Questões de Inglês

Read the text to answer the question.

 

Growing evidence shows that aerobic exercise can improve cognitive function and offset some of the declines seen in aging. Numerous studies have found that people who engage in regular physical activity show improved learning, improved memory, and a reduced risk of developing dementia. Physical activity might even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and higher levels of physical activity have been linked to improvements in some markers of structural brain health, such as reduced cortical thinning and less shrinkage in the hippocampus.

Exercise exerts its neuroprotective effects in the brain by improving neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to form and reorganize connections between neurons in response to changes in behavior and environment. Scientists also believe that exercise increases neurogenesis (the formation of new nerve cells) which, in turn, enhances neuroplasticity. Evidence from rodent studies confirms that exercise increases neurogenesis: older mice allowed to run on a wheel have higher rates of neurogenesis in the hippocampus than sedentary mice, and they perform better on learning and memory tests. Exercise can also improve blood flow and increase production of neurotrophic factors that support new neurons and synapses. For humans, starting exercise later in life can be beneficial, but the studies suggest that adopting an exercise program earlier in life could yield even more neuroprotective benefits.

Available at: https://www.brainfacts.org/the-brain-facts-book. Accessed on: Feb. 21, 2022.

According to the text, a healthy brain should present

Read the text to answer the question.

 

Growing evidence shows that aerobic exercise can improve cognitive function and offset some of the declines seen in aging. Numerous studies have found that people who engage in regular physical activity show improved learning, improved memory, and a reduced risk of developing dementia. Physical activity might even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and higher levels of physical activity have been linked to improvements in some markers of structural brain health, such as reduced cortical thinning and less shrinkage in the hippocampus.

Exercise exerts its neuroprotective effects in the brain by improving neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to form and reorganize connections between neurons in response to changes in behavior and environment. Scientists also believe that exercise increases neurogenesis (the formation of new nerve cells) which, in turn, enhances neuroplasticity. Evidence from rodent studies confirms that exercise increases neurogenesis: older mice allowed to run on a wheel have higher rates of neurogenesis in the hippocampus than sedentary mice, and they perform better on learning and memory tests. Exercise can also improve blood flow and increase production of neurotrophic factors that support new neurons and synapses. For humans, starting exercise later in life can be beneficial, but the studies suggest that adopting an exercise program earlier in life could yield even more neuroprotective benefits.

Available at: https://www.brainfacts.org/the-brain-facts-book. Accessed on: Feb. 21, 2022.

According to the text, exercise has been shown to

THE BENEFITS OF PETS FOR HUMAN HEALTH

By Dana Casciotti, PhD, and Diana Zuckerman, PhD, National Center for Health Research

Animals play an important role in many people’s lives. They can be used in occupational therapy, speech
therapy, or physical rehabilitation to help patients recover.  Aside from these designated therapeutic roles,
animals are also valued as companions, which can certainly affect the quality of our lives. And the better we
understand the human-animal bond, the more we can use it to improve people’s lives.
[5] Some research studies have found that people who have a pet have healthier hearts, stay home sick less
often, make fewer visits to the doctor, get more exercise, and are less depressed. Companion animals may
improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and regulating the heart rate during stressful situations.
In a 2002 study, researchers found that people with a dog or cat were less likely to have spikes in heart rates
and blood pressure while performing stressful tasks, and their heart rates and blood pressure returned to
[10] normal more quickly. Besides, pets may also have a significant impact on allergies, asthma, social support,
and social interactions with other people.
It makes sense to conduct more studies on how human-animal interaction influences our health. However, we
don’t yet know exactly what types of animals influence what types of health issues and what characteristics
about human-animal interaction are most important. If research shows specific health benefits under
[15] specific circumstances, that information can be used to change policies in ways that benefit even more
adults and children. 

Adapted from center4research.org. Accessed 20 April 2022.

According to the article, to really benefit people, results of research on human-animal interaction need to be:

A DIFERENÇA ENTRE SER CUTUCADO E ACARICIADO

 

Uma das sequências de descobertas mais bonitas da neurociência é que o toque não é uma coisa só. Temos o
sentido que “serve” para saber onde algo encosta no corpo, sim, e que formato tem. Este é o tato, um sentido
espacial, que permite ao cérebro casar a representação do que vemos e ouvimos ao nosso redor com o que
encosta em nosso corpo. O sentido do tato é bastante preciso, e causa alerta, sobretudo quando inesperado:
[5] um cutucão no ombro produz movimento da cabeça naquela direção, fato explorado por brincalhões e
ladrões variados.
Mas há o outro sentido de toque da pele, sem qualquer poder de discriminação espacial, inútil para
representarmos o que nos toca, mas poderoso em seu resultado: sensação de conforto e prazer, quando
o toque vem com a sensação de controle de ser desejado, causado por alguém que aceitamos em nosso
[10] espaço social. Este é o toque social, a melhor indicação de que não estamos sozinhos no mundo, que explica
a preferência de bebês-macacos por “mães” macias e quentinhas à “mães” de metal duro e frio providas de
mamadeiras, na falta da própria mãe, e também o efeito poderoso sobre o recém-nascido de ser acariciado
por pele humana. O toque social, com uma certa pressão e sempre algum movimento – nem rápido
demais, nem lento demais – ativa circuitos no cérebro que acalmam corpo e alma, e, nas crianças, propicia
[15] o crescimento.
Uma equipe de pesquisadores da Escola de Medicina da Universidade de Washington, em Saint Louis, nos
EUA, mostrou recentemente na revista Science que o toque social é mediado por uma classe particular de
neurônios sensoriais, situados em gânglios ao longo da medula espinhal de camundongos, e conectados a
outros dentro da medula.
[20] Usando técnicas genéticas que permitem a identificação, visualização, ativação e mesmo ablação de
neurônios específicas em camundongos, os pesquisadores demonstraram que os neurônios responsáveis
pelo toque social são uma população de neurônios sensoriais que produzem o peptídeo procineticina, e
neurônios medulares que produzem o receptor sensível à procineticina.
Os neurônios que produzem e respondem à procineticina são fundamentais às várias alterações de
[25] comportamento que se seguem quando animais previamente mantidos em isolamento, o que deixa até
camundongos ávidos por contato social, tem a oportunidade de ser gentilmente pincelados quando estão
em uma, mas não em outra, câmara de uma gaiola: eles passam a ficar mais e mais naquela câmara, onde as
pinceladas reduzem sua frequência cardíaca e os acalmam.
O toque social parece ser também um poderoso mediador de interações entre camundongos. Animais
[30] normais investem boa parte do seu tempo lambendo e acariciando uns aos outros – mas animais
desprovidos de procineticina ou seu receptor, e portanto insensível ao tato social, não participam mais em
sessões de limpeza social. É bem possível que esta seja mais uma causa de variação no espectro autista: sem
procineticina, carícias, ainda que bem intencionadas, são percebidas apenas como mais um cutucão.

Suzana Herculano-Houzel. Folha de São Paulo, 17/05/2022.

People with a dog or cat were also less likely to have spikes in heart rates
and blood pressure while performing stressful tasks. (l. 8-9)

 

The words “likely” and “while” mean, respectively:

THE BENEFITS OF PETS FOR HUMAN HEALTH

By Dana Casciotti, PhD, and Diana Zuckerman, PhD, National Center for Health Research

Animals play an important role in many people’s lives. They can be used in occupational therapy, speech
therapy, or physical rehabilitation to help patients recover.  Aside from these designated therapeutic roles,
animals are also valued as companions, which can certainly affect the quality of our lives. And the better we
understand the human-animal bond, the more we can use it to improve people’s lives.
[5] Some research studies have found that people who have a pet have healthier hearts, stay home sick less
often, make fewer visits to the doctor, get more exercise, and are less depressed. Companion animals may
improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and regulating the heart rate during stressful situations.
In a 2002 study, researchers found that people with a dog or cat were less likely to have spikes in heart rates
and blood pressure while performing stressful tasks, and their heart rates and blood pressure returned to
[10] normal more quickly. Besides, pets may also have a significant impact on allergies, asthma, social support,
and social interactions with other people.
It makes sense to conduct more studies on how human-animal interaction influences our health. However, we
don’t yet know exactly what types of animals influence what types of health issues and what characteristics
about human-animal interaction are most important. If research shows specific health benefits under
[15] specific circumstances, that information can be used to change policies in ways that benefit even more
adults and children. 

Adapted from center4research.org. Accessed 20 April 2022.

Concerning the connection between humans and animals, the main aim of the article is:

Read the comic strip below and select the correct alternative: 

 

According to Calvin’s dad, being a grown-up is tough...