Tag Archives: Amazon
The Ariranha Posted by Rachel on Mar 18, 2010
Today we’re going to learn about the ariranha, or giant otter, a mammal native to the Pantanal region and Amazon river basin in Brazil. The ariranha, a mammal with an amphibious lifestyle, lives most of the time on land but also lives in freshwater rivers and streams. It has large eyes and small ears…
The Floating Bank of the Amazon Posted by Rachel on Mar 17, 2010
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published a fascinating article about Bradesco Bank’s newest strategy for reaching Brazilians in rural areas of the Amazon: putting a bank on a riverboat. The article describes how the bank’s manager goes out every two weeks and searches for new customers along the banks of the Amazon. An excerpt: “Modest…
The Brazen Kayaker Posted by Rachel on Jan 20, 2010
A teacher from Porto Alegre has an interesting hobby that has taken him to the other end of the country: kayaking the Amazon. Hiram Reis e Silva, age 58, has already kayaked several tributaries, including the 1,600 kilometer Rio Solimões. Now, he’s kayaking the 950 km long Rio Negro, which has very few inhabitants along…
Reading Comprehension: Endangered Species Posted by Rachel on Jan 14, 2010
Today we’re going to work on a reading comprehension exercise about an endangered species in the Amazon. The article is entitled, “Pesca excessiva ameaça maior peixe da Amazônia, diz pesquisa,” on Globo’s Amazon section. Here’s the first part: “A captura descontrolada pode fazer com que o maior peixe da Amazônia – e um dos maiores…
The Real El Dorado Posted by Rachel on Jan 7, 2010
Yesterday, The Guardian published an article about a study of the Brazilian Amazon that indicates that the long lost mythical city of El Dorado did in fact exist, and existed in pre-Columbian Brazil. While researchers haven’t actually found a city made of gold, they have discovered 200 earthworks built over a span of 155 miles…
Globo Amazônia Videos Posted by Rachel on Dec 21, 2009
Globo Amazônia has launched a really cool new feature where readers and activists can send in their videos discussing why the Amazon and environmental preservation are important. Watch Cristiane Torloni’s video and then see if you can answer the following questions: 1. What two words does she use to describe “failure?” 2. What event does…
Drought in the Northern Amazon Posted by Rachel on Dec 16, 2009
Even though the weather phenomenon El Niño takes place in the Pacific, its effects are far reaching. The north of the Amazon is currently experiencing a devastating drought, affecting the lives of fishermen and residents who live along the Rio Negro. There are so many dead fish, claims a visiting photographer, that you can smell…