Questões de Inglês - Vocabulary

Leia o texto para responder à questão.

Switzerland’s mysterious fourth language

    Despite Romansh being one of Switzerland’s four national languages, less than 0.5% percent of Swiss can answer that question – “Do you speak Romansh?” – with a “yes”. Romansh is a Romance language indigenous to Switzerland’s largest canton, Graubünden, located in the south-eastern corner of the country. In the last one hundred years, the number of Romansh speakers has fallen 50% to a meagre 60,000. Travellers in the canton can still see Romansh on street signs, or hear it in restaurants when they’re greeted with “Allegra!” (Welcome in). But nearly 40% of Romansh speakers have left the area for better job opportunities and it’s rare that you will see or hear Romansh outside the canton. In such a small country, can a language spoken by just a sliver of the population survive, or is it as doomed as the dinosaur and dodo?

    Language exists to convey a people’s culture to the next generation, so it makes sense that the Swiss are protective of Romansh. When the world loses a language, as it does every two weeks, we collectively lose the knowledge from past generations. “Language is a salient and important expression of cultural identity, and without language you will lose many aspects of the culture,” said Dr Gregory Anderson, Director of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages.

    Without the Romansh language, who is to say if customs like Chalandamarz, an ancient festival held each 1 March to celebrate the end of winter and coming of spring, will endure; or if traditional local recipes like capuns – spätzle wrapped in greens – will be forgotten? “Romansh contributes in its own way to a multilingual Switzerland,” says Daniel Telli, head of the Unit Lingua. “And on a different level, the death of a language implies the loss of a unique way to see and describe the world.”

(Dena Roché. www.bbc.com, 28.06.2018. Adaptado.)

Directions: Read the text below and answer question according to it.

Most Common Prejudices

  What are some of the most common ways

people discriminate against each other? Some of the

areas where people show their intolerance are wellknown,

such as race. But others are less

[5] acknowledged¹, even if more common:

Age: Ageism is more common than you think. Older

people are thought to be inflexible and stuck² in the

past, while younger people are seen as inexperienced

and naive. One-fifth of working adults say they

[10] experience ageism in the workplace.

Class: Classism usually takes the form of

discrimination by wealthier people against those who

are less well off. However, classism goes both ways—

people of lower economic status can see the wealthy

[15] as elite snobs who, while monetarily secure, are

morally bankrupt³.

Color: Different from racism, colorism is discrimination

based only on the color of a person’s skin; how

relatively dark or light they are. Colorism takes place

[20] within and between races. It is common in multi-ethnic

and non-white societies and societies with historical

racial prejudice.

Ability: Usually called ableism, a less well-known form

of prejudice is discrimination against people with visible

[25] disabilities such as those in wheelchairs or with a

learning disability. The disabled face discrimination not

only from their peers⁴, but from institutions, schools,

employers, and landowners⁵ who are hesitant to

accommodate the disabled.

[30] Sex/Gender: Possibly the most universal and long

running prejudice is that based on a person’s gender or

sex. Historically, sexism has placed men in a more

advantageous position than women.

Weight/Size: In short, sizeism is discrimination based

[35] on a person’s body size or weight. Sizeism works with

social standards of beauty and usually takes the form

of discrimination against the overweight — anti-fat

prejudice.

Religion: Religious discrimination and persecution has

[40] been common throughout history. But prejudice based

on religious affiliation doesn’t end with organized

religion; atheists are prone⁶ to discrimination and being

discriminated against.

Sexual Orientation: Most commonly, prejudice based

[45] on sexual orientation includes discrimination against

those of a non-heterosexual orientation. Discrimination

against the non-heterosexual takes many forms

depending on the society. In some societies prejudice

is open and tolerated, but in most Western societies,

[50] bias⁷ against the non-heterosexual is more discreet.

Country of Origin: Nativism is a common form of

discrimination against immigrants to a country. Unlike

many other forms of discrimination, nativism is many

times encouraged and enforced by some public

[55] entities.

Which prejudice do you have? Which prejudice have

you experienced?

Adapted from https://aloftyexistence.wordpress.com

Glossary:

1 - acknowledged – reconhecidos (as)

2 - stuck – presos (as)

3 - bankrupt – falidos (as)

4 - peers - pares; colegas

5 - landowners – proprietários (as)

6 - prone – propensos (as)

7 - bias – julgamento ou opinião parcial

Directions: Read the text below and answer question according to it.

Most Common Prejudices

  What are some of the most common ways

people discriminate against each other? Some of the

areas where people show their intolerance are wellknown,

such as race. But others are less

[5] acknowledged¹, even if more common:

Age: Ageism is more common than you think. Older

people are thought to be inflexible and stuck² in the

past, while younger people are seen as inexperienced

and naive. One-fifth of working adults say they

[10] experience ageism in the workplace.

Class: Classism usually takes the form of

discrimination by wealthier people against those who

are less well off. However, classism goes both ways—

people of lower economic status can see the wealthy

[15] as elite snobs who, while monetarily secure, are

morally bankrupt³.

Color: Different from racism, colorism is discrimination

based only on the color of a person’s skin; how

relatively dark or light they are. Colorism takes place

[20] within and between races. It is common in multi-ethnic

and non-white societies and societies with historical

racial prejudice.

Ability: Usually called ableism, a less well-known form

of prejudice is discrimination against people with visible

[25] disabilities such as those in wheelchairs or with a

learning disability. The disabled face discrimination not

only from their peers⁴, but from institutions, schools,

employers, and landowners⁵ who are hesitant to

accommodate the disabled.

[30] Sex/Gender: Possibly the most universal and long

running prejudice is that based on a person’s gender or

sex. Historically, sexism has placed men in a more

advantageous position than women.

Weight/Size: In short, sizeism is discrimination based

[35] on a person’s body size or weight. Sizeism works with

social standards of beauty and usually takes the form

of discrimination against the overweight — anti-fat

prejudice.

Religion: Religious discrimination and persecution has

[40] been common throughout history. But prejudice based

on religious affiliation doesn’t end with organized

religion; atheists are prone⁶ to discrimination and being

discriminated against.

Sexual Orientation: Most commonly, prejudice based

[45] on sexual orientation includes discrimination against

those of a non-heterosexual orientation. Discrimination

against the non-heterosexual takes many forms

depending on the society. In some societies prejudice

is open and tolerated, but in most Western societies,

[50] bias⁷ against the non-heterosexual is more discreet.

Country of Origin: Nativism is a common form of

discrimination against immigrants to a country. Unlike

many other forms of discrimination, nativism is many

times encouraged and enforced by some public

[55] entities.

Which prejudice do you have? Which prejudice have

you experienced?

Adapted from https://aloftyexistence.wordpress.com

Glossary:

1 - acknowledged – reconhecidos (as)

2 - stuck – presos (as)

3 - bankrupt – falidos (as)

4 - peers - pares; colegas

5 - landowners – proprietários (as)

6 - prone – propensos (as)

7 - bias – julgamento ou opinião parcial

Against Death Penalty

[1]     Those who judge and condemn, say that capital

punishment is necessary. Firstly, because it is necessary to

remove from the social community a member who has

[4] already injured it, and might injure it even more. If that is all,

a life sentence would suffice. What is the use of bringing

death? You may argue that one might escape from jail —

[7] keep better watch, then! Let there be no executioner where

the jailer suffices.

         One might also say society must avenge itself,

[10]society must punish. Neither one nor the other: vengeance is

an individual act, and punishment belongs to God. Society is

between the two; punishment is above it, vengeance is

[13] beneath it. Nothing so great or so small should be in its

sphere. Society should not punish in order to avenge itself; it

should correct, in order to improve!

[16]    The third and last reason remains, the theory of

examples. It is imperative to set examples. By the sight of the

fate inflicted on criminals, we must shock those who might

[19] otherwise be tempted to imitate them! Well; above all, we

deny the power of the example. We deny that the spectacle of

torment produces the desired effect. Rather than edifying the

[22] common people, it demoralizes them and blunts in them all

sensibility.

Victor Hugo. Le dernier jour d’un condamné, Paris, Eugène Renduel, 1832. pp XXII e XXIII (adapted).

According to the text above, judge the following item.

Pollution 'fights global warming:
By Matt McGrath
BBC News science reporter

[1]    Air pollution may be helping the fight
against global warming by enhancing the
ability of plants to absorb carbon dioxide,
scientists say.

[5]    Since the 1960s, increased levels of at-
mospheric pollution have enhanced plant
productivity by as much as one quarter, re-
search has found.

    In terms of carbon dioxide, this means

[10] that an extra 10% has been stored in the soil.

    The research was published in the
scientific journal, Nature.

    It is a common assumption that plants
grow best in clear sunny weather, but

[15] scientists say this is not always the case.

    Research has shown that forests and
crops can also thrive in hazy conditions be-
cause clouds and particles in the atmosphere
scatter sun light so that it bathes more

[20] leaves.

    That enhances photosynthesis, the process
by which plants turn light and carbon dioxide
into food.

    Global dimming

[25]    Researchers have now analyzed the im-
pact on plants of the dimmer, hazier skies
that have resulted from increases in air pol-
lution around the world since the 1900s.

    They have calculated that this so-called

[30] "global dimming” is responsible for increas-
ing plant productivity by as much as one
quarter from 1960 to 1999.

    Dr Lina Mercado from the UK's Centre for
Ecology and Hydrology, the lead author of

[35] the study, said:

    “This resulted in a net 10% increase in the
amount of carbon stored by the land once
other effects were taken into account,
she was quoted as saying by the Press As-

[40] sociation.

    This study highlights some of the compli-
cations that arise when we try to tackle
global warming.

    As the world attempts to reduce the

[45] amount of smog and particulates in the at-

mosphere to improve human health, it will

require even greater efforts to cut back on
carbon dioxide.

    This new research shows that plants will

[50] simply not absorb as much carbon dioxide in
cleaner air conditions.

    The research will also add weight to ar-
guments about geo-engineering, the idea of
curbing global warming by adding reflective

[55] materials to the atmosphere.

    US President Barack Obama's chief
scientific adviser, Professor John Holdren,
recently told reporters that such ideas, once
dismissed as half-baked, would have to be

[60] seriously discussed, such was the scale of

the climate challenge.
Fonte: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8013709.stm Thursday, 23 April 2009.