INTERPRETAÇÃO DE TEXTO I (Básico ao intermediário)
1. Leia o aviso abaixo.
As placas de sinalização servem para alertar os funcionários sobre como evitar os riscos no ambiente de trabalho, orientar sobre a forma segura de operação dos equipamentos e máquinas e etc. Considerando as linguagens verbal e não-verbal, é possível inferir que:
a) O lugar onde a placa está posicionada não oferece riscos de gênero algum.
b) É permitido trabalhar antes de entrar no espaço delimitado pela placa.
c) Um tipo específico de permissão é necessário para acessar o local que a placa está posicionada.
d) O local é proibido a todos os funcionários que trabalham naquela determinada empresa.
e) Os funcionários precisam apresentar uma permissão válida para trabalhar naquele local ao saírem do turno.
2. Considerando o parágrafo abaixo, assinale a alternativa correta.
“In 1970 about sixty small and medium-sized factories in the US adopted a four-day workweek. According to the plan, workers work forty hours but instead of the usual five-day week, they now work only four days. Workers are enthusiastic about the three-day weekly vacation. According to management, productivity has increased about 18% since the inception of the new plan. Absenteeism has dropped by 69% and lateness is almost non-existent.”
A passagem acima apresenta uma mudança feita na jornada de trabalho de funcionários de algumas fábricas de pequeno e médio porte nos Estados Unidos em 1970. A opção que apresenta um argumento citado no texto que apresenta o resultado dessa mudança é:
a) Houve uma redução nos salários dos funcionários que tiveram a jornada reduzida para 4 dias semanais.
b) O número referente às faltas dos funcionários diminuiu em média 18%.
c) Ocorreu uma mudança significativa nos direitos dos trabalhadores em cada fábrica americana na década de 70.
d) A produtividade dos trabalhadores dessas fábricas aumentou aproximadamente 69%.
e) Foi possível enxergar um aumento na produtividade e na frequência dos funcionários.
3. “Online English is now a common language for users from around the world. In the process, the language itself is changing. Noah Webster thought that a common language brings people together and helps create a new identity. Webster’s dictionary, now is in its 11th edition, adopted the Americanized orthography familiar today “-er” in place of “-re” in theatre, not using the “u” from colour, losing one “I” in traveller, and listed new words for example, skunk and squash.”
In the Webster dictionary, the words theatre, colour and traveller
a) are now written the same way.
b) changed their orthography to one more common in Britain.
c) don’t exist anymore.
d) were adapted to American orthography
e) Were listed only in the 11th edition of the dictionary
4. Read the fragment below and choose the correct answer.
Cyberbullying is getting extremely popular because teens can stay anonymous. Many adolescents act this way because they feel frustrated or angry and want to punish somebody for something that happened to them. At other times they do it just for fun or because have nothing else to do. Parents usually don’t know their child is a cyberbully. They perceive it just when the victim or the victim’s parents contact them.
Bullying on social networks is popular because
a) the bullies don’t show themselves.
b) the victims’ parents use cell phones.
c) some teens want to punish themselves.
d) teenagers like to make fun of themselves.
e) They need an escape from their busy routine
5. Read the text below. Then, choose the most appropriated answer.
Why we say “God bless you”
When someone sneezes, in some countries, people say “God bless you.” Nobody really knows the start of this response, but people have several theories about it.
In the past, when someone sneezed, people thought that his soul left the body. All they could saw was “God bless you.”
In the 6th century, a plague happened in Europe, and Pope Gregory I ordered people to give blessings to someone who sneezed. In the 14th century, another plague happened, and a person who sneezed could be sick. People started to say, “God bless you.”
These days, for many people, the response is a natural reaction, and many think that it is polite to say it. In some countries, people don’t say it. For example, in Spanish language countries, people say the word “salud.” It means something like “good health”.
After reading the text, it is possible to state that:
a) The origin of the mentioned response is widely known.
b) All the theories are related to some plague.
c) A sneeze is a symptom of a significant disease.
d) A response to a sneeze varies from one country to another.
e) The Spanish word “salud” has the same meaning as “God bless you”.
Read the following text and answers questions 6 and 7.
The right word in the right place
The use of can to ask for permission is common and perfectly correct in formal language nowadays, but some people do not agree. To those purists may is the right word to ask for permission while can is the correct one to express ability.
This reminds me of a story about George Bernard Shaw, the great Irish playwright. He once received a telegram from a group of young actors in which they asked for Shaw’s permission to present one of his plays. But the young man who wrote the telegram was not very careful in his choice of words. Shaw opened the telegram and read “Can we present your Pygmalion?” It was clear that they intended to ask for the author’s permission but Shaw was not satisfied. For him, the old master of words, can is the right word to express ability, not permission.
Shaw’s answer was quick and full of irony. He immediately sent a telegram to the young actors saying “You may, but you probably cannot.”
6. The young man who wrote the telegram was not very careful in his choice of words because:
a) He didn’t choose the right word to express ability.
b) He chose may instead of can.
c) He didn’t use may to ask for formal permission.
d) He didn’t use may to ask for informal permission.
7. Shaw was not satisfied because:
a) The young actors presented Pygmalion without the author’s permission.
b) The young actors did not know how to play Pygmalion well enough.
c) The words in the young actors’ telegram were all wrong.
d) The young actors’ telegram was not perfect.
Read the text below and answer questions 8, 9 and 10.
Changing lifestyles and new eating habits
Americans today have different eating habits than they had in the past. There is a wide selection of food available. They have a broader knowledge of nutrition, so they buy more fresh fruit and vegetables than ever before. At the same time, Americans purchase increasing quantities of sweets, snacks and sodas.
Statistics show that the way people live determines the way they eat. The United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the food industry compile sales statistics and keep accurate records. For example, red meat, which used to be the most popular choice for dinner, is no longer an American favorite. Instead, chicken, turkey and fish have become more popular. Sales of these foods have greatly increased in recent years. This is probably a result of the awareness of the dangers of eating food that contains high levels of cholesterol or animal fat. It is more than likely that an unhealthy diet can damage people’s health.
According to a recent survey, Americans also change their eating patterns to meet the needs of different situations. For example, they choose pasta, fruit and vegetables to give them strength for physical activity. Adults choose foods rich in fiber to prepare them for business appointments. For romantic dinners, however, they choose shrimp and lobster.
Americans’ awareness of nutrition, along with their changing tastes and needs, leads them to consume a wide variety of foods – foods for health, for fun and simply for good taste.
8. Reading the text leads to the conclusion that
a) Americans are eating less fruit and fewer vegetables.
b) At present, Americans like red meat better than white one.
c) Americans are getting used to consuming more fatty foods.
d) Food with high cholesterol levels can be harmful to human health.
9. The last paragraph reveals that Americans
a) Learned about which types of food are the healthiest to eat.
b) Are certain that a well-balanced diet will make them happier.
c) Are aware of their needs, although living on a diet rich in calories.
d) Are already concerned about what they should eat, together with their changes in attitudes and tastes.
10. “…shrimps and lobster” are
a) Seafood
b) Seashells
c) Inedible fish
d) Kinds of seaweed
GABARITO COMENTADO:
1. Letra C
O aviso informa que é um espaço perigoso e restrito. Logo, apenas pessoas com permissão válida para trabalhar podem entrar nele.
2. Letra E
“…productivity has increased about 18% since the inception of the new plan. Absenteeism has dropped by 69% and lateness is almost non-existent.” Em tradução livre, produtividade aumentou cerca de 18% desde a implementação do novo plano. As faltas diminuíram em aproximadamente 69% e praticamente não há atraso.
3. Letra D
“Webster’s dictionary, now is in its 11th edition, adopted the Americanized orthography familiar today “-er” in place of “-re” in theatre, not using the “u” from colour, losing one “I” in traveller.” O dicionário, que está na décima primeira edição, adotou a ortografia do inglês americano, então as palavras estão adaptadas.
4. Letra A
Justificativa encontrada na primeira linha da referência textual. Observando a conjunção explicativa “because”, o bulling virtual está ficando extremamente popular porque os adolescentes podem permanecer anônimos.
5. Letra D
A reação “God bless you” possui origem desconhecida. Teorias variam desde pragas que assolaram a humanidade até teorias religiosas. Em alguns países, as pessoas respondem saúde quando alguém espirra.
6. Letra C
It was clear that they intended to ask for the author’s permission but Shaw was not satisfied. For him, the old master of words, can is the right word to express ability, not permission.
7. Letra D
It was clear that they intended to ask for the author’s permission but Shaw was not satisfied. For him, the old master of words, can is the right word to express ability, not permission.
8. Letra D
This is probably a result of the awareness of the dangers of eating food that contains high levels of cholesterol. It is more than likely that an unhealthy diet can damage people’s health.
9. Letra D
Americans’ awareness of nutrition, along with their changing tastes and needs, leads them to consume a wide variety of foods – foods for health, for fun and simply for good taste.
10. Letra A
Camarão e lagosta são frutos do mar.
