SPICE GIRLS

As famous as they had always wanted to be

The Spice Girls will be remembered as the most successful all girl pop band of the 1990s. Their single Wannabe became an anthem for girl power amongst a whole generation of female teenagers in Britain. In 1993 Geri Halliwel, Melanie Brown, Victoria Adams and Melanie Chisholm answered an advertisement in a newspaper. Talent scouts realized that they had found a group of girls who wanted fame. The group was named Touch and when one of the group, Michelle, quit, Emma joined as the youngest member. Emma had been a friend of Victoria since the age of ten. The relationship with their managers did not last long. The managers wanted to sack Victoria for not being talented enough. The girls thought their managers were the ones lacking talent and sacked them instead. Girl Power was born. During the summer of 1996 the Spice Girls became more and more famous as their first single, Wannabe, went to Number 1 and stayed there for seven weeks. They became the first all girl group to go to Number 1 in Britain since the Supremes in 1964. Other singles from their first album became hits and the album, Spice, sold over 22 million copies worldwide. The girls were as famous as they had always wanted to be. The girls became known by their nicknames. Geri Halliwel (Ginger Spice), Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), Victoria Adams (Posh Spice), and Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice). Many people think these names were made up by the group as a gimmick, but in fact these names were used in an article about the girls, and have stuck ever since. The Spice Girls fame touched people outside the music world. Nelson Mandela met them and said, This is one of the happiest moments of my life. Prince Charles gave them tea at home with Prince William and Harry. Mel C said, I felt like Royalty for a day. But fame has not been easy for the Spice Girls. In 1997, they sacked their manager and many thought that the group would not last without him. Then in 1998 Geri Halliwel left the Spice Girls amid huge publicity. Once again, the critics said that

the group would be lost without Geris brains. Despite the setbacks, the Spice Girls stuck together and moved on. Victoria married England footballer, David Beckham, and Mel B married a dancer within the group. Spice babies were born Mel Bs daughter was called Phoenix Chi and Victorias son was called Brooklyn Joseph, after the place in which she found herself pregnant. It is obvious that the Spice Girls kept on growing up: ten years after the release of their debut single, they were voted the biggest cultural icons of the 1990s in the UK.

GLOSSARY
successful: exitosa anthem: himno girl power: feminismo (fenmeno cultural) amongst a whole generation: entre toda una generacin teenagers: adolescentes advertisement: aviso talent scouts realized: los buscadores de talentos fame: fama quit: renunci joined as: se integr, se uni since the age of ten: desde los 10 aos relationship: relacin comercial did not last long: no dur mucho to sack: despedir a talented enough: talento suficiente the ones lacking talent: los que no tenan talento instead: en cambio stayed there: se mantuvo en ese puesto over: ms de worldwide: en todo el mundo nicknames: apodos made up: inventados as a gimmick: como un truco publicitario have stuck ever since: han permanecido as desde entonces would not last: no perdudara amid huge publicity: en el medio de una impresionante publicidad once again: un vez ms without Geris brains: sin la capacidad de Geri despite the setbacks: a pesar de los contratiempos o adeversidades stuck together: permanecieron unidas moved on: siguieron adelante within: dentro de were born: nacieron after the place: como el nombre del lugar pregnant: embarazada kept on growing up: continuaron creciendo release: lanzamiento

WHISKY: THE WATER OF LIFE

The first whisky was made in monasteries for medicinal purposes.

Scotland is famous for its whisky. Over the centuries, it has enjoyed a special place in all Scottish hearts. It is the drink of hospitality. In Scotland, a dram of whisky is offered to guests to celebrate a special occasion. Whisky is drunk to mark the birth of a child, to celebrate a wedding or to welcome weary travellers to the home. It is also used for medicinal purposes. A dram of whisky is said to help cure minor ailments such as colds, flu or toothache. The word whisky comes from the Scottish Gaelic word, uisge, meaning Water of Life. It is made from malted barley. However, only the sugars contained in the barley are used to make whisky. The rest of the barley is thrown away after the sugars have been extracted. Single malt whisky is made by one distillery. The taste of single malts can vary from year to year. Blended whiskies are made from many different distilleries. The blend helps to ensure the taste is the same each year. Single malts are considered to be the best. A connoisseur or expert can even tell which distillery produced the single malt whisky from its taste. According to tradition, the secrets of distilling came from Ireland and were introduced by St Patrick over 1,500 years ago. The first whisky was made in monasteries for medicinal purposes. Until the nineteenth century, most distilling was done at home. Householders produced their own whisky to help pay rents and for drinking during the hard, cold winters. Whisky is popular all over the world and Scotland exports large quantities of whisky every year. Scientists have tried to make whisky in Japan, Germany and America. However, it does not taste the same as Scottish Whisky. The cold northern climate seems to be an essential ingredient to ensure that the whisky is matured properly. As many Scotsmen will tell you, the world's best whisky is made in Scotland! GLOSSARY ospitality: hospitalidad dram: copita, traguito weary: agotados, cansados guests: huspedes, invitados minor ailments: achaques o dolencias de menor importancia uisge: "Agua de Vida" en galico escocs malted barley: cebada malteada distillery: destilera blended whiskies: los whiskies mezclados o combinados connoisseur: experto, conocedor over 1,500 years ago: hace ms de 1.500 aos to help pay rents: para ayudar a pagar los alquileres to ensure: para asegurar matured: madurado

CAN MOVIES HELP PROMOTE TOURISM?

Films can influence where you go on holiday.

Countries around the world have a new way to lure tourists to their shores. The tourist industry has found that visitors are inspired by films they have seen when choosing where to go on holiday.

One country that is certain of the effect of films on tourism is Australia. The Tourist Office of Queensland say that Crocodile Dundee, starring Paul Hogan, made Australia the popular destination it is today. In the three years after Crocodile Dundee was released, visitor numbers doubled. Many of the new tourists came from the US. They were fascinated that such a place could exist, says an Australian tourist official. Scotland's Tourist board are convinced that two films released in 1995, Rob Roy and Braveheart, helped increase the number of visitors. In research undertaken the following year, they discovered that one in every five tourists in Scotland said that one of these films had made them want to go there. You get Liam Neeson running around in a kilt and suddenly tartan is the in thing, says Morag McAteer, a Scottish hotelier. But what makes people want to visit the place where a movie was filmed? In many cases the reason is that the film makes audiences aware of the existence of a place. When the James Bond movie The Man With The Golden Gun was filmed in Phuket, Thailand most Westerners had never heard of it. Today it is a major destination. Leonardo di Caprio's film The Beach has boosted tourism in another part of Thailand. The film is about the discovery of the most idyllic beach in the world. As a result the Thai authorities are facing a tourist boom in the film's location, Koh Phi Phi. Some people are influenced by a movie's mood as much as its location, especially if it is a romance. Romantic couples are seen more often at the top of the Empire State building whenever Sleepless in Seattle is screened in the US. Four Weddings and a Funeral has ensured that The Crown hotel in Amersham has been busy ever since the movie was first shown. In fact the bedroom where the characters played by Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell spend their first night together is booked for years

ahead. We've lost count of the number of marriage proposals that have been made there, say the hotel management. It is not just the tourist boards who are happy with the influence of films on a destination. Residents of a rather run-down area of London have seen house prices almost double thanks to Julia Robert's romance with Hugh Grant in Notting Hill. Film stars, such as Madonna, who had previously thought of Notting Hill as a good place for a party, have now bought property there. Perhaps they hope to revive their romances.

GLOSSARY
to lure: to persuade someone to do something (de persuadir) has found: has spotted (ha detectado) released: prepared for public distribution (estrenada) doubled: duplicated, increased twofold (se duplicaron) helped increase: helped become bigger (ayudaron a incrementar) undertaken: carried out, accomplished (llevada a cabo, realizada) one in every five: 20 per cent of (uno de cada cinco) kilt: a knee-length pleated skirt worn by Scottishmen (pollera escocesa) tartan: plaid, a cloth having a crisscross design (tartn, tela escocesa a cuadros) the "in thing: the fashion (la moda) makes audiences aware of: updates audiences about (informa y actualiza al pblico) most Westerners: the majority of the inhabitants living in the Western areas of the world (la mayora de los occidentales) a major destination: one of the most important touristic areas (uno de los destinos tursticos ms codiciados) boosted: increased (incrementado) facing a tourist boom: dealing with a sudden state of economic prosperity (enfrentando un impactante incremento turstico) movie's mood: a film's climate (el clima de una pelicula) screened: projected onto a movie screen (proyectada) busy: crowded, full of tourists (repleto de gente) first shown: screened for the first time (proyectado por primera vez) booked for years ahead: reserved for future years (reservado por adelantado para los prximos aos) marriage proposals: offers of marriage (propuestas matrimoniales) tourist boards: tourist offices (las oficinas de turismo) run-down area: worn and broken area (zona venida a menos) bought: acquired, purchased (adquirido, comprado)

10 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS AT WORK

While the modern workplace is producing more for less, recent research has indicated that increasing worker output is being accompanied by increased stress. However, by following the simple hints and techniques mentioned below you can effectively lower tension and find that your work life quickly improves and that you are far better able to manage your stress. Let's see...

1. Personalise your work space.

Bring a plant to work, a photograph of the family and some personal items. The plant will help to provide fresh oxygen in an air-conditioned environment. By personalising your workspace you create an atmosphere in which it is comfortable to work. This can help to increase your productivity. Whatever you decide to do, it is important to select items appropriate to your company's culture.

2. Start the day in a positive way.

Try to be positive about going to work. Research has indicated that a positive attitude helps to reduce stress and conflict in the workplace.

3. Prioritise your tasks.

Set a list of priorities each day. Prioritising your tasks will help to reduce stress by ensuring that the most important things are done first which helps to avoid emergencies and unnecessary pressure.

4. Achieve a task a day.

When you set your priorities, make sure you include at least one task which you will be able to complete on that day. Even if it is a very small task and there are several complex tasks you will be working on, completing one thing each day will help, you feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction.

5. Exercise Your body.

Try to do some exercise at least once a day. A twenty-minute stroll at lunch will not only reduce stress but could also help you to live longer.

6. Exercise Your Eyes.

In the modern world it is not enough to only exercise your body. With the advent of computers and the necessity in the modem office to sit looking at a screen for

hours on end, it is also important to exercise your eyes. There is little doubt that computers have helped increase worker productivity and efficiency. Unfortunately there is a very negative side effect from excessive computer use: bad eyesight. By staring into the distance for one minute every hour you can greatly reduce the likelihood of suffering eye damage. It is just as important to exercise your eyes as your body.

7. Take Regular Breaks.

Take regular short breaks. Most people can only maintain effective concentration for 40 minutes. Regular short breaks will help you to be at your productive best. lt will also help to approach problems from a different perspective after a break. Don't work through coffee breaks and always try to leave the office to eat your lunch.

8. Eat Healthy Food.

Eating healthy food cannot only increase the length of your life, it also helps to reduce stress. The traditional Mediterranean diet is recommended. Animal fats and excessive alcohol intake should be avoided.

9. Avoid conflict.
Seek solutions and resolutions not confrontation. Be flexible and try to maintain positive relationships with your colleagues.

10. Sleep.
Many executives believe that they only need five or six hours sleep a night. This may be so for a lucky few but the reality is that most of us need between eight and ten hours sleep a night.

GLOSSARY
productivity drives: (in this context) productivity campaigns (las campaas de productividad) cutback: personnel reduction (reduccin de personal) merger: process in which two companies join together and become one company (fusin) output: production (produccin) hint: piece of advice, recommendation, tip (recomendacin, sugerencia) items: things, articles. belongings (artculos) whatever (you decide to do): it makes no difference what (you decide to do) (independientemente de lo que decidas hacer) to prioritise: to assign a priority to (priorizar) task: piece of work, individual job (tarea) to achieve: finish, conclude (alcanzar, lograr) achievement: fulfilled goal (logro, objetivo alcanzado) stroll: walk for pleasure (paseo, caminata) advent: arrival (llegada, advenimiento) screen: computer display (pantalla de monitor) to stare: look for a long time (mirar fijamente) likelihood: probability (probabilidad) break (n.): period of rest (descanso, recreo) through: (in this context) during (durante) animal fats: oily substances derived from animals (grasas animales) intake: consumption (consumo, ingesta) to seek: look for, try to find (buscar)