TRUE FRIENDS

Olha o que acontece se você não estudar Inglês

Smile, because our life is short!

Beautiful images

 

Things dogs teach us

Teste seu inglês enquanto reflete sobre o Brasil

Greenpeace in 2011

"2011 was the year the bottom shook the top, the year the ballerina danced on the bull, and "The Protestor" was named Time Magazine person of the year. The faces in our Year in Pictures pay testament and tribute to our contribution and to the benefit of standing up and taking action."

I'm famous

This teacher became famous in the world!!! Check this, please!

My story

The Frog Prince

"The Frog Prince" by The Brothers Grimm

One fine evening, a young princess went out for a walk in the woods near her home. She never went anywhere without her favorite toy, a bright golden ball. Wherever she walked, she would throw the ball in the air, then catch it.

This evening was no exception. She walked far into the woods, throwing the ball and catching it as she went. In time, she became tired.

In the middle of the woods was a deep, dirty pond. On this evening, though, the pond had a wonderful glow in the moonlight. The princess sat down on a bench beside the pond.

While she rested on the bench, she continued playing with her ball, throwing it up and catching it. Up, and catch. Up, and catch.

Just as she tossed the ball especially high in the air, a cloud moved across the moon and cut out its light. In the darkness, the princess missed catching the ball on its way down.

It bounced off her arm, off the seat of the bench and onto the ground. It rolled along the ground, picking up speed. Faster and faster the ball rolled, faster than the princess could run after it, until — plop! — it splashed into the pond.

"Oh, dear," the princess cried. "It is so dark, and the pond is so deep and dirty. Now I will never be able to get my ball back. If only I had been more careful with it. I would give all my jewels and fancy clothes, everything I own in this world, if I could undo my foolish mistake."

At that moment, a frog, who had been listening to her from just below the surface of the pond, popped his head out of the water. "Hello, princess," the frog asked, "why all the tears?"

"What business is it of yours?" the princess replied. "You can't possibly help me."

"Think again, princess. I can get your ball back for you and — here's the zinger — I don't want all your worldly possessions for doing it. I don't want your jewelry, not one pearl." The frog clicked his fingers and did a sloppy tap-dance with his webbed feet. "Not a single penny."

"I don't understand."

"All I ask, princess, is that you show me some kindness. Accompany me to the opera, say. Or, better yet, invite me to dinner at your palace. Let me lay my tired head on your silk-covered pillows."

"What nonsense is this?" the princess thought to herself. "How can a frog come to the palace? He won't be able to travel ten yards from this pond."

But she realized that the frog MIGHT be able to find her precious ball, so she did not want to upset him. "All right. Bring me my ball and you can visit me whenever you want."

"We could get to become good friends," the frog said.

"Who can tell?" the princess said in order to encourage him to search for her ball.

But as the frog dived back into the pond, the princess laughed at his stupidity.
Of course he DID rescue her ball from the bottom of the pond. When he placed it in the palm of her hand, she was delighted, so delighted she couldn't help but give him a kiss on his wet, bony forehead before running all the way home.

She was so delighted, she was soon playing with the ball again, throwing it up and catching it. She quickly forgot all about that silly old frog.

The next evening, as the princess sat down to dinner with her father, the king, there was a strange noise — tap, tap, plash, plash — on the marble stair. A moment later, a soft knock sounded on the dining-room door. A tiny voice sang out:

"Open the door, my
princess
dear! Open the door, for your true love is here."

The princess couldn't believe it. She ran to the door and there was the frog. She was amused, but more than that she was alarmed and frightened. So she slammed the door closed in the frog's face and went back to the dinner table.

Sensing her fear, the king asked what the matter was. "There is a horrible slimy frog at the door," she explained. "Yesterday, when I dropped my ball in the pond in the woods, he got it back for me. In return, I promised he could come to dinner at the palace. But, of course, I didn't mean it. I never in my wildest dreams imagined he would be able to hop all the way here."

"Open the door, my princess dear! Open the door, for your true love is here."

Came the tiny voice again.

The king rested both his hands on the young princess's shoulders. "If you've made a promise, daughter, you must keep it. This family keeps its promises. Let the frog in."

The princess did so. The frog hopped in. He hopped from one end of the long dining-room to the other, where the table was. He hopped all the way from one end of the long table to the other, where the princess sat.

"Hey, princess, do me a favor," he said. "Help me up. Lay a place for me next to you."

She didn't want to, but the king threw her a stern, fatherly glance.
"Push that plate over this a-way," the frog said after he had gotten good and comfortable on the table beside the princess.

Once he had eaten his fill from the princess's own plate, the frog asked to be taken up to her bedroom for a nap. In no time at all, he was fast asleep.
He spent the whole night beside the princess. But he left in the morning, at first light, while she was still sleeping.

"Thank goodness," the princess thought when she awoke. "I don't suppose he'll ever bother us again."

But she was wrong. The very next night, a soft knock sounded on her bedroom door. That same voice, not quite so tiny this time, sang:

"Open the door, my princess dear! Open the door, for your true love is here."

Remembering what her father had said about promises, she had no choice but to open the door. In hopped the frog. UP hopped the frog, onto her pillow, this time needing no help. Again, he was gone before dawn.

This also happened on the third night, and on the fourth. But on the fourth morning, when she awoke, the princess was astonished to find a handsome prince standing at the head of her bed. He was gazing at her with the widest, bluest eyes she had ever seen.

He told her that a spiteful witch had long ago cast a spell, turning him into a frog. The witch had commanded that he stay a frog for all eternity, living in that deep, dirty pond, unless by chance he met a princess and could persuade her to invite him to her palace, feed him from her very own plate, and let him rest beside her in her very own bed for three nights.

"That cruel spell has been broken," the prince said. "You have broken it. All that remains is for you to allow me to take you to the opera. To take your hand, once in a while, for walks in the woods. All that remains is for you to do me the honor of being my friend."

"And perhaps to fall in love with you?" the young princess asked.

The prince smiled shyly. "Who can tell?"

From here. WATCH THE VIDEO!
www.speakaboos.com/story/the-frog-prince

Speaking...

BIPOLAR CELEBRITIES

From here: NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE

BIPOLAR DISORDER

Bipolar disorder or manic–depressive disorder, also referred to as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or more depressive episodes. The elevated moods are clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes, or symptoms, or a mixed state in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time. These events are usually separated by periods of "normal" mood; but, in some individuals, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, which is known as rapid cycling. Extreme manic episodes can sometimes lead to such psychotic symptoms as delusions and hallucinations. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia, and other types, based on the nature and severity of mood episodes experienced; the range is often described as the bipolar spectrum.
Estimates of the lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder vary, with studies typically giving values of the order of 1%, with higher figures given in studies with looser definitions of the condition. The onset of full symptoms generally occurs in late adolescence or young adulthood. Diagnosis is based on the person's self-reported experiences, as well as observed behavior. Episodes of abnormality are associated with distress and disruption and an elevated risk of suicide, especially during depressive episodes. In some cases, it can be a devastating long-lasting disorder. In others, it has also been associated with creativity, goal striving, and positive achievements. There is significant evidence to suggest that many people with creative talents have also suffered from some form of bipolar disorder. It is often suggested that creativity and bipolar disorder are linked.
Genetic factors contribute substantially to the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder, and environmental factors are also implicated. Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood stabilizing medications and, sometimes, other psychiatric drugs. Psychotherapy also has a role, often when there has been some recovery of the subject's stability. In serious cases, in which there is a risk of harm to oneself or others, involuntary commitment may be used. These cases generally involve severe manic episodes with dangerous behavior or depressive episodes with suicidal ideation. There are widespread problems with social stigma, stereotypes, and prejudice against individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder exhibiting psychotic symptoms can sometimes be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia, a serious mental illness.
The current term bipolar disorder is of fairly recent origin and refers to the cycling between high and low episodes (poles). A relationship between mania and melancholia had long been observed, although the basis of the current conceptualisation can be traced back to French psychiatrists in the 1850s. The term "manic-depressive illness" or psychosis was coined by German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in the late nineteenth century, originally referring to all kinds of mood disorder. German psychiatrist Karl Leonhard split the classification again in 1957, employing the terms unipolar disorder (major depressive disorder) and bipolar disorder.


From here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder

In Portuguese, here:
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transtorno_bipolar

HOW DO YOU SAY... IN ENGLISH?

READING: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time in a far-off country, a successful merchant lived in a lovely cottage in the forest with his two sons and two daughters.

Whenever one of his ships came in to port, he would travel to town to sell the goods that they brought back. And every time, his children would ask him to bring things back for them.

"I want a great sword, encrusted in jewels!" said his sons.

"I want a golden harp, with strings made from silk!" said one of his daughters.

The oldest child, however never asked for anything.

"I just want you to come home safely," she would tell her father.

She was such a pretty young woman that her family took to simply calling her Beauty. And this was a fitting name, for Beauty most liked all the beautiful things in life: the sound of birds singing, a sweet line of poetry from a good book, the smell of fresh flowers blooming...

"Are you sure there is nothing I can bring you," asked her father before he left. "The other children have asked for so much."

Beauty thought about it for a second before answering. "I would love for you to bring me a rose," she said. "We don't have them here in the forest, and I do love the way they smell."

The merchant agreed with a smile, and giving his horse a kick, he was off. But when he got to town, he found out that his ship had been damaged in a bad thunderstorm, and there were no goods to be sold. With no money for gifts, he sadly decided to return home.

But soon the thunderstorm reached the land, engulfing everything in rain and wind and lightning. By the light of his lantern, the merchant saw a great castle in the distance, and decided to ask for shelter.

He was so tired that he didn't notice that the storm mysteriously cleared when he approached the castle. He found the front door open, and with no response to his calls, he entered.

The palace was beautiful, but strangely empty. The merchant he wandered into a room where a fire was burning and a chair was drawn up close to it. Exhausted, the man quickly fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke after several hours, his stomach was growling and he was still alone, but someone had already set a plate of food in front of him. It had been nearly a full day since he last ate, so he grabbed the food, promising to thank his host later.

He walked down to the garden, and found to his surprise that the sun shone and the birds sang.

The merchant was delighted to see a hedge of roses lining the path towards the stables, which reminded him of his promise to Beauty. He had stopped to gather one when he was startled by a strange noise behind him. Turning around, he saw a fearsome and angry-looking Beast.

"Who said you could take my roses?" the Beast asked in a terrible voice. "Was it not enough that I fed you? This is how you show your gratitude, by stealing my flowers?"

The merchant, terrified by these furious words, dropped the rose and threw himself on his knees. "Pardon me, noble sir," he said. "I am truly grateful for your hospitality, and didn't realize you would be offended by my taking such a little thing as a rose."

But the Beast's anger was not lessened by this speech. "You may be quite good with excuses and flattery," he cried. "But that will not save you from the death you deserve."

In despair, the merchant began to tell the Beast of all his misfortunes, the reasons for his journey, and his daughter's request.

"A king's ransom would hardly have paid for all that my other children asked," he said. "But I thought that I might at least take Beauty her rose. I beg you to forgive me, for I meant no harm."

The Beast considered this for a moment. "I will forgive you on one condition," he said. "And that is that you will give me one of your daughters."

"Ah!" cried the merchant. "Even if I were cruel enough to save my own life at the expense of one of my children's, what would I say to make her come here?"

"You mustn't force her to come," answered the Beast. "See if any one of them is courageous enough to save your life. In one month, if none of your daughters is willing to come, you must say goodbye to them forever and return alone. If you fail to keep your promise, I will come after you myself," the Beast added grimly.

The merchant reluctantly accepted the offer, thinking none of his daughters would agree to come to the castle. The Beast gave him a rose for Beauty, and allowed him to leave.

When he finally returned home, his children were upset that he didn't have any gifts for them. When he told them about the castle and the promise he made, his sons vowed to go to the castle and kill the Beast. But then the children turned angrily to Beauty.

"You should have asked for something more sensible than a rose," they complained bitterly.

Poor Beauty felt terrible. "Who could have guessed that a rose would cause so much misery?" she said. "But since I was the one who asked for it, I should be the one to suffer for it. I'll go back with my father to keep his promise."

At first, her father and brothers, who loved her dearly, refused to let her go. But Beauty had made up her mind. And when the day finally came, she comforted her father as they traveled there together.

As they neared the castle, fireworks lit the sky before them. When they reached the avenue of orange trees, there were statues holding flaming torches, and they could see the palace was illuminated from the roof to the ground, with music sounding softly from the courtyard. Beauty couldn't help admiring all the wonderful things she saw.

Once inside the castle, they found a fire burning and a table set with a delicious supper for two. They had hardly finished the meal when the sound of the Beast's footsteps could be heard, and Beauty clung to her father in terror. But when the Beast appeared, she greeted him respectfully.

"Have you come willingly?" he asked Beauty, who told him that she had. The Beast turned to the merchant. "Then you will leave, never to return again."

The Beast allowed the merchant to fill two trunks with gold and jewels, but then told him he must leave immediately. When her father was gone, Beauty began to cry.

The Beast seemed agitated. "Take whatever you need from the castle," he growled, and left abruptly.

Beauty found her room and cried herself to sleep. She dreamt that she was walking near a stream, when a young and handsome prince appeared.

"You will be rewarded for all you have suffered," the prince told her. "Do not trust too much to your eyes. No matter how I may be disguised, I love you dearly, and in saving me from my cruel misery, you will find your own happiness."

She awoke feeling better, and she set off to explore the palace. She wandered through rooms lined with mirrors, and others filled with books and musical instruments. In one of them, she was surprised to find a bracelet with a picture of the prince that had been in her dreams, and she slipped it onto her arm with a smile, and imagined he would come rescue her.

A moment later, the Beast greeted her at the doorway, he frightened her so much that she could barely look at him, and she didn't even notice the fine suit he wore.

He asked her what she thought of the palace, and as they talked, she began to think he wasn't nearly as terrible as he seemed.

But when he got up to leave, the Beast asked gruffly, "Do you love me, Beauty?"

Without thinking, she said, "No, you're a Beast!" and then looked down at her new bracelet.

"Goodnight then, Beauty," the Beast replied, as he ran off abruptly. She was relieved that he didn't attack her.

After that, the days took on a similar pattern. There were plenty of wonderful rooms and gardens in the palace to entertain her. But every evening after supper, the Beast came to see her, and always before saying goodnight, he asked in his terrible voice, "Beauty, do you love me?"

Beauty, thinking of the prince of her dreams, always answered politely, "No, Beast."

But the longer Beauty stayed at the castle, the less she was afraid of the Beast. She began to notice that he was actually very polite when he came to see her, and even seemed to be a little nervous. After a while, it occurred to Beauty that the Beast seemed more scared of her than she was of him.

She also found that she began to enjoy spending time with the Beast. Beneath his fearsome looks, he was actually very thoughtful and caring. And she felt sad because each night when she refused to marry him, he went away so sorrowfully.

But at night her dreams of the handsome prince soon made her forget about the poor Beast. She concentrated all of her thoughts on what the prince told her: distrust all appearances; let your heart guide you instead of your eyes.

Beauty found that she was quite content at the castle with the Beast. But she also missed her family dearly, and wondered how she would ever find her prince.

One night, seeing her looking very sad, the Beast asked what was the matter. She told him she wished to see her home once more. Though the Beast seemed sadly distressed, to her surprise he said she could go home.

"It makes me sad to see you go," said the Beast, in as soft a voice as she had ever heard from him, "but I want you to be happy." He handed her a beautiful ring, and said, "If ever you choose to return, just put this ring on your finger and you will be back at my castle." And with that, he left her alone.

When Beauty arrived back home her family was overjoyed to see her. When she told her father about her dreams of the prince, the part about not trusting appearances made him stop and think about the Beast, and how he was so kind to them despite his appearance. But he was too overjoyed to have his daughter back, and the family went to celebrate.

But though Beauty was glad to be back with her family, she also missed the castle, and its beautiful rooms, and even her talks with the Beast. And she soon noticed that she did not dream of the prince anymore, instead, after a few weeks, she began to have a different dream. In it, she was wandering through the palace gardens when she heard groans of pain from a nearby cave. She ran over to find the Beast stretched out upon his side, looking weak and frail.

After having this dream for several nights, she became very worried about the Beast. She decided she should go back to the castle to check on him.

Despite protests from her family, she put the Beast's ring onto her finger, and she was magically transported back to the palace.

She called out for the Beast, but he didn't come to her. Finally she remembered the cave from her dream, and ran out to the gardens. Looking around, she saw a familiar path and walked down it, coming to the very same cave she dreamed about. She ran inside, and found the Beast, lying motionless.

"Oh, he's dead," she cried bitterly. "I should never have left him alone here!"

She wept and put her hands over her face, but then she heard the sound of the Beast moving.

"Beauty?" he said weakly.

"Oh, how you frightened me!" she cried. "I never knew how much I loved you until we were apart!"

"Can you really love such an ugly creature?" the Beast asked faintly.

"Yes Beast, I love you more than anything else in this world!"

The Beast, suddenly sounding stronger and stronger, began to tell her a story in a gentle voice:

"When I was younger, a witch came to my castle. Seeing the warts on her face and her ugly green skin, I refused to let her in. So she put a curse on my entire palace. Because I had judged her by her appearance, she turned me into a terrible-looking Beast, and she said I would die unless I could earn the true love of a good woman."

Beauty suddenly realized that she had heard this voice before. The Beast stood up, and he began to sparkle with light, until the light became so bright that Beauty had to close her eyes.

When she opened them, she saw that the handsome prince from her dreams stood where the Beast was.

Hand in hand, the two left the cave, and found that the castle had come to life with lights and music, and in the sky, in letters all made of fireflies, was written: "Long live the Prince and his Bride."


From here!

ING ADJECTIVES

Try to understand this story, please!

Bedtime for Peter

7 billion

Let's laugh!

Just joking, ok?

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Video

Em desenho animado, acompanhe a história de FRANKENSTEIN de Mary Shelley aqui:

http://www.speakaboos.com/story/frankenstein

Boa diversão!