:: Teacher Serginho's Blog ::

Adam Sandler's Acceptance Speech - People's Choice Awards 2012

2012-01-31T09:39:00.000-08:00

In his speech Adam Sandler thanks his teachers, but as he cannot remenber their names he uses specific characteristics of each teacher. Quite funny!!!

Imagine

2012-01-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

(By: Peter Street - LazerFX@ntlworld.com)

Imagine there's no Windows,

It's easy if you try,

No bugs annoy us,

Completely free to try.

Imagine all the people

giving code away...

Imagine there's no companies,

It isn't hard to do,

Nothing to hack or crack for,

No UNIX too,

Imagine all the people

giving code away...

Imagine no computers,

I wonder if you can,

No need for geek or hacker,

A brotherhood of man,

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a loonie,

But I'm not the only one.

I hope some day you'll join us,

And the world will live as one.

Nothing Is What It Seems

2012-01-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

Conspiracy theory is the belief that every information we know was first manipulated and selected by powerful people. This book provides you interesting conspiracy theories and, why not, a different version of some facts you probably believe. Be my guest and enjoy it.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-31T07:22:00.000-08:00

"Psalm 23"

Happy New Year
[ABBA]

No more champagne
And the fireworks are through
Here we are, me and you
Feeling lost and feeling blue
It's the end of the party
And the morning seems so grey
So unlike yesterday
Now's the time for us to say...

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Sometimes I see
How the brave new world arrives
And I see how it thrives
In the ashes of our lives
Oh yes, man is a fool
And he thinks he'll be okay
Dragging on, feet of clay
Never knowing he's astray
Keeps on going anyway...

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Seems to me now
That the dreams we had before
Are all dead, nothing more
Than confetti on the floor
It's the end of a decade
In another ten years time
Who can say what we'll find
What lies waiting down the line
In the end of eighty-nine...

Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbour is a friend
Happy new year
Happy new year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't we might as well lay down and die
You and I

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-22T11:58:00.000-08:00

Beautiful - By Christina Aguilera

2011-12-20T07:02:00.000-08:00

Every day is so wonderful

And suddenly, it's hard to breathe

Now and then, I get insecure

From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say

Words can't bring me down

I am beautiful in every single way

Yes, words can't bring me down

So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends, you're delirious

So consumed in all your doom

Trying hard to fill the emptiness

The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone

Is that the way it is?

You are beautiful no matter what they say

Words can't bring you down

You are beautiful in every single way

Yes, words can't bring you down

So don't you bring me down today...

No matter what we do

(No matter what we do)

No matter what we say

(No matter what we say)

We're the song inside the tune

Full of beautiful mistakes

And everywhere we go

(And everywhere we go)

The sun will always shine

(Sun will always shine)

But tomorrow we might awake

On the other side

'Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say

Yes, words won't bring us down

We are beautiful in every single way

Yes, words can't bring us down

So, don't you bring me down today

Don't you bring me down today

What Is Beauty?

2011-12-20T05:31:00.000-08:00

Ideas about what makes people physically attractive are always changing. When we think of a man who is handsome or a woman who is beautiful, our ideas are influenced by who we know and where we live. They are also changed by the era we live in.

Kids' ideas of what is beautiful are often shaped by the toys and pop stars they see around them. One of the greatest examples is Barbie, a toy for girls introduced in 1959. If Barbie were a real woman, she would be 2.1 meters tall, have a chest that was 96 centimeters, a waist of 45 centimeters and hips of 83 centimeters. But she would only weigh 50 kilograms. These unrealistic proportions not only persuade girls to think of themselves as inadequate, they also influence boys' decisions about how attractive they find girls.

(Adapted from "Read and Think" Book 1 - Longman.)

You wanna be Americano - By Lou Bega

2011-12-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

You wanna be Americano[Lou Bega]
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoIn Paris or Napoli
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoIn Japan or Italy
I'd like to spend my cashI'd like to be first classI'd like to be on topAnd I never gonna stop
I started washing dishesNow I'm flipping blue chipsI only eat deliciousAlways kissing two lips
A true VIPTell me what's your priceYou wanna sue me?I will sue you twice!
You can be a movie star in a CadillacWho shot the rocket to the moon and back?Where do you get from the bottom to the top?And where do you shop nonstop?
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoIn Paris or Napoli
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoIn Japan or Italy
I'd like to spend my cashI'd like to be first classI'd like to be on topAnd I never gonna stop
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoIn Paris or Napoli
I'd like to spend my cashTo be first classI'd like to be on top
I patrol the streets in my AMG BenzNow come on over, babyListen, I set the trendsI got a lot of shares
I multiply my moneyI'm asking you who caresMy life is full of money
You can be a movie star in a CadillacWho shot the rocket to the moon and back?Where do you get from the bottom to the top?And where do you shop nonstop?
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoIn Paris or Napoli
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericananananoIn Japan or Italy
I'd like to spend my cashI want to be first classAnd I never gonna stop
You wanna be AmericanoAmericano, AmericanoI'd like to spend my cashTo be first classI'd like to be on top

Personal Pronouns, Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns Quiz

2011-12-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

1. Alan and I live live in Sete Lagoas. ____ live in the same district.

1º Ano do Ensino Médio: Estudo Dirigido - EOP / EI

2011-11-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

Prof.: Sérgio

- Defina e exemplifique os itens abaixo:

a) Reading Strategies:

_ Skimmimg

    _ Scanning
    _ Inference
    _ Prediction

b) Nouns:
    _ Singular and Plural Nouns
    _ Countable and Uncountable Nouns
    _ Masculine and Feminine Nouns
    _ Genitive Case of Nouns ( ‘s , ’ )

c) Numbers:
    _ Cardinal Numbers
    _ Ordinal Numbers

d) False Cognates

e) Simple Present Tense:
    _ use
    _ affirmative, negative and interrogative forms
    _ 3rd person singular (he, she, it)

f) Adverbs of Frequency

g) Modal Verb: Can / Can’t

h) Simple Past Tense:

_ use

    _ affirmative, negative and interrogative forms
    _ regular and irregular verbs
    _ past tense adverbs
    _ miss (missed) X lose (lost)

i) Personal Pronouns:
    _ Subjective Case
    _ Objective Case

j) Possessives:
    _ Possessive Adjectives
    _ Possessive Pronouns

2º Ano do Ensino Médio: Estudo Dirigido - EOP / EI

2011-11-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

Prof.: Sérgio

- Defina e exemplifique os itens abaixo:

a) Reading Strategies:

_ Skimmimg

_ Scanning

_ Inference

_ Prediction

b) Indefinite Pronouns:

_ Simple Forms

_ Compound Forms

c) Reflexive Pronouns (refexive, emphatic and idiomatic uses)

d) Interrogative Pronouns (Wh- questions)

e) Verb “to be” (Past Tense):

_ use

_ affirmative, negative and interrogative forms

f) Verb “there to be” (Past Tense):

_ use

_ affirmative, negative and interrogative forms

g) Modal Verbs: will , should, ought to, had better, could, may and might (degree of certainty)

h) Prefixes: un-, in-, dis-, re-, im-, un-, pre-, eco-

i) Expressions: so … that / such … that

j) Present Perfect Tense:

_ use

_ affirmative, negative and interrogative forms

_ regular and irregular verbs

k) Comparison of Adjectives (short and long adjectives):

_ Comparative of Superiority

_ Comparative of Inferiority

_ Comparative of Equality

_ Superlative Degree

Personal Pronouns - Song

2011-10-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Meet The Beatles

2011-10-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Members of the Beatles

Paul McCartney

Birth Name: James Paul McCartney
Born: 18 June 1942 (1942-06-18) Liverpool, England
Instruments: Bass guitar, vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, drums

John Lennon

Birth Name: John Winston Lennon
Born: 9 October 1940(1940-10-09)Liverpool, England
Died: 8 December 1980 (aged 40)
Instruments: Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Bass, Vocals

Ringo Starr

Birth Name: Richard Starkey
Born: 7 July 1940 (1940-07-07) Liverpool, England
Instruments: Drums, Percussion, Vocals

George Harrison

Birth Name: George Harrison
Born: 25 February 1943(1943-02-25) Liverpool, England
Died: 29 November 2001 (aged 58)
Instruments: Guitar, Ukelele, Sitar, Piano, Vocals

(Adapted from: http://www.squidoo.com/beatlestrivia#module8516401)

Veja os assuntos top 10 do Inglês no Vestibular.

2011-10-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

Opção preferida da maior parte dos vestibulandos, o Inglês não tem mistérios. Veja abaixo os 10 conteúdos que os vestibulares do país mais cobram. Confira:

1. Conjunctions
As conjunções são aquelas palavras que ligam duas orações, ou termos semelhantes, dentro de uma mesma oração. Lembrando que em inglês existem três tipos: Coordinating conjunctions, Correlative conjunctions e Subordinating conjunctions. Atenção para todas elas.

2. Verb Tenses
É importante ressaltar que não existe frase sem verbo e sem sujeito. Portanto, dominar os verb tenses é essencial para se ter sucesso nas provas de língua inglesa. São eles: Simple Present, Present Contínuos, Present Perfect, Simple Past, Past Contínuos, Past Perfect, Simple Future, Future Continuous e Future Perfect.

3. Personal Pronouns
Lembre-se: os pronomes pessoais "he" e "she" só podem ser usados quando se referirem a pessoas. Já o pronome "it" só faz referência a coisas e animais. O "they" pode ser usado tanto para pessoas, quanto para coisas e animais.

4. Possessive Adjectives
São os pronomes possessivos adjetivos como: my, your, his, her, their... Atenção para quatro questões: os possessive adjectives nunca tem s no plural, sempre devem vir antepostos a um substantivo, nunca se usa o artigo the antes deles e concordam com o possuidor, não com o possuído.

5. Possessive Pronouns
Os pronomes possessivos são utilizados para não repetir um substantivo já citado na frase em questão, ou que está subentendido. São eles: Mine (I), yours (you), his (he), hers (she), its (it), ours (we), ours (we), yours (you) e theirs (they).

6. Relative Pronouns
Usados para identificar alguém ou para se obter maiores informações sobre algo: Who (que), Whom (quem), Which (que), Whose (cujo) e Where (onde).

7. Modal Verbs
Os verbos modais são uma classe de verbos que possuem características distintas dos outros. São eles: may, might, should, can, could, must, should, ought to, used to, to be used to. Existem ainda aqueles que podem ser modais ou comuns, como é o caso do need e do dare.

8. Conditional Sentences
A oração condicional expressa uma condição e sempre aparece ligada a uma oração principal. O If é a conjunção subordinativa que introduz as conditional sentences.

9. The Passive Voice

A Voz Passiva é utilizada para contar o que ocorre com os objetos da ação. O passive voice pode ser utilizado em quase todos os tempos verbais do inglês, exceto o "future progressive" e os "perfect progressive"

10. Reported Speech
É o discurso indireto, que serve para deixar as frases de um narrador na terceira pessoa.

(Adaptado de: http://noticias.terra.com.br/educacao/vestibular/noticias/0,,OI4896268-EI12889,00-Veja+quais+os+assuntos+top+de+Ingles+no+vestibular.html)

2nd Year - High School - 4th Term - Review

2011-10-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Comparison

1) Use either as … as or not as … as in the sentecnes below.

Example: Ben Nevis is __________ as Mont Blanc (not/high).

Answer: Ben Nevis is not as high as Mont Blanc.

1) The blue car is __________ the red car. (fast)

2) Peter is __________ Fred. (not/tall)

3) The violin is __________ the cello. (not/low)

4) This copy is __________ the other one. (bad)

5) Oliver is __________ Peter. (optimistic)

6) Today it's __________ yesterday. (not/windy)

7) The tomato soup was __________ the mushroom soup. (delicious)

8) Grapefruit juice is __________ lemonade. (not/sweet)

9) Nick is __________ Kevin. (brave)

10) Silver is __________ gold. (not/heavy)

2) Put in the adjective in bold from the first sentence into the second sentence in its correct form (comparative or superlative).

Example: I have a fast car, but my friend has a __________ car.

Answer: I have a fast car, but my friend has a faster car.

1) This is a nice cat. It's much ________________ than my friend's cat.

2) Here is Emily. She's six years old. Her brother is nine, so he is ________________.

3) This is a difficult exercise. But the exercise with an asterisk (*) is the ________________ exercise on the worksheet.

4) He has an interesting hobby, but my sister has the ________________ hobby in the world.

5) In the last holidays I read a good book, but father gave me an even ________________ one last weekend.

6) School is boring, but homework is ________________ than school.

7) Skateboarding is a dangerous hobby. Bungee jumping is ________________ than skateboarding.

8) This magazine is cheap, but that one is ________________.

9) We live in a small house, but my grandparents' house is even ________________ than ours.

10) Yesterday John told me a funny joke. This joke was the ________________ joke I've ever heard.

1st Year - High School - 4th Term - Review

2011-10-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

Personal Pronouns / Possessive Adjectives / Possessive Pronouns

1 ) Supply the correct Personal Pronoun (Subjective Case):

1. Alan is my friend. _______ is from the United States.

2. This is Mariana. _______ is my sister.

3. Peter and Paul live in England, but _______ are from Australia.

4. You and I are not from Portugal, _______ are from Brazil.

5. You and your father can speak English because _______ are from England.

2) Supply the correct Personal Pronoun (Objective Case):

1. My sister Jane loves books This novel is for _______.

2. My children like Disney films. This video is for _______.

3. My brother Mark collects picture postcards. These postcards are for _______.

4. I like watches. This watch is for _______.

5. Our dog likes dog food. This bag of dog food is for _______.

3) Supply the correct Possessive Adjective:

1. That boy likes _______ school.

2. Mary sees _______ mother every day.

3. The cat eats _______ food quickly.

4. The men always bring _______ wives to the party.

5. You and I aways bring _______ pencils to class.

4) Supply the correct Possessive Pronoun:

1. This book belongs to you. Took is _______.

2. The blue car belongs to my brother and me. The blue car is _______.

3. The luggage belongs to Adam. The luggage is _______.

4. The nest belongs to the bird. The nest is _______.

5. That house belongs to you and your family. The house is _______.

Odd Facts

2011-10-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."
On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament Building is an American flag.
All of the clocks in Pulp Fiction are stuck on 4:20.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.
"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
Almonds are members of the peach family.
Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
There are only four words in the English language which end in"-dous" tremendous,horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
The longest place-name still in use is: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoro nukupokaiwenuakit, a natahu, a New Zealand hill... ... What a great scrabble score - huh?...
Los Angeles's full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula" and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size, "L.A."
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain.
Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
In most advertisements, including newspapers, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.
Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
The Ramses brand condom is named after the great pharaoh Ramses II who fathered over 160 children.
The characters Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver in Frank Capra's "Its A Wonderful Life".
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
On an American one-dollar bill, there is an owl in the upper left-hand corner of the "1" encased in the "shield" and a spider hidden in the front upper right-hand corner.
It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
The male gypsy moth can "smell" the virgin female gypsy moth from 1.8 miles away.
The name for Oz in the "Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator, FrankBaum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
Mr. Rogers is an ordained minister.
John Lennon's first girlfriend was named Thelma Pickles.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
To "testify" was based on men in the Roman court swearing to a statement made by swearing on their testicles.

Present Perfect

2011-10-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Simple Past

2011-10-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

U2 & Bruce Springsteen - I still haven't found what I'm looking for

2011-09-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

This is a remarkable live show that I wanna share with you all! Enjoy it!!! :-)

At Your Side - The Corrs (MTV Unplugged)

2011-09-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

When the daylight's gone, and you're on your own
And you need a friend, just to be around
I will comfort you, I will take your hand
And I'll pull you through, I will understand
And you`ll know that...

I'll be at your side
There's no need to worry
Together, we'll survive
Through the haste & hurry
I'll be at your side, if you feel like you're alone
And you've nowhere to turn
I'll be at your side

If life's standing still, and your soul's confused
And you cannot find what road to choose
If you make mistakes (make mistakes)
You won't let me down (let me down)
I will still believe (still believe)
I will turn around
And you know that

I'll be at your side
There's no need to worry
Together we'll survive
Through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side
If you feel like you're alone
And you've nowhere to turn
I'll be at your side

I'll be at your side
I'll be at your side
You know that

I'll be at your side
There's no need to worry
Together we'll survive
Through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side, if you feel like you're alone
You've got somewhere to go
I'll be at your side

I'll be at your side
I'll be right there for you
(Together we'll survive)
Through the haste and hurry
I'll be at your side, if you feel like you're alone
You've got somewhere to go
'Coz I'm at your side
Yeeeah, I'll be right there for you
I'll be right there for you yeah
I'm right at your side

Language Confusion

2011-09-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

Laura is at the airport. She waits for her flight. Her flight is to Berlin, and it is 4 hours away. Laura walks around the airport and looks at the shops. She has a nice time.

After an hour she wants to visit the bathroom. She searches for it, but she doesn't find it.

"Where is the bathroom?" she asks herself.

She looks and looks but she can't find it. She starts asking people where it is.

Laura: "Excuse me sir, could you please tell me where is the bathroom?"

Man: "You mean the restroom, right?"

Laura: "No, I mean the bathroom."

Man: "Well, the restroom is over there." He says and walks away.

Laura doesn't understand. She asks a lady: "Excuse me madam, could you please tell me where is the bathroom?"

"The restroom is over there," the lady answers and walks away.

Laura is confused. "What's their problem? I need to use the bathroom and they send me to rest?! I don't need a restroom, I need the bathroom!"

After a while Laura gives up. She feels tired of all this walking and asking. She decides that maybe they are all right and she does need to rest.

She walks to the restroom. Now she is surprised. She realizes the restroom is actually the name for a public bathroom!

THE END

(From: http://www.really-learn-english.com/english-short-stories-level-03-story-08.html)

The creation of the teacher

2011-07-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

[Author Unknown]

The Good Lord was creating teachers. It was His sixth day of 'overtime' and He knew that this was a tremendous responsibility for teachers would touch the lives of so many impressionable young children. An angel appeared to Him and said, "You are taking a long time to figure this one out."

"Yes," said the Lord, " but have you read the specs on this order?"

TEACHER:

... must stand above all students, yet be on their level,

... must be able to do 180 things not connected with the subject being taught
... must run on coffee and leftovers
... must communicate vital knowledge to all students daily and be right most of the time
... must have more time for others than for herself/himself
... must have a smile that can endure through pay cuts, problematic children, and worried parents
... must go on teaching when parents question every move and others are not supportive
... must have 6 pair of hands.
"Six pair of hands, " said the angel, "that's impossible"

"Well, " said the Lord, " it is not the hands that are the problem. It is the three pairs of eyes that are presenting the most difficulty!"

The angel looked incredulous, " Three pairs of eyes...on a standard model?"

The Lord nodded His head, " One pair can see a student for what he is and not what others have labeled him as. Another pair of eyes is in the back of the teacher's head to see what should not be seen, but what must be known. The eyes in the front are only to look at the child as he/she 'acts out' in order to reflect, " I understand and I still believe in you", without so much as saying a word to the child."

"Lord, " said the angel, " this is a very large project and I think you should work on it tomorrow".

"I can't," said the Lord, " for I have come very close to creating something much like Myself. I have one that comes to work when he/she is sick.....teaches a class of children that do not want to learn....has a special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own.....understands the struggles of those who have difficulty....never takes the students for granted..."

The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating.

"It is too soft-hearted, " said the angel.

"Yes," said the Lord, " but also tough, You can not imagine what this teacher can endure or do, if necessary".

"Can this teacher think?" asked the angel.

"Not only think," said the Lord,. "but reason and compromise."

The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger over the teacher's cheek.

"Well, Lord, " said the angel, your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told you that you were putting too much into this model. You can not imagine the stress that will be placed upon the teacher."

The Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teacher's cheek. It shone and glistened in the light.

"It is not a leak," He said, "It is a tear."

"A tear? What is that?" asked the angel, "What is a tear for?"

The Lord replied with great thought, " It is for the joy and pride of seeing a child accomplish even the smallest task. It is for the loneliness of children who have a hard time to fit in and it is for compassion for the feelings of their parents. It comes from the pain of not being able to reach some children and the disappointment those children feel in themselves. It comes often when a teacher has been with a class for a year and must say good-bye to those students and get ready to welcome a new class."

"My, " said the angel, " The tear thing is a great idea...You are a genius!!"

The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."

Soulmate and Twin Soul

2011-07-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

(From: http://kuriakon00.tripod.com/soulmate/)

The bad kangaroo

2011-07-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

There was a small Kangaroo who was bad in school. He put thumbtacks on the teacher’s chair. He threw spitballs across the classroom. He set off firecrackers in the lavatory and spread glue on the doorknobs.

“Your behavior is impossible!” said the school principal. “I am going to see your parents. I will tell them what a problem you are!”

The principal went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo. He sat down in a living-room chair.

“Yes, I know”, said Mr. Kangaroo. “I enjoy putting thumbtacks in chairs”.

A spitball hit the principal on his nose.

“Forgive me”, said Mrs. Kangaroo, “but I can never resist throwing those things”.

There was a loud booming sound from the bathroom.

“Keep calm”, said Mr. Kangaroo to the principal. “The firecrackers that we keep in the medicine chest have just exploded. We love the noise”.

The principal rushed for the front door. In an instant he was stuck to the doorknob.

“Pull hard”, said Mrs. Kangaroo. “There are little globs of glue on all of our doorknobs”.

The principal pulled himself free. He dashed out of the house and ran off down the street.

“Such a nice person”, said Mr. Kangaroo. “I wonder why he left so quickly”.

“No doubt he had another appointment“, said Mrs. Kangaroo. “Never mind, supper is ready”.

Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo and their son enjoyed their evening meal. After the dessert, they all threw spitballs at each other across the dining room table.

A child’s conduct will reflect the ways of his/her parents.

[By Arthur Lobel]

Técnicas de Leitura de Texto em Inglês

2011-07-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

As técnicas de leitura, como o próprio nome diz, vão nos ajudar a ler um texto. Existem técnicas variadas, mas veremos as mais utilizadas. Ao ler um texto em Inglês, lembre-se de usar as técnicas aprendidas, elas vão ajudá-lo. O uso da gramática vai ajudar também. As principais técnicas são: a identificação de cognatos, de palavras repetidas e de pistas tipográficas. Ao lermos um texto vamos, ainda, apurar a idéia geral do texto (general comprehension) e utilizar duas outras técnicas bastante úteis: skimming e scanning.

Cognatos Os cognatos são palavras muito parecidas com as palavras do Português. São as chamadas palavras transparentes. Existem também os falsos cognatos, que são palavras que achamos que é tal coisa, mas não é; os falsos cognatos são em menor número, estes nós veremos adiante.

Como cognatos podemos citar: school (escola), telephone (telefone), car (carro), question (questão, pergunta), activity (atividade), training (treinamento)... Você mesmo poderá criar sua própria lista de cognatos!

Palavras repetidas As palavras repetidas em um texto possuem um valor muito importante. Um autor não repete as palavras em vão. Se elas são repetidas, é porque são importantes dentro de texto.

Muitas vezes para não repetir o mesmo termo, o autor utiliza sinônimos das mesmas palavras para não tornar o texto cansativo.

Pistas tipográficas As pistas tipográficas são elementos visuais que nos auxiliam na compreensão do texto. Atenção com datas, números, tabelas, gráficas, figuras... São informações também contidas no texto.
Os recursos de escrita também são pistas tipográficas. Por exemplo:
• ... (três pontos) indicam a continuação de uma idéia que não está ali exposta;
• negrito dá destaque a algum termo ou palavra;
• itálico também destaca um termo, menos importante que o negrito;
• ‘’ ‘’ (aspas) salientam a importância de alguma palavra;
• ( ) (parênteses) introduzem uma idéia complementar ao texto.

General Comprehension A idéia geral de um texto é obtida com o emprego das técnicas anteriores. Selecionando-se criteriosamente algumas palavras, termos e expressões no texto, poderemos chegar à idéia geral do texto.

Por exemplo, vamos ler o trecho abaixo e tentar obter a “general comprehension” deste parágrafo:

“Distance education takes place when a teacher and students are separated by physical distance, and technology (i.e., voice, video and data), often in concert with face-to-face communication, is used to bridge the instructional gap.” From: Engineering Outreach College of Engineering – University of Idaho

A partir das palavras parecidas com o português (em negrito) podemos ter um a idéia geral do que se trata; vamos enumerar as palavras conhecidas (pelo menos as que são semelhantes ao Português):

• distance education = educação a distancia
• students = estudantes, alunos
• separeted = separado
• physical distance = distância física
• technology = tecnologia
• voice, video, data = voz, vídeo e dados (atenção: “data” não é data)
• face-to-face communication = comunicação face-a-face
• used = usado (a)
• instructional = instrucional

Então você poderia dizer que o texto trata sobre educação a distância; que esta ocorre quando os alunos estão separados fisicamente do professor; a tecnologia (voz, vídeo, dados) podem ser usados de forma instrucional. Você poderia ter esta conclusão sobre o texto mesmo sem ter muito conhecimento de Inglês. É claro que à medida que você for aprendendo, a sua percepção sobre o texto também aumentará. Há muitas informações que não são tão óbvias assim.

Skimming “skim” em inglês é deslizar à superfície, desnatar (daí skimmed milk = leite desnatado), passar os olhos por. A técnica de “skimming” nos leva a ler um texto superficialmente. Utilizar esta técnica significa que precisamos ler cada sentença, mas sim passarmos os olhos por sobre o texto, lendo algumas frases aqui e ali, procurando reconhecer certas palavras e expressões que sirvam como ‘dicas’ na obtenção de informações sobre o texto.

Às vezes não é necessário ler o texto em detalhes. Para usar esta técnica, precisamos nos valer dos nossos conhecimentos de Inglês também. Observe este trecho:

“Using this integrated approach, the educator’s task is to carefully select among the technological options. The goal is to build a mix of instructional media, meeting the needs of the learner in a manner that is instructionally effective and economically prudent.” From: Engineering Outreach College of Engineering – University of Idaho

Selecionando algumas expressões teremos:
• integrated approach = abordagem (approach = abordagem, enfoque) integrada
• educator’s task = tarefa (task = tarefa) do educador – ‘s significa posse = do
• tecnological options = opções tecnológicas (tecnological é adjetivo)
• goal = objetivo
• a mix instrucional media = uma mistura de mídia instrucional.

Com a técnica do “skimming” podemos dizer que este trecho afirma que a tarefa do educador é selecionar as opções tecnológicas; o objetivo é ter uma mistura de mídias instrucionais de uma maneira instrucionalmente efetiva e economicamente prudente.

Scanning “Scan” em Inglês quer dizer examinar, sondar, explorar. O que faz um scanner? Uma varredura, não é?! Logo, com a técnica de “scanning” você irá fazer uma varredura do texto, procurando detalhes e idéias objetivas.

Aqui é importante que você utilize os conhecimentos de Inglês; por isso, nós vamos ver detalhadamente alguns itens gramaticais no ser “ Estudo da Língua Inglesa”. Olhe este trecho:

“ Teaching and learning at a distance is demanding. However, learning will be more meaningful and “deeper” for distant students, if students and their instructor share responsibility for developing learning goals: actively interacting with class members; promoting reflection on experience; relating new information to examples that make sense to learners. This is the challenge and the opportunity provided by distance education.”

Poderíamos perguntar qual o referente do pronome “ their” em negrito no trecho? Utilizando a técnica de skimming, seria necessário retornar ao texto e entender a sentença na qual o pronome está sendo empregado. “Their “ é um pronome possessivo (e como tal, sempre vem acompanhado de um substantivo) da terceira pessoa do plural (o seu referente é um substantivo no plural).

A tradução de “their instructor” seria seu instrutor . Seu de quem? Lendo um pouco para trás, vemos que há “students”; logo concluímos que “their” refere-se a “students, ou seja, instrutor dos alunos”.

(Adaptado do original da ETB - Escola Técnica de Brasíla)

Hurricanes

2011-07-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Katrina Satellite Image

A hurricane is an area of low pressure, with wind speeds of 300 kilometers per hour and very heavy rain. Hurricanes can cause a great deal of damage to the areas they pass over and, if you live in a hurricane area, it is important to be ready for them. Hurricanes begin in areas of low pressure in all the tropical areas of the world. In America and the Caribbean they are called “hurricanes” and the word “hurricane” comes from the Spanish and Caribbean Indian words for “evil spirits” and “big winds.” In southeast Asia and the Pacific, they are called “typhoons” or “cyclones” and in Australia they are called “willy-willies.”

Hurricanes do not stay in one place, but move very quickly across the ocean, getting stronger and stronger. The hurricane continues to travel until it reaches an area of cool sea or land. When the hurricane reaches land, it becomes less powerful, but can still cause a great deal of damage to towns and villages in the area.

Superstition

2011-07-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

There is evidence of superstition among ancient civilizations. But this is not something of the past. Superstition is part of our modern world, too.

Some very old beliefs are among us today: a broken mirror, for example, means seven years of bad luck. A black cat brings you bad luck when it crosses your way. Some people never walk under a ladder because it also means bad luck. There is a very curious belief among New Yorkers: 13 is a sign of bad luck and many buildings have no thirteenth floor.

There is also a place for good luck in superstition. Some charms and beliefs are popular because they bring good luck. A horseshoe, for example, or a four-leaf clover are popular good luck charms around the world. In Brazil, it is very difficult to find a ticket of the Federal Lottery with a final 13 – this is the lucky number. There is another curious belief in Brazil: three kisses on the face of a single girl bring marriage.

Superstition is certainly part of the past, present and future life of man. For some people, it is ignorance; for others, it is an important part of their lives.

Bruno Mars - "Just The Way You Are"

2011-06-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

Oh her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day

Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment her
She won't believe me
And it's so, it's so
Sad to think she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me do I look okay
I say

(CHORUS:)
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

Her lips, her lips
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates but I think it's so sexy

She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day

Oh you know, you know, you know
I'd never ask you to change
If perfect is what you're searching for
Then just stay the same

So don't even bother asking
If you look okay
You know I say

(REPEAT CHORUS)

The way you are
The way you are
Girl you're amazing
Just the way you are

(REPEAT CHORUS)

Becoming a more effective learner

2011-06-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

-> Look at these 21 ways of studying and learning.

Ways of studying

1- Keep a vocabulary notebook and write translations, phonetics and example sentences in it. ( )

2- Study the grammar from the last lesson before the next lesson. ( )

3- Ask your teacher questions when you don’t understand. ( )

4- Watch TV programmes and films in English. ( )

5- Listen to the radio/music in English. ( )

6- Keep a diary in English. ( )

7- Try to learn three or four new words every day. ( )

8- Practise English with other people via email or the Internet. ( )

9- Talk to other students outside class in English. ( )

10- Revise regularly. ( )

11- Read graded English Readers. ( )

12- Use an English-English dictionary. ( )

13- Put lists of English words on the wall in your bedroom. ( )

14- Use CD-Roms to learn and revise your English. ( )

15- Take a holiday in an English-speaking country. ( )

16- Read magazines / newspapers / websites in English. ( )

17- Write something in English every day. ( )

18- Ask yourself regularly ‘How would I say that in English?’ ( )

19- Ask other people for tips on how to learn effectively. ( )

20- Buy a grammar practice book. ( )

21- Test yourself with new vocabulary. ( )

() Tick the methods that you use.

( * ) Asterisk the methods that you want to try in the future

( x ) Cross the methods that don’t work for you.

Lost Generation

2011-06-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is a video about the poem "Lost Generation" by Jonathan Reed, originally appearing as an entrant in AARP's U@50 Video Contest. When first read, the poem seems to be a pessimistic monologue of the current generation, an echo of sentiments often found when looking at news reports and articles. The last line of the poem, and the presentation of the poem in the original video, suggests reading it in reverse. When read backwards the poem paints a polarising view, showing a brighter interpretation of the future.

.

Lost Generation

by Jonathan Reed

I am part of a lost generation

and I refuse to believe that

I can change the world

I realize this may be a shock but

“Happiness comes from within.”

is a lie, and

“Money will make me happy.”

So in 30 years I will tell my children

they are not the most important thing in my life

My employer will know that

I have my priorities straight because

work

is more important than

family

I tell you this

Once upon a time

Families stayed together

but this will not be true in my era

This is a quick fix society

Experts tell me

30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce

I do not concede that

I will live in a country of my own making

In the future

Environmental destruction will be the norm

No longer can it be said that

My peers and I care about this earth

It will be evident that

My generation is apathetic and lethargic

It is foolish to presume that

There is hope.

And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it.

Reported Speech Interactive Exercises

2011-05-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hi, students!!!

Are you interested in practing the Reported Speech???

Try the links below and enjoy yourselves!!!

Reported Speech

Reported Questions

Reported Speech - Quiz

Xuxa's Alphabet (USA)

2011-05-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yes!!! Xuxa speaks English!!!

Let's learn the alphabet in English and have fun!!!

XUXA'S ALPHABET
"A" IS FOR APPLES
"B" IS FOR BOOKS
"C" IS FOR CARROTS
"D" IS FOR DRAGON
"E" IS FOR THE EARTH
"F" IS FOR FRIENDSHIP
"G" IS FOR GOLDFISH
"H" IS FOR THE HEART
"I" IS FOR ICE CREAM
"J" IS JUBILATION
"K" IS KINDERGATDEN
"L" IS THE LAUGHTER
"M" IS FOR THE MOONLIGHT
"N" IS MOTHER NATURE
"O" IS OH, O.K.
"P" IS FOR THE PEOPLE
"Q" IS THE QUIET TIME
"R" IS FOR THE RAINBOW
"S" IS THE STAR
"T" IS THE TELESCOPE
"U" CAN SEE THE UNIVERSE
"V"ICTORY FOR THE
"W"ORLD
"X" IS FOR WHAT? IT'S FOR XUXA!
"Y" YES
"Z"S FOR ZOO ZOO ZOO

LET'S ALL SING
LET'S ALL PLAY
LET'S BE HAPPY
COME WHAT MAY
LET'S SING THE ALPHABET
WE'RE GONNA LEARN TODAY

The Importance of Learning English

2011-05-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

Why is learning English so important nowadays?

Watch this video and find out!

FOR A CLEANER PLANET

2011-05-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, everyone, so we'll now talk about recycling. I know you all recycle a lot of things, but we need to recycle more and consume less. Plastic bags, for example. Every time we go shopping we get new plastic bags, and sometimes we throw them away. Do you know that a plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to degrade? That's it, a millennium! Impressed? Oh yes, that's a worrying number. And diapers are the same. Scientists say that one diaper takes more than 100 years to degrade, that is, they will be around much after the “baby” is gone. Do you want another impressive number? Number ONE it is! Do you know why? Because by recycling ONE single aluminium can it is possible to save enough energy to watch TV for THREE hours. Yes, the name of the game now is the 3 R's. Reduce, reuse, recycle. And that means we'll all have a cleaner planet.

(Adapted from "Links - Book 9" by Amadeu Marques.)

The Terminal

2011-03-29T06:36:00.001-07:00

Hello, alunos do 1º Ano do ensino médio! Que tal se divertirem enquanto aprendem?

Uma boa sugestão de filme é “The Terminal” (O Terminal), estralado por Tom Hanks.

É um filme ambientado em um terminal de aeroporto, onde o personagem de Tom Hanks não recebe permissão para sair desse local até que a situação política de seu país em conflito se resolva.

Um aeroporto pode ser o microcosmos do mundo. Há gente de todos os lugares do planeta, das mais diferentes culturas, com os mais estranhos costumes.

É importante ressaltar que tal personagem tem bastante dificuldade de se comunicar em inglês e acaba passando por inúmeras desventuras.

Tenha um olhar crítico sobre esse filme e pense como seria se você fosse a personagem do filme vivido por Tom Hanks. Como você superaria suas dificuldades? Você iria se propor o desenvolvimento de que tipo de habiliades linguísticas? Valeria a pena tal sacifício? Que motivações você teria? Quais incertezas povoariam sua mente?

Abaixo, veja apenas um trechinho do filme. Nesta cena, a personagem de Tom (Viktor Navorski) auxilia os funcionários do aeroporto com sua capacidade de tradução e interpretação e acaba resolvendo uma situação que parecia insolúvel.

Gostou do que viu? Quer ver mais? Então junte seus colegas, alugue o filme (ou compre-o –> http://dvdworld.com.br/dvdworld.hts?+PR09616+acha) e se divirta enquanto aprende!

Hugs!!!

How To Make Homework Less Work

2011-03-29T05:40:00.001-07:00

I hope you enjoy this video! It’s really funny and fairly educational!!!