Soap Opera Twist: Ulisses Loses Everything in "Quem Ama Cuida"
Listen to the story
Quem Ama Cuida is a well-known Brazilian soap opera, known in Portuguese as a "novela." A new plotline focuses on the downfall of a character named Ulisses.
According to reports, Adriana plays a major role in destroying Ulisses's life. Her actions have serious consequences for him.
Another character, Fábia, decides to take revenge on Ulisses. She leaves him without a single cent, taking away all his money.
As a result, Ulisses ends up completely bankrupt. The Portuguese phrase used is that he is "in the gutter," meaning he has lost everything he had.
Pilar, another character in the story, shows him no mercy either. She does not try to help him during his difficult time.
Following his financial collapse, Ulisses is thrown out and left with nowhere to go. His story shows a dramatic fall from a comfortable life to complete ruin.
Vocabulary10 words
- soap opera
- a long TV show about people's daily lives
- novela
- the Portuguese word for a soap opera
- plotline
- part of a story's main events
- destroy
- to end something completely
- consequences
- results that happen because of an action
- revenge
- hurting someone who hurt you first
- cent
- a very small amount of money
- bankrupt
- having no money left at all
- mercy
- kindness shown to someone in trouble
- collapse
- a sudden, complete failure
Quiz
Answer key
1. She helps destroy Ulisses's life 2. She takes away all of Ulisses's money 3. She does not help him at all
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Quem Ama Cuida is a well-known Brazilian _____, known in Portuguese as a "_____." A new _____ focuses on the downfall of a character named Ulisses.
According to reports, Adriana plays a major role in _____ Ulisses's life. Her actions have serious _____ for him.
Another character, Fábia, decides to take _____ on Ulisses. She leaves him without a single _____, taking away all his money.
As a result, Ulisses ends up completely _____. The Portuguese phrase used is that he is "in the gutter," meaning he has lost everything he had.
Pilar, another character in the story, shows him no _____ either. She does not try to help him during his difficult time.
Following his financial _____, Ulisses is thrown out and left with nowhere to go.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think soap operas often show dramatic falls from wealth to poverty?
- Do you think revenge storylines are common in TV dramas? Why?
- How do you feel when a TV character loses everything, like Ulisses does?
- Would you continue watching a show with this kind of dramatic plot? Why or why not?