Questões para Concursos

Leia o texto para responder à questão. ELF: English as a lingua franca The Vienna Oxford International Corpus of English (VOICE), a collection of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) currently under construction, defines lingua franca as an additionally acquired language system that serves as a means of communication for speakers from different speech communities, who use it to communicate with each other but for whom it is not their native language. Early findings from the VOICE corpus tentatively identify a number of features which point to systematic lexicogrammatical differences between native-speaker English and ELF, for example dropping the third person present tense ‘s’ (e.g. she wear), omitting definite and indefinite articles, insertion of prepositions (e.g. can we discuss about this issue). These features are not a threat to comprehension, as they involve typical errors that most English teachers would correct and remediate. However, Seidlhofer (2004) points out that they appear to be generally unproblematic and do not cause an obstacle to communicative success in ELF. The work of Jenkins (1996, 2000, 2004, 2005) has also been very influential in relation to the teaching of pronunciation for ELF. Her research finds that a number of items common to most native-speaker varieties of English were not necessary in successful ELF interactions; for example, the substitution of voiceless and voiced th with /t/ or /s/ and /d/ or /z/ (e.g. think became sink or tink , and this became dis or zis ). Jenkins argues that such features occur regularly in ELF interactions and do not cause intelligibility problems. Problems may arise in the (perhaps unfair) equation between a reduced or ‘stripped down’ ELF syllabus and an impoverished experience of the L2. Indeed, it could be argued that learners of any language always end up producing less than the input they are exposed to, and that if that input itself is deliberately restricted, then even less will be the outcome. (O’KEEFFE, A., MCCARTHY, M. & CARTER, R. From corpus to classroom. Language Use and Language Teaching. Cambridge, CUP. 2007. Adaptado)

Read the text by Brown to answer question. The question of whether or not to distinguish between native and nonnative speakers in the teaching profession has grown into a common and productive topic of research in the last decade. For many decades the English language teaching profession assumed that native English-speaking teachers, by virtue of their superior model of oral production, comprised the ideal English language teacher. Then, Medgyes (1994), among others, showed in his research that nonnative English speaking teachers offered as many if not more inherent advantages. Other authors concur by noting not only that multiple varieties of English are now considered legitimate and acceptable, but also that teachers who have actually gone through the process of learning English possess distinct advantages over native speakers. As we move into a new paradigm in which the concepts of native and nonnative “speaker” become less relevant, it is perhaps more appropriate to think in terms of the proficiency level of a user of a language. Speaking is one of four skills and may not deserve in all contexts to be elevated to the sole criterion for proficiency. So, the profession is better served by considering a person’s communicative proficiency across the four skills. Teachers of any language, regardless of their own variety of English, can then be judged accordingly, and in turn, their pedagogical training and experience can occupy focal attention. (Brown, 2006. Adaptado)

TEXT I Why do birds sing so loudly in the morning in spring? It’s the ‘dawn chorus’ As spring begins, so does a fresh song at daybreak, unique to the season. Just before the sun rises, birds start singing their melodies, creating a chirpy symphony. This phenomenon is known as the dawn chorus, and it’s special for a number of reasons: There are more birds singing at this time of year, and they also sing more often. This energetic burst of birdsong is often louder than usual too. The dawn chorus’ early morning explosion of sounds has even inspired multiple poems and songs. “It's the epitome of spring,” says Jordan E. Rutter, an ornithologist at the American Bird Conservancy. After the long and cold winter, “all of a sudden you have this influx of so many beautiful birds coming back and singing.” This harmony of birdsong at dawn happens during a fundamental time of the year. The dawn chorus is, in fact, mostly composed of birds of both genders singing to find a mate so they can breed (though males may sing more). “There is such a large increase in quantity of song by individuals and the collective,” Rutter says. “These birds sing louder to literally be heard. They need to compete with each other as well, and the louder the better in regards to who is the most impressive mate.” During this time, males also sing to assert their dominance and claim their territory. “Those songs are how they communicate to other males of the same species, or even just other birds and predators in general, and say, ‘This is my home,’” says Rutter. In the United States and Canada, the dawn chorus can be heard roughly from March through May, when many bird species migrate there from their winter homes to breed. Peak dawn chorus times might depend on where you live, Rutter says. For example, April is peak for the southern U.S., but birds in Washington, D.C., will put on the best show in early May. (Alternatively, in the tropics, the dawn chorus can be heard almost any time of year, as many birds have a prolonged breeding season in those warmer climates.) Why is it a ‘dawn’ chorus? But why birds sing in the early morning is still “an open question,” says Mike Webster, an ornithologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “There's a lot of debate, and I don't think there's any consensus on exactly why it is that everything happens at dawn." One hypothesis is that weather conditions at daybreak make it easier for birdsong to travel. “In general, sound travels farther when the air is cooler and more dense. Sound also transmits more clearly (and very slightly faster) when humidity is higher so that details of the song do not degrade as much over distance,” says Heather Williams, a professor at Williams College who has studied the neuroscience of birdsong. She notes that wind may also impede sound transmission. “At dawn, the cooler air results in decreased winds at ground level, so coupled with the higher humidity, sound carries farther and more clearly, with less distortion.” Extract from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/birds-dawn-chorus (Accessed on 14 April 2025.)

TEXT I Why do birds sing so loudly in the morning in spring? It’s the ‘dawn chorus’ As spring begins, so does a fresh song at daybreak, unique to the season. Just before the sun rises, birds start singing their melodies, creating a chirpy symphony. This phenomenon is known as the dawn chorus, and it’s special for a number of reasons: There are more birds singing at this time of year, and they also sing more often. This energetic burst of birdsong is often louder than usual too. The dawn chorus’ early morning explosion of sounds has even inspired multiple poems and songs. “It's the epitome of spring,” says Jordan E. Rutter, an ornithologist at the American Bird Conservancy. After the long and cold winter, “all of a sudden you have this influx of so many beautiful birds coming back and singing.” This harmony of birdsong at dawn happens during a fundamental time of the year. The dawn chorus is, in fact, mostly composed of birds of both genders singing to find a mate so they can breed (though males may sing more). “There is such a large increase in quantity of song by individuals and the collective,” Rutter says. “These birds sing louder to literally be heard. They need to compete with each other as well, and the louder the better in regards to who is the most impressive mate.” During this time, males also sing to assert their dominance and claim their territory. “Those songs are how they communicate to other males of the same species, or even just other birds and predators in general, and say, ‘This is my home,’” says Rutter. In the United States and Canada, the dawn chorus can be heard roughly from March through May, when many bird species migrate there from their winter homes to breed. Peak dawn chorus times might depend on where you live, Rutter says. For example, April is peak for the southern U.S., but birds in Washington, D.C., will put on the best show in early May. (Alternatively, in the tropics, the dawn chorus can be heard almost any time of year, as many birds have a prolonged breeding season in those warmer climates.) Why is it a ‘dawn’ chorus? But why birds sing in the early morning is still “an open question,” says Mike Webster, an ornithologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “There's a lot of debate, and I don't think there's any consensus on exactly why it is that everything happens at dawn." One hypothesis is that weather conditions at daybreak make it easier for birdsong to travel. “In general, sound travels farther when the air is cooler and more dense. Sound also transmits more clearly (and very slightly faster) when humidity is higher so that details of the song do not degrade as much over distance,” says Heather Williams, a professor at Williams College who has studied the neuroscience of birdsong. She notes that wind may also impede sound transmission. “At dawn, the cooler air results in decreased winds at ground level, so coupled with the higher humidity, sound carries farther and more clearly, with less distortion.” Extract from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/birds-dawn-chorus (Accessed on 14 April 2025.)

Agriculture and fisheries are closely linked to climate, making them vulnerable to changes in temperature, CO2 levels, and extreme weather. While increased temperature and CO2 can enhance some crop yields, this depends on factors like nutrient levels, soil moisture, and water availability. More frequent droughts and floods could challenge food production and safety, while warming waters may shift fish habitats, disrupting ecosystems. Overall, climate change may complicate traditional methods of farming, livestock raising, and fishing. Crop responses to temperature changes depend on each crop's optimal growth temperature. Warmer conditions might benefit certain crops or enable the cultivation of new ones, but yields decline if temperatures exceed a crop's threshold. Increased CO2 can enhance plant growth under controlled conditions but may be offset by water, nutrient, and temperature constraints. Additionally, elevated CO2 reduces the protein and nitrogen content in crops like soybeans and alfalfa, lowering their quality and diminishing the forage value for livestock. Extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, can harm crops and reduce yields. For example, high nighttime temperatures in 2010 and 2012 lowered U.S. corn yields, while premature budding caused $ 220 million in losses for Michigan cherries in 2012. Rising summer temperatures may also dry soils, complicating drought management. Increased irrigation could help, but reduced water availability might limit its feasibility. Climate change also favors weeds, pests, and fungi, which thrive in warmer, wetter conditions with higher CO2 levels. This could expose crops to new threats and increase farming costs. U.S. farmers already spend over $ 11 billion annually on weed control, and these challenges are likely to grow as weed and pest ranges expand. While rising CO2 stimulates plant growth, it also lowers the nutritional value of major crops like wheat, rice, and soybeans by reducing their protein and mineral content. This poses a potential risk to human health. Additionally, increased pest pressure may lead to higher pesticide use, further impacting health and reducing pesticide effectiveness. Climate change, therefore, presents multifaceted challenges to food production, nutrition, and ecosystems. Internet: (adapted).

Text 7A1-II Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost. The Road Not Taken . 1916 (adapted).

A new scholarship aimed at developing the next generation of artificial intelligence “pioneers” will open to applicants in spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning studies the following autumn. The Sparck AI scholarships, named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Sparck Jones, will give master’s degree university students access to industry-leading firms as the Government looks to boost the UK’s AI credentials.

The University of Bristol will be one of nine universities to offer the fully-funded Government scholarship, alongside faculties in Newcastle, Manchester and Edinburgh. The scheme has been developed in line with the Government’s “AI Opportunities Action Plan”, receiving more than £17 million of funding from Westminster, with the grant covering both students’ tuition and living costs. Alongside master’s places, 100 scholars will receive placements in leading AI companies, as well as mentorship from industry experts. It is hoped the scholarships will give students “unparalleled access” to the fast-moving industry.

Vice-Chancellor Evelyn Welch said the scholarships would give Bristol the chance to “explore bold new ideas and nurture exceptional talent.” Technology Secretary Peter Kyle MP said he believed the scheme would help students secure “highly skilled jobs” and build “a workforce fit for the future.” AI talent acquisition firm Beamery said the scholarships would help their goal to create “equal access to work” and connect “talent to opportunity”. Internet: (adapted).

A new scholarship aimed at developing the next generation of artificial intelligence “pioneers” will open to applicants in spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning studies the following autumn. The Sparck AI scholarships, named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Sparck Jones, will give master’s degree university students access to industry-leading firms as the Government looks to boost the UK’s AI credentials.

The University of Bristol will be one of nine universities to offer the fully-funded Government scholarship, alongside faculties in Newcastle, Manchester and Edinburgh. The scheme has been developed in line with the Government’s “AI Opportunities Action Plan”, receiving more than £17 million of funding from Westminster, with the grant covering both students’ tuition and living costs. Alongside master’s places, 100 scholars will receive placements in leading AI companies, as well as mentorship from industry experts. It is hoped the scholarships will give students “unparalleled access” to the fast-moving industry.

Vice-Chancellor Evelyn Welch said the scholarships would give Bristol the chance to “explore bold new ideas and nurture exceptional talent.” Technology Secretary Peter Kyle MP said he believed the scheme would help students secure “highly skilled jobs” and build “a workforce fit for the future.” AI talent acquisition firm Beamery said the scholarships would help their goal to create “equal access to work” and connect “talent to opportunity”. Internet: (adapted).

Leia o texto para responder à questão. An introduction to Strategic Management Strategic Management is all about identification and description of the strategies that managers can carry to achieve better performance and a competitive advantage for their organization. An organization is said to have competitive advantage in case its profitability is higher than the average profitability for all companies in its industry. Strategic management can also be defined as a bundle of decisions and acts which a manager undertakes and which decides the result of the firm’s performance. The manager must have a thorough knowledge and analysis of the general and competitive organizational environment to take right decisions. The managers should conduct a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) in order to make the best possible utilization of strengths, minimize the organizational weaknesses, make use of arising opportunities from the business environment. They should not ignore the threats either. Strategic management is nothing but planning for both predictable as well as unfeasible contingencies. It is applicable to both small and large organizations as even the smallest organization faces competition and, by formulating and implementing appropriate strategies, they can attain sustainable competitive advantage. It is a way in which a strategist sets the objectives and proceeds about attaining them. It deals with making and implementing decisions about future direction of an organization. It helps us to identify the direction in which an organization is moving. (www.managementstudyguide.com/strategic-management.htm. Adaptado)

Read the following text: TEXT I The teaching of English as a foreign language in the context of Brazilian regular schools: a retrospective and prospective view of policies and practices Read the following text: The movement towards a more meaningful approach to the teaching of English as a foreign language in Brazilian regular schools reached its climax in the 20th century with the publication of the Brazilian National Curricular Parameters (PCN) for the teaching of foreign languages at basic education level. Since then, the community of teachers has been divided into those who welcomed the contents, views and propositions of the document, and the ones who believed that the suggestions it contained were inappropriate. At the center of this controversy was the importance given by the official policies to the teaching of reading, as opposed to an approach, borrowed from private language institutes, which historically favored a focus on the oral skills. A brief overview of the recent history of ELT in Brazilian regular schools During the 1970s, the so-called audiolingual method, based on behaviorist and structuralist assumptions, was still considered the only scientific way of teaching a foreign language. Its emphasis on the oral skills and on the exhaustive repetition of structural exercises seemed to work well in the contexts of private language institutes. Those contexts were characterized by the gathering of small numbers of highly motivated students per class, a weekly time-table superior in the number of hours to the one adopted in regular schools, and plenty of audiovisual resources. Questionable in itself, both because of its results (which in time were revealed to be less efficient than believed, especially in terms of fluency) and its theoretical assumptions, the method ended up being adopted by regular schools due to its positive reputation at the time. The failure of the methodology in this context would soon become evident, generating extreme frustration both amongst teachers and students. From the 1980s on, with the spread of ideas connected to the so-called communicative approach and the growth of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), the community of researchers and teachers interested in the context of regular schools started reviewing the assumptions and logic of English Language Teaching (ELT). Recognizing that each and every school discipline needs to justify its presence in the curriculum socially and educationally, this movement identified the skill of reading as the most relevant one for the students attending the majority of Brazilian regular schools.This understanding was achieved by considering not only the possibility of real use outside school, but also the role this approach could play in the achievement of other educational goals, such as the improvement of student's reading abilities in Portuguese as a mother tongue. This movement reached its climax with the publication of the Brazilian National Curricular Parameters (PCN) for the teaching of foreign languages at basic education level by the end of the 1990s. The document recommended the focus on the teaching of reading within a view of language as discourse. However, it did not close the door on the teaching of any other skill, as long as the context made it possible and relevant. This understanding was achieved by considering not only the possibility of real use outside school, but also the role this approach could play in the achievement of other educational goals, such as the improvement of student's reading abilities in Portuguese as a mother tongue. This movement reached its climax with the publication of the Brazilian National Curricular Parameters (PCN) for the teaching of foreign languages at basic education level by the end of the 1990s. The document recommended the focus on the teaching of reading within a view of language as discourse. However, it did not close the door on the teaching of any other skill, as long as the context made it possible and relevant. Another important characteristic of the Parameters that should not be overlooked is their emphasis on teacher's autonomy. This emphasis can be seen clearly in the fact that no content or method is imposed upon the teachers. What one can find are suggestions and relevant information for teachers to make their own decisions, taking into consideration the context within which they work. In other words, the Parameters do not force any teacher to limit their focus on the teaching of reading, if they believe they can go further than that. To be or not to be: professional identities and beliefs When asked why they were against the focus on reading, most teachers who take this position, told me that they considered the teaching of reading to be "not enough". Most of them also added that if the teaching of reading was designed to fit a context where one cannot effectively teach the oral skills, then we should not adapt ourselves to that context, but rather demand the improvements that would make more feasible the teaching of the so-called four skills. Let us consider these statements more closely. The first one is about quantity, that is, by teaching "only" the reading skill, the teacher would be denying her/his students the opportunity for learning all the other skills. They would be denied the opportunity for learning to speak English, which is, after all, assumed to be the real goal of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Reasonable and democratic as it may seem, such an argument fails to take into consideration at least one extremely relevant issue: the fact that in Brazil there are virtually no reports of successful teaching of the four skills in contexts other than the private language institutes. Before the mid-1980s, several different attempts were made to make ELT work out at regular schools, but only those which completely changed the characteristics of the classes (making them look almost exactly like the small, homogeneous classes of the private institutes) were able to achieve some (questionable) level of success. In other words, the integrative approach to ELT, with its claim of teaching the four skills, focusing especially on the oral skills, has never been successful in our regular schools, including most of the private ones, with very few exceptions. If that is indeed the case, then it makes very little sense to speak of giving our students more or less of something that they never really had. And even if we are to speak in such terms, then it is extremely clear (at least for those who tried it) that the communicative teaching of one skill is definitely better (and more) than the pantomime of allegedly teaching the four skills, which was never successful in the context of Brazilian schools. Where do we go from here? Any attempt to establish new policies for the teaching of EFL at Brazilian regular schools should start with the recognition that the PCN were a very important step towards meaningful foreign language education in this context. Without such recognition, there will always be the suspicion that the old beliefs connected to the professional identity of the teacher as an instructor are coming back. Surely, we do not want to teach only reading forever. But sound attempts to go forward in enhancing the relevance of our teaching should start with the discussion of the three groups of reasons that justified the propositions of the PCN. The focus on reading was considered the most adequate for the majority of our schools because of practical considerations about our working conditions, social relevance, and educational relevance. As far as practical conditions and educational relevance are concerned, virtually no major change has occurred in order to justify reframing our teaching. However, in what concerns social relevance, it is undeniable that the growth of the Internet has provided a new context for the use of the English language outside schools. For that reason, it is my belief that skills other than reading may now be taught in our classes without representing a return to a rationale that is alien to our schools. The teaching of writing in the context of Internet genres and practices is definitely necessary, if we want our students to have their own voice, becoming able to project their own local identities in global contexts. Adapted from: ALMEIDA, Ricardo Luiz Teixeira de. Scielo Brazil – Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada - https://www.scielo.br/j/rbla/a/ nNz3Jtj85xmms8MnNfwRpMn/?lang=en. Accessed: 05/02/2024.