What do you want for Christmas?

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas is a Christmas novelty song written by John Coctoasten and performed by Gayla Peevey in 1953. It is a Dr. Demento Christmas staple, and is currently available on Dr. Demento's The Greatest Novelty Records of All Time Vol. 6: Christmas.

Here's an interesting fact about the popular Christmas hippopotamus song - in 1953 a ten-year-old girl from Oklahoma, Gayla Peevey sang the song as a way to raise money for the Oklahoma City Zoo's first hippopotamus. It became a nationwide hit after that, although John Rox wrote the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" in 1950! The song was not written specifically for the Oklahoma zoo, it's just that when they needed the hippo the song came out so the Christmas hippopotamus song just fitted in.

So.../Nor...

Hello!
Agree or disagree using So... or Nor...


My friend has become a doctor.
My mother talks a lot.
Jane has a new car.
I didn't know about the accident.
I'm not Canadian.

Good Songs \O/

Let´s post here songs that we like, but don’t forget the lyrics. This is a good form for improve your vocabulary and if you stay alone in your house you’ll can sing together and improve your pronunciation.

I'm starting with a song by Michael Buble, I adore his songs. He’s making one concert in Vivo Rio this month. I’d like to go to the concert, but the ticket is tooooooooooo expanse. So I’m continuing in my home listening and watching his videos at(in, on??) You tube.
Kisses
Carol

Take a look

It's not important but I'd like to share it with you.

www.funnyordie.com
Look for: Landlord

Hi folks!

I bet you have a beautiful photo of yours in your PC. Why don't you share it with us?
I know some of you, who have already been my students, but it would be great if I could see you all. :=)

I'm here

hi friends
I sign up today in this blog and I am glad, because now I, and overal people in this site, we can to train other skill, write!
so, let's go! carry on in this great blog.
see you next class
rodrigo lagares

How do you say...in English???

Hi everybody!!!

Sometimes, has some colloquial expressions in Portuguese that we don't know how to translate into English and they end up losing its meaning. To avoid this, I'll put a little "dictionary" of such expressions by chance that I found in my house.

bico!/fichinha!/moleza!/baba!: piece of cake!
bode expiatório: scapeagot
bom senso: common sense
brega/cafona: tacky/scruffy
cabeça-dura/teimoso: stubborn
caloteiro: deadbeat
cambista: scalper
cara ou coroa?: heads or tails?
colocar no viva-voz: put on the speakerphone
cometer uma gafe: make a blunder
dar a volta por cima: bounce back
dar o fora em alguém: dump someone
de uma vez por todas: once and for all
desabafar: get it off one's chest
desculpa esfarrapada: lame excuse
desembucha!/fala logo!: shoot!
desmancha-prazeres: wet blanket
despedida de solteiro: bachelor party
dia sim, dia não... : every other day
é uma droga!: it sucks!
efeito colateral: side effect
estou morto (exausto): I´m beat
festa à fantasia: costume party
fora de cogitação: out of the question
força de vontade: willpower
juro por Deus!: I swear to God!
leão-de-chácara: bouncer
manda-chuva/pistolão/bambambã: big shot
mão-de-vaca/pão-duro: cheapskate
mexer os pauzinhos: pull strings
não faço a mínima idéia: I don't have a clue
negócio fechado!: deal!
o lance é o seguinte...: here's the deal...
o que eu ganho com isso?: what's in it for me?
para variar: for a change
pau-pra-toda-obra: jack-of-all-trades
penetra (em festas): gatecrashes
puxa-saco: brown-noser
qual é a graça?: what's so funny?
qual é a pressa?: what's the rush?
quase nunca: once in a blue moon
sei lá!: beats me!
sorte sua!: lucky you!
tirar conclusões apressadas: jump to conclusions
transado/legal: cool
você está se precipitando: you are rushing into things
e daí?: so what?
grande coisa!: big deal!
não é da sua conta: it's none of your business
pega leve!/vá com calma!: take it easy
resumindo...: in short...
ficar em cima do muro: sit on the fence


*Expressions taken from the book "How do you say in English ..." by José Roberto Igreja of Publisher's Disal.




I hope you have enjoyed!


See ya!


Kisses =]

Hi, guys!
I'm really sorry but I haven't written for so long because I've been pretty busy and desperate. lol Well, I'd like to ask to complete these sentences with had to, didn't have to, could or couldn't:


When I was younger, I studied at a school in Sulacap. We ________ do PE so I needed to get a medical certificate every time I didn't want to participate. On the other hand, we ________decide about having music classes or not. It was really good having the chance to decide it! Some years later, I entered the university. As I _______ do PE anymore, I attended the classes. The experience was so amazing that I _________ stop it! I enjoyed the activities and, nowadays, I can't simply live without exercising!

Give it a try!

Dani

Welcome!!!!!!!!!

Hi Levi!

Welcome to the blog!

(Guys, let's ask Levi a lot of questions. He's pretty good!)

:)

No more than another questions

Hello again.

In an old notepad I've read about "wish clauses" (I don't know if it's the real name for this) and I'd like to know more about it.

Ex1: I don't have a Ferrari
I wish I had a Ferrari

Ex2: Paul didn't go to the cinema
Paul wishes he had gone to the cinema

Ex3: He isn't her boyfriend
She wishes he were her boyfriend

How does it work? How's the structure which rules this grammar point?
Can anyone help me?

Some questions

Well, if nobody wants to use this blog i'll use it.

Sometimes I feel my English weak because I have much to say but I can't find words which let me expose what I want to. I'd like to know where can I find some linkers or expressions or conjunctions that do it.

I know some:

In spite of: apesar de
then: então
but: mas
because: porque
what if: e se
(...)

But I feel it's not enough.
Could anyone help me?

Another question on the same subject: How can I say "mesmo assim"
Ex: It's cloudy but "mesmo asim" she wants to go to the beach

Hi everybody!

It's been quite a long time!
What's news???

Talk to you soon

Web Sites to help learn English faster

Hi people!!!!

To learn English more easily, we have to practice every day. So I researched some sites that can help us to understand and speak faster. There you can read, listen and do exercises according to your level of English. I hope that little help make everyone get along in class! A good tip: If you find a different word, take it to the classroom and divide your new knowledge with your colleagues!

The links of the sites are:

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/
http://www.ajaxtrans.com/
http://www.englishclub.com/learn-english.htm
http://www.englishforums.com/
http://www.antimoon.com/other/whylearn.htm
http://www.nonstopenglish.com/
http://www.listen-to-english.com/

And it has many sites to visit!!!!

After, I want to know if the tips helped you...


See ya!!!!

Kisses... =)

Describing people's personality

Hi everybody!

How many adjectives to describe personality can you remember? Let's share!

1- adorable

Who can complete these sentences correctly?

1) A: Are you doing anything interesting tonight?
B: I'm not sure. I think it __________ (rain).

2) A: Why did you buy so many vegetables?
B: It's hot, so I _________________ some salads for lunch. (prepare)

3) A: Why don't we go to the cinema tomorrow?
B: Sorry, I can't. I ______________ a meeting all day long. (have)

I'm waiting for your answers.
See ya!

Hi there

Hi everybody. This is Marcia Lessa, the teacher.
Dani invited me to enter your blog and I'm really happy to be here with you. I hope we'll be able to share a lot. Soon, I'll challenge you with a task.

Cheers

I'm here too!!!

Hi Dani and friends! Thanks for the invitation.
I'll try to post always as I can, to colaborate to this blog.
"See" you soon!!!

Let's speak

Hello. It's me again.

Well, three hours a week in contact with English isn't good enough. We need to practice more and become more fluent.

There are some programs that you can download and it will be usefull. These are SKYPE and PALTALK. You will be able to chat with people from any place in the world and the best: you will be able to talk to them.

I already have downloaded these programs and it helps a lot.

See ya
Valmon

P.S.: It would be interesting if we could speak one another with these programs.
P.S2.: Once more. If I wrote something wrong please tell me.

Beginner

Hello,
My name is carol and i'm beginner here. I thought this blog very interesting. It's a new form to learn english and nowadays is a morden and fast form to draw doubts.
Right now i have a doubt!! Hehehe
My english isn't so good,but i should like to write sometimes here.(specialy when i don't have class and when i don't have anything to do!).I'd like know if my text will be control(correct) because i don't want write many nonsenses... I will be shy!!!
Bye bye
Carol

Nice to meet you, new friends!

Hello, how are you? Nice to meet you too. So good to be here. Yeah. Thanks for writing. We'd like to receive your message again. Have a nice class on Saturday.
Bye
CEX4_ Tuesday and Thursday

Improving your reading and writing skills

There is a good way to improve your reading skills: read a lot. Your vocabulary will become richer besides that you will learn more about English grammar.

First of all: Buy a magazine with different types of subjects. I suggest you buying Newsweek or Time.

Getting vocabulary: Mark every word you don’t know and look for them on your dictionary. Try to understand all the text if possible and translate it if you want (but it’s not necessary).

“Your target is understand all the meaning of the text”

Learning grammar: Mark some words or grammar structures and look for their grammar rules. You can do the opposite as well (studying a grammar rule before and search for it on the text). Try to answer some questions (What was used? / What’s its grammar rule? / Why it was used?).

“Your target is understand the use of grammar on the text”

Writing Skills: All these things below you can do by yourself but writing is a little different. You can write whatever you want to but you cannot know if it’s right. Try to write some lines about the text’s theme. It can be a good start.

When you think you are writing well or if you aren’t shy you can look for people to write to. There are some sites for this and it’s called “penpalling”. Get a penpal and enjoy. You will find people from almost all places of the world and maybe make new friends. Take a look at “www.penpalsnow.com” and check it out.

---//---

Newsweek April 14, 2008

Page 9

“Your cover story on Italy’s Mess” showed me that every has its troubles, and my country’s problems are certainly nor the worst. Family life is great here and most people are satisfied with their lot. Thanks for the article.

Ilana Drori

Rehovot, Israel

Análise gramatical

Me / its / my / their: Pronomes

Pronomes Subjetivos: I / You / He / She / It / We / You / They

Função: Sujeito da oração

Ex: I have to study

Pronomes Objetivos: Me / You / Him / Her / It / Us / You / Them

Função: Objeto direto ou indireto (usado após verbo ou preposição)

Ex: She loves me / We talked to him

Pronomes Possessivos: My / Your / His / Her / Its / Our / Your / Their

Posição: Antes do substantivo referido

Pronomes Possessivos: Mine / Yours / His / Hers / Its / Ours / Yours / Theirs

Posição: Depois do substantivo referido

Ex: This is my house and that is yours (substantivo referido = house)

*Faltam os pronome reflexivos, mas vão ficar pra depois. Isso tudo foi só um exemplo de como se pode estudar gramática através da leitura. Dá trabalho (e muito) mas é recompensador.

I hope I could help

Best Wishes

Valmon

P.S.: If I wrote something wrong please tell me

Welcome!

Hello guys. We are students from Saturday morning and we came here to say hello.

This is a good way to share experiences and study English better.

We should exchange our own experiences and meet new friends.

English studies can be divided in four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Reading and listening we could study by ourselves because these are things that come from outside to inside. On the other hand writing and speaking come from inside to outside, so we should have another person to help us saying what is right or wrong. This is a good chance to help each other in our studies.

It's all at the moment.
See ya.
Valmon, Roberta, Juliana, Rodrigo, Danielle, Marcos, Ígaro, Vânia, Tatiana and Rodrigo.

Hi, everybody!

Hi, guys! What have you been up to? This is our blog and also a challenging way of practising English and meeting new people. As I have two groups of Cultura 4 this semester, I've decided to promote a virtual meeting between you all in order to exchange experiences and, of course, practise English. You can post things you find interesting and share them with your friends! So let's begin! Who'll be the first one?

Bye, Dani