Questões de Inglês

The "Tween" Market

[1]  One of the most important recent developments in advertising to kids has been the
defining of a "tween" market (ages 8 to 12). No longer little children, and not yet
teens, tweens are starting to develop their sense of identity and are anxious to
cultivate a sophisticated self-image. And marketers are discovering there's lots of
[5]  money to be made by treating tweens like teenagers.
The marketing industry is forcing tweens to grow up quickly. Industry research
reveals that children 11 and older don't consider themselves children anymore. The
Toy Manufacturers of America have changed their target market from birth to 14, to
birth to ten years of age.
[10]  By treating pre-adolescents as independent, mature consumers, marketers have been very successful in
removing the gatekeepers (parents) from the picture – leaving tweens vulnerable to potentially unhealthy
messages about body image, sexuality, relationships and violence.
Marketing "cool" to teens
Corporations capitalize on the insecurities and self-doubts of teens by making them believe that to be truly
[15] cool, you need their product.
According to No Logo author Naomi Klein, in the 1990s corporations discovered that the youth market was
able and willing to pay top dollar in order to be "cool". The corporations have been chasing* the elusive
cool factor ever since.
Some companies hire "cool hunters" or "cultural spies" to infiltrate the world of teens and bring back the
[20]  latest trends. Trying to stay ahead of the next trend can be a tricky business however, as cultural critic
Douglas Rushkoff explains: "The minute a cool trend is discovered, repackaged, and sold to kids at the mall
– it’s no longer cool. So the kids turn to something else, and the whole process starts all over again."

(www.media-awareness.ca, 4-10-10 – with adaptations)

*chasing = perseguindo

The "Tween" Market

[1]  One of the most important recent developments in advertising to kids has been the
defining of a "tween" market (ages 8 to 12). No longer little children, and not yet
teens, tweens are starting to develop their sense of identity and are anxious to
cultivate a sophisticated self-image. And marketers are discovering there's lots of
[5]  money to be made by treating tweens like teenagers.
The marketing industry is forcing tweens to grow up quickly. Industry research
reveals that children 11 and older don't consider themselves children anymore. The
Toy Manufacturers of America have changed their target market from birth to 14, to
birth to ten years of age.
[10]  By treating pre-adolescents as independent, mature consumers, marketers have been very successful in
removing the gatekeepers (parents) from the picture – leaving tweens vulnerable to potentially unhealthy
messages about body image, sexuality, relationships and violence.
Marketing "cool" to teens
Corporations capitalize on the insecurities and self-doubts of teens by making them believe that to be truly
[15] cool, you need their product.
According to No Logo author Naomi Klein, in the 1990s corporations discovered that the youth market was
able and willing to pay top dollar in order to be "cool". The corporations have been chasing* the elusive
cool factor ever since.
Some companies hire "cool hunters" or "cultural spies" to infiltrate the world of teens and bring back the
[20]  latest trends. Trying to stay ahead of the next trend can be a tricky business however, as cultural critic
Douglas Rushkoff explains: "The minute a cool trend is discovered, repackaged, and sold to kids at the mall
– it’s no longer cool. So the kids turn to something else, and the whole process starts all over again."

(www.media-awareness.ca, 4-10-10 – with adaptations)

*chasing = perseguindo

Read the text below and answer question.

Culture linked to improved health

[1] Trips to the theatre, concerts, art galleries and museums have been linked to better health and
wellbeing, according to researchers in Norway.
A report, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, showed the more
often people engaged in cultural activities the greater their health benefits.
[5] The authors suggest culture could be used to promote good health.
The study interviewed 50,797 adults from Norway. They were asked about their health, and
satisfaction with life, as well as levels of anxiety and depression.
They were also questioned about their involvement in two cultural fields: "creative culture" when
the person does something such as play an instrument, paint or sing, and "receptive culture"
[10] including going to galleries and concerts.
Both types of cultural activity were linked with good health, wellbeing, low stress and low
depression even when other factors, such as social background and wealth, were taken into
account.
In men the effect was most pronounced in those who preferred to get their dose of culture as an
[15] observer rather than doing something more hands on.
The authors said: "The results indicate that the use of cultural activities in health promotion and
healthcare may be justified."
The study, however, cannot say that culture improves health. It could be the case that healthier
people are more likely to take part in cultural activities.
[20] Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, spokesperson for the UK Faculty of Public Health, said: "It's
interesting research, probably working through the release of hormones, like endorphins,
increasing the feeling of wellbeing and reducing anxiety and depression."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13501294 24 May 2011 Last updated at 10:46 GMT

GLOSSARY
Engaged: envolvidas, comprometidas
Fields: campos
Health: saúde
Increasing: aumentando
Norway: Noruega
Release: liberação
Research: pesquisa
Spokesperson: porta-voz
Wealth: riqueza
Wellbeing: bem-estar

Read the text below and answer question.

Culture linked to improved health

[1] Trips to the theatre, concerts, art galleries and museums have been linked to better health and
wellbeing, according to researchers in Norway.
A report, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, showed the more
often people engaged in cultural activities the greater their health benefits.
[5] The authors suggest culture could be used to promote good health.
The study interviewed 50,797 adults from Norway. They were asked about their health, and
satisfaction with life, as well as levels of anxiety and depression.
They were also questioned about their involvement in two cultural fields: "creative culture" when
the person does something such as play an instrument, paint or sing, and "receptive culture"
[10] including going to galleries and concerts.
Both types of cultural activity were linked with good health, wellbeing, low stress and low
depression even when other factors, such as social background and wealth, were taken into
account.
In men the effect was most pronounced in those who preferred to get their dose of culture as an
[15] observer rather than doing something more hands on.
The authors said: "The results indicate that the use of cultural activities in health promotion and
healthcare may be justified."
The study, however, cannot say that culture improves health. It could be the case that healthier
people are more likely to take part in cultural activities.
[20] Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, spokesperson for the UK Faculty of Public Health, said: "It's
interesting research, probably working through the release of hormones, like endorphins,
increasing the feeling of wellbeing and reducing anxiety and depression."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13501294 24 May 2011 Last updated at 10:46 GMT

GLOSSARY
Engaged: envolvidas, comprometidas
Fields: campos
Health: saúde
Increasing: aumentando
Norway: Noruega
Release: liberação
Research: pesquisa
Spokesperson: porta-voz
Wealth: riqueza
Wellbeing: bem-estar

Read the text below and answer question.

Culture linked to improved health

[1] Trips to the theatre, concerts, art galleries and museums have been linked to better health and
wellbeing, according to researchers in Norway.
A report, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, showed the more
often people engaged in cultural activities the greater their health benefits.
[5] The authors suggest culture could be used to promote good health.
The study interviewed 50,797 adults from Norway. They were asked about their health, and
satisfaction with life, as well as levels of anxiety and depression.
They were also questioned about their involvement in two cultural fields: "creative culture" when
the person does something such as play an instrument, paint or sing, and "receptive culture"
[10] including going to galleries and concerts.
Both types of cultural activity were linked with good health, wellbeing, low stress and low
depression even when other factors, such as social background and wealth, were taken into
account.
In men the effect was most pronounced in those who preferred to get their dose of culture as an
[15] observer rather than doing something more hands on.
The authors said: "The results indicate that the use of cultural activities in health promotion and
healthcare may be justified."
The study, however, cannot say that culture improves health. It could be the case that healthier
people are more likely to take part in cultural activities.
[20] Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, spokesperson for the UK Faculty of Public Health, said: "It's
interesting research, probably working through the release of hormones, like endorphins,
increasing the feeling of wellbeing and reducing anxiety and depression."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13501294 24 May 2011 Last updated at 10:46 GMT

GLOSSARY
Engaged: envolvidas, comprometidas
Fields: campos
Health: saúde
Increasing: aumentando
Norway: Noruega
Release: liberação
Research: pesquisa
Spokesperson: porta-voz
Wealth: riqueza
Wellbeing: bem-estar

Read the text below and answer question.
 

Stay away from energy drinks, doctors say

[1]     (Reuters Health) - In a new report, a large group of American doctors urge kids and
teens to avoid energy drinks and only consume sports drinks in limited amount. The
recommendations come in the wake of a national debate over energy drinks, which experts
fear may have side effects."Children never need energy drinks," said Dr. Holly Benjamin, of
[5] the American Academy of Pediatrics, who worked on the new report. "They contain caffeine
and other stimulant substances that aren't nutritional, so you don't need them."And kids
might be more vulnerable to the contents of energy drinks than grownups."If you drink them
on a regular basis, it stresses the body," Benjamin told Reuters Health. "You don't really want
to stress the body of a person that's growing."
[10]     For the new recommendations, published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers went
through earlier studies and reports on both energy drinks and sports drinks, which don't
contain any stimulants. They note that energy drinks contain a jumble of ingredients --
including vitamins and herbal extracts -- with possible side effects that aren't always well
understood. While there aren't many documented cases of harm directly linked to the
[15] beverages, stimulants can disturb the heart's rhythm and may lead to seizures in very rare
cases, Benjamin said. Recently, she saw a 15-year-old boy with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder who came into the hospital with a seizure after having drunk two 24-ounce bottles of
Mountain Dew, a soft drink that contains caffeine. The boy was already taking stimulant
ADHD medication, and the extra caffeine in principle might have pushed him over the edge,
[20] according to Benjamin. "You just never know," she said. "It's definitely a concern."
    Earlier this year, Pediatrics published another review of the literature on energy
drinks. In it, Florida pediatricians described cases of seizures, delusions, heart problems and
kidney or liver damage in people who had drunk one or more non-alcoholic energy drinks --
including brands like Red Bull, Spike Shooter and Redline. While they acknowledged that
[25] such cases are very rare, and can't be conclusively linked to the drinks, they urged caution,
especially in kids with medical conditions. U.S. sales of non-alcoholic energy drinks are
expected to hit $9 billion this year, with children and young adults accounting for half the
market. Manufacturers claim their products will enhance both mental and physical
performance, and were quick to downplay the February report."The effects of caffeine are
[30] well-known and as an 8.4 oz can of Red Bull contains about the same amount of caffeine as
a cup of coffee (80 mg), it should be treated accordingly," Red Bull said in an emailed
statement to Reuters Health.

    Benjamin said that for most kids, water is the best thing to quench their thirst. If they
happen to be young athletes training hard, a sports drink might be helpful, too, because it
[35] contains sugar. But for kids who lead less-active lives, sports and energy drinks might just
serve to pile on extra pounds, fueling the national obesity epidemic. While she acknowledged
that more research is needed, Benjamin said the safest thing to drink is water.
Source / text : bit.ly/cxXOG Pediatrics, online May 30, 2011. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/30/us-energy-drinks-idUSTRE74T11O20110530 (adapted)
Source / picture: http://www.impactlab.net/2011/02/14/doctors-warn-energy-drinks-putting consumers-at-risk-as-sales-soar/ NEW YORK | Mon May 30, 2011 4:12am EDT By Frederik Joelving

Glossary:
Acknowledged: reconhecer
Avoid: evitar
Beverages: bebidas
Caution: precaução
Concern: preocupação
Delusions: alucinações
Downplay: minimizar a importância
Enhance: aumentar, intensificar
Fear: temer
Fueling: contribuindo
Harm: dano
Kidney: rim
Liver: fígado
Quench: saciar
Sales: vendas
Seizures: ataques, convulsões
Thirst: sede
Two 24-ounce-bottles: duas garrafas de aproximadamente 750 ml
Urge: recomendar
8,4 oz can: lata de aproximadamente 250 ml