Rivalry
In 2009 Cambridge University can celebrate its 800th anniversary. In 1209 some scholars chose to leave the University in Oxford and settle in the beautiful little town of Cambridge because they believed some teachers had been wrongly executed for murdering a townswoman. This paved the way for the everlasting rivalry between the two universities and it culminates every spring in the boat race along the Thames where young men and women fight to defend the honour of their respective universities.
Famous Students
Cambridge can to this day boast eighty Nobel Prize winners and 14 Prime Ministers. It can take credit for students like the scientists Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawkin, the author John Milton, actors like John Cleese and teachers like Isaac Newton.
Bridges
The various colleges are connected by bridges crossing the river Cam. Newton's "Mathematical Bridge" and Queen Victoria's favourite spot, the "Bridge of Sighs"(a covered bridge resembling the one in Venice), are among the favourites. Cambridge is ranked among the 5 top universities in the world.
According to the myth Newton's "Mathematical Bridge" was originally constructed without nails.. It is recounted that a self-confident student once dismantled the bridge. However, he did not manage to reassemble it properly. True or not, the construction is still a mystery and the bridge is today provided with nails.
Punting (pushing and steering the boat by means of a long pole) tours are very popular along the banks of the river Cam.
Comprehension task:
Further research:
- How many colleges does Cambridge have?
- Find some more of the famous people who have attended Cambridge university. Choose one of them and make a mini presentation.