Questões de Concursos Inglês

INSTRUCTION: Read the following text to answer question.

The Key to Balanced Bilingualism

Bilingual education, especially in an immersion setting, is much more than just learning a second language: it’s a gateway to cultural and cognitive growth. As Vannina Boussouf – Assistant Head of School and Director of Primary at Lycée Français de New York (LFNY) – explains, several factors need to be considered to make sure this type of program succeeds, like the language environment of the country, the quality and amount of exposure to both languages, and the teaching expertise needed to guide students on their language journey.

One of the first things to think about in language immersion is the students’ language environment. In a country where the main language is different from the one taught in school, it’s important to make sure there’s enough exposure to the second language, and that it is high quality. This means more than just spending a lot of time speaking in the minority language (often the language of instruction in an immersion program); it also requires support to help students develop strong skills in both languages.

Language immersion relies on the idea that the more a child is exposed to a language, the better they will learn it. In this sense, combining varied interactions with stimulating learning environments is the key for students to truly grasp a second language.

One challenge teachers face is the “language insecurity” students can feel. When students are immersed in a classroom where the language spoken is different from what they use at home, they might feel uneasy. It is important to create a safe space where making mistakes is part of learning, and where students are encouraged. Thus, a positive learning environment helps not just with language learning but also with building thinking and cultural skills.

Besides, teachers need to be trained to spot when students feel insecure and respond with the rightstrategies, all while keeping the immersion experience engaging. This might include using visual aids, gestures, repetition, and interactive activities that help students participate, even if they’re still mastering the new language.

In reality, bilingual education through immersion is an ambitious goal, but when designed well, it offers great benefits to students. To make it work, it is necessary to consider the language environment, ensure high-quality exposure in both languages, and support students’ learning with care and expertise. Educators are responsible for creating spaces where both languages can thrive, while respecting the unique needs of each student. In addition, they can refine an approach where language immersion is balanced with support and excellence. In this bilingual journey, each student becomes an active participant in their own learning, opening doors to a multilingual, inclusive world.

Source: https://frenchly.us/the-key-to-balancedbilingualism/

Accessed on November 13, 2024. [Adapted]

T E X T

Can you learn in your sleep?

Sleep is known to be crucial for learning and memory formation. What's more, scientists have even managed to pick out specific memories and consolidate them during sleep. However, the exact mechanisms behind this were unknown — until now.

Those among us who grew up with the popular cartoon "Dexter's Laboratory" might remember the famous episode wherein Dexter's trying to learn French overnight. He creates a device that helps him to learn in his sleep by playing French phrases to him. Of course, since the show is a comedy, Dexter's record gets stuck on the phrase "Omelette du fromage" and the next day he's incapable of saying anything else. This is, of course, a problem that puts him through a series of hilarious situations.

The idea that we can learn in our sleep has captivated the minds of artists and scientists alike; the possibility that one day we could all drastically improve our productivity by learning in our sleep is very appealing. But could such a scenario ever become a reality?

New research seems to suggest so, and scientists in general are moving closer to understanding precisely what goes on in the brain when we sleep and how the restful state affects learning and memory formation.

For instance, previous studies have shown that non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep — or dreamless sleep — is crucial for consolidating memories. It has also been shown that sleep spindles, or sudden spikes in oscillatory brain activity that canbe seen on an electroencephalogram (EEG) during the second stage of non-REM sleep, are key for this memory consolidation. Scientists were also able to specifically target certain memories and reactivate, or strengthen, them by using auditory cues.

However, the mechanism behind such achievements remained mysterious until now. Researchers were also unaware if such mechanisms would help with memorizing new information.

Therefore, a team of researchers set out to investigate. Scott Cairney, from the University of York in the United Kingdom, co-led the research with Bernhard Staresina, who works at the University of Birmingham, also in the U.K. Their findings were published in the journal Current Biology.

Cairney explains the motivation for the research, saying, "We are quite certain that memories are reactivated in the brain during sleep, but we don't know the neural processes that underpin this phenomenon." "Sleep spindles," he continues, "have been linked to the benefits of sleep for memory in previous research, so we wanted to investigate whether these brain waves mediate reactivation. If they support memory reactivation, we further reasoned that it could be possible to decipher memory signals at the time that these spindles took place."

To test their hypotheses, Cairney and his colleagues asked 46 participants "to learn associations between words and pictures of objects or scenes before a nap." Afterward, some of the participants took a 90-minute nap, whereas others stayed awake. To those who napped, "Half of the words were [...] replayed during the nap to trigger the reactivation of the newly learned picture memories," explains Cairney.

"When the participants woke after a good period of sleep," he says, "we presented them again with the words and asked them to recall the object and scene pictures. We found that their memory was better for the pictures that were connected to the words that were presented in sleep, compared to those words that weren't," Cairney reports.

Using an EEG machine, the researchers were also able to see that playing the associated words to reactivate memories triggered sleep spindles in the participants' brains. More specifically, the EEG sleep spindle patterns "told" the researchers whether the participants were processing memories related to objects or memories related to scenes.

"Our data suggest that spindles facilitate processing of relevant memory features during sleep and that this process boosts memory consolidation," says Staresina. "While it has been shown previously," he continues, "that targeted memory reactivation can boost memory consolidation during sleep, we now show that sleep spindles might represent the key underlying mechanism."

Cairney adds, "When you are awake you learn new things, but when you are asleep you refine them, making it easier to retrieve them and apply them correctly when you need them the most. This is important for how we learn but also for how we might help retain healthy brain functions."

Staresina suggests that this newly gained knowledge could lead to effective strategies for boosting memory while sleeping.

So, though learning things from scratch à la "Dexter's Lab" may take a while to become a reality, we can safely say that our brains continue to learn while we sleep, and that researchers just got a lot closer to understanding why this happens.

From: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/Mar/2018

A questao refere-se ao texto abaixo.

The Century Trilogy: An epic of Follett proportions

By Kevin Nance September 7, 2012

Well before blockbuster movies, there were blockbuster novels: big, juicy, page-turning epics, with dozens of characters, exotic settings and multiple plots playing out over several years, often against the backdrop of some extended historical conflict. Tolstoy largely invented the form in 1869 with “War and Peace,” and by the middle of the 20th century, its latter-day stalwarts — including James Jones, Herman Wouk and the tireless fiction factory known as James Michener — bestrode the bestseller lists like the titans they were. In recent years, however, the form has fallen somewhat out of favor with writers, if not with readers. Who wants to spend so much time, day in and day out, with the same set of protagonists? Who wants to do all that research? Who has the nerve, not to mention the patience, to keep all those narrative balls in the air over hundreds of pages?

Ken Follett, actually. At 63, the Welsh author is one of the last Mohicans of the form, having traded his highly successful thrillers (“Eye of the Needle,” “The Key to Rebecca”) for the multigenerational historical saga in 1989’s “The Pillars of the Earth” (adapted as a Starz miniseries in 2010) and its sequel, 2007’s “World Without End,” which premieres as a miniseries on Reelz next month.

Adaptado - Disponível em: https://www.washingtonpost. com/entertainment/books/the-century-trilogy-an-epic-of- -follett-proportions/2012/09/07.Acesso 22/9/16.

Read the text and answer the question.

What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Milk Every Day

Milk (and dairy in general) gets the blame for a lot of unwanted health outcomes. We're sure you've heard that dairy causes acne, increases inflammation and can even be the reason you're not losing weight. Spoiler: For those who aren't lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy, research doesn't back up those claims. In fact, there are actually some impressive benefits that come with drinking a nutritious glass of milk.

Your Bone Health Might Improve

Not only is milk a great vegetarian protein source, but it's also packed with calcium and vitamin D—two nutrients that are vital for bone health. Calcium is a mineral needed to build and maintain strong bones, and vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium from the foods we eat. Since milk is a great source of both of thesenutrients, it's one of the best things to keep in your diet for bone health throughout life.

You Might Reach Your Weight Loss Goals

There are lots of misconceptions about how drinking milk can affect weight, but research shows regular consumption probably won't hurt your cause if you're trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. This is largely due to the satisfying combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat found in milk. Protein and fat can help make milk super filling, which can help with weight loss. Carbs give you energy and help your body function at its best. When you're more satisfied from the foods you eat, it's easier to honor your hunger and fullness levels and stick to a healthy, balanced eating pattern.

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (the gold standard of research) published in the journal Nutrients found that including dairy in a calorie-restricted diet resulted in greater weight loss and fat loss, while reducing loss of lean muscle. This doesn't mean milk is a miracle weight-loss food, though. Another review of studies found that consuming milk or other dairy products didn't result in significant weight loss, but didn't lead to weight gain either. If your goal is to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, drinking a glass of milk each day might help, if it's a food you enjoy. You Might Lower Your Risk of Cognitive Decline

The impressive nutrition profile of milk could be a reason why it can help you stay more mentally sharp as you age. A 2021 review of studies published in Nutrition & Metabolism found that milk intake was connected with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Another study published in 2020 in the journal Nutrients found that skimmed dairy, fermented dairy and buttermilk were associated with better executive functioning. So adding some milk to your morning oats or as a side to a snack may help boost your brain health.

Researchers hypothesize that one reason milk might support healthy aging is the nutrition that it provides. Milk is a good source of calcium, protein and vitamin B12, all of which are critical nutrients for older adults.

The Bottom Line

If you aren't lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy, it's totally OK to enjoy a regular glass of milk each day. From improving bone health to helping mitigate cognitive decline, drinking milk and incorporating other dairy items into your diet can come with some health benefits. As with any food, remember that moderation is key (an 8-ounce serving of milk probably wouldn't completely fill many of the glasses in your cupboard). Since there are dairy farmers all across the U.S., try choosing milk that is produced locally. Making a connection with a local farmer can help you get a better-quality product that takes less of a toll on the environment, too.

FONTE: Adapted from: https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7961444/what-happensto-your-body-if-you-drink-milk-every-day/#:~:text=Not%20only%20is% 20milk%20a,from%20the%20foods%20we%20eat.

Opportunity Cost

This phenomenon goes by the name of ‘opportunity cost,’ since by not investing in more equipment and a more rigid production flow, the company is forgoing the opportunity to earn increased profits. These costs are every bite as real as the payment of dollars out-of-pocket.

This notion _______ opportunity cost can be reinforced _________a famous saying ______ Benjamin Franklin, no slouch himself _________ operations management. To make the point, however, we must make a brief excursion into logic. One truth of logic is the validity of the so-called contrapositive, which says simply that if the statement “If A, then B” is true, then it is also true that “If not B, then not A.” That is, of every time A occurs B follows, then we can be sure that if B does not occur, then A did not occur as well. Enough logic then, and back to Ben Franklin.

One of his Poor Richard sayings is that “A penny saved is a penny earned.” We have all recognized the truth of that since childhood, but I assert that by this saying Ben showed us he knows everything about opportunity cost. After all, what is the contrapositive of “A penny not earned is a penny not saved (i.e., a penny sent). All we are saying by this notion of opportunity cost is that “a penny not earned (an opportunity forgone) is a penny spent.” We shall often have occasion to consider opportunity costs, in analyzing and deciding various operations issues.

SCHMENNER, Roger W. Production/Operations Management. 5th Edition. Prentice-Hall, 1993.

How were the first 'voice mails' sent? In envelopes

“Hello Mother, Dad, and Blanche,” a quiet voice says above the cracks and pops of an old vinyl record, which has clearly been played many times over. “How’s everything at home? I’m recording this from Dallas…from this very little place where there are pinball machines and many other things like that…”

The disc is small, seven inches across, dated ___________ 1954. The faded green label shows that the speaker’s name is “Gene,” the recording addressed to “Folks.” Gene suggests in his minute-long message that he is traveling—“seeing America”—and tells his family not to worry about him.

“I should complete my trip sometime around Thanksgiving. I hope you received my letter and I, in turn, hope to receive some of the letters that you sent me.”

This largely forgotten sound is one of the world’s early “voice mails.” During the first half of the 20th century, these audio letters and other messages were recorded largely in booths, pressed onto metal discs and vinyl records, and mailed in places all over the world. Best known today for playing music at home, record players were then being used as a means of _____________ over long distances.

The idea of transporting a person’s voice had _________ large in the human imagination for some three centuries before it was finally achieved with the invention of the phonograph in the late 19th century. Historical documents from the Qing Dynasty in 16th-century China suggest the existence of a mysterious device called the “thousand-mile speaker,” a wooden cylinder that could be spoken into and sealed, such that the recipient could still hear the reverberations when opening it back up.

(Fonte: National Geographic - adaptado.)

Professores de inglês têm uma variedade de abordagens de ensino à sua disposição para incluir em seu repertório. Cada método evoluiu ao longo do tempo, influenciado por teorias linguísticas, abordagens pedagógicas, eventos culturais e avanços tecnológicos. Na busca por instrução eficaz de idiomas, abordagens/métodos populares emergiram ao longo dos anos, enfatizando diferentes aspectos da aprendizagem de idiomas e atendendo a diversas necessidades dos aprendizes.

Cada abordagem tem seus próprios prós e contras, e nenhum método é universalmente considerado superior aos outros em todos os contextos de ensino. A instrução moderna de idiomas envolve uma “abordagem eclética”, uma combinação de métodos, adaptada aos níveis de proficiência dos aprendizes, objetivos de aprendizagem específicos e origens culturais.

Internet: <aprendebrasil.com.br> (com adaptações).

Businesses are starting to introduce new options for tipping at self-checkout machines, putting even more pressure on customers amid rising inflation costs. Despite having zero interaction with employees during transactions, self-checkout machines at places such as coffee shops, bakeries, airports, and sports stadiums are giving customers the option to leave the typical 20% tip, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Business owners believe that the prompt for a tip can boost staff pay and increase gratuities — but customers are questioning where and to whom the extra cash is going, considering self-checkout is done by the customers themselves. “They’re cutting labor costs by doing self-checkout. So what’s the point of asking for a tip? And where is it going?” are some of the questions customers ask. But tipping researchers claim this is a way for companies to put the responsibility of paying employees on the customer rather than increasing employee salaries themselves. Self-tipping is viewed by many customers as a way to guilt-trip the person into tipping on something when they typically wouldn’t.

Many companies told the Journal that these tipping prompts are optional, and the extra gratuity is split between all employees. However, experts say that tips at a self-checkout machine might never even get to an actual employee since protections for tipped workers in the federal Fair Labor Standards Act don’t extend to machines.

Internet: <https://nypost.com> (adapted).