Learning English

Some tips about how to learn the English language.

Don't read subtitles in your language while you watch T.V.

Learn grammar and vocabulary using visual, auditory and spoken methods.

Read English magazines.

Children might enjoy learning in a kitchen while drinking milk after school.

Learn English by reading, listening, studying, and asking questions; practice what you learn by speaking and writing.

Dictation is an excellent way to improve your listening and spelling skills. Have a friend read a few paragraphs from a book or a newspaper. Write down what you think you hear. Compare what you have written with the actual text.

Listen, repeat and practise your English pronunciation!

World No-Tobacco Day

No-Tobacco Day is celebrated tomorrow,17th November, in Portugal.

The advertising agency DDB Portugal have sponsored a series of DDB alerts, posters warning about the effects of smoking on length of life and enjoyment of life. The phrase used in each poster translated into English: “It’s not just the life you lose, but what you lose in life”. Tobacco is the third cause death in Portugal. It’s a contagious habit.

The Member States of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes.
The purpose of World No Tobacco Day is to encourage countries and governments to work towards strict regulation of tobacco products. It's important to raise awareness about the existence of the wide variety of deadly tobacco products. Regulation should also help people get accurate information about tobacco products – traditional, new, and future.

Although World No Tobacco Day is only one day of the year, the efforts to spread the message about the dangers of tobacco use need to continue throughout the year.

The tobacco industry catches You : learn more about its advertising, promotion and sponsorship tactics and how they are a threat to you.

Tobacco-Free Youth interactive Website click here.

Obama elected USA President

In 2004, a young and largely unknown politician delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. It was a stellar performance, and big things were predicted from the Illinois state senator, Barack Obama. Obama is the first African American to be elected President of the United States of America. He is the 44th President of the USA.


Obama's victory speech:

Breast Cancer Prevention

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells of the breast in women and men. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer (10.4% of all cancer incidence, both sexes counted) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death.In 2005, breast cancer caused 502,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths). Because the breast is composed of identical tissues in males and females, breast cancer also occurs in males. Incidences of breast cancer in men are approximately 100 times less common than in women, but men with breast cancer are considered to have the same statistical survival rates as women.

In the month of October, breast cancer is recognized by survivors, family and friends of survivors and/or victims of the disease. A pink ribbon is worn to recognize the struggle that sufferers face when battling the cancer.

Pink for October is an initiative started by Matthew Oliphant, which asks that any sites willing to help make people aware of breast cancer, change their template or layout to include the color pink, so that when visitors view the site, they see that the majority of the site is pink. Then after reading a short amount of information about breast cancer, or being redirected to another site, they are aware of the disease itself.

Researchers are constantly seeking new methods for the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of this virulent cancer. The success of this research has played a big part in the early detection and successful treatment of more cases of breast cancer in recent years. New treatments are constantly being sought to effectively seek out any potentially cancerous cells in a woman’s body. This reduces the number of cases of breast cancer significantly.

Thanks to this continued research, many more women are surviving breast cancer than ever before. The recovery rate has steadily been increasing. Early detection and treatment is the key to this success.

Monthly breast self-examination and routine mammography help detect breast cancer early.

There are two steps to breast self-examination: inspection and palpation.

• Inspection: While standing in front of a mirror, inspect all aspect of the breasts for any changes in size, shape, contour, or symmetry. Place close attention to any skin dimpling, discoloration, or change in the nipple.
• Palpation: Examination through touching may be performed while standing in the shower, or when lying flat, with a folded towel placed behind the back on the side you are examining. Palpation is performed with the fingertips of the index, middle, and ring fingers. Systematically palpate lightly and then more deeply. Carefully knead the tissue in an attempt to detect any change in consistency or a lump. There are several approaches for examining the breast.

Free MD - your interactive medical library; Wikipedia

Stand up Take Action against Poverty

Today we have joined millions of people standing up worldwide for better health care and education. At half past nine all the teachers talked about Poverty and the students were motivated to write their message, in a paper with the shape of a foot. Among other songs, "Imagine" by John Lennon, could be heard, inside and outside school. It was really beautiful!
With our feet, we can walk and run. So, it's time too start running and do something to minimize the suffering of millions of people around the world. In the brake, a photo, with all the students holding their message, was taken. This was a global activity.

In the English class, I've told my students of the 9thB to write some messages.
I've chosen the best to share with you.

"Some problems are huge to be solved alone." So, Stand up and Take Action!"

Patrícia /Fábio

"The World needs to join hands with people in need"

João Ferreira/ Tiago

" I am a lucky girl since I've got food, access to education and a family."

Cipriana

" Don' t waste food and you're helping."

Maria / Gonçalo

"Please don't let the children starve! Do something!"

Joana

International Day for the Eradiation of Poverty- 17th October

Poverty is considered a deprivation of human rights and people affected by it are left without a voice or other means to express their hardships. In an effort to raise awareness about their situation, the World Day to End Extreme Poverty was established on October 17, 1987. In 1992, through a resolution of the General Assembly, October 17th was recognized by the United Nations as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. An important aspect of the day is the unification of people from all socioeconomic backgrounds to become agents for changing the structures which create poverty.

Through action, we can make change. October 17th is the beginning of global action for the eradication of poverty and the betterment of the lives of the world's citizens. Through commemoration, respect, action, and knowledge, the eradication of poverty will be realized.

Between Friday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 19, do your part to STAND UP and TAKE ACTION. The final goal is not to beat another Guinness World Record, but to show the true impact of collective mobilisation over growing citizen's awareness and involvement

Join an event now

Healthy Eating

Today, 16th October, it's the World Food Day.

Time to think about Health and Nutrition.

Are you eating healthily?

Have fun and learn about healthy habits. Click here

World Food Day_16th October

World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity"

Agriculture may have become a minor player in many industrialized economies, but it must play a starring role on the world stage if we are to bring down the curtain on hunger.
Only investment in agriculture - together with support for education and health - will turn this situation around.
Most of the world's farmers are small-scale farmers. As a group, they are the biggest investors in agriculture. They also tend to have inadequate or precarious access to food themselves. If they can make a profit with their farming, they can feed their families throughout the year and reinvest in their farms by purchasing fertilizer, better quality seed and basic equipment.

Some 850 million people go hungry every day. It is a massive number, but what it means to many is tough decisions and risky behaviours in order to survive.
World Food Day, happening Oct. 16th, offers the chance to stand with those suffering due to hunger. The theme for 2008 is “World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy”. Food Security is about ensuring people have both the availability and access to nutritious foods. This year’s theme for World Food Day points out how food security is being compromised by both climate change and the conversion of foods to biofuel. Climate change is creating drought that can ruin crops, and the reduction of available food in a local economy increases prices of the food items that remain available.

Why laugh?

A healthy, non-ridiculing and connecting laughter provides physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits you probably never realized or imagined. We are born with the gift of laughter.

So, learn to laugh, and live, all over again. You will feel better about yourself and others, better about the world around you and better about those events that take place in your life.

Why laugh ? And how will it help you ?

Here are just three reasons to laugh.... and keep laughing:

• It strengthens your immune system.
• It makes your cheeks sore.
• It actually increases your intellectual performance

Multiculturalism

The Beatles- "Michelle"

John Lennon invited McCartney over to college parties when he was still in high school, and French culture was a trend. Paul would try to fit in by sitting in a corner and pretending to be French. He would play little tunes in French, but he only knew a few French words so he would groan or make words up. John told him that he should make it into a real song for Rubber Soul, so he asked his friend Ivan Vaughan, whose wife was a French teacher, for a French name and some words to rhyme with it. Vaughan came up with "Michelle, ma belle." McCartney came up with the next line, "These are words that go together well," and Vaughan taught him the French translation, "Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble," which he used in the song as well. When he played it for Lennon, John suggested the "I love you" part in the middle. (thanks, Klasic Rok - Battle Ground, WA)

The song is not based on any particular woman. They chose the name because it sounded good.

Click here and sing with the Beatles.