344 ECoNomIA 20. L euro e l inflazione CLIL - EURO BANKNOTES AUDIO 1. Fill in the blanks in the text below using the following words. recalls blind back sizes images amounts banknotes gates cradle bridges The name euro was selected in 1995 by the European Council meeting in Madrid as it 1. the word Europe in the different European languages. The euro symbol ( ) takes inspiration from the Greek letter epsilon ( ), the first letter in the word Europe Greece was the 2. of European civilisation and it is crossed by two parallel lines signifying stability of the euro. The official abbreviation for euro is EUR and it is used when referring to euro 3. without using the symbol. The euro banknotes share the same designs across all countries in the euro area. Their designs, by R. Kalina, of the Austrian Central Bank, were selected after a competition run by the European Union in 1996. They represent the common roots as well as the ideals of harmony and solidarity shared by European nations and their citizens. The seven 4. are based on a common design theme: The Ages and styles of Europe . The 5. do not reproduce existing monuments, but depict typical elements such as windows, 6. , and bridges that evoke architectural styles from different periods of European cultural history (Classical, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo, 19th century iron and glass architecture, Modern 20th century). On the front of the banknotes the 12 stars of the EU represent the dynamism and harmony of contemporary Europe, while the images of windows and 7. symbolise the European spirit of openness and co-operation. On the 8. of the banknotes the gates symbolise the ideals of communication and friendship between Europe and the rest of the world. The European Union, following the advice of the European Blind Union, incorporated some features into the banknotes to help the 9. and visually impaired to distinguish them, such as different 10. and features raised print, which makes the ink feel thicker in some parts. 2. What images can you find on euro banknotes? Tick the boxes. A. Bridges B. Buildings C. Houses D. Windows E. Gateways F. Flags G. Stars H. Presidents I. Existing monuments