Renaissance is the French word for rebirth. It is the time of change that happened in Europe between the 14th and 16th centuries.

It was an age of growth in Europe. New, powerful city states emerged. A new middle class had more and more money to spend. Great artists, writers and thinkers lived during this time.

Contents (21 pages)

• Introduction and beginnings
• The plague
• The emerging new middle class
• Exploration and trade
• Printing
• Humanism
• Art and architecture
• Florence
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Exercises
• Word list
• Key

Man in Renaissance clothing
Image: Paul Mercuri, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A mosque is a place where Muslims worship and pray to God. Some mosques are also places where Muslims get together and discuss things or where religious education takes place. In some countries mosques also serve political purposes and Imams discuss political issues.

Contents (19 pages)

• Introduction
• Functions of a mosque
• History of mosques
• Parts of a mosque
• Religious functions
• Political influence of mosques
• Rules and how to behave
• Exercises
• Word list
• Key

Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey
Image: Dersaadet, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Claude Monet was a French painter and one of the leading artists of the impressionist period. His paintings became famous around the world.

Contents (12 pages)

• Text
• Exercises
• Word list
• Key

Image: Nadar, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons