The Bear and the Strawberry Tree in Puerta del Sol
A clear A1 Spanish reading locates Madrid's Bear and Strawberry Tree statue and introduces its artist, date, materials, size, and civic meaning.
El Oso y el Madroño en la Puerta del Sol
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This nonfiction article describes the Bear and Strawberry Tree statue in Madrid's Puerta del Sol. Verified facts identify Antonio Navarro Santafé, the inauguration on 19 January 1967, bronze figures, a stone base and Madrid granite pedestal, an approximate weight of twenty tonnes, a height of about four metres, and a further move within the square in March 2023. No scene or character is invented.
El autor es el escultor Antonio Navarro Santafé. La fecha de inauguración es el 19 de enero de 1967. La obra es un símbolo popular de Madrid.
La estatua tiene figuras de bronce. El oso está sobre una base de piedra y el pedestal es de granito de la sierra de Madrid. Todo el monumento pesa unas veinte toneladas.
El oso está de pie junto al árbol. Sus patas delanteras tocan el tronco. Las ramas tienen hojas y frutos. Mira los detalles: el animal y el árbol forman un solo grupo.
La altura total es de unos cuatro metros. La obra no es pequeña.
La estatua cambia de sitio varias veces dentro de la Puerta del Sol. En marzo de 2023 cambia otra vez de lugar, pero queda en la misma plaza.
¿Quieres ver este símbolo? Ve a la Puerta del Sol. Puedes ir a la plaza a pie y buscar el oso.
¿Dónde hay un símbolo famoso en tu ciudad? ¿Qué hay sobre una mesa de tu casa? ¿Qué lugar quieres visitar para ver una estatua?
About this article
What you'll learn
Using en, sobre, and a to locate objects and describe destinations, with basic museum and city vocabulary.
This nonfiction article describes the Bear and Strawberry Tree statue in Madrid's Puerta del Sol. Verified facts identify Antonio Navarro Santafé, the inauguration on 19 January 1967, bronze figures, a stone base and Madrid granite pedestal, an approximate weight of twenty tonnes, a height of about four metres, and a further move within the square in March 2023. No scene or character is invented.
After reading
Article learning block
Phrases, words, grammar, and quick practice from this text.
Phrases for training
Add useful phrases to SRS or mark them as already known.
En el centro de Madrid
newin central Madrid
The phrase locates something in the central part of the city.
Useful for saying where a place is.
junto al árbol
newnext to the tree
Junto a says that two things are very close.
Useful for describing the position of people and objects.
unas veinte toneladas
newabout twenty tonnes
Unas before a number shows that the quantity is approximate.
Useful for giving an estimate instead of an exact figure.
Key words
Vocabulary that carries the school-day topic.
Statue
estatua
statue
A figure made from stone, metal, or another material.
Useful when talking about art and city monuments.
Sculptor
escultor
sculptor
An artist who creates three-dimensional works.
Useful when naming the creator of a statue.
Bronze
bronce
bronze
A metal material often used for statues.
Useful for describing what an artwork is made of.
Granite
granito
granite
A hard stone used in buildings and monuments.
Useful for describing materials.
Coat of arms
escudo
coat of arms
An official symbol for a city, region, or country.
Useful when talking about civic symbols.
Branches
ramas
branches
The parts of a tree that grow out from the trunk.
Useful for describing trees and nature.
Grammar in context
Patterns from the text worth noticing after reading.
En for a location
La estatua está en la Puerta del Sol
The statue is in Puerta del Sol.
En gives the place where the statue is located.
Useful for saying where a person or object is.
Sobre for a supporting surface
El oso está sobre una base de piedra
The bear is on a stone base.
Sobre shows that the figure is positioned on top of a supporting surface.
Useful for locating one thing above and in contact with another.
A for a destination
Ve a la Puerta del Sol.
Go to Puerta del Sol.
A marks the destination after a movement verb.
Useful for saying where someone should go.
Hay with sobre
¿Qué hay sobre una mesa de tu casa?
What is on a table in your home?
Hay says that something exists, while sobre identifies the surface.
Useful for asking about objects in a place.
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