Advices. By: Lucas Meireles, Luiz Fernando, Matheus Cardoso

Practice A

You run an advice column called "Dear John." Read each e-mail below and then write a reply. Try to give the best advice you can. Make sure you begin with a phrase for "giving advice.” Write in pairs or groups and discuss how to give the best advice. Use one of the useful sentences. Do not repeat them.

1. Dear John,
I study at university. We have our final exams in two weeks. I'm very worried about my best friend. He is planning to cheat on the coming examinations. What should I do?
Your Advice:

About your situation, I think you should study with your friend, because that’s the right thing to do. Cheating at the finals will create some problems for him. If they catch him cheating, his test can be annulled, which will be even worse. I believe that by studying hard on these next two weeks, and with your help, he can do well on the finals, and even more, truly acquire the knowledge.

2. Dear John,
My friends keep complaining that I spend too much time with my boyfriend. They say I never hang out with them anymore. I don’t want to lose my friends, but at the same time, I want to see my boyfriend as much as possible. What would you suggest I do?
Your Advice:

I think you should divide better your time with your friends and your boyfriend. You can stroll around with your boyfriend and whenever possible skirt with your friends, also inviting your boyfriend to go out with your friends. If you can’t rethink your time with each one, choose the ones  you like the most.

3. Dear John,
I'm having a real problem with my roommate. I like to keep our apartment clean, but my roomate is a very messy person. She likes throwing her clothes and stuff all over the place, while I’m trying hard to keep the apartment neat and tidy. What do you think I should do?
Your Advice:

I think you should have a talk with your roomie and discuss how you can solve this situation. However, the decision have to please both sides, you gotta listen carefully what she has to say. You can try teaching her how to keep her stuff organised, but if she won’t listen to your ideas, you can always claim your territory and divide the apartment. Draw a line in the middle of the apartment and keep her at her side, if she ever try to mess with your side, shoot her in the face.

Practice B

In GROUPS, choose six of the problems below and give one piece of advice for that problem. Firstly, describe the problems in details with your group and write it down. After that, discuss and write a good advice (use different phrases each time you give advice).

List of selected Problems

2. Your bedroom is always messy

I have a serious problem. I do not know what happens to my room because everyday when I got home it’s very messy. I’m not sure, but probably the wind is throwing all my stuff on the floor because I always leave the window open before leaving for work. It is extremely necessary to leave the window open, because I have a plant in my room that needs to sunbathe and the only time that  solar rays focuses in that room is at 10:00 am.

Advice: About your situation, I have three advices. My first advice is to change the plant of place, if possible put it in a balcony. If you can not make this change, I recommend that you ask a neighbor to open the window and then close it after a certain period near 10:00 am. If you do not have a trusted neighbor, I recommend you put all the things that the wind could mess with in an enclosed area, such as your closet. But you said you was not sure if it was the wind that messed your room, about this I recommend you watch for leaves of the plant on the floor, if there’s no leaves I recommend seeking a team of Ghostbusters just as the Scooby-doo gang.

5. You can never find the TV remote

An annoying problem I’ve been facing is the fact not find my remote control TV. I live in a house with 6 people and each one puts the remote control in different place. It’s very annoying to have to demand it every day.

Advice: I think you should make a place for all residents of the house to put the remote control at.

9. You haven’t studied for today’s exam

I NEED to go well in today’s exam, although, I haven’t studied for it… I spent the whole night playing video games while I should probably be studying. I’m thinking about cheating, but if I get caught I’m in serious trouble. What should I do??

Advice: Go on! Cheat at the exam and solve your problem. But be ready to face the consequences if they come to you. I think you should take this as an experience for the next time you have an exam. Playing video games is cool and so, but can’t be a priority in your life.

13. Your computer has a virus

I’ve experienced some weird things happening with my notebook in the last weeks. It shutdowns by itself when I’m using it. Sometimes when I’m typing, it closes itself in my hands and wracks my fingers. And there’s also another problem… Even when I keep it stored in a drawer by night, it appears by my side in bed by the morning. It’s scaring me. I think my notebook has a virus, and it’ a really weird one.

Advice: Do not panic, because what I’m going to tell you can sound pretty scary. It looks like you notebook do not have a common virus, it looks like it is possesed! You can’t fix this by yourself, you will need a specialist. But not an pc technician, you will need an exorcist. Or you can simply throw it away. This can curse you forever, but it’s not a big deal anyway. Good Luck!

16. You can’t sleep

My name is Filipe and I have lived with a problem lately. I would like some advice on how to solve this situation. I’m just about to graduate in college, but in the last months I am getting too tired, with almost no sleep, thanks to the amount of work I have to do for school. This has affected my performance on tests. I have to leave home very early to arrive at time, because I live far from college. I have classes all day long and arrive at home very late. The only time I have left to do all the homework is at late night, and on weekends. I need more sleep. sleep in class and fatigue has hampered me in achieving the evaluative tests. I need to sleep more. Sleeping in class and fatigue has lowered my grades. I need some advice from someone who has gone through something similar to that.

Advice: I went through the same situation. I suggest that you make the most out of your time during the day. That because people usually spend much time idly, and that means less sleep time. And even more, since you live far from college, you can always study or even sleep in the bus trips back and forth.

24. You're in love with two people

My name is Gustavo and I have 14 years. I am having some love problems and I really need advice on what I should do. I love this girl called Joana since my childhood, but I never had the guts to tell her my feelings. However, I met this girl in a party in the last month, and now I can’t stop thinking about her. I feel something different when talking to Joana, but sometimes I find myself thinking about both of them ate the same time. I am very confused. I think I’m in love with two girls.

Advice: Listen to your heart when it’s calling for you. It will be your best advisor in this situation. You will realize that only your heart has the answer to your questions. Anyway, if were you, I would wait a while, because girls go and come, but you won’t forget the one you really love. You’re too young right now, maybe that’s why it is so confusing for you.