Englischverständnis für fortgeschrittene Anfänger – Buch 1

their breath. The ancient Chinese believed that if a person was bitten by a vampire, then they became one too.
    In Transylvania (which many people think is the origin of the vampire myth), vampires were said to be thin, pale, had long nails and pointed teeth called fangs. In Bulgaria and Poland, the description of vampires was not very attractive at all.  These vampires were said to have one nostril and a kind of sting on the end of their tongue!
    In every culture which had the vampire myth, there were different ways of protecting yourself against them. If a person had been bitten by a vampire, the Celtic people used to bury the body upside down to stop the victim coming back as a vampire.  For the same reason, the Thracians and ancient Bulgarians used to amputate limbs and cut the feet, or other parts of body, before burying it.
    In Rhodes and some other Greek islands, a wax cross was placed between the lips of the corpse.  A piece of pottery with the inscription "Jesus Christ conquers”, was also buried with the body to prevent it from becoming a vampire. In Eastern Europe, it was normal to put a clove of garlic in the mouth of the dead body. However, in the Saxon regions of Germany, it was a lemon in the mouth.
    The vampire myth was made famous by the novelist Bram Stoker in his gothic horror novel ‘Dracula’, which was published in 1897. In this literary classic, a young solicitor called Jonathan Harker, travels from England to Transylvania to work for the mysterious Count Dracula. He soon realises that there is something strange happening at Count Dracula’s mysterious castle and terrible things begin to occur.
    The idea of vampires has fascinated people for centuries. In modern times, western society and Hollywood have created a new type of vampire, which is attractive to many women and teenage girls. These vampires are sexy but they also have an air of danger about them. What will vampires look like in the future? Nobody can predict this, although it seems certain that we will be as interested in them as ever.
    Click on this link to see a short video on the history of vampires.
     
    Glossary
    portray - ‘to portray’, depict, show, represent. darstellen, porträtieren
    folklore - the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth. Folklore, Volkstum
    predator - an animal that naturally preys on others. Raubtier
    varies - ‘to vary’, to be different, to change. variieren, schwanken
    corpse - a dead body. Leiche
    limbs – arms and legs. Gliedmaßen
    swollen - ‘to swell’, to  become larger or rounder in size, normally as a result of a collection of fluid. anschwellen
    sting - a sting is a small sharp-pointed organ, bees and wasps have stings on their tails. Stachel
    coming back - ‘to come back’, a phrasal verb meaning ‘to return’. wiederkehren, zurückkommen
    to amputate - to cut off (a limb), typically by surgical operation. amputieren
    placed - ‘to place’, to put. stellen, platzieren
    prevent - ‘to prevent’, ‘to stop’.  verhindern, vermeiden
    fascinated - ‘to fascinate’, to be very interesting. faszinieren, bezaubern
    citrus fruit - oranges, lemons, grapefruits and limes. Zitrusfrucht
     
    Questions about the text
    1. In ancient Chinese myths, why did vampires jump forwards instead of running?
    2. Who buried dead bodies upside down to prevent them turning into vampires?
    3. Where did people believe vampires had one nostril?
    4. Which two authors are mentioned in the text?
    5. Where did people place a citrus fruit in the mouth of a corpse?  
    6. Name one place where vampires were said to have blood coming from their mouths.
    7. Where was the novel ‘Dracula’ set?
    8. Where did people place a wax cross in the mouth of a dead person?
    9. Who used to cut off the arms and legs of dead people before burying them?
    10. True or false? – Vampires in ancient China hunted by sight.
    Click here to check your answers.

Big Ben
     

    © Kmiragaya | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images
     
    When it comes to England, few images are as famous around world as ‘Big Ben’. The chimes of the clock are used in films, and the image is used on London postcards. A visit to see ‘Big Ben’ is a must for all tourists to London, however most people are unaware of the history behind this iconic attraction.
    The name ‘Big Ben’ originally only referred to the bell of St. Stephen's Tower (in the photo above) belonging