A) GROUP WORK: Read the text and look for the underlined words in the dictionary

LANDSCAPE: paisatge.
FIELDS: camps.
SPRINGS: primavera.
SPA: balneari.
COACHWORKS: carrosseria.
FURNITURE: mobiliari.
REMAINS: ruines.
SETTLEMENTS: poblat.
SUCCESS: èxit.
CROWDED:ple.
AMUSING: divertit, graciós.

B) Read the text again and find three things or places related to the topics of nature, industry, history, culture and tourism.

TEXT:

The region of La Selva is a privileged and well-communicated spot on the middle coast of Catalonia. It has twenty-six municipalities, being Santa Coloma de Farners the capital inhabitants and visitors can choose among thousands of entertaining activities to do, and at the same time, have fun discovering the variety of its landscape: an alternation of mountains, coast, fields and woods.

Legends and traditions have baptized La Selva as “the region of the water”. Locations such as Susqueda or El Pasteral reinforce this name, and the fact that there are plenty of fountains and springs, medical fountains which have given birth to historic Spas( Caldes de Malavella ). The great mass which dominates the region – El Montseny – can be seen from miles away, and the ups – and – downs of Les Guilleries cross the whole place.

As an industrial centre, La Selva relies on several well-known activities in different towns and villages: the coachworks of Arbúcies, the biscuits of Santa Coloma, the ceramics of Breda, the textiles of Angles or the furniture of La Cellera.

This region has also a profound historical background which is represented in the remains fo important buildings such as the 500-years-old walls which surround the Vila Vella of Tossa de Mar, the 18th century stone-work of the castle of Hostalric ( a wonderfull walled town ) or the Iberian settlements of Montbarbat and Puig de Castellet in Lloret de Mar.

La Selva is trying to preserve its unique cultural and social traditions: the Enramada of Arbúcies or the Corpus Cristi of Sant Hilari Sacalm are two good examples. From Sant Feliu of Buixalleu a small theatre company called Teatre de Guerrilla is having great success in the whole country.

From a touristic point of view, La Selva coast is famous among European tourists, especially the holiday resorts of Lloret de Mar, Blanes and Tossa de Mar, which are really crowded in summer. There are 25 beaches with transparent water and golden sand to sunbathe, coves to explore, and amusing activities to do all day long. Moreover, amusing or even crazy nights are provided by the great number of restaurants with Mediterranean food, mini-golfs, casinos, discotheques and pubs… full of music, light and fun where you can meet all kind of international people.

TRADUCTION:

La region de La Selva és un privilegiat I un lloc molt ben comunicat al mig de la costa de Catalunya. Té 26 municipis siguent Santa Coloma de Farners la capital. Els habitants i visitants poden triar entre milers d’entretingudes activitats per fer, i al mateix temps, tenen divertides descovertes a la varietat del paisatge: una alternació de muntanyes, costes, camps i boscos.

Llegendes i tradicions han batejat La Selva com “la regió de l’aigua”. Localitats tals com Susqueda o El Pastoral reforcen aquest nom, i el fet que hi han fonts de sobres i primaveres, brolladors naturals que han donat origen a històrics balneàris ( Caldes de Malavella ). La gran massa que domina la regió – El Montseny – pot ser vist de milers de distància, i les pujdes i bixades de Les Guilleries a través de tot el lloc.

Com un centre industrial , La Selva depèn d’algunes activitats famoses a diferents pobles i ciutats: les carrosseries d’Arbúcies, les galetes de Santa Coloma de Farners, les ceràmiques de Breda, els tèxtils d’Anglès i el mobiliari de La Cellera.

Aquesta regió té també una història rerefons que és representada a les ruïnes d’edificis importants tals com els 500 anys d’antigüitat dels murs que rideixen la Vila Vella de Tossa de Mar, al segle XVIII les pedres de treball del castell d’Hostalric ( un maravellós poble emmurellat ) o els poblats d’Iberia de Montbarbat i Puig de Castellet a Lloret de Mar.

La Selva està intentant conservar aquestes úniques tradicions culturals i socials : l’Enramada d’Arbúcies o el Corpus Cristi de Sant Hilari Sacalm són dos bons exemples. De Sant Feliu de Buixalleu, una petita companyia de teatre anomenada Teatre de Guerrilla està tenint un gran èxit a tot el país.

Des del punt de vista turístic, la costa de La Selva és famosa entre els turistes europeus, especialment les vacances recorregudes a Lloret de Mar, Blanes i Tossa de Mar, que són realment plenes a l’estiu. Hi ha 25 platges amb aigües transparents i sorres daurades per prendre el sol, coves per explorar, i activitats divertides per fer al llarg del dia. D’altra banda, divertides o nits boges provenen pel gran nombre de restaurants amb menjar mediterrani, mini-golfs, casins, discoteques i pubs… ple de música, llums i divertits on tu pots conèixer tota classe de gent internacional.

C) INDIVIDAL WORK: Description of your town ( 5/6 lines )

Think about this: Do you like your town? Why or why not?

How many inhabitants has it got?

What important buildings are there?

What do people do in their free time? Where?

Sara:

Hostalric is a small town with a lot of interesting things.

I have lived in this since I was born and I don’t like it. It has cultural places, restaurants, a library, some shops and a castle! But I don’t like it because there aren’t any amusing places for teenagers and there aren’t shops centres.

Hostalric has 3500 inhabitants either. Most of the people come there because of the important building, the castle and the walls. They think that it is very beautiful and wonderful. They are usually go to the park, stay at home, buy some food in “Mercadona”, go to the library and play some sport!.

The town festival is in summer, there aren’t a lot of attractions but people usually enjoy it.

If you don’t know Hostalric yet, come here!

Núria Oliveras:

Riells is a town which is a known by people for its market. It is very big and it has a lot of food.

In my free time I usually swim in the swimming pool, I meet my friends and I go to the restaurant. Riells has some good restaurants.

Riells has approx. 3300 inhabitants.

I don’t like it because there aren’t many good places for amusing, but there are some parks to enjoy yourself.

Riells has some estates, I live in one of it. Some of the states are private and the others are public.

In Riells there aren’t important buildings.

Laura:

I like Hostalric, because is my village, I live there and I haven any friends, but there aren’t many things for teenagers, but even so I like, it even though it should improve.

Hostalric has 3500 inhabitants, but long ago, it didn’t haven any inhabitants.

The most important building is a medieval castle and its towers.

In their free time, people go shopping, to walk, etc…

Núria Roca:

Breda is my village. I have lived in Breda since I was born. I like the village because I was born there and I think that the village is beautiful. I also don’t like it because Breda is very small and it doesn’t have places for teenagers.

In Breda there are 3000 inhabitants approx.

In Breda there are a lot of important buildings: there is a church, a monastery… There is also a small mountain and on the top of the mountain there is hermitage called Santa Anna.

People in their free time can go to buy pottery in the shops (is very tipical from Breda). People can observe the landscope. People from Breda go to Girona, Granollers, Blanes or Barcelona with their friends in their free time.

D)WRITING A DIALOGUE: Imagine you are in a discoteque in Lloret de Mar and you meet an English tourist. Write a QUESTION – ANSWER dialogue ( at least 10 A-B):

A girl from Lloret de Mar goes with her friends to a discoteque called “Hollywood”. In the discoteque there are many foreign people and the girl started dancing. Suddenly she bumps with a foreign boy, she was nervous and the boy became red… but they started speaking:

A: Sorry, I don’t look you.
B: Oh! Don’t worry!
A: Do you from here?
B: No, I from to England.
A: What do you do here?
B: I stay on holiday in Lloret de Mar.
A:Do you like Lloret?
B: Yes, of course, but I don’t know very well.
A: My name is Anna, what’s your name?
B: My name is Charlie.
A: You have come here with your friends?
B: I have come here with my classmates to the trip at the end of the course and you?
A: I have come here with my friends for amusing.
B: And… do you like dancing?
A: Yes, I love it!
B: DO you want to dance with my?
A: Oh, yes.
B:Will you want to walk with me tomorrow?
A: Mmmmm… OK!
B: Well, see you tomorrow

E) THE MOTTO