TWO DIFFERENT VISIONS OF LIFE

The rich industrialist from the North was horrified to find the southern fisherman lying lazily beside his boat, smoking a pipe.

- "Why aren't you out fishing?" asked the industrialist.

- "Because I have caught enough fish for the day," said the fisherman.

- "Why don't you catch some more?"

- "What would I do with them?"

- "You could earn more money," was the industrialist's reply. "With that you could have a motor fixed to your boat and go into deeper waters and catch more fish. Then you would make enough to buy nylon nets. These would bring you more fish and more money. Soon you would have enough money to own two boats . . . maybe even a fleet of boats. Then you would be a rich man like me."

- "What would I do then?" asked the fisherman.

- "Then you could really enjoy life."

- "And, said the fisherman, what is it you think I am doing right now?"

Teaching Tips & Ideas

Prepositions




BEYOND – Além de. Fora do alcance. Inacessível.
e.g.: - Do not go beyond this place.
He lives beyond his income. It is quite beyond my will.

BY – Por intermédio de. Junto de. Por.

Usada com Expressões de Tempo indica que a ação será concluída naquele tempo determinado.

Empregado com os Reflexivos
tem o sentido de “Só”. “Isolado”. Emprega-se também nos Juramentos.

e.g.: - Richard was despised by all.
I always go to Rio by plane.
“Blue Eyes” was known by his voice.
You should never swear by God.
I’d like to sit at that table by the window.
I will have it ready by the end of May.
The investigation shall be finished by Xmas.
Nobody helped me. I was by myself.
By my honor! By all means!
By night. By no means!
By land. By sight.
By the way. By name.
By heart. By the way.
By day. By chance.
By sea. By the by.

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

TWO OF A KIND

Emergency

A man spoke frantically into the phone.

- “My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart”!
- Is this her first child? The doctor asked.
- No, you idiot! “This is her husband!”

Happy Birthday

Teacher - What is your date of birth?
Little Johnny - July fifteenth.
Teacher - What year?
Little Johnny - Every year!

WORD OF THE DAY

Uh-Huh

Function

Informal

Meaning


Uh-huh is used to show that you agree or understand.
e.g. "Is that your dog?" "Uh-huh." (yeah, yes)
"Do you know what I mean?" "Uh-huh. I sure do."

Note: Uh-huh is sometimes used to encourage someone to continue talking.
e.g. "I'm still kind of worried about tomorrow." "Uh-huh."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank.

Woody Allen US movie actor, comedian, & director (1935 - )

THE VIRTUE CALLED DEVOTION

"One day, a young man saw his father walking down the road lugging a large basket. When he got closer, the young man could see that his old grandfather was in the basket.


- "Where are you taking Grandpa, Father?" the boy asked.

- "I'm taking him to the canyon", his father said.

- "He's old and no good for anything now, so I'll throw him over the cliff."

- "Okay Father, you go right ahead" the young man said, "but be sure to save the basket. Someday I shall need it for you".

Someday we, too, will be old and feeble. Let us hope that loving families will not forget The Virtue Called Devotion.

Teaching Tips & Ideas

THE WORD WHEN

You have probably heard children use the phrase when I grow up. It means "when I get older."

When I grow up, I want to be a soccer player.
When I grow up, I want to be a teacher.
When I grow up, I want to be a movie star.
When I grow up, I want to work at the University.

Notice that the phrase “when I grow up” uses the present tense. In English, if we use "when" to talk about the future, we often use the present tense.

Here are some more examples:

When I go to the store, I'll buy you a pack of gum.
I want to have seven children when I'm older.
When I'm the president of this country, everyone will get a raise.
I want to visit the Statue of Liberty when I go to New York.

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

The Wishes
A 60 year old couple was celebrating their 40 years of marriage. During the celebration a fairy appeared! "Because you have been such a loving couple all those years, I would like to give you each one wish." The wife said,

- "I want to travel around the world." The fairy waved her wand and, POOF! She had the tickets in her hand.

Next it was the husband's turn. He paused for a moment, then said shyly,

- "Well, I'd like to have a wife 30 years younger than me." The fairy picked up her wand and, POOF!

-He was 90!

The Klopman Curse

A businessman boarded a plane to find, sitting next to him, an elegant woman wearing the largest, most stunning diamond ring he had ever seen. He asked her about it.

- "This is the Klopman diamond," she said. "It is beautiful, but there is a terrible curse that goes with it."

- "What's the curse?" the man asked.

- "Mr. Klopman, she said!"

Remark: Do not get excited because of Mr. Bush's pic above.
His face is actually a third joke. H.C.

WORD OF THE DAY

VINTAGE

ADJECTIVE

Note: Vintage is always used before a noun.

Meanings
1 - vintage is used to describe a wine usually of high quality that was produced in a particular year which is identified on the bottle.
e.g.That restaurant has a fine selection of vintage wines.

2 - Vintage is used to describe something that is not new but that is valued because of its good condition, attractive design, etc.
e.g. a collection of vintage cars. Vintage clothing shops

3 - Vintage is used to describe something that has the best qualities or characteristics of the things made or done by a particular person, organization, etc.
e.g. Vintage Frank Sinatra songs. This painting is vintage Van Gogh.

Idiom:
Vintage Year
Meanings
1 - The year in which a vintage wine is produced.
e.g. The date of the vintage year is marked on the bottle.

2 - A very good or successful year.
e.g. This has been a vintage year for independent films.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read." Mark Twain

NOISE POLLUTION

If indeed silence is gold, it is also becoming as rare as gold. It seems that this so called progress of man includes a rising volume of noise. In every home a most modern stereo or television will fill the rooms with “sound”. Between sunrise and sunset, streets and highways are a constant source of noise from cars, busses, and trucks. You can pass any factory or construction area and the roar of its machinery will make your ears ring. Music is played in every supermarket, most restaurants, and many offices. Big cities of the world are well known for their noisiness. Noise pollution is the new side effect of our technological age along with the lack of respect. For man and for the environment. Day or night, the sound of noise fills the air. It seems that the soothing effects of silence are nowhere to be found. Even the quiet of our carefully protected wilderness areas can be invaded by a passing airliner. We are learning, finally, that silence is a natural resource and must be protected by law. It appears that we all find company in sound, but at the same time, we all demand a little quietness and respect from time to time. Extracted from NEC–Teacher’s Annotated Edition.

Teaching Tips & Ideas

Prepositions

ABOUT - Em torno de. Cerca de. A respeito de.

1 - Indica a localização de objetos que cercam outro. (em torno de)
e.g.: - The outskirts about London are very beautiful.
We walked about the city.

2 - Indica proximidade a certo número, quantidade e tempo. (cerca de)
e.g.: - This city has about 500 thousand inhabitants.
Cesar lived about the year 44 B.C.
I’ll be home about midnight.

3 - Significa “a respeito de”.
e.g.: - I don’t want to talk about her to my parents.
What are you talking about ?
Are you talking about the UFO we saw last night ?

4 - “Indica que algo está a ponto de acontecer”.
e.g.: - She was about to burst into tears when he finally arrived.
The plane’s about to leave.

5 - Equivale a “com”, quando se trata de coisas pertencentes à pessoa, tais como: dinheiro, hábitos etc.
e.g.: - I’m sorry, but I have no money about me.
There is a certain air of dignity about her.

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

THE GOLDEN TWELVE
- "Do you think you are earning enough to support a family?", the older man asked the suitor.
- Yes, sir, replied Richard, "I'm sure I am."
- "Think carefully now," said Jane's father warningly.
- "There are twelve of us!"

The Prescription
A very nervous man, accompanied by his nagging wife, was examined by a doctor. After checking the chart, he nodded and wrote the man a prescription for a
powerful tranquilizer. The man asked,

- "How often do I take these?"

- "Let's start off with one every six hours." But they're not for you, replied the doctor.

- "They're for your wife!"

WORD OF THE DAY

UNGAINLY

Adjective

Comparative and superlative forms: more ungainly; most ungainly

Meaning
moving in an awkward or clumsy way - not graceful
e.g. a large, ungainly animal. He was tall and ungainly.>

Derived form
UNGAINLINESS noun [noncount]

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The world of tomorrow belongs to the person who has the vision today."
Robert Schuller

HOW IT WAS ALL ABOUT - THE 4th OF JULY NOW AND THEN

In 1774, a group of leaders from the American colonies met to discuss another form of government. In 1775, the Revolutionary War broke out between the colonists and English soldiers. Finally, Thomas Jefferson wrote The Declaration of Independence to show England that the colonies wanted to govern themselves. On July 4, 1776, this document was signed and a new nation was born.. People rang bells and fired guns to announce the birth of The United States of America. Today, bell-ringing and noisy fireworks are still popular ways to celebrate the Fourth of July. During the day, people get together with friends and family for a barbecue or a picnic. Many city parks feature open-air concerts and play favorite American tunes. Sometimes there are speeches about the nation’s history. At night, spectacular displays of fireworks light up the sky. Most fireworks are illegal to use at home, but many community organizations sponsor exciting fireworks programs in parks, stadiums, and even at the beach. The dazzling colors and exciting explosive sounds give the audience feelings of joy and pride on this national holiday.

RULES OF THUMB

“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”. William Shakespeare

“Prepositions for instance”. H.Caldas.

AT – Em, A, Na, No, De, etc. Presença em determinado local. Usa-se para dizer as horas, referir-se a um período de tempo, expressões idiomáticas, o número do endereço e a pequenas localidades.

e.g.: - She was at school yesterday.

Who is at the door?
At the beginning of....
At the end of....
They laughed at me.
He was in the armchair at the fireside.
She looked at me with joy.
At Xmas. At Easter.
At 25 Monroe Street.
At 7 o’clock.
At war. At work.
At once. At last.
At noon. At present.
At least. At night.

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

I Would But...

A wife, one evening, drew her husband's attention to the couple next door and said...

- "Do you see that couple? How devoted they are? He kisses her every time they meet and every time he leaves for work.. Why don't you do the same?"

- "I would love to, dear - replied the husband - but I don't know her well enough!"

At The Shrink

Patient: - Doc, I had the worst dream of my life last night. I dreamed I was with twelve of the most beautiful chorus girls in the world. Blondes, brunettes, redheads, all dancing in a row on the stage...

Psychiatrist: - Hold it! That doesn't sound so terrible.

Patient: - Oh yeah? "In the dream, I was the third girl from the left!"

WORD OF THE DAY

Bird's-Eye

Adjective:

Meaning: seen from high above

Note: Bird’s-eye is always used before a noun.

e.g. We had a bird's-eye view/perspective of the city as we flew over it.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it”!
George Bernard Shaw.

DRIVING

A permission to drive a car is called a License. In most countries you need to take a written test and a practical driving test to get a Driver’s License. In Massachusetts USA for example, a person who is 16 years old can get a Learner’s Permit that allows them to drive with a licensed driver. With this permit, they are not allowed to drive between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless they are driving with a parent who is a licensed driver. Learners can get a Driver’s License when they are 18 years old. The cost for a Learner’s Permit is $15.00 US. For a Driver’s License is $20.00 for the driving test and $33.75 for the Picture License.

Teaching Tips & Ideas

Look at these two meanings of “Drive”:

Drive as a verb – means to control a car or any other vehicle

e.g. we usually drive to school.

Drive as a noun – means to have purpose and energy for a goal or plan

e.g. He has the drive to succeed.
When we drive a car, we usually have a location/place we want to reach.
When we have drive we have the purpose/energy to get to our goal/destination - which may or may not be a location/place.


Which sentences refer to driving a car ?

a) My wife drives very fast. (She really does)
b) He has a lot of drive.
c) Jack and Jill are driving to the airport now.
d) She is driven to finally reach her goal.

Remember: “DRIVE CAREFULLY AND DEFENSIVELY”


LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE


The Yellow Dress

My three-year-old daughter and I went shopping with my mother. A rather large woman, Mom sometimes has a tough time finding just the right fit. When my mother picked out a yellow dress, my daughter went into the dressing room with her. A moment later Mom asked her how she liked the outfit. My daughter replied,

"Oh, Grandma, you look so pretty, just like a big yellow school bus."

The yellow dress stayed in the dressing room…

WORD OF THE DAY

VIA

Function: preposition

Meanings:

1 - By going through (a particular place) By way of (a particular place)

e.g. She flew to New York via Chicago.

2 - By means of a person, machine, by using something or someone

e.g. I'll let her know via one of our friends. He did some research via computer. We went to school via a shortcut.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first”! (Ronald Reagan)

THIS KIND OF MISDEED CAN HAPPEN TO THE MOST RESPECTABLE FAMILIES

Look attentively at these three photographs.

Did Prince Philip F...?

What do you think?

The expressions are priceless!

Observe Her Majesty's face!

Should the same laws which prohibit the sale and comsumption of heroin be applied to tobacco?

Claudio Caldas Mattos

Firstly, it is important to understand how harmful these two drugs are to humankind. You may think a cigarette cannot kill a person, or it is a harmless drug, or even it is not a “hard” drug like cocaine and heroin. However this is untrue. Tobacco is the common name given to plants from which we extract a substance called nicotin. This name derives from Jean Nicot, a French doctor who, as indian people from South America, back in the sixteenth century, believed that tobacco had healing powers, and used it as medicine back then. Years later, already in the seventeenth century, scientists started to discover the evil deeds provoked to human’s health through tobacco, as well as how nicotin could addict the user. Since then, concerned goverments put restrictions to its use.

Moreover, years ago advertisements on televison used to show a man ridding a horse, happly smoking a cigarette as a symbol of virility, and power. Today there are no ads on tv about tobacco, however after that people thought smoking was a good thing. Being this also, the main reason why kids and young teenagers started to smoke feeling themselves safe and powerful. Unfortunately, many users of tobacco do not understand the risks associated with its use, especially young users. Depending on how much the person smokes, and the time he or she have been using it, the risks can raise, often leading to cancer in the mouth, larynx and lungs as well as heart problems.

In addition, diseases related to tobacco have killed about 440.000 American citizens per year, around 1.205 a day. Meaning that tobacco smoking is qualified as the major cause of death which could be prevented in the world. Scientific researches around the globe have shown that over 16% of the Brazilian citizens are smokers.

These researches also pointed out that even in developed countries; tobacco is the cause of death on man (26%) and on woman (9%).
So, why is tobacco legal? If it jeopardizes the user’s health and people around him or her (passive smokers), why keeping the drug legal? The answer is simple, and yet frustrating. A lot of countries make huge quantities of money charging taxes over the sale of cigarettes. Living in a capitalist universe, the society should already expect this kind of action towards them. However it is not a question of prohibiting or legalizing, because the sale and comsumption of any drug is not going to be restrained by some laws. A more efficient way is to better educate people, to warn them about the consequences, as making a wrong decision at any age could have deadly consequences.

cacaldas2005@gmail.com

WORD OF THE DAY

verify

Pronounced: click here

Function: verb [with object]

Inflected forms:
verifies; verified; verifying

Meaning:
: to prove (something) is true or correct : confirm
Examples:
We could not verify the rumor.
She verified her flight number.

Note: Verify is often followed by that or whether.
Examples:
He verified that the item was in stock.
Can you verify whether I am scheduled to work or not?

Derived forms:
verifiable adjective
Example:
a verifiable claim

verification
Examples:
the verification of her password
He received verification of the deposit from the bank.

TRICK OR TREAT

Halloween is celebrated annually. But just how and when did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual? The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hallows Day" or "All Saints Day", is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants and the Jack-o-lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore. Nowadays, Halloween is celebrated as a holiday when young costumed children go from home to home “trick or treating”. It is customary to give them some kind of candy or snack. This is called a “treat”. “Tricks” or jokes can be played on others on Halloween evening. Most tricks are not harmful, but sometimes they can be quite damaging to people as well as to property.

References: Charles Panati, Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, 1987; and Dr. Joseph Gahagan, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Personal Letter, 1997.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

THE PRICE OF GREATNESS IS RESPONSIBILITY.
Sir Winston Churchill

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

A BLUNDER

Upon finishing examining his cute new patient thoroughly, the obstetrician smiles and says:

- "I've got good news for you, Mrs. Green." The young lady interrupted:

-"Pardon me, it's MISS Green."

- "I see, gulped the doctor, well, Miss Green, I've got bad news for you."

Teaching Tips & Ideas

MAKE GOOD USE OF "ONLY"

Watch These Examples:

ONLY the barber broke his leg.
The ONLY barber broke his leg.
The barber ONLY broke his leg.
The barber broke his ONLY leg.
The barber boke his leg ONLY.

What conclusion can we draw?

We drew the conclusion that, depending on the position of ONLY
in the sentence, it can alter the meaning completely.

SEE OTHER USAGES OF "ONLY:"
1 - Tomara, Oxalá - "If Only"
e.g. "If only I could bear a child," sighed the sterile woman.
"If only it would rain on my kitchen garden," wished the boy.

2 - Quando nada
e.g. I'll take it. I accept the challenge, "if only to retaliate."
She said she was going to gamble again, "if only to try to get her money back.

WORD OF THE DAY

OPPORTUNE

Function: adjective

Comparative and superlative forms: more opportune; most opportune

Meanings:

1 : fit or right for a purpose
Examples:

She was waiting for an opportune [appropriate, suitable] moment to ask for money.
There isn’t a more opportune time to invest in the stock market
an opportune location for the store

2 : done or happening at the right time

Example:
The book’s publication is opportune.[timely]

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I DON'T DO THE GOOD I WANT, BUT THE EVIL I DON'T WANT IS WHAT I DO!"
Saint Paul

FABULOUS FABLES

THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

A hungry fox was, one day, passing a garden wall, over which hung some very fine, ripe grapes.

- How good those grapes look! They make my mouth water! I'll have some.

Nonetheless, the grapes were so high that the fox couldn't reach them.

She began to jump, but even then, she couldn't reach the grapes. She jumped and jumped, and still, couldn't make it. At last, she had a fall.

Then, she ran away and said:

- Those grapes don't look ripe to me. I don't care. They must be sour. I don't like sour grapes, anyway

Teaching Tips & Ideas

PREPOSITIONS

BEFORE – Antes de. Perante. Diante. Ante. Indica posição em frente a um objeto. Indica também prioridade, precedência em classe, ordem ou sucessão.

e.g.: - I shall be there before 6 o’clock.

The holiday season starts a fortnight before May 1st.

You must mail this letter before that package.

“I’ll have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle”. (Hamlet, Act II. Scene II.)


BEHIND – Atrás. Indica a posição do objeto atrás do outro ou seguindo um outro. Indica que um objeto fica após a remoção de um outro.

e.g.: - He died leaving a glorious name behind him.
I keep leaving my umbrella behind me.


BELOW - Abaixo de. Indica inferioridade de classe, de dignidade etc.

e.g.: - When the Sun sets it goes below the horizon.
An Earl is below a Marquis in rank.
Should I sign my name below the dotted line ?
The city of Recife, people say, is below the sea level.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Never be afraid to try something new just remember that a lone amateur built the Ark and a large group of professionals built the Titanic.

19 POINTS THAT TOOK ME ALMOST 50 YEARS TO LEARN

WHO'S WHO?

David Barry, Jr. (born July 3, 1947) is a bestselling American author and Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist who wrote a nationally syndicated column for the The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005.

Barry was born in Armonk, New York. He was educated at Pleasantville High School where he was elected class clown in 1965. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Haverford College in 1969.

As the son of a minister and an alumnus of a Quaker-affiliated college, Barry avoided military service during the Vietnam War by registering as a religious conscientious objector.

19 POINTS THAT TOOK ME ALMOST 50 YEARS ...


By DAVE BARRY

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."

3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

5. And when God, who created the entire universe with all of its glories, decides to deliver a message to humanity, HE WILL NOT use, as His messenger, a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle.

6. You should not confuse your career with your life.

7. No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too
seriously.

8. When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy.

9. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

10. Never lick a steak knife.

11. Take out the fortune before you eat the cookie.

12. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

13. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

14. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

15. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

16. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

17. The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them.

18. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)

19. Your friends love you anyway.

Congo Fighting Threatens Mountain Gorillas

Fierce fighting around the Congo's Virunga National Park has increased concerns for the safety of the park's rare mountain gorillas.

There are an estimated 700 wild mountain gorillas remaining worldwide, with 150 living in the park. 9 gorillas living in the troubled park have been killed this year.

Last week, the gorillas were left unprotected as rangers were forced to evacuate their posts due to the fighting. People fleeing from the conflict are now setting up camps inside or next to the park, placing the gorillas under further pressure. The situation is critical. You can help the gorillas if you act today

excerpet from WWF

Teaching Tips & Ideas

All right everyboby. I have just received the message below. Somebody asks me to send it ahead. That's what I'm doing. H.C.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ana Falcon
Date: 07/09/2007 12:55
Subject: [braztesolpe] September Teaching Sparklers: 21/09/2007 - ELC
To: BRAZTESOLPE


Dear All. Please find below information about September Teaching Sparklers.
We would be grateful if you could forward this message onto your colleagues.
Thank you. And hope to see you there!

BRAZTESOL Team
btesolpe@gmail.com

Poster available from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/braztesolpe/ under FILES > Teaching Sparklers posters
--------------
21 September 2007

1400 1430 | Welcome comments
1430-1530 | Workshop I: How to maximise the use of English in class and still keep our students at ease
1530-1600 | Coffee break
1600-1700 | Workshop II: Differentiated instruction in the English Language classroom

FEES: R$5 (members) $10 (non-members)

ELC | Rua Sá e Souza 655
Boa Viagem Setubal
(opp. the American School)
Tel 3341-0888

How to maximise the use of English in class and still keep our students at ease
PRESENTER | Najin Lima
ABSTRACT | Why do our students fall back on Portuguese? Is it simply laziness? To what extent are we, teachers, responsible for the use of mother tongue in class? Is that legitimate at all? During this workshop we'll try to come up with some answers
for these questions, drawing from research as well as teachers' experience. The aim is to show that simple actions taken in class can give students the support they need to maximise their use of English in class without frustration. If a word were to be chosen to summarise this workshop, that would be strategies! Your own experience in class is more than welcome, therefore join us!
BIODATA | After graduating in languages (Portuguese/English) from UFPE, Najin Lima took CPE. He then took a Master's in Linguistics. He has taught English for 13 years. He worked for Culturas Inglesas in Recife teaching different groups of all ages and levels including Cambridge preparation courses. He has also taught ESP in colleges. He currently works for Pearson Longman as an ELT academic consultant

Differentiated instruction in the English Language classroom
PRESENTERS | Scott Heald and Virginia Sivini
ABSTRACT | This presentation examines the use of differentiated instruction in the classroom as a recognition of the variety of students' needs, abilities or prior knowledge. It is important to understand and apply the principles and practices
of differentiated instruction where students work toward the same ends, but use differentiated content, processes and products to get there.
BIODATA | Virginia is an EFL teacher. She is experienced in teaching young learners. She holds a post-graduate degree in Applied Linguistics.
BIODATA | Scott is a native English speaker with four years of teaching experience in the EFL field. Both teach at ELC and are working on a Master's Degree in International Education. (Framingham State University)

This kind of misdeed can happen to the most respectable families

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

CLICK GREAT MOMENTS IN PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHES

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE - PART TWO

DEFINITIONS

ACCIDENT: Where presence of mind is good but absence of body is better!

ADAM: A self-maid man!

ALTRUISM: The art of doing unselfish things for selfish reasons!

ALIMONY: The high cost of loving!

AGITATOR: A man who spouts about Capital & Labor but who never has any capital and never does any labor!

JAIL: The best place to find men with convictions!

JOKEBOOK: A jest seller!

JUDGE: A lawyer who knew a politician!

JANITOR: The only man who can make a quick clean-up in Wall Street and get away with it!

TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR: A misprint that can turn a hat into a cat and a baby sitter into a baby sister!

PRAYER: A message to Heaven, usually sent at night to get the low rate!

ADDRESSEE: The last person to read a post-card!

ALARM-CLOCK: An invention used to awake adults who have no babies!

- From Evan Esar's Comic Dictionary, Bramhall House, New York, 1960 -

This kind of mischief can happen to the most respectable families

AP Associated Press

Sen. CRAIG RESIGNS OVER SEX STING

By JOHN MILLER, Associated Press Sun Sep 2, 6:17 AM ET BOISE, Idaho - USA

- In a subdued ending to a week of startling political theater, Sen. Larry Craig announced his resignation Saturday, bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about damage from his arrest and guilty plea in a gay sex sting.

"I apologize for what I have caused," Craig said, his wife Suzanne and two of their three children at his side with a historic Boise train station as backdrop. "I am deeply sorry."
Craig, 62, said he would resign effective Sept. 30, ending a career in Congress spanning a quarter-century.

Teaching Tips & Ideas

PRONUNCIATION OF VOWEL CLUSTERS

1 - OU

AU - Sour - Azedo
AU - Mount - Montanha
AU - County - Municipio, Condado

à - Journalist - Jornalista
à - Country - Campo, País
à - Harbour - Porto

U - Group - Grupo
U - Youth - Juventude
U - Rouge - Ruge

OU - Soul - Alma
OU - Although - Embora
OU - Dough-nut - Rosquinha

ÓA - Pour - Despejar, Entornar
ÓA - Court - Quadra, Corte

2 - OO

à - Flood - Inundação
à - Blood - Sangue

ÓA - Door - Porta
ÓA - Floor - Assoalho, andar

U - Shoot - Atirar
U - Booth - Cabine telefônica

UA - Poor - Pobre
UA - Moor - Mouro, ancorar

OU - Brooch - Broche

3 - EA

ÉA - Pear - Pera
ÉA - Bear - Urso

IA - Idea - Ideia
IA - Fear - Medo, temor

I - Neat - Limpo, impecável
I - Retreat - Retirar

EI - Steak - Bife, filé
EI - Break - Quebrar, romper

à - Pearl - Pérola
à - Early - Cedo

GREAT LIFE TRUTHS

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptise cats.
2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

STUPID QUOTES OF THE DAY

“It’s no exaggeration to say that the undecided could go one way or another.”

“I have opinions of my own – strong opinions – but I don’t always agree with them.”



George Bush, US President

HERE'S THE DEAL

We would particularly like to acknowledge the valuable contribution sent by
Prof. Roberto Lamenha.

"Following you will find a few easy sentences for you to "Check Your English". Answers will be given somewhere in this issue."

1 - A bebida é por conta da casa. _____________________________________
2 - A blusa combina com a saia. ______________________________________
3 - De nada adiantará. _____________________________________________
4 - Dei uma indireta. ______________________________________________
5 - Desculpe-me a franqueza. ________________________________________
6 - É ele mesmo (apontando). _______________________________________
7 - Ele substituiu um colega doente. ___________________________________
8 - Ele substituiu o professor efetivo. __________________________________
9 - Li por alto. ___________________________________________________

10 - Mas, claro. _________________________________________________

11 - Não é bem isso o que eu quis dizer. _______________________________

JOKES OF THE DAY

PNEUMONIA
A man went to see his doctor because he was suffering from a miserable cold. His doctor prescribed some pills, but they didn't help. On his next visit the doctor gave him a shot, but that didn't do any good. On his third visit the doctor told the man to go home and take a hot bath. As soon as he was finished bathing he was to throw open all the windows and stand in the draft.
"But doc," protested the patient, "if I do that, I'll get pneumonia."
"Well, I can cure pneumonia."

THE DIET
A woman was terribly overweight, so her doctor put her on a diet. "I want you to eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for 2 weeks. The next time I see you, you'll have lost at least 5 pounds.

"When the woman returned, she shocked the doctor by losing nearly 20 pounds.
"Why, that's amazing!" the doctor said, "Did you follow my instructions?" The woman nodded. "I'll tell you, I thought I was going to drop dead that third day." "From hunger, you mean?"
"No, from skipping

IT DOESN’T PAY…
A good man passed away and went to heaven. He was greeted by St. Peter, who congratulated him and said he could have anything he wished. The fellow requested something to eat and a telescope so that he could look around. While eating the sandwich he peered through the telescope down at the folks in hell and saw that they were feasting on lobster, filet mignon and caviar. “How come people down there are eating gourmet food?” he asked St. Peter.

“I earned a place in heaven, but you gave me only a tuna-fish sandwich!
”Well, replied St Peter, “it doesn’t pay to cook for just the two of us.”

RULES OF THUMB

The word "thankful" comes from the noun "thanks."
- I'd like to say thank you.
- I'm am very thankful.

Here are some more adjectives that end in FUL:

helpful - someone who helps others
cheerful - someone who feels happy, or full of cheer
tearful - someone who is sad or their eyes are full of tears
powerful - having a lot of power
painful - causing pain
colorful - having many colors; full of colors

ANSWERS TO THE PUZZLE:

1 - The drinks are on the house.
2 - The blouse and the skirt go together.
3 - It won't do any good.
4 - I hinted at it.
5 - Forgive me for saying so.
6 - It's him all right.
7 - He filled in for a sick colleague.
8 - He substituted for the regular teacher.
9 - I glanced over it.
10 - Why, of course!
11 - That's not quite what I meant.

VARIATIONS ON MURPHY'S LAW

1. Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee.

2. Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

3. Law of Probability: The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

This kind of misdeed can happen to the most respectable families

A YANKEE IN QUEEN ELIZABETH'S COURT

The Air Force One arrives at Heathrow Airport and President Bush strides to a warm and dignified reception from the Queen.

They are driven in a 1934 Bentley to the edge of central London where they change to a magnificent 17th century carriage hitched to six white horses.

They continue on towards Buckingham Palace waving to the thousands of cheering Britons; all is going well.

Suddenly the right rear horse lets fly with the most horrendous earth shattering fart ever heard in the British Empire. The smell is atrocious and both passengers in the carriage must use handkerchiefs over their noses.

The fart shakes the coach, but the two dignitaries of State do their best to ignore the incident.

The Queen turns to President Bush, "Mr. President please accept my regrets... I am sure you understand there are some things that even a Queen cannot control."

George Bush, always trying to be "Presidential," replied: "Your Majesty, do not give the matter another thought... Until you mentioned it, I thought it was one of the horses."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer "Present" or "Not guilty." Theodore Roosevelt 26th president of US (1858 - 1919)




Editor's Note:
That reminds me of...... forget it!
H.C.

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

PARROTS...

A lady goes to her priest one day and tells him,

- Father, I have a problem. I have two female parrots, but they only know how to say one thing.

- What do they say? the priest inquired.

- They say, "Hi, we're hookers! Do you want to have some fun?"

- That's obscene! the priest exclaimed. Then he thought for a moment.

- You know, he said, I may have a solution to your problem. I have two male talking parrots, which I have taught to pray and read the Bible. Bring your two parrots over to my house, and we'll put them in the cage with Francis and Peter. My parrots can teach your parrots to pray and worship!

Thank you, the woman responded, this may very well be the solution.

The next day, she brought her female parrots to the priest's house. As he ushered her in, she saw that his two male parrots were inside their cage holding rosary beads and praying. Impressed, she walked over and placed her parrots in with them. After a few minutes, the female parrots cried out in unison...

- "Hi, we're hookers! Do you want to have some fun?"

There was a stunned silence. Shocked, one male parrot looked over at the other male parrot and exclaimed,

-"Put the beads away, Frank. Our prayers have been answered."

UNDERSTANDING ALL THAT PROGRESS

Computers are unquestionably part of everyday life and the Internet has, since the middle of the 1990s, revolutionized communication. Computer technology is becoming cheaper and more available around the world. However, due to the fact that this technology is relatively new and changes rapidly you ought to be familiar with the equipment and its possibilities. The Internet along with the Computer are becoming part of everybody’s lives and here’s some vocabulary that may come in handy as you navigate the World of the Wide Web. H.C.


dot com - a website company
site – website a place to go on the
world wide web
e-commerce - shopping on the web
online - on the Internet
search engine - helps you look for
different websites on the web
web browser - helps you “browse”
or look around the web
www– world wide web

some “e-breviations”
e-mail – electronic mail
e-card – electronic greeting card
e-ticket – electronic airline ticket
BTW – used in e-mail – means “by the way”
FAQ – “frequently asked questions”
HTML – the standard language for writing
documents on the web
URL – a web address, like www.bixiguento.com
ISP – internet service provider, the company that
gives you internet service.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I DIDN'T ATTEND THE FUNERAL, BUT I SENT A NICE LETTER SAYING THAT I APPROVED OF IT. Mark Twain. American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer.

LAUGHTER'S THE BEST MEDICINE

Golfing with the Wife

A man staggered into a hospital with a concussion, multiple bruises, two black eyes, and a five iron wrapped tightly around his throat.

Naturally the doctor asked him, "What happened to you?"

"Well, I was having a quiet round of golf with my wife, when at a difficult hole, we both sliced our balls into a cow pasture."

We went to look for them and while I was looking around I noticed one of the cows had something white at its rear end."

"I walked over, lifted its tail, and sure enough, there was a golf ball with my wife's monogram on it - stuck right in the middle of the cow's butt."

Still holding the cow's tail up, I yelled to my wife,
"Hey, this looks like yours!"

"I don't quite remember much after that..."

PONDER THESE

THE WORK OF STEVEN WRIGHT

If you're not familiar with the work of Steven Wright, he's the guy who once said "I woke up one morning and all of my stuff had been stolen...and replaced by exact duplicates".

Steven Alexander Wright is an Academy Award-winning American stand-up comedian, actor writer from Burlington, Massachusetts. He is known for his slow, deadpan, monotone delivery of ironic, witty, deeply philosophical and sometimes confusing jokes and one-liners with overly contrived situations.

Here are some more of his gems:

I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Borrow money from pessimists - they don't expect it back.

Half the people you know are below average.

99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.

If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

I intend to live forever - so far, so good.

If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."

Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

Teaching Tips & Ideas

IDIOMS

É de fundamental importância o aspecto idiomático quando duas línguas são comparadas na equivalência do vocabulário. Em Português, por exemplo, a saudação matinal mais comum é Bom dia, a qual traduzida (aliás, eu implico com a palavra TRADUÇÃO) ao pé da letra para o Inglês, resultaria num insólito Good day, em vez do correto e usual Good morning. Existe uma correspondência perfeita de idéias, mas não uma regra geral de formas usadas para representar essas idéias. Certas expressões idiomáticas freqüentemente citadas não são na verdade muito importantes, porque as idéias que elas representam podem ser facilmente colocadas de outra forma. Outras, entretanto, desempenham um papel bastante importante pelo fato de dificilmente poderem ser substituídas, bem como pelo alto grau de cotidianidade e pela freqüência com que ocorrem no inglês dos native speakers. A maioria das expressões aqui relacionadas são indispensáveis para quem deseja expressar-se de forma adequada em inglês. H.C.

CONVENCIONALIDADES - EXPRESSIONS OF POLITENESS

Prazer em conhecê-lo. - Nice to meet you. / I'm glad to know you. / It's a pleasure to know you. /How do you do.

O prazer é meu. - Nice to meet you too.

Como vai? - How are you? / How are you doing? / How is it going?

Há quanto tempo! - It's been a long time.

De nada. / Não há de que. / Disponha. / Tudo bem. / Que é isso! / - You're welcome. That's OK. / Not at all. / Don't mention it. / It's my pleasure.

Igualmente. - The same to you. / You too.

Com licença. / Dá licença. - Excuse me. Como? / O que? (quando não se entende o que o interlocutor disse) - Excuse me? / Pardon? / Beg your pardon? / What? (less polite)

Eu já volto. - I'll be right back.

Até logo. / Até amanhã. - I'll (I will) see you later (tomorrow). / See you.

Como é que você passou o fim de semana? - How did you spend the weekend? / Parece que vai chover. - It looks like it's going to rain. / It looks like rain.

Será que vai chover neste fim de semana? - I wonder if it's going to rain this weekend.

Tomara que não chova. - I hope it doesn't rain.

Faça-os entrar. - Show them in.

Fique à vontade. / Esteja à vontade. / Faça de conta que está em casa. / Esteja a gosto. - Make yourself at home. / Make yourself comfortable.

Sirva-se. - Help yourself. / Be my guest. / Go ahead. (informal)

Você está se divertindo? - Are you having a good time? / Are you enjoying yourself? Are you having fun?

O que você achou da festa? - How did you like the party? / What did you think of the party?

Não, obrigado; estou satisfeito. / Estou servido. - No, thanks. I'm full. / I've had enough.

Saúde! (Quando alguém espirra) - God bless you. / Bless you.

Saúde! (Brinde) - Cheers!

Pois não? / Que deseja? - May I help you? / Can I help you? / What can I do for you? / What can I get for you?

Você é que resolve. / Você que sabe. - It's up to you.

Por mim, tudo bem. - It's OK with me.

Vamos dar uma volta? - Let's go for a walk. / Let's take a walk. / Do you want to go for a walk? Let's go for a drive. / Would you like to go for a drive?

Qualquer um; tanto faz. - Either one. / Whatever. / It doesn't matter. / It doesn't make any difference. / It makes no difference.

Me avisa se mudares de idéia. - Let me know if you change your mind.

Lembranças. / Abraços. - Regards. / Give my best.

Vamos manter contato. - Let's keep in touch.

Boa viagem! - Have a nice trip!