Tip!!!

Do you like quotations?!

We sometimes write some quotation when we write a message. The quotations touch our hearts and we think carefully about ourselves, it doesnt matter if it is a Shakespeare's quote or even an anonymou's quote. Now, you can write the most famous quotations in english!!!

"Be great in act, as you have been in thought."
William Shakespeare

"Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods."
Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics

"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want."

Ben Stein

"We can only learn to love by loving."
Iris Murdoch (1919 - 1999), O Magazine, February 2004

"The secret of happiness is to make others believe they are the cause of it."
Al Batt, in National Enquirer

More information:
http://www.quotationspage.com/

Curiosities!!!

Today, the country is...

Canada

Capital: Ottawa
Largest city: Toronto
Official Languages: English and French
Area: 9,984,670 km² (2nd biggest country of the world)
Population 2006: 31,612,897
Official Symbols: the maple leaf, beaver, and the Canadian Horse

Ottawa seen from the museum of civilization.

Toronto Skyline

One of the national symbols of Canada, the beaver is depicted on the Canadian five-cent piece and was on the first Canadian postage stamp, the Three Penny Beaver.

Maple leaves

Canadian Horses

I was researching on it when I found a funny information about Canadian Holidays. In Canada on December 26 th, the Canadian people celebrate the "Boxing Day" ; the stores sell excess goods that they didn't sell on Christmas. Actually, The USA commemorate this date too, but they rarely use the term "Boxing Day".



Katie (left) and Hannah vanBuuren take a break before continuing their shopping during the annual Boxing Day sales in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday

More information:

http://www.canada-city.ca

http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/symbols_facts&lists/symbols.html

http://www.canada.com/cityguides/halifax/info/story.html?id=6d5af4dd-d413-4b3d-baea-975353ec42e0&k=98913

Vocabulary, Grammar & Spelling

American X British

The differences of the American and British English is one of the learners' doubts. We sometimes think what is the correct word to write. Few weeks ago a "joaninha" appeared in the classroom and a friend of mine that really loves some insects was surprised with it, then she says "How do I say "joaninha" in English?". I looked it up in the dictionary; LADYBUG. However another friend said "Are you sure? I know that is LADYBIRD". We were confused. Then I looked it up again and I read: LADYBUG (American English) and LADYBIRD (British English).
It was so funny!!! So if you have your doubt, don't worry about it!!! Look it up!

Some simple differences:

American X English

* Apologize X Apologise
* Characterize X Characterise
* Check X Cheque
* Color X Colour
* Connection X Connexion
* Behavior X Behaviour
* Defense X Defence
* Favorite X Favourite
* Flavor X Flavour
* Honor X Honour
* Humor X Humour
* Kilogram X Kilogramme
* License X Licence
* Neighbor X Neighbour
* Odor X Odour
* Organize X Organise
* Practise X Practice
* Program X Programme
* Realize X Realise
* Reflection X Reflexion

More information:

http://www.sk.com.br/sk-usxuk.html

http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/usgbdiff.html

http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/lang/index.htm

http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~jphb/american.html

http://www.teclasap.com.br/sapserver/britanico/

Culture and Cuisine

Apple Pie

It's one of the American culture icons, such as baseball, and the American flag. It's very common to see an apple pie in cartoons, movies, tv series. When you see one of the TV programs and someone is baking a pie; it's always an apple pie!!! Apple pie is a typically American dessert but only in the most modern recipes require an ounce or two of sugar.One of the sources claims that in the past, sugar was expensive (almost US$ 100 per kg); honey was cheper than refined sugar but it was also absent in the recipe. Well, apple pie is not only in the Americans recipes but it is also day by day in the language. You can say "as American as Apple Pie" (some sources claim that it has been eaten since long before the discovery of America), it is a common saying in the USA, meaning "typically American".

Curiosities!!!

Every week,specially on Sundays, I will post some curiosities about the countries where English is spoken.

The USA

It is recognized because it has the largest national economy in the world.However, it has its largest cities that figure prominently in the economy, culture, and heritage.

Caption:
City, State
Nickname
Ppopulation(millions): largest cities within city limits/2005
metropolitan area population/2006 (rank)

New York City, New York
Nickname: "Big Apple", "Gotham".
Population:8.143.197
18.818.536 (1°)

Los Angeles, California
Nickname:"City of Angels"
Population:3.884.829
12,950,129 (2°)

Chicago, Illinois
Nickname: "The Wind City","The Second City","Chi Town", The City of the Big Shoulders","The 312", "The City that Works"
Population:2.842.518
9,505,748 (3°)

Houston, Texas
Nickname:"Space City"
Population:2.016.582
5,539,949 (6°)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nickname:"City of Brotherly Love", "Philly", "The Cradle of Liberty", "The City That Loves You Back," "The Quaker City", "The Birthplace of America"
Population:1,463,281
5,826,742 (5°)

City of Phoenix, Arizona
Nickname: "Valley of the Sun"
Population:1,461,575
4,039,182 (13°)

City of San Antonio, Texas
Nickname: "Alamo City"; "River City"
Population:1,256,509
1,942,217 (29°)

City of San Diego, California
Nickname: "America's Finest City"
Population:1,255,540
2,941,454 (17°)






City of Dallas, Texas
Nickname: "Big 'D'"
Population:1,213,825
6,003,967 (4°)





San Jose, California
Nickname: "Capital of Silicon Valley"
Population:912,332
1,787,123 (30°)

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Well, first of all I'd like to say that I'm very proud because we have been working a lot about writing and the results are fantastic!!! I'm very proud because actually I don't like to write very much but now I am enjoying it. I'd like to thank teacher Bia to increase our desire and to do it I will write simple words that I heard when I graduated in my French course in 2004.

Time doesn't wait for you!

Therefore, don't wait until to graduate...

... to lose or to put on 5 kilos...

... to get married...

...the Monday morning...

...your next summer...

... to play your song...

Let your heart decide. The best time to be happy is NOW because the happiness is a JOURNEY, it isn't a FATE.

What have you done today to make you feel proud?
It's never too late to try...
...We need a change...
...So do it today!!!

Let's Go!!!

This blog will be an incredible trip in the world of English: history, vocabulary, grammar,doubts, curiosities,tourism... How to have fun learning English?! Come and discover!!!