Dèjá vu (also called paramnesia) is a French word which means "already seen". It is the experience of feeling sure that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously (an individual feels as if an event has already happened or has happened in the near past), although the exact circumstances of the previous encounter are uncertain. The term was coined by a French psychic researcher, Émile Boirac (1851–1917) in his book "L'Avenir des sciences psychiques" ("The Future of Psychic Sciences"). The experience of déjà vu is usually accompanied by a sense of familiarity and also a sense of "eeriness," "strangeness," or "weirdness." The "previous" experience is most frequently attributed to a dream, although in some cases there is a firm sense that the experience "genuinely happened" in the past.
The experience of déjà vu seems to be quite common among adults and children alike. References to the experience of déjà vu are also found in literature of the past, indicating it is not a new phenomenon. Recently, researchers have found ways to recreate this sensation using hypnosis.
Note 1: It can be written dèjá vu, deja vu or dejavu.
The British rock band Iron Maiden has a song called Deja vu and its lyrics gives us a good definition of what this phenomenon is:
DEJA VU - IRON MAIDEN
When you see familiar faces,
But you don't remember where they're from,
Could you be wrong?
When you've been particular places,
That you know you've never been before,
Can you be sure?
'Cause you know this has happened before,
And you know that this moment in time is for real,
And you know when you feel Deja vu.
Feel like I've been here before,
Feel like I've been here before.
Feel like I've been here before,
Feel like I've been here before.
Ever had a conversation,
That you realize you've had before,
Isn't it strange?
Have you ever talked to someone,
And you feel you know what's coming next?
It feels pre-arranged.
'Cause you know that you've heard it before,
And you feel that this moment in time is surreal,
'Cause you know when you feel Deja vu.
Note 2: And you? Have you ever had a feeling of déjà vu?
Initial text from www.wikipedia.com. Adapted by Milton França.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
HAPPY VALENTINE´S DAY
Valetine´s Day (Dia dos Namorados) is celebrated on June 12 in Brazil. In many other countries in the world - including the United States and the United Kingdom - the celebration is on February 12.
Let´s take a look at how other cultures celebrate this most romantic of days:
In Japan ladies give gifts of 'giri-choco' (chocolate of obligation) to all the men in their lives including male family members, colleagues and the boss. One month later, on White Day the gentlemen reciprocate by giving a gift of 'sanbai-gaeshi', or 'triple return' as the value should be triple that of his giri-choco gift.
In India the phenomenon of the St Valentine's Day celebration is a relatively recent one. Over the last decade or so has it grown to fever-pitch, with young men declaring their affections in Bollywood hero style, Valentine-themed TV and radio shows abound and shops gear-up to the ensuing commercial onslaught. Yet celebrations of love are nothing new. Kamadeva is the Hindu god of love and legend goes that this handsome deity rides a golden parrot, and from a bow made of sugar cane fires flower-tipped arrows of desire.
In Poland, Valentine's Day is another Saint's day, also known as name day (imieniny). The Polish celebrate the day of their namesake saints, in a similar way the British celebrate a birthday, with cakes and gifts. Your saint’s day is generally more significant than your birthday. It’s also much easier to find out someone’s saints day than try to remember their birthday!
Zimbabweans approach it as a day for celebrating their culture by holding seminars talks and plays to address social problems. There are even cooking competitions. These activities are followed by street carnivals and processions. It is very much a community affair.
The Chileans are most famous for starting the craze of Valentines Day smooching competitions, which is fast becoming a fixture in many cities including Singapore and Manila. The record for the most couples smooching in one gathering has become a hotly-contested competition between Santiago and Manila!
In China, the equivalent of Valentine's Day is Qi Qiao Ji (or Qi Xi – Night of Sevens. According to legend, the seventh daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, Zhi Nu, fell in love with a cow herder and they married without permission. The Emperor separated them, sending his daughter to live on one star (Vega) and her lover to another (Altair). But once a year – on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month – all the magpies in the world are said to form a bridge between the two stars so they can meet. Traditionally on this day a garland of fruit and flowers is placed in front of every house and any single or newly married woman must make an offering to the gods to give them lasting beauty. In some parts of China, single women make offerings to Zhi Nu in the hope finding suitable husbands.
So no matter how it is celebrated and where, a day of romance is something close to everyone’s hearts around the world.
Have a nice Valentine´s Day.
Milton França.
From www.scotlandistheplace.com with adaptations by Milton França.
Let´s take a look at how other cultures celebrate this most romantic of days:
In Japan ladies give gifts of 'giri-choco' (chocolate of obligation) to all the men in their lives including male family members, colleagues and the boss. One month later, on White Day the gentlemen reciprocate by giving a gift of 'sanbai-gaeshi', or 'triple return' as the value should be triple that of his giri-choco gift.
In India the phenomenon of the St Valentine's Day celebration is a relatively recent one. Over the last decade or so has it grown to fever-pitch, with young men declaring their affections in Bollywood hero style, Valentine-themed TV and radio shows abound and shops gear-up to the ensuing commercial onslaught. Yet celebrations of love are nothing new. Kamadeva is the Hindu god of love and legend goes that this handsome deity rides a golden parrot, and from a bow made of sugar cane fires flower-tipped arrows of desire.
In Poland, Valentine's Day is another Saint's day, also known as name day (imieniny). The Polish celebrate the day of their namesake saints, in a similar way the British celebrate a birthday, with cakes and gifts. Your saint’s day is generally more significant than your birthday. It’s also much easier to find out someone’s saints day than try to remember their birthday!
Zimbabweans approach it as a day for celebrating their culture by holding seminars talks and plays to address social problems. There are even cooking competitions. These activities are followed by street carnivals and processions. It is very much a community affair.
The Chileans are most famous for starting the craze of Valentines Day smooching competitions, which is fast becoming a fixture in many cities including Singapore and Manila. The record for the most couples smooching in one gathering has become a hotly-contested competition between Santiago and Manila!
In China, the equivalent of Valentine's Day is Qi Qiao Ji (or Qi Xi – Night of Sevens. According to legend, the seventh daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, Zhi Nu, fell in love with a cow herder and they married without permission. The Emperor separated them, sending his daughter to live on one star (Vega) and her lover to another (Altair). But once a year – on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month – all the magpies in the world are said to form a bridge between the two stars so they can meet. Traditionally on this day a garland of fruit and flowers is placed in front of every house and any single or newly married woman must make an offering to the gods to give them lasting beauty. In some parts of China, single women make offerings to Zhi Nu in the hope finding suitable husbands.
So no matter how it is celebrated and where, a day of romance is something close to everyone’s hearts around the world.
Have a nice Valentine´s Day.
Milton França.
From www.scotlandistheplace.com with adaptations by Milton França.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
O AMOR DO PEQUENO PRÍNCIPE
Note: This time I´m gonna do something a little bit different. I am posting a test with the text in Portuguese (about the Little Prince) and the comprehension questions that I prepared are in English. Why this?
Well, simply because this is a kind of test that the new ENEM may have next year and the more you practice different styles of tests the better for you.
Milton França.
TEXTO
Enquanto o mundo lembrava em mais 80 milhões de exemplares - e em 160 línguas - o amor entre o principezinho de um planeta distante e a sua rosa, uma outra paixão que perpassava esta história ficou esquecida. Recentemente essa história foi contada em O amor do Pequeno Príncipe. O livro é uma compilação de cartas enviadas pelo autor de O Pequeno Príncipe, Saint-Exupéry a uma mulher por quem se apaixonou logo antes de morrer. O episódio só se tornou público em novembro de 2007, por ocasião da venda de diversos documentos do autor que faziam parte da coleção do Museu de Cartas e Manuscritos, em Paris.
As cartas que o escritor e aviador escreveu à sua amada mostram que muito havia em comum entre o autor e seu personagem. As comparações são feitas pelo próprio Exupéry, que assina suas mensagens ilustradas como O Pequeno Príncipe. A correspondência revela um homem que, assim como seu personagem, é sensível, reflexivo e um pouco deprimido quando está distante do objeto de seu amor.
Dela pouco se sabe. Tudo o que se pôde ter certeza a respeito de sua identidade é que era uma jovem de 23 anos, nascida no leste da França, casada e oficial da Cruz Vermelha. Exupéry a conheceu no trem, em março de 1943, quando ia à cidade de Oran aArgel, na Argélia, a serviço da aeronáutica francesa. Foi amor à primeira vista. Os documentos sugerem que, dessa época até sua morte, eles mantiveram um relacionamento. Mas indicam também que esta foi uma paixão que o fez sofrer.
Em um dos trechos do livro ele até a acusa de matar o Pequeno Príncipe. "Não há Pequeno Príncipe hoje e não haverá nunca mais. O Pequeno Príncipe morreu. Ou então tornou-se muito cético". Hoje as palavras parecem proféticas. Poucos dias depois, em 31 de julho de 1944, o escritor desapareceu a bordo de seu avião no Mediterrâneo. Nunca pôde ver o Pequeno Príncipe publicado em seu país Natal... nem ver sua amada misteriosa novamente.
O livro saiu do acervo museu francês e foi direto para a lista de best-sellers. No Brasil, estava entre os mais vendidos já na primeira semana. O segredo desta volta de sucesso do Pequeno Príncipe (se é que algum dia ele chegou a partir) é o talento inexplicável de Saint-Exupéry, que transbordou de paixão cada linha de sua obra. Um escritor que sabia muito bem uma lição importante que registrou neste novo livro: "Os contos de fada são assim. Uma manhã, a gente acorda e diz: 'era só um conto de fadas...' E a gente sorri de si mesmo. Mas, no fundo, não estamos sorrindo. Sabemos muito bem que os contos de fadas são a única verdade da vida."
(Site da Revista Época – Acesso em 18/05/2009 - Adaptado por Milton França)
1. According to the text, which alternative is the correct one?
a) The Little Prince was a great success in France when its author was alive.
b) Saint-Exupéry was not on a plane when he saw that woman for the first time.
c) Saint –Exupéry met his lover three years before his death.
d) There was nothing in common between Saint-Exupéry and the main character of his book.
e) The woman was the one who really killed the Little Prince. That´s why she was arrested.
2. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
a) died more than one hundred years ago.
b) never flew a plane in his whole life.
c) wanted to see his book published in his country at Christmas but it was not possible.
d) had an affair with a married woman for many years and only now it was discovered.
e) fell in love the first time he saw that woman.
3. The woman who was Saint-Exupéry´s lover:
a) was French, unlike him.
b) wanted to work for the Red Cross.
c) married him before his death.
d) was a teenager in 1943.
e) had a husband.
4. Saint-Exupéry and the woman´s love affair lasted:
a) less than a year.
b) two years.
c) almost two years.
d) more than a year.
e) until 2007.
5. According to the text, “the author disappeared on board of _____ plane on July 31, 1944”.
a) your
b) her
c) his
d) yours
e) its
6. “The Little Prince” is a book that is a best-seller all over the world. In this sentence, the relative pronoun that could be replaced by:
a) who
b) whom
c) what
d) which
e) whose
7. My niece _________ bought a new edition of The Little Prince.
a) himself
b) myself
c) herself
d) itself
e) yourself
8. The sentence: "There isn´t any Little Prince today" is the same as:
a) There isn´t no Little Prince today.
b) There is some Little Prince today.
c) There is no Little Prince today.
d) Is there any Little Prince today?
e) There isn´t anyone Little Prince today.
9. "Exupéry a conheceu no trem, em março de 1943, quando ia à cidade de Oran aArgel, na Argélia, a serviço da aeronáutica francesa. Foi amor à primeira vista. Os documentos sugerem que, de então até sua morte, eles mantiveram um relacionamento".
By changing this sentence into English, we have:
a) only one regular verb.
b) only one irregular verb.
c) three irregular verbs.
d) four regular verbs.
e) five irregular verbs.
10. Saint-Exupéry was ______ a train when he met that married woman.
a) at
b) in
c) on
d) into
e) from
Well, simply because this is a kind of test that the new ENEM may have next year and the more you practice different styles of tests the better for you.
Milton França.
TEXTO
Enquanto o mundo lembrava em mais 80 milhões de exemplares - e em 160 línguas - o amor entre o principezinho de um planeta distante e a sua rosa, uma outra paixão que perpassava esta história ficou esquecida. Recentemente essa história foi contada em O amor do Pequeno Príncipe. O livro é uma compilação de cartas enviadas pelo autor de O Pequeno Príncipe, Saint-Exupéry a uma mulher por quem se apaixonou logo antes de morrer. O episódio só se tornou público em novembro de 2007, por ocasião da venda de diversos documentos do autor que faziam parte da coleção do Museu de Cartas e Manuscritos, em Paris.
As cartas que o escritor e aviador escreveu à sua amada mostram que muito havia em comum entre o autor e seu personagem. As comparações são feitas pelo próprio Exupéry, que assina suas mensagens ilustradas como O Pequeno Príncipe. A correspondência revela um homem que, assim como seu personagem, é sensível, reflexivo e um pouco deprimido quando está distante do objeto de seu amor.
Dela pouco se sabe. Tudo o que se pôde ter certeza a respeito de sua identidade é que era uma jovem de 23 anos, nascida no leste da França, casada e oficial da Cruz Vermelha. Exupéry a conheceu no trem, em março de 1943, quando ia à cidade de Oran aArgel, na Argélia, a serviço da aeronáutica francesa. Foi amor à primeira vista. Os documentos sugerem que, dessa época até sua morte, eles mantiveram um relacionamento. Mas indicam também que esta foi uma paixão que o fez sofrer.
Em um dos trechos do livro ele até a acusa de matar o Pequeno Príncipe. "Não há Pequeno Príncipe hoje e não haverá nunca mais. O Pequeno Príncipe morreu. Ou então tornou-se muito cético". Hoje as palavras parecem proféticas. Poucos dias depois, em 31 de julho de 1944, o escritor desapareceu a bordo de seu avião no Mediterrâneo. Nunca pôde ver o Pequeno Príncipe publicado em seu país Natal... nem ver sua amada misteriosa novamente.
O livro saiu do acervo museu francês e foi direto para a lista de best-sellers. No Brasil, estava entre os mais vendidos já na primeira semana. O segredo desta volta de sucesso do Pequeno Príncipe (se é que algum dia ele chegou a partir) é o talento inexplicável de Saint-Exupéry, que transbordou de paixão cada linha de sua obra. Um escritor que sabia muito bem uma lição importante que registrou neste novo livro: "Os contos de fada são assim. Uma manhã, a gente acorda e diz: 'era só um conto de fadas...' E a gente sorri de si mesmo. Mas, no fundo, não estamos sorrindo. Sabemos muito bem que os contos de fadas são a única verdade da vida."
(Site da Revista Época – Acesso em 18/05/2009 - Adaptado por Milton França)
1. According to the text, which alternative is the correct one?
a) The Little Prince was a great success in France when its author was alive.
b) Saint-Exupéry was not on a plane when he saw that woman for the first time.
c) Saint –Exupéry met his lover three years before his death.
d) There was nothing in common between Saint-Exupéry and the main character of his book.
e) The woman was the one who really killed the Little Prince. That´s why she was arrested.
2. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
a) died more than one hundred years ago.
b) never flew a plane in his whole life.
c) wanted to see his book published in his country at Christmas but it was not possible.
d) had an affair with a married woman for many years and only now it was discovered.
e) fell in love the first time he saw that woman.
3. The woman who was Saint-Exupéry´s lover:
a) was French, unlike him.
b) wanted to work for the Red Cross.
c) married him before his death.
d) was a teenager in 1943.
e) had a husband.
4. Saint-Exupéry and the woman´s love affair lasted:
a) less than a year.
b) two years.
c) almost two years.
d) more than a year.
e) until 2007.
5. According to the text, “the author disappeared on board of _____ plane on July 31, 1944”.
a) your
b) her
c) his
d) yours
e) its
6. “The Little Prince” is a book that is a best-seller all over the world. In this sentence, the relative pronoun that could be replaced by:
a) who
b) whom
c) what
d) which
e) whose
7. My niece _________ bought a new edition of The Little Prince.
a) himself
b) myself
c) herself
d) itself
e) yourself
8. The sentence: "There isn´t any Little Prince today" is the same as:
a) There isn´t no Little Prince today.
b) There is some Little Prince today.
c) There is no Little Prince today.
d) Is there any Little Prince today?
e) There isn´t anyone Little Prince today.
9. "Exupéry a conheceu no trem, em março de 1943, quando ia à cidade de Oran aArgel, na Argélia, a serviço da aeronáutica francesa. Foi amor à primeira vista. Os documentos sugerem que, de então até sua morte, eles mantiveram um relacionamento".
By changing this sentence into English, we have:
a) only one regular verb.
b) only one irregular verb.
c) three irregular verbs.
d) four regular verbs.
e) five irregular verbs.
10. Saint-Exupéry was ______ a train when he met that married woman.
a) at
b) in
c) on
d) into
e) from
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
TONGUE TWISTERS
Tongue twisters are phrases, sentences or rhymes that present difficulties when we say them because they contain similar sounds. Here are a few examples for you to practice:
1 - Selfish shellfish.
2 - Three free throws.
3 - Please pay promptly.
4 - Strange strategic statistics.
5 - Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
6 - Which witch wished which wicked wish?
7 - Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
8 - The boot black bought the black boot back.
9 - Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.
10 - The two-twenty-two train tore through the tunnel.
11 - Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
12 - Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar.
13 - Thank the other three brothers of their father's mother's brother's side.
14 - A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood.
15 - If a canner can can ten cans a day, how many cans can ten canners can today?
16 - If you tell Tom to tell a tongue-twister, his tongue will be twisted as tongue-twister twists tongues.
17 - A sailor went to sea to see what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.
18 - I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought wasn't the thought
I thought I thought.
19 - She stood on the balcony inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping, and amicably welcoming him home.
20 - One-One was a racehorse.
Two-Two was one, too.
When One-One won one race,
Two-Two won one, too.
21 - How many cookies could a good cooker cook if a good cooker could cook cookies?
A good cooker could cook as much cookies as a good cooker who could cook cookies.
22 - How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would
if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
23 - While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington's windows with warm washing water.
24 - If one doctor doctors another doctor, does the doctor who doctors the doctor doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors? Or does he doctor the doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors?
25 - Swan swam over the sea.
Swim, swan, swim!
Swan swam back again.
Well swum, swan!
26 - On mules we find two legs behind
and two we find before.
We stand behind before we find
what those behind be for.
27 – She sells sea shells by the sea shore.
The shells she sells are surely seashells.
So if she sells shells on the seashore,
She´s sure she sells seashore shells.
28 - There was a young fisher named Fischer
Who fished for a fish in a fissure.
The fish with a grin,
Pulled the fisherman in;
Now they're fishing the fissure for Fischer.
29 - You've no need to light a night-light
On a light night like tonight,
For a night-light's light's a slight light,
And tonight's a night that's light.
When a night's light, like tonight's light,
It is really not quite right
To light night-lights with their slight lights
On a light night like tonight.
30 - Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not.
So it is better to be Shott than Nott.
Some say Nott was not shot.
But Shott says he shot Nott.
Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot,
Or Nott was shot.
If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot.
But if the shot Shott shot shot Shott,
Then Shott was shot, not Nott.
However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott, but Nott.
31 - Betty Botter had some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter
that would make my batter better."
So she bought a bit of butter,
better than her bitter butter,
and she baked it in her batter,
and the batter was not bitter.
So it was better Betty Botter
bought a bit of better butter.
32 - A tree toad loved a she-toad
Who lived up in a tree.
He was a two-toed tree toad
But a three-toed toad was she.
The two-toed tree toad tried to win
The three-toed she-toad's heart,
For the two-toed tree toad loved the ground
That the three-toed tree toad trod.
But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain.
He couldn't please her whim.
From her tree toad bower
With her three-toed power
The she-toad vetoed him.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
SOME JOKES IN ENGLISH
THE BOY IN THE WARDROBE
A woman and her lover are in the house while the husband is at work. Her nine year old son comes in, and after seeing them making love he hides in the wardrobe and watches them. All of a sudden the husband comes. The wife hides her lover in the wardrobe, without knowing that her son is in there.
Boy:
- It's dark here.
- Yes it is.
- I've got a soccer ball.
- That's nice.
- Do you want to buy it?
- No, thanks.
- My dad is outside.
- Ok, how much?
- 250 dollars.
After a few weeks the man and the boy run into each other again in the wardrobe.
Boy:
- It's dark here.
- Yes it is.
- I've got a soccer cleats.
Remembering what happened last time, the man asks:
- How much?
- 750 dollars.
- Ok.
After few days, the father says to his son:
- Let´s go and play soccer.
- I can't, I sold the ball and the cleats.
- How much did you get?
- 1000 dollars.
- That is terrible, how could you ask so much money.... that's much more than they are worth. That's a sin, so you should go to church and confess.
The father takes his son to the church confessional. The boy gets in, closes the door and says:
- It's dark here.
Priest:
- Don't start with that shit again!!!
THE BLONDE AND THE ODOMETER
A blonde wanted to sell her car, but couldn't find any buyers. She called her friend for advice, and her friend asked her how many miles she had on her car.
"235,000 miles." Her friend told her that was the problem. But the blonde's friend told her that her brother is a mechanic and could put back the miles to whatever she wanted. So the blonde went to the mechanic and told him to put the miles at 40,000. Two days later the blonde's friend asked her if she sold the car since her brother dropped the miles. The blonde told her, "Why would I sell the car? There are only 40,000 miles on it!"
THE BLONDE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
An airline captain was helping a new blonde flight attendant prepare for her first overnight trip. Upon their arrival, the captain showed the flight attendant the best place for airline personnel to eat, shop, and stay overnight. The next morning as the pilot was preparing the crew for the day's route, he noticed the new stewardess was missing. He knew which room she was in at the hotel and called her up to ask what happened to her. She answered the phone, crying, and said, "I can't get out of the room!" "You can't get out of your room?"; the captain asked. "Why not?" She replied, "There are only three doors in here," she sobbed, "one is the bathroom, one is the closet, and one has a sign on it that says 'Do Not Disturb'
LOVE ON THE BEACH
A policeman sent his wife and kid to a resort for a vacation. After a week he joined them in the hotel. As soon as he came to the hotel room he wanted to make love to his wife.
- No darling, we can’t do it here, our kid is watching us.
- You are right, lets go to the beach.
After a while, they start to make love on an empty beach. All of a sudden, a policeman walks in on them.
- Put your cloths on immediately, shame on you, you can’t do that in public.
- You are right - said the husband - but I had a moment of weakness. We didn’t see each other for a week. By the way, I am a policeman too and it would be very embarrassing if you fine me.
- Don’t worry, you are a colleague and it is your first time. But this is the third time I caught this bitch making love on this beach in the last week and she will have to pay for it.
THE POLICEMAN´S SHOES
A policeman comes to the office with one black shoe and one white shoe. His boss starts to yell at him:
- You are ruining police reputation, go home and change the shoes.
The policeman goes home, and comes back after a while.
- Boss I have a problem, the other pair of shoes at home are black and white, too.
AT THE DOCTOR´S
A man at the doctor´s:
-Doctor, I have diarrhea and it won’t go away!
-Did you try using a lemon?
-Yes I did, but when I removed it, it started again!
IN A RESTAURANT
In a restaurant, a man ordered soup but, as soon as it arrived, he had to go to the bathroom. To make sure that nobody touched his soup while he is away, he wrote on a napkin: "I SPIT IN THE SOUP".
When he returned, he found another message on napkin: "ME, TOO".
THE BROKEN FINGER
A man goes to the doctor and says, "Doctor, wherever I touch, it hurts."
The doctor asks, "What do you mean?"
The man says, "When I touch my shoulder, it really hurts. If I touch my knee - OUCH! When I touch my forehead, it really, really hurts."
The doctor says, "I know what's wrong with you - you've broken your finger!"
WHICH SIDE?
A teacher asked a student to write 55.
Student asked: How?
Teacher: Write 5 and beside it another 5!
The student wrote 5 and stopped.
teacher: What are you waiting for?
student: I don't know which side to write the other 5!
CHANGING THE VERB
The teacher to a student: Conjugate the verb "to walk" in the simple present.
The student: I walk. You walk ....
The teacher interrupts him: Quicker, please!
The student: I run. You run ...
Friday, May 1, 2009
SWINE FLU
What is swine flu, and how is it different from other kinds of flu? How does a person catch swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory illness of pigs caused by infection with swine influenza A virus (SIV) that can occasionally affect humans. The disease first came to attention in 1976 with the death of an army recruit from swine flu. Widespread fear then led to an often-criticized mass inoculation program in the United States that resulted in illnesses and deaths.
Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses. These include fever and chills, coughing, sore throat, and fatigue. Sometimes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can occur. In the past, pneumonia and potentially fatal respiratory failure were associated with human swine flu infections. It is not possible to distinguish swine flu from "regular" influenza on the basis of symptoms alone. The symptoms of swine flu can also vary in severity among affected individuals.
Treatment for swine flu involves the use of antiviral medications begun as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms. There is no human vaccine to protect against swine flu, although vaccines are available to be given to pigs to prevent swine flu.
In spring 2009, numerous cases of swine flu affecting humans were reported, first in San Diego, California. From 2005 up to this outbreak, only 12 cases of human swine flu were reported in the U.S., none of which resulted in death. Although many cases of swine influenza A virus infection occur in individuals who have had recent direct contact with pigs or close contact with pigs, human-to-human transmission has been documented for the 2009 swine flu outbreak. It is believed that this swine flu virus spreads through airborne particles containing the virus that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is not possible to get swine flu from eating pork.
When to seek medical care:
If you have flu-like symptoms and live in an area in which swine flu has been documented or suspected, contact your doctor. He or she will be able to advise you if specialized testing for swine flu is advisable. If you develop symptoms such as difficulty breathing, high fever, dizziness, severe vomiting, worsening of previous flu symptoms, or chest or abdominal pain, you should seek emergency medical care.
From medicinenet.com – Adapted by Milton França
Vocabulary:
swine flu – gripe suína
to catch - pegar
illness – doença
army – exército
widespread – generalizada
led to – levou a
chills – calafrios
coughing – tosse
sore throat – garganta inflamada
to vary – variar
severity – gravidade
onset – começo
although – embora
up to – até
outbreak – surto
close – próximo
to spread – espalhar
airborne – transmitidas no ar
to release – lançar
to cough – tossir
to sneeze – espirrar
pork – carne de porco
to seek – procurar
medical care – tratamento médico
flu-like symptons – sintomas similares à gripe
to advise – aconselhar
advisable – aconselhável
such as – tais como
to breath – respirar
dizziness – tontura
severe – forte, agudo
worsening – piora
previous – anteriores
chest – peito, tórax
pain – dor
By Milton França/2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Where the dinosaurs still roam - from The Economist
JOSÉ SARNEY first ran for elected office over half a century ago. For the past 40 years he has controlled the fortunes of Maranhão, a state on the eastern fringe of Brazil’s Amazon region. He has represented it as federal deputy (twice), governor, and senator (twice). In 1985 he became the accidental, and undistinguished, president of Brazil when the man chosen for the job died before he could take it up. More recently he has been senator for the nearby and newly-created state of Amapá (twice). Time to retire, one might think.
Mr Sarney may look like a throwback to an era of semi-feudal politics that still prevails in corners of Brazil and holds the rest of it back. But with the tacit support of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the country’s left-of-centre president, he was this week chosen to preside over the Senate. It is the third time in his career that he has held this powerful job, which confers a degree of control over the government’s agenda and opportunities for patronage.
And so it will buttress Mr Sarney’s grip over Maranhão just when some locals hoped that this was beginning to crack. The centre of São Luís, the state capital, is decrepit. Some historic buildings are well cared for, such as the gleaming white Church of Our Lady of the Exile. But most are slowly crumbling in the hot, wet weather. The streets are pitted with potholes. An extraordinarily large number of people hang around in the hope of getting a tip in return for showing drivers where to park. In a city of 1m people, there were 38 murders last month alone.
But it is outside São Luís where Maranhão’s backwardness is most evident. In Sangue, a town in the interior, many people live in single-room houses, roofed with palm fronds, that lack both running water and electricity. Public transport is scarce. There is nothing much to buy or sell beyond bucketloads of bacuri, an Amazonian fruit. Educational achievement across the state is poor. Its infant mortality rate of 39 per thousand live births is 60% higher than the Brazilian average.
Dominance by a single man or family was not uncommon in Brazil’s north-east. But it is fading away. The Sarney clan is becoming unusual. Mr Sarney’s daughter, Roseana, has been Maranhão’s governor and currently represents it in the Senate. His son was a minister in Brazil’s previous government. Other relatives are scattered in positions of authority in Maranhão’s courts and the civil service. One of his lieutenants, Edison Lobão, is Lula’s minister for mines and energy. When he took the job, Mr Lobão’s seat in the national Senate went to his son; his wife sits in the lower house. All three of Maranhão’s senators answer to Mr Sarney, as do his fellow senators from Amapá.
This control is aided by the Sarney family’s ownership of Maranhão’s biggest media company. Its television station transmits the programmes of Globo, which produces Brazil’s most popular soap operas. These are interspersed with glowing news reports about the owner’s family. Controlling television and radio stations is particularly useful in rural Maranhão, where a majority of the electorate is illiterate and where the Sarneys now draw most of their support. “We are ruled by an electronic oligarchy,” laments Zé Reinaldo, a former state governor.
Even so, the family’s power may finally be waning. In 2006 Roseana Sarney lost the gubernatorial election to Jackson Lago. But Mr Lago and his deputy are currently being investigated for electoral crimes. If they are impeached, Ms Sarney will take over as governor once again. In last year’s municipal elections, Sarney candidates suffered some setbacks. “Sarney always says that Maranhão must vote for him so he can bring federal money from Brasília,” says Arleth Santos Borges of the Federal University of Maranhão. “In fact he needs power in Brasília to shore up power here.” That is what the Senate presidency brings him.
Meanwhile Maranhão continues in its sad way. “For fifteen years I have heard Sarney say he will bring development and tourism to Maranhão, but we still have one road in and one road out of this city,” says Hélio, a waiter in São Luís. “And they are both a mess.”
The Economist - Feb 5th 2009
Mr Sarney may look like a throwback to an era of semi-feudal politics that still prevails in corners of Brazil and holds the rest of it back. But with the tacit support of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the country’s left-of-centre president, he was this week chosen to preside over the Senate. It is the third time in his career that he has held this powerful job, which confers a degree of control over the government’s agenda and opportunities for patronage.
And so it will buttress Mr Sarney’s grip over Maranhão just when some locals hoped that this was beginning to crack. The centre of São Luís, the state capital, is decrepit. Some historic buildings are well cared for, such as the gleaming white Church of Our Lady of the Exile. But most are slowly crumbling in the hot, wet weather. The streets are pitted with potholes. An extraordinarily large number of people hang around in the hope of getting a tip in return for showing drivers where to park. In a city of 1m people, there were 38 murders last month alone.
But it is outside São Luís where Maranhão’s backwardness is most evident. In Sangue, a town in the interior, many people live in single-room houses, roofed with palm fronds, that lack both running water and electricity. Public transport is scarce. There is nothing much to buy or sell beyond bucketloads of bacuri, an Amazonian fruit. Educational achievement across the state is poor. Its infant mortality rate of 39 per thousand live births is 60% higher than the Brazilian average.
Dominance by a single man or family was not uncommon in Brazil’s north-east. But it is fading away. The Sarney clan is becoming unusual. Mr Sarney’s daughter, Roseana, has been Maranhão’s governor and currently represents it in the Senate. His son was a minister in Brazil’s previous government. Other relatives are scattered in positions of authority in Maranhão’s courts and the civil service. One of his lieutenants, Edison Lobão, is Lula’s minister for mines and energy. When he took the job, Mr Lobão’s seat in the national Senate went to his son; his wife sits in the lower house. All three of Maranhão’s senators answer to Mr Sarney, as do his fellow senators from Amapá.
This control is aided by the Sarney family’s ownership of Maranhão’s biggest media company. Its television station transmits the programmes of Globo, which produces Brazil’s most popular soap operas. These are interspersed with glowing news reports about the owner’s family. Controlling television and radio stations is particularly useful in rural Maranhão, where a majority of the electorate is illiterate and where the Sarneys now draw most of their support. “We are ruled by an electronic oligarchy,” laments Zé Reinaldo, a former state governor.
Even so, the family’s power may finally be waning. In 2006 Roseana Sarney lost the gubernatorial election to Jackson Lago. But Mr Lago and his deputy are currently being investigated for electoral crimes. If they are impeached, Ms Sarney will take over as governor once again. In last year’s municipal elections, Sarney candidates suffered some setbacks. “Sarney always says that Maranhão must vote for him so he can bring federal money from Brasília,” says Arleth Santos Borges of the Federal University of Maranhão. “In fact he needs power in Brasília to shore up power here.” That is what the Senate presidency brings him.
Meanwhile Maranhão continues in its sad way. “For fifteen years I have heard Sarney say he will bring development and tourism to Maranhão, but we still have one road in and one road out of this city,” says Hélio, a waiter in São Luís. “And they are both a mess.”
The Economist - Feb 5th 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
TWILIGHT - A WORLDWIDE SUCCESS
Twilight is a vampire-romance novel written by Stephenie Meyer. It was originally published in 2005. It is the first book of the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan who moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, and finds her life in danger when she falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen.
Isabella "Bella" Swan moves from sunny Phoenix to rainy Forks to live with her father, Charlie, while HER mother, Renée, travels with HER new husband, Phil Dwyer, a baseball player. Bella attracts much attention at her new school and is quickly befriended by several students. Much to her dismay, several boys compete for shy Bella's attention.
When Bella is seated next to Edward Cullen in class on her first day of school, Edward seems utterly repulsed by her. However, over the next few days Edward warms up to her, and their relationship reaches a climax when Bella is nearly run over by a fellow classmate's van in the school parking lot. Seemingly defying the laws of physics, Edward saves her life when he instantaneously appears next to her and stops the van with his bare hands.
Over time, Edward and Bella fall in love. Their relationship becomes a chaos when another vampire arrives in Forks. James, a tracker vampire who is intrigued by the Cullens' relationship with a human, wants to hunt Bella for sport. The Cullens attempt to distract the tracker by splitting up Bella and Edward, and Bella is sent to hide in a hotel in Phoenix. There, Bella receives a phone call from James, who claims he is holding her mother captive. When Bella surrenders herself, James attacks her, but Edward, along with the other Cullens, rescues Bella and kills James. Once they realize that James has bitten Bella's hand, Edward sucks the venom from her system before it can spread and transform her into a vampire, and she is then sent to a hospital. When Bella and Edward return to Forks, they attend their school prom and Bella expresses her desire to become a vampire, which Edward refuses.
The novel is followed by New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn and Midnight Sun.
From www.wikipedia.com – Adapted by Milton França
1. Choose the only question that the text does not answer:
a) Who fell in love with Bella?
b) Who are Bella´s parents?
c) What is Bella´s stepfather´s occupation?
d) Is Phil Dwyer a young person?
e) Where was Bella almost run over?
2. According to the text:
a) Phoenix and Forks are not similar cities in meteorological aspects.
b) Isabella´s parents still live together.
c) The Cullens are Isabella´s relatives.
d) The Cullens were the people who killed James.
e) Isabella was not a timid person.
3. Who wrote the Twilight series?
a) Stephenie Meyer does.
b) Stephenie Meyer was.
c) Stephenie Meyer did.
d) Stephenie Meyer is.
e) Stephenie Meyer does wrote.
4. Twilight was written :
a) more than ten years ago.
b) a few years ago.
c) exactly three years ago.
d) after New Moon.
e) together with Eclipse.
5. “Breaking Down” is ______________ book of the series.
a) the first
b) the second
c) the third
d) the fourth
e) the last
6. In “… a tracker vampire who is intrigued by the Cullens' relationship with a human, wants to hunt Bella for sport”, the relative pronoun who can be replaced by:
a) which
b) whom
c) that
d) whose
e) what
7. The possessive her which is (twice) in CAPITAL LETTERS refers to
a) the same person: Bella.
b) the same person: Renée.
c) Bella and her father.
d) Bella and her stepfather.
e) Bella and her mother.
8. A novel is:
a) a television series about the imaginary lives of a group of people.
b) a film with too much violence.
c) a written story about imaginary or partly imaginary characters and events.
d) a movie that is intended to frighten people, especially one about murders.
e) a very funny television program which is shown weekly.
9. “However” is the same as:
a) therefore
b) nevertheless
c) so
d) although
e) whether
10. “To realize” is an example of false cognate. _______ is a false cognate, as well.
a) To transform
b) To repulse
c) To return
d) To attend
e) To express
By Milton França/2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
SYLVAN - PROG ROCK MADE IN GERMANY
Sylvan is a great progressive rock band from Germany. Officially, the band began playing in 1998 as Sylvan but they have been together since 1990 playing hard rock at that time. In fact, the music of the band is progressive rock with some hard rock moments, and some melodic pop-rock elements, probably lingering from earlier in their career. Other apparent influences include psychedelic rock, a little Pink Floyd, Genesis and (a more recent influence) Dream Theater.
Take a look at these:
These are really great songs. It´s a pity that many people don´t know them.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
HOMOPHONES
In the English language there are lots of pairs of words with the same pronunciation.
For instance, the words AIR and HEIR have different meanings but they sound the same. Words like these are called HOMOPHONES. Here is a list of them:
air – ar / heir – herdeiro
ant – formiga / aunt – tia
beat – bater / beet - beterraba
berry – bago, fruto / bury – enterrar
brake – freio / break – quebrar
by – por (preposição) / buy – comprar
cell – cela, célula / sell – vender
cheap – barato / cheep – pio (de passarinho), piar
die – morrer / dye – tingir, tintura
fair – feira, justo / fare – passagem (de ônibus, etc)
flea – pulga / flee – fugir
flour – farinha / flower – flor
hear – ouvir / here – aqui
hair – cabelo / hare – lebre
higher – mais alto / hire – alugar, empregar
hole – buraco / whole – inteiro
hour – hora / our – nosso (a)
knot – nó / not – não
knows – sabe, conhece / nose – nariz
dear – querido(a) / deer – cervo, veado
male – macho, masculino / mail – correspondência
meat – carne / meet – conhecer, encontrar
pair – par / pear – pera
peace – paz / piece – pedaço
peal – estrondo, repique / peel – casca, descascar
praise – elogio / prays – ora, reza
pray – orar, rezar / prey – presa, rapina
rain – chuva / rein – rédea
read – passado e part. passado de to read / red – vermelho
right – certo / write – escrever
road – estrada / rode – passado de to ride
role – papel (que se desempenha) / roll – giro, rotação
root – raiz / route – rota
sail – navegar / sale – liquidação, venda
sea – mar / see – ver
scene – cena /seen – particípio passado de to see
seam – costura, junta, sutura / seem – parecer
sew – costurar / sow – semear
sighs – suspira / size – tamanho
sight – visão / site – sítio, página na internet
son – filho / sun – sol
stair – degrau / stare – olhar fixamente
stake – estaca / steak – bife
steal – roubar / steel – aço
tail – cauda, rabo / tale – conto
to - para / too – também / two – dois
waist – cintura / waste – desperdício, perda
wait – esperar / weight – peso
way – caminho, modo / weigh – pesar
wood – madeira / would – verbo auxiliar
For instance, the words AIR and HEIR have different meanings but they sound the same. Words like these are called HOMOPHONES. Here is a list of them:
air – ar / heir – herdeiro
ant – formiga / aunt – tia
beat – bater / beet - beterraba
berry – bago, fruto / bury – enterrar
brake – freio / break – quebrar
by – por (preposição) / buy – comprar
cell – cela, célula / sell – vender
cheap – barato / cheep – pio (de passarinho), piar
die – morrer / dye – tingir, tintura
fair – feira, justo / fare – passagem (de ônibus, etc)
flea – pulga / flee – fugir
flour – farinha / flower – flor
hear – ouvir / here – aqui
hair – cabelo / hare – lebre
higher – mais alto / hire – alugar, empregar
hole – buraco / whole – inteiro
hour – hora / our – nosso (a)
knot – nó / not – não
knows – sabe, conhece / nose – nariz
dear – querido(a) / deer – cervo, veado
male – macho, masculino / mail – correspondência
meat – carne / meet – conhecer, encontrar
pair – par / pear – pera
peace – paz / piece – pedaço
peal – estrondo, repique / peel – casca, descascar
praise – elogio / prays – ora, reza
pray – orar, rezar / prey – presa, rapina
rain – chuva / rein – rédea
read – passado e part. passado de to read / red – vermelho
right – certo / write – escrever
road – estrada / rode – passado de to ride
role – papel (que se desempenha) / roll – giro, rotação
root – raiz / route – rota
sail – navegar / sale – liquidação, venda
sea – mar / see – ver
scene – cena /seen – particípio passado de to see
seam – costura, junta, sutura / seem – parecer
sew – costurar / sow – semear
sighs – suspira / size – tamanho
sight – visão / site – sítio, página na internet
son – filho / sun – sol
stair – degrau / stare – olhar fixamente
stake – estaca / steak – bife
steal – roubar / steel – aço
tail – cauda, rabo / tale – conto
to - para / too – também / two – dois
waist – cintura / waste – desperdício, perda
wait – esperar / weight – peso
way – caminho, modo / weigh – pesar
wood – madeira / would – verbo auxiliar
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