Questões de Inglês

Stanford physicists make new form of matter

The laser-cooled quantum gas opens exciting new

realms of unconventional superconductivity.

By Max McClure

Stanford University News



Within the exotic world of macroscopic quantum
effects, where fluids flow uphill, wires conduct without
electrical resistance and magnets levitate, there is an
even stranger family of “unconventional” phenomena:
strongly interacting fermions, a class of particles that
are often very difficult to understand on the quantum
level. These materials often defy explanation by
current theoretical physics, but hold enormous
promise for the development of futuristic technologies
as room-temperature superconductors, ultrasensitive
microscopes and quantum computation.

Last week the scientific world was appalled when
a Stanford team made the announcement in Physical
Review Letters that they had created the world’s first
dipolar quantum fermionic gas– “an entirely new
form of quantum matter,” as Stanford applied physics
Professor and lead author Benjamin Lev puts it. Lev
affirmed that this development represents a major
step toward understanding the behavior of these
systems of particles. Until now, research efforts had
focused on cooling bosons – fundamentally different
from fermions, and much easier to work with. But
now the Stanford team extended these techniques to
gases made of the most magnetic atom: a fermionic
isotope of dysprosium with magnetic energies 440
times larger than previously cooled gases.

He explained that when the thermal energy of
some substances drops below a certain critical point,
it used to be impossible to consider its component
particles separately since the material becomes
strongly correlated and its quantum effects become
difficult to understand and study. Nevertheless,
making the material out of a gas of atoms allows it
to become visible. These quantum gases, the coldest
objects known to man, are where researchers can
observe zero-viscosity fluids – superfluids – that are
mathematical cousins of superconductors.

Thus far, the result of the Lev lab’s high-tech efforts
is a tiny ball of ultracold quantum dipolar fluid. But the
researchers have reason to believe that the humble
substance will exhibit the seemingly contradictory
characteristics of both crystals and superfluids. This
combination could lead to quantum liquid crystals.
Or it could yield a supersolid – a hypothetical state
of matter that would, in theory at least, be a solid with
superfluid characteristics.

The researchers have already begun developing a
microscope to make use of the dipolar quantum fluid’s
unique characteristics. It is the “cryogenic atom chip
microscope”, a magnetic probe that should measure
magnetic fields with unprecedented sensitivity and
resolution. “This kind of probe may even allow for a
more stable form of quantum computation that uses
exotic quantum matter to process information, known
as a topologically protected quantum computer”,
said Lev. “So this new approach is really incredibly
exciting.”

Available at: . Retrieved on: 5 June 2012. Adapted.



According to the text, the cryogenic atom chip microscope

a) uses exotic quantum matter to look at stable fluid.
b) had been invented before the quantum boson was identified.
c) will allow for high resolution computation of unstable phenomena.
d) will not be the only application planned for the new matter.
e) is a topologically protected quantum lens that allows for incredible amplification.

A resposta correta é:

Brazil"s exports


Trade barriers imposed by Argentina on imports in general have resulted in a drop of 16% in Brazil"s exports to its neighbor in the first half of this year. Between January and June last year, Brazil sold goods worth US$ 10.43 billion to Argentina. This year, during the same period, the value of goods sold to Argentina is US$ 1.6 billion less.
In spite of the trade barriers, the executive secretary at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Alessandro Teixeira, blames the international crisis for the situation. "The cause of these problems is the international crisis. It affects Argentina and it affects us, too," he declared. Teixeira noted that negotiations have improved the relationship with Argentina, that there has been a more positive dialogue.
Brazil"s exports to Eastern Europe are down 38% and down 8% to the European Union in the first half. On the other hand, they have risen by over US$ 2 billion to China during the same period.

From: Brazzil Magazine July 2012 [adapted]



In 2012, Brazil"s exports

a) have all been reduced in comparison with last year.
b) to Argentina have increased due to positive dialogue.
c) have decreased with Eastern Europe but gone up with the European Union.
d) are expected to show an increase by the end of the year.
e) have generally declined, except for goods sent to China.

A resposta correta é:

Water Wars May Lie Ahead

By Neena Rai

June 29, 2011, 9:20 AM GMT



There is a famous Chinese proverb that warns
“not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also.”

And with global water shortages on the horizon,
climate change supporters say an extreme response
will be needed from international governments to stem
the potential for conflict it will create around the world.

Professor Patricia Wouters at the IHP-HELP
Centre for water law, policy and science at University
of Dundee, said the world could face a future of “water
wars” as deterioration in climatic patterns and global
population growth leave people struggling to stake
their claim to the natural resource.

The World Bank in a report said that 1.4 million
people could be facing water scarcity by 2025. But
the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD ) forecast is even more gloomy.
It estimates that 47% of the world’s population could
face water stress in the same period – equivalent to
more than three billion people.
The issue isn’t restricted to countries that typically
see temperatures soar, such as Cyprus, which in
2009 was forced to import water in tankers and ration
its use. Northern hemisphere nations like the U.K. are
also finding themselves in the midst of a drought in
some regions, forcing governments to start to take
action. The U.K. government, for instance, plans
to issue a Water White Paper this December that
will focus on the future challenges facing the water
industry and measures to increase protection of river
flows during summer months.

Parts of the U.K. are currently marked as having
drought status and other areas of the country are
deemed to be at risk of drought. The U.K.’s Department
for Environment Food and Rural Affairs held a second
drought summit Monday, at which Secretary of State
Caroline Spelman warned the prospect of a dry
summer and dry winter could have a serious impact
on the country’s water reserves.

“We’re going to keep working with farmers, water
companies and environmental groups to minimize
the impacts of drought, because this year is sign of
things to come,” she said. “The climate is changing
and these extreme weather events will become more
common. How we deal with that problem will be one
of the key parts of our Water White Paper, which will
be published later this year.”

This may be a far cry from a declaration of war
on other more water-abundant nations, but reaching
this stage in some countries isn’t beyond the realms
of imagination. Egypt and Ethiopia have been battling
the issue for the share of the Nile’s water reserves,
and Israel – already fighting Palestine for territory
that includes precious water reserves – has started
to charge the agricultural sector high rates for using
the resource.

Even in the U.K., the armed forces are being
prepared for potential conflicts over water.

Professor Wouters said that military plans are
being prepared on a 30-year horizon, but that the
water security topic had somewhat fallen off the
table since the financial crisis. Portugal and Spain
are facing serious water scarcity issues but the
agricultural sector there is having to shout loudly for
its voice to be heard above the noise of the countries’
current financial woes.

Maybe Israel’s entrepreneurial approach to
the issue is the way forward. Nevertheless, the fact
remains that water scarcity is now firmly on the
agenda of the world’s governments, and isn’t going to
vanish overnight.

Available at:. Retrieved on: March 11, 2012.



The author"s main purpose in Text is to

a) expose some secret military plans to save water for the future.
b) alert about the harmful impact of water shortages in the future.
c) justify the war between Ethiopia and Egypt for a larger share of the Nile.
d) defend the high charges for use of water in agricultural areas in the Middle East.
e) complain about the inefficiency of international governments in dealing with water wars.

A resposta correta é:

Brazil"s exports


Trade barriers imposed by Argentina on imports in general have resulted in a drop of 16% in Brazil"s exports to its neighbor in the first half of this year. Between January and June last year, Brazil sold goods worth US$ 10.43 billion to Argentina. This year, during the same period, the value of goods sold to Argentina is US$ 1.6 billion less.
In spite of the trade barriers, the executive secretary at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Alessandro Teixeira, blames the international crisis for the situation. "The cause of these problems is the international crisis. It affects Argentina and it affects us, too," he declared. Teixeira noted that negotiations have improved the relationship with Argentina, that there has been a more positive dialogue.
Brazil"s exports to Eastern Europe are down 38% and down 8% to the European Union in the first half. On the other hand, they have risen by over US$ 2 billion to China during the same period.

From: Brazzil Magazine July 2012 [adapted]



Argentina has

a) placed restrictions on most imports.
b) discriminated against Brazil more than others.
c) encouraged the entry of goods from abroad.
d) allowed Brazil to export more than last year.
e) blamed the international crisis for it imports.

A resposta correta é:

Brazil"s exports


Trade barriers imposed by Argentina on imports in general have resulted in a drop of 16% in Brazil"s exports to its neighbor in the first half of this year. Between January and June last year, Brazil sold goods worth US$ 10.43 billion to Argentina. This year, during the same period, the value of goods sold to Argentina is US$ 1.6 billion less.
In spite of the trade barriers, the executive secretary at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Alessandro Teixeira, blames the international crisis for the situation. "The cause of these problems is the international crisis. It affects Argentina and it affects us, too," he declared. Teixeira noted that negotiations have improved the relationship with Argentina, that there has been a more positive dialogue.
Brazil"s exports to Eastern Europe are down 38% and down 8% to the European Union in the first half. On the other hand, they have risen by over US$ 2 billion to China during the same period.

From: Brazzil Magazine July 2012 [adapted]



Alessandro Teixeira"s comments on Argentina"s position could best be described as

a) hostile.
b) cowardly.
c) diplomatic.
d) unfriendly.
e) pessimistic.

A resposta correta é:

- Read the text below and answer the question.


The Five Generations of Computers


Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices.
The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations of computing devices. Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices. Read about each generation and the developments that led to the current devices that we use today.

First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes

The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.
First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls—on a single chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.

Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence

Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2002/FiveGenerations.asp (consultado em 11/04/12)



According to the context, "devices" are

a) a method used to produce and effect you want to.
b) a bomb or any other kind of explosive.
c) some objects invented a very long time ago.
d) objects or machines which have been invented to fulfill a specific purpose.
e) a kind of old machine invented by Americans many years ago.

A resposta correta é:

South Korea banks in rate-rigging investigation


A South Korea financial regulator has started an investigation into alleged interest rate rigging by some of the country"s banks. The Fair Trade Commission is looking at possible collusion over setting certificates of deposit ( CD ), used as a benchmark to set lending rates. It follows the Libor-rigging scandal involving Barclays and possibly several other UK banks.
A CD is a way of saving with a fixed interest rate and maturity sold by banks and circulated in the secondary market by brokerages. Financial firms benefit from a high CD rates as many household loans are linked to them. They are frequently used to help South Koreans buy homes. The possible rigging of CD can help flatter companies" financial health.
The indebtedness of South Koreans has become a particular worry to the authorities as the economy slows.

From: www.bbc.com/news [slightly adpated]



The opening paragraph suggests that some South Korean banks may have

a) acted dishonestly.
b) deserved commendation.
c) been unfairly attacked.
d) started an investigation.
e) moved to the UK.

A resposta correta é:

Water Wars May Lie Ahead

By Neena Rai

June 29, 2011, 9:20 AM GMT



There is a famous Chinese proverb that warns
“not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also.”

And with global water shortages on the horizon,
climate change supporters say an extreme response
will be needed from international governments to stem
the potential for conflict it will create around the world.

Professor Patricia Wouters at the IHP-HELP
Centre for water law, policy and science at University
of Dundee, said the world could face a future of “water
wars” as deterioration in climatic patterns and global
population growth leave people struggling to stake
their claim to the natural resource.

The World Bank in a report said that 1.4 million
people could be facing water scarcity by 2025. But
the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD ) forecast is even more gloomy.
It estimates that 47% of the world’s population could
face water stress in the same period – equivalent to
more than three billion people.
The issue isn’t restricted to countries that typically
see temperatures soar, such as Cyprus, which in
2009 was forced to import water in tankers and ration
its use. Northern hemisphere nations like the U.K. are
also finding themselves in the midst of a drought in
some regions, forcing governments to start to take
action. The U.K. government, for instance, plans
to issue a Water White Paper this December that
will focus on the future challenges facing the water
industry and measures to increase protection of river
flows during summer months.

Parts of the U.K. are currently marked as having
drought status and other areas of the country are
deemed to be at risk of drought. The U.K.’s Department
for Environment Food and Rural Affairs held a second
drought summit Monday, at which Secretary of State
Caroline Spelman warned the prospect of a dry
summer and dry winter could have a serious impact
on the country’s water reserves.

“We’re going to keep working with farmers, water
companies and environmental groups to minimize
the impacts of drought, because this year is sign of
things to come,” she said. “The climate is changing
and these extreme weather events will become more
common. How we deal with that problem will be one
of the key parts of our Water White Paper, which will
be published later this year.”

This may be a far cry from a declaration of war
on other more water-abundant nations, but reaching
this stage in some countries isn’t beyond the realms
of imagination. Egypt and Ethiopia have been battling
the issue for the share of the Nile’s water reserves,
and Israel – already fighting Palestine for territory
that includes precious water reserves – has started
to charge the agricultural sector high rates for using
the resource.

Even in the U.K., the armed forces are being
prepared for potential conflicts over water.

Professor Wouters said that military plans are
being prepared on a 30-year horizon, but that the
water security topic had somewhat fallen off the
table since the financial crisis. Portugal and Spain
are facing serious water scarcity issues but the
agricultural sector there is having to shout loudly for
its voice to be heard above the noise of the countries’
current financial woes.

Maybe Israel’s entrepreneurial approach to
the issue is the way forward. Nevertheless, the fact
remains that water scarcity is now firmly on the
agenda of the world’s governments, and isn’t going to
vanish overnight.

Available at:. Retrieved on: March 11, 2012.



In Text , the excerpt, "the world could face a future of "water wars" " (lines 9-10), the verb form in bold expresses the idea of

a) advice
b) suggestion
c) necessity
d) obligation
e) possibility

A resposta correta é:

South Korea banks in rate-rigging investigation



A South Korea financial regulator has started an
investigation into alleged interest rate rigging by some of
the country"s banks. The Fair Trade Commission is looking
at possible collusion over setting certificates of deposit
( CD ), used as a benchmark to set lending rates. It follows
the Libor-rigging scandal involving Barclays and possibly
several other UK banks.
A CD is a way of saving with a fixed interest rate and
maturity sold by banks and circulated in the secondary
market by brokerages. Financial firms benefit from a high
CD rates as many household loans are linked to them. They
are frequently used to help South Koreans buy homes. The
possible rigging of CD can help flatter companies" financial
health.
The indebtedness of South Koreans has become a
particular worry to the authorities as the economy slows.

From: www.bbc.com/news [slightly adpated]



In paragraph 2 line 3, the word "brokerages" refers to

a) second class financial deals.
b) companies that buy and sell financial assets.
c) firms perceived as likely to go bankrupt.
d) large accountancy enterprises.
e) risky exchange rate transactions.

A resposta correta é:

- Read the text below and answer the question.


The Five Generations of Computers


Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices.
The history of computer development is often referred to in reference to the different generations of computing devices. Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices. Read about each generation and the developments that led to the current devices that we use today.

First Generation (1940-1956) Vacuum Tubes

The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very expensive to operate and in addition to using a great deal of electricity, generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions.
First generation computers relied on machine language, the lowest-level programming language understood by computers, to perform operations, and they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.
The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered to a business client, the U.S. Census Bureau in 1951.

Second Generation (1956-1963) Transistors

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of computers. The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output.
Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology.The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

Third Generation (1964-1971) Integrated Circuits

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers.
Instead of punched cards and printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run many different applications at one time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.

Fourth Generation (1971-Present) Microprocessors

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output controls—on a single chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began to use microprocessors.
As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.

Fifth Generation (Present and Beyond) Artificial Intelligence

Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self-organization.

http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2002/FiveGenerations.asp (consultado em 11/04/12)



What sort of changes does each generation of computer represent?

a) According to the text it doesn"t represent anything.
b) The sort of changes are so small we don"t perceive them.
c) Each generation of computer represent large new technological advance to the world computer.
d) Every change means the new computers are more and more inefficient devices.
e) The researchers didn"t get to improve the technology of the new computers.

A resposta correta é: