ESL Articles

We have included some great ESL articles here that address issues faced by foreign students. Links are provided if you want to read more by the same authors or about the same subjects.

Some of the articles here are by "EnglishOnline.at" and are about various popular topics, but have been specifically designed and rewritten for the benefit of foreign students. In their original format, they also include the definitions for some of the words.

The sample articles below were selected at random. Click on the links to see the full articles or to see other articles on similar subjects.

You may also use the links at the bottom of this page that give you direct access to even more resources.




On the topic of "Culture and Traditions"
Bullfighting - A Big Attraction in Spain

Bullfighting is a great event that attracts many tourists to Spain and Spanish speaking countries. There it is an important element of culture and has a great tradition. Modern bullfighting goes back to the 1700s when the first bullrings were built in Spain.

A bullfight takes place in bullring. The matador, or bullfighter, has special training and is often a national hero in his homeland. The bulls used for bullfighting are very powerful, wild animals that are bred to attack. They weigh up to 500 kg or even more. Today many animal activists are against bullfighting because bulls are treated in a cruel way and have to suffer pain in the arena. Bullfights can also end with a matador’s death or injury if he is pierced by a bull’s horns.

A bullfight usually consists of six fights. Three matadors with their teams fight two bulls each. A bullfight has three acts. After the trumpets sound at the beginning, the bull is let into the ring. The bullfighter waves a colorful cape at the bull and tries to make it attack. During this part he studies the movements of the bull. A picador enters the arena on horseback. He makes the bull weaker by piercing his neck with sharp spikes.

In the second act, the assistants of the matador, called banderilleros, come into the ring on foot, run around and throw barbed darts into the animal’s neck to make it even madder.

In the final act the bullfighter is in the ring alone with the bull. He uses a small cape, waves at the bull and lures it into attacking him. He tries to be as close to the bull as possible. Finally, he thrusts his sword into the bull’s neck and kills it. If he succeeds in pushing the sword into the bull’s shoulder blades it dies at once. After the successful performance of the matador the spectators get up and applaud. The bullfighter gets one or maybe even two of the bull’s ears as a reward.

Read the full article, along with the definition of certain words on EnglishOnline.at.




On the topic of "Culture and Traditions"
Bullfighting - A Big Attraction in Spain

Bullfighting is a great event that attracts many tourists to Spain and Spanish speaking countries. There it is an important element of culture and has a great tradition. Modern bullfighting goes back to the 1700s when the first bullrings were built in Spain.

A bullfight takes place in bullring. The matador, or bullfighter, has special training and is often a national hero in his homeland. The bulls used for bullfighting are very powerful, wild animals that are bred to attack. They weigh up to 500 kg or even more. Today many animal activists are against bullfighting because bulls are treated in a cruel way and have to suffer pain in the arena. Bullfights can also end with a matador’s death or injury if he is pierced by a bull’s horns.

A bullfight usually consists of six fights. Three matadors with their teams fight two bulls each. A bullfight has three acts. After the trumpets sound at the beginning, the bull is let into the ring. The bullfighter waves a colorful cape at the bull and tries to make it attack. During this part he studies the movements of the bull. A picador enters the arena on horseback. He makes the bull weaker by piercing his neck with sharp spikes.

In the second act, the assistants of the matador, called banderilleros, come into the ring on foot, run around and throw barbed darts into the animal’s neck to make it even madder.

In the final act the bullfighter is in the ring alone with the bull. He uses a small cape, waves at the bull and lures it into attacking him. He tries to be as close to the bull as possible. Finally, he thrusts his sword into the bull’s neck and kills it. If he succeeds in pushing the sword into the bull’s shoulder blades it dies at once. After the successful performance of the matador the spectators get up and applaud. The bullfighter gets one or maybe even two of the bull’s ears as a reward.

Read the full article, along with the definition of certain words on EnglishOnline.at.




On the topic of "Tourism"
The Great Wall of China - Facts and History

The Great Wall of China is the biggest object ever made by humans. It stretches across mountains, deserts and grasslands for over 6,000 kilometres. The ancient Chinese built the wall to keep invaders from the west out of their country. Today tourists from all over the world come and see it.

The Great Wall began as a series of many smaller walls that were not connected with each other. The first sections of the wall were built as early as 600 B.C. As time went on Chinese emperors connected them together to keep Huns, Mongols and other tribes out. Thousands of soldiers, criminals and peasants worked on building the wall. It was finally completed during the Ming dynasty in the 17th century.

The Chinese wall is made of dirt, mud, stone and brick. It is between 5 and 9 metres tall and up to 8 metres wide. A small road runs on the top of the wall. Towers every few hundred metres were built to store military supplies. They served as watch posts and were used to send information. Guards fired cannonballs or used smoke signals to inform other towers of possible invaders. At times up to a million Chinese soldiers guarded the wall. Towards the end of the Middle Ages the great wall lost its military function.

Over the centuries parts of the wall have been damaged by weather, earthquakes and war. The government destroyed some parts of the wall to build new roads or for other construction projects. In the western part of China sandstorms have covered part of the wall. As a result almost half of the wall has disappeared completely, while about 30% is in fairly good condition.

In 2006, the Chinese government started taking action to protect the Great Wall. Today the wall is a World Heritage Site, a symbol of China and a big tourist attraction. The most visited section is a part near Beijing which 6 million tourists go to every year.

Read the full article, along with the definition of certain words on EnglishOnline.at.




On the topic of "Entertainment"
James Bond - Characters, Actors, Movies and Gadget

James Bond is an English secret agent who was created by the British novelist Ian Fleming. The character of Bond became popular not only through Fleming’s books but through many movies. Bond, also known as agent 007, is an attractive man who likes women. Fleming introduced Bond in his first novel Casino Royale in 1953 .

Ian Fleming

Fleming was born in 1908 into a wealthy Scottish family. His grandfather was a banker who, after his death, left Ian’s family a fortune. After going to school at Eton he attended the military academy at Sandhurst, but he didn’t like it there and left without becoming an officer. He continued his education in the Austrian town of Kitzbühel , where nobody his real identity.

After coming back to Britain Fleming got a job as a journalist with the news agency Reuters and then went into banking. Both jobs did not please him very much, so in May 1939 he started working for the Foreign Office. There he became the assistant of one of Britain’s top spymasters.

During the last year of the war Fleming travelled to Jamaica to a naval conference. He fell in love with the island and built himself a house, which he called Goldeneye. For six years he travelled back and forth from Britain to Jamaica, where he spent the winter, met lovely women, and enjoyed the sunset.

He quit the Foreign Office and turned to writing. He spent his time developing the Bond character and leading the life that he desired. In the late 1950s Fleming started to suffer from bad health, probably because he was a heavy drinker and smoker. He died in 1964.

James Bond

James Bond is probably one of the most famous and longest running characters in film history. Since his first appearance in Dr. No (1962) the Queen’s number one spy has travelled to more places, romanced more women, escaped from more dangerous situations and saved the world more times than any other secret agent in history.

After the war he entered the British Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, where he became a “double-0” agent with a license to kill. His assignments have taken him to volcanic islands, India, Las Vegas and even a space station in orbit. He has charm, loves beautiful women, and likes martinis - shaken, not stirred-, fine suits and fast cars. Most of Bond’s missions bring him into contact with shadowy figures of the underworld.

Read the full article, along with the definition of certain words on EnglishOnline.at.




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