sábado, 25 de abril de 2009

Exercício IV - Contexto e Comparação

1.The girls languidly put on their jackets as if they had no energy at all. The word languidly in this sentence means
energetically - quickly
energy - less actively

2. The mother was determined to prove her son's innocence; the father was resolute as well.The word resolute in this sentence means
wavering - determined
not determined - unsure

3. Some people feel perplexed by brain teasers, while others figure them out quickly. The word perplexed in this sentence means
troubled or confused - at ease
calm - relaxed

4. After being unable to get a good night's sleep for many days, Allyson became lethargic. She didn't have the energy to get out of bed. The word lethargic in this sentence means
active - bubbly
exhausted - lively

5. Instead of climbing into bed, she decided to take a nap on the chaise. The word chaise in this sentence means
sleeping bag - bed-like furniture
chair - floor

6. The unsubstantial story was as if she were retelling a dream. The word unsubstantial in this sentence means
realistic - true
unreal - unlike

domingo, 19 de abril de 2009

Exercício III - Contexto e Sinonimos

1. The book of logic contained many conundrums - mind-exercising puzzles.
The word conundrums in this sentence means
pictures - stories
answers - puzzles

2. Jackie was filled with mortification, or shame, because of her careless remark.
The word mortification in this sentence means
proud - shame
confident - happy

3. His rancor, or hatred, of his brother has caused him to live his life as a lonely person.
The word rancor in this sentence means
love - generous
tolerance - hatred

4. The events for the conference were listed in chronological order. They began with the first event of the day and ended with the closing ceremonies in the evening.
The word chronological in this sentence means
out of order - broken
messed up - in order

5. There was crazy pandemonium as people were trying to leave the rock concert.
The word pandemonium in this sentence means
silence - craziness or chaos
order - peace

6. The man was sent to the penitentiary, or prison, for stealing cars.
The word penitentiary in this sentence means
paradise - hotel
prison - heaven

SKIMMING OR READING FOR GIST - Leitura rápida que tem por finalidade checar o sentido geral do texto

The frog sat on the side of the pond. He was very still. His green color made him hard to see. A bug flew near him. His tongue zipped out, and he gobbled it up. Then the frog was still again. He waited for the next bug.The main idea in this passage is:

Frogs are green.

Frogs eat bugs.

Frogs do not move.

Frogs live in ponds.


2. It was backward day at school. The students had to do things backward. Some of them wore their T-shirts backward. They took a test before they studied the lesson! Dessert was served first instead of last. They tried to walk home backward, but they bumped into each other and fell down.The main idea in this passage is:

Dessert is supposed to come last.

The students had a backward day.

It is hard to do things backward.

Students failed their tests.


3. Jon held the ball in his hands. He bounced it slowly on the ground. Once. Twice. He crouched low and then jumped. The ball flew into the air. Up, up, up, it went. Then down, down, down, into the basket. "Yes!" he yelled. "Nothing but net!"The main idea in this passage is:

How to throw a basketball.

Jon could jump.

Jon liked basketball.

Jon makes a basket.

quinta-feira, 16 de abril de 2009

Exercicio II - Contexto e Explicação

1. Katie appeared infallible in math class because she had never gotten a problem wrong.
The word infallible in this sentence means
never wrong - mistaken
wrong - incorrect

2. The tornado annihilated the whole town to the point that nothing was left standing.
The word annihilated in this sentence means
destroyed - saved
created - constructed

3. We could tell by the rotten smell, that something putrid was in our trash can.
The word putrid in this sentence means
ample - alive
rotten - appealing

4. Phyllis felt elated when she won the race.
The word elated in this sentence means
sick - miserable
tired - happy

5. The insidious burglar was able to sneak into the house without being heard or seen.
The word insidious in this sentence means
strong - loud
clumsy - sneaky

6. The voters were so upset about the outcome of the election that a skirmish broke out and the police had to break it up.
The word skirmish in this sentence means
fight - sunshine
hurricane - creature

Uma lição para nível médio

A CAR OF THE FUTURE



Pre-Reading Activities
A: Short Discussion
Answer these questions with a partner:
What kind of vehicle do you think you will be driving in 2010?
How different do you think it will be from present-day cars?
(You could think about design, engine and speed.)


Reading Activities
A: Comprehension
Read the questions and look for the answers in the article. (Note: Today's article is divided into different sections.)
1. What is the name of the aviation company who will test the car?2. What is special about the car?3. What is the name of the car?4. When will the car have its first test journey?


Company Plans To Test 'Flying Car'
Wednesday May 26 LONDON (Reuters) - A U.S. aviation company is planning to test a revolutionary new ``flying car'' that will hover above the ground and could change the way people travel in the future.
Moller International, of California, plans to take the so-called Skycar on its maiden journey in the next few weeks and could reveal it to the press by the end of the year, New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.


5. How many people will it seat? 6. How many miles per liter of gas will it do?7. What will its highest speed be?

The Batmobile shaped vehicle will seat four people, do about five miles per liter of gas, have a top speed of over 370 miles per hour and will take off and land vertically.


8. How high will it fly on its first flight?9. How long will it hover before it lands on its first flight?10. How will later flights be different?11. In the future who will be able to fly one of the Skycars?

"On its first flight, the Skycar will rise to a height of two meters (six feet) or so, hover for one minute and then land, just like a Harrier jump jet," the magazine said.
"Later flights will be more ambitious. Once the aircraft receives a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) anyone with a pilot's license will be able to fly one in the U.S.," it said.


12. Who thought of the idea?13. How much will this Skycar cost?14. How long has he been working on this project for?15. The design is still not perfect. But how much could the car cost in the future?16. In the future who or what will actually fly the car?

The vehicle, which will be hand-built and cost about $1 million, is the brainchild of Paul Moller, who founded the company. He has been working on the project for 30 years.
Once the design is perfected and mass produced, Moller estimates it could cost about $60,000.
"The first Skycars will be fly-by-wire vehicles. In other words, while the pilot tells the craft what to do, a computer will actually do the flying, taking the vehicle's rate of turn, and altitude into account when it responds to instructions," the magazine said.
Article © 1999 Reuters Limited. Lesson ©2001 http://www.english-to-go.com/


B: Matching words and meanings
Find these words in the article and then match them with their meanings:
Words Meanings
hover goes straight up in the air
brainchild to stay in the air in one place
mass produced first
maiden idea or invention
vertically built by someone without using factory machines
hand-built to make large numbers of something using machines

C: Check what you know
These sentences have information from the article. Put the words in the right order without looking back at the article.
1. a / American / an / car / company / few / in / new / next / test / the / weeks / will
2. car / four / people / seat / the / will
3. 370 / be / hour / its / miles / more / per / speed / than / top / will
4. and / will / it / land / off / take / vertically
5. $60 000 / about / cost / could / future / in / it / the
6. a / actually / car / computer / fly / the / will


D: Language
Look at the following excerpts from today's article. What word is used in the future form?


- On its first flight, the Skycar will rise to a height of two meters (six feet).
- The first Skycars will be fly-by-wire vehicles.
Do you know when to use will or going to to talk about something happening in the future? Most often will is used (see above). We use (be) going to when a circumstance reveals something that is going to happen in the future:
- "Look! The Skycar driver has started the engine. He's going to fly it."
- It's not a good day to fly. It's going to rain.


Complete the following dialogue between Paul Moller and one of his colleagues at Moller International, Gavin Spencer. Fill in the gaps with either will or (be) going to.


(In the lunch room) Spencer: Would you like some more coffee, Mr Moller? Moller: Thanks, Gavin...Oh, be careful, you 1. _______________ spill it. Spencer: Sorry sir.....Mr Moller, can I ask you a question? The Skycar seems simple to fly but I'm a little concerned about something. Do you think it 2. _______________ be safe to fly? Moller: Of course. Now pass the salt, please. Spencer: Mr Moller, you shouldn't put so much salt on your food. You 3. _______________ have high blood pressure...Can I ask you another question? Do you really think the Skycar 4. _______________ cost only $60,000? I think it will cost more than that, sir. Moller: Gavin, it all depends on how many Skycars we can mass produce. The more we produce, the less each car 5. _______________ cost. Spencer: Wow. I could talk to you all day about work, Mr Moller. Moller: That's nice, Gavin, but it's 12:59. You 6. _______________ to be late. Spencer: Yes. Good-bye, sir.


Post-Reading ActivitiesYou may do one or more of these.


A: Share your Opinion
Answer these questions with a partner:
1. Paul Moller has been working on this project for 30 years. Would you be able to work for such a long time on a single project?
2. If you were married and your husband or wife was a researcher, would you support them in a project like this one?


B: Roleplay
Work in pairs.
Student A: The year is 2004. You are a salesperson representing a company that has just invented a flying car. Student B is someone who is wealthy but only spends money very carefully. Persuade Student B to buy one of the cars.
Using the information from today's article, make sure you know
its top speed
how many people it seats
how it takes off and lands
who can fly it
how much it costs


Student B: The year is 2004. You want to buy a car and you are interested in the new flying car. Student A is a salesperson, representing the flying car. (You are wealthy but you will only spend your money if you think the car is suitable for you.)
You could ask Student A about
the car's top speed
how many people it seats
how it takes off and lands
who can fly it
how much it costs


C: Answering Questions
You are Paul Moller, the inventor of the plane. A reporter has faxed you some questions. Answer these questions using information from the article and your own ideas.
1. What will you do if the test flight is not successful?Your answer: _____________________________________
2. How will you feel if the test flight is successful?Your answer: _____________________________________
3. Will anyone be able to fly the car in America?Your answer: _____________________________________
4. How much will the handbuilt car cost?Your answer: _____________________________________
5. If I want to buy a production-line car, how much will it cost?Your answer: _____________________________________
6. What will you do when the car is finished?Your answer: _____________________________________


D: Additional Reading
Read the complete article and find more information about the design of the car. After you finish reading, tell someone else what you have learnt.


Company Plans To Test 'Flying Car'
LONDON Wednesday May 26 (Reuters) - A U.S. aviation company is planning to test a revolutionary new ``flying car'' that will hover above the ground and could change the way people travel in the future.
Moller International, of California, plans to take the so-called Skycar on its maiden journey in the next few weeks and could reveal it to the press by the end of the year, New Scientist magazine said Wednesday.
The Batmobile shaped vehicle will seat four people, do about five miles per liter of gas, have a top speed of over 370 miles per hour and will take off and land vertically.
``On its first flight, the Skycar will rise to a height of two meters (six feet) or so, hover for one minute and then land, just like a Harrier jump jet,'' the magazine said.
``Later flights will be more ambitious. Once the aircraft receives a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) anyone with a pilot's license will be able to fly one in the U.S.,'' it said.
The vehicle, which will be hand-built and cost about $1 million, is the brainchild of Paul Moller, who founded the company. He has been working on the project for 30 years.
The car uses two rotary engines and fans placed inside streamlined housings known as nacelles. The fans inside the nacelles create an airflow that generates thrust. Each four-passenger Skycar will have four nacelles to provide the power.
``At the rear of each nacelle is a set of vanes that can be angled downwards to generate lift as well as forward thrust,'' the magazine said.
Once the design is perfected and mass produced, Moller estimates it could cost about $60,000.
``The first Skycars will be fly-by-wire vehicles. In other words, while the pilot tells the craft what to do, a computer will actually do the flying, taking the vehicle's rate of turn, and altitude into account when it responds to instructions,'' the magazine said.
Article © 1999 Reuters Limited. Lesson ©2001 http://www.english-to-go.com/


TEACHERS' NOTES AND ANSWER KEY
Reading Activities
A: Comprehension - Notes
Students should read the questions and then look for the answers. They should be discouraged from using dictionaries as most questions avoid any difficult words. (Activity B introduces them to some of the difficult words in the article.) You may, however, like to pre-teach the word 'hover', and also the word 'ambitious'.


A: Comprehension - Answers
Moller International
it flies
the Skycar
in the next few weeks
four people
five miles
370 miles per hour
two meters (six feet)
one minute
They will be more ambitious.
anyone with a pilot's license.
Paul Moller
$1 million
30 years
$60 000
a computer


B: Matching words and meanings - Answers
hover-to stay in the air in one placebrainchild-idea or inventionmass produced-to make large numbers of something using machinesmaiden-firstvertically-goes straight up in the airhand-built-built by someone without using factory machines


C: Check what you know- Answers
An American aviation company will test a new car in the next few weeks.
The car will seat four people.
Its top speed will be more than 370 miles per hour.
It will take off and land vertically.
It could cost about US$60 000 in the future.
A computer will actually fly the plane.


D: Language - Answers
1. are going to 2. will 3. are going to 4. will 5. will 6. are going to

Post-Reading Activities
B: Roleplay - Notes
Before beginning the activity you may like to have a quick discussion on what transport in the year 2004 will be like. Will things have changed or will they be the same as today?
This activity could also be set in the present with salespeople trying to sell the expensive $1 million car to a wealthy person.


C: Answering Questions - Notes
Students use information from the article and their own imagination to answer these questions. After completing the sentences they could work in pairs to conduct an interview.
C: Answering Questions - Answers
We'll do more work on the car and then we'll test it again.
I'll be very happy! I've been working on this project for more than 30 years!
No, only people who have pilots' licenses.
It's expensive! 1 million dollars.
It will cost about $60 000.
I'll take a holiday.
D: Additional Reading- Notes
Students have an opportunity to reread the article including two paragraphs which were left out in the lesson. These focus on the design of the car.
You may decide to look at some other difficult words from the article.

domingo, 12 de abril de 2009

Exercicio I - Contexto e Exemplo

1. Projectiles include those items that are shot forward such as a cannon shell, bullet, or rocket.

In accordance with the context, the word projectiles in this sentence means
a) things put down b) things shot forward c) things hurt d)things broken

2. The professor was a favorite among the students at the college. His sagacity was helpful to them as they pursued their degrees. The professor was known to use his experience, insight, and common sense to help students pursue their education.
The word sagacity in this sentence means
silliness - thoughtlessness
wisdom - negligence

3. Famous conquistadors include Cortes, who conquered Aztec Mexico and Pizarro, who conquered Inca Peru.
The word conquistadors in this sentence means
geographers - losers
victims - conquerors

4. A sleuth, such as Sherlock Holmes, can be very helpful in solving crimes.
The word sleuth in this sentence means
senior - citizen man
pilot - detective

5. Zack was a good at many sports. He excelled in swimming, running, horsemanship, fencing, and target shooting. He decided to compete in the pentathlon rather than having to choose one of the events.
The word pentathlon in this sentence means
competition with two events - competition with eight events
competition with ten events - competition with five events

A importância do CONTEXTO como FACILITADOR no processo de extração dos significados de um TEXTO em Língua Estrangeira

A leitura de um texto em lingua estrangeira se dá primeiramente a partir do processo de decodificação, dos significados. Entretanto, como vimos anteriormente existem vários FACILITADORES (prediction, palavras cognatas, background, formas referenciais, conectivos, etc..) que nos ajudam a interpretar os textos numa segunda língua (no nosso caso a língua inglesa). Mas, para que se possa compreender bem um texto em qualquer língua, é necessário antes de tudo compreender o contexto. A postagem anterior, "Só duas palavras?" teve a intenção de demonstrar a força do contexto em um texto. É assim que o contexto se constitui como um dos mais importantes FACILITADORES, no processo de desenvolvimento das habilidades de leitura em uma segunda língua. O contexto juntamente com o nosso "background"(conhecimento prévio) nos fornece a possibilidade de "prediction"(predição) para o significado de palavras que eventualmente não saberiamos o seu significado isoladamente.
Tomemos como exemplo a palavra isolada "sleuht". Voce sabe o seu significado?
Entretanto se analisarmos a mesma palavra em um contexto, provavelmente acharemos o seu significado.
Exemplificando:
A sleuth, such as Sherlock Holmes, can be very helpful in solving crimes.
De acordo com o contexto, a palavra "sleuth" na sentença acima significa:
a )citizen b) man c)pilot d) detective

Tenho absoluta certeza que a grande maioria dos leitores que desconheciam o termo "sleuth" após a leitura da sentença, da utilização do contexto e dos demais facilitadores de leitura até aqui apresentados, terá chegado ao seu real significado. Se depois de utilizados todos os recursos ainda assim voce não chegou a uma conclusão, ( como o último dos facilitadores) o dicionário pode ser usado.

A partir de agora passarei a postar alguns exercicios que tanto servirão para seu aprendizado quanto para uso em sala de aula com seus alunos. Mas lembre-se o uso correto dos facilitadores bem como a escolha do "nivel de dificuldade" são de suma importância para um bom desempenho. Quanto a escolha do nivel de dificuldade uma consulta à " Input Hypothesis by Stephen Krashen" será de grande valia.

Só duas palavras?

"O texto é uma unidade global de comunicação que expressa uma idéia ou trata de um assunto determinado, tendo como referência a situação comunicativa concreta em que foi produzido, ou seja, o contexto. “

Um texto de duas palavras ("És linda!") que lidas sem contexto não transmitem tudo. Para isso precisam de ser envolvidas num contexto...Vejamos o poema abaixo de Daniel Santiago:

só duas palavras ou um texto em contexto

o que lês não é o texto
é o contexto

no texto
duas palavras escritas somente
baratinhas e simples
sementes

no contexto
não há imagem que te motive
Como um amplo silêncio de um templo imenso
onde ecoasse o texto de duas palavras lidas

no texto
não escutas som nem tom
não sentes toque nem olhar

no contexto
preciso dos teus sentidos
preciso de ti
toda

da tua boca
para que as leias alta a voz entoada
do teu ouvido
para que as escutes na tua leitura
do teu tacto
para que te entreabras e te deixes ensopar
no silêncio do tal templo imenso
da tua imaginação
para que me cries presente nos sentidos

Agora... sim!
Lê,
como te pedi,
as duas palavras que escrevi para ti...

És linda!