Multiculturalism - Vocabulary

Reported Speech

My Favourite Hobby

My favourite hobby is surfing the web. I usually do it every day on my computer. When I’m surfing the web I usually talk to pen friends, listen to my favourite music, go live on internet chat pages, shop, and do some research …
I like it because I always learn about different things and I talk to my friends. My best friends are from different countries so I can only talk to them through the web.

Susana Torres - 1014

My Favourite Hobby

My favourite hobby is listening to music and, eventually, make music too.
I do it almost everywhere and anytime. Unfortunately, I don’t have too much time to do it, my free time is short. If I could, I’d do it all the time.
I like many types of music but it is all about the rock: alternative, grunge, new wave, psychedelic, indie…
Music is the only thing I can trust, music is always there to support me, in the bad and hard times and also in the good ones.
Now, I’m learning how to play the guitar and I do it with a friend that is very connected to music too, but when I’m home, I do it all on my own.
I enjoy to write lyrics because it sets me free, and I love to have my own world this way.
Me, my guitar, my Mp3…it’s all that I need to live happily.

Ana Rita Duarte - 1014

Carnival of Venice

Venetian masks are a centuries-old tradition of Venice, Italy. The masks are typically worn during the Carnevale (Carnival of Venice), but have been used on many other occasions in the past, usually as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. The mask would permit the wearer to act more freely in cases where he or she wanted to interact with other members of the society outside the bounds of identity and everyday convention. It was thus useful for a variety of purposes, some of them illicit or criminal, others just personal, such as romantic encounters.
Venetian masks are characterised by their ornate design, featuring bright colors such as gold or silver and the use of complex decorations in the baroque style. Many designs of Venetian masks stem from Commedia dell'arte. They can be full-face masks (e.g. the bauta) or eye masks (e.g. the Columbina).

Teens' Problems - 901-902 Pre-reading activity

Lately Lindsay hasn't felt like herself. Her friends have noticed it, too. Kia was surprised when Lindsay turned down her invitation to go to the mall last Saturday. There was really no reason not to go, but Lindsay just didn't feel like it. Instead, she spent most of Saturday sleeping.
Staying in more than usual isn't the only change in Lindsay. She's always been a really good student. But over the past couple of months her grades have fallen and she has trouble concentrating. She forgot to turn in a paper that was due and is having a hard time getting motivated to study for her finals.
Lindsay feels tired all the time but has difficulty falling asleep. She's gained weight too. When her mother asks her what's wrong, Lindsay just feels like crying. But she doesn't know why. Nothing particularly bad has happened. Yet Lindsay feels sad all the time and can't shake it.

TeensHealth (abridged)

Is bullying a big problem?

Every day thousands of teens wake up afraid to go to school. Bullying is a problem that affects millions of students, and it has everyone worried, not just the kids . Yet because parents, teachers, and other adults don't always see it, they may not understand how extreme bullying can get.
Bullying is when a person is picked on over and over again by an individual or group with more power, either in terms of physical strength or social standing.
Two of the main reasons people are bullied are because of appearance and social status. Bullies pick on the people they think don't fit in, maybe because of how they look, how they act (for example, kids who are shy and withdrawn), their race or religion, or because the bullies think their target may be gay or lesbian.
Some bullies attack their targets physically, which can mean anything from shoving or tripping to punching or hitting, or even sexual assault. Others use psychological control or verbal insults to put themselves in charge. For example, people in popular groups or cliques often bully people they categorize as different by excluding them or gossiping about them (psychological bullying). They may also taunt or tease their targets (verbal bullying).
Verbal bullying can also involve sending cruel instant or email messages or even posting insults about a person on a website — practices that are known as cyberbullying.

kids health (adapted and abridged)

Cool Cats!

sent by Júlia Macedo

Our School

I live in Famalicão which is a very small town .

My school is D. Sancho I. I’m new in this school, but I like it very much. People are very nice, and the teachers are very smart. I have so many friends!
My school has got a lot of students. There are three fields to play any sport we like, many classrooms and bathrooms.
When I go to school I take my school bag with one pencil, one pen, one rubber, exercises books and books in it.
I never have lunch at school because I prefer to go to the restaurant with my friends. It’s very funny!
When I don’t have classes I and my friends go to the cafeteria to have asnack and talk.

The food is very tasty!
In this school I learn well, because the teachers give lots of worksheets, and they teach very well.

I have never been in a school like this!

Maria João Jerónimo, 701

Adolescence

This is one of the most difficult periods to overcome in our lives, not only for us but also for our parents.
It is called the age of the “closet”. We get on it around twelve/thirteen years old and it ends when we are seventeen/eighteen.
This is a very important step to us, because that’s when we are not a child anymore and we are becoming an adult.
It’s a very complicated age, because sometimes people don’t understand that we want to be free, to go out with our friends, to go out at night, etc. Especially our parents who worry about us, the bad influences and often don’t let us do what we want to. We find their behaviour quite conservative. However, we often don’t realize how much we need our parents to protect and defend us when we make any kind of mistake.
There are some things that a teenager can’t live without: great clothes, freedom, love and lots of attention.
We have to face up physical and psychological changes in our bodies and our minds, and we always get in trouble with that as we are not accustomed to them. Fortunately, there are some exceptions.
But with all these pros and cons and doubts around us, this is unquestionably the most beautiful stage in our lives and we should be and live like a real teenager, in spite of all the problems we have to rise above.

Ana Fernandes, 1001

My relationship with shopping

I like shopping very much, specially when the articles I need to buy are clothes. I never go shopping by myself because I never seem to know if the items I´m buying suit me well. Therefore, I always take a friend or my parents with me. I must say my parents give me very good advice, namely as far as the price, the quality of the products and/or brands are concerned.
Although I find shopping a pleasant activity, I am not a compulsive buyer and I hope I will never be. I believe I only buy the things I need to buy even if sometimes I feel that maybe those things could be bought later on.
I would like to say that I am not influenced by commercials but the truth is that we all are.

As I said before, going shopping is very pleasant and it sometimes works as a therapy, that is, when I´m feeling blue, I buy an item I need and I feel much better.

Sara, 1101