quinta-feira, 24 de fevereiro de 2011

The man and machine, part I

Reposting the article about Internet, check out please and Re-twit it's really important.

Source: www.maganews.com.br

The addiction [1] of the modern era
If you cannot live without the Internet and spend hours and hours in front of the computer and sometimes even forget to eat, then you had better[21] take care. You could be a “cyberaddict”[3]

   When we hear the word “addiction,” we soon think about cigarettes, alcohol or gambling [4]. These are addictions that humanity has been living with for centuries. In the XXI Century a new compulsion has arisen: “web-dependence”. The Internet is used at work, in communications between people, in surveys, entertainment, information and so on and so forth [5]. However, there are many people who spend much more time surfing the Internet than they spend with their relatives [6] or friends. According to an article published by the American Journal of Psychiatry, the virtual dependent spends hours in a row [7] on the Internet. They spend way too long [8] visiting sites, playing games, chatting in chat rooms and they check their e-mails compulsively and are always download something. Often, they even forget to eat and sleep properly [9].

Virtual dependency affects children in Korea
In recent years cases of Internet compulsion have been on the rise [10] in many countries, includingBrazil. In the USA, the number of Internet addicts could reach 10% of all Internet users, according to estimates made by American studies. In the US there are about 190 million Internet users. In South Korea the government estimates there are over 200,000 children who are addicted to the Internet. Authorities in Korea consider virtual addiction to be a public health problem in the country. Many of these children have had to have [11] treatment using psychotropic drugs. 

Vocabulary
addiction – vício / dependência
then you had better – então é melhor você…
cyberaddict – viciado em internet
gambling – jogo
and so on and so forth – exp. idiom = e assim por diante (etc e tal)
relatives - parentes
in a row – em seguida
to spend way too long – gastar muito tempo
properly – adequadamente
10 on the rise – crescendo / crescimento / em alta
11 have had to have – tiveram que ter (ou se submeter)

The consequences of virtual addiction (Part 2)
Dependency on the Internet can affect our emotional, personal and professional lives. Many specialists say this kind of addiction should be treated as if it were a psychological illness [1]

   The American Journal of Psychiatry says excessive use of the Internet can be thought of [2] as[3] a mental disturbance that should be treated like a psychological illness. In many cases virtual addiction can interfere with a person’s private, emotional and professional life. It may also even cause physical harm [4]. An article on the site brasilescola says there are cases of cyberaddicts having died because they have spent too long in front of the computer. There are certain diseases caused by spending too long in the same position. Deep Vein Thrombosis [5] (which can develop [6] into a Pulmonary Embolism) is one such example.

The Internet offers a lot of temptations
In recent years the Internet has offered us many new options. The main attractions are MSN (instant messaging), Orkut (relationship site), YouTube (with hundreds of thousands of videos for you to watch) and MySpace, where surfers can listen to thousands of songs. And there are also millions of sites to visit and keep up to date [7] on a range [8] of subjects. The Internet can help you solve[9] a lot of problems, but if you get carried [10] away, the Internet stops being a solution and turns into a problem.

Vocabulary
illness – doença
can be thought of  – pode ser considerado
as – como
physical harm – dano físico
5 Deep Vein Thrombosis – Trombose Venal Profunda
which can develop into – que pode evoluir para
to keep up to date – manter-se atualizado
on a range – nos mais diversos
to solve – resolver
10 if you get carried away – exp. idiom - se você exagerar

quarta-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2011

I'm a Cybernetic


Oh my God, I need to see a doctor...I consider myself a Cybernetic, before brushing my teeth, I'm blogging and check out Facebook (three profiles), StumbleUpon, twitters' profiles, Orkut, Digg, and the list goes on...I didn't mention about my E-mail, msn, Yahoo, Skype, blah, blah, blah...I'm addicted on internet, make friends overseas, but I don't forget to use and abuse for a great and human cause...helping people and struggling for a better world. I didn't talk about my bloggers' partners, I also visit my dear friends spreading in several countries. I didn't forget you, dear readers, I use to reply your comments, they are really great. But,I'm not a not a robot, I'm a human being who need your support to help others. I insist to recommend those who visit and like this blog..."Keep promoting and telling for friends about English tips, this way you can help and deserving my students who take part of the project "Living and learning" it's a single way to learn English. 

Even though, I use all of the social networking mentioned before in order to improve their English, in particular useful sites and blogs. Yes, definitely I'm a Cybernetic. Have a wonderful night/day depending of your time zone.  

Sting



Source: www.speakup.com.br
Language level: Upper Intermediate
Standard: American and British accent
The Return of Sting


Three years after the release of his eighth álbum, Songs from the Labyrinth, Sting is back. As his follow up, the former lead singer of The Police chose a seasonal theme: If on a Winter’s Night, released late last year, is a selection of songs for the Christmas season. This is a somewhat surprising choice for a former punk rocker and so we began by asking him to explain his views on religion:

Sting: (Standard: British accent)

I’m essentially agnostic. At the same time I’m aware that religion, like literature, like art, like music, is a product of the imagination, the human imagination. So I would throw the baby out with bath water. I think you know, religion is important. Do I accept a lot of things as articles of faith? No, no, I don’t, but the power of the stories is very important and so they’re magical stories, you know, and magical birth is a commonplace in the history of religion. All Gods were born magically, they weren’t born normally! Mithras, Shiva, Dionysis, Buddha – were all born in a strange way.  So it’s not unusual. But they’re magical stories, just as, you know, Brothers Grimm…fairy tales! It doesn’t make them silly: they’re powerful.

MY WIFE AND I

So how do they celebrate Christmas in the Sting household?

Sting:

My wife loves Christmas. She is very traditional about the children coming home and the turkey and all of that stuff and the presents. I’m ambivalent about it, but I’ll go along with it: we have a good time. My own memory of Christmas is not particularly happy. Christmas was always a time of tension and strange…happy and the fighting! I remember those times, too.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

Sting, who has sold more than 100 million albums over the course of his career, is a phenomenally rich man. He owns home all over the world, as well as farms in England and Italy. And yet, like many millionaires, his finances took a battering in the recent credit crunch, but he doesn’t seem too worried:

Sting:

It’s true. How many millions do you need? But that’s pathology, I try and get out of that. I don’t like to see this Fortune 500 list of the richest people in the world, you know, the richest entertainers. And you start to get competitive: “Hang on, he’s making more than me!” “ You think:” Well, how many millions do you need to die with?” “Can you take it with you? No, you can’t.” But, you know, I think we spend our money well. We put it back into the land, they put it back into good stuff. There are ways of using money: just having it sit in the bank with interest doesn’t interest me, or stocks and shares don’t interest me, either. I like to put money back into the land because you can see it grow in a real way: we’ve done that.

MY TEAM

It Sting has taken a financial battering, then so has his favourite football team, Newcastle United, who were relegated from England’s top division, the Premiership, to the second division, or Championship, in 2008:

Sting:

That’s a tragedy, that’s a serious tragedy. The people who own the club had no idea what they were buying, and what they were buying was the loyalty and the self-respect of an entire city. It was all bound up with this club. It was not a money-making thing, it’s an identify. And you can’t buy and sell that. It’s…it’s tragic what’s happened.

AND THE POLICE?

And no interview with Sting could be complete without reference to The Police, the group he walked out on in the 1980s. in 2007 they got back together for a massively successful world tour:

Sting:

I refused to do that for 25 years, I think. It was a surprise that I would say yes and a surprise to myself. But, again, it was an interesting experiment, to go back and recreate something that had been so successful then. I think we did that, I think we played to 2,7 million people. No one asked for their money back. So we put on a good show, but I… now I feel it’s complete. I feel that we have done that. I don’t have any desire or plans to repeat the exercise.

Medieval Folk Songs

If on a Winter’s Night (Deutsche Gramophone/Decca) is Sting’s ninth album in a solo career that Dream of the Blue Turtles. Prior to that he released five albums with the other members of thought to have been inspired by Italo Calvino’s novel, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler. The music is decidedly traditional: the track list includes several medieval English folk’s songs.

Sting, who was born Gordon Summer in Wallsend, Northumberland on October 2nd , 1951. Since leaving The Police he has had a phenomenally successful solo career.

Pro-Jovem, part 27, Inglês vip


Source: http://www.ingvip.com/curso-de-conversacao.htm para mais informações acessem www.ingvip.com 
Julia:  Mariana! What are you doing here? You are sick(1)!
Mariana:  I was sick! I’m fine now!
Julia: That’s good. How were your resting days(2)?
Mariana: They were so boring(3). I was anxious(4) to get out of bed(5) and go out. Were you at home
Yesterday?
Julia: No, I was not.
Mariana: So, where were you yesterday(6)?
Julia: I was at work, writing for the newspaper…
Mariana: Let’s go shopping.
Julia: What do you want to buy?
Mariana: Clothes(7). I need new clothes to work.
Julia:  What do you need?
Mariana: I need new pants(8)t-shirts(9)sweater(10)…The office has air conditioning(11). I need socks(12) and new shoes(13)
Julia: Wow! When was the last time(14) you went shopping?
Mariana: It’s was a long time ago(15).
Julia: I can see that. You need everything(16).
Mariana:  Were you alone yesterday, Julia?
Julia:  No, I was not.
Mariana: So, who was with you?(17)
Julia: Pedro and Lucas were with me.
Mariana: Why were they with you?
Julia: They were helping me with the story. Why do you ask?
Mariana: No, nothing.
Julia: I know why, you miss(18) Pedro…
Julia: So, what are the things you like?
Mariana: I like that jeans skirt(19), those basic T-shirts, that dress(20) and that red coat(21).
Julia: Ok. Let’s get them. Wait, aren’t you buying  those high heels(22)? You should buy those.
Mariana: usually(23) don’t use high heels.
Julia: Mariana, every woman need high heels. You can use it when you go out with Pedro…
Mariana: Knock it off(24), Julia!

 
  

                                      Vocabulary
 1. Sick
  = doente
 2. Resting days = Dias de descanso
 3. Boring = 
chato, entediante
 4. Anxious = 
ansioso(a)
 5. Get out of bed =
 Sair da cama
 6. Where were you yesterday? = 
Onde você estava ontem?
 7. Clothes = 
roupas
 8. 
Pants  = calças
 9. T-shirts = camisetas
 10. Sweater = 
Suéter, agasalho
 11. Air conditioning = 
ar condicionado
 12. Socks =
 meias
 13. Shoes = 
sapatos
 14. The last time = 
a última vez
 15. A
 long time ago = Há muito tempo
 16. Everything = 
tudo
 17. 
Who was with you? = Quem estava com você?
 18. Miss = 
sentir saudades
 19. Skirt =
 saia
 20. Dress = 
Saia
 21. Coat = 
casaco
  22. High heels =
 saltos altos
  23. Usually =
 normalmente
  24. Knock it off != "pare com isso!"

Earthhour

What do you do in order to save the planet? Let me to know. Next few days we're going to plant and developing another project named "Adopt a tree, you are going to follow on Tour guide English tips. Liked this blog? Do not forget to tell about your friends, RT it, thank you for coming, visiting and commenting. 

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  • Transcript
  • Audio Slide Show
  • Audio Notes
Source: www.elllo.org



terça-feira, 22 de fevereiro de 2011

Pro-jovem, part 26, Inglês vip





Pedro: I must thank you(1) Julia. This visit was very interesting.
Julia:  Yes, It’s was…
Pedro: I owe you one(2)
Julia: You owe me one? You can give me a hand(3) with the story.
Lucas:  This is a good opportunity, Pedro. Now you can learn how to use computers.
Julia: So, how can I start(4) this story?
Pedro:  Let me think(5). This morning, I was in a real Tv station. My friends Pedro and Lucas were with me.

It was a wonderful experience.

Lucas:  Good start. Ok, the story is ready. Now, save the file(6).
Pedro: Where can we save it?
Lucas: You should create a  folder(7), and call it  “newspapers”.
Pedro: Ok.
Julia:  Thanks guys, you were a big help.
Pedro: Can we surf on the internet(8) now?
Lucas: Yes you can. Let’s create an email for you.
Pedro: Let me think about my e-mail address…
Julia: You should put your name. Let’s try pedro.silva. p-e-d-r-o.s-i-l-v-a@aluba.
Lucas: Man, check it out(9). I have a blog on the internet.
Pedro: A blog? What is it?
Lucas: What world do you live in(10),  Pedro?
Pedro:  I never (11) use the internet.
Lucas:  I love the internet, I have a blog, a photolog,  do my research(12) for the school, using the research sites. It’s so cool(13).
Pedro:  That’s  true(14)I was not into(15) computers. But now I’m starting to like it.


  

                                      Vocabulary



 1. I must thank you  = Eu devo agradecer você
 2. I owe you one = Eu te devo uma
 3. Give me a hand = "Me dar uma mão"
 4. How can I start = Como posso começar?
 5. Let me think = Deixe-me pensar
 6. Save the file = Salve o arquivo
 7. folder = pasta
 8. surf on the internet  = Navegar pela internet
 9. Check it out = Dê uma olhada
 10. What world do you live in? = Em que mundo você vive?
 11. Never = Nunca
 12. Research = Pesquisa
 13. It's so cool = É tão legal
 14. That's true = Isso é verdade
 15.  I was not into = "Eu não curtia"

How can I translate Let it Be?

Source: www.speakup.com.br
Language level: Pre-intermediate
Standards: British and american accents


Do you know what does LET IT BE mean? Have a look at the article based on the lyric song by Beatles.

LIVING LANGUAGE

All You Need is Love

In the 1960s millions of foreign students learnt English by listening to The Beatles. And they still do. Pop – or “Popular” – music helped make the English language popular: foreign countries can dub British and American films and TV shows, but they can’t dub pop songs! They are a great way to learn English and The Beatles, the greatest pop group of all, are an excellent example.

THE MESSAGE

Most of the early Beatles songs were about love: She loves You (Yeah! Yeah!) and the linguistically bizarre Love me Do. For a language student, the song All You Need Is Love is more useful. It is a simple and positive message and it is repeated many times in the song. Not only that, the chorus shows you how to express the same concept in a different way: “Love is All you Need.” You can take this phrase and apply it to other ideas: “All you Need is money,”  or “Money is all you need.” “All you need is intelligence,” or “Intelligence is all you need,” “All you need is common sense,” or “Common sense is all you need” etc. If you are using a plural, you must adapt it: for example: “All you need are good friends: good friends are all you need,” “All you need are credit cards, credit cards are all you need” etc.

YESTERDAY

And, for a simple introduction to the simple past, what better example than Paul McCartney’s melancholic song, Yesterday: “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, but now it looks as if they’re here to stay.” Here again in you can build your own phrases: “Yesterday my life seemed so easy, but today it’s a disaster,” “Last year the economy looked good, but now it’s terrible,” “Three years ago Italy had the best team in the world, but now it’s terrible,” “Three years ago Italy had the best team in the world, but that’s probably not true today, “The list goes on…

LET IT BE

McCartney also wrote the beautiful song, Let it Be. This was about his mother Mary, who died when Paul was a teenager in Liverpool. “Let It Be,” was Mrs. McCartney’s phrase for “Don’t Worry,” but it is a rare example of the subjunctive in English. Other examples include the English national anthem, “God Save the Queen” and Star wars, “ May the Force Be With you, “but that’s another story…

Let it be, translated it Don’t worry (não se preocupe). Liked this post, please twit it for friends.