Our inaugural week of the Vocabulary Competition started strongly, challenging students to quickly pull words from their vocabularies against the clock. Given just three minutes, students were tasked with writing words that began with the secret letter of the week—B—across a spectrum of categories: Objects, Colours, Food, Verbs, Description Words, and Professions.
In the Food category, 'biscoito' (biscuits) and 'bacalhau' (codfish) were among the delicacies mentioned, while 'barco' (boat) and 'bicicleta' (bicycle) made notable appearances in the Objects category. The Verbs section saw actions like 'beijar' (to kiss) and 'beber' (to drink), and for Professions, 'barista' and 'bombeiro' (firefighter) stood out. Not to be outdone, Description Words shimmered with qualities from 'brilhante' (brilliant) to 'barato' (cheap).
Students received 10 points for unique words, and 5 for those repeated.
Tallying the Triumphs:
Food: 'bolo' appeared 3 times, 'biscoito,' 'bacalhau,' and 'banana' twice, leading to a flavorful mix of common and unique choices.
Objects: 'bicicleta' was the ride of choice for two students, while 'barco' also made a splash twice.
Verbs: 'beber' quenched the thirst for points four times, illustrating the shared linguistic reservoir.
Professions: 'bombeiro' ignited the competitive spirit twice, and barista just once.
Description Words: 'brilhante' and 'barato' were mentioned twice.
The "Professions" category turned out to be quite challenging for students to quickly recall words. So here are some examples of professions beginning with the letter "B" in Portuguese - how many of them do you know?
Bibliotecário(a) - Librarian
Biólogo(a) - Biologist
Barbeiro(a) - Barber
Bailarino(a) - Dancer
Bancário(a) - Banker
Bispo - Bishop
Boticário(a) - Apothecary/Pharmacist
Balconista - Shop assistant/Clerk
Baterista - Drummer
Biógrafo(a) - Biographer
Bordadeira(o) - Embroiderer
Winner of the Week! The spotlight of victory shone brightly on Abby C., who soared to the top with an impressive 30 points. Parabéns, Abby!
Hot on her heels were Barbara T., Jane M. , and Alan Q., each garnering 25 points in a commendable display of linguistic acumen.
While we look forward to seeing what comes next in our vocabulary challenge, let's not forget about those who haven't started yet. Some participants have been delayed, meaning I can't give a full update for the second and third weeks right now. Check back next week for more updates as our competition moves forward.
The Power of Play in Language Learning
Games like these not only enrich vocabulary but also sharpen spelling skills and boost the ability to retrieve words from memory under pressure—mirroring the high-stakes scenarios encountered in real life. It's a testament to the notion that learning can be both profound and profoundly enjoyable.
To our readers who haven't yet joined this adventure, we pose a challenge: What words would you conjure up in each category, with only three minutes and the letter 'B'?
The clock starts now!
Embrace the challenge, and may your linguistic journey be as brilhante as the words you choose to explore.