Dynamic Dialogue

- Hello, Mr. Johnson's office here.
- Hello. Here is Mr. Walcott. I've tried to call Mr. Johnson's cellphone number, but I always get the engaged sinal.
- Oh, yes, Mr. Johnson is at a meeting now. I'm his personal assistant. How can I help you?
- I was supposed to meet Mr. Johnson at 5:00 pm today, at his office, but something has happened. I would like to change it to 6:00pm, and if the meeting could be at my office, it would be better for me. It is on Baker Street, 121.
- Ok, 6:00pm at your office... Could you repeat the adress please?
- Baker Street, 121.
- Ok, got it.
- Thank you, sir.
- You're welcome. Could you just repeat your name?
- Mr. Walcott. W-A-L-C-O-T-T.
- Thank you, Mr. Walcott. I will make sure Mr. Johnson gets the message when he comes back of the meeting.
- Thank you for your help.
- You are welcome. Bye.

Emergency Situation

- Hello, emergency service here. Which service do you need?
- Hello, I need an ambulance, please.
- Where are you calling from?
- I am at Nilo Peçanha Avenue.
- What happened?
- An elder woman fell down in front of me.
- Is she severely hurt?
- She has some scratches in her face, an she probably broke her leg.
- Okay, thank you. An ambulance is coming for you right now.
- Thank you very much! Bye!

Crime Report

In the big new London police station, the policeman Joseph Owen receives a new case: a short woman, with long brown hair called Jennifer has been stolen. The criminal took her beautiful new blue purse. According to the victim, the purse had some scratches on the shoulder strap, and also, one of the zips was broken. Inside it was her modern smartphone.
Jennifer also says that the criminal was wearing brown shoes, blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a cap. He also had a long beard.
Joseph concludes that the best way to find the purse is using the GPS system of Jennifer's smartphone. When he activates it, the GPS says that the phone is located in a beautiful big neighbour of the city.
The police go there and finds the criminal in a fantastic big modern blue house. The man gets arrested, and Jennifer gets her beautiful new blue purse back.

Sherlock Holmes and the Man with the Twisted Lip

The famous detective Sherlock Holmes is called for another case: a woman called Mrs. Saint Clair says that she saw her husband shouting to her with an expression of horror, in a building on a poor neighbour. When she got in the building, her husband had disappeared. In a room, there were the man's clothes. In the window facing the river, there was blood. The only man who lived in the apartment was a beggar. What happened then to the man?

Sherlock Holmes realizes that the only possible answer is that the beggar and the "victim" are the same person. He decides to visit the poor man, who has been arrested as guilty for the murder of Mr. Saint Clair. The beggar is sleeping, so Sherlock Holmes can put his plan in action: he washes the man's face, making appear Mr. Saint Clair's true face. When the prisionner awakens, he realizes that his true identity has been discovered. Realizing that the only thing he can do is to tell Holmes the truth, he does it. 

Mr. Saint Clair was a student of journalism. Once, he decided to do a reportage about how much money beggars earn per day. He concluded that the best way to discover it was disguising himself as a beggar.  Being very humoristic, Mr. Saint Clair turned in a very popular character of the neighbour where he used to beg for money, earning much more than he earned studying journalism. The man realized that being a beggar was not that bad for him, so he abandoned his job. However, there was a problem: how could he explain it for his family? Mr. Saint Clair kept it a secret. When he saw his wife, he got worried, because she could discover his true job. He changed his clothes for his beggar's and threw them in the lake, by the window. With this fast movements, he cut his hand, which explained the blood.

Satisfied with the story, Holmes tells Mr. Saint Clair not to worry, because he couldn't be accused of anything. With Sherlock authorization, the beggar was freed from prision.

Selling Dialogue

- Hello Mr. Specter. My name is Vitor from Virgin Internet and I would like to know if you are interested in our Gold Enterprise plan.
- What does it include?
- This plan includes 100 MB internet for your entire enterprise, with full assistance 24h a day, the whole week.
- How much is it?
- Our Gold Plan is available for 100 dollars, but if you sign it now, we will give you 10% discount in your first month.
- Sorry, but I won't sign it if the price is this one.
- We will give you 15% discount if you sign it for 1 year.
- That's more interesting. When can you install it?
- We can send someone on Monday, between 3:00 and 5:00pm.
- That's ok. Thank you.
- Thank you, sir. Goodbye.

Tokyo Travel Guide

Tokyo is one of the biggest megalopolis, and also one of the most crowded cities in the world.

Even though it is such a big city, traffic is not that bad. There is a great respect between drivers, so, if you want to rent a car, it won't be a problem. If you prefer a cheaper alternative for transportation, however, you can buy metro tickets, as Tokyo has an enormous metro system. Many hotels have stations next to them, but it would be interesting to stay in the neighbourhoods of Ginza, Hibiya or Roppongi, as they are next to the central station and are very touristic neighbourhoods. Park Hyatt, one of the best hotels in the world, is located in this region, so, if you aren't worried about money, you can stay in this pricey establishment.

 By the way, the local currency is called "Yen", and actually, one Dollar worths around 122 Yens. You can change your money in current exchange offices located at bigger metro stations, shopping malls, etc.

Some of the most famous touristic points in Tokyo are the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, a fascinating botanic garden with beautiful local plants, like bonsai, the Senjo-ji Temple and the Meiji Jingu.

Have a nice visit to Tokyo!

Sleepy Hollow Themes Summary

Veracity in Storytelling

The man who tells the legend to the narrator says he doesn't believe on it. Throughout the story, many doubtful events happen. All these elements make the story hard for the reader to believe on.


The Power of Imagination

Ichabod is very imaginative. He can even imagine his whole life with Katrina. He gets so deep in this imagination that he forgets he has to make it real.


Lack of Class Structure in America

In Europe, back on the time when Legend of Sleepy Hollow takes place, it was mandatory for noble women to marry rich or intelligent men. Katrina can marry any rich or intelligent man in Sleepy Hollow, but prefers to marry Brom, who is known for his strenght.


Abundance of Resources in America

Ichabod is a poor man, but he can have very good meals every day. Why? Because the American farmer's family he used to teach had so many resources, and rich and big farms, that he could have lunch there and eat delicious food without any problem.


Lack of History and Continuity in America

Even if Sleepy Hollow is a special village, as it developed legends with a short time of history, it still has much less history than European villages. The narrator says that the legend happened "in some remote period of American story, that is to say, 30 years ago". In Europe, 30 years means the same as nothing on its history, but in America, it was already a great part of its existence.


The Natural and the Supernatural

People in Sleepy Hollow always prefer to believe in the supernatural explanation of a mistery. What proofs it is the fact that they prefer to believe that Ichabod was hit by a ghost's head than a pumpkin.


The Human Selfishness

Katrina, aware of Ichabod's feelings, starts to use the teacher to make Brom care more about her. This shows her selfishness, as, even knowing Ichabod's good intentions, she makes him a puppet to call her true love attention.

Veracity in Storytelling
Veracity in storytelling is a defining theme of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The story is distantly removed from the reader—Crayon has found the story in Diedrich Knickerbocker’s papers, who is dead, and who at the end of the story writes that he heard it from an old gentleman, who claimed to not have even believed half of it himself, ultimately getting much of the story from primary or even other secondary sources. Thus, even where the story is told with confidence, the narrator has given us reasons to doubt evrything. We become critical readers, unlike Crane, who believes the ghost stories he reads.

The narrator also admits to complete ignorance of one of the defining moments of the story—Katrina’s imagined rejection of Ichabod—as well as to its ending. He does, however, relay a scene which he can only have knowledge of if Crane (or the horseman) has told his story. There were no other witnesses. Given the narrative frame of the tale, we know that the narrator is not omniscient but has had to rely on others' tales.

Yet, the narrator has not demonstrated that factuality is the point. It is likely that the point of telling the story, just as it has been passed along from one person to another, is in the telling, the enjoyment of the tale. On the one hand, we are critical readers, because otherwise we would not figure out who is playing the role of the horseman. On the other hand, we shouldn't act like a boring schoolmaster but like a true listener, enjoying the tale.

Crayon almost seems to be challenging the reader to enjoy the story even though he doubts most of it, for in the postscript to the story, in which we find out that the previous narrator does not even believe it, the one man who does not enjoy hearing the story says that the reason he cannot enjoy it is that he does not believe it. This man is presented negatively as some kind of dour doubter, however, thus emphasizing the fact that one is better off suspending disbelief, at least enough to enjoy the tale as it is presented. This is a lesson for some literary critics and professors who lose the joy of reading in the course of minute interpretation.
The Power of Imagination
The power of imagination is very prominent in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and throughout Crayon’s collection as a whole. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Ichabod is a rather comedic and foolish protagonist. This comes, largely, from the strength of his imagination, and this leads to his downfall.

Ichabod’s primary enjoyment is reading stories about ghosts, demons, and witches, or hearing stories about the same; yet, because his imagination is so powerful, he pays for this dearly, having great frights every time he walks or rides home after dark. The littlest things frighten him, and he can convince himself that almost anything is supernatural.

Ichabod’s imagination thus makes his life more difficult, but it does not seem to alter his behavior, since his imagination leads him to think the supernatural things are real. He continues to read these stories, and he continues to walk home after dark. His imagination in its fantasizing function does, however, seriously affect his life in that it reinforces his impotence. Ichabod’s imagination is so powerful that he believes himself essentially already the owner of the Van Tassel farm. Because he gets so much joy out of this fantasy, he forgets that he has to put forth an effort to make it into a reality, so he does not.

Ichabod also tries to woo Katrina, imagining his future life with her. But he does not take Brom seriously enough as a rival, nor does he do anything to prove that he could be a husband who would offer anything to Katrina besides singing lessons. Thus Ichabod’s powerful imagination renders him impotent in reality.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Themes
Buy Study Guide
Veracity in Storytelling
Veracity in storytelling is a defining theme of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” The story is distantly removed from the reader—Crayon has found the story in Diedrich Knickerbocker’s papers, who is dead, and who at the end of the story writes that he heard it from an old gentleman, who claimed to not have even believed half of it himself, ultimately getting much of the story from primary or even other secondary sources. Thus, even where the story is told with confidence, the narrator has given us reasons to doubt evrything. We become critical readers, unlike Crane, who believes the ghost stories he reads.

The narrator also admits to complete ignorance of one of the defining moments of the story—Katrina’s imagined rejection of Ichabod—as well as to its ending. He does, however, relay a scene which he can only have knowledge of if Crane (or the horseman) has told his story. There were no other witnesses. Given the narrative frame of the tale, we know that the narrator is not omniscient but has had to rely on others' tales.

Yet, the narrator has not demonstrated that factuality is the point. It is likely that the point of telling the story, just as it has been passed along from one person to another, is in the telling, the enjoyment of the tale. On the one hand, we are critical readers, because otherwise we would not figure out who is playing the role of the horseman. On the other hand, we shouldn't act like a boring schoolmaster but like a true listener, enjoying the tale.

Crayon almost seems to be challenging the reader to enjoy the story even though he doubts most of it, for in the postscript to the story, in which we find out that the previous narrator does not even believe it, the one man who does not enjoy hearing the story says that the reason he cannot enjoy it is that he does not believe it. This man is presented negatively as some kind of dour doubter, however, thus emphasizing the fact that one is better off suspending disbelief, at least enough to enjoy the tale as it is presented. This is a lesson for some literary critics and professors who lose the joy of reading in the course of minute interpretation.
The Power of Imagination
The power of imagination is very prominent in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and throughout Crayon’s collection as a whole. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Ichabod is a rather comedic and foolish protagonist. This comes, largely, from the strength of his imagination, and this leads to his downfall.

Ichabod’s primary enjoyment is reading stories about ghosts, demons, and witches, or hearing stories about the same; yet, because his imagination is so powerful, he pays for this dearly, having great frights every time he walks or rides home after dark. The littlest things frighten him, and he can convince himself that almost anything is supernatural.

Ichabod’s imagination thus makes his life more difficult, but it does not seem to alter his behavior, since his imagination leads him to think the supernatural things are real. He continues to read these stories, and he continues to walk home after dark. His imagination in its fantasizing function does, however, seriously affect his life in that it reinforces his impotence. Ichabod’s imagination is so powerful that he believes himself essentially already the owner of the Van Tassel farm. Because he gets so much joy out of this fantasy, he forgets that he has to put forth an effort to make it into a reality, so he does not.

Ichabod also tries to woo Katrina, imagining his future life with her. But he does not take Brom seriously enough as a rival, nor does he do anything to prove that he could be a husband who would offer anything to Katrina besides singing lessons. Thus Ichabod’s powerful imagination renders him impotent in reality.
Lack of Class Structure in America
The theme of lack of class structure in America is most clear when reading “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in the greater context of The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., which offers the European contrast. It is still apparent here, however. Sleepy Hollow is an old town inhabited mostly by descendants of its original settlers. This would seemingly make it prone to family prejudices, a younger parallel to the European aged communities, yet there is no evidence of this kind of hierarchy. Instead, people are valued for their merits, such as their book learning or their ability in teaching, activities requiring strength, or singing.

Katrina Van Tassel is desired by almost every eligible young man in Sleepy Hollow, being the rich farmer’s daughter. In Europe, her lack of title would have limited those who would be interested in her to others of similar status, but in America (or at least this sleepy town) her abundance of resources, combined with her good looks, youth, and charm, are enough to make her very desirable. This is more of a unique money issue than a general class issue. Even as the most desired bachelorette in the neighborhood, moreover, she ends up choosing between a well-liked but irresponsible and rowdy young man, with no fortune that we know of, and a very poor and homeless school teacher with an obsession with ghost stories.

In their community, Ichabod is recommended by his comparatively good education; Brom, by his physical skills and likable personality. Their titles, families, and even money are not explicitly brought into consideration. This contrasts greatly with, for example, “The Pride of the Village,” another story in Irving's collection, in which a beautiful and virtuous young English woman ends up dying of heartbreak because the man she loves could not conceive of marrying her because of her comparatively low class.
Abundance of Resources in America
Although the source for “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is believed to be an old European folktale, in the context of The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., it is a very American story. This is clear, first of all, in the fact that it is set in America at all, when the primary cohesive factor of the collection is Crayon’s travels in Europe. Thus its being set in America is not just arbitrary but is an active choice and is thus essential, and this is reflected in several themes. While Europe has history, America has youth, promise, and resources.

Ichabod, like Rip Van Winkle, is indolent and impotent, barely able to provide for himself, producing nothing. He is, however, still able to eat almost constantly, as his appetite demands, because of the plentiful resources available in Sleepy Hollow. That this abundance is important is very clear, for almost half of the story is spent describing commodities: the Van Tassels’ land, farm, animals, house, possessions, and food. Whereas Katrina is described as youthful and pretty, each individual animal, each dish, is described in much more sensuous detail than she is. Thus resources become one of the most important features of the story, which goes along with Crayon’s belief that America’s advantages are in its natural resources and beautiful landscapes, while if one is looking for the best people and histories, Europe would be the better place to go.
Lack of History and Continuity in America
The lack of history and continuity in America, like the lack of class structure, is apparent in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and is even more apparent in the rest of the collection, which offers the European contrast. Sleepy Hollow’s overabundance of ghost stories, when compared to other American neighborhoods, is explained by the fact that it is an old village, whose inhabitants are largely descendants of the original settlers. Thus, even though it is an American village, it is presented as more like a European village than most American neighborhoods, which allows it to have legends.

However, its youth in comparison to European towns is still very clear, as when Diedrich Knickerbocker says, facetiously, that the story he is going to relay happened during a very “remote period of American history, that is to say, some thirty years since” (274). In Europe, thirty years is barely a generation, not quite "history," but in America, even a twenty-year nap like Rip Van Winkle’s can result in missing a defining period of history.

Knickerbocker also emphasizes that a town like Sleepy Hollow is unusual in America, for most towns do not develop ghost stories, since no ghosts would come back to haunt people who move along so quickly. Sleepy Hollow is disconnected from other towns to the degree that even though Crane is alive somewhere, the people of the town never hear about him. The lack of history and continuity give people in America more freedom, such as freedom of movement, because it is accepted that people come and go and have to succeed on the basis of their talents. People do not have to live up to any expectations set by the generations that came before them.
The Natural and the Supernatural
Irving paints a strong contrast between the natural setting of Sleepy Hollow and the supernatural superstitions of the townspeople. Were it not for the people, with their stories of ghosts and their fears of ghosts, there would be no ghosts. Meanwhile, much of the tale focuses on the natural setting: the birds, trees, and the rest of the flora and fauna of the area, as well as the bodies of water, all described in beautiful detail.

Was Ichabod hit by a ghostly head or a natural pumpkin? It seems clear that the natural explanation should make more sense. But in Sleepy Hollow, there is a vibrant tradition of privileging ideas of the supernatural, and despite all the natural evidence, many people in the town blame the Headless Horseman for Ichabod's disappearance.

Finally, folklore about supernatural beings often focuses on ways that they can be controlled by natural things. For instance, because of the idea that ghosts haunt specific areas, people imagine that they cannot cross a bridge over a body of water, which would take them into a new area. Althouh the supernatural is by definition beyond the natural world, people seek to rationalize, contain, and contain it through storytelling and folklore.
Human Selfishness
Although “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a light-hearted story, told in a humorous manner, it does not paint the most flattering picture of humanity—it probably does not “prompt a benevolent view of human nature” as Crayon says he desires to do in his writing. This is particularly true in the rampant selfishness seen in most of the characters. Most obviously, Ichabod desires Katrina most of all for the increase to his material wealth she would represent, and he even imagines himself selling off her family’s farm once it would be in his possession, for the money. Even when Ichabod shows his better characteristics, helping out around the farms he stays at and keeping the children and wives happy, his primary goal in doing so is to keep his hosts content so that they will let him stay, and continue to feed him.

Yet this is not the only example of greed or selfishness. Katrina uses Ichabod to secure Brom’s affection---she may understand Ichabod’s true motives, but either way, it cannot be denied that she does not hesitate to use him to suit her purposes. That this selfishness, or at least self-centeredness, is not confined to a few characters becomes very clear when Ichabod disappears. A search party is created, but only because Hans Van Ripper wants his missing saddle back, and when there is no sign of Ichabod, nobody cares. This is because has no debts, the assumption being that if he had owed anyone any money, they would have put much more effort into finding him. Thus Sleepy Hollow is a collection of people who, as in most places, put their self-interest first.

Quiz - Sleepy Hollow

1
How does Diedrich Knickerbocker come to know this story?
He met Ichabod when he was a judge.
He was distantly related to the Van Tassels.
He visited Sleepy Hollow, where old wives told him the story.
He heard it from an old man at a corporation meeting.
2
Why do the town historians believe the Headless Horseman is often near the church?
They believe he is trying to atone for his sins and get to heaven.
They believe he died looking for sanctuary.
They believe he died while attacking the church.
They believe his body is buried in the churchyard.
3
What building was designed so that a thief could get in easily but not get out?
The church.
Ichabod Crane’s house.
The school house.
Baltus Van Tassel's farmhouse.
4
What is Ichabod vain about?
His height.
His house.
His singing voice.
His clothes.
5
Which of these characters did not grow up near Sleepy Hollow?
Katrina Van Tassel.
Ichabod Crane.
Brom Bones.
Hans Van Ripper.
6
At which of the following is Ichabod least skilled?
Dancing.
Horseback riding.
Singing.
Teaching.
7
Which of the following is true of Ichabod Crane as a teacher?
He spoils his students.
He treats every student exactly the same.
He frequently disciplines his students with a rod.
He only cares about his brightest students.
8
What does Brom start to do to win Katrina from Ichabod when he realizes that Ichabod will not fight him?
He tries to win over Katrina’s father.
He educates himself so he can rival Ichabod.
He plays practical jokes on Ichabod.
He spreads rumors about Ichabod.
9
Which of the following best categorizes “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?"
Memoir.
Horror.
Humor.
Melodrama.
10
What does Mrs. Van Tassel spend most of her time doing?
Cooking and cleaning.
Looking after her hens.
Teaching singing lessons.
Watching out for Katrina.
11
What is one of Ichabod's favorite subjects?
Dinosaurs.
Religion.
Witches.
Revolutionary War stories.
12
What does the Headless Horseman do when Ichabod turns around?
He throws his head at Ichabod.
He explodes.
He turns into a skeleton.
He disappears suddenly.
13
What is probably most important in making Ichabod fall for Katrina?
Her charm.
Her beauty.
Her father’s farm.
Her intelligence.
14
Who lends Ichabod a horse?
Katrina Van Tassel.
Hans Van Ripper.
Baltus Van Tassel.
Brom Bones.
15
What excuse does Ichabod use to see Katrina frequently?
He gets riding lessons from her father.
His role as her school master.
His role as her singing teacher.
Her mother’s great ghost stories.
16
What sport did the narrator first do in Sleepy Hollow?
Squirrel shooting.
Horseback riding.
Fishing.
Canoeing.
17
What is Brom Bones' real name?
Abraham Van Brunt.
Abraham Bones.
Brom Van Tassel.
Brom Bones.
18
What is the ancestry of most of Sleepy Hollow's inhabitants?
French.
Dutch.
German.
British.
19
Why does Ichabod let his students leave early one day?
So that he can get ready for a party at the Van Tassels’.
He has read a ghost story and become afraid to walk home after dark.
He is planning to fight Brom Bones.
A bad snow storm is coming.
20
How do most people think the Headless Horseman lost his head?
He hit it on a bridge while his horse was galloping.
A cannon ball knocked it off.
An American soldier decapitated him with his sword.
He was guillotined.
21
The line, "When he entered the house, the conquest of his heart was complete," illustrates the narrator's cynical view of which of the following?
Wealth.
Morality.
Charity.
Love.
22
Ichabod is especially:
Tall and thin.
Shy.
Burly.
Violent.
23
What item of Ichabod's is found by the brook after he disappears?
His pants.
His hat.
His school book.
His coat.
24
Where does Ichabod expect the Headless Horseman to disappear?
At the schoolhouse.
At the church.
At the bridge by the church.
At Major Andre's tree.
25
Who is most likely responsible for Ichabod's run-in with the Headless Horseman?
Baltus Van Tassel.
Katrina Van Tassel.
Hans Van Ripper.
Brom Bones.

Email to the Swan Hotel

Hello,
I'm going to England next month, and, after searchng for a relaxing hotel, I've found the Swan Hotel. I'm probably staying 2 weeks there, but I have some concerns about it. I'm travelling with a group of 6 friends, so I would need 2 big bedrooms. Also, one of my friends has just broken a leg. We're planning to walk by the hotel's garden, and this is probably going to be very exhaustive to him. I would like to know if you have a wheelchair for him. This would be very helpful during long walks. He would also need an elevator, as he wouldn't be able to climb stairs.
As I said, my friend will be very tired with all these walks, and he is probably going to stay at the hotel sometimes. As he loves to read, I would like to know if there is a more remote place for him to read in silence.
If all these needs meet, I would be very thankful.

Thank you for your attention,

Vitor Fleck



Answer:

Hello,
We have 2 bedrooms with 2 beds and one sofa bed each available. About your friend, yes, we do have wheelchairs here. When you arrive at the reception desk, you just need to ask our employee for it. We have elevators also, and regarding the place where your friend can read, we have a library with Internet acces. It is usually very calm, so I think it would be a good place for him.
Another thing that I suppose you forgot to write us is about the bathrooms. Every floor has a special bathroom for people with disabilities, so, if your friend needs it, don't worry.

Thank you

The Swan Hotel

Phrasal Verbs Text

Tomorrow, I'm going to travel to London with my friends. I'm really looking forward to this trip! We've prepared everything: I'm going to set off at 1:00pm, when John will pick me up to go to the airport. When we arrive at the airport we are going to check-in. Then, we are going to say goodbye to our parents, who will saw us off at the airport. In London, we will get around the city by a sight-seeing bus, and we won't get back to the hotel until very late, as we wanna enjoy as much as possible the city. We are going to visit the Big Ben, Churchill War Rooms museum, London Aquarium, Wembley Stadium... everything!
When our travel is over, at October 21, we're going to check out of the hotel at 6:00pm. Then, we will go to the airport to take our flight to Porto Alegre, at 10:00pm.
I cannot wait to this, it is going to be amazing!

Selling trips

Client 1:
So, you are a football fan? I would highly reccomend you to visit England. As you must know, football was created there, and many great clubs are English, like Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspurs, Liverpool, etc. You can stay one week in London, which is the city were you can visit most of the clubs and then rent a car to travel to Manchester and Liverpool. I suggest you to stay 2 days at each city.

Client 2:
You want a gastronomic trip? I suggest you Paris. French people are known by their taste, and Paris in the center of great foods. You can enjoy some great restaurants, appreciating the meal, and also visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world!
I would reccomend you to stay in Paris a week or two. But you can also go by train to Provence region. To Avignon, for example. There, you can also rent a car and visit small villages to try their typical Provence culinary.

Client 3:
You want to be in the nature during your vacations? New Zealand is your place. It's one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with great forest and a incredible biodiversity. I wouldn't reccomend you to stay in just one city, but to rent a car and visit city by city, doing picnics and taking pictures of the great landscape during the trip

Expointer

Every year, in the city of Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Expointer takes place. Expointer is a state fair where farmers expose their animals. People can also buy animals like rabbits, chickens, etc, from the farmers. Animals competitions also happen at Expointer, so the owners of the animals can get prizes. The winner animals stay exposed with their medal, on a featured place. Enterprises that produce machines for farms also go to Expointer, to show their products.

As Rio Grande do Sul is a state where many people have a "country life", many people from diferent cities of the state and even from São Paulo, Santa Catarina, etc visit the market, which makes it one of the biggest farm events on the country.

If you enjoy farms, or just like animals, visit Expointer. I can assure you it will be a great experience!

Prepositions for Life

Tips: Brazil, U.K., U.S. and Canada

As we know, the relationship of people with tips changes according to their country. I lived in Canada for a year, and I can say that this relationship is completely different from Brazil, where I lived most of my life. But I also visited the U.K. and the U.S., and their relationship with tips are completely different from each other. That's why I decided to compare tips in Brazil, U.K., U.S. and Canada.

Brazil: people relationship with tips in Brazil changes from person to person. Some only pay it when it is included on the bill. Others prefer to pay it when the service is good, otherwise, no tips.

U.S.: The U.S. are maybe the country where tips are taken more seriously. There isn't the alternative of not paying it. You can pay less if you think the service was poor, you can pay more if it was great. But you pay it! There, you should give tips to employees that you've never imagine giving tips for. As an  example, bag carriers in a hotel.

U.K.: Tips are common in the U.K., but not as important as in the U.S. People pay less or more, according to the service. But different from America, a bag carrier in a hotel won't get "angry" with you if you don't give him tips or give just some cents.

Canada: In Canada, things work exactly as in the U.S. Don't even dare not giving tips to the taxi driver, especially if you are coming from the airport. The driver won't even open you the trunk for you to take your bags. So... Better give them tips!

Granby Zoo

Located in Montreal, Canada, the Granby Zoo is the bigger zoo in the whole state of Quebec, and one of the greatest in Canada.
Different from the majority of the others zoos, Granby doesn't have all the animals in the same area of the park. They are divided according to the continent they belong to. So, if you just want to see lions, elephants, rhinos, etc, you can just visit the Africa zone, where you can see many animals from the continent. This division also helps school excursions. If the students are studying asian animals, they can visit just the respective area, so they don't waste time.
Another interesting thing in Granby is that, when you buy your tickets, you also receive a passport, which has some information about the animals and pages to be stamped with the animals motifs.
So, if you are planning visiting Montreal, have children and are an animal fan, Granby Zoo is the right place for you!

My Nona Angela's restaurant review

Last week, I went to Nona Angela restaurant, in Porto Alegre. The atmosphere there was pretty agreable. As the restaurant is a buffet, I tried a bit from evrything they had there.

The sushi was very tasty, as the meat, which was under-done, but I liked it. Their breaded chicken was amazing! Very crispy and savoury. I tried also some "pastéis", but those ones were a bit too greasy and salty. 

As I went there with a foreign friend, we decided to ask some typical brazilian barbecue. Then, he would have the opportunity of trying some typical food. 20 minutes passed and it didn't arrive to us. Then, I asked:

- I'm sorry, but I asked for some barbecue near 30 minutes ago.

The waiter told me that he would see what happened. 20 more minutes passed, but the waiter didn't bring it. I asked again:

- Excuse me, but we're waiting for our barbecue for near an hour!

Again, the waiter said he would see what happened. It was only after I asked him for the third time that our barbecue was brought...

Summarizing, Nona Angela is a great restaurant, with delicious food, but terrible service. As a final grade, I would give it 7/10.

Avignon's Theater Festival

Every year, during the month of July, Avignon's Theater Festival takes place. Theater plays from all around the world come to the French city. The festival has plays for every taste: comedy, horror, drama...
 An interesting thing about the festival is that it is where most popular new French plays become famous. But, if you prefer to be in the "safezone", you can watch Cyrano de Bergerac, Macbeth, Hamlet, etc.
But if you are not a fan of theater, there is no problem: many street artists come to Avignon during the festival, so you can watch acrobacies and other amazing spectacles for just some coins!
As it takes place during the month of July, which is the month when most tourists visit France, the Theater Festival is a great alternative if you are planning a visit to Provence. The only problem is that it is so famous that the city gets completely full. That means: forget visiting other turistic points at Avignon...

Frankeinstein answers (3-4)

3) I don't think that knowledge is the true cause of his sufferings, because, if the monster created thanks to his knowledge was "educated" properly, he could be a great invention for humanity, helping us to achieve difficult tasks, for example.
 The novel presents knowledge as dangerous many times: with Victor, when he creates the monster, with the creature, who was sad after learning about his appearance and the world that he lived, and with Walton, that was stopped by the ice and nearly died because he wanted to explore the North Pole.

4) I think foreshadowing makes the story even more interesting, because, when we learn about Victor appearance, in the beginning of the novel, we want to know how he went to this situation. Of course, it reveals a bit of the story as we get through it, but nothing that affects its enjoyment.
Foreshadowing differs from each narrator. Let's see some examples:

Walton: Robert says that his men saw a giant creature on a sled. It foreshadows that the story is going to have something to do between Walton and this creature.
Frankenstein: when Victor runs from his creation, we can presume that the creature is going to be free in the world, spreading horror at people. There, we understand what is the story going to tell us.
The creature: when the monster gets rejected by De Lacey's family because of his appearance, we presume that he is going to develop a hate for humans, and that he will try to have his revenge at his creator, the responsible for his appearance and for his rejection.

Lacoste

Located at France's south region, Lacoste is a small village with a great history.
First of all: the city has nothing to do with the brand with this name. Actually, the brand was created by a tennis player whose last name was Lacoste. That's the origin of the name. But let's go to the main point:
Lacoste is a very interesting village. Its tortuous small streets makes it a typical southern France city. But Lacoste is an attraction for tourists for one reason: it was were Marquis de Sade lived. For those who doesn't know who was the marquis, the word "sadism" was coined after him. You can imagine why.
The castle where he lived is located on the top of the city. There, you can learn a lot about him and his habits (it is not the kind of knowledge I would want to have, but if you want to...). For those who prefer to stay away from all this awkward and horrible facts, it is worth to go up the mountain because of the amazing view it has. There, you can see all the neighbour villages, mixed with the natural beauties of Provence region, and take great photos!

Accents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtB1W8zkY5A

The Apt's Market

Located in the south region of France, Apt is a small village known for its market.

There, you can find every single traditional French food, because food merchants from every region of France come to the market, that is a reference in the region and takes place in the village since the 16th century. You can also find provençal products, like lavander sachets and other products with Provence theme, as clothes like dresses and hats, with lavender prints.

If you are a tourist in France's south region, the Apt's market is a very good alternative of visit. There, you can really feel how is to live in Provence, as you are having contact with a typical everyday scene of the village. I've had the opportunity of being there, and I can assure you: it's great!

Frankeinstein quizz (chapters 14-15): answers

In spring, a woman called Safie arrives. She is Turkish and is Félix's fiancee. As the woman doesn't speak French, the young man teaches her, and the creature learns together, observing them. The Monster learns even faster than Safie!
Frankeinstein's creation learns the science of letters when Félix teaches the Arabian to read in his language, using the book Volney's Ruins of Empires. Also with the book, the creature discovers the wars, manners, governments, religions, etc. Perplexed, the Monster says that all those sad things  make him find the world disguting (which proves that he is a lot less monstruous than many humans!).
With all this knowledge, Victor's creature starts to ask himself what is him, if he is so different of humans. He even says that the knowledge is kind of bad for him, because it makes him reflect about how "unhuman" he is, which makes him feel sad.
The Monster discovers little by little Safie's and De Lacey's family relation. The Turkish's father had been wrongly accused of a crime. Recognizing the fail of the judges, and enchanted by Safie, Félix had helped the Turkish to escape from the prision, but when the government had discovered it, De Lacey's family had got expelled from France. They had to live in the cottage then.
To arrive at Félix's house, Safie had to travel a long distance. During the trip, her assistant, an Italian girl, had got ill. Even with all the Turkish's devoted cares, she had died, but happily, she said the spot where the cottage was located, so the Arabian could arrive at her lover house safely.
One day, the creature finds in the wood a portmanteau, with 3 books in it: Paradise Lost, Plutarch's Lives and the Sorrows of Werter. During his reading, he Monster starts to compare the story of Sorrows of Werter with his life.
One day, the creature finally decides to talk with De Lacey, who is alone, because Fèlix, Agatha and Safie went out. In the hope of being welcome by the family, he presents himself as a poor traveller, and says that he was searching for the house of the only people who could be his friends. Then, he asks if the old man could help him. De Lacey asks the name of these people. Suddenly, Félix, Agatha and Safie come back. The Turkish faints, the young woman runs away and the young man, desperated, takes a weapon and shoots the Monster, who flees, sad and disappointed. It was the beggining of his war with humans.

La Tarte Tropezienne

Original from the city of Saint-Tropez, in France, Tarte Tropezienne is a network of bakeries with stores in more than 10 cities over France. But before describing how amazing is it, let's have a look on its history.
The man who created the bakery was a Polish immigrant, who came to France near a century ago. He lived in Saint Tropez and went to every market day in the city. The cake, that was an invention of his grandmother, became very famous in the market, and many people, including French celebrities of those times, suggested to "professionalize" the sweet (believe or not, it was called by the Polish as a simple brioche!).
The idea was approved by the inventor, and the bakery became very famous. The actual owner of it is the nephew of the creator, as his son died last year. La Tarte Tropezziene has even a store in Paris, where their cake, which is a lightly salted batter with a kind of creme brulée on it, is sold!
Don't miss it!

Frankenstein - Quiz - Chapters 13, 14 & 15

Who arrives at the cottage in the spring? What is Safie's background? How does her language problem help the creature? Which of them learns faster?

How does the creature learn about reading? What book does Felix use to teach Safie?
 
What does the creature learn from this book? How much of a monster can someone be who can say "but when I heard details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased, and I turned away with disgust and loathing”?
   
What happens when the creature begins to think about himself? How does he compare with the humans described in the book? What questions does he ask himself? How does his knowledge make him feel?

What does he learn about human relationships, and how does this make him feel?

How did the De Lacey family come to be living in the cottage?
 
How did Safie come to find and join them?
 
What does the creature find in the woods?
   
What are the three books that the creature reads, and what does he learn from each?

What else does the creature read and what does he learn from it?
 
How long has it been since the creature came to life? What is Victor doing at this point? (See chapter 6.)
   
What does the creature hope will happen when he talks to De Lacey? What actually happens?

Stade Vélodrome

Located in Marseille, France, Stade Vélodrome is the Olympique de Marseille, one of the most traditional teams in France, stadium.
The stadium was built in 1937, but suffered many reforms . The most recent one, in 2014, made the stadium an "elite" one. That means that Stade Vélodrome can host World Cup, Champions League and many other important tournaments finals.
A peculiar characteristic of the "home" of Olympique de Marseille (also known as just OM) is that the club isn't the owner of the stadium. It is located by the OM, but the truly owner is not the French government or Marseille's local authorities, but a man! As many people have a holiday houses, or a farm houses, this man has a stadium. Why not?
With the upcoming Eurocup, which will take place in France in 2016, Stade Vélodrome will probably host great matches. It's the opportunity for Marseille to show that the city has (in my opinion) one of the greatest and more modern stadiums in the world!

LIVING IN: PROVENCE

From http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20110707-living-in-provence

Tourists flood the region in summer, looking for their place in the sun, but those who own a little piece of this paradise enjoy every season.

Imagine chucking it all in, Peter Mayle-style, for a mas (farmhouse) on a vine-covered hillside where you will make your own wine while sipping pastis and making friends with your crusty winemaking vigneron neighbours. You are picturing Provence. Tourists flood the region in summer, looking for their place in the sun, but those who own a little piece of this paradise enjoy every season.

What is it known for?
The good life, one saturated with Provençal colours and flavours, with endless fields of lavender and white-washed stone farmhouses that epitomize the French country chic ideal, immortalized by artists old and new. And do not forget the cuisine and the chefs who are drawn to use what the land produces, from humble bar-restaurants to the Michelin-starredrestaurants gastronomique. Perhaps most enticingly, more than half of France’s rosé comes from the region.

Provence is a large region that includes many areas, from the inland mountains of the Alpes de Haute Provence to the golden beaches of the Cote d’Azur. The natural beauty and the tidy, picturesque villages, weekly markets, and range of activities — from horseback riding to skiing — make it a sought-after region for holiday-makers and second-home buyers alike.

This has also made house prices somewhat impervious to the vicissitudes of the global economy. “The Provence market has survived the economic crisis and our colleagues in France are optimistic for the future,” said Anne Mizrachi of French property agents Latitudes.

Where do you want to live?
“There are many reasons why people want to purchase a house in Provence,” said Mizrachi. “Some are looking for a bolthole in the sun — a lock and leave type property, others for a more substantial holiday home with a swimming pool.” And then there are those looking for an investment who want to rent out their properties. They tend to look in places that are magnets for holiday renters, particularly city properties like those in Cannes, Nice, Marseille, Avignon and so on.

Vauclause is a popular area, made so by Peter Mayle and hisA Year in Provence books; the medieval villages of Gordes, Lourmarin and Roussillon in particular. In the Bouches de Rhone, Aix-en-Provence is a perennial favourite, and people also search down near Marseilles and the coastal resorts.

St Tropez in Var, along with Les Issambres and Le Lavandou attract buyers who want a coastal property, but prices have pushed land hunters inland to Fayence, Lorgues, Grimaud and Cogolin. Houses with sea views along the Cote d’Azur such as Cannes, Antibes, Juan les Pins, Beaulieu and Nice command the highest prices. “Coastal properties within easy reach of an airport are usually more expensive than inland properties,” said Mizrachi. “You’ll pay a premium for a sea view. A one-bedroom apartment on the Cote d’Azur would start around 250,000 euros.” A two-bedroom penthouse with a terrace and panoramic views of Nice just steps from the seafront costs around 1.3 million euros.

The least expensive area is the Alpes de Haut Provence, in hilltop villages like Valbonne, Mougins and St Paul de Vence. You may get a lot more for your money, but even there, a three-bedroom house with mountain views and a swimming pool costs can cost almost 1.3 million euros as well.

Side trips
Just travelling from one part of Provence to another can make for a wonderful day or weekend trip. There are train connections to all other parts of France and the TGV from Marseilles makes the trip to Paris in just three hours. There are intercity connections to Switzerland, Italy and Spain.

Provence is mainly served by the Nice airport, and Air France has non-stop flights to New York and other international cities. The Marseilles and Nimes airports are served by regional European airlines with flights to the UK and the rest of Europe.

Practical info
In Provence, every hillside and town has its own personality and ambience, so to merely like a property is not enough, you must also like the location and the local village. If you are attracted by a house and are considering putting in an offer, let the agent know straight away. “You need to register your interest,” explained Mizrachi. “In France, a house can be sold and off the market within a day.”

When it comes to putting money down, check with a currency broker and your bank to find out the best and cheapest way of transferring funds. You will also want to know what is included in the price, like fees for the agent and notary. There are other rates to check on like the taxe fonciere and the taxe d’habitation, along with maintenance charges.

“Provence has what everyone wants: Mediterranean climate, varied architecture, the prestige and the lifestyle,” said Mizrachi.

Further information
Provence Post: English-language blog on festivals, food and wine, tours and travel
Anglo-American Group of Provence: network of English-speaking expatriates that provide support and activities
The Riviera Times: English-language newspaper for the French and Italian Riviera

Frankenstein: Chapters 13 & 14

Summary: Chapter 13

As winter thaws into spring, the monster notices that the cottagers, particularly Felix, seem unhappy. A beautiful woman in a dark dress and veil arrives at the cottage on horseback and asks to see Felix. Felix becomes ecstatic the moment he sees her. The woman, who does not speak the language of the cottagers, is named Safie. She moves into the cottage, and the mood of the household immediately brightens. As Safie learns the language of the cottagers, so does the monster. He also learns to read, and, since Felix uses Constantin-François de Volney’s Ruins of Empires to instruct Safie, he learns a bit of world history in the process. Now able to speak and understand the language perfectly, the monster learns about human society by listening to the cottagers’ conversations. Reflecting on his own situation, he realizes that he is deformed and alone. “Was I then a monster,” he asks, “a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled, and whom all men disowned?” He also learns about the pleasures and obligations of the family and of human relations in general, which deepens the agony of his own isolation.

Summary: Chapter 14

After some time, the monster’s constant eavesdropping allows him to reconstruct the history of the cottagers. The old man, De Lacey, was once an affluent and successful citizen in Paris; his children, Agatha and Felix, were well-respected members of the community. Safie’s father, a Turk, was falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to death. Felix visited the Turk in prison and met his daughter, with whom he immediately fell in love. Safie sent Felix letters thanking him for his intention to help her father and recounting the circumstances of her plight (the monster tells Victor that he copied some of these letters and offers them as proof that his tale is true). The letters relate that Safie’s mother was a Christian Arab who had been enslaved by the Turks before marrying her father. She inculcated in Safie an independence and intelligence that Islam prevented Turkish women from cultivating. Safie was eager to marry a European man and thereby escape the near-slavery that awaited her in Turkey. Felix successfully coordinated her father’s escape from prison, but when the plot was discovered, Felix, Agatha, and De Lacey were exiled from France and stripped of their wealth. They then moved into the cottage in Germany upon which the monster has stumbled. Meanwhile, the Turk tried to force Safie to return to Constantinople with him, but she managed to escape with some money and the knowledge of Felix’s whereabouts.

Analysis: Chapters 13–14

The subplot of Safie and the cottagers adds yet another set of voices to the novel. Their story is transmitted from the cottagers to the monster, from the monster to Victor, from Victor to Walton, and from Walton to his sister, at which point the reader finally gains access to it. This layering of stories within stories enables the reworking of familiar ideas in new contexts. One such idea is the sense of “otherness” that many characters in Frankenstein feel. The monster, whose solitude stems from being the only creature of his kind in existence and from being shunned by humanity, senses this quality of being different most powerfully. His deformity, his ability to survive extreme conditions, and the grotesque circumstances of his creation all serve to mark him as the ultimate outsider. Victor, too, is an outsider, as his awful secret separates him from friends, family, and the rest of society. In the subplot of the cottagers, this idea recurs in the figures of both Safie and her father. His otherness as a Muslim Turk in Paris results in a threat to his life from the prejudiced and figures in power. Her feelings of being oppressed by Islam’s confining gender roles compel her to seek escape to the more egalitarian ideas of Christianity.

The monster’s fascination with the relationship between Felix and Safie lies in his desperate desire for Victor to accept him. Felix’s willingness to risk everything for the sake of someone who has been unjustly punished gives the monster hope that Victor will recognize the hurtful injustice of abandoning him. However, just as Felix’s bravery in helping Safie’s father escape stands in stark contrast to Victor’s shameful unwillingness to save Justine, so does Felix’s compassion for Safie underscore Victor’s cold hatred for the monster.

Language and communication take center stage in these chapters, as the monster emerges from his infantile state and begins to understand and produce written and spoken language. His alienation from society, however, provides him no opportunity to communicate with others; rather, he is a one-way conduit, a voyeur, absorbing information from the cottagers without giving anything in return. The importance of language as a means of self-expression manifests itself in the monster’s encounter with Victor on the glacier. Just as each distinct narrative voice contributes to the novel’s richly woven web of allusions and biases, the monster’s romanticization of the cottagers as kind and friendly reflects his desperate desire for companionship and affection.

Texts play an important role throughout the novel, especially in shaping the monster’s conception of his identity and place in the world. As his language skills increase, the monster gains a sense of the world through Felix’s reading of Ruins of Empires. In these chapters, he acquires the ability to understand the crucial texts that he soon discovers, including Paradise Lost. This text introduces him to Adam and Satan, to both of whom he eventually compares himself. In addition to shaping his identity, the written word provides the monster with a means of legitimizing his past. In offering to show Victor copies of Safie’s letters, he hopes to validate his perspective on the tragedy that has befallen them and thus gain Victor’s sympathy. His belief in the truth of the written word, however, seems particularly naïve in a novel with a narrative structure as complex as that of Frankenstein; just as he falsely assumes that Paradise Lost is historically accurate, he hopes groundlessly that his narrative can win Victor over.

One of the novel’s persistent motifs is that of the passive woman, a gentle creature who submits to the demands of the active, powerful men around her. Safie turns this stereotype on its head when she boldly rejects her father’s attempt to return her to the constraints and limitations of life in Constantinople. Her willingness to take the initiative, to strike out on her own in the face of adversity and uncertainty, makes her one of the strongest characters in the novel, despite her minor role. Like her father and the monster, Safie is an outsider; unlike them, she manages to gain acceptance. Additionally, Shelley’s depiction of her character contains a strong cross-cultural value judgment. It esteems European culture, with its flexibility, openness, and opportunities for women, over Arab or Muslim culture, with its rigidity, self-enclosed quality, and strict gender prescriptions.

Frankenstein - Chapters 6 to 8

1. What is waiting for Victor when he finally recovers? Who has nursed him during his illness?
2. Who is Justine Moritz and what is her story? What comments does Elizabeth make about her position in Swiss society? What religion is Justine?
3. Who is William and how old is he?
4. What does Victor do after his recovery? What is Clerval's "plan of life"?
5. When does Victor finally plan to return home? What do he and Clerval do while waiting for his father's directions?
6. What is waiting for Victor when he returns to his apartment? What news does his father have for him? And what is his father's name? How does Victor respond?
7. How long has Victor been away from home? What happens the night he returns to Geneva? How does he respond?
8. Whom does Victor see that night? When was the last time they saw each other? How long ago was that?
9. What does Victor now believe happened to William? What does Victor assume about the nature of the creature?
10. Who has been identified as the murder, and on what evidence? How does Victor respond to this news? Why doesn't he say anything about the real murderer?
11. What happens at Justine's trial? How does Victor respond?
12. The next day, why does Justine say she has confessed to the murder of William? How does Victor respond to Justine's situation and to Elizabeth's anguish?

The Dream School

For me, the perfect school would be like this:
You arrive at school and meet your friends. You have 40 minutes to talk with them, and then, the class starts. When you get tired, you can ask for a break of 10 minutes. You can have 2 breaks per day.
The subjects in the dream school are Portuguese, English, Arts, Physical Education, Maths, Geography, History, Sciences and Languages. In this last subject, you would be able to choose a language of your preference to learn. You don't need to use uniform at the school.
If you get very good grades at the trimester, you get rewards, for example: 1 extra break during the whole next trimester, 1-2 days of break for the rest of the year, gift cards for the school restaurant, etc.
During the longest break which the duration is 40 minutes, you could dispute sports competitions with your class team, or you could just talk with your friends.
Every trimester, there would be 2 weeks of tests. During these weeks, you could go to school, make the test, and come back home or stay at the school to play sports or chat with friends. You would have also the option of going to your teacher's office and ask questions about the upcoming tests. The professor would give you as many pages of exercises as you need, to practise at home.
In the end of the year, there would be a ceremony to award the best students of the year. The awards would be: extended holidays (one extra week), 5 books of your choice or 7 days of free meals at the school restaurant.

The National Coach Museum

Located in Lisbon, Portugal, the National Coach Museum is near the Pastel de Belém restaurant (which I have already wrote about). In this museum, which was a suggestion of our waiter while we were eating Pastel de Belém, you can see most of the carriages used by the royal family of Portugal and even some which were used by queens from other countries. They have nearly every single carriage used during special occasions, like festivals, that took place in Portugal, and also, of course, the ordinary (I think that this is not the right definition for this vehicles, but...) carriages of the royal family.
If you are a history fan, the National Coach Museum is an obligatory visit, even more if you are aware of the fantastic history of the country. It is another great reason to visit Portugal!

The Lady and Her Monsters

Frankenstein: Analysis: Chapters 6–8

Victor’s incorporation of written letters into his story allows both Elizabeth and Alphonse to participate directly in the narrative, bypassing Victor to speak directly to Walton and the reader. However, at the same time that the letters increase the realism of the narrative, allowing the reader to hear the characters’ distinct voices, they also make the overall narrative less plausible. It is unlikely that Frankenstein would remember the letters word-for-word and even more unlikely that Walton would record them as such in his own letters to his sister. Furthermore, there is the question of filtering: the recollections of either Victor or Walton, or both, could be biased, either subconsciously or consciously. The presence of these letters foregrounds the issue of whether or not the narrator is reliable.

Women continue to play a mostly passive role in the narrative. Although Elizabeth stands up for Justine’s innocence, she, like Justine, is completely helpless to stop the execution. Only Victor has the power to do so, as he is in possession of crucial knowledge that could identify the real killer. It is clear where the power lies in the relationship between Victor and Elizabeth: he makes the decisions; she pleads with him to make the right ones.

Appearing in Ingolstadt at just the right moment to nurse Victor back to health, Henry serves as the line of communication between Victor and his family, presenting him with an avenue back to the warmth of society. In asking Victor to introduce him to the professors at the university, however, Henry drags him back into the realm of chemistry, science, and dangerous knowledge that he has just escaped. By accompanying Victor on his walking tour, Henry reawakens in him a sense of health, openness, and friendly society that he had lost during his months of work creating the monster. Henry plays the foil to Victor; he embodies relentless clarity, openness, concern, and good health, in sharp contrast to Victor’s secrecy, self-absorption, and ill health.

Tim Burton & Frankenweenie

The Cake Boss

Located in New York, The Cake Boss is a restaurant specialized, as its name says, in cakes.
Actually, the restaurant is a bit like a "boutique" of cakes and products from the TV program Cake Boss, in which a chef called Carlos and his team make amazing decorated cakes for very special occasions. There, you can try ordinary (but delicious) cakes, or order a great, complex and decorated cake, like the ones which are made in the program. If you are a real fan of it, you can also buy products of it, like bobbleheads of Carlos, kits to make cakes, and others kitchen products, like aprons and chef hats.
If you are a fan of the TV show, it would be a great alternative of activity when you have some free time in New York. But even if you don't follow the program, the cakes are worth the visit, I assure!

2500

Hello
My name is Vitor. I'm writing this letter to tell you about my life in the year of 2500, whoever you are.
Today I woke up at 9am, when my brain controller decided that my brain had enough hours of sleep. I went to the kitchen and ate some bread, that was asked by my Internet of Things, because it was over after yesterday's dinner. Then I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. My Smartmirror thought I was a bit fat, so it sent messages to my freezer to block the acces of chocolates and others sweets, so I had to limitate my lunch dessert to a fruit salad...
After lunch, I went to my bedroom, because my holografic private tutor was waiting for me. My parents told me that 500 years ago, we had to go to a place called school, where we met our friends and teachers. I wish I could try this. In today's days, I can't be distracted during class, because the holografic teacher stops the class immediately if I do.
After class, I was supposed to meet my friends at the park and play football, but my father's car face recognition sistem couldn't recognize us and called the police. We spent 2 hours to convince them that we were not criminals, and that the system just had a bug.
When I arrived at home, exhausted because of all this, I couldn't believe my eyes: the auto-cleaning system of my bedroom bugged too, so I had to do it by myself!
When I went to sleep, I couldn't even have a nice dream or even a nightmare, because the actual pillows makes you dream about school subjects, to strengthen knowledge...

Frankeinstein's answers (Chapters 1-3)

In the first three chapters of the book, Victor Frankenstein tells us a lot about his life and childhood
Frankenstein lived in Vienna. His mother, Caroline Beaufort, was the daughter of a great friend of his father. When his friend died, Victor's father married Caroline, who was in a very bad situation (she had no money). Victor says that he felt that he was the reason of his parents living, due to their dedication to his development.
When Frankeinstein was a child, his mother was taking care of some babies, when one of them called her attention. She felt she was special. When their mother came, Caroline asked about the "special one". The woman told that the little girl was adopted, and that, if Caroline wanted to, she could stay with her. The baby's name was Elizabeth Lavenza. Victor tells that everybody loved her.
Victor also introduces us to Henry Clerval, his childhood friend, who loved enterprise, hardship, and even danger for his own sake.Victor, on the other hand, says that he always dreamed to discover the secrets of the universe and the Earth.
One day, Frankeinstein found a book from Cornelius Agrippa. He got very interested about it, but, when he asks his father about it, he tells Victor not to waste his time with it. Curious about the book, he decides to have a closer look on it. He gets even more interested, and starts to read Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus' alchemy books too.
When he was17, Frankenstein's parents sent him to study at the university of Ingolstadt, where he decided to study Natural Philosophy and Chemistry after hearing an explanation about how an oak tree was destroyed by a lightning.
In the university, Victor went to a meeting with M. Krempe, a professor who condemned his readings and told him to start it anew. He also told Frankenstein to meet with M. Waldman, another professor, who gave him a lot of advices. Due to it, Victor credits the professors for his change of direction in his studies.

"La Poutinerie"

Located near the port of Montreal, La Poutinerie is one of the most popular restaurants in the Canadian city.
The restaurant has this name because of their most popular and only plate: the "poutine". The plate is a traditional "québécois" recipe. It is basically composed of french fries, melted cheese and, the most disgusting ingredient of it, meat fat! The restaurant has many variations of the plate. You can have poutine with sausages, extra cheese, meat, and many other options.
It is very popular among the young people on Montreal, but it's also not the lightest food you'll try in your life...

My opinion about a limited use of the Internet

I partly agree with this affirmative. I agree that people are using the Internet too much, but it depends on the way they are using it. If people spend hours and hours online on Facebook, Twitter (there are the ones who uses it moderately), etc. I think that yes, there should be a limited use of the Internet for them. But there are also people who make a very good use of it- researching, studying, reading the news, etc.
Conclusion: for people that use the Internet to do useless things for a long time, yes, there should be a limited use. But for people who use it to do useful things, as I said before, this limit is not necessary. We must always remember that the Internet can be a great source of knowledge!

Questions (Chapter 1-3)

1) What is the man's background? Where is he from?
2) What is the story of the man's mother, Caroline Beaufort? How does the man feel toward his parents and what responsiblities does he feel they had toward him?
3) Who is Elizabeth Lavenza and what is her story? What gift does the man's mother give him? Do we know the man's name yet? Do we know his family name?
4) Who is Henry Clerval and what is he relation to Victor?
5) How does Victor characterize the interests and characters of Clerval, Elizabeth and himself?
6) Who is Cornellius Agrippa and how does Victor find out about him? How does Victor's father respond and how does Victor comment on that response?
7) What sort of science ("Natural Philosophy") is Victor learning from Agrippa, Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus? How would the moderns scientists respond to this sort of thinking?
8) What happens when Victor sees an oak tree destroyed by lighting and hears an explanation? What does Victor then begins to study?
9) Who (or what) does he credit for this change in direction? Who (or what) does he blame for his "utter and terrible destruction"?
10) What happens to Elizabeth and to Victor's mother as a result of Elizabeth's scarlet fever? How does this compare with the mother's early history?
11) Why does Victor's father send him to the university of Ingolstadt and how old is Victor then?



*Answer as a text

The Atwater Market

Located at Atwater street, in Montreal, Canada, the Atwater market is one of the most picturesque places of the city.
The market is not big if compared to Jean Talons one, but its small size contributes for the pleasant atmosphere of the place. There, you can try some sausages from a stall specialised on this food. They have all types of sausages, with every kind of spice. You can also buy amazing cheese in one of the many cheese stores in the market. Also, cheese is much cheaper there! If you want to, you can taste it with bread, which is made by a popular net of "boulangeries" from Montreal, called Première Moisson. Finally, you can taste chocolate from one of the chocolate stores in the market, and so, probably finishing one of the best meals you have ever had!

Letter to the president of Spanish Football Federation

Dear Sir or Madam,

As a Spanish football fan, I would to like make complaint.
We all know how disputed is La Liga, and this year, this dispute is even bigger. We got two great teams fighting for the title, and one drawn or loss can change the whole competition. Unfortunately, we are going to have 2 less rounds of great football and emotion due to financial problems according the clubs TV rights.
I know that money is very important to administrate such a great competition, but I would ask you, please, if you could not try to solve this problem after the end of the tournament. We would have 2 more rounds of emotion, besides the great Copa del Rey final. We, football fans, would be very thanked!

Thank you for your attention,

Mr. Fleck

Homework - Internet

Due date: June 24th

There should be a time limit on Internet use so people can do useful things. Discuss.

Frankeinstein text

Frakeinstein is a famous book written by Mary Shelley. It is composed by letters, written by Robert Walton, to his sister, Margaret. The first one is written when Walton is at St. Petersburg. The Russian city is his fist step for starting his adventure. Robert tells his sister about how this is a dream coming to reality (he dreamed to travel to North Pole and study this region since he was a boy).
In letter 2, Walton is in Archangel searching for sailors to accompany him. In the letter, Robert writes Margaret the sentence "what can stop the determined heart and resolved will of men" (which I found very intelligent, because, if we think about it, is a very genuine sentence: we never give up of our dreams when we are very determined to achieve it!). He tells her about the history of the men he hired as well.
29 days passed from letter 3 (the shortest letter of the book, in which Robert announces his departure) until letter 4. In this last letter, Walton narrates a strange accident that happened. The ship got stranded. Sometime later, the attention of the sailors was attracted by a sled, ridden by a giant man, that rapidly passed in front of the ship. The next day, Robert sees a man being removed from the sea by his sailors. The ice broke during the night and he nearly died. He is exhausted, and almost frozen. Walton wants to asks him thousands of questions, but prefers to let the man relax. However, the lieutenant decides to ask him why he was in such a far region in such a strange vehicle. The man answers that he was following one who fled from him.
Time passes and Walton starts loving his new "passenger" as a brother, who is very polite, quiet, and seems to be a true gentleman.
8 days passes when Walton starts to write again. After learning about Robert's project, the man gets impressed. He believes Walton is going to have the same faith he had. He then starts to tell his story, to which Walton listens attentively.

Cacao 70

Located in Montreal, Canada, Cacao 70 is an unconvecional restaurant specialized in cholocate-made sweets. There, you can taste chocolates from all around the world, and with different concentrations of cocoa. As the winter in Montreal is very harsh, you can have one of their 10 different types of hot chocolate there. If you're going there with your friends, you can also taste a plate that is called "Cacao 70", which is the restaurant's typical plate. It has small portions of all their specialities, like brownies. waffles, fondue (the chocolate "sauce" is made from the hot chocolate) and, obviously, chocolate. The plate serves 2-3 people, so it's a great option for you and your friends.
There is only one Cacao 70 store in the whole city, but it's worth the visit!

The Snow Festival

Every year, during the month of January, in Montreal, the Snow Festival happens. It is a festival to celebrate winter. There, you can go skiing and ice skating,  go down a mountain using a sled, and practice many other winter sports. If you prefer a less radical activity, you can have lessons of snow sculptures, or have a ride in a sled pulled by snow dogs, which is a great option if you have children. You can also visit a complete ice made hotel, and if you want, you can spent a night there. If you get hungry, you can try some Canadian typical foods, like Beavertail.
The Snow Festival is ideal for people that have never seen snow, but if you are accustomed with it, you can also have fun!

Macbeth adaptation

Once upon a time, there was a football player who played at Santos, a football team from Brazil, called Jean. When he was 18 years old, he was playing very well, and was called by the coach to play his first professional match in his career. Jean played very well and scored 2 goals. After this great performance, a famous football critic said that, soon, he was going to be the main striker in Santos, and after, the best player in the world.
Time passed and Jean got his place at the main team. After a great season, he was elected the best player of the tournament. When Jean discovered that, he remembered the words from the critic. Amazed by the idea of being the best player in the world, he requested to be transferred to an European club.
After a long negotiation, Jean was sold to Manchester United, a great club from England, for £15.000.000. He started playing very well, and again, got a place in the main team. But the obsession with being the best player in the world made Jean start cheating. He started to use doping, to improve his performance.
Jean played very well, and was nominate to be the best player in the world. Most polls in the web indicated that, according to 70% of people, the Brazilian should win the prize.
The day when the result would be revealed arrived. Everyone expected Jean to win. But, during the ceremony, before revealing the winner, the FIFA president announced that Jean was out of the dispute, because the exams he made before the ceremony revealed the use of doping by the Brazilian.
After learning that, the Manchester United's manager decided to dispense Jean. No one wanted to contract him, and he had to end his career, ending with it a great talent destroyed by his one and only cheating act.

Prometheus

To us it seems that Hermes' speech is to the point.

What he commands to you is to relax from your

self-will and seek the wisdom that's in good advice.

Do as he says, since wrong is shameful in the wise.

--The Chorus, Prometheus Bound

In Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus was said to be the wisest of all the Titans. In the form of fire Prometheus is credited with bringing mankind knowledge and enlightenment. He stole fire from the Gods of Mount Olympus. For acting against the decree of the Gods, who wanted to keep the power of fire to themselves, Prometheus was harshly punished. He was chained to a rock to have his liver eaten out every day by an eagle. Every night his liver would grow back. This was to be his punishment for all of eternity.

The full title of Mary Shelley's novel is Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Mary Shelley was influenced by this tale. Her husband Percy Shelley even began composing his own tale of Prometheus in the form of a poem entitled, Prometheus Unbound. He began composing this work right around the same time that Mary was publishing Frankenstein.

Aside from the title, Shelley borrows from the tale of Prometheus a sense of consequence resulting from seeking enlightenment and power. Victor is her modern incarnation of Prometheus. He as Prometheus was, is fascinated by the power of electricity (lightning). We can recall from the narrative the moment when he becomes captivated by its fantastical power.

It is from this power, that he has equipped himself with, that the inner torture he will suffer from the use of it stems. Immediately following the creation if the creature, Victor is ill with disgust for what he has done. His torture mirrors that of Prometheus'; undying and eternal. From the beginning of the novel, when Victor warns Walton of the consequences of his quest, to the conclusion when Victor again reiterates the misfortunes he has suffered as a result of his curiosity, Mary Shelley mimics the Prometheus tale. Perhaps, this is why she saw it as a fitting subtitle.