2 Billion people expected online by end of 2010

Today I'm going to continue talk about INGVIP, the owner of the website is an English tips' partner, Fúvio C. Perini is a Brazilian interpreter-translator, teacher and Brazilian blogger, we have something in common, we both promote the VOA's website, but only texts, biographies you can find different sorts of videos with different accents, Friends' Series, English course and much more visit his website and practise a lot English it's a resourceful not only for Brazilian but Students worldwide have been visited there keep practising, keep studying hard. Access INGVIP http://www.ingvip.com/texto/2-billion-people-expected-online-2010.htm


  This is Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Technology Report, formerly(1) called the Development Report(2), fromhttp://voaspecialenglish.com | http://facebook.com/voalearningenglish 

   1- Before(3) we changed(4) the name, we went on our Facebook page and asked for(5) story ideas. Some of you suggested(6) that we talk about ICT, information and communication technology.Well, the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency,released(7) its latest ICT Facts and Figures(8) report in October.

       2- Since two thousand five, the number of Internet users worldwide(9) has doubled to more than one and a half billion people. At least(10) two billion are expected to be online by the end(11) of this year.    

      3 - The ITU says more than seventy percent of new Internet users(12) this year will be in developing countries(13). Still(14), only twenty-one percent of the population of the developing world is online -- compared to seventy-one percent in developed(15) countries.

      4 - Susan Teltscher is head(16) of the agency's Market Information and Statistics Division in Switzerland(17). She says there are still(18) very huge(19) divides when it comes to(20) accessing the Internet, especially high-speed Internet.

      5 - In Africa not even(21) ten percent of the population is using the Internet.Fewer than(22) sixteen percent of homes in developing countries are wired for the Internet. But, on the other hand(23), Ms. Teltscher says mobile phone usage(24) has reached sixty-eight percent in developing countries.

     6 - The world has almost(25) seven billion people. Nine out of ten(26) now have access to mobile networks(27). The ITU estimates that mobile subscriptions(28) will reach five billion three hundred million this year. The majority(29) are in the developing world. And Susan Teltscher says more and more(30) people in developing countries are using their mobile phones to connect to the Internet.

    7 - Ms. Teltscher says mobile technology is already improving lives(31) in developing countries. She points to(32) examples like banking by phone, e-health services and farm reports by text messaging. And the possibilities will only grow(33) as broadband(34), or high-speed, connections become(35) more widely available(36).

    8 - ITU Secretary General(37) Hamadoun Toure calls broadband "the next truly(38) transformational technology." He also(39) calls it the most powerful tool(40) available in the race(41) to meet(42) the Millennium Development Goals(43) by twenty fifteen(44). For VOA Special English, I'm Alex Villarreal. Join us online at voaspecialenglish.com or on Facebook or Twitter at VOA Learning English.

Vocabularies in English-Portuguese

1. Formerly = anteriormente
2. Development Report = Relatório de desenvolvimento
3. Before = antes
4. changed = mudássemos
5. asked for Pedimos, solicitamos
6. suggested = sugeriram
7. released = lançou, liberou
8. Figures = Números
9. worldwide  = mundialmente, no mundo todo
10. At least = Pelo menos
11. by the end = até o final
12. users = usuários
13. developing countries = Países em desenvolvimento
14. Still = ainda assim
15. developed  = desenvolvido
16. head  = chefe
17. Switzerland = Suíça
18. there are still = Existem ainda
19. huge = imenso(a)
20. when it comes to = Quando se trata de
21. not even = Nem sequer
22. Fewer than = Menos do que
23. On the other hand = por outro lado
24. usage = utilização
25. almost  = quase
26. Nine out of ten = Nove entre dez
27. networks = redes
28. subscriptions = assinaturas
29. majority = maioria
30. more and more = cada vez mais
31. improving lives = melhorando vidas
32. points to = aponta para
33. grow  = crescer
34. broadband = banda larga
35. become = tornar-se
36. widely available = amplamente disponível
37. General  = geral
38. truly = verdadeiramente
39. also = também
40. the most powerful tool = a ferramenta mais poderosa
41. race  = corrida
42. meet  = encontrar, alcançar
43. Goals  = objetivos
44. twenty fifteen = 2015

Worksheet, Getting the Message Worldwide (B2)

Before starting the exercise please have a look at the link before http://englishtips-self-taught.blogspot.com/2011/08/getting-message-worldwide.html


Source: Speak Up in Class


Language level: B2

WORKSHEETS

2011

Getting the Message Worldwide (B2)

A – Before you start

Answer the questions with a partner.

1. Do you think it's more important to avoid offending others or to tell the truth? Why?

2. Do you mind if your parents or your teachers criticise you in front of others?  Why (not)?

3. If a friend telephoned you while you were having dinner, would you let your friend know that it was an inconvenient time? If so, how?

4. Would you react in the same way if it was your teacher who phoned you? 

B – Listen and answer

Read these statements. Then listen (without reading) and write T (true) or F (false).

1. The author of the article mentions an episode that took place at a G20 Summit.

2. During a press conference, the President of South Korea got angry when an American journalist asked him a question.

3. In Anglo-Saxon culture you should never make fun of your boss in front of others.

4. Sometimes the same statement can be interpreted in a different way by people of different cultures.

5. In a "low-context" culture, people express themselves in a more explicit way.

6. The USA and the UK are examples of low-context cultures.

7. German and Dutch bosses will probably tell you directly if they don't like what you have done.

 

C – Read and answer

Read the article and answer the questions.

1. What might have happened if President Lee of South Korea had answered the journalist's question?

2. What should you avoid doing if you are a manager in a company in an oriental country?

3. How might an oriental person avoid telling you directly that your proposal has been rejected?

4. What is high-context communication based on?

5. If you ask a British person whether you're ringing at a bad time, what does it probably mean if the reply begins with the words "Well, actually..." ?

6. If you want to avoid misunderstandings with people of different cultures, what should you take into account besides the context of what is said?

D – Learn it! Use it!

Complete these sentences with words from the glossary. (You may have to adapt the expression in some way; e.g. change from plural to singular.)

1. Tom always goes home for his midday _________ .

2. I was having an argument with Sarah over the phone and she _________   _________ .

3. I'm not worried about my test. At the moment it's the least of my _________ .

4. Joe won't understand what you mean unless you _________   _________   _________  to him.

5. Don't worry! You can _________  on me.

6. Do you understand this email from Jane? I can't make any _________ of it.

7. If you treat your employees like that, you'll lose their _________ .

8. When you apply for a new passport, please _________  in _________ that it will take at least a week. 

E – Ready for FCE? (Paper 3: Use of English, Part 3)

Use the word in brackets to form a word that fits in the space given.

1. President Lee's reply was greeted with polite _________ (LAUGH).

2. Lee wanted to avoid making Obama feel _________ (COMFORT).

3. In a British company you can make fun of your boss if you do so _________ (RESPECT).

4. In oriental cultures it is not _________ (PERMIT) for a subordinate to make fun of the boss.

5. Anyone in a _________ (MANAGE) position in China or Korea should avoid criticising the work of an employee in public.

6. People in oriental countries are more careful to avoid offending other people's  _________ (SENSE).

7. A Japanese person would try to avoid telling you directly that your _________ (PROPOSE) 

had been rejected.

8. It's necessary to have an _________ (AWARE) of where the conversation is taking place.

9. If someone refers to a colleague as "good old George", this doesn't necessarily mean George is _________ (TRUST).

10. Effective communication requires a good _________ (KNOW) of the context as well as the language.  

F – Talk about it 

In pairs or groups.

1. Do you think Brazil is a high-context or a low-context society?  Why?

2. Are there any regional differences?

3. If so, can you give any examples?

Water: The United Nations urges campaign against waste

 Source: www.magews.com.br The great English content for students and teachers, for more info access the site. 

The Environment

Water: The United Nations

urges campaign against waste

Over one billion people worldwide now suffer a shortage of 

drinking water. The United Nations (UN) recommends countries create campaigns against wasting water supplies. This is the first in a series on the issue brought to you by Maganews

On March 22^nd, World Water Day, the UN made a recommendation to every country in the world. It wants them to create campaigns to reduce water consumption and to prevent waste. Our planet has a lot of water, but the problem is that the oceans’ water, comprising 97.6% of all water in the world, is unsuitable for consumption. There remains just 2.4% in freshwater, which can be treated and drunk. However, most of this water is frozen in ice flows. Over one billion people in the world now suffer a shortage of water. The number of people without access to drinking water may double by around 2030, says the UN. Population growth is one of the factors responsible for this shortage, with eighty million people added to the global total every year, according to the UN.  More people means more consumption. Waste, deforestation, pollution and climate change are other factors that contribute to making the problem worse.

Brazil:  awareness in schools

The States of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo are this semester establishing the project Caminho das Águas in public primary schools. The aim is to make 6^th to 9^th grade students aware of the shortage of water and the importance of using it rationally, without waste.  In São Paulo city in 2008 the water company Sabesp set up the program “Pura” (Uso Racional de Água) in 500 municipal schools.  Sabesp checks the amount of water needed by the schools and offers alternatives for them to reduce consumption. Sabesp says the program has resulted in savings of 26% in schools’ water consumption. From March 23^rd another 750 municipal schools in São Paulo have joined the program.

Matéria publicada da edição de abril da Revista Maganews.

Vocabulary

1 to urge – desejar / encorajar (aqui = recomendar / pedir)

2 waste - desperdício

3 shortage – escassez

4 drinking water – água potável

5 unsuitable – inadequada (o)

6 remain (s) - sobra

7 freshwater – água “doce” / potável

8 ice flows – geleiras

9 to double – dobrar

10 deforestation - desmatamento

11 awareness –  aqui = conscientização ( to be aware = ficar ciente / se conscientizar)

12 to set up – iniciar

13 amount – quantidade

13 to join – aderir

Photo - Sabesp