Questões de Inglês

Beware! Excessive smartphone use may increase obesity risk

 

Today smartphone has become a fad among young generation who depend on the device for every second things. But it could make them obese and vulnerable for other diseases if used for more hours, says a latest study.

 

As per the findings of the study presented at the ACC Latin America conference, those who use smartphones five or more hours a day are at 43 per cent increased risk of obesity and more likely to have other lifestyle habits that increase the risk of heart disease.

 

"It is important that the general population know and be aware that, although mobile technology is undoubtedly attractive for its multiple purposes, portability, comfort, access to countless services, information and entertainment sources, it should also be used to improve habits and healthy behaviors," said Mirary Mantilla-Morron, the lead author of the study.

 

"Spending too much time in front of the Smartphone facilitates sedentary behaviors, reduces the time of physical activity, which increases the risk of premature death, diabetes, heart disease, different types of cancer, osteoarticular discomfort and musculoskeletal symptoms," added Mirary Mantilla-Morron.

 

The conclusion was made after researchers analyzed 1060 students of the Health Sciences Faculty at the Simon Bolivar University from June to December 2018. The study group consisted of 700 women and 360 men. With an average age of 19 years and 20 years respectively. Participating men were 36.1 per cent likely to be overweight and 42.6 per cent likely to be obese. Women were 63.9 per cent likely to be overweight and 57.4 per cent likely to be obese.

 

Researchers found the risk of obesity increased by 43 per cent if a smartphone was used five or more hours a day, as participating students were twice as likely to drink more sugary drinks, fast food, sweets, snacks and have decreased physical activity.

 

Twenty-six per cent of the subjects who were overweight and 4.6 per cent who were obese spent more than five hours using their device.

 

"The results of this study allow us to highlight one of the main causes of physical obesity, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We have also determined that the amount of time in which a person is exposed to the use of technologies specifically prolonged cell phone use is associated with the development of obesity," Mantilla-Morron concluded.

"Beware! Excessive smartphone use may increase obesity risk." eHealth, 29 July 2019. Gale Health and Wellness, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A594819082/HWRC?u=pwpls_remote&sid=HWRC&xid=798b07e2. Accessed 27 Oct. 2019. Adapted.

As used in paragraph 3, the word “portability” most nearly means the ability

A questão se referem ao texto a seguir:

 

One of the most dangerous bugs you need to watch out for during summer is mosquitoes. But no matter how you try to avoid them, some people naturally attract mosquitoes more than others. One of the most important facts to remember is that mosquitoes track people down by smell and body odour, according to Bart Knols, PhD, a vector biologist dedicated to the study of mosquitoes. The carbon dioxide people exhale, along with chemicals from the skin, create an "odour plume" that mosquitoes can detect from up to almost 100 feet away, Knols says. "Each person gives off more than 300 chemicals from the skin, more than 100 in exhaled breath," Knols says. The specific compounds on the skin that mosquitoes respond to vary by species. The yellow fever mosquito and Asian tiger mosquito, for example, respond well to lactic acid from skin. African malaria mosquitoes respond to a blend of fatty acids, according to Knols. Your individual mix of compounds and smells determine how much of a mosquito magnet you are, depending on the mosquito species. The blend of chemicals you produce are only partially in your control. These chemicals depend on your genetic make-up, health status, diet, skin pH, and microflora, Knols says. ―Bacteria on the skin break down the compounds that we give off through our pores, and these are the attractive smells,‖ Knols says. "So it is not actually us that attract mosquitoes, but the bacteria on our skin." Although this is a complex and partially understood phenomenon, Knols says that we do all have a unique smell based on our bacteria flora species and the density of bacteria. There are many myths and folklore stories about why some people are more or less attractive to mosquitoes. Some people falsely think having "sweet blood" or your blood group are factors, and others believe taking vitamin B or eating garlic makes people less attractive to mosquitoes – but Knols notes there’s no scientific data backing these claims. If you are a mosquito magnet, you’ll want to invest in a proper repellent to apply to all exposed body parts. "DEET, picaridin, or lemon-eucalyptus oil (with elevated concentration of citriodiol) are good repellents," Knols says. Citronella, another popular option, only protects for a short amount of time.

By Emily DiNuzzo, RD.com. https://www.readersdigest.ca. Acessado em 24 de agosto de 2019.

A expressão gives off, assinalada em negrito no texto, pode ser traduzida como

Look at the pictures of the advertising campaign created by Fosbury&Brothers.

The purpose of the campaign is to show that smoking

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Is there a scientific explanation for
out-of-body experiences?

 

    Imagine feeling as though you are floating above your body, looking down upon your physical self. Some argue that such out-of-body experiences (OBEs) prove that the conscious mind — or even the soul — can leave the body. Supporting this interpretation, people who have survived a near-death experience often recall experiencing this out-ofbody sensation — as if their spiritual essence had separated from their corporeal existence.

    However, the scientific explanation for OBEs is more terrestrial. Neuroscientists and psychologists believe it has to do with neural processes going wrong. In those who come close to death, such as cardiac arrest survivors, it is the lack of oxygen to the brain, and the release of certain neurochemicals triggered by trauma, that interferes with the sensory functions that support our usual feelings of embodiment. People’s recollections of seeing themselves from above — such as observing surgeons working on their body — could be a form of hallucination or false memory, as they try to make sense of their experiences.

    Researchers have induced out-of-body states in healthy volunteers simply by confusing their sensory systems. For instance, scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm asked volunteers to wear goggles that showed the perspective of a camera placed behind them (so that they could see themselves from behind). When a researcher prodded the camera with a baton at the same time as prodding the person’s chest, the volunteer had the sensation that they were floating behind their physical body. The fact it is possible to induce an OBE argues against more mystical explanations.

(Christian Jarret. www.sciencefocus.com, 2019. Adaptado.)

De acordo com o último parágrafo, um argumento a favor da concepção científica da experiência fora do corpo é a

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Is there a scientific explanation for
out-of-body experiences?

 

    Imagine feeling as though you are floating above your body, looking down upon your physical self. Some argue that such out-of-body experiences (OBEs) prove that the conscious mind — or even the soul — can leave the body. Supporting this interpretation, people who have survived a near-death experience often recall experiencing this out-ofbody sensation — as if their spiritual essence had separated from their corporeal existence.

    However, the scientific explanation for OBEs is more terrestrial. Neuroscientists and psychologists believe it has to do with neural processes going wrong. In those who come close to death, such as cardiac arrest survivors, it is the lack of oxygen to the brain, and the release of certain neurochemicals triggered by trauma, that interferes with the sensory functions that support our usual feelings of embodiment. People’s recollections of seeing themselves from above — such as observing surgeons working on their body — could be a form of hallucination or false memory, as they try to make sense of their experiences.

    Researchers have induced out-of-body states in healthy volunteers simply by confusing their sensory systems. For instance, scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm asked volunteers to wear goggles that showed the perspective of a camera placed behind them (so that they could see themselves from behind). When a researcher prodded the camera with a baton at the same time as prodding the person’s chest, the volunteer had the sensation that they were floating behind their physical body. The fact it is possible to induce an OBE argues against more mystical explanations.

(Christian Jarret. www.sciencefocus.com, 2019. Adaptado.)

No trecho do segundo parágrafo “People’s recollections of seeing themselves from above”, o termo sublinhado equivale, em português, a

Text

Children Learning about Ecology and the Environment

Chris Pittam, 4th Nov 2013

 

Teaching young children about ecology and the environment will teach them lessons they will take through the rest of their life. If children learn to respect and care for the world they live in from a young age they will help to preserve it for the next generation. They will become advocates for protecting nature.

 

The earth’s natural assets are made up of plants, animals, land, water, the atmosphere AND humans! TOGETHER we all form part of the planet’s ecosystems – together is perhaps the most important word here. Everything we do as humans affects the world we live in – we do not have limitless resources – we have the power to destroy or create – we need to teach children to create, care for and respect our world.

 

For children to grow up and become caring members of society they need to explore the world of nature around them, so they form emotional attachments. They will learn by example, so your care for the environment, your attitudes and behaviour will help to shape how they react.

 

It would be easy to start by looking at how many creatures are disappearing from our planet – the Madagascan Lemur, for example, is one of the most cuddly, cute, furry, big-eyed creatures in the world may disappear in 20 years.

 

I think it is better to start from a conservation viewpoint: you should look at the positive things that can be achieved, rather than the negative ones. It will teach your child about positive actions and how what they do affects the world they live in, not just themselves – because we are all connected.

Avaiable: https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/why-we-should-teachchildren-about-ecology-and-the-environment/. Access: 30 sep. 2019. Adapted.

The doctor’s prescription (two asteroid impacts) implies