ENGLISH CONNECTION

Interview

2011-06-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Interviewer: Good Morning!! I am miss Brown and I´m the owner of this kindergarden. So, Who are you? and Why are you applying for this job?. I hope that you are more interesting than other applicants because I had other interviews and I´m not interested them because they thought children should be treat like a chiauau.

Applicant: Ok!Ok! You can relax because I know the difference between a dog and a child. First, I´m Kate and I am interested in this job because I think that I can teach this children funny things like to colour, to develop their artistic abilities such as drawing because I have a degree in Arts.

Interviewer: Much better!! Because I am looking for someone to take care these children but it isn´t a requirement that they have a diploma. However, if you have a degree it´s good. In truth, I wanted to find a person that can relate with kids, someone who truly cares for them and this person should be creative to develop interesting activities for kids. But, the main question is: "How is you relation with kids?", "Do you like them?"

Applicant: Well, I am ,no doubt, a creative person. But about my relation with kids I don´t know very well because I don´t have much experience with kids but in my house I have a little animal that I like very much I care for it everyday. And, in truth I don´t find young children particulary funny or appealing.

Interviewer: OOOhhhh.... This is a problem but I think with experience you could like kids more. Thank you and I will think about your application.

Applicant: Ok. I liked you very much so that after this interview I hope that you might consider me for this position.

Interviewer: ( Another one who believes that kids are like dogs.) So, next person....

By: Fátima Sousa and Vera Sousa 11ºD

How to build a successful career?

2011-06-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

To have a successful career is need, in first, have a happy and a good emotionaly life. After we need to be intelligent, taking advantage of all things that life give us. Determination, dedication and responsability are a good arms to win the obstacules. When we want something we never give up, showing our moral values, to be educated, never mistreating someone. We need to have brave to risk in different things and perspectivesof life. But, mainly, we need to be active, communicated, have a good relationship with the team work, a leadership skills and to love what do to have a successful career.

The bottom line, our successful career depend of us not of others.

Vera Sousa Nº29 11ºD

TEN MYTHS of Global Warming

2011-05-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

MYTH 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate.

FACT: Accurate satellite, balloon and mountain top observations made over the last three decades have not shown any significant change in the long term rate of increase in global temperatures. Average ground station readings do show a mild warming of 0.6 to 0.8 ºC over the last 100 years,
which is well within the natural variations recorded in the last millennium. The ground station network suffers from an uneven distribution across the globe; the stations are preferentially located in growing urban and industrial areas ("heat islands"), which show substantially higher readings than adjacent rural areas ("land use effects").

The

re has been no catastrophic warming recorded.

MYTH 2: The "hockey stick" graph proves that the earth has experienced a steady, very gradual temperature increase for 1000 years, then recently began a sudden increase.

FACT: Significant changes in climate have continually occurred throughout geologic time. For instance, the Medieval Warm Period, from around 1000 to 1200 AD (when the Vikings farmed on Greenland) was followed by a period known as the Little Ice Age. Since the end of the 17th Century the "average global temperature" has been rising at the low steady rate mentioned above; although from 1940 – 1970 temperatures actually dropped, leading to a Global Cooling scare.

The "hockey stick", a poster boy of both the UN's IPCC and Canada's Environment Department, ignores historical recorded climatic swings, and has now also been proven to be flawed and statistically unreliable as well. It is a computer construct and a faulty one at that.

MYTH 3: Human produced carbon dioxide has increased over the last 100 years, adding to the Greenhouse effect, thus warming the earth.

FACT: Carbon dioxide levels have indeed changed for various reasons, human and otherwise, just as they have throughoutgeologic time. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the CO2 content of the atmosphere has increased. The RATE of growth during this period has also increased from about 0.2% per year to the present rate of about 0.4% per year,which growth rate has now been constant for the past 25 years. However, there is no proof that CO2 is the main driver of global warming. As measured in ice cores dated over many thousands of years, CO2 levels move up and down AFTER the temperature has done so, and thus are the RESULT OF, NOT THE CAUSE of warming. Geological field work in recent sediments confirms this causal relationship.

MYTH 4: CO2 is the most common greenhouse gas.

FACT: Greenhouse gases form about 3 % of the atmosphere by volume. They consist of varying amounts, (about 97%) of water vapour and clouds, with the remainder being gases like CO2, CH4, Ozone and N2O, of which carbon dioxide is the largest amount. Hence, CO2 constitutes about 0.037% of the atmosphere. While the minor gases are more effective as "greenhouse agents" than water vapour and clouds, the latter are overwhelming the effect by their sheer volume and – in the end – are thought to be responsible for 60% of the "Greenhouse effect".

Those attributing climate change to CO2 rarely mention this important fact.

MYTH 5: Computer models verify that CO2 increases will cause significant global warming.

FACT: Computer models can be made to "verify" anything by changing some of the 5 million input parameters or any of a multitude of negative and positive feedbacks in the program used.. They do not "prove" anything. Also, computer models predicting global warming are incapable of properly including the effects of the sun, cosmic rays and the clouds. The sun is a major cause of temperature variation on the earth surface as its received radiation changes all the time. This happens largely in cyclical fashion. The number and the lengths in time of sunspots can be correlated very closely with average temperatures on earth, e.g. the Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warm Period. Varying intensity of solar heat radiation affects the surface temperature of the oceans and the currents. Warmer ocean waterexpels gases, some of which are CO2. Solar radiation interferes with the cosmic ray flux, thus influencing the amount ionized nuclei which control cloud cover.

MYTH 6: The UN proved that man–made CO2 causes global warming.

FACT: In a 1996 report by the UN on global warming, two statements were deleted from the final draft. Here they are:

1) “None of the studies cited above has shown clear evidence that we can attribute the observed climate changes to increases in greenhouse gases.”

2) “No study to date has positively attributed all or part of the climate change to man–made causes”

To the present day there is still no scientific proof that man-made CO2 causes significant global warming.

MYTH 7: CO2 is a pollutant.

FACT: This is absolutely not true. Nitrogen forms 80% of our atmosphere. We could not live in 100% nitrogen either. Carbon dioxide is no more a pollutant than nitrogen is. CO2 is essential to life on earth. It is necessary for plant growth since increased CO2 intake as a result of increased atmospheric concentration causes many trees and other plants to grow more vigorously.

MYTH 8: Global warming will cause more storms and other weather extremes.

FACT: There is no scientific or statistical evidence whatsoever that supports such claims on a global scale. Regional variations may occur. Growing insurance and infrastructure repair costs, particularly in coastal areas, are sometimes claimed to be the result of increasing frequency and severity of storms, whereas in reality they are a function of increasing population density, escalating development value, and evermore media reporting.

MYTH 9: Receding glaciers and the calving of ice shelves are proof of global warming.

FACT: Glaciers have been receding and growing cyclically for hundreds of years. Recent glacier melting is a consequence of coming out of the very cool period of the Little Ice Age. Ice shelves have been breaking off for centuries. Scientists know of at least 33 periods of glaciers growing and then retreating. It’s normal. Besides, glacier's health is dependent as much on precipitation as on temperature.

MYTH 10: The earth’s poles are warming; polar ice caps are breaking up and melting and the sea level rising.

FACT: The earth is variable. The western Arctic may be getting somewhat warmer, due to unrelated cyclic events in the Pacific Ocean, but the Eastern Arctic and Greenland are getting colder. The small Palmer Peninsula of Antarctica is getting warmer, while the main Antarctic continent is actually cooling. Icethicknesses are increasing both on Greenland and in Antarctica.

Sea level monitoring in the Pacific (Tuvalu) and Indian Oceans (Maldives) has shown no sign of any sea level rise.

(http://www.globalwarminghysteria.com/ten-myths-of-global-warming/)

By Isabela Bica, nº16. 11ºB

Opinion about Lifelong Learning

2011-05-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

In our opinion lifelong learning is a positive and required thing. Nowadays it is important to be as skilled and qualified as you possibly can, so that you can adapt to whichever changes might occur in your job. This way in the possibility of unemployment you can easily find employment elsewhere.

Learning is no longer limited to the classroom. You can acquire knowledge in your workplace and in the various situations you may find yourself in, in the future. This way it is also implied that you do not only learn while you are young, but throughout your life.

In our country we can take the example of people that work during the day and finish their secondary education at night.

By Isabela Bica,nº16, and Inês Macedo, nº15, 11ºB

Opinion about Lifelong learning

2011-05-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

In our opinion, we can learn with life's experience, with other people and in a different locals besides that the school.

We agree that we don't need learn all the things, we just learn what we need to do good things and good choices. In one job, the employee need have the skills that satisfy the work's necessities.

In conclusion, the skills are learned in a lifelong process.

By Ana Costa, Jorge Ribeiro and Miguel Sousa 11thB

Teleworking, a short definition

2011-05-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

Teleworking means working at home, or at a telecentre near to home, for some of or all of the time. It involves work that has to be done with a computer. Teleworking is one of the Smarter Choice measures that aim to change travel behaviour and manage demand for transport services.

Adapted by: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/teleworking

By: Miguel Sousa nº25 11ºB

How to make a successful career

2011-05-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Nowadays is very hard to have a successful career.
The first time is moment of reflection about what you like and make a great choice for the future.
Next, we need have energy for work, to be determined to achieve the goals, witty, have motivation and capacity to deal with the problems successfully. To show that we are competent, you must be responsible, a little talented and love what you do. We cannot be too ambitious it issometimes exaggerated and excessive ambition leads us to take risks unconsciously. We must be honest!
And as no pain no gain, we must be active and work hard to be the best, or at least try being the best.
We need to strive and the most important in a job, a good salary that matches our dedication.
In our opinion, these are the conditions to have a successful career but all depends on the personality of each person.

Ana Costa, Jorge Ribeiro and Miguel Sousa 11ºB

Job and Work: What's the difference?

2011-04-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

Most people associate the words work and job as if the same thing, but not. Although they are linked, these words have different meanings.
The work is older than the job, the work exists from the moment that man began to transform the nature and the environment around them, from the moment that man began to make tools and utensils.
On the other hand, job is a recent phenomenon in human history. Job is a relationship between men who sell their labor power for some value, some pay, and men who buy this workforce paying something back, something like a salary.

Adapted of website: http://www.ime.usp.br/~is/ddt/mac333/projetos/fim-dos-empregos/empregoEtrabalho.htm

Miguel Sousa nº 25 11ºB

Immigration in Europe

2011-04-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

In our opinion, both attitudes have positive aspects. On one hand, the process of immigration should have limits and be organised because if that doesn't happen, the country that will receive the immigrants could entry in a social and economical collapse due to the lack of opportunities to the people from the country and also to the immigrants. On other hand, people have the right of choose the place where they want to live and they should have free circulation bacause they are humans being.

Ana Costa , Jessica Lima , Joana Gomes e Miguel Sousa 11ºB

Cultural Expeditions

2011-03-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

New Zealand

The Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. They probably arrived in south-western Polynesia in several waves at some time before 1300, although dates of up to 2000 years ago still attract some support. The Maori settled the islands and developed a distinct culture. Central to many cultural events is the marae, where families and tribes gather for special occasions. Maori often call themselves "tāngata whenua" (people of the land), placing particular importance on a lifestyle connected to land and sea. Communal living, sharing, and living off the land are strong traditional values. The distinct values, history, and worldview of Maori are expressed through traditional arts and skills such as haka, tā moko, waiata, carving and weaving. The concept of tapu (sacred) is also a strong force in Maori culture, applied to objects, people, or even mountains.

Adapted by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_New_Zealand#M.C4.81ori_culture

Miguel Sousa nº 25 11ºB

Multicultural World

2011-03-22T07:48:00.001-07:00

Multicultural World

Made by:

Ana Costa, nº2

Isabela Bica, nº16

Miguel Sousa, nº25

Advertising

2011-03-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

What`s advertising?

Advertising is a paid form of communication through which messages are transmitted orally or visually designed to inform and influence the target audience, using the space and time in various kinds media available. Advertising is a dedicated to the dissemination of ideas related to companies, products or services, in other words, commercial advertising.

Strategies used by advertising

Advertisers have many ways and methods to try and get you to buy their products. They use some tricks of the trade. For example:

Ideal kids or families: They use families or kids that seem perfect. They are attractive and represent the types of people that kids like and try to imitate;

Facts and figures: They use facts and statistics to increase their product`s credibility;

Star Power: Advertisers pay celebrities to promote the product and their fans believe that this product is the best on the market. But, they don`t realize that the star is paid for endorsing it;

Sounds Good: use of sounds add to the excitment of commercials. They create jingles with the goal of influencing people, making it hard for them to get it out of their head;

Cartoon Characters: Advertisers use cartoon characters so kids identify with products. e.g. Tony the tiger sells cereal.

Influence of advertising

Many people say that ads don`t influence them but they are wrong, because everyone are influenced and to not be influenced by advertising they would have to live outside day to day culture but no human being livesoutside of this. Ads make our image and a personality . Teenagers are always influenced by magazines and they create their image with goal of imitate their favourite celebrities.

Consequences of ads

Ads promised us a world of illusion. Ads make us to believe that if we don`t have something we willbe less important than others that have this product. Companies spend a lot of money to investigate target people to try to understand their minds with purpose of influence their opinions, to buy their products. Ads are like poisons in our lives because they create a unreal life and they limit our own choice of products.

Advertising everywhere

It is impossible to ignore the advertising of products because they are everywhere, TV, schools, magazines... Everyday, we use a brand-name without realizing it. For example, your schoolbag is Adidas, your pecilcase is O`neil, and other examples.

Ads also use promotions; they are spread on the internet, billboards with the only purpose of making people choose this or that product.

The Good of Ads

Publicity is a form of knowledge for the world. It is true that ads can have a negative effect on culture but at the same time publicity can also be a way making of sensitive to problems that exist in society. For example, this image that portray the poverty in towns and some people don`t care about it.

The dark side of the big brands

The book " The dark side of brands" was written by Klaus Werner and Hans Weiss speak about multinational companies that support corruption, child labor, trafficking of arms, destruction of the environment and the torture animals. For example: Adidas, Apple, Pantene, L`oreal and others brands. Recently, Apple admited that explored child labor in a factory in China to make Macs, iPods and iPhones.

Conclusion

The bottom line, we speak about some aspects of publicity and we can say that publicity can have negative and positive effects. We can like this world but we should be balanced, im other words, we should be able to choose what we really want and to be careful with things that can be dangerous to us. Really people who aren`t gullible don `t have anything to fear but people who are easily convinced about a products merit have to be more cautions.

By: Fátima Sousa 11ºD and Vera Sousa 11ºD

Multiculturalism

2011-03-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Multiculturalism

2011-03-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

Racism

2011-03-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

“Today, it isn’t unusual to see people of all different races, ethnic backgrounds or cultural groups living in one society. Such a society is a mixture of different people. Since they live in a society that is influenced by many social factors, expressing their group identity without coming into conflict with other groups on general laws and customs may be a hard task.”

Post by:

Ana Costa, nº2

Isabela Bica, nº16

Miguel Sousa, nº25

11ºB

Advertising and Propaganda

2011-02-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

It is important not to confuse publicity with propaganda. Advertising is aimed at making a profit and the propaganda has as its purpose to inform and create awareness of a philosophical, religious, political, economic or social subject.

Advertising is the act of making known a product or product set, leading to its consumption. Some people see advertising as an art to convince and persuade but we can define it as a communicative process that disseminates information through different media such as television, radio, internet and print media (newspapers and magazines).
Advertising can manipulate consumers, leading them to purchase products and services in excess, can represent an obstacle to a free and rational choice, as an incentive for excessive borrowing.
Increasingly, advertisers are looking for information about the public that they want to call attention to before making their advertising. With knowledge of their likes, their habits, it is easier to achieve the objective, that is to sell.
The social group that is more easily influenced is adolescent's group for various reasons such as:
- Wishing to be like a famous person who makes the ad;

- Wanting to be part of a group that only uses brands;

- Wishing to impress peers;

- Showing their wealth and social status,

-Among others.
In relation to the famous peolpe that advertise for different products, we don’t agree because they are saying what they say because they are being paid, the more likely is that they have never tested the product. themselves Consumers, who are more naive, don't remember this and end up purchasing the product or service being advertised only because someone famous is in the ad and not for its quality. This is called persuasion.
It is normal that consumers give in to pressure from the advertisers because they often produce advertisements in which reality seems much simpler, providing solutions to the insecurities and moral and financial obstacles to consumers.
Some product's ads abuse of advertising by placing strong images to shock and draw people's attention. Some of these ads can be even scary!

Propaganda is a specific way of presenting information about a product, brand, or company policy aimed at influencing the attitude of an audience for a cause, position or action.
There are several types of propaganda such as:
- Institutional - propaganda that promotes the image or philosophy of an organization;

- Comparative - propaganda which compares a particular brand to another;

- Defense - intitutional propaganda that supports socially responsible messages.

In our opinion it is absolutely impossible not to be influenced by advertising because advertisers use anything to get attention. Advertising is largely an exaggeration without measurements. In my case, I try to make the right choices, I compare products before buying and try to see how much I need that product. To finish ,I think as consumers we must be critical and act responsibly. All citizens are alerted to the problem of misleading advertising, but it never hurts to note that the influence of the media in our day-to-day is not always detected and may be acting irrationally without realizing it and acquire, use or buy a certain object or product that we are not required.

Cláudia Faria & Miguel Sousa 11ºB

St. Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright,
Meet in the aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven and gaudy day denies.
Lord Byron

Never so happily in one
Did heaven and earth combine;
And yet 'tis flesh and blood alone
That makes her so divine
Thomas D'Urfey

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need; by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath.
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Advertising and teenagers

2011-01-31T12:30:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, advertising is becoming very dangerous.
Although I’m little influenced by advertising, there are people who can’t control their emotions and irrationality buy the product presented.
In relation to the influence of advertising on me, I can say that I am not easily impressed.
When I buy or acquire a product is because I need it and I like it. Of course brands have products that all teenagers like but it isn’t because my friends that I also have!
I have to like what I buy. Sometimes advertising tries to convey misleading information and I try not throw sense but is always hard.
The advertisements are very impressionable. But this world of advertising doesn’t influence me and I am not fan of brands.

Miguel Sousa nº25 11ºB

GM crops

2010-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms.

GM foods were first put on the market in the early 1990s. Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products: soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. Animal products have also been developed, although as of July 2010 none are currently on the market. In 2006 a pig was controversially engineered to produce omega-3 fatty acids through the expression of a roundworm gene. Researchers have also developed a genetically-modified breed of pigs that are able to absorb plant phosphorus more efficiently, and as a consequence the phosphorus content of their manure is reduced by as much as 60%.
Critics have objected to GM foods on several grounds, including possible safety issues, ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact that these organisms are subject to intellectual property law.

Miguel Sousa nº 25 11ºB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food

Noise pollution

2010-12-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Noise pollution is a type of energy pollution in which distracting, irritating, or damaging sounds are freely audible. As with other forms of energy pollution (such as heat and light pollution), noise pollution contaminants are not physical particles, but rather waves that interfere with naturally-occurring waves of a similar type in the same environment.
In the narrowest sense, sounds are considered noise pollution if they adversely affect wildlife, human activity, or are capable of damaging physical structures on a regular, repeating basis. In the broadest sense of the term, a sound may be considered noise pollution if it disturbs any natural process or causes human harm, even if the sound does not occur on a regular basis.
The causes of noise pollution in general are obvious - construction sites, highway vehicle traffic, industrial companies, air traffic, rail traffic, fire workers and others. While many of these sources are unavoidable in daily life, the exposure to them can be kept to a minimum with a little personal effort.

The unwanted sound is called noise. This unwanted sound can damage physiological and psychological health. Noise pollution can cause annoyance and aggression, hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects. Furthermore, stress and hypertension are the leading causes to health problems, whereas tinnitus can lead to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times panic attacks.
This type of pollution has become more significant due to technological and industrial developments. We have a duty to stop as fast as possible with this problem because, in the future, would have consequences even more disastrous.

Miguel Sousa nº25 11ºB

Opinion

2010-12-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

We think that although genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the world's hunger and malnutrition problems and being an important think at the economis point of view they have to many incovenients and dangers.
We can't be sure that they will not be harmful to our health and to the health of the future generations, as also to the species in which are done these genetic modifications and the problem is that, we will only know that at the generation of our grandsons and by that time, probably will be too late...bet we hope he wrong about his!

Ana Costa, Joana Gomes and Miguel Sousa
11ºB

Earth and Humanity

2010-11-26T14:28:00.000-08:00

You are going to try to imagine that:
Earth (E): I`m the Earth.
Humanity (H): I`m the Humanity.
E: Cough!!!
H: What is the matter?
E: I`m feeling ill.
H: How did that happen?
E: I`m sick and tired because of you.
H: It`s my fault? What did I do? It`s nothing to do with me.
E: You are wrong, because everday you use up all my resources and pollute my air, water, soil. Everything that you do is like poison to me.
H: But I don`t do anything that special. I only use the resources that you give me, like water, coal, food, a place to live and other things.
E: It`s clear, I`m your house. But, everthing that I give you, you use to the excess. For example: the oil that produces energy and releases big quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere, the time you spend in your bath which uses too much water...
H: ...and the paper that Iuse, the plastic, the fertilazers that I use in modern agriculture that pollute hidden resources and soil, blá, blá, blá and much more. But, I need all of this to live.
E: Ok, you to live you need all of this, but it`s this that is harmful and will finish with the only place where you can live. However, there are other hypotheses that give the same result and they are less harmful, like wind energy and there are methods that help to reduce pollution, the waste produced and, help to conserve the resources we have.
H: But then, what are these methods?
E: They are very simple methods and can be summarized in three words: recycle, reduce and reuse.
H: And, if we don`t put these methods into practice, what will can to happen?
E: It isn`t, what will happen , but what happens today in many parts of the Earth. There are: the death of the coral reefs, endangered species, hurricanes, drought...
H: So, we are responsible for all the disasters that happen, are happening, and that will happen?
E: So, why do you think they happen then?
H: Ok,... I`m sorry. I agree with you. I promise from now on to try to be better and protect the Earth`s planet.
E: I believe. We together are going to struggle for the world.

Humanity`s footprint on the Earth has affect the planet`s life systems. Each one of us is a cause of climatic change, but each of us can make choices to change that. With things we buy, the cars we drive, the energy we use, we can make choices to bring our individual carbon emission to zero The solutions are in our hands.

We should have to respect our planet.

Fátima 11ºD

Vera 11ºD

The Situation Of The Earth

2010-11-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

For a long time we have made the Earth sort of our slave, exploring it, taking whatever we can from it without caring about the consequences, spoiling it and not taking care of it, and right now we are simply starting to let it die in a way.

This fact is very concerning because all of us are only guests in this world we live in and at any time we can get “thrown out”, risking all of our lives and all of our investments in this planet. But despite what many people think, this moment is very near. This is all because human beings have caused a massive ecological instability due to their massive consumption habits and pollution. We have to think and consider our actions and reverse them before it’s too late for our planet and for us. We are quickly running out of resources like water, fossil fuels and other raw materials, like wood, and we pollute far too much and produce vast amounts of garbage that could easily be recycled. We should recycle to avoid a far greater degradation of the situation that we are in now.

Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse,Recycle" waste hierarchy.

Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product.

Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing.

To reduce is the process and the policy of reducing the amount of waste produced by a person or a society. You can reduce your waste production by:

• Buying only the essential things, so there is no waste.

• Printing or copying only in the needed amounts.

• Looking for products that have a recyclable packaging.

• Preferring glass bottles over plastic ones (glass is more easily recycled).

So the consumer must have the care to buy products that he/she really needs and that are preferably packaged in a rational and ecological way and the industry, in its turn, should change its perspective and way of production, by making them compatible with the goals of the environmental protection.

To reuse is to use an item more than once. You can reuse items by, for example:

• Using the back of printed paper sheets for drafts.

• Printing on both sides of a paper sheet.

• Using the leftovers of fruits and vegetables to make compost.

• Using certain packages, like cans, for other purposes instead of throwing them away.

These measures are a simple way that you, as a consumer, can help the environment and help preserve natural resources from being depleted.

How much time does nature take to absorb certain residues?

• Newspapers take two to six weeks.

• Paper packages take one to four weeks.

• Paper napkins take three months.

• Cigarette buds and matches take two years.

• Bubblegum takes five years.

• Nylon takes thirty to forty years.

• Plastic bags and cups take two hundred to four hundred and fifty years.

• Aluminum cans, batteries and bottle caps take one hundred to five hundred years.

All of us are free and so we must be aware that if we don’t contribute for a healthier planet we can hardly guarantee a place on Earth for future generations. Much like our ancestors achieved to guarantee our presence on Earth today, we have the obligation to heal the disease we have caused on our planet and ensure that future generations have a good quality of life.

Besides the 3 R policy we should obtain a more civilized and honest behavior, like for example, saving indispensable natural resources, such as water which is diminishing, lessening the excessive waste of energy, since it constitutes a great source of pollution, essentially lessening the amounts of waste and pollutant gases produced .

So summing up, our planet needs our help to continue living for many years to come. Let’s take care of the Earth, let’s live!

By Inês Macedo, nº15 and Isabela Bica,16 - 11ºB

Demon`s party

2010-11-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

It`s Hallowen`s night!!!

Daisy and her friends decided to celebrated the Halloween`s night with a feast of fun, alcohol and a lot of music. So, there isn`t better place than the placeof the darkest night: the Oksland`cemetery.

According to the prophecies, in Halloween`s night the demons rise from the dephs of hell and they feed of the men of Earth.

But, Daisy and her friends knew nothing about this prophecies.

The party was in the peak, everyone were happy, they drank a lot, being carefrees with what was happening around them. The friends misteriously dissappear one by one.

When there were only five friends, the terror settled, they heard a amazing noise in everywhere. Suddenly, Daisy began to see her friends be pulled by shadowns. Daisy runs and she heads up for a grave where she sees all her friends beheaded in a bloodbath with a expression of terror etched on their faces. Daisy runs, scared and screaming desperately.

Behind her, Daisy hears steps and when she was about to succumb to the immense terror, the demons say: Surprise!!! And her friends appeared. - (It`s a joke)

Fátima 11ºD

Vera 11ºD

2010-10-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Climate Changes and Us

In these past few years, the climate of our Planet has begun to worsen due to the effects of the “Human Footprint”.

This “Human Footprint” consists in the way we affect our planet. Since the 18^th century, when the industrialization begun, there has been an increase in population growth due to the breakthroughs in health and the increase of available food. As the population grew more with each passing year, the need for more food and other resources also increased. Every year, more and more trees are cut down to make room for agriculture and pasture for cattle. Mankind is singlehandedly reducing the “Earth’s Lungs” and the planet’s ability to turn the carbon dioxide, which comes from the burning of fossil fuels, into oxygen.

Currently, there are too many greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and they are worsening the greenhouse effect, which causes global warming and, consequently, is causing all the climate changes that we are observing.

If we don’t change our attitude towards the planet, these won’t be a planet for future generations. We need to act now! We need to recycle more, to waste fewer resources and recover the “health” of our planet because it’s the only Planet we have.

11ºE

Adriana Bica nº1

Helder Lima nº12

Halloween 31 October

2010-10-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Halloween is a well-known American tradition that is today celebrated in many countries.

Check the site here to get more information.

Celebrate Halloween.

2010-09-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

2010-06-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Exemples of tecnologies that help people in everyday life

Miguel Sousa 10ºB

The Influences of Technology on Family Life

2010-06-09T16:12:00.000-07:00

This is truly the age of technology. It has come to such an extent that even family life has changed to some degree.

Families these days have very busy schedules and the only way they can communicate with each other is by using cell phones and the computer or the laptop. Children and parents must learn how to multitask in order to bring some degree of normality to their everyday life.
Children are beginning to use technology mediums at a very young age. This causes them to depend on these mediums to communicate with others and by doing so they stop interacting with others personally.

In a way these new means of communication make the inexistence of love and comprehension within the family possible. The presence of some means of communication during meals decrease the communication between family members because they spend most of their attention on the TV and not between themselves. Families become in a way addicted to technology and may no longer be able to function without it.

But there are some positive aspects to technology like, when some family members live in other countries; the means of communication allow them to be virtually reunited. Another advantage of the means of communication in the family context is the online shopping and payments which allow parents to save some time that can be used for family recreation.

Examples of the exaggerated use of technology are:

Some children and adolescents start their day by going directly to the computer or by sending text messages to their friends;
Sometimes even the communication between parents and children inside the household is done through text messages;
Children and adolescents tend to get sucked in by their virtual world and don’t pay attention to what is happening around them in their home;
Due to the access to the internet parents may have the possibility to bring their work home and spend less quality time with their family.

The means of communication directly influence family life, as such the control of the use of these means is very important so that family life doesn’t get completely altered and no great consequences are experienced by all the family members. There should be a balance between spending time with your family and using the various means of communication.

Trabalho realizado por:

Ana Maria, nº1
Catarina,nº6
Inês,nº13
Isabela,nº14
Jéssica, nº15

10ºB

Robots

2010-05-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

A robot is an automatically guided machine, able to do tasks on its own. Another common characteristic is that by its appearance or movements, a robot often conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own.The Robotics Institute of America defines a robot as a re-programmable multi-functional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.

* Miguel Sousa 10ºB

Space Exploration (Europe)

2010-05-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Giotto mission was designed to study Comet P/Halley, and also studied Comet P/Grigg-Skjellerup during its extended mission. The major objectives of the mission were to:

obtain color photographs of the nucleus;
determine the elemental and isotopic composition of volatile components in the cometary coma, particularly parent molecules;
characterize the physical and chemical processes that occur in the cometary atmosphere and ionosphere;
determine the elemental and isotopic composition of dust particles;
measure the total gas-production rate and dust flux and size/mass distribution and derive the dust-to-gas ratio; and,
investigate the macroscopic systems of plasma flows resulting from the cometary-solar wind interaction.

Ulysses is a solar probe launched in 1990 that has made the first-ever measurements of the Sun from a polar orbit. In route to solar polar orbit, it made a close flyby of Jupiter and made measurements of the solar system's largest planet.

The primary objectives of the Ulysses mission encompass the properties of the solar wind, the structure of the Sun/wind interface, the heliospheric magnetic field, solar radio bursts and plasma waves, solar X-rays, solar and galactic cosmic rays, and the interstellar interplanetary neutral gas and dust, all as 3 function of solar latitude.

Secondary objectives of the mission include interplanetary-physics investigations during the in-ecliptic Earth/Jupiter phase, measurement in the Jovian magnetosphere during the Jupiter encounter, the detection of cosmic gamma-ray bursts, and a search for gravitational waves.

http://www.solarviews.com/eng/history.htm
by: Miguel Sousa nº24 10ºB

Dateline NBC: To Catch A Predator

2010-05-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Isabela Bica, nº14, 10ºB

Americanization

2010-05-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

In the early 1900's, "Americanization" referred to the movement where immigrants were developed into Americans. Now, in today's world, the term has a different, but similar meaning - the globalization by the U.S. of the world. The American economy is an ever-present force in the world today.

Some people will argue that this kind of globalization has gone too far - Americans are using their advantage of being one of the world's most powerful nations in a dangerous way - by interfering and forcing their culture on countries that do not want to be "Americanized". Americanization can give other countries a false sense of the American way of life and, in the end, cause hatred for the U.S.

Since the United States is the greatest economic power in the world, its influence can have a large impact around the world. For instance, American television channels and programmes like MTV, CNN, and others are broadcast throughout the world using domestic carriers. The television commercials that some of these broadcast mediums carry advertise U.S. based brands such as Nike, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, GAP and Levi's around the world. American TV shows are widely distributed and the younger generations of the world are greatly influenced by shows like The Simpsons, Jackass, Lost, CSI, among others. Hollywood, the American film industry, is often considered the biggest and most influential in the world, people in other countries are often exposed to American ideals and way of life through movies. Music is also a form of Americanization, since many American ideals are spread by lyrics and music videos.

These aforementioned elements especially affect young people who are exposed to the "exciting" aspect of the American culture and are more receptive to the Americanization process. On the other hand, some cultures and countries, especially older people, might not have a positive reception of the U.S. cultural influence, afraid of losing their unique cultures and ideals to the more mainstream and popular American ones.

Americanization is not only changing the world, but it can also cause wrong judgments to be made about the American way of life. In Europe, Americans are stereotyped by globalization as being shallow, spoiled and shortsighted.

Americanization is also considered one of the possible causes of terrorist attacks on September 11th.

Isabela Bica, nº14, 10ºB

A Meeting

2010-04-28T05:53:00.000-07:00

A meeting between a boy and a girl . They met in chat and then in the bus station of Felgueiras...
G: Hi! You are the Bad Boy?
J: Yes, and you are the Sexy Girl?
G: Yes, I am. But you haven't a bad boy's face?!
J: And you aren't sexy!
G: Yeah! But what's your real name?
J: Joni. And yours?
G: Gina!
(...)
J: This place isn't the best place for a first meeting!
G: Really!
J: And you aren't so funny as I though!
G: What?! Are you are insulting me?!
J: No, I'm just telling the truth.
G: I came all the way from England to meet you and you are insulting me?!
J: What?! Are you from England?
G: Yes, why?
J: Because I live in the Algarve!
G: Woouh! It isn't my intention...
J: This meeting was a waste of time! I'm so sorry!
G: Me too !Well, bye!
J: Bye bye, Gina...

Cláudia Silva & Miguel Sousa 10ºB

Types of Addictions (Images)

2010-04-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

Miguel Sousa 10ºB Nº24

Effects of media

2010-04-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

In the last 50 years the media influence has grown exponentially with the advance of technology, first there was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and now the internet.

We live in a society that depends on information and communication to keep moving in the right direction and do our daily activities like work, entertainment, health care, education, personal relationships, traveling and anything else that we have to do.

Of all the media distribution channels the most influential has been the television, we are constantly exposed to thousands of images of violence, advertising, sex, celebrities and much more, in fact a its known that a child is exposed to about 40,000 ads a year.

Miguel Sousa nº24 10ºB
Consultar: http://hubpages.com/hub/Mass-Media-Influence-on-Society

A mistake !

2010-04-12T06:58:00.001-07:00

Miguel Sousa Nº24 10ºB

Easter...

2010-04-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter.

This is for all my students, especially those who leave here their regular contributions, in English.

Have a great time.

Volunteering

2010-03-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to the programme"Good Morning America"! Today we are going to talk about a very interesting subject: VOLUNTARY SERVICES.

To help us with the subject we have here Kate Legrand, representative of Unicef that is going to talk a bit about the organization and the work developed in Haiti.
The voluntary service is a practice that has been increasing year after year, being an action achieved in a free, uninteresting and responsible way with the objective of helping the community and not receiving any salary by the services.

Good Morning and thank very much for being here. What objective was this organization created?

Kate Legrand- The Unicef was created by United Nations in 11 December 1946 with the objective of supplying food of emergency and health care to children in countries that were devastated by second world war. It becomes a permanent system of United Nations in 1953. The headquarter of the Unicef is located in the city of New York.It secures humanitarian aid and development of children and mothers in countries in development.

Presenter- How many countries do you help?

Kate Legrand- We are distributed by more 190 countries and territories.

P.- What kind of aids do you help to keep the organization active?

K.L.- We have the help of the contributions of governments and private donors. Around of 6 millions of people contribute with monetary helps through our national committee yearly.

P.-With the recognition and developed work, Unicef was awarded with the Prize Nobel of Peace and Prize os Asturias of Concord. Now, With the enormous tragedy that happened in Haiti, what helping plan do you have?

K.L.- Well, the Unicef has supplied basic material population, allowing them access means of sanitation, drinking water and cares of basic health to children affected and their families. We are trying that the children continue their learning providing them spaces of diversion while the parents and families are occupied with the reconstruction of their lifes.

P.- As we know, the country had always economic difficulties and an enormous political instability...

K.L.- Yes, we are present in Haiti since 1949 workimg with government in the creation of solutions to reduce the problems of this region.

P.- Children were rhe ones that most suffered. What`s your main concern about them?

K.L.- To prevent that the orphans are sequestrated and, later trafficked. Trying to meet their parents or new family. Getting hold of the going out of children, making sure that the international rules of adoption are fulfilled.

P.- The recent case, that has became public recently was the kidnap of 15 children of different hospitals. Where do you think children are now?

K.L.- The children were taken to Dominic Repubic through the airport. This is a hard reality and we have to deal with it and, clearly try to solve this priblem.

P.- Now, leaving this subject, we would like to know what is necessary to be a volunteer.

K.L.- A volunteer should be fexible, communicative and open to new experiences; willing to learn new skills; broad-mindead and self-reliant and committed to inter-cultural understanding. He doesn`t need specialized skills or working experience, foreign language skills and experience on international travel.

P.- Before of finish, what do we need to do to send a donation to Unicef?

K.L.- They may be sent by general account of deposits.

P.- Thank you very much by your presence doctor Kate and see you in the next programme!!

Fátima e Vera 10ºD

The Internet

2010-03-08T05:55:00.000-08:00

The Internet is a conglomerate of networks worldwide of millions of computers connected by TCP/IP that allows acess to information and all kinds data transfer. It carries a wide variety of features and services, including documents connected by hiperlinks on tehe World Wide Web (www), and infrastructure to support e-mail services such as instant communication and file sharing.
According to data from March 2007, the Internet is used by 16.9% of world population (about 1.1 billion people.

* Crime on the Internet is widespread:
Many internet crimes are associated with child sexual abuse involving prostitution and dissemination of pornographic photos of minors.
It has also been listed on defamation issues on social networking and the advocacy of unlawful acts, and also the dissemination of all kinds of prejudices. Another important issue relates to banking and financial crimes committed on the Internet.

* The Internet is also a form of leisure and more frequent use of this advantage are social networks:

Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, Twitter, Hi5, among others, have created a new form of socialization and interaction. Users of these services are able to add a wide variety of items with their personal pages, to indicate common interests, and contact with other people. You can also find a large circle of existing knowledge, esopecially if the site allows users to use their real names, and allow communication between the existing large groups of people.

* The Internet has contributed to aid in student learning:

The use of networks as a new form of interaction in the educational process extends the action of communication between and teacher and educational and culture exchange.

Now, students are increasingly use the Internet to work or to send them to teachers. It's easy and economical.

Miguel Sousa and Cláudia Silva 10ºB

Your First Job - Chad Foster

2010-03-05T15:19:00.000-08:00

According to Chad Foster money can come from 4 places. He said that you could earn it, marry it. Stealing it isn't the best option, so the best option is earning it.

However he said that there was a thing to consider, you will work 86 thousand hours in your whole life. That is a very long long time, so according to Chad you should choose your job carefully.

He also told that 75% of workers are unsatisfied with their jobs. There are a couple of things he said you should follow to get your perfect job:

1) Do what you love, money will follow;

2) Your job should provide all you need;

3) And it should help you to helping others.

Joana Gomes nº17

João Sousa nº 18

10ºB

2010-02-25T10:48:00.000-08:00

Summary of an interview with Chad Foster

Chad Foster gave an interview, in which he speaks about life in general, especially money.
He asks himself why people said that we shouldn´t take drugs, smoke, drink, and all bad things, and why everybody don´t tell us what we had to do?
He said that 99% of today´s teenagers will get the money they need by working, marrying or stealing.
Nowadays for to get some money, we have to work hard, and sometimes we don´t do what we liked.
So, we have to chose the right job because the money doesn´t bring us the necessary basics (healthy and happiness).
The right job will most probably pay our bills, let us save some money and have fun with what we do.
But remember money it´s not everything.

Ana Rita e Sofia 10ºD

2010-02-25T10:39:00.000-08:00

The Movie "Juno"

The movie "Juno" tells of a teenager (Juno) who becomes pregnant by Paulie.Since discovers she is pregnant decides to abort immediately, but soon decides to opt for adoption. With the help of her friend Leah, Juno for ads in the newspaper and finds a couple she feels will provide a suitable home. Along with her father, Mac (JK Simmons), Juno meets the couple, Mark and Vanessa Loring in their expensive home and expresses a desire for a closed adoption.Juno creates a great friendship with Mark, who later shows not prepared to be a father. At the same time Juno makes peace with Paulie for his relationship was not good.Not long after, Juno goes into labour and is rushed to the hospital, where she gives birth to a baby boy.Vanessa goes to the hospital to see the newborn, and claims to be his adoptive mother.The film ends in the summertime with Juno and Paulie playing guitar and singing together, followed by a kiss.

Ana Rita Dinis 10ºD

Chad Foster

2010-02-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

The job is very important in the life of people.
Money is the result of work, but People`s basic needs are health and hapiness. Most people today work 40 (forty) hours a week and so it is very important choose a job you like. People don`t need to drink and smoke to face problems!
The money isn`t the most important thing in life . More important are values, family and friends.
75% of all workers are unhappy with their jobs and that is negative and a stigma to those who are working.
In conclusion it Is necessary Great maturity to face the social problems and nowadays the job chosen should allow all of us to pay the bills.

José Bragança Nº18 10ºD

Summary of an interview with Chad Foster

2010-02-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

Nowadays, people are telling you what you can’t do like don’t use drugs, don’t smoke, don’t drink. But they don’t tell you what you can do.
We all need money. Some people have more than they want and some people never have enough. People can get money marrying into it or stealing it but 99% of today’s teenagers get the money they need by earning it.
It is very important for you to choose a job you like and your choice career it’s a choice that you should do by yourself and no one else can make it for you. You can inherit the colour of your eyes and the size of your nose from your parents, but something you can’t inherit it’s your career.
Money should never be the reason of your work. Money can and should be the result of your work. People’s basic needs are health and happiness and money can’t buy it. The job you choose should allow you to buy the things you need but not the things you want.

Andreia e Diana 10º.D

Advices - Dr. Hope

2010-02-13T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dear John,

I see that you’re facing a problem that affects many young people of your age. Increasingly, people use the Internet to make new friends but, when it comes the time to get to know personally, sometimes it creates anxiety and insecurity. The people go deep in issues: “Does she will like me?”, “What is she going to think about my physical appearance?”, “Will she want to meet me again?”. However, this initial fear is perfectly natural, although it mustn’t be penalized. You must believe that if she wants to meet you personally it is because certainly she liked to talk with you and you awakened her interest. In fact, physical appearance is an aspect that can influence your relationship, but I am sure that there are things much more relevant. It is important value yourself and believe in your abilities and potential.
The tastes are very relative and, moreover, the beauty is “ in the eye of the beholder” while the personality and personal values remain over time. She should admire you for what you are as a person. And, John, if it does not happen, it won’t be the end of the world. I’m sure that soon you will meet many other girls and, who knows, some of them will become special to you and that you really deserve.
Even so, good luck!

P.S. – You said that you are a good student. Congratulations, keep going!

Yours,
Dr. Hope

Diana Isabel Nº.7 - 10º.D

Urban Tribes

2010-01-13T06:09:00.000-08:00

Skaters :

Punks :

Nerds :

Rockabillies :

Emos :

Hippies :

Rastas :

by : Miguel Sousa nº 24 10ºB

To Think...

2009-12-22T06:29:00.001-08:00

Advices-Dr.Hope

2009-12-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

Hi! Mary

I will try to help you with your problem.

You are a very young teen and you have plenty of time in your life to find a boyfriend.

The destiny will put one in your way when the time is right, then you will discover your first love and will have your first kiss, too.

If you are shy, you should try to change because being very shy will make your life a little difficult and people won`t get near you so easily as you want.

Be yourself and semply try to enjoy life as it is. Be happy!!!

Trabalho elaborado por: Fátima Sousa 10ºD Nº9

Advices-Dr.Hope

2009-12-19T06:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Mary Jones,

Why are you worried about other people`s life? Just because your friends have boyfriends it doesn`t mean you have to start looking for someone desperately. You are 14 years old and in my opinion it`s too soon to think seriously about it. First, enjoy your age by choosing good friends, nice people and maybe you`ll meet someone that is compatible with you. Try to change something about your looks because you said you are shy and guys don`t know you exist. There must be some subjects you like to talk about such as music, cinema or sports, mostly sports, guys love it!
There is no reason to be desperate, you are too young and you are not mature enough to face loneliness. Don`t rush! Hearn to love yourself and to feel good with yourself, then you will be ready to feel good with others.
I hope my advice will help you to progress in this matter.

Hope to hear goods from you soon

Best wishes,

Dr. Hope

José Bragança Nº18 10ºD

Seasons Greetings!!!

2009-12-18T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hi... to you all.

I'm really happy to see you are publishing your work.

It's wonderful to open up these pages and read them.

I'm loving it.

Have a good time!

Enjoy the holidays... be happy, caring and kind.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Seasons Greetings!!!

2009-12-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

Scary Story

When I was 9 years old, I move to a new house. It was a two-storey house, small and not very pretty, but older. After a couple months I knew everybody in the neighborhood especially the children’s. Was when one of the neighboring asked me:
“Who is lay awake all night in your house?”, “Nobody!?” I replay, “So why I listening the door beating all night?”
I told the case to my mom but she doesn’t give importance. I also don’t care much for it, my neighbors always said: “How you have courage to live in that house?”.
Later we contracts one employer and she was very afraid, she said “When I’m down I hear noises of people up there, and when I'm up, I hear noise down.”. “It must be the dog.” we said , “ No, the dog stay all the time beside me.”. But nobody care.
One day i was sleeping (with my mom and my brother) when someone hit the door. It isn’t a common beat, was very strong. My mom goes to the door and asked “Who is?”, but nobody answer. Two more times she asked and nobody answered. So my moms took the phone and call to the employer and ask if was her that knock the door. The answer was no. After joining courage the two of us were to outside see what’s going on. The whole house was in the most perfect silence. It was when my mom told me that the former owner of the house had been murdered, apparently by his partner. Since then mother, brother and aunt had gone to live there, but everyone left with afraid. Until my mother bought the house, but all the people who rented it also came out saying that they saw things. We live in this house for three years and since then I’ve never had such experiences. Particularly, I am very skeptical about these things. Neighbors, however, until today are afraid of the house.

By:
Carla Andreia
Filipa Vieira
José Silva
Sofia Costa
10ºD

2009-12-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

European Day of Languages

Languages are considered to be the source of life and power
Linguistic diversity is what defines one of the others
And freedom?
You have yours I have mine the freedom no one can take us.

Independently of our union
Nothing changes
Everyone has their culture
Everyone has their language

26th September is the must important day
The day we celebrate our unity through language
So in this special day I remember the others
And believe that unity is owe strength.

Sofia Costa
10º D

2009-12-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Importance of learning another languages:

Language is important to communicate and understand people.

Learning anoher languages opens new opportunities.

Personal, professional, social and economic considerations all point to the advantages of learning foreign languages.

Most people learning two or more languages.

English is the native language in United Kingdom, is a second language or foreign languages in always countries.

In Portugal people use the English for second language because English is the most widespread language in the world and English is the major languages of new and information.

So, learning another languages because it's importante for your future and, for example, make new friends from other countries.

Ana Rita Dinis nº1 10ºD

2009-12-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

Dear John:

I think you should show your face.

If she really likes you, it will not matter if you are ugly or not.

But if she really stops talking with you this means that she is cruel and does not deserve your love.

And I’m sure that what you certainly do not want to like a person who does not like you

It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, if you are well or badly dressed what is important is what you feel inside in your heart.

Ana Rita Dinis Nº1 10ºD

Adolescence (Advice)

2009-12-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

I think you shouldn't pay attention to what others say because some girls don't care much about the physical aspect but rather about the personality.

If you are a guy who is physically beautiful and if you have good friends and don't get yourself into confusions I think anyone will be interested in you. However, you have to be patient and shouldn't get anxious because the girls can feel when you are nervous because you are inexperienced with relationships.

Just be careful! And don't forget: Looks are important but they aren't all!

Miguel Sousa nº24 10ºB

Adolescence II...

2009-12-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

Adolescent psychology is associated with notable changes in mood sometimes known as mood swings. Cognitive, emotional and attitudinal changes which are characteristic of adolescence, often take place during this period, and this can be a cause of conflict on one hand and positive personality development on the other.
Because the adolescents are experiencing various strong cognitive and physical changes, for the first time in their lives they may start to view their friends, their peer group, as more important and influential than their parents/guardians. Because of peer pressure, they may sometimes indulge in activities not deemed socially acceptable, although this may be more of a social phenomenon than a psychological one.

The home is an important aspect of adolescent psychology: home environment and family have a substantial impact on the developing minds of teenagers, and these developments may reach a climax during adolescence. For example, abusive parents may lead a child to "poke fun" at other classmates when he/she is seven years old or so, but during adolescence it may become progressively worse. If the concepts and theory behind right or wrong were not established early on in a child's life, the lack of this knowledge may impair a teenager's ability to make beneficial decisions as well as allowing his/her impulses to control his/her decisions.
In the search for a unique social

identity for themselves, adolescents are frequently confused about what is 'right' and what is 'wrong.'

Adolescents may be subject to peer pressure within their adolescent time span, consisting of the need to have sex, consume alcoholic beverages, use drugs, defy their parental figures, or commit any activity in which the person who is subjected to may not deem appropriate, among other things. Peer pressure is a common experience between adolescents and may result briefly or on a larger scale.

It should also be noted that adolescence is the stage of a psychological breakthrough in a person's life when the cognitive development is rapid and the thoughts, ideas and concepts developed at this period of life greatly influence one's future life, playing a major role in character and personality formation.
Struggles with adolescent identity and depression usually set in when an adolescent experiences a loss. The most important loss in their lives is the changing relationship between the adolescent and their parents. Adolescents may also experience strife in their relationships with friends.

This may be due to the activities their friends take part in, such as smoking, which causes adolescents to feel as though participating in such activities themselves is likely essential to maintaining these friendships. Teen depression can be extremely intense at times because of physical and hormonal changes but emotional instability is part of adolescence. Their changing mind, body and relationships often present themselves as stressful and that change, they assume, is something to be feared.

Adolescence...

2009-12-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Adolescence (Latin adolescere, to grow) is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development that occurs between childhood and adulthood. This transition involves biological, social, and psychological changes, though the biological or physiological ones are the easiest to measure objectively. Historically, puberty has been heavily associated with teenagers and the onset of adolescent development. In recent years, however, the start of puberty has had somewhat of an increase in preadolescence (particularly females), and adolescence has had an occasional extension beyond the teenage years (typically males). This has made adolescence less simple to discern.
The teenage years are from ages 13 to 19. However, the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood varies by country and by function, and furthermore even within a single nation-state or culture there can be different ages at which an individual is considered to be (chronologically and legally) mature enough to be entrusted by society with certain tasks. Such milestones include, but are not limited to, driving a vehicle, having legal sexual relations, serving in the armed forces or on a jury, purchasing and drinking alcohol, voting, entering into contracts, completing certain levels of education, and marrying.
Adolescence is usually accompanied by an increased independence allowed by the parents or legal guardians and less supervision, contrary to the preadolescence stage.

in Wikipedia

The Mirror

2009-12-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a pretty and intelligent girl named Nancy Fieldman, of an humble origin, who worked in a mansion, in England, with her mother, by the year 1870.
The owner of the mansion where Nancy and her mother worked was a man with serious personality problems, an unscrupulous psychopath. This man was very rude to them and treated them badly leaving them only the remains of its frequent services and a cold room where both fit in during the night, in that mansion with numerous hot rooms that were locked for use only for guests.
Due to the inhumane treatment and also a profound anemia, Nancy's mother died, leaving her daughter her few possessions, a small doll and a mirror framed in marble left by his father with the following words at the bottom of the mirror: «I will be a reflection of your soul wherever I am».
Nancy was a shy girl, but she was always smiling, however, with the death of her mother, Nancy went into a deep depression and wanted to leave the mansion.
The owner of the mansion, knowing her intentions, locked Nancy in a basement, where she could not go out, and what was worse, the girl was raped every night in that place.
One day, tired of suffering and so much pain, Nancy tried to respond to the aggression that was submitted, giving a blow with her doll in the face of man. The owner of the mansion, very angry with the girl, slapped her and smothered with her own doll.
During this discussion, the girl dropped the mirror and still no air said her last words: "I will be the reflection of your soul wherever I am" ...
Weeks later the man was found with her hair completely gray, dead without explanation with a piece of mirror in his hands.
Until today, the death of this man has been a mystery, many people say that the persons who picked up this piece of mirror have died or become mad, many say they see a reflection of little Nancy.

Andreia Sofia
Diana Isabel
José Filipe
Paulo Rafael
10ºD

Serial Killer

2009-11-29T14:14:00.000-08:00

A long time ago, a certain boy (John) due to a judicial sentence was compelled to remain at home without never being able to leave.

As he had nothing to do he occupied his time to observe the routine of the neighbours, watching television and playing playstation.

One night, when he was observing Dani, the next door neighbour, he saw that Dani was accompanied by a beautiful woman. Suddently, John listened to a strange noise coming from the house of Dani:

-Help, help...

John immediately ran to the window and saw the woman running around the house, being very scared. Suddently, Dani appeared behind her and put her unconscious. John was very scared and tried to understand what was happening, only that Dani saw it and stared at him with a cold and dark look.

John was at home with his mother and therefore was afraid that Dani would kill them. But, thank God, Dani did nothing.

The next day, John tried to find out what had happened to that woman, so he tried to enter the house of Dani.

By chance, John found the house of Dani, a secret door that led into a subterranean room. When, John entered the room he was horrified as, he met decapitated bodies of woman. The horror was such that John didn`t notice the approach of Dani.

They were involved in a fight, when suddently John saw a knife and stabbe him in the heart, John imagined the suffering those woman had, when they were to be cut, and felt horrified by this act.

For this act of courage, John was declared not guilt of all accusations, becoming a free man.

Fátima Sousa 1oºD Nº9

Linguist diversity

2009-11-29T03:31:00.000-08:00

The world has languages

different nations,

each language has it`s culture,

but the race is only one - human race.

Fosters contact with people and their culture

helps us to think differently and know other worlds.

Languages borrow words and expressions

e.g. : toillete, pizza, croissant, boutique and others.

When the sun rises, it rises for we all

and the world says Good Morning, Bonjour,Guten Morgen...

Trabalho elaborado por: Fátima Sousa 10ºD

Vera Sousa 10ºD

The haunted house

2009-11-28T15:03:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time in a dark and amazing night, some boys, Frederic and John, walked around at forest. They were lost when they were playing hide-and-seek. It was full moon night, the day of free ghosts. They were already between forest when they understood where they were. They were desperate, because didn`t know that local. Frederic began to think how they could leave from there. John was very frightened, then the Frederic told:

-John don`t get sad, so we`ll leave from here.

Then, they began to walk at forest, suddenly they saw a old abandoned house. Frederic entered in first to see inside. He didn`t see nothing special, therefore he commanded John to go up, to spend there the night. The two friends began the rummage house and they found big and cosy beds for rest. It`s half past eleven p.m., when struck twelve o`clock p.m., a big noise was heard. The boys woke of deep sleep, so was the day their freedom. Frederi and John walked the stroll throught the house searching for answers, when they suddenly saw a white thing.

John told:

-Is a ghost.

-We must leave from here, now!-answeed Frederic.began to run, but the doors were locked. The ghosts came near them. The ghosts led the boys for the ghost assembly, to decide their future. The chief of ghosts was very happy, because he have two people to amuse himself. The ghosts told:

-Transform in ghost for ever.

Other told:

-Penalty.

They didn`t arrive to a consensus, therefore the chief of ghosts decided, to transform them into ghosts. John and Frederic were terrifying with such news. The gave to prepare the ritual. After some time, John and Frederic were transformed into ghosts.

When the daybreak, the ghosts were in their deep sleep. The two friends were sad, so they only could see their family in day 13 th June, the day of free ghosts.

Trabalho realizado por: Vera Sousa 10ºD nº 28

And the Winners Are...

2009-11-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

The "Scary Story" Contest in our school motivated many students from the 10th grade to participate.
I wish to thank all the students for their enthusiam, imagination and commitment in writing so many " Scary Stories". However, we had to select only three.
And this time the winners are:
1st prize goes to Anita, Marlene, Dina and Rui from 10C

2nd prize goes to Adriana from 10E

3rd prize goes to Nuno and Marcelo from 10D

Congratulations to all.

Scary Story

2009-11-05T12:48:00.001-08:00

One day a group of friends prepared a party on a desert island called “La Isla de la Muerte”, because many years ago there was a mad scientist that invented the immortal blood and was still living there with his guinea pig and when one of them bite someone they turned into monsters.
A group of friends saw the pamphlet, they decided to go, they couldn’t know what was expecting them.
They asked a fisherman to take them to that island. The fisherman needed to unload some illegal cargo there he decided to take them to the island. He told them not to go but they only cared about the party.
When day arrived to the island they tried to find the person who organized the party but they only found an old house that had the inscription “House of the Dead” and abandoned stage.
They went to the stage and remain there until the dawn, then some of them took a night walk. The monsters heard some noise and they attacked one girl and suddenly the cops arrived that killed her because she was already transformed.
When the friends got there and saw that she was dead they cried.
The police said that day had no choice but kill her because she was already infected and could infect the others.
They tried to run away but the monsters blocked their way so they ran to the beach because it was safer. They hide and planned the attack against the monsters. They looked for weapons on the fisherman’s cargo, luckily they found real weapons.
They shot against the monsters and fled at the same time and they got into the old house.
The monsters couldn’t attack them but they couldn’t stay much longer.
Luckily they found a away out through a tunnel under the ground, they went to the tunnel but they didn´t find an exit but a lab with a lot of human organs and a corpse that suddenly rose and attacked them but they killed it before he infected anyone.
And surprisingly the mad scientist. They struggled to survive until one of them found some dynamite and planted it all over the house.
They looked for the mad scientist inside the house and they blew up with the house. Everything was gone. They stood there, until morning when the fisherman returned b with help.
Everything ended just fine.

David Costa 10ºE Nº8

Mara Peixoto 10ºE Nº21

Scary Story

2009-11-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Alison is at home when comes her father, Ronald. She was scared because she knew what was going to happen. Her father was very strange and empty her life black. Determined, she jumped out the window and took only a blackpack with her.

She was fleeing to the mountain thinking that there she would be safe. But while running heard cries and thought her father was chasing her. After some time she looked back and saw an animal. It was great, had a horrible odour and was going towards her. Seeing this she began again to try to escape, but the monster caught her and took her to a cave. She is unconscious when she awakes and sees the monster trying to eat her. He has the teeth with blood and a large tongue. Then she realized that the noises were people who were secreaming for help because they were being attaked by him.

Alison escapes and runs towards the house. When she there arrives, her father isn't at home.

She hides in garage but there is a monster and attacks her. She gets into her senses and sees that her mother is dead at her feet in a room in the loft. She thought that her mother had died in an explosion but was now seeing her there covered with blood and her body was falling apart. Suddenly appeared her father and asked your fogiveness. Alison doesn't understand. Alison felt a strond blow on the head and fainted.

She woke upin her bed and her father was caring for her forshe had a fever.

Was it a dream? Can this dream come true?~

Miguel Sousa nº24 10ºB

Sympathy for the Devil

2009-10-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

Sam and Dean went in their car to hear a radio station of that said that an airplane had suffered a terrorist attack. All the radio station that they changed it always appeared the same news. They looked for of Cass, they arrived at home of Matias and they saw that was everything destroyed and when arrive Matias and Sam and Dean they asked where was Cass and Matias he told them that the Archangels had finish with him, that exploded heat if she went swimming. Sam said Matias that had something in the head, Matias saw and she said that was a molar. Matias felt that something was wrong and they were angels. They wanted to take Dean, because they wanted to stop Apocalypse. The Angel began to speak of Lucifer and he said that when he joined the 4 horsemen, red oceans, the burning sky would be a success and that Dean could only stop them. Then Dean said that didn't want to join them and then dispatched them far away. They went to the hotel where they were and Sam gave Dean some sorcery sacks so that there were neither angels nor demons close to them.
Pike Creek Delaware…
She enters Nick’s house and then the gate was always opening and closing with greater and greater strength. She went to her bed and she sees that it is full of blood, puts the light on and she sees that having hallucinations. She lied down again and she gives a turn in the bed and she sees a gloomy woman lying down blood for the face that was lying in her bed. Returning to the hotel of Sam and Dean a girl that had a message of Matias for them appears. Sam asks which the message was and she told her that Matias had a vision “Miguel’s sword it is in the Earth. The angels lost “Sam she asks where was the sword and she was at a castle, in a hill done of 42 dogs. Bobby arrives at the hotel and she talks about the subject of Miguel's sword, she shows several books and she says that didn't want to find it in a dark alley. She commands the troops of the sky and that was him that gave a kick in Lucifer's behind for the hell with his sword. Sam rises and it counts Bobby that Lilith didn't break the last stamp, she said that Lilith was the last stamp and that he killed her and that freed Lucifer. Bobby nor she wanted to believe in what they were hearing. Sam came out for the door and went around and then Dean and Bobby were alone and suddenly Bobby begins to struggle with Dean. The eyes of Dean were all blacks it was a demons that was inside of him.

Again in Pike Creek Delaware…
Nick should find some toys of his son and then the son's swinging began the alone later to swing she began to hear cries, she went to see to the son's room and the turn of the bed there was blood. Sam and Dean are going to an obscure ranch where they were dead people, they had been the Angels that had killed them. And an Angel says equal Dean that Miguel's sword it was him. Dean refused to do what goes that is. Then appears Cass saying that Lucifer approached for your receiver and it disappeared.
Returning Pike Creek Delaware
Nick was in his bed to dream and he wakes up, there was a woman in his room saying that was Lucifer and that Nick was a very powerful receiver and that one wanted to take possession of Nick, then Nick says that allied with Lucifer. Sam and Dean Spoke and Dean told her that tried everything to forget but that had not forgotten what Sam did. She was very disappointed with him and then they went to his hotel.

Work done by:
Bruno Bento
Carlos Diogo
Jorge
Luís Gonzaga
10ºE

2009-10-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

Ambushed

Behind my house, there are woods, some kind of strange and awesome group of old and big trees. Folks say there is the place where many people have mysteriously disappeared and never showed up again. They never spoke of murders, but if even they did, I would not believe one something like that, because the police, on the very searches took up by them, found no dead bodies.
I can’t explain why, but I’ve always felt this like fascinating interest on that woods. Maybe because they are different, or maybe because they were close to my house, I’ve always needed to protect them. Every night I went to my bedroom window, and I looked to the woods. It seemed there were more than trees on the shadows. The twilight showed many things that I could swear, as human black forms running through the ancient trees. One moment they were there, one second later there were just the trees shadows again.
Winter has arrived to town slowly, bringing soft rain and mist turning the ancient forest more fascinating than always. It was one of those days, when I decided to adventure myself through those woods. I was loving the experience, seeing the old trees too close hiding the grey clouds on the sky of the rainy day. The green leaves on the top of the trees dancing together with the music composed by the wind, and the yellow ones on the ground making noise by every step of my feet. It was like if I was totally free, with nothing to worry about.

But something took my freedom instantaneously. I was listening more than two steps. Paying more attention, I knew: two other people were following me. My mind started to work very fast, like a couple of thoughts at same time, making me more confused. And I risked look back. I saw two guys whom I ever saw in my life, looking at me. When I stopped walking, they stopped too. At first looking, they were no more than normal people were. But the strong facts of the situation, made me thought different. Scared, I payed attention to details. The eyes, of pure red, like if fresh blood was moving inside the eyes. And the pale skin, like snow. There was definitely something wrong. They couldn’t be normal. They couldn’t be human. I was finally convinced that they had followed me since I entered on the woods, and just half an hour I found out they were behind me. It made me remember the lion looking for food, walking in silence behind the lamb, and when the chance comes out, he attacks killing the weak one.
I was almost turning back to take my walk again, with hope to keep going without being interrupted when the strongest one called me by my name.
- Elena!
- How do you know my name? – I was in shock.
- You came to us freely. We did not call you here. You came by your own! You cannot go back! You choose to come here and feed us as a volunteer. You are not allowed to live among humans anymore!
- What are you talking about?

What happened next was so fast that I did not know what really happened. I felt very pain inside me, and then darkness.

Today I am dead living in the woods for the eternity, drinking blood and killing innocents.

Martinó - n4, 10E

Halloween Story

2009-10-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Mistery of Barkley Manor

It was a dark and foggy night on October 31st. Since it was already midnight no one was outside, except for three friends: Allison, John and Daniel. They found themselves in the only street of the town where no one dared to go after nightfall. Usher Street was always a sombre and peculiar location even in the daylight, a place reserved for drunks and misfits.

This street was filled with spooky and old wooden houses but one in particular was the sole cause of the fright people felt. The Barkley Manor was built in a Victorian style and was said to be abandoned for almost a century. Its last occupant was an anti-social elderly man that started shooting at anyone that got close enough to his abode. This man died in a very odd way, he was killed by one of his booby traps that he put on his lawn to scare off strangers. According to an urban myth his ghost still lives in that house and will trap anyone that goes inside its abode.

Allison, John and Daniel, went there to see if they could catch a glimpse of the old man’s ghost. They approached the black gate of the manor and opened it. It made a horrible squeaking sound and beyond it you could see a garden full of weeds and withered grass and flowers. They almost couldn’t see the stoned path that lead to the porch. As they walked up the manors porch a rocking chair on it started to move back and forth and they heard a wicked laugh coming from inside the house. Despite the fear the friends felt, their curiosity was greater and they slowly opened the large front door and went inside.

Inside, the manor looked even creepier with old furniture filled with dust and spider webs everywhere. But alas the ghost was nowhere to be found. Daniel said it was best for them to go home and all agreed, however, as they turned around to go home the front door slammed shut and that same wicked laugh was heard again. The ghost of the elderly man finally appeared, he was very old, with an almost bald head and a white beard and hair and you could see blood all over his “clothes”, he had an angered look on his face. The last thing heard on Usher Street that night were the cries for help of three children.

They were reported missing by their families but the police was unable to find them anywhere. And so the mystery of Barkley Manor lives on. On dark foggy nights, if you get close enough to the manor you can hear screams of despair followed by a wicked laugh.

Isabela Bica, nº14, 10ºB

Halloween Story

2009-10-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Mountain Cabin

It was a hot summer’s day and all was quiet on the small mountain cabin. Amber could barely hear her own breathing, let alone the owls outside, which was pretty unusual at that time of night.

Suddenly she heard a rustling noise outside, followed by an opening of a window. Someone was inside her house. She struggled not to move and tried to see the intruder or at least his shadow. But what she saw instead was very odd. There wasn’t any shadow or figure in the room, she was alone.

She rose from her bed and started walking as quietly as possible towards the living room, the intruder could have easily moved to that room. She grabbed her baseball bat, which was by the door of the room, and quickly opened the door in hope of surprising the assumed thief. Again, she was left staring into space and the intruder was nowhere to be found.

She decided to return to her bed since it was pointless to search for a non-existent burglar. But when she turned, she didn’t see her bed or any part of her room she recognized. All she saw was a giant, immobile, almost transparent, grey blob. She tentatively reached for it and was taken aback when her whole hand passed through it.

All of the sudden, she felt like her whole body was being sucked into it and she tried to fight it, screaming as loud as she could for help, but it was too late. She disappeared, never to be seen again. When the police went to search her home, the cabin had vanished, leaving no trace of its existence behind.

People say that if go to the mountain on a quiet night, you can still hear a woman crying desperately for help, followed by a grim silence.

Adriana da Cunha Bica, nº1, 10ºE

Europe

2009-10-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

Hello!

English! What is that?
It's a very well known language.

Actually the most spoken language in the world.

Foreign languages! What is that?

It's a mix-tape ("gracias, oui, danke, como estás, buona sera...") of cultures and traditions.

A world of monolingual and bilingual speakers.

Today,people speak different types of languages such as Dutsh, French, Spanish, English, Portuguese and Italian.

Around the world there is always someone who speaks a little bit of English because it is a universal language.

English, is a language which is easily understood by everyone.

Hugo Teixeira and Miguel Sousa 10ºB