MIND THE GAP (magazine) by Elena Iodice

MAY 2017 Issue 1

5 WAYS TO LEARN ENGLISH FASTER !

WHY YOU SHOULD READ HARRY POTTER RIGHT NOW !

PLUS: ï&#x201A;¨

The BEATLES (White Album) REVIEW

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This magazine has the purpose to inspire and entertain students of the English language with articles about the British culture.â&#x20AC;? - Elena Iodice 2

WHAT’S INSIDE: Page 4 —This Is Me All you have to know about the Magazine’s Writer Page 8 — What I Wished I’d Known Before My Year Abroad In England Funny facts about England Page 10 — 5 Ways to Learn English Faster! Page 11 — According to Research… Who Reads Harry Potter Lives Better Page 12 — Review: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child Page 14 — Review: The BEATLES (White Album) [All the pictures have been taken by Elena Iodice, except for those at the pages: 7,8,9,10,12,14,15,16,17.]

Some facts that you should know if you want I can speak 5 languages: Italian, English,

to know me better…

French, Spanish, German (more or less), and I know a little bit of Chinese. WHO AM I? I have an elder sister, one father, one moThis is a very difficult question. As a matter ther, and no pets. of fact, I have a completely different percepI live in the same city where the Parmesan tion of myself compared to the other people. cheese was created and I have some of it in So, maybe what I’m going to tell you about my fridge which I brought from Italy. me is not so accurate, but I would like you to I think I am a sincere and reliable friend. I take it as the truth. am honest, joyful, and optimistic. I am hypeFirst of all, I’m a 21-year-old Italian girl. I ractive and I have no patience. study foreign languages at the University of Parma, but currently I’m studying as an Erasmus student at the University of Kent. I have got red hair and lots of freckles. 4

WHAT I LIKE TO DO? As I said previously, I’m an active person. I like to take long walks in the park or in the city, I like to go shopping with my mum and sister (and my father’s credit card) and I like to hang out with my friends. I like sports in general. I like to watch games or play any kind of sport with my friends even if I know I’m not actually really good at it. I play football in a team, and I like to play as a striker (but I wish I could score more goals than I usually do…). I love music. I started learning to play the piano when I was 5 years old. Then, at 7 years old I started to play the violin in a conservatory, but I left that school at 14 years old. I love classical music. My favourite opera is Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and I can sing most of it. Finally, at 15 years old I started playing the guitar in another music school, and I still play it. I’m enthusiastic about photography. I have a reflex camera and I even gave it a name. I like to carry it with me everywhere I go because I like to think that by taking pictures I can fix in my mind some moments of my life and never forget them. I’m passionate about that since I was 13 years old, when I started taking pictures of road

signs. Yes, I have an Instagram account and I spend approximately two hours every day on it.

Me taking a picture in Lerici, Italy

I like to cook. I started cooking with my dad since I was a little girl, and it’s him who taught me how to do it. I cook for myself almost every day for lunch and dinner and I also love to watch TV cooking shows. I’m always interested in trying new foods from different countries, and I have to say I tried quite a lot. So far, the English cuisine is the worst I ever tried. I love all kinds of food in general, and, although I’m obsessed with sushi and pizza, my favourite dish is lasagne.

WHERE AM I? At the moment, I’m in my bedroom writing this essay on my computer, but I think the most appropriate question would be: WHERE WILL I BE?. In effect, in 4 months this won’t be my room anymore and I will probably be having an aperitivo with my friends in Italy. However, since I’m an enthusiastic traveller, I like to think that I will be travelling somewhere with my family.

WHEN… ? Yesterday, now and tomorrow. Yes, I think that every single moment of my life is meaningful. This is why I like to think about my past to recollect the sweet memories of my childhood, but I also think this is helpful for learning from my mistakes. I think the present is the most important, and I try to enjoy every day of my life and give value to every little thing. When I think about my future, I don’t really know what to expect from it. My only wish is always to be happy.

I AM ELENA, and this is a little bit about me.

This is to all my Italian friends who are thinking about moving to the U.K. There are only 1,6925382 kilometres between London and Rome, but you should be aware that there are some considerable differences related to culture and local traditions. Therefore, I thought of giving you some advice that may be helpful whether you decide to spend your year abroad in England. So, before booking your flight ticket, take a look at some of the cultural differences that aroused my curiosity the first time I saw them because of their uniqueness… but don’t worry, after a while you’ll get used to them.

Number 1: THE SINK. Dear Italians, forget washing your hands with warm water; in effect, in England the tubing of cold and hot water is separated. This means you must take a decision: you must choose if you want to wash your hands ONLY with cold or hot water. But beware of using directly hot water: you could get burned ! 8

Number 2: THE PUB. The pub is like a religion. The typical English pub is always full with people at any hour of the day. Here is where friends meet to have a chat and drink a good pint together. Every Sunday during the Sunday’s football match, the pub transforms itself into a stadium and everyone starts shouting at the TV in order to incite their team. By the way, the pub is the best place where you can make new friends and spend a lovely night with them. Finally, never refuse when someone offers you a pint: he/she could be hurt for the rest of his life.

Number 3: THE FITTED CARPET. It should create in the room an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort. Even if it looks like it’s old and dirty, it will make you feel like you were at home reading a book near the fireplace. It is soft and usually decorated with different patterns. You will find it anywhere, even on a train.

Number 4: THE QUEUE. Dear Italians, you must be prepared to queue everywhere. To enter a room, to go on the bus and even to cross a road. Respect the queue and nothing will happen to you.

Number 5: THE WEATHER. The English sun is shy: it’s a scientific fact. Dear Italians, after a week that you’ll be here in England, you may ask yourselves if someone stole the sun. You could also be regretting those warm and sunny Italian days you’ll miss a lot once you’ll be here… But actually, you’ll find out that the famous English rain isn’t so bad after all. The English wind is much worse. Forget about your fancy coloured umbrellas, and hurry up to buy a raincoat and some high boots: you’ll definitely need them !

...here are some little tips for you!

These are the 5 best ways to learn English faster: 1 – LABEL IT: As languages students, we all know that the most difficult task when learning a foreign language is to remember all the words. The vocabulary of a language is huge, but we should know as many words as we can if we want to achieve a high level of linguistic competency. My advice to remember new words is to put a label on things. Obviously, this can only be useful when studying words of objects: you can’t put a label on a person or an animal!!! Anyway, by doing this, you will learn a high amount of useful words. 2 – WATCH FILMS: It is commonly known that films can improve your linguistic knowledge because they challenge your listening comprehension. As a matter of fact, with films the learner is put forward to an almost truthful and genuine conversation. Furthermore, it can improve your knowledge of the vocabulary, the different forms of the spoken language, and accents. If your linguistic level isn’t too high you should start by watching films for children or cartoons. 3 – LISTEN TO SONGS: If babies learn their language through lullabies, why couldn’t you learn a foreign language through songs? Listening to songs while reading the lyrics is really useful to improve your vocabulary and to learn the spelling and pronunciation of words. When you listen to a song for the first time, listen carefully to the lyrics and try to write it on a piece of paper. Then, check what you have understood comparing it with the lyrics. 4 – READ BOOKS: What better way to learn a new language? Reading books not only is amusing and entertaining, but it is also a great way to get used to phrasal patterns and common expressions. Furthermore, you will always encounter new words for sure; my advice is to write them on a list and, after you have finished reading the chapter, to translate them and create your personal dictionary. Moreover, by reading books, you can also learn about the culture and the society of the foreign country. Remember that if you decide to study a foreign language, it is also important to know about the society and the culture of that country. 5 – TRAVEL: All the methods listed before are really useful for learning a new language, but the most effective one is, for sure, getting in touch concretely with the language by talking to native speakers. By spending some time in the foreign country, you will hear the accents and the typical expressions of the spoken language. You will be able to practise your knowledge and this will be beneficial both for your fluency and listening comprehension.

Start reading right now these books! WHO READS HARRY POTTER LIVES BETTER! INTRODUCTION: if you are one of the unlucky people who confidence. Reading the books, we learn that we should have never read the ups and downs of ‘The Boy Who Live- face our problems just like Harry did, and never give up d’, stop immediately reading this article and run to the even when it seems that we would never do it. The key to nearest bookshop to buy the entire Harry Potter collecsuccess is being faithful to yourself and never stop belietion. ving in our dreams. In effect, according to a research published on a paper in 4- SCHOOL IS NECESSARY the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, people who read According to a lot of young people, going to school and Harry Potter are open-minded, have a deeper identity, studying may sound boring and useless. In reality, knowand are more respectful towards other people. ledge and culture are essentials. As a matter of fact, Harry So, here are 5 facts that characterise the books and that and his friends would have never been able to defeat all have been shown to shape the identity of the readers. the wicked creatures they encountered if they hadn’t They create a distinction between the Harry Potter’s rea- know the spells and how to fight them. Furthermore, the ders and those who have never read the books or saw the school is important for Harry because here not only he films… If you are among the disciples of the little wizard, increase his knowledge of magic, but also because here he you can surely recognise yourself in all of these features. finds safety and protection. Hogwarts is a safe place and it’s like a real shelter to all his students. Furthermore, this 1- THEY TEACH TOLERANCE school is not only a place where to learn charms or poExperts say that in the Harry Potter’s stories we can find tions, but it also teaches you to evaluate feelings and hustigmatised characters who are rejected by the society. man relationships. Here, Harry learned about real love For example, trolls and ogres are marginalised species in and friendship thanks to his schoolmates, but he also had the magic world since they are ugly and dangerous. Howe- a lot of friends among his professors. He showed us the ver, Harry and his friends show compassion and compre- importance to listen to the professor’s advices since their hension towards these creatures and they are able to acwisdom and experience can be useful to us. If we follow cept them. The three friends, therefore, teach the readers their wisdom we can learn how to deal with difficulties not to have prejudices against different cultures, to be and troubles of life. open-minded, and to be always open to the dialogue. 5- OVERCOME YOUR FEARS 2- FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT Ron was afraid of spiders, Harry was afraid of being alone, Harry is an unlucky boy: he is an orphan and he has to live Neville Longbottom was afraid of… everything! As in the with some dreadful relatives who treat him like a dog. He books, also in real life we all fear something or someone, has a lot of enemies too! His life would have never been but Harry and his friends showed us that nothing can deeasy if he hadn’t have his friends by his side! He could feat us if we live our life with courage. In order to overcohave never defeated Voldemort without his friends’ aid me our weaknesses we have to believe in ourselves and and support. Harry has taught us that friends can be as we have to trust our qualities and our talent. Furthermoour family and we have to be honest with them. They will re, we have to rely also on our friends’ advices and help always be there to help us and to show us the right way. because they can show us the right way to follow. Reading But the most important thing that we can learn from the the books, we have learned that, most of the time, our Harry Potter’s books is that, in the end, friendship and biggest fears and anxieties are generated especially by our love can beat even the most terrible enemy. own mind. For this reason, it is important that we listen to 3- BE DETERMINED our heart and to follow our dreams, because they will If Harry has become one of the most powerful wizards of bring us to the success. all times is because he never stopped believing in himself, even at the most difficult times. He has always been aware of his qualities and his virtues, and he has overcome every difficulty thanks to his optimism and self11

START READING THIS HARRY POTTER BOOK NOW!

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD— REVIEW I remember one morning, when I was 11 years old, waiting in the queue outside the local bookshop in my hometown in Italy to get one of the first copies of the last Harry Potter book. I remember my impatience and my excitement, and the general enthusiasm that exploded when the bookshop opened the doors to let the young readers enter. That year was 2007, and now it has been almost 10 years since J.K. Rowling published her last HP book. Anyway, even if I’m not the same little teenage girl of 2007, all those magical feelings haven’t changed. Last year, I queued all day long outside of the same bookshop in order to get a copy of the latest Harry Potter book.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has been greeted by all Harry Potter’s fans all over the world as a relief from the several years of abstinence without a new HP book. The book is slightly different from the others of the saga because it’s written in the form of a play by Jack Thorne, but it’s based on the story of J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany. 12

The story unfolds 19 years after the events narrated in Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows, and it’s about the adventures of Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy, namely Harry and Draco’s sons. As always, Voldemort is threatening the wizarding world, but this time the main danger is represented by his daughter Delphi. The two friends will try save the world together with their parents and their friends, who will help them overcome the difficulties and defeat the evil. The plot is engaging and captivating, the writing style is emotional, and the text is rich in ideas and thoughts that lead the reader to constantly reflect on their life. As in the whole saga, the main theme of this book is friendship, but also family and love. This is the book that every Harry Potter’s fan was waiting for, because it shows Harry, Hermione and Ron from a completely different perspective. The three friends are no longer three teenagers always looking for trouble,

but now they have grown up, and they have children and responsibilities. Ron and Hermione are the cutest couple ever, Harry is an apprehensive father, and Draco is looking for everybody’s forgiveness for all the evil things that he has done. The readers realises that the characters have to deal with difficulties concerning ordinary problems of everyday life, and this is why they are bonded to the magicians. In all her books, J.K. Rowling has created characters full of humanity and compassion who reflect the readers’ feelings and emotions; she has the ability to make the reader take part in the events and be side by side with Harry and his friends. This is what makes HP books so unique, and J.K. Rowling has made it once again!

HP 13

The BEATLES (White Album) Review Now I would like you to join me in a journey to the past. Now close your eyes and imagine to be walking in Piccadilly Circus, in central London, during the Sixties. All around you thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of new shops, the roads are full of double-decker buses, and the place is filled with teenagers dressed with colourful clothes. You are in the era of the Beat Generation, and London is the global capital of culture and music.

tish society started changing and evolving, and it has influenced the occidental culture all over the world. This is why nowadays, when thinking about the British culture, one canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but think about the Beat Generation and its iconic style. England has been the birthplace of the precursors of this revolutionary artistic movement, who believed in ideals of free love, peace, and independence. BriFrom the first years of this deca- tish artists have been able to de, England has flourished in export the British culture and arts, music and culture. The Briart with their works.

The Swinging London: Piccadilly Circus in 1968 14

To go back in time we won’t use a time machine, but we will simply need a music album. I’m thinking about a specific record: The BEATLES, better known as The White Album.

The Beatles in 1968 during a photoshoot for the White Album. From left to right: John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr recorded this album in 1968, in their studios in Abbey Road, in central London. This is the ninth album of the band, which formed 8 years before in Liverpool. In 5 years, the band became world-famous and it helped to spread the image of the British culture and society worldwide. LET’S GO!!!

The BEATLES (White Album) review

The album consists of 30 songs, most of which have been written by the duo Lennon/McCartney, except from 4 songs that have been composed by Harrison, and 1 by Ringo Starr. It is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and it has been produced and orchestrated by George Martin, the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loyal producer.

In 1968, London was becoming an important mul- tive: it is all white, differently from all the other ticultural city and, not by coincidence, the first albums of the time which had colourful and psytrack of the White Album is called Back in the chedelic covers. U.S.S.R. It depicts the society of some Eastern European countries and its women in particular. It is a typical rock and roll song, with captivating sounds and rhythm; the guitars and the drums create a ballad that you wish it could never end: the White Album couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t start with a better song! LISTEN TO The influence of foreign cultures is also clear in REVOLUTION 1 songs such as Dear Prudence and Long, Long, Long, which melt the pop music with Indian sounds and the Eastern atmosphere.

Here

In general, the album is polyhedral, innovative, never banal or boring, it is plenty of new sounds and musical instruments. This is one of the most revolutionary albums of pop music: the Fab4 have created new shades of sounds by using new music techniques, such as the distorted guitar in Helter Skelter and Revolution 1 Even the cover is innova-

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=BGLGzRXY5Bw

By the way, the album reveals signs of disagreement and discord within the members of the group, which will break up in 2 years. As a matter of fact, differently from all the previous albums of the band, in the White Album all the songs are disconnected, they are not related to each other, and the album doesn’t have a common thread. The songs are works of art isolated from one another, and they reflect the personalities and individualities of their composer.

take as an example two songs: Why don’t we do it in the road?, and the following song I Will. They have been written mostly by Paul McCartney but they are completely opposite both in the music and the text. The first one is an hymn to the freedom of sex, it is composed by only one stanza of three verses, and the musical accompaniment is constituted only by the drums, the piano and one guitar. On the other hand, I Will is a romantic love ballad, the text is a poem dedicated to Paul’s lover and the music is filled with sweet harmonies and The heterogeneity of the album is clearer if we refined melodies.

The following track is another love ballad, written by John Lennon and dedicated to his mother, who died when he was 18 years old. The song is heartbreaking: the text is emotional and the music is touching; the title is simply the name of the woman: Julia. This is one of the very few times that Lennon left his feelings uncovered, him being an introverted and bashful man. On the other hand, it is in songs such as Happiness is a Warm Gun, Yer Blues, and Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey that we can perceive his real musical vein. He was always looking for loud sounds, catchy guitar riffs, and provocative texts: and in all these three songs we can find these features. The album contains also two of the most famous Beatles’ songs: the joyful and gleeful Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and the beautiful Blackbird. The two songs are different both in the message of the text and the complexity of the music, and they are an example of McCartney’s versatility.

The White Album has broken the schemes of the band in all respects: before, all the most successful songs of the band were composed by Lennon/McCartney, now instead the most beautiful song is by George Harrison. While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a masterpiece: the guitar seems really to be crying and the melody is enchanting. But the album surprises us until the very end: the last two tracks are completely innovative and revolutionary. Good Night is a sweet lullaby which mixes pop and classical music together. Revolution 9 is a recorded composition of experimental music with overdubbed vocals, sounds effects and tape loops: it will leave you speechless. Listen to this album with your eyes closed until the last second. Then, you can open them again. Your life won’t be the same anymore, you will see the world with fresh eyes. This is the enchantment of the White Album: this is the magic of the Beatles.

IN THE NEXT ISSUE: WHERE TO EAT THE BEST FISH&CHIPS IN LONDON! SHERLOCK (TV Series) REVIEW THE U.K.’S 10 BEST UNIVERSITIES 

 

...AND MORE!