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T e e n m R e a d e r s
C o n te n ts
6 Main Characters
8 Before you read
10 Chapter 1 Flying to Brazil
20 Activities ♦
22 Chapter 2 Sao Paulo and its Surprises
30 Activities
32 Chapter 3 Brasilia, a Planned Capital
40 Activities
42 Chapter 4 Pantanal and its Charms, Stories and Legends
50 Activities
52 Chapter 5 The Amazon Rainforest: Secrets and Mysteries
60 Activities
62 Chapter 6 Rio de Janeiro is Beautiful!
73 Activities
74 Focus on... Peoples and Regions of Brazil
76 Focus on... Music to Suit all Tastes
78 Test yourself
79 Syllabus
These icons indicate the parts of the story that are recorded start 0 stop(g)
Main Characters
YOSfli, a young Japanese man (he wants to be a photographer and a movie director)
Niara, a young Gunnar, a youngMozambican woman Norwegian man (she wants to be a (he wants to bewriter) a musician)
Nanda, a youngwoman who produces the Brazilian TV show: How much do you really know about Brazil? on the Brazilian channel SpokTV
Caue, a young man who hosts the Brazilian TV show: How much do you really know about Brazil? on the Brazilian channel SpokTV
Hugo, acameraman for the Brazilian channel SpokTV
Miriam, thecoordinator for the Brazilian channel SpokTV
M rGenerosoand Mrs. Gereninha,storytellers
Before you read
Vocabulary
1 Match the words with their definitions.
1 El itinerary a com petition in which prizes are
2 □ consulate usually won
3 □ docum entary b a film that gives factual
4 □ childhood information about a subject
5 □ scene c the tim e when a person is a child
6 □ soundtrack d something that is needed or
7 □ contest necessary
8 □ g raffiti e the sounds of a film or a program
9 □ requirement f an office o f a country that takes
care of its own citizens in a
d ifferent country
g words or drawings on walls,
doors, etc. in public places
X a detailed plan or route o f a
journey
i part o f a play or film
Speaking
2 Read the blurb on the back of the book first. Then, use
the information in the box below to make predictions
about what will happen in Chapter 1: F ly ing to Brazil.
Work with a partner.
A WHOLE MONTH BRAZILIAN CULTURE
SEVERAL CITIES AN IMMENSE COUNTRY
VID EO /TE X T/M U S IC MUSIC / FOOD / CUSTOMS
Research3 Search the Internet and find some information on Sao
Paulo, the first city our new friends Niara, Yoshi and
Gunnar are going to visit. Make notes in the box. Share
the information with the rest of the class.
Grammar
4 Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets in the
correct tense or form. More than one answer is
sometimes possible.
1 Y osh i (live) in Tokyo a n d ..................... (have)
a sister.
2 Before the trip, the p ro d u ce rs ....................(decide) to
set up a virtual chatroom for immediate communication
between the kids and their families.
3 When the tr ip is over, G unnar....................(return) to
Oslo.
4 A t this very m oment the o rgan ize rs ..................... (wait)
for the winners o f the contest at the airport.
5 When looking at the map of Brazil, Niara remembered
that N a nd a ..................... (say) that the country is divided
in 5 regions.
9
Chapter 1
Flying to Brazil
► 2 “I’m glad that the SpokTV producers* set up a virtual
chatroom for the winners of the contest,” said Niara,
happily. The young girl sat back in her seat.
“This way we’ve gotten to know each other a little
bit before the trip. Can you imagine? What if we’d
only met right now at the airport? Too strange!”
One of her two friends, a Japanese guy called
Yoshi, answered, "Yeah, Niara, you’re right. After
all, we’re going to spend a whole month together.
We’re going to be traveling to different cities to
make the Expedition Brazil documentary.”
‘Ah, Yoshi, I knew we’d get to know each other
so well in the virtual world that by the time we met
in the real world we’d be like old friends, and I was
right!” Gunnar, the third guy, added.
“I know, Gunnar! After all, we already know
so much about each other’s lives, our families
and dreams. You all know that I want to be a
photographer and a movie director, that I live in
Tokyo, and that I have a sister.”
‘And you know about my life in Oslo,” Gunnar
a producer a person who makes a TV program
I
10
Expedition Brazil p
replied. “You know that I have three younger brothers
who love to bug* me, but love to hear me play! They
think it’s great that I want to be a musician.”
“Well, I think I was the one who spoke most in
the chat. I love to talk, I love stories. It’s no surprise
that I want to be a writer. It’s been a dream of mine,
you know, since the days when my granddaddy
used to tell me stories, when I was little,” said Niara.
“One thing I like is that we won’t be going to
Brazil separately. I thought it was great that the
SpokTV team joined us in your country, Niara, and
that we all left together. Can you imagine each of
us flying alone for hours, thinking about what was
going to happen?”
“Whoa, Yoshi! You’re the most Zen of us! Did
you really think you were going to worry about the
trip? Can you imagine what Gunnar and I would
feel like? I guess we’d have a nervous breakdown!”
added Niara.
Everyone burst out laughing*. They laughed
and laughed, and then the three friends carried on
talking. Taking turns, they talked about all sorts of
different things. Anyone who saw that close young
to bug to annoyto burst out laughing to start laughing suddenly
11
^Anna Claudia Ramos
group of three would think that they had known
each other since they were children. But that wasn't
true: the three had only known each other a little
over a month, the time they had had to organize
for the trip.
Niara, Gunnar and Yoshi had won the contest
A Look at Brazil, set up by the Brazilian channel
SpokTV The people taking part had entered in
one of three areas: video, text or music. The prize
for each area was a trip to a few Brazilian cities to
produce a documentary about Brazil.
Then each entrant had sent in a video, text
or piece of music about Brazil. The aim of the
constest was to find the people who could best
capture* the spirit of the country. Niara was the
winner for her writing, Gunnar had won with his
music and Yoshi had made the winning video.
The only requirements had been that they spoke
English fluently, so they could communicate
during the production of the documentary, and
that they knew a little Portuguese and something
about Brazilian culture.
Of the three, Niara is the only one who speaks
to capture to catch
12
Expedition Brazil p
Portuguese fluently, because after all, she was born in
Mozambique, one of the countries of the Portuguese-
community*. Gunnar and Yoshi both
love Brazil and know some Portuguese words and
expressions. All of them, however, still have a lot of
trouble understanding the geography of the country.
At that moment, all three of them were looking
at the open map of Brazil, marking the cities that
they would visit and beginning to understand just
how big Brazil is. It wouldn’t be possible to see even
half of what they wanted to.
“Guys, do you remember what Nanda said?
Brazil is divided into five regions. Is that right? And
each region has several states and each state has
lots of counties and cities.”
“That’s right, Niara. It’s kind of difficult, isn’t it?
I guess we’ll understand everything better when
we get there. It’s a shame that we won’t get to visit
all the regions...”
“A real shame, Yoshi. We’ll just have to visit
Brazil a few more times!”
“We haven’t even arrived and you’re already
talking about going back!” said Gunnar.
a community a group of people
13
^Anna Claudia Ramos
The three burst out laughing again.
'After our chats, I did a little bit of research about
the cities that we’re going visit. We’re going to have
so much fun. After all, it’s going to be so different
from our cultures.”
“Especially yours, Yoshi. Researching the cities
that we’re visijjng is so you!” said Niara.
“Don’t pick on* me! W hat’s the problem? I like
to research things. Anyway, you’ll be interested in
what I found out. Everything is different in each
of those places - the music, the food, and the
traditions,” said Yoshi.
"I know! I can’t wait to see it all. Can you imagine
writing about those beautiful things?” added Niara.
'And what about writing music in those places?”
said Gunnar, 'And coming up with a soundtrack for
the documentary?”
'And what about filming it all? And taking
pictures?” added Yoshi.
"It’s going to be magical, I’m sure!” Niara smiled
and hugged* her new friends. It was another magical
moment, but the flight was long and soon the three
went to sleep, very tired. Their heads rested on each
to pick on someone to criticize someoneto hug to put your arms around someone in a friendly way
14
^Anna Claudia Ramos
other’s shoulders, as if they had always been friends.
When Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar arrived in Sao
Paulo, a team from SpokTV was waiting for them
at the airport: Nanda, the producer, Caue, the
presenter of the TV show much do you really
know about Brazil?,Hugo, the cameraman and
Miriam, the boss of SpokTV
“Well, evejyone, welcome to Brazil!” said
Miriam, smiling. “This is the team that will be
with you. Nanda, Caue and Hugo are going to be
in the same hotel in Sao Paulo to make sure that
everything works out fine. So, let’s go! You guys
must be really excited to see Brazil. Your trip’s going
to be full of surprises for sure.”
‘And when are we going to get to see Rio de
v Janeiro, Miriam?”
“Well, Gunnar, you’ll have to be patient. Rio will
be the last city that you get to see. But, come on,
you don’t have much time and there are so many
places to see.”
From the moment they left the airport until
they arrived at the hotel, everything was filmed
and photographed; after all, they needed to record
16
Expedition Brazil ^
everything. Absolutely everything was going to be
recorded during this trip.
The three friends looked excitedly out of .the
van windows. They went up Paulista Avenue and
Miriam explained how im portant the main avenue
was. She told them that the financial center of the
city and country was there. She talked about the
buildings, showing them where a few consulates
were. She pointed out the Museum of Art of
Sao Paulo, the famous MASP, and while they
talked excitedly about the itinerary, Yoshi looked
around at all the fantastic street art. He found it
beautiful. Hugo explained that there was some
really neat graffiti in several parts of the city, and
if Yoshi wanted to film or photograph some of
it, they could include that in the itinerary. Yoshi
had already heard about the Gemeos, twin
brothers who were graffiti artists from Sao Paulo.
Hugo promised to take them to photograph the
best street art in the city. He wanted them to
understand the poetry of the walls or, like a friend
of Hugo’s said, understand ‘the walls that speak’.
They decided to do that right away, but first they
17
^Anna Claudia Ramos
had to leave the suitcases at the hotel and visit the
SpokTV head office.
“Get ready everyone, this is going to be one busy
month!” said Miriam.
The next day, everyone got up early. They were
going to visit the Museum of the Portuguese
Language, so they stopped by Esta^ao da Luz, the
train station. The three friends were very impressed
with some of the buildings at the station: copies
of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey built with
materials brought over from England. This time,
Niara was the most impressed. She was thinking
about stories. So many interesting things must have
happened in that train station, when trains were
the main means of transportation for the local
population.
They left the station, but Caue had to go back to
get Niara, who seemed to be daydreaming.
“Hey you! W hat are you thinking about? WeVe
been calling you for over five minutes and you
didn’t hear us!” Caue said, smiling.
“Really? I was miles away. I was thinking about
so many things, so many stories.”
18
Expedition Brazil ^
“If this place did that to you, just wait till we
go into the Museum of the Portuguese Language.
You're going to love it, especially because you speak
Portuguese!”
Gunnar and Yoshi saw Niara and Caue talking
excitedly as they walked toward them, and they
both felt a little jealous. They had never talked
about it, but they both thought Niara was beautiful.
When they arrived at the museum, Hugo asked,
“Yoshi, do you have your camera ready? It's important
to record as much as possible; we can edit everything
later, so don’t worry. And I’m going to record the
behind the scenes action, everything you do!”
“Niara and Gunnar, don’t forget that you need
to let us know everything that you want Yoshi, or
Hugo, to film or photograph, because we need to
get everything; we’re not coming back to any of
these places, OK?” Nanda warned. i
19
After-reading Activities
Reading1 Decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F).
T F
1 Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar are visiting Brazil
w ith their schools. □ 0
2 The three friends had already been together
on other trips. □ II]3 The contest required that the participants
spoke Portuguese fluently. Q Q
4 Nanda, Caue and Hugo did not stay in the
same hotel as the three t r ia d s when they
were in Sao Paulo. □ □
5 Paulista Avenue is the financial center of Brazil. □ □6 The Gemeos are twins and are well-known
street artists. □ □
7 At Estapao da Luz, the main train station
in Sao Paulo, people can see structures
brought to Brazil from England. □ □
Grammar
2 Complete the sentences with the Phrasal Verbs in the box. Be careful with your tenses.
find out jg ick 'O n ’ burst into get up come up w ith
1 It is common for young people to each other.
2 They had so much fun during the trip that it was common
for the kids t o ................... laugthter now and then.
3 Everyone so o n ................. that Niara was a fantastic writer.
4 W ith so much to see it was easy for Yoshi t o ..................
a fantastic video.
5 Caue asked the kids t o ................... early for the tr ip toRio de Janeiro.
20
Pre-reading Activities
Speaking3 Work in pairs to devise a two-day itinerary in Sao Paulo and
then present it to another pair. Make notes below.
Listening
► I 4 Listen to track 3 and write three sentences about the
beginning of Chapter 2: Paulo and its Surprises.
Work with a partner.
1 ...........................................................................................
21
Chapter 2
Sao Paulo and its Surprises
► 3 They walked around the three floors of the Museum
of the Portuguese Language. The three friends were
open-mouthed, each for different reasons. For Niara,
it was because the various exhibitions were in her
own language. For Gunnar and Yoshi, it was because
of the surprising sounds, projections and installations
- wonderful expressions of art. Everything was new.
The language, so familiar to Niara, was very difficult
for the others, and for Yoshi in particular. In the
Language Plaza, a sort of ‘Language Planetarium’,
with projected images and sounds, the three were
amazed. All they could do was feel the emotions*
that the place awakened in them. It was so simple,
and at the same time so strong and deep. The sounds
of the language were so beautiful...
The room was dark and the three friends sat
together, Gunnar on the right, Yoshi on the left and
Niara in the middle. Niara felt the light touch of
Gunnar s hand on her right hand and, incredibly*, at
the same time, Yoshi’s hand touched her left hand.
It was a very special moment; the link between
an emotion a deep feeling incredibly unbelievably
22
Expedition Brazil ^
Gunnar, Yoshi and Niara was so strong.
As soon as they left the room, Niara wrote
something in the notebook she had been given by the
producers. Then she said, “Yoshi, before we leave, I want
you to record something. Gunnar, do you remember
that music that you were whistling* last night?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Because I want it to be the soundtrack for
something I am going to read, right here, at the entrance
of the Museum of the Portuguese Language.”
And Niara read while Gunnar whistled and
Yoshi got some great film of everything.
“This homeland is not mine, but this language is!
These hands are not mine, but they touch me without
realizing it!
None o f this belongs to me, but it is all part o f me.
Mysteries. ” ■
Afterward, everyone returned to the van. It was
lunchtime, so they went to a restaurant. The three
friends were silent, only Nanda and Caue kept the
conversation going. Hugo realized that there was
something strange going on. Young people’s stuff,
to whistle to blow air through your lips and make a tune
23
^Anna Claudia Ramos
he thought, since he was the oldest in the crew. Nanda
and Caue were some six or seven years younger than
he was. The silence didn’t last long, because, while
they were eating, Nanda described everything that
they were going to do that day She told them they
were going to MASP and to Ibirapuera Park. Then,
at night, she said, they would have dinner at a nice
local pizzeria.
When they arrived at MASP, there was a show going
on, as often happens at lunchtime. This time Gunnar
got emotional, as he imagined himself playing there
with his band. The band was still coming together, but
he was already dreaming of how successful it was going
to be in Brazil. “Wow! This space is awesome!” Gunnar
was looking at the large open space under the museum.
“It’s huge, isn’t it?” said Caue. “I’ve recorded a few
shows here. This place is just great! There’s a street
market here Sundays, but before you ask if we can
come, we can’t! Sorry, Niara. By Sunday, we’ll be far
away from here.”
“But just imagine skating here, it must be great!”
said Yoshi.
“Well, enjoy it now, because from here, we have to
24
^Anna Claudia Ramos
go to Ibirapuera and tomorrow we're going to see the
Football Museum, the one you talked about so much
in your emails, remember?”
How could they forget? They would also never
forget anything they saw at Ibirapuera Park. Niara,
Gunnar and Yoshi were very impressed* by the size of
the park, with its museums and huge open area.
That afternoon, Yoshi took more than two hundred
photos; he filmed Gunnar playing his guitar under a
beautiful tree and photographed Niara from all sides.
Gunnar, Niara, Nanda and Caue decided to go on a
bike ride. Each rented one and went around the park,
while Hugo and Yoshi recorded everything.
Afterward, Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar joined a group
of young skaters. Not all of the skaters spoke English, so
Niara started to explain in Portuguese why they were all
there. They interviewed the skaters, while Yoshi recorded
everything. Later, he went around on a skateboard he
borrowed from a young girl, who was the best skater
he had ever seen. It was an incredible afternoon. The
day was beautiful and the three friends hardly noticed
that it was a little cold. After all, it was winter in Brazil.
They didn't even notice how easily they became part of
impressed (here) surprised about something you didn't expect
26
Expedition Brazil }
the Brazilian group or how fast time went by. After a
short while, they were all sitting under a tree, playing
the guitar. Gunnar played his favorite Norwegian songs
and learned to play a few Brazilian songs. Before leaving,
Niara wanted to slackline* with a group practicing close
by. In no time, she was part of the group.
And that was the day: music, photos, interviews and
the usual conversations between young people from
such different countries. And all this took place in an
incredible park in the middle of a huge urban center.
Another thing they noticed was young people on dates
everywhere in the park, holding hands as they walked
under the trees. The three friends sighed*. It would be
so easy to fall in love here, in beautiful, beautiful Brazil!
The next day was so exciting. Gunnar, Yoshi and
Niara were really looking forward to visiting the Paulo
Machado de Carvalho Municipal Stadium, better
known as the Pacaembu Stadium. It’s the home of the
Football Museum, a completely interactive museum,
with incredible exhibits and guided tours. It’s so much
more than a museum about the history of football; it’s
a museum about the history of the Brazilian people.
Football and life: all their pain and happiness. Football
to slackline to walk on a rope above the ground to sigh to breathe out slowly and make a soft sound
27
^Anna Claudia Ramos
is a great expression of Brazilian culture. It’s a sport
that unites all people of different cultures, religions
and social classes. And it mixes emotion, history and
entertainment too. A sport packed with excitement,
able to fill so many stadiums, all on the same day.
Nanda bought football jerseys for each of them. The
friends chose the team jerseys they wanted themselves
and Nanda also gave each of them a Brazilian national
team jersey. It was yet another strange thing, but each
of them chose to wear the Brazilian national team
jersey later that day, although they hadn’t discussed it.
The most important moment of the afternoon
could not be recorded, photographed, set to music or
written about, except inside each of them. The three
friends, with their eyes closed, hugged. They felt the
rhythms of that place, feeling the music playing deep
inside them, the text being written in their hearts and
the photos taken in their minds.
Only Hugo realized what was happening, but he
saw it from the outside. He filmed it, although he had
no idea of the emotions Niara, Gunnar and Yoshi were
feeling. They were all still feeling emotional as they
packed their suitcases, ready to leave the next day. Next
destination? The federal capital of Brazil. ■
28
After-reading Activities
Vocabulary1 Circle the words in each group that you feel do not
belong to it. Explain why.
A TICKET OFFICE - FLOOR - ROOM -($UITCASEy
INSTALLATION - EXHIBITION - PAINTING -
SCULPTUREBecause it isn ’t in a museum
B GUITAR - SONG - MUSIC - LYRICS - SHOW -
RECORD - PLAY - CHURCH
C FORK - RESTAURANT - SPOON - CHEF - LUNCH -
DINNER - KNIFE - FAIR
D PARK - TREE - LAKE - JOG - BIRD - FISH - BICYCLE -
AVENUE
Grammar2 Read the sentences below and choose the correct
alternative.
1 Niara explained the reasons because were in
Sao Paulo.
2 The three young visitors would also not forget anything /
som ething they saw at the park.
3 Yoshi took over than / m ore than 200 photos o f the
places they visited those first days.
4 Before leaving / leave Pacaembu stadium they ran
across the soccer field.
5 The more precious / m ost precious m oment was when the three friends hugged.
30
Pre-reading Activities
3 In Chapter 3, our friends will visit the capital of Brazil,
Brasilia. Imagine you are with them and write a message
to your family explaining why you are excited about
going there.
Speaking4 Look at some of the words that appear in Chapter 3
and discuss with a partner why you think they will be
important in the story.
SUNSET - PLANNED CITY - ARCHITECTURE -
SHAPE OF A PLANE - NATIONAL CONGRESS -
SHOW OUTDOORS
31
Chapter 3 ^
Brasilia, a Planned Capital
► 5 When the group arrived at the airport of Brasilia, it
was late afternoon. In the morning, they had stayed in
Sao Paulo, visiting the Rock Galleria. Gunnar wanted
to see it, because it was a famous center for Rock 'n
Roll. He bought several band t-shirts and a cap that was
fantastic, or so his friends said.
They left Brasilia airport and headed for the hotel.
They thought the landscape looked a little strange.
They had traveled through some of the country and
arrived at a totally different place, an open city.
'Aren’t there any big buildings here, like on Paulista
Avenue?” Niara asked.
But before Nanda could answer, Yoshi suddenly
shouted. Everyone was surprised, because he was
usually so quietly-spoken and polite.
“Hugo bring the camera, quick! Quickly please!
What is that? Awesome! Look at that!”
Hugo did what he could, but he wasn’t able to
record the exact moment when Yoshi saw the sunset.
“The sunset is fantastic this time of year here
in Brasilia, Yoshi. It’s the dry season and you often
see people setting up their cameras and waiting to
photograph sunsets like this. It’s so beautiful, as you
32
Expedition Brazil p
just saw. One of the days here, we’ll wait for it, OK?
That way you can take a photo, or maybe record a
video, while Niara tells a story or reads something.
And Gunnar, can you think of a soundtrack for that
moment, seeing that you already saw it today?”
“Good idea, Nanda!” said Gunnar.
“But today we aren’t doing much,” continued
Hugo. “We’re going to leave things in the hotel and go
out for dinner, because tomorrow’s going to be a really
busy day.” . ■
► 6 The next day, they woke up early and talked excitedly
at breakfast.
“You know what, Caue? I was really amazed when
we stopped at that restaurant by the Paranoa Lake
yesterday. The sky there is incredible! First, I thought it
was because we were in a desert, but afterward, when
we were coming back to the hotel, I realized it wasn’t
that, because everywhere we went we could see the sky.
It was great. I can’t believe it! I mean, we’re in the capital
of the country, aren’t we?” said Yoshi.
“Yeah, you’re right! But you know, Yoshi, there are
many things in this city that are going to amaze you.
The sky is one of the things that I love the most about
Brasilia. It’s beautiful. This open sky is huge, it makes us
33
^Anna Claudia Ramos
feel closer to the stars, even though we’re in a large city.
But Brasilia was planned. Everything here is man-made,
including the Paranoa Lake, which surrounds the Plano
Piloto. I don’t think you guys knew that, did you?”
“We didn’t! Incredible, Caue! Everything planned...”
said Yoshi.
“It’s really strange, a completely planned city!”
"Yes Gunnar! A planned city. And there are so many
legends* about how Brasilia was built and about why
this place was chosen for the capital. But that’s a long
story. We need to find someone here to tell us, because
I don’t know the whole story. With a little luck, we’ll
find someone. Let’s see!” said Caue.
‘Another amazing thing about this place is the
architecture. The buildings are bold and really
different,” said Hugo. “Most of them were designed by
Oscar Niemeyer; he was a famous Brazilian architect.”
“That’s enough talking, let’s go see! The TV Tower
is waiting for us!” said Nanda.
“Yes ma’am!” said Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar at
exactly the same time, picking on Nanda.
On the way to the TV Tower, Caue continued to talk
about Brasilia. He told them that the planners built it so
that it would always stay the same shape. And, because
a legend a very old story
34
^Anna Claudia Ramos
it was planned, there were height limits for its buildings;
housing blocks can t have more than six floors. Thats
why everyone who lives there has a wonderful view of
the skyline. He also said that, from the top of the tower,
it was possible to see that the earth really is round.
When they arrived at the top of the tower, they
were amazed. It was all true: they could see for miles
and miles around.
‘Til explain so you can understand the geography
of the city a little better. Look down there: what shape
can you see?” asked Caue.
“Hum. Well, it looks like a plane, Caue,” said Yoshi.
“You got it, Yoshi!”
“Wow! How did you see that so fast?” said Niara.
"He’s very clever, Niara... it’s a Japanese thing!”
Yoshi smiled.
“But he’s right. Brasilia was built in the shape of a
plane. The body of the plane is called the Monumental
Axis, because that’s where you find the monuments to
the power of the Federal District and of Brazil. Across
the body of the plane we have two wings. There, can
you see?” asked Caue.
Everyone nodded*.
“Well, that’s where most people live. Businesses,
to nod to move your head up and down to show you agree
36
Expedition Brazil }
schools and hospitals are all there, too. Look over there.”
“Wow! It’s incredible, Caue!” said Gunnar, amazed.
“Yes Gunnar, but there’s something Caue hasn’t told
you,” said Hugo. “Here in Brasilia it’s easy to find where
you are, because there are two wings: the South Wing
and the North Wing. The South Wing points south, and
so, if you face the North Wing you’ll be facing north.”
Hugo paused for a moment.
“OK, now, in the lower part of the plane, just there,”
he pointed, "we have the L2. That’s a road that runs
across both North and South Wings. The L stands for
Leste, or east in Portuguese. On the upper side, west,
we have another road, W3, which also runs across the
plane from north to south. Can you see it?”
Again the friends nodded.
Nanda also had something to add.
'And in the body of the plane, where the
Monumental Axis is, you find the federal government
buildings on the west - that’s the upper side. So that’s
where the Government Palace is, along with the Palace
of Justice and the State Departments. In the lower
part of this axis you find the National Powers: the
Ministries, the Palacio do Planalto, the Headquarters
of the Brazilian Government, the Justice Palace, the
37
^Anna Claudia Ramos
Itamaraty Palace and the National Congress.”
“Wow! So many things, Nanda!”
“Yes, Yoshi, many things. It's very difficult to take in
everything. But that's enough about politics; let's take
this opportunity to understand the fantastic geography
of the city. We're going to visit all these places so you
can see them, take pictures and film them. We're also
going to see the cathedral, which is beautiful!”
‘Ah, Nanda! You haven't told Gunnar what we're
going to do tonight!” said Hugo.
“No, I haven't. It’s a surprise!”
‘Ah! That’s not cool, Nanda, tell me, please!” said
Gunnar.
“I want to know too, Nanda, tell us! Come on!”
shouted Niara.
“No! It will be a surprise for the three of you! But
before we go back down, I wanted to let you know
something else, just so that you understand where we
are at the moment. A little above where the Monumental
Axis and the South and North Wings meet, is where the
TV Tower is and that’s where we are now. It’s great to be
here so we can tell you these stories and you can see the
shape of the plane, the shape of Brasilia perfectly.”
“It's so nice of you!” said Niara, giving Nanda a hug.
That afternoon, they took pictures in several parts of
38
Expedition Brazil }
the city. They were just as impressed with the geography
of the city when they were on the ground. It wasn’t like
Sao Paulo at all: it was very easy to get around, even by
car. They thought the way the city was divided in areas
and blocks was very interesting. But the three friends
were excited all afternoon, wondering what Nanda’s
surprise was going to be; they all really wanted to know,
but no one asked again. When they got back to the
hotel, they showered quickly, had something to eat and
hurried out to find out what their surprise was.
They traveled through the city in the van, until they
got to the Paranoa Lake area.
“There you go, my dear friends,” said Hugo,
happily. “Here we are. Get ready for a typical night in
Brasilia at a show outdoors. We’re at the South Lake.
Do you see that big screen and that stage? That’s where
we’re going. Today, Gunnar, three completely different
Brazilian bands are going to play. You will get to
know a few Brazilian rhythms. It’s going to be a really
interesting mix: from rock to sertanejo universitario.”
“Wow! I can’t believe it! I thought we would just
visit touristy places,” said Gunnar.
“Not at all, my friend, you need to see the real Brazil!
Just wait until you see Rio de Janeiro!” ■
39
After-reading Activities
Speaking1 Work with a partner and discuss the following issues
explaining if you agree or disagree with the statements.
1 Brasilia is an im portant place to visit if you ever go to
Brazil.
2 It is very boring to live in a c ity that was built according
to a strict plan.
3 Cities where there are no tall buildings are more friendly
than those where you do not find much space to look
at the sky.
4 Streets should always have names, not numbers or
letters.
Listening
► 5 2 Dictation. Listen to the extract from Chapter 3. Try to
write a complete audioscript! Now compare your script
with the text.
40
Pre-reading Activities
Reading & Writing
3 Complete the sentences below using your logic.
1 Pantanal, in the Brazilian state o f Mato Grosso, is a very
hot place. When you travel to hot places you must take
...yyM?/.... w ith you.
2 When you visit a World Natural Heritage Site like
Pantanal, you must n e ve r.......................................................
3 Our three friends and their hosts visited a bay in the
shape of a heart. Niara was inspired by the bay and
4 In that area of the country there are several eco-friendly
hostels where you m u s t .......................................................
5 Storytellers always have nice and interesting
Writing
4 People who live in wild places such as forests and
wetlands always have myths and legends to tell. Make up
a short story that could very well have been imagined by
someone living near a lake in a big forest.
41
C hap ter 4
Pantanal and Its Charms, Stories and Legends
► 7 Music still ringing in their ears, the SpokTV team left
Brasilia and headed to Pantanal in the state of Mato
Grosso. They arrived at Cuiaba Airport and from there
they went to Pantanal by car. Nanda was keen to explain.
“Get ready guys, what you are about to see now is
different from everything that we have seen until now.
We’re on our way to Chacorore Bay, in Barao Melga^o,
around 121 km from where we are now. Like everything
else in Brazil, Pantanal is real big. We picked this bay
because it’s the largest. It’s 64 km long by 16 km wide.
We also think it’s the most beautiful bay.”
“Sounds great, Nanda,” said Niara. “But there’s
something I don’t understand. Here in Cuiaba it’s so
hot today, but it’s winter in Brazil. What’s going on?”
‘Ah, Niara! Here in Brazil everything is very different
from the weather you’re used to. It’s hot almost all year
round in Cuiaba. And I mean hot! After all, we’re right in
the middle of South America. Also, if we were to go to
the northeast, you would find very high temperatures,
even in the winter.” Nanda paused for a moment. “It’s
a shame we can’t visit that region this time; you’d love
42
Expedition Brazil ^
some of the cities in the northeast. From what I know
of you all, Yoshi would love to see the island of the Red
Sand. It’s incredible: a sandbank* over 2 km long that
you can see at low tide. It’s in the county of Cabedelo,
in the state of Paraiba. It is the same thing with the
coral reefs* at Picaozinho, in Tambau. Yes... I think
you’ll have to come back.”
“Wow, Nanda, I would love to see those places,”
said Yoshi. “But I also saw a few pictures of a place that
I showed to Gunnar and Niara that I thought looked
awesome: Jericoacoara. It’s in Ceara, right?”
“That’s right, Yoshi! We recorded a show there a few
months ago. It’s a very beautiful place! It has the most
beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen,” said Nanda.
Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar were more and more
impressed with just how many different things there were
in Brazil. They carried on with the trip, talking about other
places they would not have time to see, at least on this visit
to Brazil. That’s when Caue started to explain a few things
about Pantanal.
“Everyone thinks Pantanal’s a swamp*, but it isn’t. It’s
actually a large area of wetlands. It’s one of the richest
wetland areas in the world. It’s also the largest continuously
a sandbank a small hill of sand in the sea a coral reef a beautiful hard natural structure in the sea a swamp an area of land which is always covered with water
43
^Anna Claudia Ramos
flooded area on the planet. It covers around seven per cent
of the total area of Mato Grosso. We re really proud of it
and, in the year 2000, UNESCO made Pantanal a World
Natural Heritage Site. It’s so amazing, there’s a fantastic
variety of wildlife in this region: there are around 260
types of fish, 650 birds, 100 warm-blooded animals, 50
reptiles and 1,100 butterflies. Can you imagine?”
“I’m going to tell you something: I think I want
to live in Brazil!” said Gunnar and everyone burst out
laughing.
'And you haven’t seen much yet! Imagine what
you’ll feel like after you’ve seen everything we’re going
to visit! Then you’re really going to want to stay here,”
said Caue.
They soon arrived at the eco-friendly hostel, the
simple hotel where they were going to stay while
they were in Pantanal. The three friends didn’t
rest up for a minute. They really wanted to see the
Chacorore Bay, as they knew it was a mysterious
place full of legends and stories. But what Niara
found the most interesting was that Chacorore was
heart-shaped. She was sure that a bay in the shape
of a heart would have lots of stories and legends to
share. She wanted to hear them all!
44
Expedition Brazil ^
The days they spent in Pantanal were days of pure
emotion and wonder. They explored the trails around
the hostel, horseback riding through the thick forest
over little streams and flooded fields. They traveled
around in a Jeep at night, so they could watch the
behavior of night-time animals. They went on boat
trips, so they could see the local flora and fauna, and
they took canoes through the flooded fields.
Yoshi loved the photographic safari that they did on the
Mutum River, an unusually beautiful river. Gunnar really
liked the walk they did one day, when they left the hostel
early in the morning to see the sunrise and watch the
wildlife in Pantanal waking up. Niara really enjoyed getting
to know Mr. Generoso, the best storyteller in the region.
They went on a horseback ride with Mr. Generoso,
because he wanted to show them a special place in
Chacorore. They rode for a while, and went across a river,
when Mr. Generoso pointed out the place he wanted them
to stop. They got off the horses and sat down underneath
an extremely beautiful tree, very close to the river. That’s
when Mr. Generoso started to tell a story.
“The Chacorore Bay has another old name, the
Xarayes Sea. The name Chacorore comes from the local
Bororo name A-KO-RORE. It means a place where
45
^Anna Claudia Ramos
people can hunt and fish for food. Usually the bay is calm.
But sometimes Chacorore gets mad and she shows it with
waves. 'She’ because we call her the Lady of the Waters.
This world is full of sea life and local people think the water
has magic powers. When a fisherman, or a swimmer,
makes a lot of noise, the waters get upset and they make
big, big waves. If you shout, you can make magical beings
come out of the lake. The legend says that when there’s
some sort of noise, the waters of the bay change color,
too. They become darker when the big waves form.”
“Wow, Mr. Generoso, can we make that happen? If
we make a lot of noise now, will the waves get bigger?”
asked Niara.
“Well, it usually happens later in the day, early in
the evening, but as I said, Chacorore is magical - here
anything is possible.”
Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from the trees.
At the exact same moment, Niara felt something cold
on her back and shouted. Of course, she was sure that
it was the waters of the bay, upset by the noise. She
could almost see magical beings...
Nanda, Hugo, Caue and Yoshi jumped up, trying
to understand what was going on. Then they realized
46
^Anna Claudia Ramos
that Gunnar wasn't there. Only Mr. Generoso had seen
Gunnar climb the tree. From up there he had thrown
some water onto Niara, to play a trick on her. She'd
been so excited about the story. When they realized
what had happened, they all burst out laughing, but,
just like any good storyteller, Mr. Generoso had a
warning for them.
“Gunnar, you shouldn't joke about these legends.
There are things you don't understand here. The
waters of Chacorore have a very long memory and
they’ll remember what you did just now. Be careful or
the waters will get you...”
Gunnar was silent and a little scared. He remembered
that their last night there would be a Pantanal music
show, right on the banks of the river. But Mr. Generoso
was a very smart man. He changed the subject and
talked about the terrible dry weather at the bay a few
years ago; then there had been no rain for months and
very little water. But the bay had recovered and it was
beautiful once again.
On the last night in Pantanal, the people at the
hostel organized their music night with local guitar
players. The rhythm really spoke to Gunnar: it was
48
Expedition Brazil p
incredible. The guitar players played beautiful songs,
which he had never heard before. They sang about love
and the past. The light from the fire was magical, and
everyone was sitting around it. Nanda put her head
on Caue’s shoulder and Niara put hers on Yoshi’s. It
was quite romantic. When Gunnar saw the scene, he
stopped listening to the music.
“Hey, Yoshi!” he said. “Take some pictures of the
circle of guitar players: you haven’t taken any pictures
at all tonight!”
'Ah, Gunnar, don’t bug me! Hugo can do it, I’m
feeling lazy.”
“I’m not asking Hugo! After all we came here to
record these moments, didn’t we?” said Gunnar.
Yoshi eventually got up, and luckily he was able
to capture Gunnar’s scared expression the moment a
sudden wind picked up his guitar and blew it far away.
That’s when one of the guitar players said, “Hey, little
boy! When the wind takes your guitar like that, it’s
because, for some reason, you woke up the enchanted
serpent* that lives in the Chacorore Bay! Now you are
linked to this place forever! You can go back home, but
this place will always be in your heart!” ■
an enchanted serpent a magical snake
49
After-reading Activities
Reading1 Answer the following questions with as much detail as
possible.
1 W hy did the organizer choose Chacorore Bay for their
visit to Pantanal?
Because it is the /argest bay most beautiful bay.
2 W hat does Nanda mean when she says that in Brazil
everything is d ifferent from what Niara is used to in
terms o f weather?
3 W hy do you think Gunnar wants to live in Brazil?
4 W hat kind o f means of transportation did our friends
use while in Mato Grosso?
5 How would you describe the last evening the group
spent at the hostel?
Grammar
2 Fill in the gaps with the correct prepositions. More thenone answer is sometimes possible.
1 The plane arrived .at... the a irport r ig h t ..................sunset.
2 The expedition w e n t ................. the h o te l ................... the
fo re s t ................. a Jeep.
3 They w e re their w a y the lagoon
when the horse felt sick and did not want to continue
the journey.
4 Pantanal is o n e the richest ecosystems
................. the entire world.
5 Those were d a y s ..................pure emotion and adventure.
50
Pre-reading Activities
3 Imagine you are about to visit the Amazon Rainforest. Close your eyes and try to imagine the sounds of an
immense forest. W hat do you see, hear and imagine?
Write a few sentences about your deepest feelings at this very moment.
Listening
^ 8 4 Listen to the first part of Chapter 5. Are the statements
True (T) or False (F)?
T F1 The visit to the rainforest was a special
moment. 0 □2 The friends had all visited the rainforest before. □ □3 They traveled for f if ty kilometers. □ □4 The hotel was not an im portant place. □ □5 People can stay at the hotel in winter and in
summer. □ □6 The group was impressed by the W hite River. □ □7 The river wasn’t very wide. □ □
51
C hap ter 5
The Amazon Rainforest: Secrets and Mysteries
► 8 It was a very special moment when the three friends
arrived at the wild, beautiful Amazon Rainforest. The
three had never seen anything like it. They traveled for
about fifty kilometers on a boat to their hotel, in the
middle of the forest. The hotel was an important place;
carefully planned so that tourism was sustainable*. It
was incredible and had been specially-built so that people
could stay all year round, both in the floods and in the
dry season. The size of the Black River really impressed
the group. At several points it was like sailing on the
ocean, as they couldn’t see either bank of the river.
“Wow, I feel like I’m in the heart of the forest!” said
Gunnar. ‘And listen, what can you hear? Listen to it!
That’s the music of nature! Close your eyes, Niara,
now feel it! Can you feel that sound in your heart?”
Niara closed her eyes, and she felt it. She felt the birds
singing, leaves falling, the water running, and there were
other sounds she didn’t know. Yoshi was totally silent.
He was enjoying the moment in his heart. He didn’t
even know what to photograph, because he had never
seen so much natural beauty in his life. Hugo filmed
sustainable not causing damage to the environment
52
Expedition Brazil ^
everything, and everything the three did was recorded,
while Caue did the talkover on Expedition Brazil Nanda
had organized everything. ,
The Amazon Rainforest left a deep impression on the
hearts of Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar. The next day, they
were able to see the homes of the Amerindians who live
in the region - a wonderful experience*. Mrs. Gereninha,
a wise storyteller from the forest, had a warning for Niara.
“Look, you're a beautiful young girl and you need to
understand something about this place. You must watch
out for the river dolphins. What I’m about to tell you
usually happens at night during the festivals in June, but it
also happens during the festivals in July. On these nights,
the river dolphins come out of the water and turn into
handsome young men, I mean really handsome! They wear
white suits and hats, so girls can’t see their heads. River
dolphins are smart and they know they have to leave before
the sun comes up. If a young man in a white suit asks you
to dance, you must run away from him: dolphins are really
good talkers, you know. Many young girls have disappeared;
the dolphins take them to the bottom of the river and they
are never seen again. So, be careful, my lovely young friend.
Keep away from the river dolphins at night time!”
an experience an event you live through
53
^Anna Claudia Ramos
Swimming close to the river dolphins was the most
amazing experience that the three friends had had
up to that moment. The dolphins were sweet and
beautiful, with deep, dark eyes. The strangest thing
was that Niara was the first to touch the river dolphins
and the first to be able to swim next to them. Nanda
and Caue watched the three young people and
thought about what the friends must be feeling, living
so many deep emotions so far from their homes and
their families. Hugo filmed everything; he was happy
to do it and happy to be part of the group.
A day that would mark the lives of each one of them was
the day they visited an Amerindian village. They met the
Katawaka people and found out that they earned their
living by fishing. They had thought that there was only
one group of indigenous* people and that they were
called Amerindians. They were a little embarrassed
when they discovered that there were many, many
different groups and surprised that they had known so
little about the indigenous people of Brazil.
Gunnar was in love with the music and the rhythms
of the Katawaka and enchanted by the sounds of the
forest. Yoshi was really impressed when he learned how
indigenous the very first people or plants to live in a place are indigenous
54
' Anna Claudia Ramos
the Katawaka people educated their children. He
and Niara were interested that Katawaka children
received the things that they would use in their jobs
and at home when adults from their fathers, because
fathers taught their children how to use them. That
way, the children learned to respect people, animals
and nature. Fathers often take children fishing, just so
that they can watch. Later the children play at fishing:
that’s how they learn to be fishermen. The children
also learn by listening to stories told by older people.
Katawaka children play a lot and live their childhood
to the fullest. Childhood is very important to the
Katawaka people. But the three friends were amazed
at the way the Katawaka see fear. They don’t see it as
something bad: they see it as natural and as a way of
getting over difficulties. Fear exists in life and children
learn to face life through children’s play and games.
The next day, the three friends flew over the rainforest.
To see the rainforest from above is a rare opportunity
- it was heart-breakingly beautiful. Yoshi didn’t know
if he should film what he could see, or take pictures
or just look down at the rainforest that filled his heart
with happiness. He did a little bit of everything. When
they returned to Manaus, his eyes filled with tears. He
56
^Anna Claudia Ramos
tried to hide them because, after all, he was shy and
quiet and perhaps not used to showing his feelings.
From Manaus, they went on another unforgettable ride
to find out everything they could about the Pororoca.
“Can we really surf the Pororoca, Nanda?” asked
Gunnar.
“Sure you can, Gunnar! It's great! I think you guys are
going to love it, but I could only get one board. I’m afraid
you're going to have to take turns, if you want to surf.”
There was silence on the boat. The boys didn’t want to
say anything, but they didn’t know how to surf. Everyone
in the team smiled; they knew the boys couldn’t surf and
they knew neither of them wanted to say. Niara was lost
in her own world - the world of words - writing down
everything she saw on the boat ride. She didn’t seem to
have heard Gunnar’s question or Nanda’s answer.
Caue explained all about the Pororoca. He told
them that they can only see it in the Amazon and
that it happens when the waters of the Amazon River
meet the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. He also told
them that he thought it was one of the most beautiful
natural events. He explained that Pororoca came from
the Tupi word poro’roka’, meaning 'big boom’.
58
Expedition Brazil ^
“Caue forgot to explain that the Pororoca happens
when the sea level is high and the water comes into the
river mouth,” said Nanda. “When the waters meet, it
causes really large waves to form. You know, they can be
up to ten meters high and five or six wide. Waves can travel
at speeds of thirty, thirty-five kilometers. It's totally crazy!”
“But listen, when we get closer, keep your eyes and
ears open - our guide's probably going to repeat this
again, but since I’ve been here before, I know what's
going to happen. In the moments before it happens, all
noise, all sounds stop. The rainforest goes absolutely
silent. That’s the sign that you’d better look for a safe
place, so that your boat isn't damaged by the strong
waves. Or it's a sign for you to get onto your surfboard,
ready for a really great wave. These days, the Pororoca
is a real tourist attraction and there’s a really neat
surfing championship where the winner is the one who
stays on the wave the longest.”
It was impossible to describe everything that happened
on that trip. The three young friends had never seen
anything like it, or even dreamed that anything as
amazing as the Pororoca existed. ■
59
After-reading Activities
Reading1 Put the events below in the order they appear in the
story.
a Q] The group went 50 km on a boat to their hotel, in
the m iddle of the forest,
b □ A unique experience for them was to see the homes
o f the Amerindians that live in the region,
c □ Niara, Katsuo and Gunnar felt ashamed of knowing
so little about the people who live in the Amazon
region.
d □ Yoshi cried when they flew back to Manaus,
e □ Niara was the first to touch the dolphins in the river.
Speaking2 Think of a very important experience you have had in
your life. How would it compare with what Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar are living in Brazil? Make notes below. Share
your thoughts with a partner.
6 0
Pre-reading Activities
Grammar3a Before you read Chapter 6, complete the questions with
a word from the box.
climb cry see stay swim *
1 Will they a famous statue?
2 Will the three friends in the ocean?
3 Will th e y ..................another beautiful sunset?
4 Will th e y .................. a mountain?
5 Will Yoshi..................at the end?
6 Will the friends................... in Brazil?
3b What do you think will happen? Answer the questions
in 3a. Read Chapter 6 and check your answers.
Vocabulary
4 Which of the following words would you NOT expect to find in Chapter 6 Rio de Jane iro is B e a u tifu l! ? Now read the text and check your answers.
POLLUTION - FOREST - TIDE - BEACH - WATERFALL -
BRIDGE - SUGARLOAF - SUNSET - HILL - COCONUT -
CABLE CAR - TRAIL - LIBRARY - STADIUM
61
Chapter 6
: is Beautiful!
► 10 The Expedition Brazil team finally landed in Rio de Janeiro
where the three friends were going to experience their
last adventures in this wonderful country. On the flight to
Rio, Yoshi was heartbroken. He couldn't believe that they
would have to leave after Rio. There were other amazing
things to see in Brazil: the Gaucho Mountains, the Iguazu
Waterfalls and so on. He was even more upset when Caue
spoke about the Route of Happiness in Rio Grande do
Sul. He thought he would give anything to visit those
places.
Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar were amazed when they
passed through Flamengo, Marina da Gloria, and when
they saw Sugarloaf, which they planned to visit the next
day. They were excited when they looked across and
saw the statue of Christ the Redeemer in the distance.
There were so many beautiful things everywhere.
They took everything to their wonderful hotel on
Copacabana Beach, and rested up for a few minutes.
Then they all went for their first swim in the ocean. The
day was beautiful and the sea was calm, but very cold.
To warm themselves up, the three had fun running
62
10633580
Expedition Brazil p
in the sand, diving and sunbathing. After lunch, they
went on a bike ride through Copacabana, visiting
Leme, Ipanema, and Leblon. They went by the Garden
of Allah to reach the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. The
afternoon would end with the sunset in Arpoador.
“Guys, I can’t believe that we’re in Rio!” said Yoshi.
“This place is very beautiful!”
“Yes, Yoshi. And you know, even though I’m from Sao
Paulo, I must say that Rio de Janeiro is really beautiful,
the most beautiful city I know,” said Nanda, smiling.
“Isn’t there a song that goes 'Rio de Janeiro is still
beautiful’?” asked Niara. “The bike ride along the
beach was awesome, Nanda. It was so beautiful! And
it’s funny, we went through Copacabana, we got to
Ipanema and everything changed. What’s that huge
hill at the end of the beach?”
"It’s Two Brothers’ Hill. That view of the beach is
a postcard of Rio. And before you ask if we have time
to surf, we do. One of the days here we’ll take you to
Prainha and Grumari. There you can surf. But we will
also have a day to practice Stand Up Paddle*, so everyone
can try standing on a surfboard!” said Nanda.
Thinking of the Amazon, Niara and Nanda burst
a paddle a piece of wood you can use to move some types of boat
63
^Anna Claudia Ramos
out laughing, but the boys didn't think the joke was at
all funny.
The three friends felt incredible as they left the
Garden of Allah on their bikes and cycled to the lagoon.
Right there, in the middle of town was a huge lake and
it was beautiful. There was another amazing thing: they
could see the statue of Christ the Redeemer again from
there. They stopped to drink some coconut water and
they watched some people doing water sports and others
having fun in paddle boats. Of course, Niara wanted to
go on a paddle boat, and Gunnar followed her.
On the way back, they stopped to watch the
sunset in Arpoador. Everyone went for a swim before
going up to the stones. Everything looked even more
beautiful from there. When the sun went down and
people stood enjoying its beauty, Yoshi couldn't hold
back his tears. And, of course, that day, dinner was in a
restaurant by the beach.
When they arrived at Praia Vermelha to go up to
Sugarloaf in a cable car, Nanda received a call on her cell.
She smiled, thanked the person and then smiled at Caue
and Hugo. Before they went up the mountain, they saw
the Claudio Coutinho Track, on Praia Vermelha. There
64
^Anna Claudia Ramos
they saw several tamarins. The little monkeys were so
cute! The friends learned that there were trails* all the
way up Sugarloaf. Gunnar liked the idea of going up a
trail, but Caue said he needed to experience going up
in the cable car first. Then he promised that they could
go up the Pedra da Gavea Trail another day
They took the cable car from Praia Vermelha to Urea
Hill and then from Urea Hill to Sugarloaf. Gunnar was so
excited. The three were open-mouthed when they arrived
at the last stop of the cable car. Up there they had a 360°
view of the incredible beaches of Leme, Copacabana,
Ipanema, Flamengo and Leblon. Caue pointed out
Pedra da Gavea, Corcovado with the statue of Christ the
Redeemer and Guanabara Bay with Botafogo Inlet. Hugo
also showed them the downtown area, Santos Dumont
Airport, Governor’s Island and the Rio-Niteroi Bridge.
That afternoon, they went to visit an amazing social
project in the community of Pavao-Pavaozinho, in
Copacabana. That was the trip Nanda had arranged on
her cell while they were in the cable car. Niara was very
interested in the project’s work and she really enjoyed
reading stories to the children at the library. Yoshi took lots
of pictures of every minute of the visit and recorded Niara
a trail a mountain path
66
^Anna Claudia Ramos
reading to the children. Gunnar loved the capoeira class.
He loved the rhythm and nodded his head as he watched
this unusual mix of martial art and dance. He even tried
to learn to play a berimbau, one of the local instruments.
The friends hadn't expected to be able to get to know
the community from inside. They visited the homes of
some of the teenagers in the community, from where
the view of Copacabana beach was really unexpected.
Hugo's aunt had invited some friends to a samba circle
on the hill and the three friends were really happy to
find out more about samba and how it too came from
Africa. And once again, Gunnar was surprised at the
Brazilian rhythms. “Rio is all this, a mix of rhythms and
people, there's city, forest, lake, everything together. No
wonder people call it the Wonderful City,” said Nanda.
The next few days, Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar explored
the Tijuca National Park, part of the Atlantic Forest
and the Biosphere Reserve of Rio de Janeiro. They
learned that the park is divided into four parts: the
Tijuca Forest, Carioca Mountain, Pedra Bonita with
Pedra da Gavea and Freed Blacks/Covanca. They were
amazed to find out that it is about 3.5% of the county,
68
Expedition Brazil p
but were really impressed that such a large green area
exists in the middle of a city, especially a city with a
population of several million! The three friends hiked
along the Pedra da Gavea trail and when they arrived
at the top, tired but happy, they stood for a long time,
looking at the view.
They did so many things in Rio: they walked through
the Paineras, the Mesa do Imperador and the Vista Chinesa,
had a swim at the Horto waterfalls and visited the Botanical
Gardens and the lovely Park Lage. They were sad that they
couldn’t go into the Maracana, because of building work
They just saw it from the outside, but that was enough to
get an idea of what the famous stadium looked like.
The day they went out to surf, first they went to
Joatinga Beach, but they couldn’t get to the beach because
the sea was in, and there was no way to get to the stones.
They enjoyed the day looking at the stones and from there
went to Prainha and Grumari, such beautiful beaches!
Another really memorable day was when they
went up the Corcovado by train. They were so excited
when they saw the statue of Christ the Redeemer up
close. Then they looked down and saw the whole city
spread out before them. It was really an incredible
69
^Anna Claudia Ramos
sight. The three friends just hugged each other.
The three friends spent their final days in Brazil
editing the material for their documentary. Of course,
the SpokTV team were the professionals: they planned
to finish everything and put Gunnar, Yoshi and Niara s
material together with Caue and Hugo’s material.
They had enough for a whole week, which would be
divided into episodes. Of course, everyone, absolutely
everyone, cried a lot as they watched the videos and
looked at the photos. Their trip to Brazil had left such
a deep impression.
Nanda had planned to take the friends to two more
events. An amazing band was playing on Copacabana
beach. Feeling the beat and the hot rhythm of the
songs, which Niara wrote about, and watching the
crowd singing and diving into the sea at night, were
incredible experiences. Yoshi managed to get some
really good film of that night, including some photos
of Niara. He kept those pictures to himself.
The goodbye celebration was fantastic; a luau beach
party at Leme, with guitars, typical Brazilian foods and
lots of crying and hugging. Nanda spoke for everyone.
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Expedition Brazil ^
“Well, my dear friends, you’ll be missed, but not for
long. We have some things to say to you all.”
“Way to go!” said Caue.
“First, we want to tell you that we’d like to do
Expedition Brazil part two, so that you can go places that
we couldn’t see this time. We didn’t go to Minas Gerais
to see historical cities like Ouro Preto, Diamantina, Pico
da Bandeira.”
“Wow!” said the three friends together.
‘Anyway,” continued Nanda, “hopefully we can
continue with this experience. And the second thing is
that we have a few small challenges* for each one of you.
Now Niara, your challenge is to write a travelogue about
everything you experienced here, and we want to read
some of your poetry in there. What do you think?”
Niara didn’t know what to say, but after a few
minutes’ silence she agreed, of course!
"Gunnar, your challenge is to go back to your country
and write some songs using the great mix of rhythms and
sounds that you’ve found here in Brazil, do you agree?”
“But of course I agree!”
“Yoshi, for you, we don’t have a challenge, we have
an invitation. We’re going to start recording in the
a challenge a mini-competition
71
^Anna Claudia Ramos
south of the country and we need another camera to
work with Hugo. The board of SpokTV allowed us to
invite you to go with us. So, hope you don’t mind, but
we called your parents and asked for their permission.
They said yes! We’ve arranged everything so that you
can stay here with us for four months, but it’s your
choice. What do you think? Do you want to stay?”
Yoshi didn’t know what to say. He was embarrassed: he
knew he was going to cry and, yes, he cried! Then he gave
Nanda a long hug. Then he hugged Caue, Hugo, Niara
and Gunnar. They were all waiting for his answer. Would
he say yes or no? A few silent minutes felt like forever,
until Yoshi said, “Fine! When do we leave for the south?”
Everyone laughed and hugged for a long while,
but there are no photographs or film of that moment,
because this time Hugo was part of the Expedition
Brazil group hug.
A day later, Gunnar and Niara left together to go
home. This time they were leaving a friend behind. Yoshi
stayed in Brazil, but if all goes well, soon they’ll see each
other again for Expedition Brazil part two, who knows?
This time they got the group hug photo of all the
group. Miriam was at the goodbye party and took this
great photo. Just look at it! ■
72
After-reading Activities
Vocabulary
1 List at least 10 adjectives that came to your mind when
you read about Rio de Janeiro. Then, write a paragraph
and see if the same adjectives can be applied to the
place where you live or another city you know.
Writing
2 While waiting for their
flights at the airport,Niara, Yoshi and Gunnar
decided to send a farewell
message to Nanda, Caue
and Miriam. They wanted
to show them how
thankful they were for
having been on such a
fantastic expedition.
Help our friends write
the message.
Speaking
3 Look at all the pictures in the book and discuss with a partner.
1 Which picture you liked the most and why.
2 W hat you would have illustrated if you had the chance
to draw tw o more pages and why.
3 W hat you th ink o f the fron t cover.
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Focus on...
Peoples and Regions of BrazilBrazil is divided into five regions.
NORTHNorth includes the states of Tocantins, Acre, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, Amapa and Amazonas. The Amazon rainforest is here and many different groups of indigenous peoples live in the area. Food in the area is based on cassava and fish. There are several festivals like Cfrio de Nazare and Parintins Festival, the largest celebration of boi-bumba, a type of show with lots of dance and music.
Indigenous peopleDid you know that there are more than 300 indigenous peoples throughout Brazil? Well, 80 of those groups are in Amazonas alone! The Katawaka people, referenced in this book, do not exist, but they were inspired by conversations with members of the Munduruku and Maragua peoples.
MIDWESTThis region includes the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Goias and also the Federal District. Although it also has a strong indigenous influence; food in the area is influenced by Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo, and the region is well-known for its chicken, corn and
fish. Cavalhadas are very they feature countrypopular festivals here: music and rodeo.
74
NORTHEASTIt includes the states of Bahia, Sergipe, Alagoas, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceara, Piauf and Maranhao. This region is famous for its beaches. Bumba meu boi, Maracatu, Frevo and Carnival are some of the famous celebrations and festivals. Strongly influenced by African slaves, popular dishes are based on cassava, corn, fish stews and the insides of animals. It’s the land of capoeira (a type of Brazilian martial art) and of Cordel Literature (popular literature) and home to various religious groups.
SOUTHEASTIt includes the states of Espfrito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. Important cultural events are the Feast of the Divine, Carnival, the Cowboy Festival and the Folia de Reis. Some indigenous peoples, like the Guarani, survived the urbanization and live in protected areas. The local cuisine has strong Portuguese, Italian, and African influences, as we can see in feijoada - a typical dish of the area.
SOUTHSouth includes the states of Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Parana. This region takes some of its culture from its European migrant communities: Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian, and Asian migrant communities: Japanese and Russian. Some cities celebrate their traditions in festivals such as the Grape Eestival and Oktoberfest and in dances like the fandango and pau defita. Barbecue is a specialty.
75
Music to Suit all Tastes
Brazilian music is diverse; there is music to suit all tastes and preferences. You can find Brazilian popular music, classical music, samba, samba-reggae, national rock, country music or sertaneja, funk, rap, pagode, axe, forro, frevo, traditional music and folk.
SertanejoThe musical styles are known all over Brazil, but some originate in certain regions or cities. For example, sertanejo comes from the Midwest and is usually sung by a duo. Today we have the sertanejo universitario (university country music), from Goiania, and it is sung by young people, hence the name sertanejo universitario.
Funk cariocaIn Brazil, funk is very popular in Rio de Janeiro. Also known as funk carioca, it started in the poorer communities, but the rhythm became very popular with young people, and in Brazil as a whole. Just play funk at party and you’ll find out what happens: the dance floor fills up!
In Bahia, a state in northeastern Brazil, axe is the local rhythm, and it mixes frevo from Pernambuco, with Afro-Brazilian rhythms, reggae, merengue, forro, maracatu and other Afro-Latin rhythms.
MPB - Musica Popular BrasilelraBrazilian popular music has excellent singers and songwriters and some are famous internationally. A few important names are Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Elis Regina,Nara Leao, Rita Lee, Milton Nascimento, Djavan, Marisa Monte, Paulinho da Viola, Cartola, and Pixinguinha. They all have interesting stories and musical journeys.
I -
Heitor Villa-LobosHeitor Villa-Lobos is one of the most important Brazilian and Latin-Americancomposers to date. His many orchestral,chamber, instrumental, choral andopera works successfully combine'■in f Brazilian folk music with stylisticelements of European classical music.His most celebrated work is Brazilian
< Bachian-pieces, written for various
..-
combinations of instruments and voices.
Test Yourself
1 Mark True (T) or False (F) and correct the false statements.
T F
1 Brazil is divided in five regions. 0 □2 The capital of Brazil is located in the
southeastern region of the country. □ □3 Cordel is a type of literature which is very
common in the midwest of Brazil. □ □4 Brazilian cuisine has never been influenced
by other cultures and peoples. □ □5 Fish is a staple food in most of the country. □ □6 There are no German or Russian communities
in Brazil. □ □7 There is music to f it all tastes around Brazil. □ □8 Heitor Villa Lobos is a modern composer. □ □9 Sertaneja music is usually sung by a group
of four singers. □ □10 MPB stands for Musica Popular Bahiana. □ □
2 Think back about Expedition Brazil. Who or what is beingdescribed in the sentences below?
1 A young Norwegian man who wants to be a musician.
2 One o f the countries belonging to the CPLP - the
Community o f Countries where the official language is
Portuguese - mentioned in the book.
3 A contest prom oted by SpokTV.
4 An interactive museum where you can learn a lot
about soccer.
5 A c ity planned to look like an airplane.
6 A sandbank over 2km long which shows up when the
tide is low.
7 Creatures that come out o f the water and turn into
handsome young men.
8 Sport consisting o f standing up on a surfboard.
78
S yllabus
TopicsTravel, friendship, emotions, experiences, people
TensesPresent Simple: states, habits Past Simple: finished timePast Continuous: actions in progress at a specific time in the past, interrupted actionsPresent Perfect Simple: indefinite past, unfinished pastPast Perfect: narrativeFutures: will, present continuous, going to
Verb formsImperativesPassives: present, past simple, present perfect -ing forms: after verbs, prepositions
Conditionals:1st conditional: possible present/future 2nd conditional: hypothetical present/future
Reported speech/thought:statements, questions
ModalsCan, could: ability, permission Must, have to: obligation Should: strong advice
ClausesDefining, non-defining clauses,Purpose clauses Simple connectivesSo + adjective, such (a) + adjective + noun
79
Stage lCharles Dickens, Oliver TwistMaureen Simpson, In Search of a Missing FriendLucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green GablesGeoffrey Chauser, Canterbury TalesMark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Stage 2Maria Luisa Banff, A Faraway World Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden Mary Flagan, The Egyptian Souvenir Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Liz Ferretti, Diar Diary...Angela Tomkinson, Loving London
Stage 3Charles Dickens, David Copperheld Anonymous, Robin Hood Mary Flagan, Val’s Diary Maureen Simpson, Destination Karminia Jack London, The Call o f the Wild Anna Claudia Ramos, Expedition Brazil
I
E li.. ^ ,aless classicsand specially-written stories for learners of English.
Anna Claudia Ramos
Expedition Brazil
N i a r a , Yoshi and Gunnar are the lucky winners o f a trip to Brazil. While making a documentary about the country, they will visit the largest city in South America, Sao Paulo, the unbelievable capital, Brasilia, lovely Rio de Janeiro, and two natural wonders of the world, the wetlands of Pantanaland the great Amazon rainforest.Nothing could ever prepare these three friends for the new experiences they are about to have. The places that they’ll visit will leave them open-mouthed and the warmth of the people and the rhythms o f Brazilian music will change their lives. Brazil’s amazing diversity will live forever in their hearts. To top it all, their last day in Brazil will be full o f surprises.
In this reader you will find:- a glossary o f difficult words- comprehension activities
TagsFriendship Emotions
sections focusing on context an exit test
Elem entary 600 headw ords A l
Pre-Interm ediate 800 headw ords A2
In term ediate 1000 headw ords Bl
Flyers/KET
Original - American English
With Audio CD
www.elireaders.com
