Can you name the sitcom characters or sitcom shows in the picture? Click here to see a larger image of the picture and the answer key.

In today’s video tip, you will discover why sitcoms are a great way to help you improve your English.
No video de hoje, você descobrirá porque seriados são uma maneira ótima de aprimorar seu inglês.

Try to fill in the blanks and then read the script with explanations below.

• fill in the blanks = preencher as lacunas

Good luck with your studies!

[note class=”idea”]DICA: Clique no primeiro botão “Imprima com PrintFriendly” no começo deste texto onde diz “Share the Knowledge” para gerar uma formatação mais simples para impressão. Você também poderá selecionar quais partes do texto você quer imprimir ou não.

How to Take Your English to the Next Level – Secret #4

Fill In the Blanks (Preencha as Lacunas)

See answers and explanations below. (Veja as respostas e explicações abaixo.)

Hello! This is Tim Barrett with another tip on how to take your English to the next level.

TIP #4 – Laugh and Learn

Today I’m going to talk about an interesting ____________ that you can use to help you master natural, everyday English – and that is ____________ .

Now I know that many sitcoms can be pretty ____________ , and I would certainly not recommend that you learn that kind of English, so this is not a blanket ______________ of sitcoms. But the interesting thing about sitcoms is that there is a wide ____________ out there, so there is a large selection to choose from. There are even older classics like Abbott and Costello, Mister Ed, I Love Lucy, ALF, among many others. There are even sitcoms for younger learners or for those who would like to learn natural English in a classroom ______________ , like Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, for example.

So, that being said, let me give you some reasons why sitcoms are a good source for learning English.

1. They are short, so you’re not as likely to get bored or tired or lose the ____________ while watching an episode, as sometimes happens when you watch a ______________ film.

2. They are often repetitive. Each character has his or her personality, and you can become familiar with the way they react to different situations and even learn some of their ___________________ and other recurring expressions.

3. They provide us with authentic English in many different situations. The kind of English that is used in sitcoms is much closer to what we hear in real life than the kind of English and _______________ that are used in movies.

4. They provide a visual element which is important in understanding a language. A large part of communication is non verbal and it is important to see gestures and facial expressions as they help you grasp the ______________ of what is being said.

5. They are funny and everybody enjoys a good ____________ .

6. They are full of cultural references. The more you know about a culture, the ____________ it is to learn the language, and vice versa.

7. They are readily available. You can __________ _________ boxes with complete sets at a bookstore, or buy them online, or even rent them at video rental stores. You can even find whole episodes on media sites like youtube, for example.

So, that’s my tip for today. Laugh and Learn.

Today I won’t get into all the different ways you can use sitcoms to advance your English, but let me tell you about an interesting project that we are working on __________ this ____________ .

Our friend Adir Ferreira wrote an interesting e-book called “Gírias e Expressões dos Seriados”.

In the introduction, he says that the e-book is a result of years of ____________ and his passion for these “canned” American TV programs.

The e-book is full of sentences with examples of slang and idiomatic expressions that are used in the United States today; however, Adir says that he did not include any vulgar expressions, nor any expressions with religious or racial _______________ or that make fun of any physical or mental handicap. He translated these sentences into Portuguese trying as much as possible to use equivalent coloquial expressions in the Portuguese language.

So I am pleased to announce that we have ____________ ________ with Adir Ferreira and are right this moment recording more than 200 of these sentences with the translations from Adir’s e-book, using our famous “Método dos Missionários“. (Click here to read about our methodology.) Our goal is to help you master these important expressions that Adir Ferreira gleaned through the years so you can have them on the tip of your tongue to use whenever you need them.

So stay ____________ and I’ll keep you posted on what we are doing and tell you when this special project will be available.

Until next time!

ATENÇÃO: O produto já está disponível! (Veja no link acima.)

How to Take Your English to the Next Level – Secret #4 (SCRIPT and EXPLANATIONS)

Hello! This is Tim Barrett with another tip on how to take your English to the next level. TIP #4: Laugh and Learn Today. I’m going to talk about an interesting resource that you can use to help you master natural, everyday English – and that is sitcoms.

• resource = recurso
• master = dominar (assunto)
• everyday English = inglês do dia a dia
• sitcom = seriado cômico (na televisão)

Now I know that many sitcoms can be pretty raunchy, and I would certainly not recommend that you learn that kind of English, so this is not a blanket endorsment of sitcoms.

• raunchy = grosseiro, vulgar, obsceno
• blanket endorsement = endosso (recomendação) por completo (abrangente, geral)

But the interesting thing about sitcoms is that there is a wide variety out there, so there is a large selection to choose from.

• wide variety = grande (larga) variedade
• to choose from = de onde escolher

There are even older classics like Abbott and Costello, Mister Ed, I Love Lucy, ALF, among many others. There are even sitcoms for younger learners or for those who would like to learn natural English in a classroom environment, like Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, for example.

• among others = entre outros
• younger learners = estudantes mais jovens
• classroom environment = ambiente escolar

So, that being said, let me give you some reasons why sitcoms are a good source for learning English.

• that being said = tendo dito isto
• reasons = razões
• source = fonte

1. They are short, so you’re not as likely to get bored or tired or lose the plot while watching an episode, as sometimes happens when you watch a feature film.

• not as likely = menos provável
• get bored = ficar entediado
• tired = cansado
• lose the plot = perder (confundir) o enredo da história
• episode = episódio
• happens = acontece
• feature film = longa metragem

2. They are often repetitive. Each character has his or her personality, and you can become familiar with the way they react to different situations and even learn some of their catchphrases and other recurring expressions.

• repetitive = repetitivo
• character = personagem
• become familiar with = chegar a conhecer
• the way = a maneira
• catchphrase = frases repetidas por certos personagens de televisão que muitas vezes se tornam “ditos populares”
• recurring = recorrentes

3. They provide us with authentic English in many different situations. The kind of English that is used in sitcoms is much closer to what we hear in real life than the kind of English and dialogues that are used in movies.

• authentic = autêntico
• closer = mais perto
• real life = vida real

4. They provide a visual element which is important in understanding a language. A large part of communication is non verbal and it is important to see gestures and facial expressions as they help you grasp the meaning of what is being said.

• gesture = gestos
• grasp = “captar
• meaning = significado
• of what is being said = do que está sendo dito

5. They are funny and everybody enjoys a good laugh.

==> a good laugh = uma boa risada

6. They are full of cultural references. The more you know about a culture, the easier it is to learn the language, and vice versa.

==> the more you know… the easier it is… = quanto mais você conhece… mais fácil é…

7. They are readily available. You can pick up boxes with complete sets at a bookstore, or buy them online, or even rent them at video rental stores. You can even find whole episodes on media sites like youtube, for example.

• readily available = disponíveis de imediato
• pick up = “pegar” (comprar)
• bookstore = livraria
• rent = alugar
• video rental store = locadora
• whole = inteiros

So, that’s my tip for today. Laugh and Learn.

• laugh and learn = dê risada e aprenda

Today I won’t get into all the different ways you can use sitcoms to advance your English, but let me tell you about an interesting project that we are working on right this moment.

• I won’t get into = não vou entrar (em determinado assunto)
• advance = avançar (aprimorar, melhorar)
• that we are working on = na qual estamos trabalhando
• right this moment = neste exato momento

Our friend Adir Ferreira wrote an interesting e-book called “Gírias e Expressões dos Seriados”.

Our friend Adir Ferreira wrote an interesting e-book called “Gírias e Expressões dos Seriados”.

In the introduction, he says that the e-book is a result of years of research and his passion for these “canned” American TV programs.

• research = pesquisa
• canned = enlatado

The e-book is full of sentences with examples of slang and idiomatic expressions that are used in the United States today; however, Adir says that he did not include any vulgar expressions, nor any expressions with religious or racial innuendos or that make fun of any physical or mental handicap. He translated these sentences into Portuguese trying as much as possible to use equivalent coloquial expressions in the Portuguese language.

• slang = gírias
• today = hoje em dia
• innuendo = insinuação, indireta
• make fun of = zombar de
• handicap = deficiência física, mental, etc.
• trying as much as possible = tentando o máximo possível

So I am pleased to announce that we have teamed up with Adir Ferreira and are right this moment recording more than 200 of these sentences with the translations from Adir’s e-book, using our famous “Método dos Missionários”. (Click here to read about our methodology.) Our goal is to help you master these important expressions that Adir Ferreira gleaned through the years so you can have them on the tip of your tongue to use whenever you need them.

• I am pleased to announce = tenho o prazer de anunciar
• team up = ajuntar forças, fazer parceria, juntar-se com alguém para realizar algum projeto
• right this moment = neste exato momento
• record = gravar
• glean = colher (informação); juntar
• through the years = através dos anos
• on the tip of your tongue = na ponta da língua
• whenever you need them = quando precisar delas

So stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted on what we are doing and tell you when this special project will be available.

==> stay tuned = fique atento
==> keep you posted = mantê-lo atualizado
==> available = disponível

ATENÇÃO: O produto já está disponível! (Veja no link acima.)

Until next time!

==> until next time = até a próxima

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