The best of Prog rock

Sunday, May 6, 2012

TESTING YOUR ENGLISH - 10 IDIOMS

1. Daddy paid a lot of money for that TV set. He ____________________
a) paid an arm and a leg.                                   d) paid a low price.
b) paid the eyes of the face.                             e) paid the hands and the arms.
c) paid the hair of his head.

 2. What is the girl on the right doing?
a) She is holding candle.                                      d) She is crashing a party.
b) She is footing the bill.                                    e) She is playing gooseberry.
c) She is beating about the bush.

3. That company has had a lot of profit since its foundation. It´s always been in the _____
a) black                                                           d) red
b) blue                                                            e) green
c) white

4. Rick Martin decided to reveal his sexual preference a few years ago. He ______________
a) was in the pink                                            d) smelled a rat
b) hit the road                                                e) took French leave
c) got out of the closet

5. What do you call this in English?
a) game of the guys                                         d) noughts and crosses
b) game of the old                                           e) game of crosses
c) X´s and zeros

6. This store is never closed. It´s open _______________
a) in the clock.                                               d) 24/7
b) near the clock.                                           e) around the time.
c) around the watch.

7. My sister is used to eating very little. She ____________________
a) eats like a horse.                                       d) eats like a pig.
b) eats like a pigeon.                                      e) eats like a bird.
c) eats like a chicken.

8. Mike sleeps too much. This means that he sleeps _______________
a) like a stone.                                             d) like a tree.
b) like a boy.                                                e) like a frog.
c) like a log.

9. Which of these idioms means “have an alcoholic drink as a way of getting rid of a hangover, that is, the unpleasant effects of having drunk too much alcohol the night before”?
a) see a man about a dog.                                d) powder one´s nose.
b) have a hair of the dog.                               e) paint the town red
c) drink like a fish.
 10. What is the president of Brazil doing in the picture above?
a) She is taking a nap.                                        d) She is feeling blue.
b) She is tying the knot.                                     e) She is flipping the bird.
c) She is playing hooky.



Friday, April 27, 2012

BRAZILIAN JOURNALIST DÉCIO SÁ ASSASSINATED


Brazilian political journalist and blogger Décio Sá was shot and killed Monday night in the city of Sao Luis in northeastern Brazil, according to news reports. The journalist was sitting in a bar waiting for a friend when an unidentified man entered, walked to the bathroom, and shot Sá six times before fleeing the scene with a motorcyclist who was waiting outside.
Décio Sá, 42, wrote about politics for 17 years for the local newspaper O Estado do Maranhão and on his personal blog, Blog do Décio, which was one of the most widely read in the state, press reports said. Sá's blog was known for critical reporting on politicians and corruption, according to Cezar Scanssette, a journalist with O Estado do Maranhão. Due to the nature of his reporting, the journalist had "many enemies," Scanssette told CPJ. Scanssette said he was not aware of Sá receiving any threats.
Investigators told reporters that the murder was a contract killing carried out by "professionals" who had most likely mapped out the journalist's daily routine. Police said they would be looking into Sá's blog as a possible motive for the murder.
"We are deeply saddened by the killing of Décio Sá," said Carlos Lauría, CPJ's senior Americas program coordinator. "Brazil is leading the region in journalists murders this year, a terrible record compounded by a pattern of impunity. Brazilian authorities must fully investigate this crime, determine the motive, and prosecute those responsible."
The day of his death, Sá wrote on his blog about the trial of gunmen implicated in a murder that was allegedly ordered by a local businessman from a political family. Officials also told reporters they would investigate whether the killing was linked to another case Sá reported, in which a local politician was implicated in a prostitution ring and the murder of a university student.
José Sarney, president of the Brazilian Senate and whose family owns the O Estado do Maranhãocalled the crime "an attack on democracy." Sá is survived by his wife, who is pregnant, and an eight-year-old daughter.
In February, two Brazilian journalists were murdered in one week. No one has been arrested in either case. Brazil appeared for the second consecutive year on CPJ's Impunity Index.  Last week CPJ wrote to President Dilma Rousseff to express concern about this record and other recent actions taken by the Brazilian government that contradict the president's expressed commitment to guarantee freedom of expression and make human rights a priority.
                                                                 from www.cpj.org on April 24, 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

XANDRIA´S BIOGRAPHY - WITH EXERCISES

Xandria is a __1___ symphonic metal band, formed around the year 2000 __2__ Germany, but it's difficult to say exactly when they became the band they are today. Xandria is ____3____ of five members: Marco (Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals), Lisa (Vocals), Philip (Guitars), Roland (Bass) and Gerit (Drums).

The band was ____4____ by Marco, __5__ had the idea of a band with a dreamy and sensual sound that could still rock, almost in a heavy metal sense. But most important to him was the need for good songs. Many bands (in the scene that Xandria is supposedly included in) have a good atmospheric sound, but no real idea or melody that sticks in your head, which is where they go wrong. Xandria is set on ____6____ this problem. 

Artists such as Pink Floyd, Abba, Metallica and Black Sabbath are just some of the bands that Marco was influenced by. After ____7____ the aforementioned artists, Marco found bands such as Paradise Lost, Anathema, The Gathering, Lake of Tears, and most importantly Tiamat (which were called Gothic Metal, even though their influences went far beyond just gothic, or just metal) that seemed to capture the same sound he was into. Marco has said that in 1994, Tiamat's album "Wildhoney" is what first brought on the idea of Xandria. 

In the late 90's, influences such as Marilyn Manson, Type-O-Negative, Madonna and HIM were creating a sensual sound that eventually would turn into a dark-rocking modern Electronica approach, and this sound was ___8___ added to the list of things Marco wished to create. It ___8___ led to the idea of a male/female combination on vocals.

From 1994 to 1997, a band was brought on with Marco in it, but broke up soon thereafter when no specific direction for the band was formed. With songs from ___9___ period of time (along with some new ones), Marco set off to find new band members in 1999, after two years of learning about songwriting and song arrangement. A new band was finally formed, one that looked as if it may actually have a future in music. That band? Xandria. 
Lisa Middelhauve is no longer Xandria's singer. She has ___10___ the band citing personal reasons and discomfort at being the band's front woman. Nowadays, the band has a new vocalist: Manuela Kraller.

* Choose the correct words to complete the gaps in the lyrics above:
1. a) Germany                                    d) Germans
    b) German                                      e) Germanical
    c) German´s

2. a) in                                                d) on
    b) at                                               e) from
    c) to

3. a) make up                                    d) made up
    b) making up                                 e) makes up
    c) maked up

4. a) founds                                        d) finded
    b) founded                                      e) to found
    c) finding

5. a) whom                                        d) which
    b) what                                         e) who
    c) where     

6. a) fix                                              d) fixed
    b) to fix                                         e) fixes
    c) fixing

7. a) hearing                                     d) to hear
    b) hears                                        e) heared
    c) heard

8. a) neither                                     d) too
    b) as well                                     e) also
    c) either

9. a) this                                          d) that
    b) these                                       e) this is
    c) those

10. a) leave                                    d) leaving
      b) to leave                                e) leaves
      c) left

If you don´t know the band, take a look at these videos:
And the previous song with the new vocalist:
Biography adapted from: www.sing365.com, by Milton França

Friday, February 3, 2012

THREE IDIOMS WITH "LEG"

- pulling your leg – making a joke by tricking another person
- It cost an arm and a leg – it cost a lot of money
- You haven´t got a leg to stand on – you’re in a situation where you can’t prove something / you have no chance of success

* People from different parts of the world wrote sentences using these three idioms. As they are learners of English, we can notice spelling and grammar mistakes in some of them.

Thu Ha, vietnam
I told my parents that I'll study abroad, they were surprised: "That can't be. It cost an arm and a leg. We cannot afford it." They were even more surprised when I said " I am not pulling your leg. I've got a scholarship. I have got a leg to stand on."

Vallin, Brazil
When my daughter was born, everything I
ve bought to look after her, it cost an arm and leg.

Lenka, the Czech republic
I bought a Swiss watch yesterday. It cost me an arm and a leg. Now, I've just found out it's a knock-off. Oh boy, I was ripped off then! Did it really happen? No, I am only pulling your leg.

Su Kyung, Korea
Last week, I told my friend that I got the first place in my class and my friend told me to buy her a meal as I got the first place. I quickly told her that I was just pulling her leg as I knew that it would cost me an arm and a leg to buy a meal for her. However, as my friend wanted to eat something delicious, she told me that I didn't have a leg to stand on.

Shah, Pakistan
Yesterday, I told my friend on phone I have fallen seriously ill and treatment will cost me an arm and a leg and when he asked in which hospital I am I told him I was just pulling his leg.

Asifa, Pakistan
Yesterday I told my friend that I will buy a precious necklace for her but it will really cost an arm and leg for me.

Luis, Colombia (Studying in London)
The London life cost me an arm and a leg.

Maher, Syria
My Dear Father support me buying a new home, so I have to return his money back to him, so that will cost me arm and a leg

Sandra, Hong Kong
My darling bought me a diamond ring. It cost an arm and a leg.

Annistein, China
What shall I say, that it cost me an arm and a leg just to buy a birthday present for my sister? But it's true, as you can see, I have emptied my purse to buy her a Teddy Bear.

Marlen, Cuba
I tell everybody that I am on a diet. That’s a lie, because I eat a lot. I`ve never paid an arm and a leg for nothing. sometimes my son tell me lies, but I can`t punish him because I haven`t had a leg to stand on.

Ferial, USA
most of the time I pull my friends leg because I have a big sense of humor

Rajesch, Germany
My boss told me that the repair of his car cost him an arm and a leg. But he didn't show me the bill. I understand, he's just pulling my leg.

Silva, Albania
I did pull my sister’s leg when I told her I was going to marry and give up my school. I've paid an arm and a leg for my vacation house by the sea.

Neda, Iran
Today in Iran new couples can easily buy a new house.you should be so naive to believe it. I was just pulling your leg.it cost an arm and a leg for new couples to buy a house.

Niraj Pandey, Nepal
Last year when I decided to finance my studies selling the gold medals, which I acheived for my remarkable academic performance over the five years in my college.That was the moment i think i had paid an arm and leg for my higher studies.

Ama Helal, Egypt
When I was young, I fooled my friend into believing that I was part of the scouts team, but I was just trying to pull her leg. Two years ago, I had to undergo some serious surgery and it was too expensive that it cost my parents an arm and a leg. These days I try to convince the court of my plea. Yet, I haven't got a leg to stand on and my solicitor advises me to collect more evidence.

Liang, China
Sometimes, I try to pull someone's leg because I think I can bring laugh to him or her.

Fatiha, Algeria
Last year I made a journey with my friends to a seaside town. In that time I didn't imagine that it will cost me an arm and a leg. Thank god i had money for that i borrow my friend money to go with us but she didn't give it back to me. She told me that i haven't got a land to stand on but then she laughed and said I am pulling your leg sweety.

Polina, Russia
I paied an arm and a leg for my first mobile phone. It kosted 40 000 rubles.

Paola, Italy
I really don't think he is going to Costa Smeralda on holiday. In my opinion, he is pulling our legs as usual. It will cost him an arm and a leg to spend his holidays there and I'm not sure he can afford that... And how about his wife? I saw her yesterday evening and she didn't say nothing about it... What is more she is bound to give birth to their baby one of these days, so he hasn't a leg to stand on. He just loves telling lies to make other people jealous.....

Anna, Poland
hello,I paid an arm and a leg for my first guitar. Actually I couldn't play guitar well but I bought myself very expensive one. Once I told my friends how much I spent on it, they thougt I was pulling their legs.

                                                                          Adapted from www.bbc.co.uk

AN ENGLISH TEST - IF SUDESTE - MG / 2012.1

Text 1: Johnny Depp the Pirate
Johnny Depp is a wonderfully versatile actor. He can play serious roles, but his comic talent is particularly evident in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He is Jack Sparrow, a character whose mannerisms and style of speech are based on those of the Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards. Depp is American, but his British accent is perfect!
Such is the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise that a fourth film, On Stranger Tides, was released. But Depp admits that initially he had reservations about the idea of doing a fourth Pirates movie.
                                                                                             Speak Up magazine - Issue 288, August 2011.

1. According to the text, Johnny Depp’s character in the film is:
a) a pirate who is finishing his second film.
b) a Rolling Stone guitarist playing a comic role.
c) a pirate with a lot of comic mannerisms.
d) a versatile actor playing a serious role.
e) Keith Richards, an American guitarist.

2. In line 6, the pronoun he refers to:
a) the Pirates of the Caribbean.
b) Stranger Tides.
c) the fourth film.
d) Depp.
e) the success.

3. In the sentence “he can play serious roles” (line 1). The modal verb can expresses the idea of:
a) suggestion.
b) permission.
c) obligation.
d) prohibition.
e) ability.

Text 2: Interview with David Crystal by Jack Scholes
JS: Why has English become a global language?
DC: A language becomes international or global for one reason only – the power of the people who speak it. But of course ‘power’ means different things at different times. In the case of English, the language has spread as a result of a combination of political/military power (the British Empire), scientific/ technological power (the Industrial Revolution), economic power (pounds, and later dollars), and cultural power (broadcasting, travel, films, pop songs, internet…).

JS: What are some of the most important consequences of the fact that English is now a
global language with more non-native speakers than native speakers using it?
DC: Language has no existence apart from the people who speak it. It exists to express their world and their vision of it. Any language which comes to be used globally has to adapt to allow this to happen, in the form of new words, idioms, patterns of discourse, pronunciations and so on. New varieties of English (‘new Englishes’) is the inevitable result.

                               SCHOLES, Jack. Interview with David Crystal. In: New Routes, São Paulo: Disal

4. According to David Crystal, English has become a global language because of:
a) a combination of political, scientific, economic and cultural power.
b) different things at different times.
c) a combination of international languages.
d) the spread of English courses.
e) the British Empire and the American money.

5. Match the words in column 1 according to their meanings in column 2, then choose the CORRECT alternative:
I. reason (line 2)                                  (  ) permit
II. allow (line 12)                                 (  ) occur
III. spread (line 4)                               (  ) motive
IV. happen (line 12)                             (  ) disseminate

a) II, IV, I, III
b) IV, I, III, II
c) I, II, III, IV
d) II, IV, III, I
e) III, IV, II, I

6. By reading the interview we can infer all the following statements, EXCEPT:
a) a language expresses the world and the vision of the people who speak it.
b) a language adapts itself to different speakers.
c) songs, films, internet are some of the reasons English has become globally used.
d) there are more non-native speakers than native speakers using English.
e) people and language are separated in their existence.



ANDERSON SILVA - AN MMA STAR


Anderson Silva (nicknamed The Spider) was born on April 14, 1975 in Curitiba, Brazil.
According to an article in Fight! Magazine, Anderson’s poor mother left him and his older brother with her sister’s family in Curitiba, Brazil when he was only four years old. Silva’s aunt and uncle, therefore, found themselves supporting five children on a police officer’s salary.
His family was unable to afford expensive lessons in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at that time. “When I started out, Jiu-Jitsu was really an elite thing in Brazil, and there was some prejudice towards poorer kids, so I had to learn things on my own,” he told Fight! Magazine. “Some of my neighbors started doing Jiu-Jitsu, so I started watching it, and then started rolling with them. It wasn’t organized training, but it was better than nothing.”
Despite this, Anderson's supportive family did find the money to pay for Tae Kwon Do lessons (age 12). He then moved onto Capoeira before settling on Muay Thai by the age of 16.
Though Anderson Silva indicates that he lost his first bout to Fabricio Marango, this fight does not appear on his official record. Officially, Silva lost his first bout to Luiz Azeredo in a Meca World Vale Tudo event by decision. In his next fight within the same organization, he knocked out Jose Barreto after only 1:06 had gone by in the initial round.
Anderson joined Brazil’s famed Chute Box Academy, the training camp that Wanderlei Silva, amongst many others, had once been a part of. Chute Box had simply been impressed with his raw talent. Along with this, he developed a reasonable ground game while with them and continued on the course to becoming one of the most feared strikers in the game.
Anderson´s MMA career took a nice turn when he won nine straight fights between 2000-03. Along the way, he defeated the well-respected Hayato Sakurai by decision to become the Shooto Middleweight Champion.

He went a mediocre 3-2 while fighting for the PRIDE Fighting Championships. Along the way in 2003, he and Chute Box parted ways over a bitter money argument. Later, Silva heard that Chute Box ordered PRIDE to refrain from giving him any fights or they would pull superstar Wanderlei Silva from their roster. That’s when Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira offered a friendly hand to train with him.

To say that a new and improved Anderson Silva came to the UFC on June 28, 2006, is an understatement. Anderson Silva simply destroyed Chris Leben, a tough fighter, in his UFC debut after only 49 seconds by way of knockout. Then he blew former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin out of the water with his dangerous Muay Thai clinch after only 2:59 had gone by. Next up, he fought his way back from near defeat against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace Travis Lutter, only to end up submitting him. An MMA star was born.