Questões de Inglês

In this cartoon, the doctor is telling the patient

Brazilian scientists developed the first intelligent

portable heart monitor in the world, which allows the

remote sending of electrocardiograms, the location

of the patient for relief and early detection of heart

5 problems.

The monitor can detect irregularities without

symptoms that normally could not be felt, causing a

reduction of concern in patients if they suffer a crisis

away from a doctor. It not only measures the heart rate,

10 but also achieves search and make the assessment of

rhythm and alterations.

Also, this device can also identify early-stage

myocardial and rare arrhythmia syndromes. It consists

of a unit slightly larger than a mobile phone that the

15 patient wears around the waist and connected to four

electrodes that are placed on the chest.

The machine, which should reach the market

this year with the name of Nexcor, monitors heart

problems remotely and in real time, through which

20 electrocardiograms will be sent to a central control.

Also it counts with a communicator that allows the

patient to talk to an expert immediately if he doesn’t

feel well.

Disponível em: <http://www.ecuadortimes.net/2013/04/22/brazil-develops-first-intelligent-portable-heart-monitor-world/>. Acesso em: 12 maio 2013.

Considering language use in the text, it’s correct to say:

Brazilian scientists developed the first intelligent

portable heart monitor in the world, which allows the

remote sending of electrocardiograms, the location

of the patient for relief and early detection of heart

5 problems.

The monitor can detect irregularities without

symptoms that normally could not be felt, causing a

reduction of concern in patients if they suffer a crisis

away from a doctor. It not only measures the heart rate,

10 but also achieves search and make the assessment of

rhythm and alterations.

Also, this device can also identify early-stage

myocardial and rare arrhythmia syndromes. It consists

of a unit slightly larger than a mobile phone that the

15 patient wears around the waist and connected to four

electrodes that are placed on the chest.

The machine, which should reach the market

this year with the name of Nexcor, monitors heart

problems remotely and in real time, through which

20 electrocardiograms will be sent to a central control.

Also it counts with a communicator that allows the

patient to talk to an expert immediately if he doesn’t

feel well.

Disponível em: <http://www.ecuadortimes.net/2013/04/22/brazil-develops-first-intelligent-portable-heart-monitor-world/>. Acesso em: 12 maio 2013.

According to the text, the only statement that is FALSE about Nexcor is that it

The antioxidant myth

A recent Scientific American article challenges the

myth of antioxidants being associated with ageing.

This is not the first time SciAm has covered this topic.

The article challenges current perceived wisdom, not

5 only regarding the effectiveness of antioxidants but of

the underlying theory that oxidative damage causes

ageing. The current evidence tells us that antioxidant

supplementation is not only ineffective, it is harmful.

The science behind the association between

10 oxidative damage and ageing is a classic example

of the Decline Effect. The initial studies showing an

association between decreased life expectancy in

worms and damage from oxygen free radicals have

not been adequately replicated. Later studies showed

15 no such association and more recent studies showed

the opposite effect: longer life span and evidence of

free radicals triggering cellular repair. In other words,

the initial findings “declined” over time.

The clinical research is also against antioxidants.

20 The balance of evidence shows that antioxidant

supplements (such as vitamin A and vitamin E) are

associated with an increase in the rate of early death

(JAMA review, Cochrane review). Those reviews were

from 2007/8. The pervasive nature of these myths and

25 our wish to believe them (our lack of scepticism) is

responsible for the fact that antioxidants are still being

advertised as useful, despite being the opposite.

I think this is also an example of trying to outsmart

nature. While it is established that eating fresh fruit and

30 vegetables is healthy, when we try to get clever and

reckon we know the one magic ingredient responsible

for the benefit, everything falls down. It is a measure of

our hubris that we believed that we could explain the

cause of ageing so simply. As usual, things are more

35 complicated than we thought, and there are always

unintended consequences of any treatment. Instead of

trying to guess and extract a single magic ingredient

from fresh fruit and vegetables, doesn’t it make more

sense to just eat the fruit and vegetables? It’s probably

40 cheaper, and it certainly tastes better.

Disponível em: <http://doctorsskeptic.blogspot.com.br/2013/02/antioxidants -i-don’t-think-so.html>. Acesso em: 12 maio 2013.

According to the text, fill in the parentheses with T (True) or F (False).
The authot states that

( ) The widespread belief that ageing is caused by oxidative damage is now in doubt.
( ) Recent experiments have showed that, in some circumstances, free radicals seem to increase life span.
( ) Most scientists still believe that vitamins play a key role in preserving people’s youth.
( ) Unlikely previously thought, free radicals may actually help in the process of cellular repair.

The correct sequence, from top to bottom, is 

TEXT II

 

Scientists say that a common ingredient found in Chinese herbal medicine is responsible for the very high incidence of some cancers and kidney disease in Taiwan. For thousands of years the aristolochia plant with its reddish-yellow flowers has been a support of Chinese herbal medicine. The toxic nature of the plant was discovered in the 1990s when dozens of Belgian women began developing kidney failure and urinary tract cancers. They had been using aristolochia-based slimming aids at clinic.

Now scientists say that the key element, aristolochic acid, is responsible for the very high levels of kidney disease and urinary tract tumors in Taiwan. It’s estimated that about one in three of the population there have used herbal medicines containing the toxin. The country has the world’s highest incidence of cancers of the upper urinary tract – and in their study the scientists say more than half can be directly linked to the ingredient.

While products containing aristolochic acid are banned in many countries, one of the big concerns is China. In 2004 a study suggests Chinese farmers produce enough of the plant to dose 100 million people. Scientists are concerned that in the decades to come, disease caused by the aristolochia will create an international public health problem of considerable magnitude.

Source: Adjusted from BBC.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/, visited on October, 2012)

Read the sentence:
“…disease […] will create an international public health problem of considerable magnitude”
Choose the appropriate passive form for the sentence above:

TEXT II

 

Scientists say that a common ingredient found in Chinese herbal medicine is responsible for the very high incidence of some cancers and kidney disease in Taiwan. For thousands of years the aristolochia plant with its reddish-yellow flowers has been a support of Chinese herbal medicine. The toxic nature of the plant was discovered in the 1990s when dozens of Belgian women began developing kidney failure and urinary tract cancers. They had been using aristolochia-based slimming aids at clinic.

Now scientists say that the key element, aristolochic acid, is responsible for the very high levels of kidney disease and urinary tract tumors in Taiwan. It’s estimated that about one in three of the population there have used herbal medicines containing the toxin. The country has the world’s highest incidence of cancers of the upper urinary tract – and in their study the scientists say more than half can be directly linked to the ingredient.

While products containing aristolochic acid are banned in many countries, one of the big concerns is China. In 2004 a study suggests Chinese farmers produce enough of the plant to dose 100 million people. Scientists are concerned that in the decades to come, disease caused by the aristolochia will create an international public health problem of considerable magnitude.

Source: Adjusted from BBC.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/, visited on October, 2012)

The sentence: “While products containing aristolochic acid are banned in many countries, one of the big concerns is China” means that: