Subtext

Before you get at her, usually something takes place like an email, a letter, a note or a phone call. Girls, now you can experience the making of the texts we send to you.

Lil' Dawg

ESL Teacher

Say NO to prejudice!

SAY NO TO PREJUDICE!

How is it going with y'all? I hope everybody is doing okay. It's been a long time I have not posted here due to my lack of spare time. However, I am back with this topic about prejudice, bias, racism and discrimination against.

I have been through some situations that made me rethink about what has gone down throughout the world in terms of discrimination. As a black man, even though black slavery has been "extinguished" from the world, some people still practice racial slur in much of it, I feel deeply sorry for those who discriminate against blacks and other ethnicities. As a matter of fact, I feel pity for them.

Here in Brazil, prejudice is hidden. Brazil is a melting pot of colors, races, ethnicities, customs, dances, rhythms, and cultures. Nevertheless, being black in Brazil is as tough as being black in any part of the world. People look down on us, police officers think we are all thugs, we are usually stopped or pulled over by them for a pat-down search and usually there are a very few black men who are company directors, judges, teachers, professors. These positions are usually occupied by the white Brazilian people who, in the USA, are considered to be Latino or "spic", the racist and derrogatory term used to insult Hispanics. Can you see it is people discriminating against other people that discriminate other people over and over? Say NO to racism. What makes you better than Caucasians? What makes you better than Latinos? What makes you better than Africans? What makes you better than Afghanis? What makes you better than Asians? Nothing makes you better than anybody. You are just different.

The point I'm trying to get across with is that racism is for those who have not realized that life has the same end for everybody: death! It does not matter what color, sexual orientation, political affiliation or anything else. Try to live friendly!

Racism needs to stop!

Lil' Dawg

ESL Teacher

World Cup 2010 - South Africa

What's going on partners?

I know it's been a while since I last came down here. Too much extra work around here. But as y'all know, it is SOCCERTIME. Get ready for the FIFA WORLD CUP in SOUTH AFRICA.

As a Brazilian man, I am so excited about it and so are my mom, sister and friends. Soccer is the sport played by 32 nations. It will set off on June 11 and will hold the finals on July 11.

Countries are:

Brazil - 5 times champion

Spain

Portugal

France - 1 time champion

Italy - 4 times champion

USA

Argentina - 2 times champion

South Korea

Korea DPR

South Africa (The host)

Greece

Ivory Coast

Japan

Switzerland

Chile

Uruguay - 2 times champion

Paraguay

Australia

New Zealand

Ghana

Mexico

Nigeria

Algeria

Germany - 3 times champion

Honduras

Cameroon

Slovenia

Slovakia

England - 1 time champion

Denmark

Netherlands

Serbia

Get ready for a lot of fun and excitment!

Rodrigo Pelegrini Honorato

ESL Teacher

rphingles@yahoo.com.br

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