English in Madrid

Couples who share the housework are more likely to divorce, study finds Divorce rates are far higher among “modern” couples who share the housework than in those where the woman does the lion’s share of the chores, a Norwegian study has found. In what appears to be a slap in the face for gender equality, the report found the divorce rate among couples who shared housework equally was around 50 per cent higher than among those where the woman did most of the work. “What we’ve seen is that sharing equal responsibility for work in the home doesn’t necessarily contribute to contentment,” said Thomas Hansen, co-author of the study entitled “Equality in the Home”.  The lack of correlation between equality at home and quality of life was surprising, the researcher said.  “One would think that break-ups would occur more often in families with less equality at home, but our statistics show the opposite,” he said.  The figures clearly show that “the more a man does in...

Spain and Portugal see big anti-austerity rallies  Tens of thousands of people have rallied in Spain and Portugal in protest at spending cuts and tax rises in the debt-hit countries.   In Madrid, public sector workers from all over Spain blocked the capital's Plaza de Colon square and nearby roads.   Protests were held in Lisbon and across Portugal, with one person reportedly attempting to set himself on fire. The Spanish and Portuguese governments say the austerity measures will lead to economic recovery. 'Drastic reduction'   Many of the protesters - including teachers, nurses and firefighters - were ferried to Madrid in buses by trade unions and other workers' rights groups who organised the rally.  The crowds chanted anti-government slogans, blew whistles and waved banners that read "Enough!" and "They are sinking the country!"  "There is no area of my work which has not been affected by the cuts," a 52-year-old doct...

Source: Wikipedia   Kate and William angered by 'grotesque' invasion of privacy The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are hugely saddened over the "grotesque and unjustifiable invasion of privacy" by a magazine which published topless photos of Kate, a royal spokesman says. French publication Closer printed the pictures of the duchess, taken during their private holiday in France. The royals are now considering legal action over the case. Closer's editor says the couple were "visible from the street" and the images are "not in the least shocking". The BBC's Nicholas Witchell said that the royals were "incredulous that any magazine would have felt they had a justification in publishing these pictures".  "They could go to law or seek a remedy through the French court - that is a big step to take but that is clearly what is being considered now," he said.  "I have rarely heard quite such a level of public...

Source: Arpingstone (Wikipedia)  an air hostess             air traffic control an aircraft an airline  an aisle seat to approach (the runway)  arrivals baggage / luggage baggage allowance a baggage handler   baggage reclaim to board  a boarding pass  a bumpy flight checked luggage the check-in desk the cockpit a connecting flight conexión the (cabin) crew to cruise  customs  delayed the departure lounge the departures board departures the descent to disembark a domestic flight  duty free  the emergency exit an emergency landing  excess baggage an excess baggage charge   to fasten (a seatbelt) a final call a flight attendant to frisk the gate hand luggage a jet bridge  jet lag to land the landing  a life-vest a long-haul flight

Live bullfights return to Spanish TV after six-year ban Spain's public TV will broadcast a live bullfight for the first time in six years after conservative PM Mariano Rajoy lifted a ban on the tradition. The fight in the northern city of Valladolid will screen on Television Espanola (TVE) on Wednesday evening. The previous socialist government cut live transmissions as they were costly and aired in children's viewing time.  Anti-bullfighting sentiment has been on the rise, with Catalonia outlawing the practice in January.  Lawmakers in the autonomous region voted for the ban last year - the first in mainland Spain - after 180,000 people signed a petition.  Art form or torture?  But the corrida, as it is known, is still permitted in all other regions of Spain except in the Canary Islands, which banned it in 1991.  Pro-bullfighting supporters, who include Mr Rajoy, say the tradition is an art form deep rooted in Spanish history.  It dates back at lea...

Photo: Osvaldo Gago (Wikipedia)  Just in time for Operación Retorno, here is a list of driving related vocabulary. an offence - una infracción¡ Driving without a seatbelt is a serious offence. oncoming traffic - tráfico que viene de frente You need to be careful with oncoming traffic when overtaking. a one-way street - una calle de sentido único You can't turn here; it's a one-way street. to overtake - adelantar It's prohibited to overtake on this dangerous curve. a parking meter - un parquímetro Remember to put money in the parking meter before leaving the car. a parking space (garage) - una plaza de aparcamiento I found a parking space near the mall entrance. a parking ticket - una multa de estacionamiento If you park without paying, you'll get a parking ticket. a pavement (UK) / a sidewalk (US) - una acera Children should walk on the sidewalk to stay safe. a pedestrian crossing - un paso de peatones You should always stop at the pedestrian crossing if...