English Tips Self-Taught

sexta-feira, 29 de outubro de 2010

INGLES VIP, TEACHER FÚVIO

Credits and posting for Teacher Fuvio for more info visit the website and getting started to practice English online.

Planetarium - Part II audio www.inglesvip.xpg.com.br

1 - This Zeiss Model VI was a gift to the museum from West Germany in honor of the United States’ two hundred year anniversary. Last week, we attended alive show called “The Stars Tonight.” Astronomer Bill Dedmond showed visitors the night sky as the season changes from summer to fall.

2 - “See, that’s how night sky is supposed to look. You can see thousands of stars when you are away from the city light pollution. You can even see thisbright band of light here all the way across the sky. What is that bright band of light?” KIDS: “The Milky Way!”

3 - BILL DEDMOND: “OK, Excellent!” STEVE EMBER: Bill Dedmond talked about the groups of stars or constellations in the night sky. He pointed out an important constellation, the Big Dipper. If you can find this group of stars, you can easily find the North Star, or Polaris. Mr. Dedmond also gave viewers a tour of the planets.

4. BILL DEDMOND: “Our galaxy contains a couple hundred billion stars and we know there are about one hundred twenty-five billion other galaxies. Just incredible how many stars there are.”

5. BARBARA KLEIN: Speaking of stars, one of the Air and Space Museum’s planetarium shows is called “Journey to the Stars.” The movie is presented by actress Whoopi Goldberg. It tells about the life of a star using our sun as an example.

6. WHOOPI GOLDBERG: “The first stars changed everything, combining hydrogen and helium into new elements such as oxygen and carbon. Then supernovas blasted these elements into space, supplyingingredients for stars and planets to come. And though it may sound incredible, your body actually contains about a teaspoon’s worth of this stuff formed thirteen billion years ago by the very first stars.”

7. STEVE EMBER: The movie describes the many stages in the life of a star. Some stars known as super giants are about a thousand times bigger than our sun.

8. The movie “Journey to the Stars” is very helpful not only because it tells interesting facts about stars and space. The movie helps viewers get a better idea of the extraordinary size and volume of space and the huge number of stars within it. This sense of size is hard to understand by just reading a book. The planetarium makes it feel as if you are observing, moving through and exploring space.

9. BARBARA KLEIN: Another show at the Smithsonian’s planetarium is called “Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity.” Black Holes are not actually holes. They are extremely massive concentrations of matter. The actor Liam Neeson narrates the movie.

10 LIAM NEESON: “How do you find something that hides in the dark? You have to look for its tell-tale signs. Swift’s instruments are designed to record bursts of high energy radiation. Gamma rays don’t penetrate Earth’s atmosphere, but out here in space, Swift’s view of them is front row center. They erupt when a black hole is born. That happens when a large star dies in a blaze of glory called a super nova.”

11. STEVE EMBER: It takes a lot of work to produce a good planetarium movie. Experts at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science made the “Black Holes” movie. They worked with movie producers, computer experts, astronomers, astrophysicists and other professionals. Their film is scientifically correct and also a lot of fun to watch. Many images in the movie are based on complex mathematical calculations about space gathered by scientists.

12. BARBARA KLEIN: Next week, the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hawaii will host a six-day ‘Imiloa Fulldome Film Festival. Museum and planetarium professionals from around the world will be able to watchsome of the latest movies available for digital planetarium theaters.

13. The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center is part of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. The center’s planetarium has the world’s first three-dimensional planetarium system. Viewers wear special glasses to experience this effect. The Astronomy Center is an example of how technologies will continue to change and improve experiencing the night sky in planetariums of the future.

20. STEVE EMBER: This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.

quinta-feira, 28 de outubro de 2010

FUTUROLOGY

Language Level: Intermediate

Standard: British accent

Source: Speak Up, issue 254

THE INVASION OF THE POD PEOPLE

What does podcast mean? It’s not in my dictionary.

It’s not in the dictionary because it was invented recently, by putting together the words broadcast and iPod. Podcasts are digital recordings, broadcast through the internet, and mostly free. Some are like radio programmes, produced professionally, covering news, current affairs, education and drama. Others are recorded in bedrooms, presenting personal ideas, suggestions of diaries.

Are they easy to use?

Yes. Download individual recordings from websites, or “subscribe” to regular podcasts (often called RSS feeds), so that your computer receives them automatically. You will need an “aggregator” program, or podcatcher, such as iTunes, to manage subscriptions, but these are also free. You then listen to the recordings on your computer or download them to an MP3 player (see Speak Up, issue 249).

I like radio and CDs. What’s the advantage?

With podcasts, you can listen to whatever you want whenever you want, without waiting for radio schedules or buying expensive CDs. For example, I’ve just signed up for a BBC radio podcast. If I miss the news, a new shows making fun of current events appears in my iTunes every Friday. I can listen at my desk, in my car, on in bed. Initially many podcasts were like amateur radio shows, but other uses quickly emerged. Now the range is vast: from your favorite show to language lessons; from advice on cooking to self-help; from James Joyce’s Ulysses to the thoughts of Paris Hilton.

Are they popular?

Podcasts are growing phenomenally: a quarter of a million people downloaded every episode of British comedian, Ricky Gervais’ show (though that figures dropped when he began charging). You can discover Celtic music, or learn how songs are recorded. Teachers can send lessons to absent students. You can collect Wikipedia articles, travellers’ tips, and audio tours for famous places. You can hear live music from festivals, big ideas from politicians and writers, and contrasting views on current events. It’s not just individuals producing the material: the mighty BBC offers free weekly podcasts on news, sport, science, music and comedy. Podcast programs may soon become search engines, building personalized schedules from an infinite number of podcast website.

What about making your own podcast?

That’s easy too. You record material, upload it to an RSS website, and tell people about it. It’s easy to find advise on the technical aspects. All you need is a microphone, a broadband connection and a good idea. Paris Hilton, U2 and the BBC find it easy to attract listeners. But some hits are more surprising: Celtic Music News is always in the top ten, along with vide podcasts, English Teaching in Japan, and cooking show Cibi Alterati. Now that everyone can reach a global audience, is the age of corporate broadcasting over?

Glossary

Broadcast: Transmissão

Current Affairs: Atualidades

Subscribe: Faça uma nova assinatura

RSS: Really Simple Sindication: Distribuição, agendamento ou Rich Site Summary.

I’ve just signed up for: Acabei de fazer uma assinatura.

To miss: Deixar de acompanhar, peder.

Desk: mesa de trabalho

Range: gama, diversidade, abrangência.

Advice on chocking: Dicas de Culinária.

That figure dropped changing...embora este número tenha caído desde que ele começou a cobrar (pagamento)

Travellers’ tips: dicas para quem viaja.

Might: poderosa

Search engines: ferramenta de busca de pesquisa.

Comfortable broadcast: grandes empresas de mídia.

American History Series: President Wilson Helps Negotiate an End to World War

Source: www.voanews.com

Photo: loc.gov

A poster for selling liberty bonds shows Uncle Sam with a truck full of citizens holding bonds under a sign saying "To Berlin"

Double-click any word to find the definition in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary

Or download MP3 (Right-click or option-click and save link)

BOB DOUGHTY: Welcome to THE MAKING OF A NATION – American history in VOA Special English.

This week in our series, Larry West and Maurice Joyce continue the story of President Woodrow Wilson and American involvement in World War One.

LARRY WEST: Nineteen eighteen was the final year of the most terrible war the world had ever known. But World War One did not end quickly or easily. The German Army made a final effort to defeat the Allies. The United States had entered the conflict. And Germany wanted a victory before large numbers of American troops could get to Europe.

Germany's effort became easier after it signed a peace treaty with the new Bolshevik government in Russia. The treaty made it possible for Germany to use all its forces against the Allies on its western border. In the end, however, Germany's plan failed.

Allied troops pushed back the German attack in a series of bloody battles. The addition of American soldiers greatly increased Allied strength.

MAURICE JOYCE: The leader of American forces in Europe was General John J. Pershing. General Pershing used a weapon new to the world of war: air power.

Airplanes were used first simply as 'eyes in the sky'. They discovered enemy positions so ground artillery could fire at them. Then they were used as fighter planes. They carried guns to shoot down other planes. Finally, planes were built big enough to carry bombs.

General Pershing also used another new weapon of war: tanks. He put these inventions together for his battle plan against Germany.

loc.gov

German soldiers standing around a German tank as other soldiers make repairs

LARRY WEST: Pershing's target was the Argonne Forest. It was a tree-covered area Germany had held since nineteen fourteen.

The forest was protected by barbed wire and by defensive positions built of steel and concrete. It was the strongest part of the German line. It also was the most important part. If Argonne fell, Germany's final lines of defense would fall.

The fighting in the Argonne Forest was fierce. Thousands of men died. Sometimes, troops got lost because the forest was so thick with trees. But day by day, the Allies pushed the Germans back.

MAURICE JOYCE: Germany's leaders were losing hope. In September, nineteen eighteen, they met with German ruler Kaiser Wilhelm. The army chief reported that the war was lost. Germany had no choice, he said. It must give back all the territory it had seized and try to negotiate a peace agreement.

Other officials told the Kaiser that the situation at home was bad, too. People were starving. Revolutionaries were plotting to overthrow the government.

Kaiser Wilhelm agreed it might be best to seek peace now. . . Before Germany was destroyed completely. He asked his foreign secretary to send a secret message to American President Woodrow Wilson. The message would propose immediate negotiations to end the war.

From left, General Paul von Hindenburg, Kaiser Wilhelm II and General Erich Ludendorff examine maps

LARRY WEST: President Wilson received it. He did not tell the other Allied leaders. Instead, he returned a message to Germany. Wilson asked if Germany was willing to accept the peace proposals he had offered many months earlier.

Germany's Chancellor answered that his government did accept the proposals. However, the events of war ended the secret exchange of messages between Germany and the United States. German submarines had increased attacks on Allied shipping. Two passenger ships were sunk. Eight hundred twenty persons were killed. Many were women and children.

President Wilson was shocked. He told Germany there could be no peace negotiations with such an inhuman enemy.

MAURICE JOYCE: In late October, nineteen eighteen, Wilson sent a final message to Germany. He wanted a settlement that would make it impossible for Germany to fight again. Germany, Wilson said, must promise to withdraw its forces from all Allied territory. It also must close its weapons factories.

Wilson added that the Allies would negotiate only with a government that truly represented the people of Germany. . . not with military rulers.

The new German Chancellor was Maximilian, Prince of Baden. Prince Max received President Wilson's message. He succeeded in getting Kaiser Wilhelm to dismiss the man responsible for German military policy. But he failed to get the Kaiser himself to give up power.

loc.gov

President Woodrow Wilson

LARRY WEST: Not all allied leaders supported President Wilson's plan to end World War One. They could not agree on some parts of it.

Britain, for example, opposed the part about freedom of the seas. Britain said it would prevent the kind of naval blockade which had been so effective against Germany. France and Italy opposed the part about creating a new international organization. Wilson had called it a league of nations.

To solve these differences, Wilson sent his closest adviser to Europe to meet with Allied leaders. The discussions were long and sometimes bitter. Many of the Allies thought Wilson was being too kind to the defeated enemy. But in the end, they all agreed to accept the plan as a starting point for peace talks.

MAURICE JOYCE: By this time, in early November, the situation in Germany was growing worse. Communists and Socialists were calling for a rebellion. The navy was ordered to go to sea. Sailors refused, and killed some officers. Reports told of rebellion in parts of the German army, too.

The nation's leaders had no choice. They would negotiate a peace treaty. On the morning of November eighth, a German delegation went to Allied military headquarters to discuss terms.

LARRY WEST: The Germans were met by the Supreme Allied Commander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France. Foch greeted them coldly. And he did not offer peace terms until they officially asked for a ceasefire. Germany -- not the Allies -- had to put down its weapons first.

The Germans were shocked when they heard the terms. The list was severe.

Among other things, Germany must withdraw its forces from all occupied territories. It must give up Alsace-Lorraine, a part of France it had held for almost fifty years. It must give up most of its weapons including airplanes, submarines, and battleships. And it must turn over large numbers of trucks, railroad engines, and other supplies.

MAURICE JOYCE: The German delegation said it could not sign such an agreement. Germany, it said, was not surrendering. It was only asking for a ceasefire. The delegation said it could not accept the peace terms without communicating with the government in Berlin.

But the German government was falling apart. Kaiser Wilhelm had finally resigned and left the country. A new cabinet had been formed. And a new prime minister had declared a German republic. Yet the situation remained unsettled.

Because of this, the German delegation negotiating with the Allies had to decide for itself. After much argument, the men agreed to the Allied terms. They signed the peace treaty. A ceasefire began a few hours later.

LARRY WEST: News that the shooting had stopped set off wild celebrations throughout the world. People danced in the streets. They cheered the end of the worst war in history.

There were celebrations along the battle lines, too. But these were quiet. Soldiers from both sides climbed out of long trenches dug in the ground. They met the men who, a short while earlier, had been their deadly enemy.

The bloody European conflict was over. The dispute, however, was not. Another fierce battle was ready to begin. This time, the battle would be among diplomats. The fight over the peace treaty officially ending World War One was about to begin.

That will be our story next week.

(MUSIC)

BOB DOUGHTY: Our program was written by Frank Beardsley. The narrators were Larry West and Maurice Joyce.

You can find our series online with transcripts, MP3s, podcasts and images at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. Join us again next week for THE MAKING OF A NATION -- an American history series in VOA Special English.

___

This is program #160

quarta-feira, 27 de outubro de 2010

New moon, maganews.

Movies

source: www.maganews.com.br

The Twilight Saga – New Moon

In New Moon, the second film in the Twilight Saga, Edward, the good vampire, stays away from Bella for her own good. Depressed, she cries on Jacob’s shoulder

New Moon was released in

Brazil

on November 20^th. In this second film in the Twilight Saga, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) turns 18. At her party there is an accident and she cuts her hand. Even the good vampires feel the pull of the blood. Later, Edward (Robert Pattinson) fears even more for his loved one’s safety. Edward and his family decide to move out of town. For Edward this is to protect Bella’s life, but she is depressed by his absence. Bella is not, however, totally alone. She has a great friend called Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). This friendship blossoms over time, but there is a problem: Jacob falls in love with her. Jacob is a werewolf. And, of course, werewolves are long-time enemies of vampires....

Stephenie has written 4 books in the series

Bella and Edward are the central characters in the Twilight Saga, four books written by American Stephenie Meyer. The first one is “Twilight” and the other three are “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn.” The four books in the series have been a massive hit, especially among teenage girls, and have sold 55 million copies worldwide. Stephenie Meyer is 35 years old, married and has three kids. The idea for the story came about in 2003, when Stephenie had a dream about a student talking to a young man, who happened to be a vampire. When she woke up, Stephenie began to put her ideas on paper. The first two books in the series have been made into films, and “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn” will follow in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

AUDIO – Daniella Rabelo

Vocabulary

1 shoulder – ombro

2 safety – segurança

3 absence – ausência

4 to blossom – florescer / crescer

5 werewolf – lobisomem / homem-lobo

6 breaking dawn - amanhecer

7 to feel the pull of the blood – sentir-se atraído pelo sangue

Na edição impressa da revista Maganews você pode conferir a segunda parte da matéria, contando o início da saga “Crepúsculo”.