Essential Knowledge: Vocabulary, Entertainment, and Global Events
Spanish-English Vocabulary Essentials
Enhance your language skills with this curated list of Spanish words and their English equivalents.
- ROBOT DE COCINA – Food Processor
- RESPLANDOR – Glow
- RESTANTE – Left
- RELLENO – Padding
- RECONSTRUIR – Rebuild
- REEMPLAZAR – Replace
- RECURSO – Resource
- RAQUETA DE NIEVE – Snowshoe
- RESTO – Trace
- SUMERGIR – Dip
- SUCIEDAD – Dirt
- SOÑAR CON – Dream of
- SECAR – Dry
- SENTIRSE AMADO – Feel Loved
- SABOR – Flavor
- SEGUIR – Follow
- SUPONER – Guess
- SOSTENER – Hold Up
- SÁBANA – Sheet
- SOBREVIVIR – Stay Alive
- SUMINISTRO – Supply
- SACAR LA BASURA – Take Out the Garbage
- TAREA – Assignment
- TERMINAR EN – End Up
- TAPA – Lid
- TROZO – Piece
- TORMENTA DE NIEVE – Snowstorm
- TODAVÍA – Still
- TRABAJAR DURO – Work Hard
- VERTER – Pour
- VOLVER – Return
- VETERINARIO – Vet
Film Summaries and Insights
Discover brief summaries of popular films, from animated adventures to romantic dramas.
The Lego Batman Movie
Batman must protect Gotham City and raise the boy he has adopted.
XXX: Return of Xander Cage
Xander Cage, an extreme athlete working for the government, fights with Xiang and assembles a team of experts called Pandora’s Box.
La La Land
A perfect film for Valentine’s Day, known for its musical numbers and romantic storyline.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Three orphans go to live with a count, encountering a series of unfortunate events.
Blue Gold
This film suggests that mobile phones contain ‘blue gold’ (coltan), highlighting resource extraction.
Music Artists and Their Work
Explore details about talented musicians and their latest releases.
Alicia Keys
A talented singer and pianist. Her new album is out.
Iggy Azalea
Released a single called “Team”.
Major Lazer
An electronic music group. Their new album is titled “The Weapon”.
Charlie Puth
Charlie Puth plays piano and writes his own music. His mother taught him to play piano for four years. His greatest influence is his parents. He describes his music as R&B and is a fan of Marvin Gaye. He has found more success in France than in the USA and sometimes repeats words in French in his songs.
He is currently working on a new album with fresh ideas and would like to collaborate with Mariah Carey in the future. His family supports his career but doesn’t treat him like a celebrity. He desires to perform concerts in France or Europe but acknowledges the need to produce more music first.
Discography:
- 2016 – Nine Track Mind (Album)
- 2016 – We Don’t Talk Anymore (Single)
- 2015 – Marvin Gaye (Single)
- 2015 – One Call Away (Single)
Global Events and Popular Culture
Dive into fascinating facts about major events, sports, and gaming phenomena.
The Yukon Quest
The Yukon Quest is an arduous 1,600 km (1,000-mile) international sled dog race across subarctic conditions. It involves up to 50 mushers and 650 dogs, crossing four mountain ranges and frozen rivers over approximately two weeks.
Key facts about the race:
- Participants: Maximum of 50 mushers.
- Dogs: Each musher has 8-14 dogs, generally Alaskan Huskies.
- Dog Nutrition: Dogs need 10,000 calories and 4 liters of water per day.
- Rest Stops: Mushers and dogs rest at checkpoints, with a mandatory 48-hour stop.
- Veterinary Checks: Veterinarians check dogs before and after the race to ensure their well-being.
- Sled Weight: Sleds weigh around 80 kg (176 lbs).
- Prize: The winner receives $25,000.
- 2016 Winner: Hugh Neff was the winning musher in 2016.
The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL), featuring two teams with 11 players each trying to score “touchdowns.” It is known as a violent sport.
Historical and viewership highlights:
- First Game: The inaugural Super Bowl was held in 1967.
- 50th Super Bowl: The 50th edition took place in California in 2016.
- Attendance: 71,088 fans had tickets to the 2016 game.
- Television Viewership: 119.9 million people watched it on TV, making it the biggest televised event.
- Halftime Show: The game includes a 30-minute halftime show where the entire stadium “rocks to the music.”
- Game Duration: The game typically lasts around 4 hours.
Minecraft
Minecraft is a popular sandbox video game akin to LEGO, allowing players to build with virtual bricks in an infinite universe. Players can travel around and create anything they imagine.
Key aspects of Minecraft:
- Sales: It has sold over 100 million copies worldwide.
- Community: “Minecrafters” (players) often present their creations on YouTube.
- Release Date: Minecraft was officially released on November 18, 2011.
- Game Modes: It features two principal modes: Survival and Creative.
- Conventions: There are official conventions called “MineCons,” with the last one held in Los Angeles.
- Social Impact: Minecraft has been noted for helping autistic children develop their social skills.
- Merchandise: A variety of official Minecraft merchandise is available.