Questões de Inglês

Storyline

 

This film recounts the history and attitudes of the opposing sides of the Vietnam War using archival news footage as well as its own film and interviews. A key theme is how attitudes of American racism and self-righteous militarism helped create and prolong this bloody conflict. The film also endeavors to give voice to the Vietnamese people themselves as to how the war has affected them and their reasons why they fight the United States and other western powers while showing the basic humanity of the people that US propaganda tried to dismiss. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com></kchishol@execulink.com>

 

According to the storyline above, the film Hearts & Minds:

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071604/accessed on October 10, 2015

 INSIDE JOB – REVIEW - 4/5 STARS

 

How did the financial crash of 2008 happen? This documentary, narrated by Matt Damon, does a good job of explaining a complex story of credit and discredit.

 

(…)

This film is as gripping as any thriller. Aided by some fascinating interviews, Ferguson lays out an awful story. In the 1980s, the markets and financial services were deregulated, and the driving force for this liberalisation was Alan Greenspan, formidable chairman of the US federal reserve board from 1987 to 2006. Banks and loan companies were freer to gamble with their depositors' money; they were themselves freer to borrow more; they were free to offer investors dizzyingly complex financial instruments, with income streams from different debts bundled up, including high-interest home loans offered to high-risk borrowers – the so-called "sub-prime" market that offered mouthwateringly high returns.

 

(…)

Perhaps the most sensational aspect of this film is Ferguson's contention that the crash corrupted the discipline of economics itself. Distinguished economists from America's Ivy League universities were drafted in by banks to compose reports sycophantically supporting reckless deregulation. They were massively paid for these consultancies. The banks bought the prestige of the academics, and their universities' prestige, too. Ferguson speaks to many of these economists, who clearly thought they were going to be interviewed as wry, dispassionate observers. It is really something to see the expression of shock, outrage and fear on their faces as they realise they're in the dock. One splutters with vexation; another gives vent to a ripe Freudian slip. Asked by Ferguson if he has any regrets about his behaviour, he says: "I have no comments … uh, no regrets."

 

This is what Ferguson means by "inside job". There is a revolving door between the banks and the higher reaches of government, and to some extent the groves of academe. Bank CEOs become government officials, creating laws convenient for their once and future employers.

 

Perhaps only the pen of Tom Wolfe could do justice to these harassed, bald, middle-aged masters of the universe, as they appear in Ferguson's film. The director shows how their body-language is always the same: somehow more guilty-looking when they are in the White House rose garden in their career pomp, being introduced to the press, than when they are facing openly hostile Senate hearings. They look uneasy, shifty, in weirdly ill-fitting suits, as if they are oppressed by the scrutiny, and worn out, possibly, by the strain of suppressing their own scruples. Their financial capacity far outstrips their capacity for enjoying themselves. They look very unhappy. Occasionally, British figures including Mervyn King and Alistair Darling are to be glimpsed in these photos, reminding us that we Brits have been ardent deregulators, as well.

 

(…)

I was reminded of Michael Lewis's Liar's Poker, his very funny book about the financial mentality of the 80s boom. He noted that if a regular person won the lottery, he might roll around on the floor, kicking his legs up with glee, but when bankers won their arbitrary lottery, they instead became solemn, pompous, overwhelmed with their own importance and stateliness. Their recklessness and excess coexisted with an almost priestly sense of worth. Even more than rich lawyers, rich bankers felt that their money proved their superior cleverness and also moral worthiness as the generators of prosperity. Yet that prosperity didn't trickle down very far.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/feb/17/inside-job-review Access October 10, 2015.

 

 ‘The groves of academe’, on the review:

 INSIDE JOB – REVIEW - 4/5 STARS

 

How did the financial crash of 2008 happen? This documentary, narrated by Matt Damon, does a good job of explaining a complex story of credit and discredit.

 (…)

This film is as gripping as any thriller. Aided by some fascinating interviews, Ferguson lays out an awful story. In the 1980s, the markets and financial services were deregulated, and the driving force for this liberalisation was Alan Greenspan, formidable chairman of the US federal reserve board from 1987 to 2006. Banks and loan companies were freer to gamble with their depositors' money; they were themselves freer to borrow more; they were free to offer investors dizzyingly complex financial instruments, with income streams from different debts bundled up, including high-interest home loans offered to high-risk borrowers – the so-called "sub-prime" market that offered mouthwateringly high returns.

(…)

Perhaps the most sensational aspect of this film is Ferguson's contention that the crash corrupted the discipline of economics itself. Distinguished economists from America's Ivy League universities were drafted in by banks to compose reports sycophantically supporting reckless deregulation. They were massively paid for these consultancies. The banks bought the prestige of the academics, and their universities' prestige, too. Ferguson speaks to many of these economists, who clearly thought they were going to be interviewed as wry, dispassionate observers. It is really something to see the expression of shock, outrage and fear on their faces as they realise they're in the dock. One splutters with vexation; another gives vent to a ripe Freudian slip. Asked by Ferguson if he has any regrets about his behaviour, he says: "I have no comments … uh, no regrets."

 

This is what Ferguson means by "inside job". There is a revolving door between the banks and the higher reaches of government, and to some extent the groves of academe. Bank CEOs become government officials, creating laws convenient for their once and future employers.

 

Perhaps only the pen of Tom Wolfe could do justice to these harassed, bald, middle-aged masters of the universe, as they appear in Ferguson's film. The director shows how their body-language is always the same: somehow more guilty-looking when they are in the White House rose garden in their career pomp, being introduced to the press, than when they are facing openly hostile Senate hearings. They look uneasy, shifty, in weirdly ill-fitting suits, as if they are oppressed by the scrutiny, and worn out, possibly, by the strain of suppressing their own scruples. Their financial capacity far outstrips their capacity for enjoying themselves. They look very unhappy. Occasionally, British figures including Mervyn King and Alistair Darling are to be glimpsed in these photos, reminding us that we Brits have been ardent deregulators, as well.

 (…)

I was reminded of Michael Lewis's Liar's Poker, his very funny book about the financial mentality of the 80s boom. He noted that if a regular person won the lottery, he might roll around on the floor, kicking his legs up with glee, but when bankers won their arbitrary lottery, they instead became solemn, pompous, overwhelmed with their own importance and stateliness. Their recklessness and excess coexisted with an almost priestly sense of worth. Even more than rich lawyers, rich bankers felt that their money proved their superior cleverness and also moral worthiness as the generators of prosperity. Yet that prosperity didn't trickle down very far.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/feb/17/inside-job-review Access October 10, 2015.

 

On the sentence ‘There is a revolving door between the banks and the higher reaches of government.’, the expression underlined and in italic means: 

 INSIDE JOB – REVIEW - 4/5 STARS

 

How did the financial crash of 2008 happen? This documentary, narrated by Matt Damon, does a good job of explaining a complex story of credit and discredit.

 

(…)

This film is as gripping as any thriller. Aided by some fascinating interviews, Ferguson lays out an awful story. In the 1980s, the markets and financial services were deregulated, and the driving force for this liberalisation was Alan Greenspan, formidable chairman of the US federal reserve board from 1987 to 2006. Banks and loan companies were freer to gamble with their depositors' money; they were themselves freer to borrow more; they were free to offer investors dizzyingly complex financial instruments, with income streams from different debts bundled up, including high-interest home loans offered to high-risk borrowers – the so-called "sub-prime" market that offered mouthwateringly high returns.

 

(…)

Perhaps the most sensational aspect of this film is Ferguson's contention that the crash corrupted the discipline of economics itself. Distinguished economists from America's Ivy League universities were drafted in by banks to compose reports sycophantically supporting reckless deregulation. They were massively paid for these consultancies. The banks bought the prestige of the academics, and their universities' prestige, too. Ferguson speaks to many of these economists, who clearly thought they were going to be interviewed as wry, dispassionate observers. It is really something to see the expression of shock, outrage and fear on their faces as they realise they're in the dock. One splutters with vexation; another gives vent to a ripe Freudian slip. Asked by Ferguson if he has any regrets about his behaviour, he says: "I have no comments … uh, no regrets."

 

This is what Ferguson means by "inside job". There is a revolving door between the banks and the higher reaches of government, and to some extent the groves of academe. Bank CEOs become government officials, creating laws convenient for their once and future employers.

 

Perhaps only the pen of Tom Wolfe could do justice to these harassed, bald, middle-aged masters of the universe, as they appear in Ferguson's film. The director shows how their body-language is always the same: somehow more guilty-looking when they are in the White House rose garden in their career pomp, being introduced to the press, than when they are facing openly hostile Senate hearings. They look uneasy, shifty, in weirdly ill-fitting suits, as if they are oppressed by the scrutiny, and worn out, possibly, by the strain of suppressing their own scruples. Their financial capacity far outstrips their capacity for enjoying themselves. They look very unhappy. Occasionally, British figures including Mervyn King and Alistair Darling are to be glimpsed in these photos, reminding us that we Brits have been ardent deregulators, as well.

 

(…)

I was reminded of Michael Lewis's Liar's Poker, his very funny book about the financial mentality of the 80s boom. He noted that if a regular person won the lottery, he might roll around on the floor, kicking his legs up with glee, but when bankers won their arbitrary lottery, they instead became solemn, pompous, overwhelmed with their own importance and stateliness. Their recklessness and excess coexisted with an almost priestly sense of worth. Even more than rich lawyers, rich bankers felt that their money proved their superior cleverness and also moral worthiness as the generators of prosperity. Yet that prosperity didn't trickle down very far.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/feb/17/inside-job-review Access October 10, 2015.

 

 The review of the documentary Inside Job states that:

TEXTO:

    Downshifting means working towards simple living

by making conscious choices to leave materialism behind

and move on to a more sustainable lifestyle. It does not

mean simply cutting back and trying to live the same life

[5] only with less money. Downshifting requires prioritizing,

an adjustment in values, and a totally different mindset…

not just a change to a more frugal way of living.

    People decide to downshift for a variety of reasons.

Many want to get away from “living competitively”… job

[10] stress, consumerism, and feeling they have to live up to

someone else’s expectations. Other people downshift

because of a life changing experience, health reasons,

or a crisis in the family. Often downshifting comes out of

a wish to conserve natural resources. Whatever the

[15] reason, downshifting isn’t limited to any age or income

level.

    Once the decision to downshift has been made,

then comes the question of how. Usually the first step is

to create more free time for yourself by working fewer

[20] hours. This may involve something as simple as cutting

down on overtime, or it may involve changing jobs

or deciding to work at home. There is no one solution that

fits every circumstance because everyone’s situation and

needs are different. Taking your time to analyze your

[25] own options will prevent you from making any hasty spur

of the moment decisions that you might later regret.

    Hand in hand with a change in the number of hours

worked is the need to consume less and therefore spend

less. As you prioritize your true needs and wants, you

[30] will find that many of the “things” you used to spend

money on no longer seem important.

    Here are some downshifting ideas to get you started,

but keep in mind that living a simple life is not about selfdenial…

you should not give up something that is really

[35] important to you.

    •Limit the number of services you purchase. Anytime

you can do something for yourself instead of paying

someone to do it for you, you can save considerable

amounts of money.

[40]    •Eat out infrequently, if at all. It is easy to get in the

habit of stopping for a quick meal instead of taking the

time to cook dinner, but this is one area where there can

be really big savings, plus the real food you cook at home

is always much healthier.

[45]     •Change the way you shop for groceries.

Comparison shopping and buying to restock your pantry

and your refrigerator when items you use regularly are

on sale results in huge savings.

    •Live green. Recycle, start composting, and limit

[50] what you throw away. Conserve fuel, electricity and other

resources to help reduce your carbon footprint.

    Over the last several years there has been a huge

change in attitudes and values. For many people, personal

growth, an enjoyment of life and feeling a real connection

[55] to family while keeping a healthy balance between work

and free time have become more important than titles

and big incomes.

Disponível em: <www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/downshifting-toa- simpler-life/>. Acesso em: 12 out. 2015.

“Taking your time to analyze your own options will prevent you from making any hasty spur of the moment decisions that you might later regret.” (l. 24-26)

 

This excerpt from the text means that you

TEXTO:

    Downshifting means working towards simple living

by making conscious choices to leave materialism behind

and move on to a more sustainable lifestyle. It does not

mean simply cutting back and trying to live the same life

[5] only with less money. Downshifting requires prioritizing,

an adjustment in values, and a totally different mindset…

not just a change to a more frugal way of living.

    People decide to downshift for a variety of reasons.

Many want to get away from “living competitively”… job

[10] stress, consumerism, and feeling they have to live up to

someone else’s expectations. Other people downshift

because of a life changing experience, health reasons,

or a crisis in the family. Often downshifting comes out of

a wish to conserve natural resources. Whatever the

[15] reason, downshifting isn’t limited to any age or income

level.

    Once the decision to downshift has been made,

then comes the question of how. Usually the first step is

to create more free time for yourself by working fewer

[20] hours. This may involve something as simple as cutting

down on overtime, or it may involve changing jobs

or deciding to work at home. There is no one solution that

fits every circumstance because everyone’s situation and

needs are different. Taking your time to analyze your

[25] own options will prevent you from making any hasty spur

of the moment decisions that you might later regret.

    Hand in hand with a change in the number of hours

worked is the need to consume less and therefore spend

less. As you prioritize your true needs and wants, you

[30] will find that many of the “things” you used to spend

money on no longer seem important.

    Here are some downshifting ideas to get you started,

but keep in mind that living a simple life is not about selfdenial…

you should not give up something that is really

[35] important to you.

    •Limit the number of services you purchase. Anytime

you can do something for yourself instead of paying

someone to do it for you, you can save considerable

amounts of money.

[40]    •Eat out infrequently, if at all. It is easy to get in the

habit of stopping for a quick meal instead of taking the

time to cook dinner, but this is one area where there can

be really big savings, plus the real food you cook at home

is always much healthier.

[45]     •Change the way you shop for groceries.

Comparison shopping and buying to restock your pantry

and your refrigerator when items you use regularly are

on sale results in huge savings.

    •Live green. Recycle, start composting, and limit

[50] what you throw away. Conserve fuel, electricity and other

resources to help reduce your carbon footprint.

    Over the last several years there has been a huge

change in attitudes and values. For many people, personal

growth, an enjoyment of life and feeling a real connection

[55] to family while keeping a healthy balance between work

and free time have become more important than titles

and big incomes.

Disponível em: <www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/downshifting-toa- simpler-life/>. Acesso em: 12 out. 2015.

Fill in the parentheses with T (True) or F (False).

 

The text has answers to the following questions:

(  ) What are some facts that may trigger a person’s desire to downshift?

(  ) In which ways can one become a downshifter?

(  ) Why shouldn’t a person wait long to become a downshifter?

(  ) How often are downshifters advised to have their meals in restaurants?

 

The correct sequence, from top to bottom, is