Reading · A2
Como era antigamente, vó?
For a school project, Lucas interviews his grandmother about her childhood in a small town near Patos, in the sertão of Paraíba: there was no electricity or TV, the children carried water from a well, ate cuscuz and walked an hour to school, played in the street every day, everybody knew each other and the whole town danced forró at São João. She misses it, although life was hard.
LucasVó, é . nasceu ?
VóNasci cidadezinha sertão Paraíba, Patos. morava .
Lucas ?
Vó ! tinha , tinha . , acendia contava .
Lucas ?
Vó tinha. carregávamos . comia ia .
Lucas ?
Vó! . andava .
Lucas ?
Vó brincava . conhecia.
Lucas ?
Vó vinha dançava . punha …
Lucas sente ?
VóSinto, . , tinha … . têm reclamam wi-fi!
Tap an underlined word to see what it means.
Gist
1. What is the interview about?
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The grandmother's childhood in a small town in the sertão of Paraíba.
Detail
2. How did the children get to school?
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They walked — about an hour.
Detail
3. What did people use for light at night?
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An oil lamp (candeeiro), because there was no electricity.
Detail
4. What happened in the town at São João?
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People came from far away and the whole town danced forró in the square; her mother put on a chita dress.
Inference
5. Does the grandmother think life was better in the past? Explain.
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Partly: she misses it and calls it beautiful — everybody knew each other, children played outside, the whole town danced at São João — but she says it was hard: no electricity, no water at home, not even a doctor. She also teases Lucas: today they have everything and still complain.
Words to know
- Como era antigamente, vó?What was it like in the old days, Grandma? (vó = avó)
- o candeeirooil lamp
- mainhamum (Northeastern, affectionate)In phrasesMainha e painho vêm passar o Natal com a gente.Mainha, cadê o carregador do celular?
- o poçoWordwell (for water)
- carregar águato carry water
- o cuscuzsteamed maize-meal cake, a Northeastern breakfast
- Oxente!What?! / Come on! (Northeastern surprise)In phrasesOxente, menino, deixa de besteira, visse?Oxente, e quem foi que disse isso?
- o São João / o forróthe June festival of St John, with bonfires / the Northeast's dance musicIn phrasesViva São João!Eu adoro forró! — Eu também!
- o vestido de chitadress of cheap, colourful flowered cotton (typical at São João)
- sentir saudadeto miss (someone, a place, the old days)