Questões de Inglês

What links Sir Isaac Newton, alien solar systems, and a new multi-million dollar TV show? The answer is "the three-body problem": a conundrum in astronomy and mathematics that describes why it's often difficult to predict the long-term trajectory of planets, moons and stars. So, what exactly is the problem? And how did it end up becoming the title of a TV series?

 To understand, you first need to know a bit about the background to the TV show, and its premise. The story is based on Liu Cixin's epic sci-fi trilogy, the Remembrance of Earth’s Past , of which The Three-body Problem is the first book. The original trilogy is characterised by the author's attention to scientific detail. The adaptation is less so, but still crammed with scientific ideas.

The TV series focuses on the "Oxford Five", who all studied under the same professor at the University of Oxford. Some have gone on to become scientists themselves (a post-doctoral physics researcher, a founder and chief scientific officer of a nano-tech company, and a theoretical physics academic), one has become a school physics teacher, while the fifth is now a snack-food entrepreneur. Scientific credentials abound.

 The crux of the story is that an alien race – called the Trisolaransor San-Ti Ren – is headed to Earth to colonise it. Through intergalactic communication, these travellers attempt to intimidate human scientists into slowing down our rapid technological advancement, making Earth easier to conquer. But why are these aliens so hell-bent on taking over our planet in the first place? This is where the three-body problem comes in.

 Bodies, in this context, is a scientific byword for planets, moons, suns or any other massive astronomical object. The extraterrestrials' home planet is situated in a solar system with three suns, hence their name in the English translation of the book – the Trisolarans. This three-sun system can be highly unstable, making conditions difficult for life, hence the desire to travel across the Universe in order to inhabit our relatively stable Solar System. We only have one Sun, so Earth's future is relatively predictable – at least for the next few million years.

Fonte: YATES, kit. What is the three-body problem? The chaotic, cosmic mathematics behind the Netflix TV show. BBC, 2024. Dispon´ıvel em: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240328-the-science-astronomy-andmathematics-of-netflixs-3-body-problem-tv-show. Adaptado.

According to the text, "the three-body problem" in astronomy and mathematics can be described as

"In recent years, no more than a week goes by without news of a cosmic discovery worthy of banner headlines. While media gatekeepers may have developed an interest in the universe, this rise in coverage likely comes from a genuine increase in the public's appetite for science. Evidence for this abounds, from hit television shows inspired or informed by science, to the success of science fiction films starring marquee actors, and brought to the screens by celebrated producers and directors. And lately, theatrical release biopics featuring important scientists have become a genre unto itself. There's also widespread interest around the world in science festivals, science fiction conventions, and documentaries for television.

The highest grossing film of all time is by a famous director who set his story on a planet orbiting a distant star. And it features a famous actress who plays an astrobiologist. While most branches of science have ascended in this era, the field of astrophysics persistently rises to the top. I think I know why. At one time or another every one of us has looked up at night sky and wondered: What does it all mean? How does it all work? And, what is my place in the universe? [...]"

Fonte: TYSON, Neil DeGrasse. Astrophysics for people in a hurry. United States of America: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2017.

a passagem do texto "The highest grossing film of all time is by a famous director who set his story on a planet orbiting a distant star.", a expressão sublinhada pode ser traduzida como:

"In recent years, no more than a week goes by without news of a cosmic discovery worthy of banner headlines. While media gatekeepers may have developed an interest in the universe, this rise in coverage likely comes from a genuine increase in the public's appetite for science. Evidence for this abounds, from hit television shows inspired or informed by science, to the success of science fiction films starring marquee actors, and brought to the screens by celebrated producers and directors. And lately, theatrical release biopics featuring important scientists have become a genre unto itself. There's also widespread interest around the world in science festivals, science fiction conventions, and documentaries for television.

The highest grossing film of all time is by a famous director who set his story on a planet orbiting a distant star. And it features a famous actress who plays an astrobiologist. While most branches of science have ascended in this era, the field of astrophysics persistently rises to the top. I think I know why. At one time or another every one of us has looked up at night sky and wondered: What does it all mean? How does it all work? And, what is my place in the universe? [...]"

Fonte: TYSON, Neil DeGrasse. Astrophysics for people in a hurry. United States of America: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2017.

No excerto retirado do segundo parágrafo do texto, "While most branches of science have ascended in this era, the field of astrophysics persistently rises to the top", o termo WHILE estabelece, entre as orações, a ideia de

"In recent years, no more than a week goes by without news of a cosmic discovery worthy of banner headlines. While media gatekeepers may have developed an interest in the universe, this rise in coverage likely comes from a genuine increase in the public's appetite for science. Evidence for this abounds, from hit television shows inspired or informed by science, to the success of science fiction films starring marquee actors, and brought to the screens by celebrated producers and directors. And lately, theatrical release biopics featuring important scientists have become a genre unto itself. There's also widespread interest around the world in science festivals, science fiction conventions, and documentaries for television.

The highest grossing film of all time is by a famous director who set his story on a planet orbiting a distant star. And it features a famous actress who plays an astrobiologist. While most branches of science have ascended in this era, the field of astrophysics persistently rises to the top. I think I know why. At one time or another every one of us has looked up at night sky and wondered: What does it all mean? How does it all work? And, what is my place in the universe? [...]"

Fonte: TYSON, Neil DeGrasse. Astrophysics for people in a hurry. United States of America: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2017.

De acordo com as informações encontradas no texto,  é CORRETO afirmar que

Read the comic strip by Charles M. Schulz.

(Snoopy: Cowabunga!, 2013.)

 

In the context of the comic strip, the excerpt “that’s all there is to it ”, in the third panel, means that

Leia o texto e examine o gráfico para responder à questão.

 

    Most don’t work anymore, but Americans age 70 and older have seen their share of collective wealth surge during the pandemic. As a group, they have accumulated more than $14 trillion in additional net worth since the end 2019, based on Federal Reserve data. Their share of the country’s wealth has jumped to a record 30%, even though they account for 11% of the population.

    The aging population helps explain some of the gains: there are about 2.3 million more people over 70 in the country than in 2019. But one major driver was the surge in home values and stocks during the pandemic, which benefited older generations most likely to own a house — or two — and hold equities or mutual funds.

    Although people who are over 70 are typically retired, a rising portion of that age group is still working. The share of adults age 65 and more in the labor force reached a historic low of 10% in the mid-1980s but has since almost doubled, even after many retired early at the onset of the covid-19 health crisis.

    Older Americans also have been the beneficiaries of good timing with the stock market, despite recessions along the way. Since 2019, those age 70 and older have collectively gained about $5 trillion in equity gains. Close to 38% of the nation’s corporate equities and mutual fund shares were held by people in that age group, the highest share on record in data going back to 1989.

(Alex Tanzi. www.bnnbloomberg.ca, 2023. Adaptado.)

In the excerpt from the fourth paragraph “Older Americans also have been the beneficiaries of good timing with the stock market, despite recessions along the way”, the underlined word expresses the idea of