Hello dear students! 

Hope you had a great family time 

on 2017 Holiday Season!

Now it's time for reflection on what to do and where you want to get at this year!

One of the enticing moments on TV was Tv-hostess Oprah Winfrey's speech at the Golden Globe Award ceremony.

Please watch the video below (with subtitles in Portuguese) and express your opinion on the most important moments of Oprah's speech.

Oprah Winfrey's speech at the Golden Globe Award ceremony -Jan.2018

Count on your eager participation!!

See you around in class soon.

Flávia

Movie Watching: The Founder (2016) - The Story of McDonald's Fast Food Business

Hello everyone.

I invite you all to watch this pretty nice movie so that you can comment on the blog, thus promoting a good interaction with your virtual peers, and, at the same time, practicing your critical thinking while writing in English.

Here is the link to the trailer: The Final Scene  (You can find the film on PopCorn Time ).
Other sites you can watch the movie:
a) Films online
b) Mega Filmes 
c) Vizer.Me 
d) Megafilmes.Org

In order to have in mind some ideas for comments, I'll post some questions while you watch the movie:

1) How did Ray Kroc get to know about McDonald's restaurant?
2) How was the relationship between Ray Kroc and the McDonald brothers all along the movie?
3) How was Ray's relationship with his wife? Did he have friends? How was the relationship with them?
4) Take notes of some difficult situations for both Ray and the McDonald brothers. Was it possible to solve? How?
5) What kind of mistakes do you think Ray and the brothers made?
6) Did you like the story end? Why?

This link shows an interview with the author Lisa Napoli of her book " Ray & Joan: The Man Who Made the McDonands Fortune and the Woman Who Gave it All Away". There are some points in the film different from the book. It's also possible to listen to the whole interview. Check it out!

Note: Please try to watch the video and post your comments in 15 days (from July 8th to July 22). 

Have a great time having fun and practicing English!

Hope to see your live participation here.

Best,

Flávia

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... !!!! Let's talk about movies! Have you seen them?

Click here: General comments on the Oscar
The Oscar Winners

Bonus: Enjoy the Meddley performance of the Original Song wi nner at the Oscar Cerimony:
City of Stars and Audition 

Dear all,

Ready for the Oscar Ceremony 

next Sunday Carnival (Feb.26th)?

I hope so,

As the movie choices are big

And with many nice stories to be seen!!

Let's go to the movies and

Share your views on what film, 

or who should get the Golden Statuette.

Below you'll see the list of 

The Best Picture Nominees 

And respective trailers.

Have fun with English

Look forward to your comments here.

Have a great Carnival and

 Great time with movies!!

1)  ARRIVAL (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS: When 12 alien spacecraft land on Earth, U.S. officials ask linguistics professor Louise Banks to team with theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly and learn how to communicate with the visitors. While Louise races to learn the aliens' language, uneasy governments around the globe debate the advisability of military action.

2)  FENCE (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS: Troy Maxon, a former star player in the Negro Leagues, lives with his wife Rose and teenage son Cory in Pittsburgh in 1957. Troy is bitter about missing the integration of professional baseball, and his caustic attitudes toward life and race relations taint his relationship with Cory, an aspiring football player.

 3)  HACKSAW RIDGE (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS: Desmond Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist who endured a troubled childhood in rural Virginia, enlists in the army during World War II despite his pacifist beliefs. After Desmond's desire to serve as an unarmed medic is approved by military officials, he is sent to the Pacific arena, where he saves dozens of lives during the Battle of Okinawa.

4) HELL OR HIGH WATER (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS: Toby and his ex-con brother Tanner rob branches of a West Texas bank to obtain enough money to prevent the foreclosure of their family ranch. Crafty Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton is soon on the case, his last before he retires, and as Marcus zeroes in on them, the brothers attempt one last score.

5) HIDDEN FIGURES (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS:  In the early 1960s, as the U.S. seeks to surpass the Soviet Union in the space race, three mathematically and technologically gifted African-American women must cope with racism and sexism while performing vital tasks at NASA's segregated Virginia facilities.

6) LA LA LAND (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS:  Aspiring actress Mia and jazz pianist Sebastian struggle to realize their dreams in Los Angeles despite the often soul-crushing commercial nature of show business. As they endure rejection and forge unexpected paths to stardom, the young couple also strives to sustain the love they were surprised to find.

7) LION (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS:  After being separated from his family in India, five-year-old Saroo is adopted by an Australian couple who raise him with great love. As an adult, however, Saroo is troubled by resurfacing memories of his birth family and employs new worldwide technology to locate them.

8) MANCHESTER BY THE SEA  (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS:  When his beloved older brother dies, handyman Lee Chandler returns to his hometown, a close-knit fishing community in Massachusetts. There, Lee struggles to cope with his current grief and a tragedy from his past while also summoning the strength to comfort his teenage nephew, who has been left in his care.

9) MOONLIGHT (trailer)

FILM SYNOPSIS:  As he grows from childhood to adulthood in Miami, a young black man grapples with surviving the poverty and drugs that pervade his neighborhood, establishing his own identity and accepting his sexuality. Under the influences of his drug-addicted mother, a kindly surrogate father and a conflicted best friend, the youth finds his way in life.

Also, there are other movies running for the Oscar, as you can read on the following MOVIE REVIEWS (word used to describe theopinion of specialists. Do you agree with them? Use this blog post to give your comments on them.

For a start, do you know how to say all the Oscar nominations? Here they are in alphabetical order (please visit the Oscar official site for more info on the names: Oscar Nominees: 

1) Best picture
2) Actor/Actress in a Leading Role
3) Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role
4) Animated Feature Film
5) Cinematography
6) Costume Design
7) Directing
8) Documentary (Feature)
9) Documentary ( Short Subject)
10) Film Editing
11) Foreign Film
12) Makeup and Hairstyling
13) Music (Original Score)
14) Music (Original Song)
15) Production Design
16) Short Film (Animated)
17) Short Film (Live Action)
18) Sound Editing
19) Sound Mixing
20) Visual Effects
21) Writing (Adapting Screenplay)
22) Writing (Original Screenplay)

Are you ready to start 2017! - Let's rock!!!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Let's start 2017 with more challenges.
Embrace the Language,
Give yourself remarkable changes!

This poetry is to encourage
Your creative side to emerge
So take this very chance,
And find yourself some courage!

This is a short video: TRY SOMETHING NEW FOR 30 DAYS
By an American software engineer - Matt Cutts
Who decided not to be "stuck in a rut"
Tired of routine, he went for some fun.

Watch the video 
Write your comment below.
Would you like to try something new in 30 days?
What would it be?
Share your views with your friends.

Cheerio and see you soon!

Flávia

RIO 2016 OLYMPICS - Let's be up-to-date and blog around

Hello everyone!

Long time, no see you!! 

But now, we have a good purpose to meet again.

Despite all the fuss about our President's impeachment process, the Rio 2016 Olympics will happen from August 05 to 21. Are you ready to get familiar with the vocabulary and discuss on the event?

Let's first browse the official site:

1) The Olympics Games and Schedule

NBC Article on Challenging and Fun Facts about the Olympics:

2) Rio's Governor Declares ' State of Calamity' ahead of Olympic Games

3) 16 Fun Facts about Rio 2016 Olympics

Professor Ulisses Wehby gives all the Sports pronunciation and valuable tips:

3) How to pronounce the sports and general vocabulary

For our discussion, now answer the following questions on COMMENTS: 

What are your favorite sports and why? 

Are you going to the event? If so, what games are you going to watch? 

Hope you like participating on the blog and share your thoughts with more virtual friends to enlarge your networking in English.

Best,

Flávia

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... !!!! Let's talk about movies! Have you seen them?

Dearest students,

Now, let's mix more pleasure with the English language!

Let's go to the movies and share your views on what film, or who should get the Golden Statuette.

The best picture nominees are: 

1) The Big Short ( Trailer )
2) Bridge of Spies ( Trailer )
3) Brooklyin ( Trailer )
4) Mad Max (Fury Road) ( Trailer )
5) The Martian (  Trailer )
6) The Revenant ( Trailer )
7) Room ( Trailer )
8) Spotlight ( Trailer )

Also, there are other movies running for the Oscar, as you can read on the following reviews (word used to describe the opinion of specialists) . Do you agree with them? Use this blog post to give your comments on them.

For a start, do you know how to say all the Oscar nominations? Here they are in alphabetical order:

(please visit the Oscar official site for more info on the names:Oscar Nominees ):

1) Best picture
2) Actor/Actress in a Leading Role
3) Actor/Actress in a Supporting Role
4) Animated Feature Film
5) Cinematography
6) Costume Design
7) Directing
8) Documentary (Feature)
9) Documentary ( Short Subject)
10) Film Editing
11) Foreign Film
12) Makeup and Hairstyling
13) Music (Original Score)
14) Music (Original Song)
15) Production Design
16) Short Film (Animated)
17) Short Film (Live Action)
18) Sound Editing
19) Sound Mixing
20) Visual Effects
21) Writing (Adapting Screenplay)
22) Writing (Original Screenplay)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Let's start by analysing Barack Obama's final State of the Union Address of Jan.12, 2016

Dearest all,

Hope you all had great celebrations  with your family and friends at Christmas and New Year!

Hope you are all alive and kicking to a great linguistic start (for my new students) or restart (for my existing ones)!!

To boost your listening comprehension, I invite you all to watch part (30 min) of Barack Obama's last State of the Union address (SOTU) of January 12. This is his last mandate year.

While watching it, please have in mind some questions to guide your comprehension. See below. 

I wish you all a great course ! A lot of challenges ahead I hope to give you.

See you in class and here on this blog to build a good linguistic network with your virtual peers.

Count on your participation here.

A little note: for those who want to follow the hot debate between the American Democratic Candidates, here's the link to the last televised one on Jan 17th: 
Jan.17th Debate of Democratic Party Presidential Candidates

Enjoy!!

Flávia

Go to Obama's State of the Union Address of Jan. 12, 2016  and answer the following questions. Select some of them ( 3 to 4) to answer in order to post on the blog comment box.

1) (the first 10 minutes)

    What can you notice about Obama's speech tone: optimistic/pessimistic,  agressive/         peaceful, assertive/defeatist, and/or courageous/fearsome?

2) (at 13:51')

     What does Obama say about the US economy?

3) (at 15:46')

     What does he say about technology and jobs?

4) ( at 15:53')

     Obama states that nowadays companies are located everywhere and can face tough competition. According to him, how can this affect workers, company loyalty and wealth concentration? Do you agree? Why?

5) (at 16:42')

    How can the following Americans' general belief Everybody who works hard should get a fair shot be affected by the present difficult economic trends mentioned by Obama? 

6) (at 17:20')

     He referred to a bipartisan (both Democrats and Republicans) reform that was very important. What was it? Do you agree?

7) (at 17:30 till 18:20')

    What does he say about high school graduation rates? Also about graduates,  teachers for kids and college? How do you see all these past and future measures?

8) (at 19:22 till 20:00')

     What is the comment Obama made on retirment that got laughs from the audince? What else did he say about the retirement process?

9) (at 20:15')

    What does Obama advise in relation to social security and Medicare health program?

10) (from 21:49 to 22:50')

     Obama hypothesizes a case of an American who loses his job. What does he intend to show with this story? Do you think his solutions are a good way to help an unemployed person? Why?

11) (from 23:00 25:00')

   Obama refers to lots of  conflicts of interest and disagreements between the parties (democrats x republicans) and sectors (private x public). Choose some of them you consider important to the world economy.

12) (at 25:57')
   How can you answer Obama's question: How do we reignite that spirit of innovation to meet our biggest challenges? After this question he brings up examples of American breakthroughs - which ones are the best in your opinion?