Movies - Precious and The Blind Side

What's up with y'all?

I have watched those movies and as I was doing so, my eyes misted over due to the breathtaking and extraordinary true stories. Both of them are great movies that came out in late 2009. If y'all have spare time, don't go anywhere but to the movie theater. I'm sure, if they don't change your thoughts and about life, it will, at the very least, help you see the other side of it.

"Precious" is a girl born and raised in Harlem, uptown Manhattan, a low-income area where everything takes place from church choirs to drug dealing, raping and murdering. She goes through things we can barely imagine it happens in families. It shows another side of America that TV programs do not very often broadcast. Numerous things happen on the movie and y'all are invited to watch it and leave a comment here so we can discuss it.

"The Blind Side" is the true story of a 17-year-old African American boy from Memphies, TN whose mother is a crackhead who gets evicted every time because she does not have money to pay off the bills. He got into this all-white school and was always looked down upon until he was adopted by a white family that looked after him and helped change his destiny to better or to worse. Watch it and let us know what you think about it.

Rodrigo Pelegrini Honorato

ESL Teacher

rphingles@yahoo.com.br

Demonstrative Pronouns

What's good Flabbergasting English crew?

As I have been working with some newbies, I presume it is of utmost importance to review some of the DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS such as THOSE ones on the picture above.

The most important thing for you to use them correctly is to GET RID OF SOME OF THOSE RULES teachers in schools have told you.

RULES THAT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT ALREADY

1. "this" and "these" are used for things and people near the person who speaks.

2. "that" and "those" are used for things and people far from the person who speaks.

Okay, but my question is: What is near or far? It is relative. It depends on a lot of things that are not our main topic now.

NEW RULES TO BE PUT INTO PRACTICE

1. "those" and "that" are used when something refers to past actions or something or somebody that has already been talked about.

2. "these" and "this" are used when something refers to present or future actions or something or somebody.

EXEMPLES:

1. THIS and THESE

- This exam I'm taking Saturday is in English and Spanish.

- These cars we'll purchase come with air conditioner and power steering.

2. THAT and THOSE

- Remember that movie we watched last weekend?

- Those who have already signed the papers are dismissed.

Well, that's it folks! Hope you have sorted out any problems with demonstrative pronouns!

That's what I'm talking about! - Isso que eu tava falando!

That's it! - Eh isso ai!

That's me! - Sou eu!

That's all! - Isso eh tudo!

Rodrigo Pelegrini Honorato

ESL Teacher

rphingles@yahoo.com.br

Cultural Differences - Brazilian Idioms X American Idioms 2

What it is, yo!

Flabbergasting English is going down!

As I have already told y'all, cultural difference is one of the things that will affect you when you go to a different country or even a different state or city in your own country. Language is a barrier that sometimes is hard to conquer due to a plethora of stuff: pronunciation, vocabulary, structure, but surely IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS:

I have selected some for y'all. Hope you have fun while learning them.

• Vai plantar batata! = Take a hike!

• Vaza! = Go away!

• Va embora! = Go away!

• Cai fora! = Get lost!

• Se manda! = Beat it! (It is used by Michael Jackson on his song "Beat it")

• Va te catar! = Drop dead!

• Va catar coquinho! = Go jump in the lake!

• Va pro inferno! = Go to hell!

• Va a merda = Kiss my ass (USA), kiss my arse (UK)

Yeah, so those expressions are used a lot by native speakers of English. Hope you don't need to use them for they are used, basically, in annoying situation. However, if you need them, you will be ready to spit them out.

Holla at'cha later on,

Rodrigo Pelegrini Honorato

ESL Teacher

rphingles@yahoo.com.br