LÍNGUA INGLESA Financial System

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LÍNGUA INGLESA
Financial System
People have virtually unlimited needs, but the economic resources to supply those needs are limited. Therefore, the greatest benefit of an economy is to provide the most desirable consumer goods and services in the most desirable amounts - what is known as the efficient allocation of economic resources. To produce these consumer goods and services requires capital in the form of labor, land, capital goods used to produce a desired product or service, and entrepreneurial ability to use these resources together to the greatest efficiency in producing what consumers want most. Real capital consists of the land, labor, tools and machinery, and entrepreneurial ability to produce consumer goods and services, and to acquire real capital costs money. The financial system of an economy provides the means to collect money from the people who have it and distribute it to those who can use it best. Hence, the efficient allocation of economic resources is achieved by a financial system that allocates money to those people and for those purposes that will yield the greatest return. The financial system is composed of the products and services provided by financial institutions, which include banks, insurance companies, pension funds, organized exchanges, and the many other companies that serve to facilitate economic transactions. Virtually all economic transactions are effected by one or more of these financial institutions. They create financial instruments, such as stocks and bonds, pay interest on deposits, lend money to creditworthy borrowers, and create and maintain the payment systems of modern economies. These financial products and services are based on the following fundamental objectives of any modern financial system: 
To provide a payment system; 
To give money time value; 
To offer products and services to reduce financial risk or to compensate risk-taking for desirable objectives; 
To collect and disperse information that allows the most efficient allocation of economic resources; 
To create and maintain financial markets that provide prices, which indicates how well investments are performing, which also determines the subsequent allocation of resources, and to maintain economic stability.
Available at: <http://thismatter.com/money/banking/ financial-system.htm>. Retrieved on: July 27th, 2015. Adapted.
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) From the sentence of the text “The financial system of an economy provides the means to collect money from the people who have it and distribute it to those who can use it best” (lines 16-18), it can be inferred that people who:
Can use the money most efficiently are those who have much money. 
Operate the financial system of an economy collect and distribute money the best way. 
Receive the distributed money don’t know how to use it best. 
Have much money and know how to use it best are the same. 
Operate the financial system of an economy collect the money and keep it. 
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) In the fragment of the text “Hence, the efficient allocation of economic resources” (lines 18-19), the connector Hence conveys an idea of:
Emphasis 
Time sequence 
Contrast 
Conclusion 
Addition
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil In the fragment of the text “the efficient allocation of economic resources is achieved by a financial system that allocates money to those people and for those purposes that will yield the greatest return” (lines 19-22), the verb form yield can be replaced, without change in meaning, by: 
Produce 
Low down 
Cut 
Interrupt 
Diminish
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) According to the text, a definition for the expression “the efficient allocation of economic resources” (lines 6-7) is: 
Provision of the most desirable consumer goods and services in limited amounts 
Provision of the most desirable consumer goods and services in unlimited amounts 
Production of economic resources in unlimited ways 
Production of economic resources in sufficient amounts 
Provision of the most desirable consumer goods and services in the most desirable amounts
 (Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) The relative pronoun which in the fragment of the text “which include banks, insurance companies, pension funds, organized exchanges, and the many other companies” (lines 24-26) refers to: 
Financial institutions (line 24) 
Other companies (lines 25-26) 
Purposes (line 21) 
Return (line 22) 
Products and services (lines 23-24) 
Why Millennials Don’t Like Credit Cards
by Holly Johnson
Cheap, easy credit might have been tempting toyoung people in the past, but not to today’s millennials.
According to a recent survey by Bankrate of over 1,161 consumers, 63% of adults ages 18 to 29 live without a credit card of any kind, and another 23% only carry one card.
The Impact of the Great Recession
Research shows that the environment millennials grew up in might have an impact on their finances.
Unlike other generations, millennials lived through economic hardships during a time when their adult lives were beginning. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Great Recession caused millennials to stray from historic patterns when it comes to purchasing a home and having children, and a fear of credit cards could be another symptom of the economic environment of the times. 
And there’s much data when it comes to proving that millennials grew up on shaky economic ground.
The Pew Research Center reports that 36% of millennials lived at home with their parents in 2012.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24 was 14.2% (more than twice the national rate) in early 2014, according to the BLS. With those figures, it’s no wonder that millennials are skittish when it comes to credit cards. It makes sense that young people would be afraid to take on any new forms of debt.
A Generation Plagued with Student Loan Debt
But the Great Recession isn’t the only reason millennials could be fearful of credit. Many experts believe that the nation’s student loan debt level might be related to it. According to the Institute for College Access & Success, 71% of millennials (or 1.3 million students) who graduated from college in 2012 left school with at least some student loan debt, with the average amount owed around $29,400.
With so much debt already under their belts, millennials are worried about adding any credit card debt to the pile. After all, many adults with student loan debt need to make payments for years, and even decades.
How Millennials Can Build Credit Without a
Credit Card
The fact that millennials are smart enough to avoid credit card debt is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean the decision has its drawbacks. According to Experian, most adults need a positive credit history in order to qualify for an auto loan or mortgage. Even worse, having no credit history is almost as bad as having a negative credit history in some cases.
Still, there are plenty of ways millennials can build a credit history without a credit card. A few tips:
Make payments on installment loans on time.
Whether it’s a car loan, student loan or personal loan, make sure to mail in those payments on time and pay at least the minimum amounts required.
Put at least one household or utility bill in your name. Paying your utility or household bills on time can help you build a positive credit history.
Get a secured credit card. Unlike traditional credit cards, the funds secured credit cards offer are backed by money the user deposits. Signing up for a secured card is one way to build a positive credit history without any risk. The fact that millennials are leery of credit cards is probably a good thing in the long run. After all, not having a credit card is the perfect way to stay out of credit card debt. Even though it might be harder to build a credit history without credit cards, the vast majority of millennials have decided that the plastic justisn’t worth it.
Available at: <http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/ my-money/2014/11/04/why-millennials-dont-like-creditcards>. Retrieved on: nov. 10th, 2014. Adapted.
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) The main purpose of the text is to:
Explain the millennials’ credit card affection.
Defend the millennials’ fear of credit card use.
Describe the millennials’ attitude towards the credit card.
Present the millennials’ credit card historical background. 
Demonstrate the millennials’ need of credit card use to build a credit history.
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) In the sentence of the text “the Great Recession caused millennials to stray from historic patterns when it comes to purchasing a home and having children” (lines 13 – 15), the word stray can be replaced, with no change in meaning, by: 
Stem
Start
Range
Follow
Deviate
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) The word skittish, in the sentence of the text “With those figures, it’s no wonder that millennials are skittish hen it comes to credit cards” (lines 24 – 26), can be replaced, With no change in meaning, by:
Uncertain
Enthusiastic
Depressed
Determined
Secure
(Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) The sentence of the text “With so much debt already under their belts, millennials are worried about adding any credit card debt to the pile” (lines 38 – 40) conveys the idea that millenials have: 
Piles of bills to pay every month, but they can use their credit cards moderately.
So many bills to pay that credit card bills wouldn’t make much difference.
So many bills to pay that they have to sell their belongings.
So much debt to pay that they can’t afford another one.
No credit cards simply because they don’t like them.
 (Cesgranrio/2015/Escriturário/ Banco do Brasil) In the sentence of the text “Still, there are plenty of ways millennials can build a credit history without a credit card” (lines 52 – 53), the quantifier plenty of can be replaced, with no change in meaning, by:
Some
Few
A few
A little
Lots of
From Security to Efficiency: Modern Vessel Tracking
More so than many other fields of business, the maritime industry is focused on cost, which in turn gives the appearance of being conservative towards technology. Certainly, we have technical ships magnificently operating with equipment that wouldn’t look out of place in a NASA lab, but generally, it can take decades for a technology to become mainstream. Unless it becomes mandated by the IMO (International Maritime Organization). Vessel tracking is a partial exception to the rule though, with many fleet owners realizing its potential for more cost-effective operation and personnel security. Knowing the exact position of all vessels in a fleet, in a software solution designed to fit with your own logistical processes, can significantly improve efficiency. If a ship arrives early or late, more often than not there will be an associated cost. If this can be identified during transit then the early or late arrival can be negated or at least planned for. Likewise, if by knowing the positions of your fleet of workboats means that you can route the closest vessel to the next job, then significant fuel cost savings can be made. With modern tracking systems, the way data is used is just as important as knowing where a vessel is at all times. But there are countless ways to apply the data to the benefit of efficiency for a single ship or fleet. So providing easy and reliable access to position reports is essential. 
A new tracking unit 
RockFLEET is an advanced new tracking unit for the professional maritime environment. During its design phase, the team decided that in order for the position data it provides to be of the most use, as well as being available via Rock Seven’s own fleet viewer ‘The Core, ’ it must also be available in any software system the user chooses. Using a standards-based API (Application Programming Interface), the customer can integrate tracking data from RockFLEET into their own applications. Typically this means that RockFLEET tracked assets can be added to existing fleet management software, which invariably is designed around an owner or operators own logistics. With precise vessel location data available, the opportunities are unlimited and only down to the creativity of the user. For instance, a current Rock Seven customer uses location data to manage payroll of personnel. Essentially, personnel get paid different amounts depending on whether the ship is at sea, in international waters, in port or transiting regions with high piracy incidents. RockFLEET, a unique device The above user is a private security company involved in anti-piracy operations. It actually gets location data using RockSTAR, the handheld version of RockFLEET, which is a new fixed unit that can be fitted anywhere on board. Completely waterproof and with no moving parts, it is a robust, ultra-compact (13cm diameter/4cm high) device with multiple mounting options. The physical design of RockFLEET was in part driven by the security challenges faced by vessels facing the issues of modern piracy. The unit itself is designed to look anonymous; as standard there’s no name on the outside. It works from ship’s power, but it uniquely has a backup battery inside. Which is important should a vessel be hijacked and the main power cut. Knowing the location of all friendly vessels in a region is vital to organisations with a stake in ensuring safe passage through known piracy hotspots. With an operational vessel/fleet tracking system, ship owners and fleet managers will know where their ships are at all times. This information can be fed to authorities, private anti-piracy companies and the naval forces patrolling piracy hotspots to build a clear, near real-time picture for domain awareness. The value of this information should a vessel be hijacked is obvious: knowing the last whereabouts of a vessel provides responders with a starting point should a hijacked vessel’s tracking system be disabled by pirates. Today’s pirates know that many commercial vessels are tracked, especially those would be targets sailing in what are known to be hostile waters. So disabling vessel tracking equipment on board is a sensible action for said pirates after a hijacked ship’s crew have been subdued and because most tracking units are powered by the vessel, finding and cutting the power supply isn’t hard. RockFLEET, however, is the only device of its kind with an internal battery backup, so it can continue to transmit position for up to two weeks if external power is cut. With facility to mount covertly, this makes it especially suitable for vessels traversing piracy hotspots. Available at: <http://maritime-connector.com/from-security-toeffi ciency-modern-vessel-tracking/>. Retrieved on: Jan, 7th, 2015. Adapted.v
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) The main purpose of the text is to:
Blame anti-piracy companies for their inefficient patrolling of conflict zones. 
Introduce an aeronautical equipment that will soon be used in the maritime industry. 
Alert ship crews about the weak security provided by modern ship tracking systems. 
Explain how vessel tracking equipment can prevent ship hijacking in hostile waters. 
Advocate the importance of technological devices to inform the exact location of vessels.
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) According to the text, RockFLEET:
Runs the risk of interfering in the existing fleet management software. 
Allows ship crews to use their creativity when facing piracy incidents. 
Can be easily disabled by pirates lurking in troubled regions across the globe. 
May be used to avoid anti-piracy operations conducted by international naval forces. 
Is smartly designed in order to continue transmitting data in case of a power cut. 
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) The fragment in the text “we have technical ships magnificently operating with equipment that wouldn’t look out of place in a NASA lab” (lines 4-6) means that someof the equipment used on technical ships:
Should be used in a NASA lab. 
Can not be found in a NASA lab. 
Seem to be appropriate for a NASA lab. 
Would not look suitable for a NASA lab. 
Lack the resources found in equipment in a NASA lab. 
14(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) In terms of pronominal reference, one observes that the word:
Which (line 2) refers to business (line 1). 
Its (line 11) refers to rule (line 10). 
This (line 17) refers to ship (line 16). 
It (line 33) refers to team (line 32). 
Those (line 82) refers to vessels (line 82). 
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) The boldfaced verb conveys the idea of hypothesis in:
“More so than many other fields of business, the maritime industry is focused on cost” (lines 1-2) 
“More often than not there will be an associated cost” (lines 16-17) 
“It must also be available in any software system the user chooses” (lines 35-36) 
“The value of this information should a vessel be hijacked is obvious” (lines 76-77) 
“So it can continue to transmit position for up to two weeks” (lines 90-91) 
16 (Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) The expression in bold and the item in italics convey equivalent ideas in: 
“Unless it becomes mandated by the IMO (International Maritime Organization) ” (lines 8-9) - Because 
“Vessel tracking is a partial exception to the rule though” (lines 9-10) – as usual 
“If a ship arrives early or late, more often than not there will be an associated cost” (lines 16-17) - Whenever 
“For instance, a current Rock Seven customer uses location data to manage payroll of personnel” (lines 46-48) – Moreover 
“So disabling vessel tracking equipment on board is a sensible action for said pirates after a hijacked ship’s crew have been subdued” (lines 83-86) - Thus
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) Based on the meanings in the text, one notices that the words:
Countless (line 25) and unlimited are antonyms. 
Reliable (line 27) and questionable are synonyms. 
Ensuring (line 69) and securing express similar ideas. 
Disabled (line 80) and destroyed express opposing ideas. 
Subdued (line 86) and defeated do not have equivalent meanings.
 (Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) In the fragment of the text “The physical design of RockFLEET was in part driven by the security challenges faced by vessels facing the issues of modern piracy” (lines 60-62), driven by can be replaced, without change in meaning, by:
Controlled by 
Motivated by 
 Neglected by 
Dependent on 
Prevented from 
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) The expression “This information” (line 73) refers to the:
Exact location of ships by their owners and fleet managers. 
Actual position where friendly ships can be found. 
Security challenges faced by modern vessels. 
Precise knowledge of all piracy hotspots. 
Main power cut in hijacked vessels. 
(Cesgranrio/2016/Petobras) According to the text, vessel tracking systems can be used to provide all the benefits below, EXCEPT:
Identifying the location of all pirate vessels in hostile waters. 
Knowing the accurate position of all vessels in a fleet. 
Using location data to manage payroll of personnel. 
Enhancing the efficiency of a single ship or fleet. 
Allowing significant savings in fuel costs.
Oil
Overview The oil industry has a less-than-stellar environmental record in general, but it becomes even worse in tropical rainforest regions, which often contain rich deposits of petroleum. The most notorious examples of rainforest havoc caused by oil firms are Shell Oil in Nigeria and Texaco in Ecuador. The operations run by both companies degraded the environment and affected local and indigenous people by their activities. The Texaco operation in Ecuador was responsible for spilling some 17 million gallons of oil into the biologically rich tributaries of the upper Amazon, while in the 1980s and 1990s Shell Oil cooperated with the oppressive military dictatorship in Nigeria in the suppression and harassment of local people. Action The simplest and most reliable way to mitigate damage from oil operations would be to prohibit oil extraction in the tropical rainforest. But that is unlikely given the number of tropical countries that produce oil and the wealth of oil deposits located in forest areas. Thus the focus is on reducing pollution and avoiding spills through better pipeline management, reinjection techniques, and halting methane flaring. Limiting road development and restricting access can help avoid deforestation associated with settlement. Biofuels The energy and technology sectors are investing heavily in alternatives to conventional fossil fuels, but early efforts to use crop-based biofuels have had serious environmental consequences. While some believed biofuels—fuels that are derived from biomass, including recently living organisms like plants or their metabolic byproducts like cow manure— would offer environmental benefits over conventional fossils fuels, the production and use of biofuels derived from palm oil, soy, corn, rapeseed, and sugar cane have in recent years driven up food prices, promoted large-scale deforestation, depleted water supplies, worsened soil erosion, and lead to increased air and water pollution. Still, there is hope that the next generation of biofuels, derived from farm waste, algae, and native grasses and weeds, could eliminate many of the worse effects seen during the current rush into biofuels. Efficiency Good old-fashioned oil conservation is effective in reducing demand for oil products. After the first OPEC embargo in 1973, the United States realized the importance of oil efficiency and initiated policies to do away with wasteful practices. By 1985, the U.S. was 25 percent more energy efficient and 32 percent more oil efficient than in 1973. Of course the U.S. was upstaged by the Japanese who in the same period improved their energy efficiency by 31 percent and their oil efficiency by 51 percent. Today the importance of oil to the economy is still diminishing. Despite the 51 percent growth in the American economy between 1990 and 2004, carbon emissions only increased 19% suggesting that those who insist that economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions move in tandem are wrong. Develop new technology The developed world can seek alternative methods to oil exploration, by developing new technologies that rely less on processes that are ecologically damaging. For example, compressed natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel than gasoline, is already used in some cars, and is available in vast quantities. Electric cars are potentially even more environmentally sound. To encourage investment in research and development of “greener” technologies, governments can help by eliminating subsidies for the oil and gas industry and imposing higher taxes on heavy polluters. While governments will play a role in cleaner-energy development, it is likely that the private sector will provide most of the funding and innovation for new energy projects. Venture capital firms and corporations have put billions into new technologies since the mid-2000s, while corporations are getting on board as well. As experiences with biofuels have shown, there are often downsides to alternative energy sources. For example, hydroelectric projects have destroyed river systems and flooded vast areas of forests. Thus when undertaking any large-scale energy project — whether it’s wind, solar, tidal, geothermal, or something else — it is important to conduct a proper assessment of its impact. Conclusion Admittedly, there are many challenges facing sustainable use of tropical rainforests. In arriving at a solution many issues must be addressed, including the resolution of conflicting claims to land considered to be in the public domain; barriers to markets; the assurance of sustainable development without overexploitation in the face of growing demand for forest products; determination of the best way to use forests; and the consideration of many other factors. Almost none of these economic possibilities can become realities if the rainforestsare completely stripped. Useful products cannot be harvested from species that no longer exist, just as eco-tourists will not visit the vast stretches of wasteland that were once lush forest. Thus some of the primary rainforests must be salvaged for sustainable development to be at all successful.
Available at: <http://rainforests.mongabay.com/1013.htm>. Retrieved on: Aug, 10th, 2017. Adapted.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) The main objective of Text I is to:
Defend the idea that the preservation of rainforests should follow the same strategies used in the preservation of other ecosystems. 
Highlight the fact that oil industry should not be responsible for the preservation of ecosystems, but the government should. 
State that investments in research and development of “greener” technologies are the only key to rainforest preservation. 
Argue that biofuels are the best alternative to fossil fuels in terms of environmental impact. 
Stress the necessity of the preservation of some primary rainforests for sustainable development.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) In the fragment of Text I “The simplest and most reliable way to mitigate damage from oil operations would be to prohibit oil extraction in the tropical rainforest” (lines 18-20), the word mitigate can be replaced, with no change in meaning, by:
Annihilate 
Increase 
Grow 
Reduce 
Concede
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) By the fragment of Text I “By 1985, the U.S. was 25 percent more energy efficient and 32 percent more oil efficient than in 1973. Of course the U.S. was upstaged by the Japanese who in the same period improved their energy efficiency by 31 percent and their oil efficiency by 51 percent” (lines 52-57), one can infer that:
Japan became more energy efficient than the USA in the 1973-1985 period. 
Both the USA and Japan became equally energy efficient in the 1973-1985 period. 
The USA became more energy efficient than Japan in the 1973-1985 period. 
The USA became the most energy efficient country in the world in the 1973-1985 period. 
The USA did not become more energy efficient during the 1973-1985 period.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) In the sentence of Text I “Today the importance of oil to the economy is still diminishing” (lines 57-58), the verb form is diminishing indicates: 
A habitual present action 
A concluded past action 
A prediction for the future 
An action in progress 
An action in progress in the past
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) The fragment of Text I “Despite the 51 percent growth in the American economy between 1990 and 2004, carbon emissions only increased 19% suggesting that those who insist that economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions move in tandem are wrong” (lines 58-63) implies that: 
Both percent rates are incorrect. 
Those increase rates are independent. 
The relationship between those rates must be established. 
The American economy grew 51% from 1990 to 2004, and as a consequence, carbon emissions decreased. 
The American economy grew 51% from 1990 to 2004 because carbon emission only increased 19%.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) In the fragment of Text I “In arriving at a solution many issues must be addressed, including the resolution of conflicting claims to land considered to be in the public domain” (lines 94-97) the terms issues, addressed, claims correspond to the following meanings: 
Copies – cleared – petitions 
Problems – treated – surrender 
Queries – dealt with – demands 
Magazines – directed – requests 
Questions – approached – waivers
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) Thus, in the fragment of Text I “Thus some of the primary rainforests must be salvaged for sustainable development to be at all successful” (lines 107-109) conveys an idea of:
Conclusion 
Opposition 
Time sequence 
Addition 
Exemplification
Text II
Aggressive oil extraction spells disaster for Amazon rainforests
The refineries in the US processed 230,293 barrels of Amazon crude oil a day in 2015, according to the study conducted by the Amazon Watch, an environmental group. The demand for crude oil in the US is forcing countries such as Peru, Colombia and Ecuador to expand their oil drilling operations and hence, driving the destruction of the rainforest ecosystem. The Amazon rainforest has already become highly vulnerable to forest fires due to selective logging, hunting, altering or fragmenting the landscape and other forms of habitat degradation. As oil interests lead to aggressive extraction of oil, there are fears that indigenous communities will suffer displacement and acquire deadly illnesses due to lack of acquired immunity. Layered impact on Amazon ecosystem Mining and construction of hydroelectric dams, in what is considered the lungs of the world, have already triggered deforestation. The problem is getting even more confounded when ambitions of large oil firms, including some from China, have come to play its part. According to the study, the proposed oil and gas fields now cover 283,172 sq. miles of the Amazon. Explaining the “triple carbon impact” of Amazonian oil extraction, the report says that copious amount of carbon is emitted when the rainforest is cut down to establish drill sites. Further destruction of the world’s largest carbon sink takes place when necessary roads and other infrastructure are constructed. More carbon emissions are experienced when the oil is ultimately burned for energy. Ecuador Ecuador’s state-run oil firm PetroAmazonas has started drilling close to the Yasuni National Park— one of the most biologically rich places in the world. It is home to 655 endemic tree species—more than the US and Canada combined—and two of the last tribes in the world. While extraction of 23,000 barrels of oil a day began in September, critics raise concern over a possibility of oil destroying Yasuní the way it caused widespread deforestation and pollution in rest of Ecuador and the western Amazon. Apart from the risk of water and soil contamination, the construction of roads deep into the forest would lead to hunting and deforestation. The environmentalists also fear an inevitable conflict for land between oil workers and the semi-nomadic tribes of Waorani Indians living within the park for generations. Peru The viability of oil production in Peruvian Amazon has been questioned time and again. In the past two months, the protest by Peruvian Amazonian indigenous communities against oil pollution on their lands has grown stronger. Till October, nine cases of pipeline spill have been reported. The indigenous communities, who witnessed the latest pipeline spill on October 23, are now demanding a national debate on whether oil drilling should continue in the Peruvian Amazon that plays a crucial role in regulating global climate and hydrological patterns. The protesters want a state of emergency to be declared in two districts of the lower Marañón Valley where five indigenous communities have been affected by a series of oil spills. US increases crude oil imports from Amazon While there has been an overall decline in US crude imports, the imports from the Amazon are on the rise. The US is now importing more crude oil from the Amazon than from any single foreign country. “Our demand for Amazon crude is driving the expansion of the Amazon oil frontier and is putting millions of acres of indigenous territory and pristine rainforest on the chopping block, ” said Leila Salazar-López, executive director of Amazon Watch. According to Adam Zuckerman, Amazon Watch’s End Amazon Crude campaign manager, “All commercial and public fleets in California—and many across the US—that buy bulk diesel are using fuel that is at least partially derived from Amazon crude. ” The report also revealed that California refines an average of 170,978 barrels of Amazon crude a day with the Chevron facility in El Segundo refining 24 per cent of the US alone. After crude is refined, it is distributed as diesel to vehicle fleets across the US. Interestingly, California Environment Protection Agency, in 2015, made an unequivocalclimate commitment, “In order to meet federal health-based air quality standards and our climate change goals, we must cut in half the amount of petroleum we use in our cars and trucks over the next 15 years. ”
Available at: <http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/us-led-demand-driving-aggressive-extraction-of-oil-in-amazon-rainforest-56149>. Retrieved on: Aug, 12th, 2017. Adapted.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) From the fragment of Text II “Explaining the ‘triple carbon impact’ of Amazonian oil extraction, the report says that copious amount of carbon is emitted when the rainforest is cut down to establish drill sites” (lines 25-28), the word report refers to:
This article. 
The person who wrote the article. 
Chinese oil firms’ business plan. 
Study produced by an environmental group. 
Written piece issued by hydroelectric power plants.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) From the 9th paragraph of Text II (lines 68-76), one can conclude that in recent overall figures, the US import of crude oil: 
Has soared. 
Has ceased. 
Has kept its previous levels. 
Has spread its fuel source areas. 
Has concentrated its fuel source areas.
(Cesgranrio/2017/Petobras) Text I refers to “conflicting claims to land” (line 96). In Text II there is an illustration to one of those claims. It refers to:
An overall decline in US crude imports. 
An inevitable conflict between oil workers and the semi-nomadic tribes of Waorani Indians living within the park for generations. 
The protest by Peruvian Amazonian indigenous communities against oil pollution on their lands. 
The indigenous communities, who witnessed the latest pipeline spill on October 23. 
The construction of roads deep into the forest.
UNEARTHED: REMAINS OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN TSUNAMI VICTIM 
By Charles Choi | October 25, 2017 1:00 pm 
Paragraph 1 Tsunamis have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the past two decades. Now a new study finds that a 6,000-year-old skull may come from the earliest known victim of these killer waves. 
Paragraph 2 The partial human skull was discovered in 1929 buried in a mangrove swamp outside the small town of Aitape Papua New Guinea, about 500 miles north of Australia. Scientists originally thought it belonged to an ancient extinct human species, Homo erectus. However, subsequent research dated it to about 5,000 or 6,000 years in age, suggesting that it instead belonged to a modern human.
A Rare Specimen 
Paragraph 3 The skull is one of just two examples of ancient human remains found in Papua New Guinea after more than a century of work there. As such, archaeologists wanted to learn more about this skull to elucidate how people settled this region. 
Paragraph 4 The scientists went back to where this skull was found and sampled the soil in which it was discovered. They focused on details such as sediment grain size and composition.
Paragraph 5 In the sediment, the researchers discovered a range of microscopic organisms from the ocean known as diatoms. These were similar to ones found in the soil after a 1998 tsunami killed more than 2,000 people in Papua New Guinea — for instance, their shells of silica were broken, likely by extremely powerful forces.
Paragraph 6 These diatom shells, combined with the chemical compositions and the size ranges of the grains, all suggest that a tsunami occurred when the skull was buried. The researchers suggested the catastrophe either directly killed the person or ripped open their grave. 
Paragraph 7 Tsunamis, which are giant waves caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or underwater landslides, are some of the deadliest natural disasters known. The 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean killed more than 230,000 people, a higher death toll than any fire or hurricane.
Paragraph 8 The site where the skull was found is currently about 7.5 miles away from the coast. Still, the researchers noted that back when whoever the skull belonged to was alive, sea levels were higher, and the area would have been just behind the shoreline.
Paragraph 9 The waves of the tsunami that hit Papua New Guinea in 1998 reached more than 50 feet high and penetrated up to three miles inland. “If the event we have identified resulted from a similar process, it could have also resulted in extremely high waves, ” study co-lead author Mark Golitko, an archaeologist at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and the Field Museum in Chicago. 
Paragraph 10 These results show “that coastal populations have been vulnerable to such events for thousands of years, ” Golitko said. “People have managed to live with such unpredictable and destructive occurrences, but it highlights how vulnerable people living near the sea can be. Given the far larger populations that live along coastlines today, the potential impacts are far more severe now. ” 
Paragraph 11 Golitko plans to return to the area over the next few years “to further study the frequency of such events, how the environment changed over time, and how people have coped with the environmental challenges of living in that environment. ” He and his colleagues detailed their findings Wednesday in the journal PLOS O.
Retrieved and adapted from: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2017/10/25/first-tsunami-victim/#.WfYiYmhSzIU                               Accessed on October, 29th, 2017. 
In the fragment of the text “people have managed to live with such unpredictable and destructive occurrences”, the adjectives unpredictable and destructive can be replaced with no change in meaning, by: 
Unforeseeable, ruinous 
Powerful, annihilatory.  
Uninvited, calamitous 
Unwelcome, vital.   
(Cesesp – PE) “In some ……………….. of the Middle East …………… can have four ………”
Country – men – wife 
Countries – man – wifes 
Countries – men – wives 
Countries – man’s – wives 
Countrys – men’s – wives
(Cesesp – PE) “Most …… and …….. are afraid of ………”
Womans – childs – mouses 
Women’s – children’s – mouses 
Women – children – mice 
Womans – children – mices 
Womens – children – mices
(FMU – SP) ………………. are animals.
Sheeps, deers, ox, geese 
Sheep, deer, oxes, goose 
Sheeps, deers, oxes, geese 
Sheeps, deer, oxen, goose 
Sheep, deer, oxen, geese
(UFBA – BA) A única palavra em cujo plural o –y não é substituído por –ies é:
Lady. 
Baby. 
Family. 
Cowboy. 
Fancy.
 (ITA – SP) Dadas as informações de que o plural de 1. OX é OXEN 2. CHIEF é CHIEFS 3. ROOF é ROOVES constatamos que está (estão) correta (s):
Apenas a afirmação 1. 
Apenas a afirmação 2. 
Apenas a afirmação 3.
Apenas as afirmações 1 e 2. 
Todas as afirmações.
(ABC – SP) Assinale a alternativa em que todas as formas de plural estão corretas.
Boxes – echoes – surveys – wives 
Wolfes – handkerchiefs – pianos – selfs 
Men – salesmen – halfs – dice 
Calfs – pence – wharfs – dynamos 
Libraries – houses – stomaches – flys
(PUC – RS) Todas as palavras que seguem formam o plural como “life/lives”, exceto:
Calf. 
Half. 
Leaf.
 Chief. 
Wolf.
(Universidade Católica de Salvador – BA) She bought ……. potatoes for dinner.
Little 
Much 
Lot 
A few
Less
(Faculdade de Medicina da Santa Casa – SP) Traduzindo-se corretamente as palavras em maiúsculas nas duas frases seguintes: I. We don’t have MUITO money because MUITOS of us are poor. II. We have POUCO money because POUCOS of us are rich. E mantendo-se a ordem, a alternativa correta é:
Much, many, little, few 
Many, very, few, little 
Much, much, few, little 
Much, much, little, little 
Much, many, few, few
(FMU – SP) Choose the correct alternative: “I want ….. one-dollar bill to buy …… envelope and …… useful book”, said ….. boy who has just arrived.
The – an – an – an 
An – an – an – the 
An – a – a – a 
The – the – the – an 
A – an – a – the
(Mackenzie – SP) There will always be a conflict between ….. poor and …….. rich. ....….. poor people want ……… change but .……….. rich people want ……… things to stay………… same.
…,…,…,…,…,…, the 
the, the,…,…,…,…, the 
the, the, the, a, the, the, the 
….,…, the, the,the, …,…. 
the, …, the,…,the, …, the
(ITA – SP) We had …. lunch with …… old friend on ……. Saturday.
…., an, … 
a, the, a 
the, an, the 
a,an, a 
the, the, the
(FMU/Fiam – SP) In …… Brazil, differently from ……. United States, if you want to enter ……… university, you have to take ….. exam which normally takes more than …….. hour.
the, the, an, a, a 
…., …., an, an, a 
….., the, a, an, na
…., …., a, an, an 
…., the, an, an, an
(Cesesp – PE) Choose the correct alternative: “Peter and Anne are friends of… . I like… very much. I suppose…… also like me”.
Me – they – she 
Mine – them – they 
Yours – her – she
Them – them – they 
Him – him – he
(UCBA – BA) When the ambulance arrived, the man ……… already died.
Has 
Have 
Had 
Was 
Is
(UGF – RJ) Susan refused Tom’s invitation to see My Fair Lady because she ………………….. it before.
Have seen 
Had seen 
Has seen 
Saw 
Sees
(UFRS – RS) I did not see Paul. When I …………. the room he had already left.
Had entered 
Entered 
Was entering 
Enter
(PUC – SP) Yesterday he ………… the day reading.
Has spent 
Spent 
Spend 
Had spent
(UE – CE) “The sailors had heard. ” The verbal form is in the …
Present perfect tense. 
Past perfect tense. 
Present participle. 
Simple past. 
Past participle.
(UF – RS) Yesterday John asked his friend whether he ………..… the letter the week before.
Will write h
Ad written 
Wrote 
Would write 
Writes
(FMU – SP) He cooked the bird he ……… before.
Shot 
Shooted
Had shot
Has shot 
Had shooted
PUC – RS) Nowadays many men … women as their rivals at work. 
See 
Are seeing 
Have been seeing 
Will see 
Are going to see
(ITA – SP) Dadas as sentenças: 
I worked here since 1970. 
If you had bought a car last year, it would have cost you much less than now. 
If I was he, I should buy a new house. 
Constatamos que está (ão) CORRETA (s):
Apenas a sentença 1. 
Apenas a sentença 2. 
Apenas a sentença 3. 
Apenas as sentenças 1 
Todas as sentenças.
(Objetivo – SP) Choose the correct passive form for: 
“She has spilt some ink on the carpet”.
Some ink was spilt on the carpet. 
Some ink was being spilt on the carpet. 
The carpet had been spilt on the carpet
The carpet was spilt with ink. 
Some ink has been spilt on the carpet.
(ABC – SP) A forma correta da voz ativa da frase “Many theorems can be written in four forms”, é:
In four forms can write many theorems. 
One can write many theorems in four forms. 
Four forms can write by many theorems in four forms. 
We can written many theorems in four forms. 
They can write many theorems in four forms.
(FEP – PA) They said: “We’ll go no matter what happens. ” They said that they …………. no matter what ………….. .
Will go – happens 
Would go – happened 
Would have gone – happened 
Go – happened 
Had gone – can happen
(UFSE – SE) Assinale a melhor versão para o seguinte período: Ela disse a Maria que não devia se deitar tarde.
She said Mary she ought not to go to sleep late. 
She told Mary she should not go to bed late. 
She talked to Mary she would not go and sleep late. 
She said to Mary that she should not lay herself late. 
She told Mary that she must not lie herself down late.
(Objetivo – SP) O reported speech de Henry said, “Can you save a lot of money? ” é:
He asked me whether I could save a lot of money. 
He asked me can I save a lot of money. 
He asked to me save a lot of money. 
He asked to save a lot of money. 
He asked: save a lot of money.
(FMU/Fiam – SP) A forma passiva de “Someone gave me a book” é:
I had been given a book. 
A book had been given to me. 
I was given a book. 
A book to me is given.
(Osec – SP) A alternativa correta para a voz passiva desta frase é: “You must write the answers on one side of the paper only”.
The answers are written on one side of the paper only. 
You must be written on one side of the paper only. 
 One side of the paper must be written by you. 
The answers must be written on one side of the paper only.
(Cesgranrio – RJ) The active construction for “We are going to be invaded by such undesirable guests” is:
Such undesirable guests invaded us. 
Such undesirable guests will invade us. 
Such undesirable guests are going to invade us.
 Such undesirable guests were going to invade us.
(Ufes – ES) One of those novels ………………. by Hemingway.
Have been written 
Was written
Has written 
Are written
(Fundação Casper Líbero 2002 – SP) “I want to dedicate this election to the suffering poor of beloved Brazil”, Lula told hundreds of chanting, cheering supporters who had gathered at the polling place. Lula told that…
He wants to dedicate this election to the suffering poor of our beloved Brazil. 
He wanted to dedicate that election to the suffering poor of our beloved Brazil. 
He want edicate that election to the suffering poor of our beloved Brazil. 
He wanted to dedicate this election to the poor of our beloved Brazil. 
He want to dedicate that election to the poor of our beloved Brazil.
(Fundação Casper Líbero – SP) “... But the appetite will probably not be quite enough to mop up the current mess. To thrive again, the Brazilian media will have to modernize itself after years of functioning in closed or protected market conditions. And ironically, in spite of the recent decision to allow foreign capital, it will probably have to fix things up without significant help from abroad, while facing perhaps its most difficult moment. ” The synonyms of the underlined words are:
Mustn’t; mustn’t; mustn’t 
May not; mustn’t; mustn’t 
May not; must; should 
May not; shouldn’t; should 
Must; may; may not
(UCBA – BA) If I ................... you, I wouldn’t marry him.
Are 
Were 
Was 
Would be
(PUC – SP) If we ……………. a long vacation, we would have traveled.
Had had 
Had 
Have 
Have had
(Fundação Carlos Chagas – BA) If I …………………… the truth, I would have acted in a different way.
Know 
Knew 
Had known 
Ill know
4.(FMU/Fiam – SP) If mother ………….. here now, she ……….. you.
Were/would help b) was/will help
Was/would have helped d) were/will help
(FMU/Fiam – SP) She …….catch him if she…………. .
May/will hurry 
Might/hurries 
Will/will hurry 
Can/hurry 
Had/hurries
(Cesesp – PE) If Peter……… his examination, his father ………………. very happy.
Passes/is 
Will pass/is
 Had passed/was
Would pass/was
Passes/will be
 (ITA – SP) If I ……….. in your place, I ………. that again and again.
Have been/would not do 
Had been/would not have done 
Were/will not do 
Was/will not have done 
Had being/would not have done
(UF – RS) Conversation would become impossible if everyone …… exactly what he thought.
Says 
Say 
Said 
Will say 
Has said
(FGV- SP) It is impossible to enjoy idling unless one has plenty of work to do.
É impossível usufruir o lazer a não ser que se tenha muito trabalho a fazer. 
É impossível gostar do que se faz quando não se está em paz. 
Quanto menos trabalho se tiver, mais se pode gozar a vida. 
Não dá para descansar quando se tem muito a trabalhar. 
Não é possível curtir o descanso a menos que se tenha terminado o trabalho.
(Fuvest – SP) Choose the item which best completes the sentence: Diana wouldn’t be at the farm in time for dinner unless she……. by five.
Would get away 
Gets away 
Got away 
Had got away 
Can get away
(Cesgranrio – RJ) Mark the sentence in which to remember orto remind is used incorrectly:
I reminded him to post the letter. 
I remembered to send the telegram. 
Did you remind how to do it? 
Don’t forget to remind me about it tomorrow.
(UnB – DF) “Hello, Jack. Is your father going to ………. us the car tomorrow? ”
Lent 
Borrow 
Lend 
Borrowing
(ITA – SP) Can I …….. some money from you? I don’t know where my bag is.
Borrow 
Lend 
Rent 
We
(ITA – SP) Dadas as sentenças: 
The sun raises in the East. 
Please, rise your right hand. 
Your behaviour may arouse suspicion. 
Constatamos que está (estão) correta (s):
Apenas a sentença 1. 
Apenas a sentença 2. 
Apenas a sentença 3. 
Apenas as sentenças 1 e 2. 
Todas as sentenças.
(SantaCasa – SP) Assinale a alternativa que corresponde à parte sublinhada da frase: Malaria is on the rise again.
Stagnant 
Increasing 
Decreasing 
Under control
 In great demand
GABARITO
B 
D 
A 
E 
A 
C 
E 
A 
D 
E
E 
E 
C 
E 
D 
E 
C 
B 
A 
A 
E 
D 
A
D 
B 
C 
A 
D 
E 
B
A 
C
C
E
D
D
A
D 
D
A 
B
B
A
C
B 
B
B
B
B
B
B
C
B
B 
E
B
B
B
A
B
D
C
A
B
B 
B
A
C
A
B
E
B
C 
A; 
C 1-C 
C
C
A
C
B