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Brave New World?

"Time to die," says Roy Batty in the final scenes of the film Blade Runner. This seems to be the motto of all artists who envisage the future. As the third millennium begins we take a look at some scifi images of the world to come.

1999

What a Wonderful World

Brody Gets an Oscar, Madonna Gets a Raspberry

2003

From Rags to Riches

"Charity Begins at Home" or so the old axiom goes. But does it really? For the many homeless of Britain it begins where they live - on the street.

Different countries have different traditions when it comes to charity. Christmas is a time when attention is particularly focused on the notion of philanthropy. In Poland on Christmas Eve many households leave a place set at the table for the lonely or those without a family of their own. How often does the seat get filled? Who can say?

2000

Celebrations World-Wide

As well as public holidays and religious feastdays thatfall on afixed date or in a particular period, certainanniversaries are regularly celebrated. This year, for example, marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Polish-born composer Fryderyk Chopin and is being celebrated as Chopin Year with special concerts and exhibitions. Recently, the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War wasobserved with speeches, military parades, patrioticassemblies andwreath-laying ceremonies. Let us now look at some of the holidays celebrated during autumn in different countries.

1999

Living For Dancing.

Carnival isn't over yet. As many of you are no doubt spending a lot of time dancing at parties and discos, we present here a few profiles of young people who really know how to get down and boogie.

2000

Staś's Page

Some linguists claim that the Polish language is the second most difficult language to master..... and I won' t argue with that. One of the many reasons I find it so difficult is that the Polish lexicon contains a zillion Zs ... and if you think that I' m exaggerating ...check out these facts:

COLLINS S£OWNIK POLSKO-ANGIELSKI, edited by Jacek Fisiak (The World of English consultant), lists 2,289 Polish words beginning with the letter Z. Its companion dictionary ANGIELSKO-POLSKI contains a grand total of 38 English words that begin with the letter Z.

1999

Nobody's Perfect

"Nobody' s perfect" - the last words of the Marilyn Monroe film Some Like it Hot are all too true when we speak a foreign language. Everybody makes mistakes when they talk to foreigners no matter how good their command of the language. Here are a few amusing mistakes made recently by learners of English. We have also included a couple made by native English speakers desperately trying to learn Polish.

Piotr and Monica

2000

Rule Britannia?

Rule Britannia? In the 19th century, Britain was one of the most powerful nations on Earth. This was due to the size of its Empire. With territories on every continent, the colonies comprised 25% of the world's area and population. That is why people used to say: "The sun never sets on the British Empire."

Peter Gentle

2003

Letters to the Professor

I am a student of German at the University of Rzeszów. Recently, I have come across a problem with the usage of the simple future tense.

2000

A Bard's Eye View

Irish poet and Polish poetry specialist Barry Keane explores the motions and emotions of the poetry translator.

Anyone who has been to conferences on the art of translation may recall the sea of linguistic terms used by academics to describe the process of transferring meaning from one language to another. Yet, while the theoreticians are often present in large numbers at these conferences, the actual hands on translators are generally diving for cover in the dark corner of some pub on the other side of the planet.

2001

Fawley Court

Fawley Court
Henley-on-Thames
Oxon RG9 3AE

The name" Fawley Court" comes from the Old English word for fallow deer, which at one time roamed this country in great herds. In 1953, Fawley Court with its vast gardens was purchased by the Congregation of Marian Fathers. Over the years, it has been completely restored and is now a splendid example of British heritage. Here, they operate a school for boys and a historic museum. There is also St. Anna' s Church, which was paid for by Prince Stanislav A. Radziwill and built on the grounds.

1999

Arise, Sir Mick

Twice a year, on the Queen's birthday in June and at the New Year, Buckingham Palace announces the names of around 1,500 people to receive special medals for, "services to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth." Last year Mick Jagger became a 'Sir', Eric Clapton and Sting received CBEs, and a tea lady from Scotland became an MBE. But why does the Queen give out these strange sounding honours, and what happens if somebody says "No thank you, Your Majesty"? Glenn Fobister explains.

2004

Travel, Music and Love: We speak with Kayah

Since the huge success of her recent album with Goran Bregović - the biggest-selling record in the history of the Polish music industry - Kayah has become an even bigger name throughout Poland and her fame has begun to spread to other parts of the world. In an interviewconducted entirely in English she talked to The World of English about how she learnt the language and how important it is for her to be able to speak it.

WoE: How did you learn English?

1999

The Potato Pickers

Thinking about getting a job abroad this summer? Irishman and writer Tom Galvin has an idea how you could earn some money in the Emerald Isle, if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, that is.

2004

Gowns, Golf, and Strange Goings-On

In the Scottish county of Fife an old university town of saints and scholars mixes history and tradition with sport and tourism.

Many people know that Oxford and Cambridge Universities (which people sometimes call "Oxbridge") are the two oldest in Britain, but the third oldest can be found far, far away up north in the small town of St Andrews situated on the wild east coast of Scotland. Records show that the first degrees were awarded in 1415.

2000

The Island of Ireland

I grew up in south London. I have a British passport. My mother and father have British passports. But, every 17th of March, St. Patrick's Day, I went to school with a bunch of shamrock, one of the symbols of Ireland, in my lapel. Why?

2003

You Are What You Eat

If this old saying is true, then I' m a bowl of muesli because that' s what I had for breakfast. Obviously I' m not, but there' s a lot of truth in the proverb, though perhaps it should be modified to read" You are what and how you eat" . Food and eating habits are two of the most defining traits of a people and culture and, though Britain has a rather bad reputation in this area, meals have always been a very important part of our society.

2000

SARS Panic

SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) has shocked the world. Most cases are in Asia, where the disease is thought to have originated, but it's also a very real presence in Canada. Toronto has had the world's fourth-largest outbreak, and is the only place outside of Asia where people have died. According to the Toronto Star newspaper, 7,000 people are currently in quarantine in the city, and health officials there expect the numbers to grow.

2003

Sylvester Stallone and His Mom

When writer Stas Wnukowski met his old friend Jacqueline 'Mama' Stallone at Warsaw airport recently, they quickly became nostalgic about the time when Sylvester 'Rocky' Stallone knocked out Stas's two front teeth.

2003

A Letter to Our Readers

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the World of English Summer Issue, in which we invite you to let your hair down (or if you haven't any, to let it grow) and forget, as far as you think wise, about exams, school and university (or, if you are an especially precocious pupil, kindergarten).

2001