Pesquisar este blog

domingo, 27 de março de 2011

My Trips -1

Picture of the Week



This picture was taken from the Statue of Liberty. I got there by ferry boat. At the background, the island of Manhattan with the World Trade Center, also called Twin Towers, in the center. It was January 1991 and the temperature was about -5C. I was about to start my first year abroad. New York was much more than I expected. After all, this is the city that never sleeps!

Jokes - 15

Joke of the Week

A man receives a phone call from his doctor.
The doctor says, "I have some good news and some bad news."
The man says, "OK, give me the good news first."
The doctor says, "The good news is, you have 24 hours to live."
The man replies, "Oh no! If that's the good news, then what's the bad news?"
The doctor says, "The bad news is, I forgot to call you yesterday."

To listen to this joke, click on the link:
http://www.manythings.org/jokes/9980.html

Pronunciation Tips - Numbers

Pronunciation Tips
Numbers

If you do not emphasize the stressed syllables properly, numbers like 13-30, 14-40, 15-50... 19-90 are likely to be misinterpreted. Check it out:

Grammar Tests

English Grammar Tests for all levels
http://shop.english-test.net/sites/default/files/english-grammar-tests-sample.pdf

Several English Grammar Exercises:
http://www.english-test.net/

Exercises for Certificate of Proficiency in English:
http://examenglish.com/cpe/index.php?gclid=CO6Q4qv676cCFYdg2godj1FWbg

New York - New York

Song of the Week

New York, New York
by Frank Sinatra






New York State of Mind
by Billy Joel

 


Dracula - Book of the Week

Book of the Week
DRACULA
Bram Stocker

Dracula has been assigned to many literary genres including vampire literature, horror fiction, the gothic novel and invasion literature. Structurally it is an epistolary novel, that is, told as a series of letters, diary entries, ships' logs, etc. Literary critics have examined many themes in the novel, such as the role of women in Victorian culture, conventional and conservative sexuality, immigration, colonialism, postcolonialism and folklore. Although Stoker did not invent the vampire, the novel's influence on the popularity of vampires has been singularly responsible for many theatrical, film and television interpretations since its publication.


To download this book, click on the following link:
http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/free_ebooks/Dracula_NT.pdf

To listen to the audio book, click on the next link:
http://librivox.org/dracula-by-bram-stoker/

To watch this movie dubbed in Portuguese:





To see the remaining videos, click on the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkjrJ8dSQ8o&feature=fvwrel

sábado, 26 de março de 2011

Easter Recipe

Recipe of the Week

Chocolate Babka

Ingredients:


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
Directions:


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 10 inch tube pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

2.In a medium bowl, beat the butter and 1 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Change the mixer speed to medium, and beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, alternately beat the flour mixture and sour cream into the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until just blended.

3.For the topping: In a small bowl combine the chocolate, pecans, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to make a crumb mixture. Spread half of the batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Pour in the remaining batter, and sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture; press the crumbs in lightly so they adhere to the batter. Quickly, but gently cut through the batter and crumbs in an up and down motion with a knife. Lightly rap the pan once against a hard surface, to settle the batter.

4.Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil. Continue baking until a skewer inserted halfway between the side of the pan and the tube comes out clean, about 20 minutes longer. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Invert cake onto rack, and cool completely.
 
Amount Per Serving Calories: 379

Total Fat: 21.7g
Cholesterol: 87mg
 
Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr
Ready In: 1 Hr 30 Min
 
http://allrecipes.com/