Sep 6, 2008

Exemplo de redação

Para variar um pouco, o que trago hoje é uma redação escrita pela minha aluna do avançado, Mariana Leopoldo. O tópico era "viagem" e ela escreveu sobre uma passagem imaginária na África. Espero que gostem:

The sun was shining in a way I'd never seen before. It was a beautiful afternoon and I was in Congo, Africa. I decided to travel to a place where people don't usually go to. I wanted adventure and excitement. Besides, I'd have a chance to get to know a whole different culture.
While I was walking through a poor little village, I could see women carrying jars of water on their heads, little boys running and playing happily, men discussing and taking care of their people. I was with a guide, but I went there all by myself. It was a "no destination" trip and I had no idea about what I was going to do. All the loneliness in the world was on my shoulders, but I couldn't be more cheerful.
The village was wild and enchanting. And behind it all, there was such a melancholy! Perhaps it doesn't make much sense, as Africa is a very poor and sick continent, but it was a melancholy full of peace and extremely poetic. I couldn't leave that place, at least not at that moment. I stopped and stared. All those black skins and all that splendour. The guide gave me a long, hard look. "Aren't you coming?", he asked. "No. Now I belong to Africa.", I said.
Obrigada, Mariana, pela sua gentileza em permitir que eu postasse sua redação aqui :)

Sep 4, 2008

Adjetivos: -ed ou -ing?

Assim como em português, alguns adjetivos em inglês podem ter duas formas, dependendo de quem "sofre a ação" e de quem "provoca a ação", por assim dizer. Esta não é a melhor forma de explicar, mas ajuda.
Exemplos:
1) O filme foi cansativo. Fiquei cansada.
2) A palestra foi entediante. Todos ficaram entediados.

Em inglês, os exemplos acima ficariam assim:
1) The film was tiring. I got tired.
2) The speech was boring. Everybody got bored.

Então, os adjetivos em "-ed" indicam que a pessoa se sente de determinada forma porque algo a fez se sentir assim.
Os adjetivos em "-ing" indicam que o sujeito é quem "provoca a ação", por assim dizer.

Veja mais exemplos:

1) The situation is worrying. Everybody is worried.
2) Nobody found the class interesting. Nobody was interested in what the teacher was saying.
3) Traveling abroad is really exciting. You should be excited about going abroad for a while.

Uma boa dica de exercícios sobre isso está aqui. Have fun!