Nelson Mandela (reading Excercise)

Nelson Mandela

Who was born in a country that viewed him as a second-class citizen, died Thursday as one of the most respected statesmen in the world.

President Jacob Zuma announced the death in a televised speech.

From his childhood as a herd boy, Mandela went on to lead the African National Congress' struggle against the racially oppressive, apartheid regime of South Africa. For his efforts, he spent 27 years behind bars as a political prisoner. In 1994, after Mandela was elected president in South Africa's first democratic elections, Archbishop Desmond Tutu shook with elation as he welcomed Mandela to a rally in Cape Town.

"One man inspires us all. One man inspires the whole world," Tutu said at the time. "Ladies and gentlemen, friends, fellow South Africans, welcome our brand new state president — out of the box: Nelson Mandela."

Political Awakening

Mandela was born in the Transkei, a region of rolling green hills near the southern tip of the African continent. In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, he recalled his childhood as a simple, joyful time. He herded sheep and cows near his mother's huts and played barefoot with other boys. He was educated by British missionaries, got a law degree and eventually opened the first black law firm in Johannesburg.

In the 1940s, Mandela became active with the Youth League of the African National Congress.

Tapping into the culture of black resistance that was sweeping Johannesburg, Mandela helped organize strikes and demonstrations against the country's system of racial segregation.

Later, Mandela and other ANC leaders decided that freedom songs and civil disobedience would never topple the apartheid government, so they set up Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the ANC. As a result of Umkhonto we Sizwe's guerrilla tactics, Mandela and seven other ANC leaders went on trial for sabotage in 1963.

Against the advice of his lawyers, Mandela gave a four-hour closing statement. He used the speech in what's known as the "Rivonia trial" to attack the apartheid system. Despite facing the death penalty, he defiantly told the court that his actions had been in pursuit of the ideal of a free, democratic society with equal opportunity for people of all races.

"It is an idea for which I hope to live for and to see realized but my Lord, if it needs be, it is an idea for which I am prepared to die," Mandela said at the time.

Mandela and his codefendants escaped the gallows but were sentenced to life in prison.

He would spend the next 27 years behind bars, much of that time in the maximum security prison on Robben Island. In prison he became a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement and the focal point of international campaigns to do away with racial segregation in South Africa.

'A War Of Attrition'

One of Mandela's co-defendants at the Rivonia trial was Ahmed Kathrada, who was one of Mandela's closest confidants inside and later outside prison.

In an interview with in 2004, Kathrada recalled Mandela playing a chess game for three days against a young medical student who had recently been incarcerated on the island.

"They played the first day, and when it came to lockup time, the game had not finished because Mandela calculates every move as he does in politics," Kathrada said.

Mandela persuaded one of the guards to lock the board away in an empty cell. At the end of the next day, the game was still not finished and the guard had to lock it away again.

"In the end, this young chap just gave up. He said, 'You win. I can't carry on this way,' " Kathrada said. "That's Mandela; it's a war of attrition and he won."

In Mandela's war of attrition against the apartheid government, South African President F.W. de Klerk made several offers to free him but Mandela would accept only an unconditional release.

In 1990, de Klerk did just that. Apartheid was on its final legs, and Africa's largest economy was, for the first time in centuries, headed for black majority rule.

'That Man Saved This Country'

The four years between Mandela's release from prison and South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994 were tumultuous, however.

Elements within the white apartheid government were desperately trying to retain power. Violent clashes between supporters of the Zulu-based Inkatha Freedom Party and Mandela's ANC left many foreign observers predicting that South Africa would disintegrate into a bloody civil war.

But Mandela's paternal, grandfatherly presence had a calming effect across the country. In 1993, he and de Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize. After winning the 1994 election, Mandela reached out to South Africans of all races to help build an equitable and prosperous country.

"We place our vision of a new constitutional order for South Africa on the table not as conquerors, prescribing to the conquered," Mandela said at the time. "We speak as fellow citizens to heal the wounds of the past with the intent of constructing a new order based on justice for all. This is the challenge that faces all South Africans today, and it is one to which I am certain we will all rise."

Possibly his greatest political move was his decision to serve only one term as president. This was partly because he was 80, but also because he said he wanted to establish a tradition of contested, democratic elections.

During the 2004 presidential elections in which Thabo Mbeki won a second term, South Africans of all races stood in long lines to cast their ballots. Before 1994, none of the black people in those lines would have been allowed to vote. Mlongi Sitcholosa, a black schoolteacher waiting to vote in the township of Soweto, credited one man with changing that: Mandela.

"That man saved this country," Sitcholosa said. "If it wasn't because of him this country would have gone to flame, but because of his wisdom and his intelligence he saved this country."

Personal Life

In his autobiography, Mandela notes that his struggle against apartheid took a toll on his personal life.

Toward the end of the book Mandela says: "To be the father of a nation is a great honor, but to be the father of a family is a greater joy. But it is a joy I had far too little of."

He had four children with his first wife, Evelyn Mase. Three of them died before him. Mandela's son, Makgatho, died of an HIV-related illness in 2005.

His marriage to Winnie Madikizela Mandela survived his incarceration but disintegrated soon after he was released. He watched his daughters from this second marriage grow up through the glass of prison visitor's rooms.

But in his waning years, Mandela's home life finally improved. Rumors that he was in love started to surface in 1996. Graca Machel, the widow of Mozambican President Samora Machel, was seen frequently in Mandela's presence. For his 80th birthday, the two got married in a tiny, private ceremony.

Friends say that Machel brought Mandela the joy that he felt he'd missed as he struggled for decades to bring freedom to South Africa.

5 Things World Changers Don’t Do

Hello, this artilce was taken from the followong link:
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/god-our-generation/5-things-world-changers-don%E2%80%99t-do 
the author is Mallory Cruz.
Mallory Cruz lives in Atlanta with her husband, Kyle, and new baby girl, Lilian. She's passionate about Jesus, marriage, freedom and culture and spends a lot of time writing for her blog, mallorycruz.com.



A few common mistakes made by people who set out to make a difference.

We’ve all felt it at some point: A desire to do something big, to change the world.
We get inspired, make some big, idealistic plans, but often, we become disillusioned. We give up and return to our everyday routines.
But true world change is not an event, it’s a lifestyle, and it can’t be done alone.
As much discussion as we’ve heard over our generation, I believe that we can be world changers. Millennials have been called entitled by most and lazy by some, yet none deny we are on the brink of something great.
So let’s prove our doubters wrong. Let’s be each other’s greatest encouragers and be committed to finishing strong. It doesn’t happen overnight but with each individual decision. And while there are many attitudes we should take on to reach our full potential, there are a few we need to shed.
Here are a few things world changers don’t do:

1. Try to Get Worth From Others

All it takes is 30 seconds on Instagram for someone to be convinced that we must be the most confident generation in history. Opening the app and reversing the camera to take a picture of ourselves has become second nature, along with reopening it 10 minutes later to see how many likes you’ve gotten.
Is this a reflection of a self-obsessed culture or is it proof that we’re actually the least confident, desperately in need of constant affirmation? We constantly place ourselves on display, anxiously awaiting the world’s response, allowing that response to either boost or demolish whatever amount of self-esteem we’ve mustered that day.
It’s time we ask ourselves why. What if every selfie and social media post actually reflected someone that was truly confident and lived from a place of self-worth and empowerment instead of a need for affirmation? More so, what if our actions were an outward sign of inner confidence, simply done without expectation or need?

2. Focus on What NOT to be Instead of What TO Be

Millennials grew up under the Baby Boomers, a generation determined to succeed and achieve, probably a result of seeing their parents directly affected in the Great Depression. Consequently, many of us viewed their success and longevity in a career as a mundane devotion.
While the decision not to settle for a career you’re not passionate about seems admirable, the problem arises when we, as a generation, strive so hard NOT to become something instead of striving TO become something that we inadvertently become just that: nothing. We don’t know what we want to be, yet we’re confident in what we DON’T want to be. By the time we realize we’ve spent years trying NOT to be something, we're wondering what in the world happened!

Without a doubt, I believe our generation has the ability to change the world in ways not yet even imagined. However, we’ve created our own hindrance with a unique threshold that we force ourselves to meet instead of allowing ourselves to relax, dream big and go after it with everything we have.

If you want to be a doctor, be a doctor. If you want to own a boutique, do it. If you don’t care, then find a job you enjoy in a comfortable environment and give it 100 percent. Just because I might want something out of the ordinary doesn’t give me the right to judge someone who doesn’t. I mean, someone has to work the jobs in the industries I take advantage of every day, so criticizing them reveals more about my character than theirs.

3. Fear Commitment

From marriage statistics to job commitment, it’s no secret that we Millennials avoid commitment as if its the plague. We say we’re holding out for the best, but if we’re honest, we’re probably much more controlled by fear than motivated by the desire to find “the one,” whether referring to a spouse or career.
I don’t think you should marry the next man/woman that comes your way nor do I think you should spend years in a career you dislike. However, there’s a refining and development of character that can only come when we decide to commit ourselves. Because when we’re committed, we don’t leave when things get tough or our pride gets damaged.
What if we coupled our creativity with commitment and when we got a great idea, we decided to stay with it until it actually happened? And what if we made the decision to get married based on what we are going to give rather than what we are going to receive?We have the capability and desire to redefine marriage and create amazing careers. However, it requires putting fear aside, taking a risk, and a making decision to commit!

4. Reject the Church

Look, I’ll be first to admit that there are few places more broken than the Church. So often we start doing something because of God but we quit because of people. For most of us, people are very reason we decide to join a church—and the reason we decide to leave.
We walk into a church and our critical eyes are scoping it all out. Immediately, we start making judgments. We go for a few weeks or maybe a few months then we get offended or bored and that’s it. We leave and decide, “it wasn’t for me.”
If we love Jesus, we must love truth. If we love truth, we must love the Word. If we love the Word, we must love the Church. It’s as simple as that. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a part of the generation who is written about in the history books as the ones in charge when most Americans abandoned the Church.
That being said, what if instead of deciding to join a church based on what we get every Sunday, we decide to join because we believe in its vision and we decide to commit ourselves to pursue that vision along side the other members? What if we no longer treat the Church like a restaurant someone is forcing us to go to, rating each Sunday’s service based on what we receive and actually decide that this is simply the place you have decided to give? At the very least, we must create and sustain places for non-believers to come, meet Jesus and find their new life. If we start there, the possibilities are endless.

5. Become Complacent

Of everything I write, this is most important. We must never stop, slow down or detour from the pursuit of knowing Jesus, the true Father and Holy Spirit. We are a generation who is desperate for something real and at work. We must channel that into a relentless pursuit of Jesus.
Let’s pursue Him in such a way that we are more familiar with His words than we are our own. Let’s pray for increased hunger. Let’s not base our theology on our experiences but let’s be so sure of who He is that everything around us is transformed. Let’s not compromise His character to appease our minds and emotions but instead, let’s stand firm, waiting and acting in expectation and faith. Let’s say “I’ll pray for you” and actually mean it, and let’s stand with our community until breakthrough happens.
Let’s be committed to see heaven invade Earth with the love of Jesus, remaining strong through trial and steadfast in our faith.

10 things rich people do

Hello Everyone, I found this interesting article that can be a great -listening to australian accent- excercise as well as a good general culture excercise.

10 things rich people do which poor people don't

ARE rich people just good with money or is there something a little deeper underpinning their success?

Most people would agree that certain lifestyle choices and daily habits are as valuable in the quest for wealth as a sound understanding of finances.

On the flipside, there's a bunch of stuff you should never, ever do if financial security is one of your main goals.

For your sake, we've boiled this thing down to 10 things which rich people do and poor people don't. And as we've already said, these things have nothing to do with money.

1. EAT RIGHT

Corley undertook his own research on the habits of rich people and poor people - by interviewing real people - and he found that 70 per cent of wealthy people eat less than 300 junk food calories each day. By contrast, 97 per cent of poor people eat more than 300 junk food calories per day.

2. KEEP YOUR CARDS CLOSE TO YOUR CHEST

Only fools disclose what’s really on their mind.

Are you the sort of person who blurts out every thought on their mind? Stop it. It's not making you seem bold or cool or visionary or anything, but is in fact labelling you as dangerous, potentially treasonous and definitely not the sort of person who will ear promotions. Corley found that 11.6 per cent of wealthy people say what's on their mind, compared to a whopping 69 per cent of poor people.

3. SET GOALS

Eighty per cent of wealthy people are focused on accomplishing some single goal, compared to just 12 per cent of poor people. And wealthy people are four times as likely to write down their goals as poor people. Corley has some great stuff on his blog about the difference between a wish and a goal.

4. KEEP FIT

Well, you know what they say about healthy body, healthy mind. According to our American friends, 76 per cent of wealthy people exercise aerobically at least four days a week. Only 23 per cent of poor people do this.

5. BE ORGANISED

It's almost too simple to be true, but 81 per cent of wealthy people keep a to-do list. Just 19 per cent of poor people do this. Want a good tip? Try an old-fashioned bit of paper. Crossing stuff off with a pen just feels good.

6. READ

Interestingly, the authors also found that wealthy people tend to read to their kids way more than people do.

A massive 88 per cent of wealthy people read material which relates to their education or career for at least 30 minutes each day, while just 2 per cent of poor people do likewise. Want to swim in an Olympic Pool of $100 bills? Then stop playing Angry Birds and pick up a book.

7. RING GRANDMA

Corley found that 80 of rich people make Happy Birthday calls to family and their close onescompared to just 11 per cent of poor people. And while we're not suggesting that ringing Grandma will MAKE you rich, this stat does speak to the old adage: "if you want something done, give it to a busy person".

8. DON'T WATCH BIG BROTHER

We all know that watching reality TV, soap operas etc. will turn your brain to eggplant or possibly mashed zucchini. Either way, you are indulging in the number one activity which keeps nobodies from becoming somebodies. Corley found that 67 per cent of wealthy people watch an hour or less of TV each day - and that just 6 per cent watch reality TV. Yes, just 6 per cent, compared to 78 per cent of poor people.

9. DON'T PUNT

Only 23 per cent of wealthy people gamble, compared to 52 per cent of poor people. Bear in mind these stats pertain to Americans, so the number of gamblers is likely significantly higher here in Australia.

10. RUN YOUR OWN RACE

It might not hurt to run to the side of the road a little, both literally and figuratively.

The advice to run your own race isn't contained anywhere in the material published by the American wealth guys this week. But the irony of lists like these is that you'll never get anywhere in life if you follow everything word for word. Take the bits that apply to you, but remember to be a little flexible and do things your way.

… AND ONE LAST THOUGHT

The author of this piece is firmly of the belief that a lot of poor people are simply too busy or disadvantaged one way or another to change their situation. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to pick themselves up.

That said, there's a great comment on Dave Ramsey's blog which offers hope to all. Writes "Poornomore": "I was born poor, raised in poverty and watched my parents die that way. I worked hard, eliminated my bad habits, started doing what the wealthy did. Mostly I stopped blaming others for my lack of wealth. Now I am wealthy, and help others who want to be helped."

GQ

Take & Get

Talk english.com Practice speaking!

Many people can read and write, but have a hard time speaking. The reason is because they practice reading and writing, but do not practice speaking. Many people do not have an English speaking person to practice with so it is hard to practice speaking, so check:

http://en.talkenglish.com/

There are thousands of audio files and hundreds of interactive dialogues to help people practice their speaking. The entire website is free to use so practice your speaking and learn how to speak English fluently for free.

Hello here is a nice fun tool to get and share I found it on Facebook here is the link:





http://englishfuncast.com/10-singers-to-listen-to-improve-your-english/


Here is a little excerpt:

...I love music... Remember one of the reasons you decided to learn English is not only to become more successful in life and understand the language. It is also so that you can enjoy the language and culture. Listening to English songs and reading the lyrics along with the song is not only a great way to improve English but a great way to enjoy it.  The following is a list of my top ten favorite Artists and songs for improving your English. There should be something for everyone in this list. We have all kinds of genres like country, folk, blues, country,reggae, rap, and much more. I hope that the following list will introduce you some new artists and songs . For lessons about English music go to the English Funcast Institute for weekly lessons about some of my favorite artists. I hope you listen and enjoy!...

now below are the links for teh songs, click on them so you can review them and use them in your learning/teaching experience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN36JM8l52g&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCf23ZTFaDM&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3yCcXgbKrE&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY6A5arNCQQ&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT6bgyimP8g&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=69kTbYNZvtY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-ZUXQuFcnw&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9fUrN_m-p2w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gjy21t5fwo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5_g6BI9WZ0&feature=player_embedded

I hope you find it useful and fun!

Please give me your comments and share it!

GQ

I love music. Remember one of the reasons you decided to learn English is not only to become more successful in life and understand the language. It is also so that you can enjoy the language and culture. Listening to English songs and reading the lyrics along with the song is not only a great way to improve English but a great way to enjoy it.  The following is a list of my top ten favorite Artists and songs for improving your English. There should be something for everyone in this list. We have all kinds of genres like country, folk, blues, country,reggae, rap, and much more. I hope that the following list will introduce you some new artists and songs . For lessons about English music go to the English Funcast Institute for weekly lessons about some of my favorite artists. I hope you listen and enjoy the following artists. - See more at: http://englishfuncast.com/10-singers-to-listen-to-improve-your-english/#sthash.kI2Glta2.dpuf

I love music. Remember one of the reasons you decided to learn English is not only to become more successful in life and understand the language. It is also so that you can enjoy the language and culture. Listening to English songs and reading the lyrics along with the song is not only a great way to improve English but a great way to enjoy it.  The following is a list of my top ten favorite Artists and songs for improving your English. There should be something for everyone in this list. We have all kinds of genres like country, folk, blues, country,reggae, rap, and much more. I hope that the following list will introduce you some new artists and songs . For lessons about English music go to the English Funcast Institute for weekly lessons about some of my favorite artists. I hope you listen and enjoy the following artists. - See more at: http://englishfuncast.com/10-singers-to-listen-to-improve-your-english/#sthash.kI2Glta2.dpuf

I love music. Remember one of the reasons you decided to learn English is not only to become more successful in life and understand the language. It is also so that you can enjoy the language and culture. Listening to English songs and reading the lyrics along with the song is not only a great way to improve English but a great way to enjoy it.  The following is a list of my top ten favorite Artists and songs for improving your English. There should be something for everyone in this list. We have all kinds of genres like country, folk, blues, country,reggae, rap, and much more. I hope that the following list will introduce you some new artists and songs . For lessons about English music go to the English Funcast Institute for weekly lessons about some of my favorite artists. I hope you listen and enjoy the following artists. - See more at: http://englishfuncast.com/10-singers-to-listen-to-improve-your-english/#sthash.kI2Glta2.dpufI love music. Remember one of the reasons you decided to learn English is not only to become more successful in life and understand the language. It is also so that you can enjoy the language and culture. Listening to English songs and reading the lyrics along with the song is not only a great way to improve English but a great way to enjoy it.  The following is a list of my top ten favorite Artists and songs for improving your English. There should be something for everyone in this list. We have all kinds of genres like country, folk, blues, country,reggae, rap, and much more. I hope that the following list will introduce you some new artists and songs . For lessons about English music go to the English Funcast Institute for weekly lessons about some of my favorite artists. I hope you listen and enjoy the following artists. - See more at: http://englishfuncast.com/10-singers-to-listen-to-improve-your-english/#sthash.kI2Glta2.dpuf

Do you speak English?

Would you be interested in getting tips?
images, classes, courses vocabulary etc.

let me know!

Why Learn English: 10 Reasons to Learn English

There are many reasons to learn English, but because it is one of the most difficult languages to learn it is important to focus on exactly why it is you want to learn English. Here we will look at ten great reasons why English is so important. Post this list somewhere you can see it and it will montivate you to keep going even when you are tired of trying to figure out which witch is which!


    English is the most commonly used language among foreign language speakers. Throughout the world, when people with different languages come together they commonly use English to communicate.

    Why learn English when it is so difficult? Well, knowing English will make you bilingual and more employable in every country in the world.

    Despite China, the United States is still a leader in technical innovation and economic development. English is used in the United States and in each of these fields.

    English is commonly spoken throughout much of the world due to Great Britian’s expansion during the colonial age. People in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, parts of Africa, India, and many smaller island nations speak English. English is the commonly adopted second language in Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. Speaking English opens these countries and cultures up to you.

    Another reason why English is so important is that it is the language of science. To excel in science you need to know English.

    English is based on an alphabet  and, compared to Chinese, it can be learned fairly quickly.

    English is also the language of the Film Industry and English means you no longer have to rely on subtitles.

    In the United States, speaking English immediately opens up opportunities regardless of your ethnicity, color, or background.

    Learn English and you can then teach your children English -- or if they are already learning, you can now communicate with them in English.

    English speakers in the United States earn more money than non-English speakers. Learning English will open your job prospects and increase your standard of living.

Virtual english Mx

Hello everyone! The idea for this blog is basically to post ideas, tips, classes and everything related to online english learning. Hopefully it will become a nice aid for us to help each other. Feel free to read it out and share your ideas as well.