Questões de Inglês

Shakespeare: unanswered questions

Nearly 450 years after his birth, William Shakespeare is still generally considered to be the greatest writer in the English language. Yet

Shakespeare is generally believed to have been born on the 23rd April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England, the son of a glove maker. He died on the same day in 1616, at the age of 52, in the same town. He was buried in the church where he had been baptised. little is known about the man himself and some critics actually doubt whether he wrote the plays at all.

Very few facts are known of Shakespeare’s early life. He married at 18, but he soon left Stratford and his family to start his acting career. By 1610, Shakespeare had already written most of his 37 plays and his poetry. In this year, 400 years ago, at the age of 46, he retired from London, where he had been living and working for many years.

It is certain that this later period in Shakespeare’s life was quieter. It was a time when his acting company toured much less across the country. Shakespeare was also in a very comfortable financial position and he was officially a ‘gentleman’, much admired by King James and other important figures. He had a very large house in Stratford, as well as being the owner and landlord of other property. In addition, he part-owned two theatres in London, where his plays were regularly performed.

However, this historical figure is still surrounded by mystery: details of Shakespeare’s early life are thin; there is little information about his private life; for a literary genius, his education and also his life experiences seem surprisingly limited. Some critics even question whether the plays are actually his, and have suggested more educated, widely-travelled authors*. Others consider the size of his house and wealth to be evidence that William Shakespeare was in fact a businessman, not a playwright. He certainly had an eye for business and investment, as well as being a remarkable writer. That is, if you believe he wrote the plays!

James Shapiro, a Professor of English, recently published his book Contested Will, the latest in a line of books examining exactly who wrote these famous works. He concludes with certainty that the plays are Shakespeare’s own, although he does highlight the theory that many of the later plays were actually cowritten. This of course is not a popular theory with many lovers of Shakespeare who will prefer not to think of him as a team-player. All things considered, it is unlikely that this book will end the mystery and controversy which surrounds this literary giant.

Adapted from www.macmillanglobal.com May 5th. 22.53 P

 

Glossary

co-write (verb) – to write with someone else; critic (noun) – someone who does not agree with something and gives their opinion about it; doubt (verb) – to think that something will not happen or that it is untrue; highlight (verb) – to describe something in such a way that makes people notice it; limited (adj) – not very good, or not very great in amount; wealth (noun) – a large amount of money and other valuable things.

The following alternatives are possibly the ‘unanswered questions’ mentioned in the title except:

Shakespeare: unanswered questions

Nearly 450 years after his birth, William Shakespeare is still generally considered to be the greatest writer in the English language. Yet

Shakespeare is generally believed to have been born on the 23rd April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England, the son of a glove maker. He died on the same day in 1616, at the age of 52, in the same town. He was buried in the church where he had been baptised. little is known about the man himself and some critics actually doubt whether he wrote the plays at all.

Very few facts are known of Shakespeare’s early life. He married at 18, but he soon left Stratford and his family to start his acting career. By 1610, Shakespeare had already written most of his 37 plays and his poetry. In this year, 400 years ago, at the age of 46, he retired from London, where he had been living and working for many years.

It is certain that this later period in Shakespeare’s life was quieter. It was a time when his acting company toured much less across the country. Shakespeare was also in a very comfortable financial position and he was officially a ‘gentleman’, much admired by King James and other important figures. He had a very large house in Stratford, as well as being the owner and landlord of other property. In addition, he part-owned two theatres in London, where his plays were regularly performed.

However, this historical figure is still surrounded by mystery: details of Shakespeare’s early life are thin; there is little information about his private life; for a literary genius, his education and also his life experiences seem surprisingly limited. Some critics even question whether the plays are actually his, and have suggested more educated, widely-travelled authors*. Others consider the size of his house and wealth to be evidence that William Shakespeare was in fact a businessman, not a playwright. He certainly had an eye for business and investment, as well as being a remarkable writer. That is, if you believe he wrote the plays!

James Shapiro, a Professor of English, recently published his book Contested Will, the latest in a line of books examining exactly who wrote these famous works. He concludes with certainty that the plays are Shakespeare’s own, although he does highlight the theory that many of the later plays were actually cowritten. This of course is not a popular theory with many lovers of Shakespeare who will prefer not to think of him as a team-player. All things considered, it is unlikely that this book will end the mystery and controversy which surrounds this literary giant.

Adapted from www.macmillanglobal.com May 5th. 22.53 P

 

Glossary

co-write (verb) – to write with someone else; critic (noun) – someone who does not agree with something and gives their opinion about it; doubt (verb) – to think that something will not happen or that it is untrue; highlight (verb) – to describe something in such a way that makes people notice it; limited (adj) – not very good, or not very great in amount; wealth (noun) – a large amount of money and other valuable things.

Read the text and check the alternative that shows the correct order of events at Shakespeare’s life.

I arrived _____ Curitiba ____ 1p.m. ____ a sunny December day. We always have sunny days ____ December.

Check the only alternative that doesn’t have a modal verb.

Dies Is not a dirty word

 

It comes from the Greek root meaning "way of life". This is what the Zone Diet is. It's a way of life to help control gene expression to give you the longer and better life we all aspire to.

The Zone Diet gives you the power to turn some genes on and turn other genes off. As a result, you feel your energy soar, watch your waistline shrink, and say goodbye to hunger. In the Zone you are now taking wellness into your own hands.

Any diet that uses the word high or low to describe it is hormonally unsustainable. The only diet that can maintain hormonal balance for a lifetime must use the word moderate to describe it. That’s what the Zone Diet is. It’s moderate in: Low-fat protein, Low glycemic-load carbs (mostly fruits and vegetables) and Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

The Zone Diet is about balancing your hormones within a specific range to control hunger on fewer calories while still getting the proper nutrients your body needs for long-term health. The Zone Diet can best be described as a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, moderate fat diet that has approximately one gram of fat for every two grams of protein and three grams of carbohydrates (the Zone 1-2-3 Method™). These ratios represent the newest dietary recommendations from the Joslin Diabetes Research Center at Harvard Medical School for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

With the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, you can control three major hormones generated by the diet – insulin, glucagon and eicosanoids.

Insulin – A storage hormone. Excess insulin makes you fat and keeps you fat. It also accelerates silent inflammation

Glucagon – A mobilization hormone that tells the body to release stored carbohydrates at a steady rate, leading to stabilized blood sugar levels. This is the key for optimal mental and physical performance.

Eicosanoids – These are the hormones that ultimately control silent inflammation. They are also master hormones that indirectly orchestrate a vast array of other hormonal systems in your body.

The Zone Diet moderates protein, carbohydrates and monounsaturated fat so that it decreases….

  The US President and first lady asked Americans to volunteer – informally and through the new Serve America Act, which will take effect on Oct. 1. There are many ways to help, but most important, the Obamas have simply said, “Get involved!”

  Volunteerism is a thread that runs throughout the US’s history. But even with the White House call to action, this thread is beginning to fray.

  According to a report from the National Conference on Citizenship, in the midst of the recession 72 percent of Americans have cut back on civic participation, which includes the time spent volunteering.

  Having led teams of employees for decades, I’ve long subscribed to the idea of “servant leadership.” It’s a simple idea that recognizes that good leaders should serve their followers, not the other way around. Companies now have a great opportunity to take this spirit of servitude beyond their corporate walls and into their communities. By Irene Rosenfeld

Newsweek, September 21, 2009

According to the text, which alternative is an example of “servant leadership”: