Nice to meet you

One of the things you learn when studying English is how to present yourself and most people learn phrases such as “How do you do?” or “Hi, my name is…”. However, one thing that language teachers don’t explain is that British people very rarely use these expressions. British people are not very good at introductions in informal situations. They are not sure what to say or what do with their hands. Whereas Brazilians or Americans will confidently extend their hands to people they meet at parties or social situations, English people prefer just to smile.

Expressions like “Hello, I’m John Smith”, “Hi, my name is…” are only used when we have to identify ourselves; for example when we go to an appointment at the dentist’s or the hairdresser’s, or if we’re telephoning someone to ask for information about ourselves.

Dialogues in school books where English teenagers present themselves to each other on the first day of school are pure fantasy. In informal social situations, British people prefer to stay chatting about something neutral like the weather, or else they use humour to break the ice. When the conversation has progressed, or even just before leaving, you can say, “I’m Ann, by the way.”, or “I didn’t catch your name”. If you meet the person again you can say, “Hello again” or, more colloquially, “Hi ya”, which stands for “Hello, nice to see you again”.

In the case of formal meetings or business situations, many language courses teach the expression “How do you do?” – to which you should answer “How do you do?”. This phrase is also recommended by the website ediplomat.com and Drett’, the famous specialist publisher that has a range of guides on British etiquette. I have said “How do you do” in my entire life and no one has never said that to me! In today’s Britain this expression is best reserved for extremely formal situations. It is, however, something that people over 60 might say, so if your elderly boss or professor uses this expression with you, then it’s polite to answer in the same way

Read the text and mark the CORRECT alternative form question:

Windsurfing around Britain

   Kevin Cookston, a 23-year-old engineering student, has been keen on windsurfing for many years. Recently, he set a new record for travelling all the way round the coast of Great Britain on a windsurf board.

   'I don‟t really know why I did it,‟ says Kevin, ‟just for the fun of it, I suppose. It was there to be done, that was all.‟ Despite lacking both the obsessive ambition and the funds that normally go with attempts to break records, Kevin made the journey in eight weeks and six days, knocking one week off the previous record set in 1984.

   Leaving from Exmouth in the south-west of England, Kevin travelled up the west coast of England and Wales, before going round the top of Scotland and then coming back down the other side. The journey officially covered 2.896 kilometres, although given the changes of direction to find the right wind paths, the actual distance Kevin travelled is probably closer to 4.000 km.

    Kevin fitted his fitness training in around his final year university examinations. ‟I didn‟t have that much time to prepare,‟ he explains. ‟But I went running often and supplemented that with trips to the gym to do weight training. I found I got a lot better during the trip itself actually. At the start, I was tired and needed a rest after four hours, but by the end I found I could do ten hours in a row no trouble.‟

   Kevin had a budget of £7.000 to cover the whole expedition. The previous record had been set with a budget twice that size, while a recent unsuccessful attempt had cost £40.000. Budgets have to meet the cost of fuel, food and accommodation for the support team, as well as the windsurfer's own equipment and expenses.

   Previous contenders had been accompanied by a boat on which they slept at night, as well as a fleet of vehicles on land to carry their supplies. Kevin made do with an inflatable rubber boat and an old van manned by four friends who followed his progress. Overnight arrangements had to be found along the way. Apart from the odd occasion when they enjoyed the hospitality of friends, the team made use of the camping equipment carried in the van, and slept on the beach.

   When asked if his athlete‟s diet was a closely kept secret, Kevin replied that he ate a lot of pasta and added the odd tin of tuna to keep up his energy. ‟Basically, we had anything that was on special offer in the nearest supermarket, he confided.

  Such a prolongued period of gruelling windsurfing made relaxation important however, and for this, Kevin favoured the pub method. This also provided social opportunities.“The people we met were really encouraging he recalls“. 'They thought what we were doing was really great. It was hard work, but we had a lot of fun along the way“. 

   Kevin has been windsurfing since he was thirteen years old and he is also a highly-ranked competitor at national level. ‟I don‟t know where I‟m ranked now,‟ he says, `because I‟ve missed a lot of important competitions this year. But what I did has more than made up for that and I‟ll be doing my best to be up there amongst the winners once I get back into the competitive sport next season‟. Given his unique achievement this year, Kevin seems well-placed to take on the world‟s top windsurfers. 

Fonte: First Certificate Practice Tests Plus 1, pg 116 Kenny/ Luque-Mortimer, Ed. Longman

Nazi labor camp guard living in New York deported

to Germany

By Sheena McKenzie, CNN Updated 2155 GMT (0555 HKT) August 21, 2018

             (CNN) A former Nazi labor camp guard who has been living in the United States for decades has finally been deported to Germany after years of diplomatic wrangling, the White House announced on Tuesday. Jakiw Palij, who worked as a guard at the Trawniki Labor Camp, in what was then German-occupied Poland, had been living out his post-war years in Queens, New York City.

            Palij, 95, was born in what was then-Poland and now Ukraine, and immigrated to the US in 1949, becoming a citizen in 1957. The former Nazi guard lied to US immigration officials about his role in World War II, saying he worked on a farm and in a factory, the White House said in a statement. In 2001, Palij admitted to US Department of Justice officials that he had in fact trained and worked at the Trawniki Labor Camp in 1943. On November 3, 1943, around 6,000 Jewish prisoners at the camp were shot to death in one of the single largest massacres of the Holocaust, according to the White House statement.

        "By serving as an armed guard at the Trawniki Labor Camp and preventing the escape of Jewish prisoners during his Nazi service, Palij played an indispensable role in ensuring that the Trawniki Jewish victims met their horrific fate at the hands of the Nazis," the White House added. In court filings, Palij has denied wrongdoing, claiming that he and other young men in his Polish hometown were coerced into working for the Nazi occupiers. In 2003, Palij's US citizenship was revoked. The following year, a federal judge ordered that Palij be deported -- but none of the European countries to which he could have been sent, would take him.

         […]Attorney General Jeff Sessions praised the work of the Justice Department's best-known Nazi hunter, Eli Rosenbaum, and his team in successfully removing the 68th Nazi from the United States. Palij's case represents the closing of an era -- until now he was the only remaining active case from the Nazi era pursued by the Justice Department's Office of Human Rights and Special Prosecutions.

          The atrocities of the Trawniki camp, where Palij worked, aren't well known in part because the killing was thorough, historians say. One document researchers uncovered helped illustrate the extent of the killing. A soldier broke the butt of his rifle, which meant he was required to file a report so the German SS would issue him a new one. The report mentioned an operation that killed 4,000 people at Trawniki, mostly Jews.

Available at: <https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/21/politics/nazijakiw-palij-deported-germany-intl/index.html>.

An interview with Paolo Kwan, 20, from Hong Kong, who is improving his English while studying Business Administration at Sierra College in northern California.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STUDY IN THE USA?

It provides a nice education in a beautiful country. When I was younger I used to watch American movies and I wanted to visit the United States. They always talked about the American dream, and I wanted to come and see it.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR INTENSIVE ENGLISH PROGRAM?

Sierra College is one of the biggest community colleges in northern California. It is in a quiet location but has a beautiful campus.

The college has a good business program. I can study for two years at Sierra College and then two years at my transfer school to earn my degree.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST?

I also enjoy the quality of the teaching at the college. There is a writing center where I can go at any time. The teachers can make suggestions to improve my essay, regarding grammar and my vocabulary. At the Math Center, they can explain in detail the problems.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST?

I miss the food and also my family.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST SURPRISE?

I was surprised by the cultural difference. The taste and style of food is very different. The amount of food is a lot larger. A small portion in the USA is a large portion in Hong Kong. When people from America find out that I am from another country they ask a lot of questions. They are very interested in you and finding out about Hong Kong. 

... YOUR BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT?

I have not had any since I came here. 

HOW HAVE YOU HANDLED:

... LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES?

It is important not to be shy, as that does not help you when you are trying to improve your language. I make sure that I study, practice and speak as often as I can—that is the only way to improve. ...

FINANCES?

I am being supported by my family.

... ADJUSTING TO A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM?

The American system is much more open. In Hong Kong you just learn what the teacher writes on the board. In America, you discuss the issues and focus more on ideas

WHAT ARE YOUR ACTIVITIES?

I am interested in traveling around the USA. I have been to San Francisco, which you can reach by train from Sierra College. In my free time I go out with friends. 

HOW EASY OR DIFFICULT IS MAKING FRIENDS?

It has not been that hard to make friends in the USA. Other people at the college are friendly and want to make friends as well.

HOW IS YOUR U.S. EDUCATION RELEVANT TO YOUR PERSONAL GOALS AND TO THE NEEDS OF YOUR COUNTRY?

I think that the U.S. education system will provide me with good resources and skills to be able to support myself in order to get hired in my own country

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHER STUDENTS?

An awesome life experience is waiting for you in the future. You will learn so much more than you think. Nothing is impossible, so go ahead and give it a try.

Adapted from: https://www.studyusa.com

With Brazil in Turmoil, Rio Counts Down to Olympics

By REBECCAR. RUIZAPRIL27, 2016

RIO DE JANEIRO- Brazil's president is facing impeachment. The country's economy is in sharp decline. Bodies of water that will be used for Olympic competitions are polluted, and global public health officials are trying to tamp down the Zika virus epidemic.

With less than 100 days before the Olympic Games come to South Amarica for the first time, Rio de Janeiro faces more than the usual challenges that bedevil host cities, like delayed stadium construction and transportation concerns. (Rio has those, too.) The mood here, however, is hardly one of panic. Officials in charge of executing the Summer Games say they feel insulated from Brazil's turmoil at this late stage. The Olympics, after all, tend to exist in their own bubble, elaborately coordinated to ensure that the multibillion-dollar operation goes off smoothly. "The machine is in place, and it's relatively stable," Ricardo Leyser, Brazil's sports minister, said in an interview this week. "My biggest concern isn't any individual issue. lt's the small demands that all come at once."

Local organizers are beginning to lay colorful comforters patterned with the silhouettes of cartoon cyclists, fencers and swimmers - on the twin beds in the athletes' village. They are monitoring the growth of 14-month-old grass that will be transplanted to Maracanã, the storied soccer stadium that will also be used for the opening and closing ceremonies. They are pulling trash from Guanabara Bay, where the Games' sailing events will be held; mopping up standing water to minimize mosquito breeding; and ramping up a round-the-clock security operation - all while publicly expressing little worry about the unrest encircling them.

On Wednesday, with the handoff of the Olympic flame in Greece and the start of a journey that in little more than a week will bring it to Brazil, the official countdown to the Aug. 5 opening ceremony began. 

ln Rio, the race to be ready is intensifying, with construction workers here still laboring on mass transit projects that were key promises seven years ago in the city's bid to host the Games. Costing several billion dollars, those projects include a new subway line and express bus lanes that connect the Olympic Park in Barra da Tijuca to the rest of the city, which is expected to swell with more than half a million visitors.

As the value ofthe Brazilian real has drastically declined overthe last year, some have expressed doubt that the transit projects will materialize beyond the sleek, modernist weather shelters that have been built at various stations. At a news conference Wednesday, the city's secretary of transportation said the new routes would be ready i n ti me but did not specify when. To the vast majority of people watching the Games on television, however, such infrastructure may not matter.

The permanent venues for competitions here are mostly complete - all but those for tennis and track cycling - and athletes from around the world have competed in dozens of test events in Rio in recent months. "lt's about the filling of the cake," Mr. Leyser said. "lt's not about the stadiums; it's about the scoreboards."

As ofthe latest counts, 62 percent ofthe 5.7 million tickets on the market had been sold - roughly half of the total tickets for the Olympics - and 24 percent of tickets available for the Paralympics had been sold. But compareci with past Olympics, the buyers of those tickets may be disproportionately international, saidAndrew Parsons, the presidentofthe Brazilian Paralympic Committee.

For some Brazilians, the country's political and economic crises have cast a shadow on the celebration. President Dilma Rousseff's ouster looks increasingly likely amid a sweeping graft scandal, and those in line to succeed her have their own controversies hanging overthem.

Questions of corruption have extended to Olympics planning, particularly after a businessman who worked on many Olympic projects in Rio was convicted of corruption and money laundering related to separata contracts. Mr. Leyser said that the questions centered on irregularities at the Deodoro event site and that no publicofficial had been accused ofwrongdoing. "lt's more an administrativa issue than a corruption scheme," he said. "lt's basically a question ofthe numbers." Mr. Leyser called the devaluation of Brazil's currency an opportunity because it increases the buying power of foreign money coming into Brazil forthe Games.

But not everyone sees the event as a boon to the country. Shirlei Alves, who lives in the Santa Marta favela of Rio, criticized the government for spending on the Olympics in the face of Brazil's problems.

"The world is just getting worse here," Ms. Alves said, noting that she was without medication and electricity. "The government is making a mistake. l'd like if they'd take a better look at the poor people and not help people who are already rich." Eduardo Paes, the mayor of Rio, said Wednesday that the city had a "comfortable financial situation" and had spent on stadium construction 1 percent ofwhat it spent on health education. "I know people are skeptical," Mr. Paes said, citing the "huge deliverables" for the Olympics. "Of course the situation here has been difficult. But there is a commitment of the Brazilian state to deliverthe Olympics."

Perhaps the most vexing issue for local organizers-the one that may stir anxiety among athletes and spectators - is the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects and temporary paralysis. Zika is of greater concern outside Rio, in the far north part of Brazil, but the World Health Organization has declared the virus a global public health emergency and has advised pregnant women notto travei anywhere in Brazil.

"The Olympics is a pretty effective way of taking whatever disease is local and making it global," said Ashish K. Jha, director ofthe Global Health lnstitute at Harvard.

Some scientists have suggested that by the time the Olympics start in August - wintertime in Brazil, when mosquitoes are less numerous - the virus might be more prevalent in the southern United States.

"Zika's been spreading effectively on its own, but there's very good reason to think the Olympics will accelerate the spread," Dr. Jhasaid.

But the virus poses a unique problem because it isso far beyond the contrai of local organizing officials, and so many questions about it remain unanswered. Few athletes have publicly expressed concern, but it is unclear how many might withdraw as the Games draw closer.

"At this point you just keep going," David Wallechinsky, an Olympics historian, said. "You have to continue as if everything's going to be fine. These are real concerns - Zika, the water quality. But even if Dilma is forced out of office, it's not going to stop the Olympics."

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Brazil lmpeachment: The Process for Removing the President

ByTHE NEW YORKTIMES UPDATED May 12, 2016

Dilma Rousseff, the beleaguered president of Brazil, has been confronting an effort to remove her from office, accused of violating fiscal laws by using funds from state banks to cover budget shortfalls.

Her opponents claim this strategy eroded confidence among investors, raising the government's borrowing costs and disregarding measures designed to prevent a return of high inflation.

The president's supporters contend that Ms. Rousseff was seeking to maintain popular antipoverty projects, and that impeachment over the issue is politically motivated because Ms. Rousseff's predecessors carried out similar policies.

Here is a guide to the complicated process for impeaching and removing a president from office:

Step1

Congressional Panei Debates Charges

The process prescribed in Brazil's Constitution, adopted in 1988, shares similarities with impeachment proceedings in the United States.

First, the speaker of the lower chamber of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, a political opponent of Ms. Rousseff, had to accept a petition for impeachment.

Mr. Cunha then formed a 65-member congressional committee to investigate the accusations and decide if removal was warranted. The political composition of the committee was largely stacked against the president.

The committee was created in December, but its work was soon stopped by a court arder. Work resumed in March.

Jovair Arantes, the legislator in charge of preparing the committee report on the fate of Ms. Rousseff and an ally of Mr. Cunha, recommended on April 6 that proceedings move forward to remove her from office.

The full committee, in a 38-27 vote on April 11, agreed, clearing the way for a vote on her impeachment in Brazil's Chamber of Deputies.

Step2

Chamber of Deputies Votes

On April 17, the lower chamber voted for impeachment. At least two-thirds ofthe 513 deputies had to vote for impeachment forthe motion to pass. The decisiva 342nd vote was cast about five-anda-half hours afterthe floorvote started.

ln early May, Brazil's top court, the Supreme Federal Tribunal, removed Mr. Cunha from his speaker role on charges of obstructing a corruption investigation.

Step3

The Role ofthe Senate and Vice President

After the lower chamber vote, the process then moved to the Senate, which had to decide, with a sim pie majority vote, whether to accept the charges.

On May 12, the Senate voted 55 to 22 to begin the triai, resulting in Ms. Rousseff's suspension. The vice president then took over, with the authority to appoint ministers and enact policy.

Michel Temer, the vice president who assumed the president's office, is a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party. His party had been a crucial part of Ms. Rousseff's governing coalition, but it recently voted to split with her Workers' Party, which significantly increased the odds of Ms. Rousseff's impeachment.

Mr. Temer, 75, was himself under scrutiny over claims that he was involved in an illegal ethanol purchasing scheme.

Step4

Removal or Reinstatement

The Senate triai will be overseen by the chief justice of the Suprema Federal Tribunal, Ricardo Lewandowski. Two-thirds of the 81 senators must vote in favor of removing the president from office. lf that happens, Mr. Temer would serve as president for the remainder of Ms. Rousseff's term through the end of 2018.

lf no decision is reached within 180 days, the suspension of the president ends.

Asked in a recent interview with The New York Times whether she would accept a vote to impeach her, Ms. Rousseff, 68, said, "We will appeal with every legal method available."

She has that option: "She can appeal at any moment she finds something legally questionable occurring in the process," said Brasílio Sallum Jr., a professor of sociology at the University of São Paulo and an expert in Brazil's political processes.

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                     Read the following article and answer question

Can Allergies Cause Coughing — Or Is It Just A Cold?

Important q: Is it phlegmy or dry?

BY CASSIE SHORTSLEEVE

No matter why it's happening, a cough is always annoying—it's loud, it's uncomfortable, and it never fails to garner unwanted attention.

But what's really behind that cough? Can allergies cause coughing — or do you just have an annoying cold?

Well, turns out, there are some pretty distinct differences between allergy coughs and cold coughs...

Just curious: Why do we cough, anyway? "The purpose of a cough is to help us," says Monica Lee, MD, an otolaryngologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. It’s your body’s way of trying to expel something it perceives as a threat in the airway, she says.

Those perceived threats can be a bunch of different things: a piece of food stuck in your throat, pollen, air pollution, or swelling or drainage from extra mucus in your throat. All those things irritate the sensory fibers in your airway, which then stimulate a cough.

As for what exactly happens in your body during a cough? It's kind of complex, says Dr. Lee. Basically, your vocal chords close briefly to generate pressure in the lungs. Once enough pressure is built up, your vocal chords open back up, and air flows quickly through your voice box, which generates that coughing sound. Kinda cool, huh?

7So...can allergies cause coughing? Give it to me straight. In short, yes. Usually, allergies create dry coughs (it’s a direct reaction to something you’re sensitive or allergic to in the airways). If that's the case, you’ll likely have other symptoms (think: itchy, watery eyes; a runny nose; an itchy throat; and sneezing, says Dr. Lee). Headaches and wheezing often come with allergies, too, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Remind Me: When Is Allergy Season?

Timing's also a factor. If you're allergic to pollen (or your BFF's new adorable kitten), for example, you’ll likely notice symptoms (including your cough) almost immediately, or within an hour of being exposed. And those symptoms could last for hours after you've been exposed — even after the allergen isn't nearby anymore.

Coughs related to allergies are also dependent on patterns, so doctors always try to look at the big picture. Say you get a cough every single March. That could be a sign you're actually suffering from allergies, instead of the common cold. "You need to look at everything that's going on," says Paul Bryson, MD, an otolaryngologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Your best defense for a cough from allergies? Antihistamines like Allegra, Claritin, and Zyrtec, which are all available over-the-counter. Other options include steroid nasal sprays and immunotherapy shots, which can work to regulate your body's response to allergens, instead of just relieving the symptoms.

How do I know my cough is from a cold?

You know how allergy coughs are typically on the drier side? Coughs from colds (or the flu) tend to be on the wetter side (that "wetness" is actually mucus your body which is trying to move out of your body, says Dr. Lee).

Coughs that come along with a cold usually come along with stuffiness, along with postnasal drip (a.k.a., mucus running down the back of your throat), which can cause a sore throat or chest discomfort. A low-grade fever may also signal a cold instead of allergies.

Colds aren't as immediate as allergies. Instead, they tend to develop over the course of a few days, says Dr. Bryson.

You can try a few different things to help relieve a cough. Decongestants can work for, well, congestion. And ingredients like dextromethorphan (found in many multi-symptom products like Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu Nighttime Relief) can help ease the coughing itself. Just make sure you take any products as-directed. It should be said, however, that a dry cough isn't always allergies, just like a wet cough isn't always a cold. Allergies can plague your nose, for example, causing post-nasal drip (a wet cough), while mild colds might not leave you stuffed up enough to produce any phlegm.

Do I ever need to worry about a cough?

Something important to remember: A cough — no matter its cause — shouldn’t be your norm. Colds usually run their course within a couple of weeks, which means a cough associated with a cold should go away in about three weeks time (though some can linger on for as long as eight weeks), according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The length of an allergy-related cough will vary depending on how (if) you're treating it. But if you notice you’re still barking after two months of symptoms, see your doc. You could either be dealing with an allergy you’re not aware of (this is where an allergy test could come into play) or potentially suffering from another issue such as asthma (especially if you notice shortness of breath with any of your symptoms), reflux, pneumonia, or bronchitis, says Dr. Bryson. And if something (allergies or a pesky cold) is bothering you enough to disrupt your life, don't put off getting it checked out. If nothing else, seeing a doc will give you peace of mind and maybe even speed up your recovery time.

SOURCE:https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a26289646/co ughing-from-allergies-or-cold/. Access: 02/12/2019

Text 3:

The intercultural context

There are, then, clear practical and economic reasons why it is important for as many of your students as possible to feel positive about learning English (and, ultimately, to feel confident about using it). However, there is also an equally important reason, which applies to all languages: their social function. 

Learning and using (1) language brings people into contact, directly or indirectly, with (2) from different societies and cultures. It exposes them to different ways of thinking, different ways of communicating, different values. This, in turn, encourages them to think about their own culture, values and way of life. They realize there is not just one way of doing something, but many different ones. 

In (3) words, as well as equipping learners with practical skills, learning a foreign language extends their horizons, which is one of the important aims of education in most countries. 

Taken from: HOLDEN, Susan & NOBRE, Vinicius. Teaching English Today: contexts and objectives. São Paulo: Hub Editorial, 2018.

Text 3:

Simple Steps to Improve Your English Reading Comprehension

1- Read the right books

If you dislike science fiction, you might not want to read a book about a man stuck on Mars. When you're choosing books (and other texts) to read, keep two things in mind:

1st. What you're interested in

2nd. Your reading level

Whenever you can, you should read things that you enjoy. You should also choose books that are at an English level just above the one you're most comfortable with. You want to challenge yourself just enough to learn new things, but not enough to get frustrated with your reading.

2. Ask yourself questions while reading and after reading

There's more to understanding a book than just reading the words!

There are a few things you can do before, during and after you read to help you better understand the text.

Before you read, browse the text. Take some time after you read too, to browse again and summarize what you remember. Try to quickly say or write a few sentences that describe what the text was all about.

Thinking about what you read will show you how much of it you really understood, and help you figure out if you still have questions.

Adapted from:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/how-to-improve-englishreading/