Questões de Inglês

T E X T

 

English in the World Today

 

    The English language has changed
considerably over the last thousand or so
years. It has changed in terms of its lexis
(vocabulary), its orthography (spelling)
[5] and its semantics (meaning). And it has
also changed in terms of its syntax (word
order).
    One of the reasons for the change
that has happened to English over the
[10] centuries is that, since its very
beginnings, English has always been in
contact with other languages. The
influence from this contact can be seen
most clearly in the way that English is full
[15] of what are known as loanwords. The
term loanword, or borrowing, is used to
refer to an item of vocabulary from one
language which has been adopted into
the vocabulary of another. The process is
[20] often the result of language contact,
where two or more languages exist in
close geographical or social proximity.
The dominant language often absorbs
new items of vocabulary, either to cover
[25] concepts for which it has no specific word
of its own, or to generate a slightly
different function or nuance for concepts
for which it does have existing words.
    Some loanwords retain their
[30] 'foreign’ appearance when they are
adopted, and people will often then use
them specifically for the sense of
exoticism that they impart. One can talk
of a certain je ne sais quoi, for example,
[35] or of a joie de vivre when speaking
English – in both cases invoking images
of French culture to enhance the meaning
of what is being communicated. Other
loanwords, however, have become
[40] completely naturalized, until speakers of
the language no longer notice their
‘foreignness’ at all.
    English has, over its lifetime,
absorbed influences from countless
[45] sources – and so just as English is now a
presence in diverse contexts all across
the globe, so diverse contexts from
across the globe also have a presence in
the language itself.
[50]     The history of English can
therefore be seen as a record of the
changes that have occurred in the
populations of those who speak the
language. When two languages come into
[55] contact, what actually happens is that
two communities who speak different
languages engage with each other, and 

the nature of that engagement will
determine how the languages influence
[60] one another. In other words, it is
important when we study English not to
forget that what we are actually studying
is the language as it is and was used by
real people.
[65]     There is a problem in talking about
statistics such as those which say that
English is spoken by almost two billion
people the world over because they make
large generalizations about the nature of
[70] the English involved, and the relationship
that people have to the language. Such
statistics can never fully represent the
diversity of experiences that speakers of
the language have, either about whether
[75] they feel they are ‘authentic’ English
speakers or about what they themselves
understand English to be.
    The attitudes people have towards
the language are a part of their own
[80] personal history. But this personal history
is always a part of the wider history of
the community in which they live. It is
often the case that not only is the
language of importance to the individual’s
[85] sense of identity, but that it also plays a
part in the cultural identity of a group or
nation. It is within this context that the
history of English – and especially the
reasons behind its global spread – can be
[90] of great significance for the attitudes
people have towards the language.
    Decisions about the language
made by institutions such as national
governments and education systems
[95] have an impact on the form of the
language and on the way it is perceived
and used. In contexts such as these,
English cannot simply be considered a
neutral medium of communication;
[100] instead it is a politically charged social
practice embedded in the histories of the
people who use it.
    The English language is and
always has been a diverse entity. It has
[105] changed dramatically over the centuries
since it first arrived on the shores of
Britain from the north of Europe, and
these changes mean that the language
that was spoken at that time is almost
[110] incomprehensible to us now. As the
language has spread beyond Britain it
has continued to change, and to change
in different ways in different contexts. It
has diversified to such an extent that
[115] some scholars suggest that it is no longer
accurate to talk of a single ‘English’; that
instead there are many different English
languages around the world today.
    At the same time, however,
[120] English exists in the world today as a
means of international communication –

as a way for people from different social
groups to communicate with each other –
and to fulfil this function it would seem
[125] that variation in the language needs to
be curtailed to a certain extent. That is to
say, if the language becomes too diverse
it will not remain mutually
comprehensible across different social
[130] groups. So we have two impulses at work
that are seemingly incompatible, or
perhaps even in conflict, and the question
we are faced with is how to render them
as consistent, as both being part of the
[135] existence of a single entity we call
‘English’. This is one of the central issues
in English language studies today – and it
is a very modern issue because it has
come about as a direct result of the
[140] unprecedented position that English now
occupies in the world: as a language with
global scope which is implicated in the
history and present-day existence of
societies all around the world.

Adapted from: https://www.open.edu/

The sentence “It has changed in terms of its lexis (vocabulary), its orthography (spelling) and its semantics (meaning).” (lines 3-5) is classified as

T E X T

 

English in the World Today

 

    The English language has changed
considerably over the last thousand or so
years. It has changed in terms of its lexis
(vocabulary), its orthography (spelling)
[5] and its semantics (meaning). And it has
also changed in terms of its syntax (word
order).
    One of the reasons for the change
that has happened to English over the
[10] centuries is that, since its very
beginnings, English has always been in
contact with other languages. The
influence from this contact can be seen
most clearly in the way that English is full
[15] of what are known as loanwords. The
term loanword, or borrowing, is used to
refer to an item of vocabulary from one
language which has been adopted into
the vocabulary of another. The process is
[20] often the result of language contact,
where two or more languages exist in
close geographical or social proximity.
The dominant language often absorbs
new items of vocabulary, either to cover
[25] concepts for which it has no specific word
of its own, or to generate a slightly
different function or nuance for concepts
for which it does have existing words.
    Some loanwords retain their
[30] 'foreign’ appearance when they are
adopted, and people will often then use
them specifically for the sense of
exoticism that they impart. One can talk
of a certain je ne sais quoi, for example,
[35] or of a joie de vivre when speaking
English – in both cases invoking images
of French culture to enhance the meaning
of what is being communicated. Other
loanwords, however, have become
[40] completely naturalized, until speakers of
the language no longer notice their
‘foreignness’ at all.
    English has, over its lifetime,
absorbed influences from countless
[45] sources – and so just as English is now a
presence in diverse contexts all across
the globe, so diverse contexts from
across the globe also have a presence in
the language itself.
[50]     The history of English can
therefore be seen as a record of the
changes that have occurred in the
populations of those who speak the
language. When two languages come into
[55] contact, what actually happens is that
two communities who speak different
languages engage with each other, and 

the nature of that engagement will
determine how the languages influence
[60] one another. In other words, it is
important when we study English not to
forget that what we are actually studying
is the language as it is and was used by
real people.
[65]     There is a problem in talking about
statistics such as those which say that
English is spoken by almost two billion
people the world over because they make
large generalizations about the nature of
[70] the English involved, and the relationship
that people have to the language. Such
statistics can never fully represent the
diversity of experiences that speakers of
the language have, either about whether
[75] they feel they are ‘authentic’ English
speakers or about what they themselves
understand English to be.
    The attitudes people have towards
the language are a part of their own
[80] personal history. But this personal history
is always a part of the wider history of
the community in which they live. It is
often the case that not only is the
language of importance to the individual’s
[85] sense of identity, but that it also plays a
part in the cultural identity of a group or
nation. It is within this context that the
history of English – and especially the
reasons behind its global spread – can be
[90] of great significance for the attitudes
people have towards the language.
    Decisions about the language
made by institutions such as national
governments and education systems
[95] have an impact on the form of the
language and on the way it is perceived
and used. In contexts such as these,
English cannot simply be considered a
neutral medium of communication;
[100] instead it is a politically charged social
practice embedded in the histories of the
people who use it.
    The English language is and
always has been a diverse entity. It has
[105] changed dramatically over the centuries
since it first arrived on the shores of
Britain from the north of Europe, and
these changes mean that the language
that was spoken at that time is almost
[110] incomprehensible to us now. As the
language has spread beyond Britain it
has continued to change, and to change
in different ways in different contexts. It
has diversified to such an extent that
[115] some scholars suggest that it is no longer
accurate to talk of a single ‘English’; that
instead there are many different English
languages around the world today.
    At the same time, however,
[120] English exists in the world today as a
means of international communication –

as a way for people from different social
groups to communicate with each other –
and to fulfil this function it would seem
[125] that variation in the language needs to
be curtailed to a certain extent. That is to
say, if the language becomes too diverse
it will not remain mutually
comprehensible across different social
[130] groups. So we have two impulses at work
that are seemingly incompatible, or
perhaps even in conflict, and the question
we are faced with is how to render them
as consistent, as both being part of the
[135] existence of a single entity we call
‘English’. This is one of the central issues
in English language studies today – and it
is a very modern issue because it has
come about as a direct result of the
[140] unprecedented position that English now
occupies in the world: as a language with
global scope which is implicated in the
history and present-day existence of
societies all around the world.

Adapted from: https://www.open.edu/

In order to accomplish its function as a means of international communication today, the English language

T E X T

 

English in the World Today

 

    The English language has changed
considerably over the last thousand or so
years. It has changed in terms of its lexis
(vocabulary), its orthography (spelling)
[5] and its semantics (meaning). And it has
also changed in terms of its syntax (word
order).
    One of the reasons for the change
that has happened to English over the
[10] centuries is that, since its very
beginnings, English has always been in
contact with other languages. The
influence from this contact can be seen
most clearly in the way that English is full
[15] of what are known as loanwords. The
term loanword, or borrowing, is used to
refer to an item of vocabulary from one
language which has been adopted into
the vocabulary of another. The process is
[20] often the result of language contact,
where two or more languages exist in
close geographical or social proximity.
The dominant language often absorbs
new items of vocabulary, either to cover
[25] concepts for which it has no specific word
of its own, or to generate a slightly
different function or nuance for concepts
for which it does have existing words.
    Some loanwords retain their
[30] 'foreign’ appearance when they are
adopted, and people will often then use
them specifically for the sense of
exoticism that they impart. One can talk
of a certain je ne sais quoi, for example,
[35] or of a joie de vivre when speaking
English – in both cases invoking images
of French culture to enhance the meaning
of what is being communicated. Other
loanwords, however, have become
[40] completely naturalized, until speakers of
the language no longer notice their
‘foreignness’ at all.
    English has, over its lifetime,
absorbed influences from countless
[45] sources – and so just as English is now a
presence in diverse contexts all across
the globe, so diverse contexts from
across the globe also have a presence in
the language itself.
[50]     The history of English can
therefore be seen as a record of the
changes that have occurred in the
populations of those who speak the
language. When two languages come into
[55] contact, what actually happens is that
two communities who speak different
languages engage with each other, and 

the nature of that engagement will
determine how the languages influence
[60] one another. In other words, it is
important when we study English not to
forget that what we are actually studying
is the language as it is and was used by
real people.
[65]     There is a problem in talking about
statistics such as those which say that
English is spoken by almost two billion
people the world over because they make
large generalizations about the nature of
[70] the English involved, and the relationship
that people have to the language. Such
statistics can never fully represent the
diversity of experiences that speakers of
the language have, either about whether
[75] they feel they are ‘authentic’ English
speakers or about what they themselves
understand English to be.
    The attitudes people have towards
the language are a part of their own
[80] personal history. But this personal history
is always a part of the wider history of
the community in which they live. It is
often the case that not only is the
language of importance to the individual’s
[85] sense of identity, but that it also plays a
part in the cultural identity of a group or
nation. It is within this context that the
history of English – and especially the
reasons behind its global spread – can be
[90] of great significance for the attitudes
people have towards the language.
    Decisions about the language
made by institutions such as national
governments and education systems
[95] have an impact on the form of the
language and on the way it is perceived
and used. In contexts such as these,
English cannot simply be considered a
neutral medium of communication;
[100] instead it is a politically charged social
practice embedded in the histories of the
people who use it.
    The English language is and
always has been a diverse entity. It has
[105] changed dramatically over the centuries
since it first arrived on the shores of
Britain from the north of Europe, and
these changes mean that the language
that was spoken at that time is almost
[110] incomprehensible to us now. As the
language has spread beyond Britain it
has continued to change, and to change
in different ways in different contexts. It
has diversified to such an extent that
[115] some scholars suggest that it is no longer
accurate to talk of a single ‘English’; that
instead there are many different English
languages around the world today.
    At the same time, however,
[120] English exists in the world today as a
means of international communication –

as a way for people from different social
groups to communicate with each other –
and to fulfil this function it would seem
[125] that variation in the language needs to
be curtailed to a certain extent. That is to
say, if the language becomes too diverse
it will not remain mutually
comprehensible across different social
[130] groups. So we have two impulses at work
that are seemingly incompatible, or
perhaps even in conflict, and the question
we are faced with is how to render them
as consistent, as both being part of the
[135] existence of a single entity we call
‘English’. This is one of the central issues
in English language studies today – and it
is a very modern issue because it has
come about as a direct result of the
[140] unprecedented position that English now
occupies in the world: as a language with
global scope which is implicated in the
history and present-day existence of
societies all around the world.

Adapted from: https://www.open.edu/

As to the statistics related to English, it is correct to say that they

    The youngest of Uchendu’s five sons, Amikwu, was marrying a new wife. The brideprice had been paid and all but the last ceremony had been performed. Amikwu and his people had taken palm-wine to the bride’s kinsmen about two moons before Okonkwo’s arrival in Mbanta. And so it was time for the final ceremony of confession.

    The daughters of the family were all there, some of them having come a long way from their homes in distant villages. Uchendu’s eldest daughter had come from Obodo, nearly half a day’s journey away. There were twenty-two of them.

    They sat in a big circle on the ground and the young bride in the centre with a hen in her right hand. Uchendu before her, holding the ancestral staff of the family. The men stood outside the circle, watching. Their wives also. It was evening and the sun was setting. Uchendu’s eldest daughter, Njide, asked her, “Remember that if you do not answer truthfully you will suffer or even die at childbirth”.

ACHEBE, C. Things fall apart. Nova York: Random House Inc., 1994.

 

O trecho do romance Things fall apart apresentado anteriormente revela uma peculiaridade cultural referente à realização da cerimônia de casamento na comunidade apresentada.

 

Essa peculiaridade consiste na realização da cerimônia de casamento

T E X T

 

    Now, according to an annual survey
by the Babson Survey Research Group and
the Online Learning Consortium, more than
6.3 million students took at least one
[5] distance education course in the Fall 2016
semester (the most recent academic year
for which data is available). That’s 31.6
percent of all higher education
enrollments, according to the study, and
[10] about half of them were taking all of their
classes online.

    Many of these students are traditional
age. But for adult students (generally
defined as those 25 and over, working full

[15] time jobs or with parenting
responsibilities) online education is a
particularly attractive option. Citing several
studies, Louis Soares, chief learning and
innovation officer for the American Council
[20] on Education, says that about a third of all
adult students — roughly 13 million — are
pursuing advanced degrees online.

    “I think it has given adult students
more opportunities,” Mr. Soares said. “If
[25] done correctly, online education can create
a robust learning experience.”

    Research has shown that students can
learn as well online as they can in a face to
face classroom, according to Jovita Ross

[30] Gordon, a professor at Texas State
University.

    “In terms of pros and cons, it offers
great convenience and access for
populations who might not otherwise have
[35] it,” said Professor Ross-Gordon, an expert
on adult education. “But a certain degree
of self-direction is required. And it can be
isolating for some folks.”

    The vast majority of colleges and
[40] universities in the United States offer at
least some online classes, but there are
still those who question its legitimacy and
also the quality of for-profit colleges whose
curriculum is offered solely online.

[45]    Walden University, where Mr. Haynes
is earning his doctoral degree, is one such
institution. He said that he researched the
school through the V.A. and other sources,
and heard positive reports from a friend
[50] who was also pursuing his doctorate in
business administration at Walden, which
Mr. Haynes learned was accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Business Schools.

    For Manda Gibson, online education is
[55] the preferred mode of learning. “I love it,”
said Ms. Gibson, 45, the mother of four,
who works full-time as an instructional
designer at Simpson College in Indianola,
Iowa. Ms. Gibson is pursuing her master’s
[60] in business administration online with

Colorado State University-Global Campus,
and before that earned a bachelor of arts
in management, taking mostly online
classes, at Simpson.

[65]    “When I sit in a regular class, my
mind wanders,” she says. “`Did I do this
for my kids?’ ‘What am I making for dinner
tonight?’ When I do online, I can say, ‘this
hour is my hour.’”

[70]    But she says, with the flexibility of
online education comes responsibility. “You
have to take it seriously,” she said. “Some
people think online classes are easier. I
think it’s actually more work. Because you
[75] might have to spend more time with the
content.”

    Time is a commodity that Mr. Haynes,
like many adult learners, has little of. He
and his wife — Sgt. Chelsea Aiko Haynes
[80] of the Army — have six children, ranging
in age from 1 to 17. He is also active with
the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit
organization that provides financial
assistance for catastrophically injured
[85] servicemen and women. But most days,
after the children are off to school and his
wife is at her job at the Pentagon, he sits
down in the living room with his MacBook
Air and gets ready to learn. “I open the
[90] blinds to get some natural sunlight in,” he
said. “The TV’s off, the phone’s on vibrate.
And I commit myself fully to my studies.”

    Here are some tips for success in
online education for adult learners, from
[95] Jeremy Haynes and Manda Gibson, two
students who have flourished in this
learning environment, and from George
Haber, an adjunct professor at Vaughn
College in Queens, and a veteran of over
[100] 25 years of teaching online.

    Set aside specific time periods when
you can do required reading or writing and
stick to the schedule, whether it’s an hour
a night three nights a week; Saturday or
[105] Sunday morning; or some combination.

    Get acquainted with your academic
adviser from the start, as he or she is your
lifeline for anything at the institution.

    Choose a subject for your first
[110] online class that you’re interested in, if
possible. You will be more likely to become
engaged in the material and learn the
technology.

    Ask questions and reach out for help
[115] early. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t
understand something; a quality online
program will not only have self-help
tutorials, but also good student services to
help with the details.

[120]    Take part in any online discussions
or forums. Your lack of participation will be
easily noted by the instructor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/

The sentence “(He) heard positive reports from a friend who was also pursuing his doctorate in business administration at Walden” contains respectively a/an

T E X T

 

    Now, according to an annual survey
by the Babson Survey Research Group and
the Online Learning Consortium, more than
6.3 million students took at least one
[5] distance education course in the Fall 2016
semester (the most recent academic year
for which data is available). That’s 31.6
percent of all higher education
enrollments, according to the study, and
[10] about half of them were taking all of their
classes online.

    Many of these students are traditional
age. But for adult students (generally
defined as those 25 and over, working full

[15] time jobs or with parenting
responsibilities) online education is a
particularly attractive option. Citing several
studies, Louis Soares, chief learning and
innovation officer for the American Council
[20] on Education, says that about a third of all
adult students — roughly 13 million — are
pursuing advanced degrees online.

    “I think it has given adult students
more opportunities,” Mr. Soares said. “If
[25] done correctly, online education can create
a robust learning experience.”

    Research has shown that students can
learn as well online as they can in a face to
face classroom, according to Jovita Ross

[30] Gordon, a professor at Texas State
University.

    “In terms of pros and cons, it offers
great convenience and access for
populations who might not otherwise have
[35] it,” said Professor Ross-Gordon, an expert
on adult education. “But a certain degree
of self-direction is required. And it can be
isolating for some folks.”

    The vast majority of colleges and
[40] universities in the United States offer at
least some online classes, but there are
still those who question its legitimacy and
also the quality of for-profit colleges whose
curriculum is offered solely online.

[45]    Walden University, where Mr. Haynes
is earning his doctoral degree, is one such
institution. He said that he researched the
school through the V.A. and other sources,
and heard positive reports from a friend
[50] who was also pursuing his doctorate in
business administration at Walden, which
Mr. Haynes learned was accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Business Schools.

    For Manda Gibson, online education is
[55] the preferred mode of learning. “I love it,”
said Ms. Gibson, 45, the mother of four,
who works full-time as an instructional
designer at Simpson College in Indianola,
Iowa. Ms. Gibson is pursuing her master’s
[60] in business administration online with

Colorado State University-Global Campus,
and before that earned a bachelor of arts
in management, taking mostly online
classes, at Simpson.

[65]    “When I sit in a regular class, my
mind wanders,” she says. “`Did I do this
for my kids?’ ‘What am I making for dinner
tonight?’ When I do online, I can say, ‘this
hour is my hour.’”

[70]    But she says, with the flexibility of
online education comes responsibility. “You
have to take it seriously,” she said. “Some
people think online classes are easier. I
think it’s actually more work. Because you
[75] might have to spend more time with the
content.”

    Time is a commodity that Mr. Haynes,
like many adult learners, has little of. He
and his wife — Sgt. Chelsea Aiko Haynes
[80] of the Army — have six children, ranging
in age from 1 to 17. He is also active with
the Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit
organization that provides financial
assistance for catastrophically injured
[85] servicemen and women. But most days,
after the children are off to school and his
wife is at her job at the Pentagon, he sits
down in the living room with his MacBook
Air and gets ready to learn. “I open the
[90] blinds to get some natural sunlight in,” he
said. “The TV’s off, the phone’s on vibrate.
And I commit myself fully to my studies.”

    Here are some tips for success in
online education for adult learners, from
[95] Jeremy Haynes and Manda Gibson, two
students who have flourished in this
learning environment, and from George
Haber, an adjunct professor at Vaughn
College in Queens, and a veteran of over
[100] 25 years of teaching online.

    Set aside specific time periods when
you can do required reading or writing and
stick to the schedule, whether it’s an hour
a night three nights a week; Saturday or
[105] Sunday morning; or some combination.

    Get acquainted with your academic
adviser from the start, as he or she is your
lifeline for anything at the institution.

    Choose a subject for your first
[110] online class that you’re interested in, if
possible. You will be more likely to become
engaged in the material and learn the
technology.

    Ask questions and reach out for help
[115] early. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t
understand something; a quality online
program will not only have self-help
tutorials, but also good student services to
help with the details.

[120]    Take part in any online discussions
or forums. Your lack of participation will be
easily noted by the instructor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/

The sentence “Now, according to an annual survey by the Babson Survey Research Group and the Online Learning Consortium, more than 6.3 million students took at least one distance education course in the Fall 2016 semester” is an example of