(...)
The changing of the seasons
1
In Great Britain, from four-year-olds being
bundled off to pre-school to freshers embarking on
their undergraduate studies, autumn has traditionally been the start of the academic year. But is there any
reason why it should be?2
Seemingly not. Plenty of universities — though primarily the newer ones — now offer dual — or even triple — entry start dates for undergraduate courses, and students seem to appreciate the benefits.
3
But first, a bit of history: what prompted the original September/October start?
4
“It could well be that the start of the Michaelmas term reflected the needs of an agricultural economy”, says a professor of history at the University of Buckingham, which operates three undergraduate start dates and uses the traditional long summer break as a fourth term.
5
“Obviously, harvest was the time when demand for labour was greatest. Without modern machinery, it was essential to use every hand available to get the crops in before the weather broke. This explanation is open to the objection that those going up to Oxford or Cambridge would have been of a social status incompatible with manual labour of any kind. This may have been true from the late 17th Century to around World War II, but in earlier times the proportion of undergraduates from quite humble origins was rather higher.”
6
The other explanation, he continues, concerned the need to avoid contact with disease. “Most epidemics, particularly plague, tended to occur in the summer months, and towns were especially vulnerable.” Hence the long vacation away from centres of learning in July, August and September.
Internet: <www.guardian.co.uk> (adapted)
1 The text takes into account seasons of the year in the
North Hemisphere.(...)
Based on the text, judge the following items.
2 In England, the academic year traditionally begins in the fall.
3 According to the text, undergraduates tend to prefer
universities with a single entry to those with multiple
entries.
The text takes into account seasons of the year in the North Hemisphere.
In England, the academic year traditionally begins in the fall.
According to the text, undergraduates tend to prefer universities with a single entry to those with multiple entries.
“Seemingly” (l.6) means unlikely.
TEXTO 2: This text refers to items from 9 through 15.
(...)
1
Internet: <thinkexist.com> (adapted).
(...)
From the text, it is correct to deduce thatone should live one’s own life.
dogmas are precepts to be followed by people as they represent other persons’ reasonable set of beliefs.
your inner voice must not be let out as it may disturb other individuals.
it is rather important to convince people to follow your beliefs.
it is very important to listen to your heart and intuition.
your future ought to be your main concern.
In the text,
“drown out” (R.4) means disagree with.
TEXTO 3: This text refers to items from 16 through 22.
(...)
1
There are many misconceptions about what most biologists
understand by evolution. By definition, describing any animal as
primitive is not the same as saying that it has not undergone the same
amount of adaptive change as everything else. Coelacanths are certainly
very much like some fossils, but that does not mean that they have
stopped evolving. In much the same way, modern crocodiles are very
similar to fossil crocodiles. In both cases we can see that these animals
are supremely adapted to their environments, but these environments
have not changed recently and nor have the animals.
2
Mantis shrimps, as a group of animals, are twice as old as the
dinosaurs. The dinosaurs’ environment changed too rapidly for them to
adapt (maybe literally overnight if asteroid-impact theories are correct),
but the mantis shrimps have obviously been able to cope with changes.
Everything alive today is equally modern, and when biologists describe
a creature as primitive they mean simply that it does not appear to have
changed much recently. Fossils only give information about the harder
parts of animals that existed in the past. Nothing about the physiology
or behaviour of deceased animals is preserved in the rocks.
Internet: <fishinsects.suite101.com> (adapted).
(...)
According to the text,17 although coelacanths and crocodiles are very similar to their fossilized ancestors, it is correct to say that they have evolved.
18 the evolution of animals is determined by the changes in their
respective habitats.
19 dinosaurs are as old as mantis shrimps.
although coelacanths and crocodiles are very similar to their fossilized ancestors, it is correct to say that they have evolved.(embora os celacantos e os crocodilos sejam muito semelhantes aos seus ancestrais fossilizados, é correto dizer que eles evoluíram.)
the evolution of animals is determined by the changes in their respective habitats.
(a evolução dos animais é determinada pelas mudanças em seus respectivos habitats.)
dinosaurs are as old as mantis shrimps.
(os dinossauros são tão antigos quanto os camarões mantis.)
TEXTO 4: This text refers to items from 23 through 30.
(...)
(...)
1
In short, Virginia Woolf suggests that time exists
in different forms. It exists in the external world, but also
— and perhaps more importantly — in our internal world.
Her description of the loud and rushing civilization
suggests that we push ahead in the name of progress,
without fully appreciating the moment. Through the
character of Clarissa, Woolf challenges the usual definition
of success. Perhaps we need not leave some magnificent
gift behind in the form of a building or a concrete art piece.
Instead, maybe it is how we live our lives and our
appreciation for the present that are truly more powerful
and eternal. The small gifts we offer others, like bringing
people together through a party, can touch people
differently than a monument.
Internet: <prizedwriting.ucdavis.edu> (adapted)
(...)
The text conveys the idea that23 Woolf believes that external time is more important than internal time.
24 Woolf suggests that modern technology is allowing
people to better appreciate their internal time.
Woolf believes that external time is more important than internal time.
(Woolf acredita que o tempo externo é mais importante do que o tempo interno.)
Woolf suggests that modern technology is allowing people to better appreciate their internal time.
(Woolf sugere que a tecnologia moderna está permitindo que as pessoas apreciem melhor seu tempo interno.)
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