CAE - Exercicies - Collocations 2

Multiple Choice Cloze

Collocations 2

Complete each of the following sentences by choosing either A, B, C or D.

1) During the discussion, the speaker showed an excellent....... of all the issues.
A Knowledge
B Grasp 
C Comprehension
D Skill

Grasp - Comprehend fully:

‘the press failed to grasp the significance of what had happened’

 

2) It is widely....... that computer can make our lives easier.

A Accepted

B Agreed

C Allowed

D Affirmed

Accept - Believe or come to recognize (a proposition) as valid or correct:

‘this tentative explanation came to be accepted by the men’

[with clause] ‘it is accepted that ageing is a continuous process’

 

3) Those cupboards are looking a bit scruffy. They could do with a fresh....... of paint.

A Layer

B Cover

C Coat

D Film

Coat - A single application of paint or similar material on a surface:

‘apply a final top coat of varnish’

 

4) He may not look suspect to you but he is in fact a....... dangerous criminal.

A Totally

B Highly

C Strongly

D Largely

Highly - At or to a high degree or level:

[as submodifier] ‘a highly dangerous substance’

‘highly paid people’

 

5) My teacher is great. I have a very high........ of him.

A Opinion

B Regard

C Thought

D Respect

Opinion - An estimation of the quality or worth of someone or something:

‘I had a higher opinion of myself than I deserved’

 

6) She is a gifted linguist and is able to....... easily from English to French.

A Convert

B Revert

C Move

D Switch

 

Switch - Substitute (two items) for each other; exchange:

‘after ten minutes, listener and speaker switch roles’

 

7) You paid 30 euros for the jacket? That was a real........

A Deal

B Bargain

C Value

D Buy

Bargain - A thing bought or offered for sale much more cheaply than is usual or expected:

‘the table was a real bargain’

[as modifier] ‘a bargain price of 99p’

 

 

See you!!!!

CAE - Exercicies - Collocations

From Flo - Joe.

Collocations

Exercice 1

Complete each of the following sentences on the left with one the words on the right.

I'm glad to see that you've recovered from your - ILLNESS

My uncle suffers from heart - DISEASE

She picked up a rather nasty stomach - BUG

She has to take drugs every day for her heart - CONDITION

Vocabulary - From Oxford Dictionaries and Cambridge Dictionary

ILLNESS - A disease or period of sickness affecting the body or mind:

‘he died after a long illness’
‘I've never missed a day's work through illness’

DISEASE - A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury:

‘bacterial meningitis is quite a rare disease’
‘heart disease’

BUG - An illness caused by a microorganism:     

‘he'd just recovered from a flu bug’

CONDITION - An illness or other medical problem:

‘a heart condition’   

RATHER -  Quite - to a slight degree:

‘ it's rather cold today, isn't it?’

See you!!

The Jungle Book Official Big Game Trailer

F1 2016 - Fernando Alonso onboard start compilation

Wuthering Heights - Plot Overview - Part 1

Hi, everyone! I am reading Wuthering Heights as part of my English studies. I found some interesting notes about it on SparkNotes.

<<<<<< SPOILER ALERT >>>>>>

 Plot Overview - Part 1

In the late winter months of 1801, a man named Lockwood rents a manor house called Thrushcross Grange in the isolated moor country of England. Here, he meets his dour landlord, Heathcliff, a wealthy man who lives in the ancient manor of Wuthering Heights, four miles away from the Grange. In this wild, stormy countryside, Lockwood asks his housekeeper, Nelly Dean, to tell him the story of Heathcliff and the strange denizens of Wuthering Heights. Nelly consents, and Lockwood writes down his recollections of her tale in his diary; these written recollections form the main part of Wuthering Heights.

Nelly remembers her childhood. As a young girl, she works as a servant at Wuthering Heights for the owner of the manor, Mr. Earnshaw, and his family. One day, Mr. Earnshaw goes to Liverpool and returns home with an orphan boy whom he will raise with his own children. At first, the Earnshaw children—a boy named Hindley and his younger sister Catherine—detest the dark-skinned Heathcliff. But Catherine quickly comes to love him, and the two soon grow inseparable, spending their days playing on the moors. After his wife’s death, Mr. Earnshaw grows to prefer Heathcliff to his own son, and when Hindley continues his cruelty to Heathcliff, Mr. Earnshaw sends Hindley away to college, keeping Heathcliff nearby.

Three years later, Mr. Earnshaw dies, and Hindley inherits Wuthering Heights. He returns with a wife, Frances, and immediately seeks revenge on Heathcliff. Once an orphan, later a pampered and favored son, Heathcliff now finds himself treated as a common laborer, forced to work in the fields. Heathcliff continues his close relationship with Catherine, however. One night they wander to Thrushcross Grange, hoping to tease Edgar and Isabella Linton, the cowardly, snobbish children who live there. Catherine is bitten by a dog and is forced to stay at the Grange to recuperate for five weeks, during which time Mrs. Linton works to make her a proper young lady. By the time Catherine returns, she has become infatuated with Edgar, and her relationship with Heathcliff grows more complicated.

When Frances dies after giving birth to a baby boy named Hareton, Hindley descends into the depths of alcoholism, and behaves even more cruelly and abusively toward Heathcliff. Eventually, Catherine’s desire for social advancement prompts her to become engaged to Edgar Linton, despite her overpowering love for Heathcliff. Heathcliff runs away from Wuthering Heights, staying away for three years, and returning shortly after Catherine and Edgar’s marriage.

When Heathcliff returns, he immediately sets about seeking revenge on all who have wronged him. Having come into a vast and mysterious wealth, he deviously lends money to the drunken Hindley, knowing that Hindley will increase his debts and fall into deeper despondency. When Hindley dies, Heathcliff inherits the manor. He also places himself in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange by marrying Isabella Linton, whom he treats very cruelly. Catherine becomes ill, gives birth to a daughter, and dies. Heathcliff begs her spirit to remain on Earth—she may take whatever form she will, she may haunt him, drive him mad—just as long as she does not leave him alone. Shortly thereafter, Isabella flees to London and gives birth to Heathcliff’s son, named Linton after her family. She keeps the boy with her there.

 See you!

Wuthering Heights - Context

Hi, everyone! I am reading Wuthering Heights as part of my English studies. I found some interesting notes about it on SparkNotes.
 

 

Here, there is a compilation of the best parts:

Context.

Wuthering Heights, which has long been one of the most popular and highly regarded novels in English literature, seemed to hold little promise when it was published in 1847, selling very poorly and receiving only a few mixed reviews. Victorian readers found the book shocking and inappropriate in its depiction of passionate, ungoverned love and cruelty (despite the fact that the novel portrays no sex or bloodshed), and the work was virtually ignored.

Emily Brontë lived an eccentric, closely guarded life. She was born in 1818, two years after Charlotte and a year and a half before her sister Anne, who also became an author. Her father worked as a church rector, and her aunt, who raised the Brontë children after their mother died, was deeply religious. Emily Brontë did not take to her aunt’s Christian fervor; the character of Joseph, a caricature of an evangelical, may have been inspired by her aunt’s religiosity. The Brontës lived in Haworth, a Yorkshire village in the midst of the moors. These wild, desolate expanses—later the setting of Wuthering Heights—made up the Brontës’ daily environment, and Emily lived among them her entire life. She died in 1848, at the age of thirty.

Yet the sisters knew that the outside world would not respond favorably to their creative expression; female authors were often treated less seriously than their male counterparts in the nineteenth century. Thus the Brontë sisters thought it best to publish their adult works under assumed names. Charlotte wrote as Currer Bell, Emily as Ellis Bell, and Anne as Acton Bell. Their real identities remained secret until after Emily and Anne had died when Charlotte, at last, revealed the truth of their novels’ authorship.

Today, Wuthering Heights has a secure position in the canon of world literature and Emily Brontë is revered as one of the finest writers—male or female—of the nineteenth century. Like Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights is based partly on the Gothic tradition of the late eighteenth century, a style of literature that featured supernatural encounters, crumbling ruins, moonless nights, and grotesque imagery, seeking to create effects of mystery and fear. But Wuthering Heights transcends its genre in its sophisticated observation and artistic subtlety. As a shattering presentation of the doomed love affair between the fiercely passionate Catherine and Heathcliff, it remains one of the most haunting love stories in all of the literature. 

See you!!

Jon Stewart on President-elect Trump, hypocrisy in America

Andrew Carnegie - Wealth - Speech 1914

Andrew Carnegie reading from his book, “Wealth”, published in 1889
Edison Motion Picture Film Studio, Bronx, NY
January 20, 1914
Record format: Edison Kinetophone Cylinder
(00:00 – 01:19)
“I quote from the Gospel of Wealth published twenty-five years ago. This then, is held to be the duty of the man of Wealth:
First: to set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him; and after doing so to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial results for the community – the man of wealth thus becoming the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, (…)” [pp.661-662]
(01:20 – 1:56)
“Those who would administer wisely must, indeed be wise, for one of the serious obstacles to the improvement of our race is indiscriminate charity. It were better for mankind that the millions of the rich were thrown into the sea than so spent as to encourage the slothful, the drunken, the unworthy. (…)” [p. 662]
(01:57 – 02:30)
“In bestowing charity, the main consideration should be to help those who help themselves; to provide part of the means by which those who desire to improve may do so; to give to those who (…) desire to rise the aids by which they may rise; to assist, but rarely or never to do all. (…)” [p. 663]
(02:30 – 02:59)
“He is the only true reformer who is as careful and as anxious not to aid the unworthy as he is to lead the worthy, and, perhaps even more so, for in alms-giving more injury is may be done by promoting vice than by relieving virtue. (…)” [p. 663]
(02:59 – 04:14)
“Thus is the problem of the Rich and Poor to be solved. The laws of accumulation should be left free; the laws of distribution free. Individualism will continue, but the millionaire will be but a trustee for the poor; entrusted for a season with a part of the increased wealth of the community, but administering it for the community far better than it could or would have done of itself. The best in minds will thus have reached a stage in the development of the race in which it is clearly seen that there is no mode of disposing of surplus wealth creditable to thoughtful and earnest men into whose hands it flows save by using it year by year for the general good. This day already dawns. (…)” [pp. 663 – 664]
(04:15 – 05:57)
“Men may die without incurring the pity of their fellows, (…) sharers in great business enterprises from which their capital cannot be or has not been withdrawn, (…) which is left entirely at death for public uses, yet the day is not far distant when the man who dies leaving behind him millions of available wealth, which was free for him to administer during life, will pass away “unwept, unhonored, and unsung,” no matter to what use he leaves the dross which he cannot take with him. Of such as these the public verdict will then be: “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced. Such, in my opinion is the true gospel concerning Wealth, obedience to which is destined someday to solve the problems of the Rich and the Poor, to hasten the coming brotherhood of man, and at last to make our earth a heaven.” [p. 664]

Shiller, Finance and The Good Society

"At its broadest level, finance is the science of goal architecture of the structuring of the economic arrangements necessary to achieve a set of goals and of the stewardship of the assets needed for that achievement."

"Most people define finance more narrowly. Yet financing an activity really is creating the architecture for reaching a goal - and providing stewardship to protect and preserve the assets needed for the achievement and maintenance of that goal"

Prof. Robert J. Shiller

1. Introduction and What this Course Will Do for You and Your Purposes

Fear

Sometimes you realise that you have crossed a line, a limit, a boundary and there is no turning back. You can not come back anymore. You are alone from now on. Everything it's new and you don't know anything about this new situation, about this new path.

Maybe you are not the responsible for this. Maybe someone is. Maybe something is. But doesn't matter anymore, all things were left behind. You don't care about who or what did this with you.

There are no more options on the table. You have only one thing to do, move on.

This is feeling is called - FEAR.

See you soon!!

Theo 8 months

FCE Certificate - Proud !!

I got my FCE Cambridge certificate today. I'm so proud. It was one of my best achievements of 2016. I've already started my studies to CAE. I might be able to take the exam in 2017. I will keep pushing hard!!

See you !!

Scholarship application - Last question.

Career Plan Question

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country.  (minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words) 

 

<<< MY ANSWER >>>

 

When I come back to Brazil after my studies I want to materialise all of the projects that I have designed during my time abroad. I believe that studying abroad in so high rated universities will expand my networking and I will be able to find a leadership position in a large multinational company. I want to apply all of my knowledge and skills to deliver a renewed focus that will drive changes, create values in the organisation, and optimise its global opportunities. As I will be working in a multinational company I will have the possibility to work with people from all over the world. I can use the practice with different cultures that I had in this time in the UK to build a flow of information trough the company and promoting high-performance and creative teams.
To pass ahead my knowledge and experience I want to teach people in projects inside of the company or teach students in universities. When I mention universities, I am considering non-profit organisations, a place where I can teach enthusiastic students that unfortunately don't have financial conditions to help the achievement of  their aims.
I wish to be part of a world leadership organisation because its one of the best ways to know what's happening around the world, change ideas, learn and teach a countless of people.
I believe that I can be extremely valuable helping the UK government in Brazil. There is a dozen of areas and activities that I can apply my efforts the develop a mutual work. As I could read, the UK government helps UK citizens and companies in Brazil as well as Brazilian citizens and companies that need help with some kind of process here or in the UK.
I consider that I can help the UK government in projects using my language skills. As I am fluent in English and Portuguese I can help doing translation activities in all projects that would be running. I want to be doing this contribution as a public-service work. It would be a way to retribute the UK for all the kindness that I received when I was there studying.
Finally,  I think that I  can develop some kind of internship for UK students in the company where I will be working. It will be a way to keep the bonds between our countries strong. In order to support even more this relation, I will be sure that the company that I will be working will be a sponsor of Chevening Brazil.

 

See you!!

Scholarship application - Question 3

Studying in the UK Question

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future.
*Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form (minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

<<< MY ANSWER >>>

I have been working with finance and business administration in leadership positions for the last fifteen years in large companies of Brazil. Even with my degree and my postgraduate studies, I feel that I need to have a different approach to world business. Even reading the news about business all over the world every day, I fell that I need a different experience to improve my knowledge, my career. I feel that improving my knowledge, I will be able to help my country and its society more than I am helping right now.

When I start to look for the courses, the first thing that I thought was how the courses would complete me and how I could apply everything that I will learn. How I would apply this knowledge in the companies in my country, helping them to achieve a better position of management.

I choose to study in the courses of Leadership and Strategy at London Business School, Management and Strategy at London school of Economics and Political Science, Economics and Strategy for Business at Imperial College London because they were the courses which best fits with my aims.

What I can identify right now is that our country has a lack of good strategic leaders that can drive changes at the companies, anticipating the market variations and be prepared to act with the best management tools.

We, in Brazil, are losing a lot of global opportunities because we don't have advanced professionals running strategic plans in the companies.

We, in Brazil, are facing an economic crisis. We are facing the impeachment of our President. News about corruption is printed in the newspapers every day. It will take a long time until we retake our past economic levels and a lot of work has to be done to achieve this goal. We have to build all over again.

This work has to be done by people, by great professionals in all areas, by leaders that can manage this process. I want to be part of this crew because I believe in people and I believe in my country and most importantly I believe that after my studies abroad I will be a better professional, more complete, with new ideas and point of views. I am sure that studying one of the courses which I choose, I will be a better gear in this transformation engine.

See you!!

Scholarship application - Question 2

Networking Question

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.
 (minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

<<< MY ANSWER >>> 

Who am I? And what are my skills which based my relationships?
I am a person who faces the obstacles with good mood because I believe that if I act like this, I  will be attracting and retaining people around me. This is one of the best ways to build a solid and high-performance networking. People need to see you as an affordable person, someone who will bring to them positivity and good energy to help the achievement of their goals.
Another skill that I care to keep in continuous development is the ability to listen. It is one of the main skills to build a strong networking. When someone has an idea or want to share something with you, they have to know that you are ready to listen. In this process, you will have the opportunity to help someone, to learn something and most importantly, to strengthen your relationships as well as enhance your networking.
I believe that it is important to take care your image as a professional likewise as a person. During my career, I always was worried about being a reference to my colleagues and mates. What I want is that they can see me as a model of rectitude, someone reliable. This is a strong ability that helped me build a great networking and keeps it improving, growing and in continuous development.
Finally but not least, I am a person who believes in people. I believe that everybody is capable of doing something. Everybody is capable of getting what they want. When you think as I think, the possibilities to help someone are endless, as well as the possibilities to influence someone in your networking. In every time  you need something, you will be sure to have someone at your side ready to help you. And this cycle will never end.
What I think about the future is to keep cultivating these skills, learn many others and more important, use them to allow me to be a bridge between people. I want to use these skills to build a knowledge networking, transferring what I learned to other people and learn the best as possible from them. I wish to maintain and improve my role as a knowledge multiplier.

See you!!

Scholarship application - Question 1

Leadership & Influence Question

Chevening is looking for individuals that will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.
(minimum word count: 50 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

<<< MY ANSWER >>>

During my career, I had the chance to lead and influence plenty of people who worked with me. Young people as well as older people. I had the opportunity to teach or learn something with all of them. When I was a financial manager in 2000, the company where I worked for, was hiring someone for the cashier function. After the selection process, I chose one person who was in his 50's and most of my colleagues said that it was a mistake to choose him, he was considered old for the function. However, I taught him and after three years he was chief of his sector, and he thanked me for had given the opportunity to him. I saw someone who was wanted someone to bet on him. I bet, and I may say that I changed him as well as he changed me.
I believe that one of the most important skills that a leader should have is knowing how to listen what people have to say. This is also called humility. Sometimes the solution to one problem come from the most unbelievable person. When I worked for a company in 2009, I had two interns and I was the first manager of the company who included interns in the weekly meetings. Until that time, no one had done it. I believe that this is a great opportunity to them to have contact with the real business world. All of my interns thanked me for had given that experience to them. So, one day I was with a super problem to solve, and suddenly one of my interns came and asked to talk to me. I said, sure! It wasn't a surprise when he showed me the solution for the problem that I had. He told me that he only came to talk with me because I was the kind of leader who allows the team to explore new ideas and new perspectives, but most importantly, I always was open to receive these ideas no matter the level that the employee has in the company.
These are only two cases when I had the chance to influence someone and be seen as a leader. I have many others situations that I was capable of change and help people. I believe that most importantly beyond teach, influence or lead teams is always ready to learn something from them.

Theo 7 months

Theo at school.

Theo and the washing machine !!

Discourse markers (1): linkers - 1A

Discourse markers (1): linkers - 1A

Discourse markers (1): linkers - 1A

Discourse markers (1): linkers - 1A

What motivates you? Unit 1A

I spent a lot of time thinking about this subject. What motivates me?
It's easy to know what demotivates you. The nature of human being is to complain about everything and everybody. This natural behavior turns easier the task to make a list of demotivating things.

However, the purpose was to find what motivates me.

One simple sentence describes what motivates me.

"Do different things, know different people and cultures, know different places and so on..."

Everything based on these words - Different, other, diverse, varied...

I can't feel motivated doing the same thing every day, at the same place, with the same people. That it's not what I want.

On the other hand, be challenged to study something different, work with a different subject, with different people and culture at a different place, definitely, it's what motivates me.

Finally, I have the need to always keep my mind busy, learning something new. If I am in this status, you can be sure that I am motivated.

See You

Vocabulary - 1A

I will introduce some new expressions that I learned in my English class.

Unit 1A - Subject - WORK. (I've already posted something about this subject yesterday).

IN A SENSE - In one way

COMFORT ZONE - (colloquial) the working or living enviroment in which we feel safe and unthreatened.

FILL sb IN ON - to tell somebody about what has happened.

CATCH UP - (with somebody) to reach the same level or standard as somebody who is better or more advanced.

KNOW YOUR OWN MIND  - to know what you want or like.

STICK TO YOUR GUNS - (informal) refuse to change your mind about something even when other people are trying to persuade you that you are wrong.

GRTTING MY TEETH - be determined to continue to do something in a difficult or unpleasant situation.

Examples

1. If I wasn't so scared of leaving my COMFORT zone, I'd change my job now.
2. Could you please FILL me in on the meeting I missed last week?
3. She tried to argue against my proposal, but I stuck to my GUNS.
4. The best way to deal with a bad day at work is just to GRIT your teeth and get on with it.
5. After missing so many classes, he'll find it hard to CATCH up with the other students.
6. You need to know your own MIND to succeed in this job. There's no room for self-doubt.

See you soon!!
 

Vocabulary - Work

Hello! Today I will write about - Vocabulary - The subject  is WORK.

So, let's go to the business.

CAREER - refers to the series of jobs that a person has in a particular area of work, usually involving more responsibility as time passes, e.g. a career in journalism. It can also refer to the period of your life that you spend working, e.g. He had a long career as a tennis player.

POST - (synonym position) is normally used when talking about having or applying for a specific job in a large organization.

PROFESSION - usually refers in a general sense to jobs that require special training or qualifications, e.g. the medical profession.

WAGES - the money paid weekly to do a job, whereas (Cambridge Dictionary) SALARY - the money that you are paid monthly or annually to do a job, especially professional employees.

BONUS - an extra amount of money that is added to your wages/salary as a reward, e.g. a productivity bonus.

PERKS - an advantage you get from a company or employer in addition to the money you earn, e.g. a company car. In formal English, e.g. in a job description, you can also use benefits as a synonym.

STAFF - all the workers employed in an organization considered as a group, e.g. Only company staff can use the canteen. It normally takes a plural verb.

EMPLOYEES - the workers seen as individuals. You may want to point out that employee can also be stressed, employee.

SKILLS - particular abilities required in a job, whereas QUALIFICATIONS usually refers to exams passed.

TRAINING - the process of learning the skills you need for a particular job.

HOURS - a fixed period of time during which people work, an office is open, etc., e.g. I work very long hours.

TIMETABLE - a plan of when things are supposed to happen (e.g. school timetable) or a bus/train is supposed to leave or arrive, e.g. There's a bus timetable on the wall.

That's it!! See you soon.

 

Hillary Convention - NYT 07/25/16

I was reading an article in The New York Times about the problems that Hillary would have in the 2016 Presidential campaign.

I am surprised that in the first surveys Trump is in front of her. I wouldn't expect this, but it's real and there is the possibility to become even more true in the future.

Here, there are some of the "tips" that David Leonhardt, NYT reporter, listed in his article:

* They (The party and Hillary?) need to make voters more excited about Hillary Clinton as a person and a leader.
*  Politics has always involved emotion. (As we can see in Trump's case).
*  Voters want to like their president.
*  She has been in the national political spotlight for too long, and too many people view her negatively. (What exactly she did? I don't know).
*  She has the tricky task of winning a third straight term for his party, like George Bush. (Here, the reporter starts to compare Hillary and Bush campaigns). 

*  Cast himself as the optimist. (Bush did this).

*  More personally, Bush linked his life story to the American story. (Hillary can tell her own history, who by the way is great).

*  Their convention will be a success if it appeals to the heart more than the head.

I don't really know if Hillary would be a great President, but what I know is that Trump would be a disgrace to the humanity. So, I am cheering for her.

See you.

 

Urban Dictionary: eat your vegetables

Urban Dictionary: eat your vegetables

Game Changers | Daniel Kahneman

How to Write an Effective Essay

The Baseball Field

Steve was seated on the balcony looking the falling rain. Suddenly, Sara came from the kitchen. She was scared, Bob their son, was gone. Bob was playing in the backyard when a man wearing a baseball uniform took him. Sara saw they through the kitchen window, but when she opened the door to check, they were not there anymore. She was frightened.

Standing up fast, Steve ran into the house and searched for his gun, he needed to do something. He asked Sara to call 911 and to talk with the neighbors. Maybe, they would know something about Bob and the mysterious man.

Ran down the street, Steve arrived at the local baseball field. Surprisingly, Bob and the man were there, playing baseballs like a grandfather and a grandson used to do. Lowering his gun, Steve realized that in fact the man was his father, who died ten years ago. He heard his father saying "I always wished to know him. Bob is a great boy. Now I can go peacefully".

Someone coming from the street called Steve and he turned to see who it was. It was John, his neighbor. When Steve turned back, the man was gone. Bob was there, alone.

Bob and Steve went home and all the neighbors were there, waiting for them. Steve took Sara's hand, turned his back on them and walked slowly into the house.

The End. 

Rules for Capitalization in Titles of Articles

Rules for Capitalization in Titles of Articles

Matt Damon celebrates his “fake graduation” while addressing the Class of 2016

Matt Damon celebrates his “fake graduation” while addressing the Class of 2016: “Turn toward the problems you see” Damon says; MIT President Reif urges graduates to prepare for “cosmic problem set.”

FCE Essay #1

This essay is part of my preparation to attend to the FCE Cambridge.

Around the world, people are living and staying healthy for longer and longer. What changes does this bring to today’s society? Are these changes good or bad?

-    Need for more jobs opportunities;
-    Society can enjoy the knowledge of these older and wiser people;
-    It’s a cheap source of labour.

These changes are good, of course.

Nowadays, we can see more people living longer and longer as a result of their life quality improvement. They eat better and healthier, do exercises regularly, and keep their minds busy. But, are these changes good or bad for society?

There are those who say no, this is not good for the society because if this person wants to keep working, he or she may take a position which was meant for a young person. A young person who never worked. In other words, we have to create more positions in the labor market to support all these people.

On the other hand, there are those who think differently, saying that the society has a lot of things to learn with these older and wiser people. As it is widely known, they are a cheap source of labour, so why not have them working in schools, libraries, and so on? Definitely, it is something to discuss.

To sum up, I believe in the benefits of this changes to society. The main point is to find the right place and purpose for everyone. All human beings have something good to delivery to society, no matter how old they are regardless of their age. We, as a society have to find a way to live in balance among us.

F1 - Why ?

Why am I keep watching F1 races?

Alonso is not wining races anymore and there is no chance that he will start to win races soon. Mclaren is not capable to deliver a champ car to him. His third championship is far from happen in 2016.

Another thing that disturbs me is Galvao Bueno narration. I can't stand him anymore. He is boring and does a lot of unfounded comments about the race and the drivers. It seems that he stopped in time, he forgot to improve his knowledge. The word that best describes him, in my opinion, is snobbish. He should go home!

On the other hand, I'm passionate by races. I could watch any kind of races at any time, even the replays. Races are something which I grow up with. It's been part of my life since my childhood. I remember when my dad and I used to watch races on Sundays. He also used to make some barbecues while the race went on. It was good times.

Finally, I know that against all the odds I can't stop to watch F1 races. I will keep cheering for Alonso and praying to see him world champion again. Maybe with the changes proposed by FIA to 2017 the championship will be better, with more emotion, and I will be there again, watching races.

San Francisco Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia

In a Dark Time - Poem by Theodore Roethke

In a Dark Time

BY THEODORE ROETHKE

In a dark time, the eye begins to see, 

I meet my shadow in the deepening shade;   

I hear my echo in the echoing wood— 

A lord of nature weeping to a tree. 

I live between the heron and the wren,   

Beasts of the hill and serpents of the den. 

What’s madness but nobility of soul 

At odds with circumstance? The day’s on fire!   

I know the purity of pure despair, 

My shadow pinned against a sweating wall.   

That place among the rocks—is it a cave,   

Or winding path? The edge is what I have. 

A steady storm of correspondences! 

A night flowing with birds, a ragged moon,   

And in broad day the midnight come again!   

A man goes far to find out what he is— 

Death of the self in a long, tearless night,   

All natural shapes blazing unnatural light. 

Dark, dark my light, and darker my desire.   

My soul, like some heat-maddened summer fly,   

Keeps buzzing at the sill. Which I is I?

A fallen man, I climb out of my fear.   

The mind enters itself, and God the mind,   

And one is One, free in the tearing wind.

Theodore Roethke, "In a Dark Time" from Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke.  Copyright © 1963 by Beatrice Roethke, Administratrix of the Estate of Theodore Roethke.  Used by permission of Doubleday, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

Source: The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke (Doubleday, 1961)

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172120

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172120

Term of the day - Outperform - By Investopedia

OUTPERFORM

Outperform is when a stock is expected to do slightly ( adverb - a little ) better than the  market return. Also know as "market perform", moderate buy, or "accumulate".

Exactly definitions vary by brokerage ( noun - an organization that buys and sells currency, shares, etc. For other people or organizations) , but in general this ratting is better than neutral and worse than buy or strong buy.

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[HD] Jet Cockpit-view Compilation 1

Brazil - Geert Hofstede

Brazil - Geert Hofstede

Planejamento Tributário - Módulo 1 - Unidade 1

Módulo 1 – Sistema Tributário Nacional e Planejamento Tributário

Sistema Tributário Nacional - Conjunto de princípios e dispositivos tributários, moldado a partir da CF/88. É diante de uma visão geral desse sistema que o profissional realiza, dentro dos limites legais, um eficaz projeto de planejamento tributário.

No Brasil, existem cinco diferentes espécies tributárias, que são exigidas das empresas pelas entidades da Federação – União, Estados, Distrito Federal e Municípios –, de acordo com a competência atribuída a cada uma delas na CF/88.

O tributo nasce de uma relação jurídica na qual o credor ou sujeito ativo – Estado – pode exigir, compulsoriamente, do devedor ou sujeito passivo – contribuinte – uma prestação em dinheiro.

O princípio da isonomia aponta para duas direções...

• generalidade – todos devem pagar tributos sem privilégios;
• uniformidade dos tributos – os tributos devem ser repartidos entre os cidadãos com idênticos critérios.

Ou seja, a lei fiscal deve ser igual para todas as pessoas que se encontram nas mesmas condições, de fato, para contribuir.

A existência de desigualdades justifica a criação de categorias ou classes de contribuintes distintas.

A vedação ao confisco tem sua origem na garantia constitucional ao direito de propriedade e é vinculada ao princípio da capacidade contributiva.

Com isso, ela prega a impossibilidade da instituição de tributo com efeito confiscatório.

Ou seja, a Constituição Federal de 1988 veda o uso da tributação como forma de expropriação de patrimônio.

Unidade 1 – Sistema Tributário Nacional e tributos

Sistema Tributário Nacional

·         tributos

·      espécies tributárias

·            impostos

·            taxas

·            contribuições de melhoria

·            contribuições especiais

·            empréstimos compulsórios

·      tipos de obrigação tributária

·            principal

·            acessória

Princípios do sistema tributário

·        igualdade ou isonomia

·      generalidade

·      uniformidade dos tributos

·        capacidade contributiva

·      coerência entre imposto instituído e condição econômica de contribuição

·        vedação ao confisco

·      impossibilidade da instituição de tributo com efeito confiscatório

·        legalidade

·        imunidade

·      requisitos

·      sem finalidade lucrativa nem exercício de atividade comercial

·      aplicação de recursos integralmente no País

·      escrituração de suas receitas e despesas em livros próprios

·        irretroatividade

·        anterioridade

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Concept of Culture - MOOC - English for doing business in Asia

This audio is part of my English studies. The activity was based in recording an audio with my opinion about the theme - Culture.

Here is the link to the audio - Culture


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Review of strategies

Reviewing the strategies - 6 years - 20 days until the deadline.

1 - Never outshine the master - done;
2 - Never put too much trust in friends - I have no friends here. Ok, only one (F);
3 - Conceal your intentions - there wasn't oportunities;
4 - Always say less than necessary - I had good and bad moments. It's a point that I need to improve;
5 - So much depends on reputation - guard it with your life - my specialty, one of the best observations of the law;
6 - Court attention at all cost - nope, maybe mixed with law 18. It needs improvement;
7 - Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit - done;
8 - Make other people come to you - use bait if necessary - done;
9 - Win through your actions, never through argument - I believe in a mix of things, action x argument. You always need to have a good argument. Think fast;
10 - Infection: Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky - done;
11 - Learn to keep people dependent on you - it's something that I need to develop a little more, because there is a problem. You need to select the right person to be dependent on you;
12 - Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim - done;
13 - When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interest, never to their mercy or gratitude - done;
14 - Pose as a friend, work as a spy - not anymore. I'm in the front right now, battling. Maybe further;
15 - Crush your enemy totally - I almost was caught by the non observance of this law, but thank good i have opened my eyes and removed "the barrier" who (not which) was on my path (G);
16 - Use absence to increase respect and honor - when (G) get out definitely I will get up and stay out of the spotlight;
17 - Keep others in suspended terror: Cultivate an air of unpredictability - I'm a master of observing this law;
18 - Do not build fortresses to protect yourself - isolation is dangerous - I need to develop this skill, I stayed to much time isolated. I'am trying to revert this point;
19 - Know who you're dealing with-do not offend the wrong person - done;
20 - Do not commit to anyone - done;
21 - Play a sucker to catch a sucker-seem dumber than your mark - master;
22 - Use the surrender tactic: Transform weakness into power - new strategy, I'm waiting the opportunity to use;
23 - Concentrate your forces - Yep, I'm concentrating my force in (MM), He is the boss;
24 - Play the perfect courtier - I don't know if I have guts to do this, but let's wait the opportunity.

Twenty days and counting.....

What I'm sending to The Universe? That something very, very, but very good will happen with me, sooner!!

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