English at CEAPUCV: March 2017

Author of the month: Aesop

The life of Aesop is a bit of a mystery. There is even some debate if Aesop was an actual person or just a name used by another writer. However, there have been mentions of Aesop in Greek history, which has allowed historians to piece together a biography (if it is true that he exists). Many of the stories about Aesop contain mythical interventions and legends.

Aesop is believed to have been alive from 620 to 560 BC. It was believed that he was a slave, but was given his freedom because of his literacy and storytelling. He is also described with many physical deformities and a speech impediment that was healed by a deity. Aesop was said to have escaped punishment many times throughout his life, often standing up to his accusers and telling a story that showed the irony or the characteristics of those punishing him. His death is just as much of a mystery as his life. It is believed that he stole a gold or silver cup and was violently put to death by being thrown off a cliff.

Although Aesop is mentioned in Greek history, particularly by Greek historian Herodotus and Aristotle, many scholars do not believe that he actually existed. There is simply just not enough proof to confirm that he was alive.

Aesop is credited with more than six hundred fables. Fables are short stories that teach a moral, or lesson, to children. The stories are often funny, and the themes are easy for children to understand. The characters of fables are usually animals who act and talk like people but still have animal traits. The fables tell a story and end with a moral. Some of the more well-known morals credited to Aesop are:

A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush
Beauty is only skin deep
Birds of a feather flock together
Choose the lesser of two evils
Every man for himself
Let well alone
Necessity is the mother of invention
Once bitten, twice shy
One good turn deserves another
Slow but steady wins the race
Think before you act

Information retrieved from: http://study.com/academy/lesson/who-is-aesop-biography-fables-morals.html

Image retrieved from: http://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/aesop-greek-aesops-fables/

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Landmarks

Learning about culture is a very important part of learning new languages. This part is dedicated to landmarks in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Universidad Central de Venezuela (as CEPAUCV is part of the UCV).

Houses of Parliament

The Palace of Westminster, usually called the Houses of Parliament, is situated alongside the River Thames in Westminster, London. Britain’s Members of Parliament meet here.

The building was designed by architect Charles Barry and built in the 1840s, replacing an earlier building destroyed by fire. The complex of buildings covers 8 acres and has over 1,100 rooms.

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Information retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Palace_of_Westminster and http://primaryfacts.com/1987/palace-of-westminster-facts-about-the-houses-of-parliament/

Image retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11206403/ Deteroriating-Houses-of-Parliament-could-catch-fire-again-warn-Parliament-officials.html

The Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper located on Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th Streets in Midtown, Manhattan, New York City. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet (381 m), and with its antenna included, it stands a total of 1,454 feet (443.2 m) tall. Its name is derived from the nickname for New York, the Empire State. It stood as the world's tallest building for nearly 40 years, from its completion in early 1931 until the topping out of the original World Trade Center's North Tower in late 1970.
The Empire State Building is an American cultural icon. It is designed in the distinctive Art Deco style and has been named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Information retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Empire_State_Building

Image retrieved from: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/empire-state-building-photo-contest-gallery-1.1474408

In the Aula Magna you can find one of the most famous works of art in Universidad Central de Venezuela: Calder clouds from Alexander Calder. These plates were specially designed for the Aula Magna, and they have two main purposes: to decorate the auditorium and to regulate the acoustics in this place.

Information retrieved from: https://patrimoniocuc.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/
nubesalexander-calder/ and translated by Ayleen Trujillo Ruiz
Image retrieved from: http://www.panoramio.com/user/184490?with_photo_id=11922443