, celebrities, etc. A very interesting fact I realized is, that the object of admiration can not only be famous and successful people, but surprisingly also notorious evildoers.

Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, 2013, killed 3 people and injured nearly 300. The suspects are two brothers of Chechen origin, Tamerlan Tsarnaev (26) who died in a shooting with the police and the younger Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (19) who is under arrest.

In this post I do not want to write about this sad event but the unexpected reaction of some people. What really shocked me is, that there are people who insist on Dzhokhar being innocence and they have even formed Facebook groups to popularize this idea. I quote these fans:

"too pretty to be guilty"

 "Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, a young man of 19 years of age's life has been stolen and has been made into a public object of hate, created by the inaccurate reports by the media.

We believe in innocent until proven guilty by undeniable evidence, which so far has not been provided."

Almost without exception teen girls are the members of these supporting groups who nearly worship the 19-year-old, curly-haired, sad-faced boy who is supposed to be responsible for 3 people's death. These girls refuse to believe that he is guilty as they have already made their judgement based on his appearance. This is a really sad phenomenon that the young generation seemingly cannot decide objectively but tends to only accept the beautiful-is-good concept.

Psychologists have found out that the case of Dzhokhar's fans is not unprecedented as there are several women who are attracted to men having committed crime. According to psychologists the explanation can be the fact that women want to feel special with a well-known bad boy as a partner. Another reason for the attraction can be that certain women consider it a challenge trying to change these men. In most cases women believe they could be the ones, the notorious man is willing to change for. There are numerous cases where obsessed women make contact with convicts, write letters to them and they meet in the prison. I even heard of a case when a prisoner and a fan fell in love with each other, held a wedding ceremony in the prison, and the woman gave birth to a child. I think, this example could be added to the definitions of fan, as well.

Why do men live shorter lives than woman?

As I was surfing the Internet, I came across an article about different countries and I found same data on life expectancy as well. I started to scrutinize the numbers and I wondered: why do men have a shorter life expectancy almost all over the world? Although the gender gap is closing, women are still in a more "advantageous" situation compared to man.

I decided to do a little research on the topic and I found out that males already have a higher mortality rate in the womb, which means that more baby boys are miscarried than girls. Though the reasons, why men live shorter lives, are not certain, there are many theories.

Social factors

Earlier it was thought, that men have a shorter life expectancy as a result of social factors. At that time mostly men drank alcohol and  they smoked. Though these circumstances might contribute to diseases like lung cancer and liver diseases, this theory is not completely true. As the society changed in modern ages, it became more common that women drink and smoke as well, but generally they still live longer than men.

Biological factors

Testosterone

Many claim that the difference in mortality rate between man and women is due to the sex hormones. According to this theory, the high level of testosterone might be the reason, why men seek danger and tend to risk their lives by e.g. driving dangerously and being involved in violent crimes where they might be killed. An interesting fact is, that the percentage of men being bitten by a snake is much higher as well, as they are more likely to harass these animals out of curiosity or whatever, whereas women tend to look for safer places and get away from dangerous animals. Men are more likely to work in dangerous fields (such as firefighter, police officer or in constructions) than women, resulting in more death cases connected to work or workplace. Mostly men are the ones who join the army, too. To conclude, the lower level of testosterone in women might be the reason, why they usually avoid dangerous situations.

Estrogen
Not only the level of testosterone might be important, but also the most significant female sex hormone, the estrogen might have a role in how long we live. Women, who have a much higher level of estrogen, are protected from cardiovascular diseases by this hormone until the menopause. After the menopause, when the estrogen level drops, the risk of such diseases (e.g. heart attack) increases.

Behavior

Another interesting theory on why men die earlier than women is, a difference in behavior. Firstly, men are much more embarrassed of talking to a doctor about their problems. While women are more open about their health problems, men are more likely to hide them, which might lead to diseases being recognized too late. Secondly, many say that women can cope with stress much more easily as a result of their communication habits. Women are often criticized for talking too much and about everything, but this might be the key to reduce stress! Consequently, men usually cannot handle stress that easily and they are more exposed to depression as well. The percentage of men committing suicide due to serious depression is much higher compared to the number of women.

Marriage

Finally, it is interesting to note, that married men have a longer life expectancy than those who are single, as married people are more likely to have a less risky lifestyle. (Men's car insurance drops as soon as they get married.) What's more, a nurturing wife can contribute to a longer life, too. What is funny about it is, that married women can expect a shorter life compared to single women.

For further information:

If you are interested, here is a link to the official life expectancy page where you can compare the countries of the world, and male and women results:
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/world-life-expectancy-map

Another interesting site with an application if you want to find out where do you fit into 7 billion:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15391515

And last but not least, a funny article on how to live (or don't) longer:
http://www.pleated-jeans.com/2011/06/06/10-easy-ways-to-lower-your-lifespan/

Zsolt Erőss, the Snow Leopard

Zsolt Erőss, the Snow Leopard

Although I decided not to devote my blog to Hungary but to conquer English-speaking cultures, I would really like to share something about this great man. Not because he’s from Hungary or because he’s recently died but the reason is my admiration towards him. He had such a strong and motivational character that I would like to introduce him as a role model.

Zsolt Erőss was definitely the most famous Hungarian mountaineer summiting 10 out of the total 14 mountains on Earth above 8000 m (which are also called eight-thousanders). He was also the first Hungarian citizen to climb the Mount Everest in 2002. (These facts are for us Hungarians truly amazing concerning the fact that our highest mountain is only 1014 m…)

He was one of the most dedicated and persistent people I've heard of. As a result of an avalanche accident in 2010 his right leg had to be amputated but despite the amputation he didn't give up his passion. He’s said to have learnt to walk again because he wanted to continue mountaineering. Half a year after his accident he returned to climbing and he conquered many peaks with the help of a prosthetic leg, among them two eight-thousanders.

His last challenge was the Kangchenjunga. Erőss successfully reached the summit of 8586 m on May 20, 2013 but unfortunately he didn't manage the way back. Two days after reaching the peak the 45-year old Erőss and another Hungarian climber (the 26-year-old Péter Kiss) went missing. After the unsuccessful search they have been declared dead in absentia.

Although Erőss has been criticized by many that he shouldn't have insisted on continuing mountaineering after his accident, he is mourned by the whole nation. Many claimed that he should have thought of his family (he had two little children) and given up climbing but he wasn't someone to give up what he wanted. His wife, who is an amateur mountaineer, said that she had accepted her husband’s passion. Of course Erőss was aware how dangerous the mountains can be and he didn't want to die, but he was brave enough to take the risk and to fulfill his dreams. That’s something everybody should respect about him.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

The Mysterious Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

 Amelia Earhart was the first woman to travel through the Atlantic Ocean (as a passenger) in 1928, the first female pilot to do this journey alone nonstop in 1932 and a pioneer woman in many respects. She cropped her hair short, wore trousers and insisted on her independence.  This persistent woman decided to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe along the Equator in 1937 which was unprecedented by a woman.

Amelia and her navigator, Noonan started their flight from Oakland and went on without problems until they reached New Guinea. The last and most dangerous part of their journey would have been between New Guinea and America over the Pacific Ocean. They planned to stop at Howland Island in the middle of the ocean but because of the poor visibility they couldn't find the island. The weather was windy and they asked for help from a nearby ship to navigate them but for some reason the communication wasn't successful. Amelia in her last radio message said that they were running out of gas and they couldn't hear the ship’s answer.

From this point on no one knows what happened. Different radio stations could hear weak signals supposedly coming from Amelia but these were unintelligible. Air and sea search started soon but they were unsuccessful. Since then no reliable evidence has been found concerning the missing pilot and her navigator.

Due to this uncertainty numerous theories emerged in connection with their disappearance. The first and simplest idea is called ‘crash-and-sink-theory’, according to which they ran out of fuel, crashed into the ocean and died. Although this supposition is said to be the most widely accepted, many researchers believe that Amelia and Noonan managed to reach the mainland. But if they did so, on which island did they land?

Researchers led many expeditions to the nearby islands but either they didn't find anything or they did find something (e.g. a white female skeleton) but before closer examination it mysteriously disappeared.

According to another theory, Amelia and Noonan landed on an island having been occupied by Japan. This story has different endings as well. First variation: they were soon executed because they were thought to be American spies. Second variation: they were kept in prison because it was forbidden for foreigners to go to that island and either they died in captivity of diseases or they were executed.

The most extreme approach says that Amelia had been a spy for Franklin Delano Roosevelt and she landed on the island under Japanese occupation because the president asked her to collect information. According to this theory Roosevelt helped to woman to go back to New Jersey where she started a new life under new identity. This idea seems to be unlikely because of two reasons. Firstly, she was a good friend of the First Lady and the president wouldn't have involved her in spy activity. Secondly, the lady accused of being Amelia Earhart was definitely not the famous aviator. So this conspiracy theory was proven wrong.

The unsolved mystery of one of the world’s most famous women is still very attractive. Expeditions are organized even nowadays which are supported by Amelia’s surviving stepson. Amelia Earhart’s inspirational character and life story has been depicted in many books and films and motivated many women in the 1920s – 1930s. All in all, I think in spite of her unsuccessful last flight she became a leading role model not just for women but for aviators as well.

Darwin Awards

Darwin Awards

“Everyone contributes to the human genome, some with their births, while others with their deaths.”

The Darwin Awards are a humorous (and of course not serious) honor given to those people who represent the last part of the previous quote.

The famous Charles Darwin claimed that originally there has been a natural selection in nature meaning that the weakest link in the chain can’t survive (for example the slowest zebra is going to be eaten by the lions). This natural selection is said to maintain a quality of the species since the weakest ones won’t reproduce anymore.

But what does this look like concerning the human race?

Thanks to the enormous progress medicine and health care made even the weakest people can be saved. But there are two sides to every question. On the one hand, of course it’s a great thing that doctors can help people and more and more diseases can be cured. On the other hand, with this progress the natural selection is overwritten and from a biological point of view the quality of the human genome is getting worse.  However, there are people who, though not on purpose, contribute to the evolution by self-selecting themselves out of the gene pool.

"In the spirit of Charles Darwin, the Darwin Awards commemorate individuals who protect our gene pool by making the ultimate sacrifice of their own lives. Darwin Award winners eliminate themselves in an extraordinarily idiotic manner, thereby improving our species' chances of long-term survival." (Wendy Northcutt)

Wendy Northcutt established a website in 1993 and she is the author of numerous books collecting all the strange, funny or morbid stories about “people who have made the supreme sacrifice to keep their genes out of our pool”. To win this posthumous honor the “candidates” have to be dead or unable to reproduce and they have to be capable of sound judgment (old enough and in perfect(?) mental condition). Besides, they have to have caused their own death in a silly and unique way, which can be proved. Otherwise, the stories are considered urban legends. This honor became so famous that even a self-titled adventure comedy film was made in 2006.

If you’re interested in the topic and/or some of the stories:

http://www.darwinawards.com/

(they might be morbid, but (usually) not that brutal…)

Food discussion: NATIONAL DISHES

The Hungarian Cuisine

Question 7: Do you think your country's food is the best?
Answer: Hmm... Let me consider it!

As I come from Hungary, I decided to write about the Hungarian cuisine and I would like to present a couple of typical Hungarian dishes to you.

But first of all, I have to explain, what 'eating' means for the average Hungarian people. For us, there is no holiday without an abundant family dinner. For example, my mother starts planning the Christmas menu weeks before Christmas. We always have an endless to-do list, we do the shopping, and then we start preparing food days before the holiday. By the time Christmas Eve arrives, the fridge is filled with the family's favourite dishes, at least 5 types of 'cakes' are baked and we are all tired of the kitchen and cooking, but from that point on we do nothing else, just enjoy the holiday, eat and drink together. The whole family gathers for dinner, and we usually stay together until supper. So we can say, that the family events are somehow all centered around food.

Usually - even on normal days - we spend lots of time in the kitchen preparing our food. An average meal - almost without exception - consists of soup (e.g. goulash soup, clear chicken soup or fish soup), main course and afterwards often something sweet, pastry or cake.

Halászlé (fish soup)

Töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage)

One of the most important components of the Hungarian cuisine is definitely MEAT. I think, there are hardly any Hungarian dishes that cannot be somehow connected to pork, beef, chicken or fish. The most well-known dish is certainly the world-famous 'gulyás' (goulash) soup or stew made of beef, noodles and vegetables, especially potato, onion and paprika.

Gulyás

Another remarkable element of Hungary's cuisine is the 'vegetable stew' (főzelék) which is somewhere between the soup and the stew. It is a thick vegetable dish which can be made of cabbage, potato, tomato, peas, beans or even spinach. It usually does not appear in restaurants as it is a mainly home-made food and is considered to be an ordinary type of meal.

Főzelék (vegetable stew from peas)

Hungary has plenty of different desserts, for example the Dobos cake, 'bejgli' (cake roll filled with poppy seeds or nuts, mostly eaten at Christmas) or 'kürtőskalács' (chimney cake, baked over open fire, originates from Transylvania).

Kürtőskalács (chimney cake)

Dobos cake

And last but not least, the drinks. Hungary is famous for having a perfect climate and soil for wine production. As a result, the country has numerous excellent types of white and red wine. Another typical symbol of the country is the 'pálinka', a range of fruit brandies (usually plum, pear or peach), which are extremely strong, around 50 (V/V)%.

Wine

Pálinka

Question 7: Do you think your country's food is the best?
Answer: I wholeheartedly think, that Hungary's food is the best!

At least for me, the Hungarian meals outdo every other cuisine.

And finally a video: