26 May 2010


What about being an ambassador?

What does an ambassador do?
We are going to tell you some important details about an ambassador’s life.
First of all you must know that an ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat that represents a nation. You may have to have some important skills to be a successful ambassador for instance charisma, loads of general culture and confidence.
Being an ambassador is not an easy job. You have travel a lot and you also have an important responsibility on you because you’re serving you’re country. On the other hand a successful ambassador has a good life with all the facilities that his job allows to.
To sum up an ambassador works with lot of people representing a country, its problems and its situation. that’s one of our dream jobs because it’s an important career and we can change our country’s political scenery.


João Rodrigues e Pedro Oliveira, 901

Maths Teacher

I’m a student and I have a dream job.
In the future, I want to be a maths teacher.
My favourite subject is maths. I love calculus, reasoning, formulas, etc. I’m always doing exercises. Every single day I arrive home and I do some exercises, to practise and just because I like it.
On the other hand, I love to explain things to other people. So, I think I’m going to love being a maths teacher.
To make my dream come true, I’ll continue to practise every day and I hope one day I’ll teach other students.


Inês Neves e Sara Carvalho, 901

I dream about...

I have many dreams and one of them is to become, one day, an excellent worker at a computer store. Obviously it isn’t a job where I can earn much money but as I love computers and other stuff related to technology, it would be great!
In these summer holidays I will probably go to work at a computer store as an assistant. I’m going to help with some small tasks that I’m able to do in order to gain some experience, which would be helpful in the future. It would be very nice because it’s in Vila do Conde and I usually spend my vacations there!
To get my dream job I need to get essentially very good marks, so I can get into the university. I want to take a degree in ITC because nowadays a wide knowledge about the subject is needed.


Diogo Carvalho e António Passos, 901

Dream Job - Fashion Designer

Since I was a child I have always loved to create new outfits for my dolls and drawing super models, so I’m pretty sure I’ll be a fashion designer. I love to sketch dresses and shoes and try new fabrics and textures.
To be a good fashion designer you have to be creative, bold, follow fashion (or lead it) and you can’t be afraid to do what you think it’s cool.
Although it has a lot of pros, it also has some cons: you’re always indoors, you don’t have much free time and you have to reinvent yourself almost everyday.



Maria Rita Pimentel; Rita Fonseca e Costa, 901

18 May 2010

Neighbours’ Troubles

Once upon a time there was a beautiful forest where animals and trees lived in harmony until the day the beavers arrived there. The problem was that they were not ordinary beavers. They were “street beavers”. They gnawed and cut the trees, vandalized the homes of the other animals and robbed their food. They were unpleasant, crank and selfish, because they only cared about themselves. The beavers arrived and they were not planning to leave so soon, since they were setting up a plan to take over the river and dominate the area so that it could became their restricted territory, trying to “kick out” all other animals.
One day, the animals gathered and decided to rebel against the beavers in order to make them understand that they were acting badly. But the beavers didn’t care and didn’t listen to them. And they continued to cause damage and more damage in the forest. Of course, sooner or later all this harm had to “annoy” Mother Nature, and that had consequences: on a cloudy morning, everyone could hear thundering as they had never heard before and watch the rain falling as they had never seen before. A storm was approaching. It lasted two whole days. Several animals died because they had no more resources, which they needed to survive, as well as the beavers, who now realized that they had abused the good will of Mother Nature and had affected all others. Sorry was not enough.

Ana Patrícia, Catarina Amaral, Diana Cavaleiro, Francisca

Teens' craze - my teens' craze

Teens have lots of crazes: tattoos, piercings, dressing about just one colour (most of the time black), diets, big nails, the most expensive sneakers or the most sophisticated mobile phone.
I have my teens' craze too and I am a kind of manipulator to achieve some of them.
I have always wanted to put a piercing in the top of my ear, but my mum didn't agree and forbade me. She was always saying that I had done two holes and it was enough. So, my holes were done since I was 18 months and they were very large so, I could put not only one earring, but two earrings on one hole. This expertise impressed my mother a lot and she hated when I did that. So, I was always saying that it was her fault, because she didn't let me to do a piercing.
One day, it was almost Christmas, and my aunt wanted to offer me a present and she asked me what I wanted. I answered that I wanted to do a piercing on the top of my ear. She agreed, but my mother didn’t. My aunt talked to my mother and a little unwillingly my mother gave my aunt permission to take me to do my piercing.
I like tattoos, but my parents don’t, so I have to wait if I want to do one. If I had a tattoo, maybe it would be flowers on my right foot and a letter on my hand or on my wrist.
Nails are other teens' craze that I have. My nails are very important for me. I am always looking at them and cleaning them. When it's possible I go to the manicure and when a nail breaks it's scandalous. The colour of my nails says what I am feeling, so if my nails are black I am very sad. If you don't see any colour on my nails it means that I am very happy.
In general, a very frequent teens' craze is dressing like their idols. This can be dangerous because of the diets. Teenagers think that making diets and looking well will solve all their problems.
Being a teenager is not easy but being a teenager with crazes it's still more complicated.

Alexandrina, 1008

Alyssa's Diary

10th September 2010
Dear Sophie,

School will start on September 15. This summer was fabulous because my parents let me work in a bar next to the beach.
For me this is a big step because I know that my parents trust me. I have worked 3 months and I have earned 1500$. It was an amazing experience, because at the same time I can work and at the end of a day of work I will meet my friends at the beach.
I met a very pretty boy. His name is Peter and he has worked with me at Beach Bar, he is very cool and really nice.
Tomorrow I will go to the shopping to buy some school supplies and new clothes.
Next summer I will work in the Beach Bar with Peter... he gave me his phone number, maybe tomorrow I will go with him to the cinema,... I think I have a crush on Peter or not or maybe yes, it’s so very complicated...
Well, today I have done lots of things; I went to the beach and to Mary’s swimming pool too.
At this moment I am in the car going to my grandmother’s house. Today it is her birthday, she is 87 years old and I love her so much. She helps me in all things I need; she is very special to me.
I’m always listening “Last Kiss”, it’s an amazing music and when I listen to this music I think of Peter; he is very special to me.
It was the best summer I have ever had.
Well, we’ve finally arrived to granny's house… I need to go; tomorrow I’ll tell you everything about Peter and what I have done.
Big kisses and hugs,
Alyssa


Anna, 902

11 May 2010

Rephrasing Exercises - Correction - 10th Form

1.The women aren’t motivated by the money
2.My boyfriend said he had been waiting for me for about...
3.If David wasn’t so clumsy, he wouldn’t have so many...
4.Although I see him every day, I’ve never spoken to him.
Despite seeing him every day, I’ve never spoken to him
5.The man who shot two policemen has gone to prison.
6.Jeremy, whom we saw yesterday, is my neighbour.
7.She was asked her name at the information desk.
8.You should pay more attention to your parents’ advices.
9.If Claire loved Henry, she would marry him.
10.He is going to be appointed chairman due to his personal…
11.If you start having money for your holidays, you may have...
12.The girl whose photo was in the paper lives in our street.
13.If don’t hurry up, I’ll leave without you.
14.In spite of turning on the light, he couldn’t read.
Although he turned on the light, he couldn’t read.
15.They stated (that) they had finished their work for that week.
16.The teacher showed us a book which was written thirty...
17.I think men could do much more than they used to do…
18.The farmer said that the peasants hadn’t raised animals in a scientific way and so there would be a high death rate.
19.They said the government was sending specialized fire…
20.Disasters like that may happen in those circumstances.

Rephrasing Exercises - Correction - 11th Form

1.The weather is becoming hotter and hotter.
2.The fireman who was injured in the fire is now recovering at home.
3.Unless you want to get a job, you needn’t (don’t need to) consult a local newspaper.
4.If Helen had left earlier, he wouldn’t have missed the bus.
5.Although Vivian was 12 years old, she was forcibly removed…
6.A big bank account is less important than good health.
7.While some experts think the world is growing warmer, others disagree.
8.If you took some exercise, you wouldn’t feel bad.
9.In spite of having a headache, Jim still read until late.
10.Michael was as worse student than John.
11.Why hadn’t I been sent the book?
12.Peter was promised a paradise.
13.A lot of new hospitals have been opened by the Queen.
14.John is considered a handsome boy by most girls.
15.Drunk drivers were reported to have caused terrible road accidents.
16.Richard told Helen he had always thought her brother was married. He must have confused him with someone else and added he was going then as his mother was waiting for him.
17.A photographer discovered Claudia Schiffer in a disco in Düsseldorf.
18.In order not to wake the children up, they climbed upstairs very silently.
19.If I were you, I would take the bus.
20.Despite the snow, we went out for a walk.
21.The Palestinians, who have already had heavy losses, are at war again.
22.Women mustn’t enter some sacred places in Turkey.
23.People who live in flats have complained about the noise.
24.Steve Arch, whose parents live in England, won the 1st prize.
25.If I had bought more milk, I would have enough for breakfast.
26.If we hadn’t forgotten to take a map, we wouldn’t have got lost in the mountains.
27.Unless the astrological signs are propitious, the marriage won’t …
28.Not everybody can drive so well.
29.… that he was 18 years old. He had been previously employed in a large shop in that town and hos employers have considered him to be very…
30.Never had I witnessed such a terrible accident.
31.Not only did they believe in truth, but also in loyalty.
32.… he could get to the airport.
33.It was stated that the world would end…
The world was stated to end in …
34.Even though the fire did great damage, nobody was injured.
35.… why he sang so loudly.
36.They stated that they had finished their work for that week.
37.Those people used different means of transport.
38.The man had been seen stealing the jewels from that woman’s.
39.She should think before she accepts the offer.
40.Some books dealing with surrogate motherhood have been published.
41.The man who shot two policemen has gone to prison.
42.Jeremy, whom we saw yesterday, is may neighbour.
43.The company managers are alleged to be corrupt.
44.In spite of turning on the light, he couldn’t read.
Though he turned on the light, he couldn’t read.
45.The teacher showed us a book which was written 30 years ago.
46.Fresh air was believed to have been bad for sick people.
It was believed that fresh air was bad for sick people.
47.If Claire loved Henry, she would marry him.
48.It is said that he stole a lot of money.
He is said to have stolen a lot of money
49.If you start having money for your holidays, you may have enough…

An Ordinary Day in the Year 2050

2nd November, 2050
8:30 am
At this time, in any European city, a car is stocked in the middle of hundreds of others. People trying to arrive at work, desperate mothers taking their children to school, ... There are so many people driving somewhere that the traffic is chaotic.
While some fight not to be late to work, others fight for a job. Nowadays, it isn’t easy to get a job: there are only a few jobs available and many people looking for one. And one of the reasons for that is the immigration of the population from the developing countries. Despite being in 2050, the huge difference between rich countries and poor countries continues. So, these people need to immigrate to Europe to survive, which means fewer jobs.
12:45 am
It’s lunch time! But not for all... Fewer jobs lead to poverty in which, in turn, means begging, drugs, prostitution, etc. Many people don’t have anything to eat, because the resources are, as always, poorly distributed.
5:00 pm
In spite of being November, it’s very hot. The climate changes are now striking us at full force. In the summer it’s raining and in the winter it’s hot; there’s no water for all; and it’s hard to breath because of the smog. These are some of the consequences of a few years of carelessness for Nature by the humans.
We are in 2050 and life has become a real nightmare!


Isabel, 1108

Robots

Robots are a part of the technological world we live in. They can help us but they can also destroy us.
Robots have many advantages such as: they can do men’s work because they are used in production line work. They take the place of men for difficult or dangerous work: they work underground and at the bottom of the sea and they help to disarm bombs and put out fires. Robots also help to create a more pleasant way of life. We have more free time.
But robots have many disadvantages too. They increase unemployment. They contribute to the lack of physical exercise and we become lazy people.
Moreover, after a long time of living together with a robot we may become mechanised.
There will be a total lack of feelings because we will be used to live with machines.
To sum up, the world is in evolution and we must know how to deal with this evolution, robots are a part of our modernized world.


Miguel,1008

5 May 2010

The Digital Divide

Have you ever thought about the wealth of technological resources that surround you?
Imagine if all those resources stopped… Think about it.
What would you do? How would you be able to live without your mobile phone? Or your laptop? Or your playstation?
But not everyone is so fortunate…

Watch the following video and take notes or complete the sentences:


1- Definition of Digital Divide
2- Number of people who don’t have access to technology
3- Where the most part of technology is
4- The Divide is ___________, not ___________, at an ever-increasing rate.
5- How this issue can be alleviated:
a) ___________: The presence of _____________
b) ___________: Capacity to efficiently use the ________________
c) ___________: Using the technology for ____________________
6- Organizations that are addressing this issue.
7- How you can contribute to it.

B Green!

4 May 2010

My Favourite Book

“A walk to remember” by Nicholas Sparks.

It is a story about two different persons who find out that what unites them is stronger than what divides them.
London Carter is a seventeen-year old boy, son of rich parents. He is irresponsible, rebellious and popular and he takes advantage of his freedom before going to college.
Jamie Sullivan is a seventeen-year old girl, daughter of the pastor.
She’s a sweet and quiet girl who likes to help children and carries the Bible everywhere.
It is almost time to the school ball, and London didn’t have company and no one was available, just Jamie. He decided to ask her to go with him. It was hard, but she accepted with one condition: he couldn’t fall in love with her.
Dance day finally came, and everything was fine.
Classes began and everything was normal, London pretended not to know Jamie, his friends thought that she was odd.
London was obliged to go to performance class, and he approached Jamie. One day they had to perform a play called “Christmas Angel” written by Hegbert, Jamie’s father. They performed the main role.
The first night of the play came, everyone was there, London was nervous, but when he saw Jamie, he felt something that he hadn’t felt before. She was beautiful, looked like an Angel.
After that day, they started spending much time together. One day in Jamie’s house, they kissed, and Jamie felt good but sad too.
In one of their conversation she confessed that her biggest dream was to get married.
They started dating, and one day Jamie said to London that he couldn’t love her, because she was dying. He felt that his world was falling apart.
She had leukaemia and that illness didn’t have a cure.
London asked to his father to help her, his father hired a good doctor and nurses to take care of her. But the illness had advanced and she was fragile and stopped to go to school. London was with her every day.
The days passed by and Jamie was very weak and London loved her so much that he decided to fulfil her dream.
He asked his father permission to marry Jamie and he allowed.
The wedding day came. Jamie was radiant and, despite being weak, she was walking to the altar, it was her father who celebrated the ceremony.
Jamie’s dream was fulfilled.
I loved this book. It was a beautiful story, but it has some sad moments.
But it is so intense and romantic that it is impossible not to like it.
The ending is a bit confusing because we don’t know if she dies, but it is good. The author lets it open for the readers to choose.

Marta Leite, 1108

“Extremely loud and incredibly close” by Safran Foer

This book was written by Jonathan Safran Foer that is my favourite writer too.
“Extremely loud and incredibly close” is a very creative, moving, funny, emotive and magic novel. It is a story that really could happen. It takes us to the world of Oskar, a nine-year-old boy, that is a jeweller, an astrophysicist, an actor, a pacifist, an inventor, a collector of stamps and butterflies that died by natural causes, an archaeologist, and many other things.
Oskar lost his father in the tragic 11th September and he lives trying to understand his own pain and feelings.
The action takes place in New York. The kid found a key inside an envelope with the name Black, in the middle of the things of his father. His curiosity and instincts take him through an interesting demand for the lock of the mysterious key. The adventure is so fascinating because Oskar is very intelligent and captivating.
The story starts mixing and connecting with letters written in Dresden during the WW2, until we understand that these letters are from Oskar’s grandfather, supposedly dead but, in fact, he is hiding in the apartment of Oskar’s grandmother.
In the end, Oskar realises that the demand didn’t help him to clear up his feelings. The truth is that his father is dead and he couldn’t do anything to bring him back. On the other hand, the demand helps Oskar in the relationship with his mother and his grandmother and it also helps him to understand a little bit more the world and human behaviours.
I love this book because it can be, at the same time, serious and funny and the main character, Oskar, is very-well constructed and he is very striking.
This story makes me smile but it breaks my heart too.
Isabel Cunha, 1108

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne

The book I most enjoyed reading so far was "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne, since this reports true events that marked the whole humanity forever.
This story tells about a nine year-old German boy, who lives in Berlin with his parents and sister with a wealthy lifestyle in the middle of World War II. One day they are notified that they will move house due to the employment of the father. They went to a place called Auschwitz that was quite different from that where they lived. Then, Bruno begins an innocent and intense journey outside the fences of the concentration camp, watching the prisoners as if they were families, all dressed in striped pajamas, since he knew nothing about the Final Solution and the Holocaust. He is not aware of the terrible cruelties that were being inflicted by his country to other countries in Europe.
One day, Bruno, in his exploration of the land where he lived, eventually found Schmuel, a Jewish boy who was on the other side of the fence.
His friendship with Shmuel would take Bruno's sweet innocence to gross revelation. And to discover what they involuntarily, he too was a part, would inevitably find themselves embroiled in this monstrous process and eventually be his victim.
Ana Catarina, 1108

3 May 2010

The Three Rs

"3R" is a very famous term used to describe the three ways one can help produce less waste, and is often symbolized by three arrows, arranged in a triangle.

Reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Reuse old items; donate to the unfortunate, repair if broken.
Recycle as much as possible; buy recycled products to support recycling.

Reduce?
It simply means throwing away less. This involves the purchasing of long-lasting goods that come in minimal packaging. Since reduction prevents the production of waste in the first place, it is the most preferable method of waste management in the long term.

Reuse?
Waste can also be reduced by reusing old items. This includes repairing them, donating them to charity groups or using them in a different way. For example, most electrical products can be repaired by replacing the necessary parts, old clothes and toys can be donated to the orphans and the less fortunate, and old bottles can be used as home-made plant pots.

Recycling?
Recycling can be considered a breakthrough in waste reduction strategy. It turns materials, that would otherwise become waste, into valuable materials. By recycling, we can conserve resources for our children's future and reduce the need for new landfills and incinerators.
The recycling process involves the collection of recyclable materials, sorting and processing them into raw materials and manufacturing them into new products.

11.14

Creative Writing by André Pedrosa

There is a whole sense of freedom in that space, the freedom of relations, which allows crossing body and soul. A flux of that freedom runs through my hand while I caress her face. I take the other to her trunk, I make it glide to her waist, and with a natural token, with no effort, I pull her up to me and sit her on my legs; and then I enjoy the moment when she’s so close to me. She’s thrown an unbashful glance by me, of crazy flaming temptation to which she replies with her seductive look, saucy in inhibiting my state of security. I take the control of the situation by changing our positions, making her slide through my haunch until she reaches the bed so surprisingly comfortable where we are. While I’m doing it, I cast my own body back, to fall again on her side. However she turns me back on, the curves of her body stand out this way, all her definite structure is now enhanced and I delight myself with this image.
I dare to touch her, surround her with tenderness and whisper in her ear that I love her intensely. It’s a permanent attitude, a constant movement (…)
In the morning, we are woken by the dusk. I move to relax the muscles but while doing that I awake her angelic body. She’s firmly wrapped around me, and causes me a pleasant shiver when stretches out. I settle down, half raised, and see that she also does it; follows me with her eyes and appraises the situation, looking for the best way not to separate her body from mine.
I feel her back being thrown on my chest, and at that moment we got back in time, seeing ourselves in memories of a happy life, memories that occupy our minds and draw in our lips a cheerful smile.
Then, I hold her hands, as the day goes on.

André Pedrosa, 901

Play Fair Play

When you are an athlete, you can’t achieve your objectives if you don’t play fair!
It doesn’t matter if you win the most prestigious trophy when you play something just to win…and not to have fun!
All the people should play something because they like what they do… because it gives them pleasure. Unfortunately, there are many people who don’t think this way.
Sports can be the funniest thing in the whole world, but when you cheat, it doesn’t make sense any more!
And that’s why it’s so important to play fair… because thanks to it, sports can be pleasant… not an obligation!
To be successful, you have to work hard and do your very best…but always without cheating!!!

Daniela Nogueira, 702

We've googled about...

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles).
The modern game of tennis originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century as "lawn tennis" which has heavy connections to various field/lawn games as well as to the ancient game of real tennis. After its creation, tennis spread throughout the upper-class English-speaking population before spreading around the world.
Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all ages. The sport can be played by anyone who can hold a racket, including people in wheelchairs.
The rules of tennis have not changed much since the 1890s. Two exceptions are that from 1908 to 1960 the server had to keep one foot on the ground at all times, and then the adoption of the tie-break in the 1970s. A recent addition to professional tennis has been the adoption of electronic review technology coupled with a point challenge system, which allows a player to challenge the line (or chair) umpire's call of a point.
The four Grand Slam tournaments (also referred to as the "Majors")are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Davide Costa and Luís Bezerra, 701

Teens and Part Time Jobs

I think part time jobs are good.
Having a part time has its advantages and its disadvantages.
The advantages are that teens can earn extra money, learn how to be responsible and get some experience.
The disadvantages are having less time for school work and being influenced by other employees that earn more money. We may end up getting the idea that the only thing we have to do, about work, is earning money or working a couple of hours and buy new cool things for us. This is not true because when we give up studying difficulties like paying the house, the bills and many others appear. We need to have a proper education in order to improve our working skills. We shouldn't drop out school especially because after quiting school we realize how good life is while we are students.
Margarida 902

Future Career

When I grow up I want to be an architect.
I love drawing and I have a really good imagination. I also love paying attention to tiny details.
I don´t have quite good marks at mathematics, although I know that to be a good architect and have a successful career I will have to be excellent in mathematics.
Nonetheless, I know I can do it. I will have to work harder every day, but that is what I want and I will do it with in spite of the effort it takes.
Margarida, 902

About...

Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício is a Portuguese football player.
He was born on 15 February 1988 in Marrazes. He began his career on Sport Cube Leiria e Marrazes, but now he plays for Sporting Clube de Portugal. He is a goalkeeper.
He has got brown hair and brown eyes.
He is 1,89m and weighs 86kg.



Joana Chaves nº 14, Luís Sampaio nº 19, 702

We love...

Our favourite athlete is Bruno Eduardo Regufe Alves.
He’s twenty-eight years old.
He was born on 27th November 1981, in Póvoa de Varzim.
He plays football in F.C.P and in Selecção Portuguesa de Futebol.
Bruno Alves is our favourite athlete because he plays football very well and he plays in our favourite club…. F.C.P.
He has got brown eyes and curly hair.
We love him!!!


Margarida nº20, Nuno nº23, 702