EXERCÍCIO DE FIXAÇÃO DE INGLÊS
The Benefits of a New Space Race
1
In October 2003 China became only the third nation to launch a human into space aboard its own rocket.
Colonel Yang 2Liwei, China’s first taikonaut, orbited the Earth for barely a day before returning, slightly
shaken, to a landing in Mongolia. It was a 3significant technical achievement for a country that has been
struggling to modernize its economy and its technology, and the 4Chinese government trumpeted it to its
people and the world. Although Yang’s flight received considerable attention around the 5globe, what was
almost ignored is the fact that after his feet were firmly on the ground, the orbital module from his Shenzhou
5 6spacecraft continued to circle the earth, carrying several military payloads. The module is apparently
equipped both with a 7reconnaissance camera capable of spotting objects on the ground about a yard long,
and an array of antennas for intercepting radar 8and other signals from hundreds of miles away. Despite
this, Shenzhou is not something the United States should be concerned 9about, but should actually
encourage.
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China is pursuing a human space program for three primary reasons: international prestige, domestic
pacification, and 11industrial policy. A human space program enhances China’s status as a major power, at
least within the Pacific region. It also feeds 12nationalist hunger among the populace, making them proud of
the achievements of their country even while they realize that they 13live under an authoritarian and corrupt
government—bread and circuses for the masses. Finally, a Chinese “white paper” about 14space makes
clear that the Chinese anticipate numerous technological developments to flow from their space program.
Building a 15space capability requires improvements in manufacturing, computers and materials that the
Chinese hope to use in other areas of 16their economy. Because China is a rival to the United States, it is
not in American interests to see them gain international prestige, 17pacify an oppressed population, or
improve their technology.
18
But now that China has entered the human spaceflight arena, and President Bush has proposed a new
exploration plan, 19America’s best move might be to engage the Chinese in future cooperation in human
spaceflight, such as dangling the possibility of 20sending future missions to the International Space Station,
and possibly even future competition in this realm as well. For several 21years the Western science press
has been filled with articles about China’s space ambitions. Reporters have claimed that China has 22bold
plans for a large human spaceflight program, including everything from space stations to Moon landings.
Many of these reports, 23however, have generated bad translations of articles originally published in
Chinese, or handwaved away the laws of physics. 24China’s space ambitions are in reality much less
dramatic and the requirements to achieve some of these goals much higher than 25the press has implied.
Although most of these stories are false, it would be in America’s best interest if they are true, and a
shrewd 26strategy to encourage China’s peaceful exploration of space, with humans, is called for.
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Human spaceflight is enormously expensive, even in places where labor is cheap. Despite the slow and
deliberate pace of 28the Chinese human spaceflight program so far, it is clear that China has spent a
considerable amount of money to acquire this new 29capability—nearly $2 billion. In addition to developing
a spacecraft and launching four previous unmanned missions, China has also 30built a new rocket, a new
launch pad, and a large assembly building for integrating all of the equipment, as well as various other
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support facilities, such as a tracking station in Namibia and several tracking ships. Recovery forces such
as helicopters and aircraft 32cost additional money. China may also demonstrate the value of spaceflight at
diverting domestic attention from government 33oppression and corruption. But the Chinese government is
going to do this anyway with other events, such as the 2008 Olympics. 34As for China’s industrial policy, the
United States long ago learned that the spin-off argument is a weak one; although developing 35spacecraft
does produce some useful technologies, it is generally inefficient. If you want a faster computer chip, then
develop one; 36there is no need to go to the Moon to do so. The only demonstrated payoff of human
spaceflight is prestige.
(Dwayne A. Day. Available in http://www.thespacereview.com/article/137/1. Retrieved on July 23, 2009. Adapted.)
01 - (UFV MG) In the phrase “[…] of their economy” (refs. 15-16), the underlined word refers to:
a) Chinese.
b) improvements.
c) computers.
d) materials.
A world of Methuselahs, June 25th 2009
Angus Maddison, an economic historian, has estimated that life expectancy during the first millennium AD
averaged about 25 years (which in practice meant that lots of children died very young and many of the rest
survived to middle age). The big turnaround came with the industrial revolution, mainly because many more
children survived into adulthood, thanks to better sanitation, more control over epidemics, improved
nutrition and higher living standards.
By the beginning of the 20th century average life expectancy in America and the better-off parts of Europe
was close to 50, and kept on rising. By mid-century the gains from lower child mortality had mainly run their
course. The extra years were coming from higher survival rates among older people. The UN thinks that life
expectancy at birth worldwide will go up from 68 years at present to 76 by 2050 and in rich countries from
77 to 83. (These are averages for both sexes; women generally live five or six years longer than men, for
reasons yet to be fathomed). Most experts now agree that there will be further rises, but disagree about
their extent.
Some of them argue that the human lifespan is finite because bodies, in effect, wear out; that most of the
easy gains have been made; and that the rate of increase is bound to slow down because people now die
mostly of chronic diseases – cancer, heart problems, diabetes – which are harder to fix. They also point to
newer health threats, such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, bird flu and swine flu, as well as rising obesity in rich
countries – to say nothing of the possibility of fresh pandemics, social and political unrest and natural
disasters.
Nearly 30 years ago James Fries at Stanford University School of Medicine put a ceiling of 85 years on the
average potential human life span. More recently a team led by Jay Olshansky at the University of Illinois at
Chicago said it would remain stuck there unless the ageing process itself can be brought under control.
Because infant mortality in rich countries is already low, they argued, further increases in overall life
expectancy will require much larger reductions in mortality at older ages. In Mr. Olshansky’s view, none of
the life-prolonging techniques available today – be they lifestyle changes, medication, surgery or genetic
engineering – will cut older people’s mortality by enough to replicate the gains in life expectancy achieved
in the 20th century.
That may sound reasonable, but the evidence points the other way. Jim Oeppen at Cambridge University
and James Vaupel at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock have charted life
expectancy since 1840, joining up the figures for whatever country was holding the longevity record at the
time, and found that the resulting trend line has been moving relentlessly upward by about three months a
year. They think that by 2050 average life expectancy in the best-performing country could easily reach the
mid-90s.
(www.economist.com/opinion/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=13888102 Adaptado.)
02 - (UNIFESP SP) No último trecho do segundo parágrafo do texto – but disagree about their extent. – a
palavra their refere-se a
a) averages.
b) most experts.
c) men and women.
d) life expectancy.
e) further rises.
Raising Children with Social Responsibility
1
To be fully prepared to participate as active, contributing 2members of our society and world our children
need to learn to be 3responsible for themselves, others and the environment. This deeper 4level of
responsibility or social responsibility includes an awareness 5and growing appreciation of our
connectedness to and 6interdependence on each other and our environment. On their way 7to becoming
adults, the development of social responsibility can 8help our children find out who they are, what they can
do and 9where they fit in our world. Parents (and communities) can provide 10opportunities for children and
youth to learn about their world and 11how to contribute to the greater good and provide recognition to
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reinforce this.
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By creating a caring and loving home environment, teaching 14children the importance of their actions and
decisions, and teaching 15them the values of respect and concern for others, parents can build the
foundation for social responsibility. 16Numerous lessons and opportunities abound in every day family life.
When a child does something that 17hurts their brother or sister, parents can help them to reflect on how the
other person feels as a result of what 18they did and how they might make amends or do things differently
next time. Over time and with regular 19practice, children can grow in self-control and accountability for their
actions. Parents can extend the 20opportunities to care beyond the family to include others in their
community including people in need. They 21also teach how a small act can make a big difference. Taking
your child to visit an older adult in the 22community who lives alone or in a nursing home or helping them
pack up some of the clothing and toys 23they have outgrown to bring to children at the local homeless
shelter can reinforce the lesson of caring for 24others and social responsibility.
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Our children are eager to learn about their world along with what they can do to make a difference.
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Keeping in mind the age of the child and having fun together while connecting often with the natural world
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together is important. Creating opportunities for young children to learn about the environment can be as
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simple as taking a walk in the woods, visiting a local farm or planting a garden. Any of these activities can
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stimulate your child.s natural curiosity while providing many teachable moments to talk about the delicate
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balance of nature and our responsibility to preserve it.
(www.unh.cooperativeextension-family, 20/9/2009 . with adaptations)
03 - (UNIMONTES MG) “On their way to becoming adults, the development of social responsibility can help
our children find out who they are, what they can do and where they fit in our world.” (refs. 6-9) Their, termo
sublinhado nesse trecho, faz referência, de acordo com o contexto em que se apresenta, a
a) our world.
b) adults.
c) our children.
d) our environment.
MICHAEL JACKSON
Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009), dubbed the “King of Pop”, was an American musician
and one of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time. His unique contributions to music and
dance, along with a highly publicized personal life, made him a prominent figure in popular culture for four
decades.
He started a solo career in 1971, having made his debut in 1964 as a member of The Jackson 5. His 1982
album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with four others – Off the Wall (1979). Bad (1987).
Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995) – among the best selling. He popularized several physically
complicated dance moves, such as the robot and the moonwalk. He is widely credited with having
transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, with videos for his songs “Billie Jean”,
“Beat It” and “Thriller” making him the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on
MTV.
Twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his other achievements feature multiple Guinness
World Records – including the “Most Successful Entertainer of All Time” – 13 Grammy Awards, 17 number
one singles (including the four number ones with Jackson 5), and estimated sales of over 750 million
records world-wide. He was also a notable philanthropist and humanitarian who donated and raised million
of dollars through his own Heal the World Foundation, and support of 39 other charities.
Jackson’s personal life generated significant controversy. His changing appearance was noticed from the
early 1980s, with changes to the shape of his nose and to the color of his sin drawing media publicity. He
was accused in 1993 of child sexual abuse, although no charges were brought. He married twice, first in
1994 and again in 1996, and brought up three children, one born to a surrogate mother. In 2005, he was
tried and acquitted of child molestation allegations. While preparing for the This Is It concert tour in 2009,
Jackson died at the age of 50 in Los Angeles, California, after suffering from cardiac arrest. His memorial
service was broadcast live round the world.
Adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson#1995.E2.80.9397:_HIStory
04 - (UPE) The words “His” and “him” in the first paragraph are related to
a) the King of Pop.
b) an American Musician.
c) Michael Jackson.
d) Music and dance.
e) August and June.
To Battle Computer Hackers, the Pentagon Trains Its Own
1
After years of building firewalls and other defenses against relentless hacker attacks, the Pentagon
is going over to the dark side of computer warfare. Only ethically, of course. The Defense Department, like
most large organizations, has recognized that no wall is high enough to keep out skilled and determined
hackers for keeps. Instead, it has decided that in order to anticipate and 5thwart those attacks, it needs to
know what the hackers know. “More than 100 foreign intelligence organizations are trying to hack into U.S.
systems,” Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn warned last month. “Some governments already have
the capacity to disrupt elements of the U.S. information infrastructure.” So the Pentagon recently modified
its regulations to allow military computer experts to be trained in computer hacking, gaining designation as
“certified ethical 10hackers.” They’ll join more than 20,000 such good-guy hackers around the world who
have earned that recognition since 2003 from the private International Council of E-Commerce Consultants
(also known as the EC-Council).
Time magazine
05 - (UDESC SC) “its” (ref. 5) refers to:
a) the regulations.
b) the hackers.
c) computer experts.
d) the Deputy of Defence.
e) the Pentagon.
Da Vinci and Edison: Two geniuses in perspective
“Learning never exhausts the mind”. (Leonardo Da Vinci)
“Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” (Thomas Alva Edison)
By JANET RAE-DUPREE
Published: June 1, 2008
1
WHEN Thomas Alva Edison was starting in business, his first patent was for an automated votetallying machine to let legislators know instantly which measures had passed and which had been voted
down. He sold not a one. It seems that legislators, accustomed to schmoozing and politicking right through
a vote’s tally, didn’t want to 5speed the process. But with the resilience he would show throughout his life,
Edison refused to view that episode as a failure. Instead, he used it to set the stage for future decisions: He
would pursue only those innovations that had a verifiable market from the beginning. He went on to earn
1,092 more patents and to become a symbol of American ingenuity.
10
Ancient history, right? Not so fast. True, Edison has long been revered for changing the face of
modern civilization. But beyond the material aspects of his success, he demonstrated that creativity and
innovation could result from a set of identifiable and repeatable processes. Like Leonardo Da Vinci before
him, Edison kept extensive notebooks detailing every idea he ever had and every experiment he ever tried.
He established the world’s first modern research and development laboratory, hiring teams of experts in
things as diverse as 15modelmaking and chemical engineering. Not only did he invent the incandescent light
bulb, Edison also created the electric power industry required for the bulb to light up millions of homes and
businesses.
Michael J. Gelb, a corporate consultant, is co-author with Edison’s great-grandniece Sarah Miller
Caldicott of “Innovate Like Edison,” a 2007 book. Mr. Gelb began his research of historical figures by
turning to Da Vinci, a childhood hero. “His was a balanced brain in 20that he used the left and right
hemisphere of his cerebral cortex equally and to their fullest, something l’ve tried to get people from DuPont
and Microsoft and Merck* to do over the last 30 years,” Mr. Gelb says. “Corporate executives today tend to
be overly linear, logical, analytical. I’m trying to help them use their intuition and artistic capabilities. If you
want to compete in the challenging world of international business, you can’t just rely on half a brain.” In his
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1998 book “How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci,” Mr. Gelb outlines seven principles that he believes
define Da Vinci’s work:
*Curiosità, or curiosity, marking his insatiable quest for knowledge and continuous improvement.
*Dimostrazione, or demonstration, through which he learned by personal experience rather than taking
others’ reports for granted.
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*Sensazione, or sensation, using the senses to sharpen observation and response.
*Sfumato, a painting technique employed by Da Vinci to create an ethereal quality in his work, showing his
ability to embrace ambiguity and change.
*Arte/scienza, or the science of art, which he demonstrated in his whole-brain thinking.
*Corporalità, or “of the body,” representing his belief that a healthy mind requires a healthy body.
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*Connessione, or connection, for his habit of weaving together multiple disciplines around a single idea.
Mr. Gelb’s books highlight the extraordinary talents of two geniuses: Da Vinci and Edison. He uses
these historical figures to show how they can be used as models of leadership and innovation for modern
civilization.
(Adapted from: http://www.nytimes.com)
* empresas multinacionais
Glossary
challenging = desafiador
hiring = contratando
resilience = resistência
revered = venerado
schmoozing = conversar casualmente
vote-tallying machine = máquina para contagem de votos
06 - (UFF RJ) Reference is a cohesive device used to establish correlation between words or groups of
words in a text. His in “His was a balanced brain...” (ref.15) refers to
a) a corporate consultant.
b) Edison.
c) Michael Gelb.
d) Da Vinci.
e) a childhood hero.
Threatened tribes
Movie star Julie Christie and NGO Survival International,both from England, have just launched a
campaign to save from extinction tribes that do not have contact with civilization. The central part is a
documentary narrated by her, on some of the most ancient and threatened tribes of the world. “Over 100
tribes in the world keep refusing any contact. They are among the most vulnerable people on Earth and can
be devastated in the next 20 years, unless their rights to land are recognized and defended”, declared Julie
to Survival. “The world is certainly big enough for everyone, including those whose lifestyle is different from
ours.” According to Survival, there are tribes in Brazil today with only two or three survivors. The other
members died in the hands of cattle raisers or due to diseases transmitted by white people.
(EcoSpyBrazil Magazine, October, 2007)
07 - (UNCISAL AL) No trecho – They are among the most vulnerable people on arth and can be
devastated in the next 20 years, less their ights to land are recognized and defended”, declared Julie o
Survival. – o termo their refere-se a
a) julie chistie and NGO International Survival
b) in the next 20 years.
c) campaign.
d) civilization.
e) threatened tribes.
08- Complete the sentences with Possessive Adjective and Pronoun:
a) John is a very good student. _________ grades are excellent.
b) Tom and John live downtown. _______ house is very big.
c) Peter has ________ breakfast at 7 o'clock. But I have ______ at 8 o'clock.
d) Jane and Carol and I live on the same street. They are ______ neighbors.
e) ________ parents are teachers and _______ are dentists.
09- Complete the sentences with the Possessive Adjectives
a) Angela is a very beautiful girl. _________ eyes are green and __________ hair is black.
b) My family and I usually have _________ lunch at home. But my friends have ____________ lunch at
school.
c) I have a sister. __________ sister is a doctor and __________ office is downtown.
d) George and Bill have a nice house on the beach. __________ house is big and comfortable.
__________ windows and doors are blue.
d) Who is that boy? What is ___________ name?
Mrs. Miller and _________ husband are dentists.
GABARITO:
12345678-
Gab: D
Gab: E
Gab: C
Gab: C
Gab: E
Gab: D
Gab: E
a) John is a very good student. THEIR grades are excellent.
b) Tom and John live downtown. THEIR house is very big.
c) Peter has HIS breakfast at 7 o'clock. But I have NINE at 8 o'clock.
d) Jane and Carol and I live on the same street. They are OUR neighbors.
e) MY parents are teachers and HERS are dentists.
9- a) Angela is a very beautiful girl. HER eyes are green and HER hair is black.
b) My family and I usually have OUR lunch at home. But my friends have THEIR lunch at school.
c) I have a sister. MY sister is a doctor and HER office is downtown.
d) George and Bill have a nice house on the beach. THEIR house is big and comfortable. ITS
windows and doors are blue.
d) Who is that boy? What is HIS name?
Mrs. Miller and HER husband are dentists.