Posts in July 2009

The Seven Wonders of Nature: Vote Brazil!

Posted by Rachel
Jul
24
2009

Brazil has been nominated for two locations in the Seven Wonders of Nature competition, in which people can vote for the greatest wonders of the natural world. The Amazon and Iguaçu Falls were chosen amongst thirty total natural wonders from around the world. They are competing against the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef, the Dead Sea, and Mount Kilimanjaro, amongst others.

The top thirty finalists were chosen by a panel of experts based on five factors: unique beauty, diversity and distribution, ecological significance, historical legacy, and geo-location (allowing an equal amount of finalists from the seven continents).

You can vote for your favorite seven wonders of nature on the official website, though the results won’t be announced until 2011. You can vote on the website or by phone, and the site will release the latest ranking of the most voted sites next week.

 
Posted under Brazilian News, Geography
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Favorite Brazilian Author

Posted by Rachel
Jul
23
2009

For today’s interactive feature, the question is: who is your favorite Brazilian author?

Even though most Americans and Europeans are most familiar with Latin American authors like Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende, Brazil has produced quite a few world class novelists, poets, and playwrights that have not received the international acclaim they deserve.

Though Paulo Coelho is Brazil’s best known author outside of Brazil, my favorite Brazilian author is Jorge Amado. I also love Machado de Assis, but I find Amado’s writing slightly less challenging to read, and I really feel like I am transported to another place and time. Bahia is one of my favorite parts of Brazil, and most of his work takes places there. He also really captures the soul of Brazil and manages to celebrate and decry the country’s accomplishments and challenges.

What about you?

 
Posted under Literature
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Slang Verbs

Posted by Rachel
Jul
22
2009

Today, we’re going to look at a few slangy verbs that will make you sound much more fluent in basic conversation. The definitions are a bit boiled down, so make sure you look to see how the words are translated in context.

1. rolar - to happen; to go on

Acha que a festa da Larissa vai rolar mesmo? Do you think Larissa’s party is really going to happen?

O caso está rolando um ano e não acabou ainda. The case has been going on for a year and it isn’t over yet.

2. topar - to agree, decide to do something

Quero que você vá comigo à Argentina. Você topa? I want you to come with me to Argentina. Are you up for it?

Vamos sair hoje à noite. Vocês topam? We’re going out tonight. Do you want to come?

3. brotar - to appear, show up

Sabe quem brotou na boate ontem? Do you know who showed up at the club last night?

Nunca sabe quem pode brotar em esse lugar. You never know who will appear there.

4. safar-se - to get away with something, to get off scot-free

Foi o rico quem fez o crime, mas vai se safar. The rich man committed the crime, but he’s going to get away with it.

Eles sempre se safam porque ninguém fala nada. They always get off scot-free because no one every says anything.

 
Posted under Grammar, Learning
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New Music: Solana

Posted by Rachel
Jul
21
2009

Solana is a band that hails from Espirito Santo, a small state that borders Rio de Janeiro. Though somewhat obscure, the band has played on the popular Faustao show on Globo and is touring Brazil this month, with an upcoming show in their home state tomorrow night.

Light and easy-going, Solana has a smooth and pleasant sound with lyrics that are somewhat easier to understand than other bands.

Check out their album, Feliz Feliz, which you can download here.

More links:

Orkut

Myspace

Official Site

Check out some of their songs below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyC5ewYnfp0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKToM0I7HuY

 
Posted under Music
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New Subspecies of Monkey Discovered in Amazon

Posted by Rachel
Jul
20
2009

Brazilian scientists have announced the discovery of a new subspecies of monkey, the Saguinus fuscicollis mura, discovered in the Amazon. Though it was originally spotted by scientists in 2007, the discovery was just published in the International Journal of Primatology last month.

The very small subspecies, which usually weighs just 350 grams and stands 23 centimeters tall, was found along the BR-319, a defunct highway that connects Porto Velho, in Rondônia, with Manaus, in Amazônia. The monkey’s habitat is located between the Madeira River and Purus River, right near the abandoned road.

The subspecies is named after the Mura tribe of indigenous Brazilians who live in the area. It eats mostly insects and fruit, and can live in dense forest as well as open areas.

However, the Brazilian government plans to start reconstructing the nearby highway as a part of a nationwide development plan. Also, there are several industrial plants being constructed in the area. Scientists fear that the newly discovered monkey could be in danger of disappearing quickly, if its habitat is endangered by development.

 
Posted under Biology & Animals, Brazilian News
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