Advices by: Lucas Viana, Vinicius Dias e Yuri Henrique

Practice 1

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?

We think that every students  have to study pretty well by your own to get a good test. So, we suggest you talk to him to try studying, for he doesn’t depend on other people, and at least have a reasonable performance on the exam, honestly, that is the most important.

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?

We think the best thing to do is keep dating with your boyfriend, but you should cherish the friends that are consolidated relationships, because a dating can end soon in an unexpected way, and a friendship can last throughout your life.

3. Dear John,

I'm having a real problem with my roommate. I like to keep our apartment clean, but my roommate 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?

We suggest you should talk about your problem with your roommate. Maybe that is the best way to solve this problem. The conversation with your partner always be the best solution, because you live in the same place and the both need to live with each other. You can calmly say that the room needs to be organized and the clothes and stuffs needs to be in the right place.

Practice B

Problem 1: You’re Overweight

Detail of the problem: Being overweight may be related to several factors such as health problems, overeating and absence of physical exercises and sports. Overweight can cause diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Obesity is the most serious problem, causing not only physical harm but also social damages to the individual. Carlos is overweight, what should he do?

Advice: If you find yourself a little overweight, practice exercise and abandon your sedentary lifestyle. Do your best to eat well and have a varied diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, reducing carbohydrates. However, if you are very overweight, consult a physician before doing anything.

Problem 2: Your computer has a virus

Detail of the problem: A computer are infected by a virus when you download software and files over the Internet, plugs an infected flash drive, your network is hacked and emails and websites with spam. It can steal your data for illegal use such as theft in bank accounts. Can also delete your files and stop running basic functions on your PC. Marisa has a virus on her PC and want to know what she can do to solve this problem.

Advice: The ideal is having a good software against viruses and spyware in your computer for prevention. You should only download files from trusted sites and check them before playing. When you think you have a virus on your computer, run a software against viruses and spyware, it can remove your virus. If does not solve the problem, you have to format your computer: send it to a technical assistance or search how to install a new OS by your own.

Problem 3:You have nothing to eat in your house.

Detail of the problem: “Tom, tonight, when I get home after a long day at work,  I came straight to the kitchen searching a special and appetizing food. However, I forgot to buy the food in the supermarket and I am so tired. I searched among the cabinets some candy, but it had nothing inside them. What Do I do now? Kisses, Maria.”

Advice: To solve this, I suggest you an app for your smartphone. The market of apps for smartphones has created applications in which you ask the food and get ready for consumption without leaving your home. Currently, there are many applications such as, for example, Ifoods. With this technological tool, you can order the food that you want. Moreover, you can evaluate prices, quality of food and even the time of the request, enabling an effective tool in the hours that you have nothing to eat at home.

Problem 4:You hate your job.

Detail of the problem: Currently, it is common to hear: "I hate my job". There are many reasons of this problem, like the run during the day, the conditions in the workplace, the demanding boss, etc. This has become a big part of the problems in the jobs.

Advice: If you hate what you do, I suggest you to talk about your problems with your bosses and superiors to find a solution. Another output is practice activities that leave you more relax. If that does not work, maybe it's time to find another job that leave you happier.

Problem 5: You want to send a text message, but you’re driving.

Detail of the problem: Nowadays, the smartphones is like a piece of human body, but the excessive use to check e-mail, social network and messages. Vanessa always want  to send a text message when she driving.

Advice: First, I think when somebody are driving is necessary to have attention, because any distraction can cause an accident. If is important to send a text message, you should to stop the car in some place and do it. I suggest you always to be focused to drive and forget the smartphones, tablets and other gadgets when you do that.

Problem 6: You haven’t studied for today’s exam.

Detail of the problem: In this week, my father and my sister have made birthday and was involved in the celebrations. So, I haven't studied for today’s exam.

Advice: I suggest to you that next time you have appointments, organize your time so you can do all your obligations, in addition to studying for an exam, for example. You can ask for help to a friend who has studied to teach you something at the last minute. Never cheat on a test!

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.

Advices with John. By: Luísa Freitas, Mariana Campos, Marina Rachid and Maysa Alves

Practice A

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:

I think you should be worried about your exams first, but maybe he is insecure and may have some personal issues. Or you could talk to him about the consequences of his choice, he should be responsible because he’s about to graduate and that isn’t a mature attitude. You could help him to study to the final exams.

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:

My advice is to you manage your time better, so you can hang out with your boyfriend and your friends too. Sometimes you can ask your boyfriend to go out with your friends. Maybe they know each other and also be friends.

3. Dear John, I'm having a real problem with my roommate. I like to keep our apartment clean, but my roommate 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 suggest you to be more patience with your roommate. Maybe his family raised him in a different way than yours. You should try talk to him about the situation explaining that you feel uncomfortable about it, he might understand.

Practice B

“Your bedroom is always messy”

1.    Dear John, my bedroom is always messy. I can never keep my bedroom organized. My desk is full of papers and when I need  find one specific always have difficulty, also always waste time looking for the clothes that I want to use in my wardrobe. I never can`t keep my bedroom organized for more than three days. What should I do?

I think you should pick a day to tidy your bedroom and after this day everything you take the place save soon after use, for not to accumulate lots of messy thing, so you can keep your bedroom organized for more time.

“You hate your job”

2. Dear John, when I get this job, was to be temporally, but I may have been acommodated, now I want to get out of there! My boss hate me, because I don’t take the tasks that he send me serious. I do that because I hate my job, what can I do?

I suggest you to be more patience with your tasks, because even if you hate it, you can’t do you job disinterested, because that maybe will affect other persons. So, if you can’t leave it, be more interested and patience with it, but if you want to leave it so badly do it. Just do it, and search for the job that will make you happy.

“You didn’t get a promotion”

3.Dear John this month I worked hard in a project to try get a promotion, but I didn't get. I feel very disappointed. What would you suggest I do?

I would advise you to be calm . Sometimes we don't get what we want. Think, maybe you're not ready to the new post. Stay working hard and wait for the next opportunity, try enjoy this time to grow up professionally and get new skills.

“You’re addicted to cigarettes”

4.  Dear John, I am addicted to cigarettes, but  I really want to get rid of this bad habit. Unfortunately, everytime I try to stop, I feel very uncomfortable and desperate to smoke again. What should I do to quit smoking?

First of all, you should have willpower. Quit smoking is difficult, but you should be determined to stop it. When you finally decided that you are ready to quit, you should set a date and tell the people close to you, they may help you with support. The key to achieve your goal is to whittle down your habit. You also could do things that will distract you and make you forget about the cigarettes.

“ You have no internet service”

5.Dear John,

Today I got home from school and when I turned on my computer to play games and talk to my friends, I had a surprise, the internet service wasn't working. What can I do on day now?

I think you can enjoy this day without internet to interact more with your family, studying any subject that is with difficulty in school, listen to music, watch a movie, or call your friends and invite them to go out.

“You can’t wake up in the morning.”

6. Dear John, everyday I have to go to school at 7 am, but I have serious problem to waking up early. Everyday I put my alarm on snooze and I’m always late to class because of it. What can I do to wake up early and feel ok with it?

It might be a good idea you manage your time better to sleep more, you probably is a teenager, so you have to sleep for at least eight hour per day, then you should try to do that. But not just to sleep more can give you a good sleeping, a heathy life is a good way to sleep better, like eating vegetables and doing physical exercises.

Advices by: Luísa Freitas, Mariana Campos, Marina Rachid and Maysa Alves.

Advice: Matheus Augusto, Pedro Henrique, Raphael Raggi, Thiago Loures

Practice A

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?

Tell your friend that cheat is very dangerous and isn’t right. Follow my example and study a lot because it is the best option. Your hard work will be rewarded.

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?

You have to put your boyfriend in your group of friends. So you will be with your friends and your boyfriend at the same time.

3. Dear John,

I'm having a real problem with my roommate. I like to keep our apartment clean, but myroomate 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

Dialogue is basis for a good relationship, you should talk to your friend about organization and tell him that life is better in a clean place. I’m sure he will understand.

Practice B

3 - You never hand in your homework on time.

PROBLEM: I don’t make my homework with advance and I always leave to do in the last time. I don’t know when I need hand my works and sometime I lose that I did. I’m very forgotten and messy. I need help to be more organized and don’t lose more points.

ADVICE: You should be more responsible with your tasks. Do a weekly schedule and try to comply with everything that has been established. Select a part of your day to study, so your knowledge will expand. At first, this may be difficult, but with time, it'll be much easier.

10 - You’re overweigh

PROBLEM: In recent months I’m not satisfied with my body, I’m overweigh. I don’t have time to work out every day and my life is very hectic, this makes me eat a fast food on weekdays. I know I need change my lifestyle and get healthy habits. Which habits I need to practice for a better life?

ADVICE: You must change your eating habits. Stop eating junk foods and eat healthier foods. Eat vegetables and make a diet, reducing your fat consumption. Besides overweight be aesthetically bad, it can result in several problems to your health. Try to get up early to exercise, like walking and swimming. If you follow my advice, some time from now, you will be healthier and more satisfied with your body.

13 - Your computer has a virus.

PROBLEM: I was doing my big homework for tomorrow when my computer turned off. I turned on but my work disappeared and now is showing a lot of messages of wrongs. My computer is very slow. I believe my computer has virus. What can I do?

ADVICE: Turn on your computer in safe mode. In this mode, only allowed the execution ofessential processes for the operation of the computer, which may disrupt the action of viruses that open automatically when Windows starts.

17 - You have no money.

PROBLEM: I spend all my money in the club, with women and drinks, and I also buy expensive clothes and accessories to impress the girls. My salary is so small, and with my addiction makes me run out of money at the end of the money. Now I am in despair, because I'm getting in debt. How I control my spending better.

ADVICE: You have to worry less about fun and more with your professional life. Sure have fun sometimes is important, but you are overreacting, and this has become an addiction for you. Look for other ways to have fun without having to spend much money. You’ll see it’s not so bad, so will be able to save your salary.The big is not how you spend your money, but your expenses are greater than you income. Take control over your expenses, predicting what will be your priorities, making it can certainly give you money whenever you need.

18 - You’re addicted to cigarettes.

PROBLEM: I smoke 2 packs of cigarettes per day. My job is very stressing and the cigarette reassures me. Now this fact has become a problem because I’m having respiratory difficulties. I tried a lot but I can’t stop with my vice. What I do?

ADVICE: Quit smoking requires much effort. The will is simply the first step. Therefore, doctors recommend that smokers who wish to quit his addiction to seek expert help. Think of the problems that smoke can cause and strive to win this battle, will not be easy but you can do it.

24 - You're in love with two people.

PROBLEM: I’m very confused these days, I think I’m in love with two girls and I can’t decide who stay. One of these girls is so beautiful, she’s like a Victoria Secret’s model and the other girl is very smart and funny. I think I’ll go crazy. What do you think I should do?

ADVICE: Love two people it's impossible, follow your heart boy, one of the two will have to suffer. Take its decision soon, but think about it for you don't suffer. Love is one thing, is another attraction, remember that.

Advice: Bruno Marques, Marcus Vinicius, Thales Barbosa

A

1.  If I were you I would probably start studying hard with him until he is prepared to have a high note.

2. How about starting go out with your friends and your boyfriend at the same time?

3. You really should talk and convince him that keep the apartment cleaned is way better than a messy place.

B

2. Your bedroom is always messy because you let Messi (your dog) do what he want and he is a messy dog. Why don’t you train your dog to stay out of your bed?

4. You feel shy when you talk to the opposite sex, probably because you already had some negative experience about that, so, forget it! When you will talk with a girl, try to not think you’re talking with a special person, you’re just talking to another person like any other. Just be you.

10. Your weight and health is a reflection of your life’s habits. How you eat, how you take your daily and how your mind stand the problems ( your psychological is affected?): If you eat a lot of fat things or don’t consume all the nutrients you need, or if you don’t do some kind of gym with your body, or be so much nervous in your day-to-day… All these things exert influence in our weight, so why you don’t change your life habits? if your body don’t change how much you want, at least you, certainly, will be sure that you’re working for it.    

12. All your life is made for the internet? I’m sure not. So enjoy this time to do other things. Find out some way to relax your mind, grow up, think more in yourself. Read a book, go to the park, study like older ways: with books, and asking the older about yours experiences. I’m sure this will help you. You will learn to think by yourself.

14. If you hate your job is better try to work in something that make you happy, even if it won’t bring you the same amount of money. When you start to work on things that you like, you will start to be great and probably your salary will become better.

18. If you are addicted to cigarettes the first step to stop it is start to remember the side effects every day. You probably know that smoking makes heart disease, stroke, cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, etc. So if you keep it on your mind daily and take it like a seriously disease you will stop smoking.