1) What opinions or belief statements are evident in the articles?
2) Why do you think the author has this opinion?
3) What picture does the author paint for the reader?

In the article about the Italian unification, it is evident the belief of Italy as a divided country. In many opportunities the author makes evident the lack of pride Italians have of their country, for example when he brings up “Fatto all’Italiana” a phrase commonly used for poorly made things.
I think the author has this opinion because of what he as a foreigner has seen in his years living in Italy. He says the difference between the northern and southern people is so deep and that it is almost impossible to make them agree about being one country. Also, the fact that people resists celebrating the 150th anniversary of the unification show how uncomfortable people are with the concept of Italy as a country.
The author leaves the reader not only with an impression of a country full of disputes and disagreements but also (when he mentions Berlusconi) full of corruption and political issues.

The article about Italy as a crossroads of history is another story, this articles is much more optimistic in the way it describes Italy. It is stated as a country enormously rich in culture, beautiful landscapes, architecture and places to visit. It gives a quick overview of many cultures that inhabited this territory before it became the Italy we know today including the Greeks, the romans and the Normans, and how