World News for Students of English

25-01-2017 15:00

There is a winter festival in one Spanish village when horses and riders jump over fires in the streets. People believe it originated in the Middle Ages as a ritual during times of bad illness. The people kept this ritual despite criticism from animal rights groups.

One of the riders says that the horses are very intelligent animals. If a horse jumps through the fire and nothing happens, then it can cross easily many more times. Even if you borrow his horse and you cannot ride, it will go around the whole village and cross the fires without a single problem.

In recent years, more tourists from across Spain have come to see the riders in action. One student from Madrid says that it is so beautiful to see how the horses cross the fires again and again with a lot of energy.

Critics say that the festival is against the national laws on the animal protection and public entertainment, but for the moment, this tradition shows no signs of ending.

Difficult words: originate (start), despite (happening when there is opposition to it), ritual (something traditional that people do over and over again), entertainment (fun).

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