Questões para Concursos

Revolution Accelerated

How Digital Transformation is Shaping the Future of Banking

1 Like all businesses, banks have had to act fast to respond to the unprecedented human and economic impact of Covid-19.
2 First, they needed to keep the lights on and ensure business continuity. Second, they had to meet the changing ways customers wanted to engage. Finally, they sought to balance their business priorities with a responsibility to support society. Previous crises cast the banks as part of the problem — this time they are part of the solution.
3 Banks who have embraced modern banking technology have fared better in meeting these challenges. They’ve moved seamlessly to remote working, kept up service for their customers, coped with huge increases in demand and quickly adapted their products. In contrast, banks using legacy ‘spaghetti’ software have struggled.
4 Covid-19 has accelerated the need for modern banking technology, but it didn’t create it. Before coronavirus, the 2020s were already being framed as the decade for digital in the banking industry. Banks’ return on equity were too low and their cost-income ratios were too high. Meanwhile, regulation like open banking was disrupting the industry and increasing competition from new entrants like the GAAFAs (Google, Amazon, Alibaba, Facebook, Apple).
5 Providing seamless digital customer experiences was therefore already a ‘must’. Every year, Temenos partners with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for a global study on the future of banking. More than 300 banking leaders are interviewed from retail, commercial and private banks. Over half of these are at C-suite level.
6 In 2020, the study took place amid the Covid-19 crisis. The results give a fascinating insight into banking leaders’ approach during these unprecedented times. But they also show how they see their industry in the years to come.
7 And the findings suggest three trends which will shape the future of banking:
New technologies will be the key driver of banking transformation over the next 5 years. 77% of respondents strongly believed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be the most game-changing of these technologies. They see a diverse range of uses for AI — from personalised customer experience to fraud detection.
Banks will overhaul their business models to create digital ecosystems. 80% of respondents believe that banking will become part of a platform of services. 45% are committed to transforming their business models into digital ecosystems.
The sun will set on branch banking. World Bank data shows that visits to branches have been steadily declining globally over the last decade. As a result of coronavirus, customers are now more concerned about visiting their branch, and so even more people are willing to try digital applications. This combination of pandemic and increasingly transformative advanced technology has led a majority of respondents (59%) to our survey with the EIU to state that traditional branch-based banking model will be dead in just five years. That’s a 34% increase from last year.
8 The current environment is undoubtedly challenging for banks. But they have the capital, customer relationships and customer data. They are regulated. And most importantly: they still enjoy their customers’ trust.
9 In short, banks are best-placed to succeed if they commit to end-to-end digital transformation. That means a fully digital front office which creates hyper-personalized experiences and ecosystems. And a back office driving efficient operations and rapid innovation. By embracing modern banking technology, banks can support their customers today, create new value for the future and drive new levels of future growth.

Available at: . Retrieved on: July 13th, 2021. Adapted.

Revolution Accelerated

How Digital Transformation is Shaping the Future of Banking

1 Like all businesses, banks have had to act fast to respond to the unprecedented human and economic impact of Covid-19.
2 First, they needed to keep the lights on and ensure business continuity. Second, they had to meet the changing ways customers wanted to engage. Finally, they sought to balance their business priorities with a responsibility to support society. Previous crises cast the banks as part of the problem — this time they are part of the solution.
3 Banks who have embraced modern banking technology have fared better in meeting these challenges. They’ve moved seamlessly to remote working, kept up service for their customers, coped with huge increases in demand and quickly adapted their products. In contrast, banks using legacy ‘spaghetti’ software have struggled.
4 Covid-19 has accelerated the need for modern banking technology, but it didn’t create it. Before coronavirus, the 2020s were already being framed as the decade for digital in the banking industry. Banks’ return on equity were too low and their cost-income ratios were too high. Meanwhile, regulation like open banking was disrupting the industry and increasing competition from new entrants like the GAAFAs (Google, Amazon, Alibaba, Facebook, Apple).
5 Providing seamless digital customer experiences was therefore already a ‘must’. Every year, Temenos partners with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for a global study on the future of banking. More than 300 banking leaders are interviewed from retail, commercial and private banks. Over half of these are at C-suite level.
6 In 2020, the study took place amid the Covid-19 crisis. The results give a fascinating insight into banking leaders’ approach during these unprecedented times. But they also show how they see their industry in the years to come.
7 And the findings suggest three trends which will shape the future of banking:
New technologies will be the key driver of banking transformation over the next 5 years. 77% of respondents strongly believed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be the most game-changing of these technologies. They see a diverse range of uses for AI — from personalised customer experience to fraud detection.
Banks will overhaul their business models to create digital ecosystems. 80% of respondents believe that banking will become part of a platform of services. 45% are committed to transforming their business models into digital ecosystems.
The sun will set on branch banking. World Bank data shows that visits to branches have been steadily declining globally over the last decade. As a result of coronavirus, customers are now more concerned about visiting their branch, and so even more people are willing to try digital applications. This combination of pandemic and increasingly transformative advanced technology has led a majority of respondents (59%) to our survey with the EIU to state that traditional branch-based banking model will be dead in just five years. That’s a 34% increase from last year.
8 The current environment is undoubtedly challenging for banks. But they have the capital, customer relationships and customer data. They are regulated. And most importantly: they still enjoy their customers’ trust.
9 In short, banks are best-placed to succeed if they commit to end-to-end digital transformation. That means a fully digital front office which creates hyper-personalized experiences and ecosystems. And a back office driving efficient operations and rapid innovation. By embracing modern banking technology, banks can support their customers today, create new value for the future and drive new levels of future growth.

Available at: . Retrieved on: July 13th, 2021. Adapted.

U.S. Finds No Evidence of Alien Technology
in Flying Objects, but can’t rule it out, either

1 WASHINGTON — American intelligence officials have found no evidence that aerial phenomena observed by Navy pilots in recent years are alien spacecraft, but they still cannot explain the unusual movements that have mystified scientists and the military.
2 The report determines that a vast majority of more than 120 incidents over the past two decades did not originate from any American military or other advanced US government technology, the officials said. That determination would appear to eliminate the possibility that Navy pilots who reported seeing unexplained aircraft might have encountered programs the government meant to keep secret.
3 But that is about the only conclusive finding in the classified intelligence report, the officials said. And while a forthcoming unclassified version, expected to be released to Congress by June 25, will present few other firm conclusions, senior officials briefed on the intelligence conceded that the very ambiguity of the findings meant the government could not definitively rule out theories that the phenomena observed by military pilots might be alien spacecraft.
4 Americans’ long-running fascination with UFOs has intensified in recent weeks in anticipation of the release of the government report. Former President Barack Obama encouraged the interest when he gave an interview last month about the incidents on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on CBS.
5 “What is true, and I’m really being serious here,” Mr. Obama said, “is that there is film and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are.’’
6 The report concedes that much about the observed phenomena remains difficult to explain, including their acceleration, as well as ability to change direction and submerge. One possible explanation — that the phenomena could be weather balloons or other research balloons — does not hold up in all cases, the officials said, because of changes in wind speed at the times of some of the interactions.
7 Many of the more than 120 incidents examined in the report are from Navy personnel, officials said. The report also examined incidents involving foreign militaries over the last two decades. Intelligence officials believe that at least some of the aerial phenomena could have been experimental technology from a rival power, most likely Russia or China.
8 One senior official said without hesitation that U.S. officials knew it was not American technology. He said there was worry among intelligence and military officials that China or Russia could be experimenting with hypersonic technology.
9 He and other officials spoke about the classified findings in the report on the condition of anonymity.

Available at:
ufos-sighting-alien-spacecraft-pentagon.html>. Retrieved on:
July 7, 2021.

Robots, the next generation of soccer players

1 ____ If you think a robot will steal your job, you are not
alone. Soccer players should be worried too. The next
Messi probably won’t be of flesh and blood but plastic
and metal.
2 ____ The concept emerged during the conference
“Workshop on grand challenges in artificial
intelligence,” held in Tokyo in 1992, and independently,
in 1993, when Professor Alan Mackworth from
the University of Bristol in Canada described an
experiment with small soccer players in a scientific
article.
3 ____ Over 40 teams already participated in the first
RoboCup tournament in 1997, and the competition is
held every year. The RoboCup Federation wants to
play and win a game against a real-world cup humans’
team by 2050.
4 ____ The idea behind artificially intelligent players
is to investigate how robots perceive motion and
communicate with each other. Physical abilities like
walking, running, and kicking the ball while maintaining
balance are crucial to improving robots for other tasks
like rescue, home, industry, and education.
5 ____ Designing robots for sports requires much more
than experts in state-of-the-art technology. Humans
and machines do not share the same skills. Engineers
need to impose limitations on soccer robots to imitate
soccer players as much as possible and ensure
following the game’s rules.
6 ____ RoboCup Soccer Federation, the “FIFA” of robots,
which supports five leagues, imposes restrictions
on players’ design and rules of the game. Each has
its own robot design and game rules to give room
for different scientific goals. The number of players,
their size, the ball type, and the field dimensions are
different for each league.
7 ____ In the humanoid league the players are human-
like robots with human-like senses. However, they are
rather slow. Many of the skills needed to fully recreate
actual soccer player movements are still in the early
stages of research.
8 ____ The game becomes exciting for middle and small
size leagues. The models are much simpler; they
are just boxes with a cyclopean eye. Their design
focuses on team behavior: recognizing an opponent,
cooperating with team members, receiving and giving
a standard FIFA size ball.
9 ____ Today, soccer robots are entirely autonomous.
They wireless “talk” to each other, make decisions
regarding strategy in real-time, replace an “injured”
player, and shoot goals. The only person in a
RoboCup game is the referee. The team coaches
are engineers in charge of training the RoboCups’
artificial intelligence for fair play: the robots don’t
smash against each other or pull their shirts.
10 ____ The next RoboCup competition will soon be
played, virtually, with rules that will allow teams to
participate without establishing physical contact.

Available at: . Retrieved on: July 4th, 2021. Adapted.

COVID-19 Economy: Expert insights on what you need to know

1 As we practice social distancing and businesses
struggle to adapt, it’s no secret the unique challenges
of Covid-19 are profoundly shaping our economic
climate. U.S. Bank financial industry and regulatory
affairs expert Robert Schell explains what you need
to know in this uncertain time.
• Don’t panic while things are “on pause”
2 Imagine clicking the pause button on your favorite
TV show. Whether you stopped to make dinner or put
kids to bed, hitting pause gives you time to tackle what
matters most. Today’s economy is similar. While we
prioritize health and safety, typical activities like driving
to work, eating at restaurants, traveling and attending
sporting events are on hold. This widespread social
distancing takes a toll on our economy, putting strain
on businesses and individuals alike.
3 Keep your financial habits as normal as possible
during this time. Make online purchases, order
takeout, pay bills and buy groceries. These everyday
purchases put money back into the economy and
prevent it from dipping further into a recession.
• Low interest rates could help make ends meet
4 In March, the Federal Reserve cut rates drastically
to boost economic activity and make borrowing more
affordable. For you, this means interest rates are low
for credit cards, loans and lines of credit, and even
fixed-rate mortgages. Consider taking advantage of
these low rates if you need extra help paying your
bills, keeping your business running or withstanding a
period of unemployment.
• Spend on small businesses
5 Looking to make a positive impact? Supporting
small businesses is an easy and powerful way to help.
You can order takeout, tip generously or donate to
your local brick-and-mortar retail store, if they provide
that option. Your support makes a big impact for
struggling business owners.
• Prior economic strength may help us bounce
back
6 The thriving economy of 2019 isn’t just a distant,
bittersweet memory. When our health is no longer
at risk and social distancing mandates begin to
diminish, we’ll slowly start to rebuild. The stability,
low unemployment rate and upward-trending market
we experienced prior to Covid-19 puts us in a good
position to kick-start economic activity and rebound
more quickly.

Available at . Retrieved on: Jul. 20, 2021. Adapted.

U.S. Finds No Evidence of Alien Technology
in Flying Objects, but can’t rule it out, either

1 WASHINGTON — American intelligence officials have found no evidence that aerial phenomena observed by Navy pilots in recent years are alien spacecraft, but they still cannot explain the unusual movements that have mystified scientists and the military.
2 The report determines that a vast majority of more than 120 incidents over the past two decades did not originate from any American military or other advanced US government technology, the officials said. That determination would appear to eliminate the possibility that Navy pilots who reported seeing unexplained aircraft might have encountered programs the government meant to keep secret.
3 But that is about the only conclusive finding in the classified intelligence report, the officials said. And while a forthcoming unclassified version, expected to be released to Congress by June 25, will present few other firm conclusions, senior officials briefed on the intelligence conceded that the very ambiguity of the findings meant the government could not definitively rule out theories that the phenomena observed by military pilots might be alien spacecraft.
4 Americans’ long-running fascination with UFOs has intensified in recent weeks in anticipation of the release of the government report. Former President Barack Obama encouraged the interest when he gave an interview last month about the incidents on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on CBS.
5 “What is true, and I’m really being serious here,” Mr. Obama said, “is that there is film and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are.’’
6 The report concedes that much about the observed phenomena remains difficult to explain, including their acceleration, as well as ability to change direction and submerge. One possible explanation — that the phenomena could be weather balloons or other research balloons — does not hold up in all cases, the officials said, because of changes in wind speed at the times of some of the interactions.
7 Many of the more than 120 incidents examined in the report are from Navy personnel, officials said. The report also examined incidents involving foreign militaries over the last two decades. Intelligence officials believe that at least some of the aerial phenomena could have been experimental technology from a rival power, most likely Russia or China.
8 One senior official said without hesitation that U.S. officials knew it was not American technology. He said there was worry among intelligence and military officials that China or Russia could be experimenting with hypersonic technology.
9 He and other officials spoke about the classified findings in the report on the condition of anonymity.

Available at:
ufos-sighting-alien-spacecraft-pentagon.html>. Retrieved on:
July 7, 2021.

U.S. Finds No Evidence of Alien Technology
in Flying Objects, but can’t rule it out, either

1 WASHINGTON — American intelligence officials have found no evidence that aerial phenomena observed by Navy pilots in recent years are alien spacecraft, but they still cannot explain the unusual movements that have mystified scientists and the military.
2 The report determines that a vast majority of more than 120 incidents over the past two decades did not originate from any American military or other advanced US government technology, the officials said. That determination would appear to eliminate the possibility that Navy pilots who reported seeing unexplained aircraft might have encountered programs the government meant to keep secret.
3 But that is about the only conclusive finding in the classified intelligence report, the officials said. And while a forthcoming unclassified version, expected to be released to Congress by June 25, will present few other firm conclusions, senior officials briefed on the intelligence conceded that the very ambiguity of the findings meant the government could not definitively rule out theories that the phenomena observed by military pilots might be alien spacecraft.
4 Americans’ long-running fascination with UFOs has intensified in recent weeks in anticipation of the release of the government report. Former President Barack Obama encouraged the interest when he gave an interview last month about the incidents on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on CBS.
5 “What is true, and I’m really being serious here,” Mr. Obama said, “is that there is film and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are.’’
6 The report concedes that much about the observed phenomena remains difficult to explain, including their acceleration, as well as ability to change direction and submerge. One possible explanation — that the phenomena could be weather balloons or other research balloons — does not hold up in all cases, the officials said, because of changes in wind speed at the times of some of the interactions.
7 Many of the more than 120 incidents examined in the report are from Navy personnel, officials said. The report also examined incidents involving foreign militaries over the last two decades. Intelligence officials believe that at least some of the aerial phenomena could have been experimental technology from a rival power, most likely Russia or China.
8 One senior official said without hesitation that U.S. officials knew it was not American technology. He said there was worry among intelligence and military officials that China or Russia could be experimenting with hypersonic technology.
9 He and other officials spoke about the classified findings in the report on the condition of anonymity.

Available at:
ufos-sighting-alien-spacecraft-pentagon.html>. Retrieved on:
July 7, 2021.

TEXT 2 – Questions 41 to 50

Jean Piaget – Champion of Children’s Ideas "If logic itself is created rather than being inborn, it follows that the first task of education is to form reasoning." - Jean Piaget (1896-1980).

The legacy of Jean Piaget to the world of early childhood education is that he fundamentally altered the view of how a child learns. And a teacher, he believed, was more than a transmitter of knowledge. He/she was also an essential observer and guide to helping children build their own knowledge.
As a university graduate, Swiss-born Piaget got a routine job in Paris standardizing Binet-Simon IQ tests, where the emphasis was on children getting the right answers. Piaget observed that many children of the same ages gave the same kinds of incorrect answers. What could be learned from this?
Piaget interviewed many hundreds of children and concluded that children who are allowed to make mistakes often go on to discover their errors and correct them, or find new solutions. In this process, children build their own way of learning. From children's errors, teachers can obtain insights into the child's view of the world and can tell where guidance is needed. They can provide appropriate materials, ask encouraging questions, and allow the child to construct his own knowledge.
Piaget's continued interactions with young children became part of his life-long research. He explored children's countless "why" questions, such as, "Why is the sun round?" or "Why is grass green?", and concluded that they do not think like adults. Their thought processes have their own distinct order and special logic. Children are not "empty vessels to be filled with knowledge" (as traditional pedagogical theory had it). They are "active builders of knowledge - little scientists who construct their own theories of the world."
(Adapted from: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content)

TEXT 1 – Questions 31 to 40

Developing a Love of Reading in Students

Exposing new readers to a variety of genres can help them find the books they love. Plus, we’ll show some reading comprehension strategies to deepen their engagement.
By Kathryn Starke
January 31, 2020
Every elementary school teacher is essential in helping each child on his or her reading journey. When we provide the resources to meet the literacy needs of our students beginning as early as prekindergarten, students and teachers will feel both confident and competent in teaching and learning to read.
While helping students learn to read, it is also important to create a love of reading. Students who read voluntarily report less negativity about reading than those who are required to read. Motivation is the key here. One of the best resources I have found for creating motivation is a shelf filled with books that match students’ interest level and reading level. They should be surrounded by titles that reflect the lives of themselves as well as their classmates.
Also, students should be provided with books that represent all genres so that they can determine what they most enjoy reading. Student book choice is the first step in getting children hooked on reading. When students have ownership of their reading, successful, independent readers begin to bloom.
Assume that students have no understanding of the vocabulary words or content of the text. Allow them to make predictions, make connections, and ask questions before every reading experience to gauge their knowledge. These three comprehension strategies inform a teacher of the students’ proficiency about a particular topic. Encourage readers to use the title and pictures to make a prediction about what the book is about before reading it. During reading, students confirm their prediction and make a connection.

(Adapted from: https://www.edutopia.org)

TEXT 1 – Questions 31 to 40

Developing a Love of Reading in Students

Exposing new readers to a variety of genres can help them find the books they love. Plus, we’ll show some reading comprehension strategies to deepen their engagement.
By Kathryn Starke
January 31, 2020
Every elementary school teacher is essential in helping each child on his or her reading journey. When we provide the resources to meet the literacy needs of our students beginning as early as prekindergarten, students and teachers will feel both confident and competent in teaching and learning to read.
While helping students learn to read, it is also important to create a love of reading. Students who read voluntarily report less negativity about reading than those who are required to read. Motivation is the key here. One of the best resources I have found for creating motivation is a shelf filled with books that match students’ interest level and reading level. They should be surrounded by titles that reflect the lives of themselves as well as their classmates.
Also, students should be provided with books that represent all genres so that they can determine what they most enjoy reading. Student book choice is the first step in getting children hooked on reading. When students have ownership of their reading, successful, independent readers begin to bloom.
Assume that students have no understanding of the vocabulary words or content of the text. Allow them to make predictions, make connections, and ask questions before every reading experience to gauge their knowledge. These three comprehension strategies inform a teacher of the students’ proficiency about a particular topic. Encourage readers to use the title and pictures to make a prediction about what the book is about before reading it. During reading, students confirm their prediction and make a connection.

(Adapted from: https://www.edutopia.org)