Questões de Inglês

Committee decides to lower the use of thermoelectric

power generation

GTCIT Magazine



The Monitoring Committee of the Electric Sector
( CMSE ) decided on Monday (May 30, 2012), to
diminish the thermoelectric power generation in Brazil
as of next week. According to the Ministry of Mines
and Energy, Márcio Zimmermann, the thermoelectric
generation, which currently averages 4.000 megawatts
(MW), should now be reduced to 2.500 MW.

These plants are used in Brazil mainly to prevent
a power outage in the country in times of drought,
when the reservoirs of the dams are low. But the
ministry assured that the reservoir of the hydroelectric
plants are satisfactory, and that there will be no need
to resort to the thermoelectric resources.

According to the Minister Zimmermann, the
Southeast has an average of 90% of its reservoirs full,
which is an excellent level for this time of year. Even
the Northeast, whose reservoir levels are a little lower,
do not compromise system security.

“The system is operating perfectly within the
current conditions, which safely allows us to reduce
the generation of thermoelectric energy. This will give
us an economic surplus that can be used towards
system maintenance and in the implementation of
new quality programs for the energy sector”, he said.
He also explained that: “of course, this does not
mean that the committee will not be flexible as to
this decision in case the current conditions take an
unexpected turn.” They will be following the reduction
of the projection for the coming months and, if
necessary, the plans will be changed according to
the demands vis-a-vis the resources.

Available at: . Retrieved on: 13 June 2012. Adapted.



In the text, "They" (line 28) refers to the

a) plans
b) resources
c) conditions
d) demands
e) committee

A resposta correta é:

Facing headwinds, Dilma changes course

Source: www.economist.com (Adapted )

Aug 18th, 2012


The government announces plans to privatise infrastructure, and disappoints striking bureaucrats. In recent years Brazil"s government has been able to avoid tough spending choices. Faster economic growth and falling tax evasion have translated into steadily rising revenues, allowing the federal government to hire more workers and pay them more, as well as to boost pensions and social transfers. But the fat times are over. In 2011 economic growth was only 2.7%; this year 2% looks optimistic. Tax revenues are rising only a little faster than inflation. The government can no longer satisfy everyone.
The noisiest demands come from public-sector workers. Teachers at federal universities have been on strike for three months; they have recently been joined by federal police, tax officials and staff at some regulatory agencies. The strikers"demands would swell the government"s salary bill by up to 50%; inflation is running at 5.2%.



According to paragraph 2, the strikers´demands

a) have been met.
b) might shrink the government"s salary bill.
c) would increase the government"s salary bill.
d) must slash the government´s salary bill.
e) may be promptly met by the current administration.

A resposta correta é:

Committee decides to lower the use of thermoelectric

power generation

GTCIT Magazine



The Monitoring Committee of the Electric Sector
( CMSE ) decided on Monday (May 30, 2012), to
diminish the thermoelectric power generation in Brazil
as of next week. According to the Ministry of Mines
and Energy, Márcio Zimmermann, the thermoelectric
generation, which currently averages 4.000 megawatts
(MW), should now be reduced to 2.500 MW.

These plants are used in Brazil mainly to prevent
a power outage in the country in times of drought,
when the reservoirs of the dams are low. But the
ministry assured that the reservoir of the hydroelectric
plants are satisfactory, and that there will be no need
to resort to the thermoelectric resources.

According to the Minister Zimmermann, the
Southeast has an average of 90% of its reservoirs full,
which is an excellent level for this time of year. Even
the Northeast, whose reservoir levels are a little lower,
do not compromise system security.

“The system is operating perfectly within the
current conditions, which safely allows us to reduce
the generation of thermoelectric energy. This will give
us an economic surplus that can be used towards
system maintenance and in the implementation of
new quality programs for the energy sector”, he said.
He also explained that: “of course, this does not
mean that the committee will not be flexible as to
this decision in case the current conditions take an
unexpected turn.” They will be following the reduction
of the projection for the coming months and, if
necessary, the plans will be changed according to
the demands vis-a-vis the resources.

Available at: . Retrieved on: 13 June 2012. Adapted.



According to the text, a consequence of the thermoelectric energy reduction is the

a) maintenance of quality programs.
b) enhancement in the quality of the hydroelectric generation.
c) perfect operation of the system.
d) generation of economic surplus that will enhance the quality of the energy sector.
e) possibility of the thermoelectric energy generation work on safer terms because of its smaller production.

A resposta correta é:

Committee decides to lower the use of thermoelectric

power generation

GTCIT Magazine



The Monitoring Committee of the Electric Sector
( CMSE ) decided on Monday (May 30, 2012), to
diminish the thermoelectric power generation in Brazil
as of next week. According to the Ministry of Mines
and Energy, Márcio Zimmermann, the thermoelectric
generation, which currently averages 4.000 megawatts
(MW), should now be reduced to 2.500 MW.

These plants are used in Brazil mainly to prevent
a power outage in the country in times of drought,
when the reservoirs of the dams are low. But the
ministry assured that the reservoir of the hydroelectric
plants are satisfactory, and that there will be no need
to resort to the thermoelectric resources.

According to the Minister Zimmermann, the
Southeast has an average of 90% of its reservoirs full,
which is an excellent level for this time of year. Even
the Northeast, whose reservoir levels are a little lower,
do not compromise system security.

“The system is operating perfectly within the
current conditions, which safely allows us to reduce
the generation of thermoelectric energy. This will give
us an economic surplus that can be used towards
system maintenance and in the implementation of
new quality programs for the energy sector”, he said.
He also explained that: “of course, this does not
mean that the committee will not be flexible as to
this decision in case the current conditions take an
unexpected turn.” They will be following the reduction
of the projection for the coming months and, if
necessary, the plans will be changed according to
the demands vis-a-vis the resources.

Available at: . Retrieved on: 13 June 2012. Adapted.



According to the text, the reduction of the thermoelectric power generation is justified because

a) Minister Zimmermann believes that the system security is a little fragile.
b) Minister Zimmermann is more worried about financial difficulties than about the power distribution.
c) the draught in the Northeast is worrying authorities.
d) the power system is operating with total security, granted the high levels of the reservoirs.
e) nearly 90% of the total financial resources have already been used.

A resposta correta é:

Brazil´s big challenge ahead of Rio 2016

Source: www.guardian.com.uk (Adapted )

Aug 26th, 2012


Many Brazilians watched the closing ceremony of the London Olympics with trepidation. “Do you think we will be able to manage anything more than a couple of carnival floats, some football and traffic jams?” mused one of my friends.
It is a few years since I have heard such expressions of national self-doubt. When I first arrived in Brazil, almost 10 years ago, the country had just elected its first leftwing president, Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva. Both the currency and stock exchange were in freefall as investors took fright.
Lula"s first term in office combined cautious economic orthodoxy and some critical social reforms. The minimum wage was raised significantly and an innovative cash transfer called Bolsa Família introduced for poor families. A start was also made in reforming the Brazilian justice system. At the same time the government kept an eye on public spending, ran a primary budget surplus and began to reduce the national debt.
These days the scenario has been changing. Economic growth stalled last year, choked by a hugely overvalued currency. This year looks even worse, as export demand has been hit by the global recession. While the government"s success in reducing its still astronomically high inequality was a spur to domestic demand, economic growth was underpinned by the export of primary commodities such as soya, coffee and iron ore.



In paragraph 1, the noun trepidation translates many Brazilians" feeling of

a) sheer joy.
b) fear, or nervousness.
c) elation.
d) self-confidence.
e) fear, but also pride.

A resposta correta é:

Committee decides to lower the use of thermoelectric

power generation

GTCIT Magazine



The Monitoring Committee of the Electric Sector
( CMSE ) decided on Monday (May 30, 2012), to
diminish the thermoelectric power generation in Brazil
as of next week. According to the Ministry of Mines
and Energy, Márcio Zimmermann, the thermoelectric
generation, which currently averages 4.000 megawatts
(MW), should now be reduced to 2.500 MW.

These plants are used in Brazil mainly to prevent
a power outage in the country in times of drought,
when the reservoirs of the dams are low. But the
ministry assured that the reservoir of the hydroelectric
plants are satisfactory, and that there will be no need
to resort to the thermoelectric resources.

According to the Minister Zimmermann, the
Southeast has an average of 90% of its reservoirs full,
which is an excellent level for this time of year. Even
the Northeast, whose reservoir levels are a little lower,
do not compromise system security.

“The system is operating perfectly within the
current conditions, which safely allows us to reduce
the generation of thermoelectric energy. This will give
us an economic surplus that can be used towards
system maintenance and in the implementation of
new quality programs for the energy sector”, he said.
He also explained that: “of course, this does not
mean that the committee will not be flexible as to
this decision in case the current conditions take an
unexpected turn.” They will be following the reduction
of the projection for the coming months and, if
necessary, the plans will be changed according to
the demands vis-a-vis the resources.

Available at: . Retrieved on: 13 June 2012. Adapted.



In the text, the word in bold-face type is similar to the word/expression in italics in

a) prevent (line 8) - induce
b) outage (line 9) - abundance
c) drought (line 9) - lack of rain
d) dams (line 10) - river beds
e) resort (line 13) - throw

A resposta correta é:

Brazil´s big challenge ahead of Rio 2016

Source: www.guardian.com.uk (Adapted )

Aug 26th, 2012


Many Brazilians watched the closing ceremony of the London Olympics with trepidation. “Do you think we will be able to manage anything more than a couple of carnival floats, some football and traffic jams?” mused one of my friends.
It is a few years since I have heard such expressions of national self-doubt. When I first arrived in Brazil, almost 10 years ago, the country had just elected its first leftwing president, Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva. Both the currency and stock exchange were in freefall as investors took fright.
Lula"s first term in office combined cautious economic orthodoxy and some critical social reforms. The minimum wage was raised significantly and an innovative cash transfer called Bolsa Família introduced for poor families. A start was also made in reforming the Brazilian justice system. At the same time the government kept an eye on public spending, ran a primary budget surplus and began to reduce the national debt.
These days the scenario has been changing. Economic growth stalled last year, choked by a hugely overvalued currency. This year looks even worse, as export demand has been hit by the global recession. While the government"s success in reducing its still astronomically high inequality was a spur to domestic demand, economic growth was underpinned by the export of primary commodities such as soya, coffee and iron ore.



In paragraph 3, the author respectively defines the social reforms and the cash transfer implemented by the Lula administration, in the first term, as

a) advanced and cautious.
b) marginal and ineffective.
c) unimportant and purposeless.
d) purposeful and traditional.
e) pivotal and original.

A resposta correta é:

Committee decides to lower the use of thermoelectric

power generation

GTCIT Magazine



The Monitoring Committee of the Electric Sector
( CMSE ) decided on Monday (May 30, 2012), to
diminish the thermoelectric power generation in Brazil
as of next week. According to the Ministry of Mines
and Energy, Márcio Zimmermann, the thermoelectric
generation, which currently averages 4.000 megawatts
(MW), should now be reduced to 2.500 MW.

These plants are used in Brazil mainly to prevent
a power outage in the country in times of drought,
when the reservoirs of the dams are low. But the
ministry assured that the reservoir of the hydroelectric
plants are satisfactory, and that there will be no need
to resort to the thermoelectric resources.

According to the Minister Zimmermann, the
Southeast has an average of 90% of its reservoirs full,
which is an excellent level for this time of year. Even
the Northeast, whose reservoir levels are a little lower,
do not compromise system security.

“The system is operating perfectly within the
current conditions, which safely allows us to reduce
the generation of thermoelectric energy. This will give
us an economic surplus that can be used towards
system maintenance and in the implementation of
new quality programs for the energy sector”, he said.
He also explained that: “of course, this does not
mean that the committee will not be flexible as to
this decision in case the current conditions take an
unexpected turn.” They will be following the reduction
of the projection for the coming months and, if
necessary, the plans will be changed according to
the demands vis-a-vis the resources.

Available at: . Retrieved on: 13 June 2012. Adapted.



According to the text, CMSE decided on May 30, 2012 to

a) upgrade thermoelectric energy to 4.000 MW.
b) reduce the amount of energy generated by thermoelectric plants in Brazil at this moment.
c) discuss with Minister Zimmermann about the cuts.
d) monitor the committee that is regulating the Electric Sector.
e) propose the creation of new sources of thermoelectric generation in Brazil at this moment .

A resposta correta é:

Skillset vs. Mindset: Which Will Get You the Job?

By Heather Huhman

There’s a debate going on among career
experts about which is more important: skillset or
mindset. While skills are certainly desirable for many
positions, does having the right ones guarantee
you’ll get the job?

What if you have the mindset to get the work
accomplished, but currently lack certain skills
requested by the employer? Jennifer Fremont-Smith,
CEO of Smarterer, and Paul G. Stoltz, PhD, coauthor
of Put Your Mindset to Work: The One Asset
You Really Need to Win and Keep the Job You Love,
recently sat down with U.S. Newsto sound off on this
issue.

Heather: What is more important to today’s
employers: skillset or mindset? Why?

Jennifer: For many jobs, skillset needs to come
first. The employer absolutely must find people who
have the hard skills to do whatever it is they are being
hired to do. Programmers have to know how to program.
Data analysts need to know how to crunch numbers in
Excel. Marketers must know their marketing tools and
software. Social media managers must know the tools
of their trade like Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, and
have writing and communication skills.
After the employers have identified candidates
with these hard skills, they can shift their focus to their
candidates’ mindsets - attitude, integrity, work ethic,
personality, etc.

Paul: Mindset utterly trumps skillset.
Heather: Do you have any data or statistics to
back up your argument?
Jennifer: Despite record high unemployment,
many jobs sit empty because employers can’t find
candidates with the right skills. In a recent survey
cited in the Wall Street Journal, over 50 percent of
companies reported difficulty finding applicants with
the right skills. Companies are running lean and mean
in this economy – they don’t have the time to train for
those key skills.
Paul: [Co-author James Reed and I] asked
tens of thousands of top employers worldwide this
question: If you were hiring someone today, which
would you pick, a ) the person with the perfect skills
and qualifications, but lacking the desired mindset, or
B) the person with the desired mindset, but lacking
the rest? Ninety-eight percent pick A. Add to this that
97 percent said it is more likely that a person with the
right mindset will develop the right skillset, rather than
the other way around.
Heather: How do you define skillset?

Jennifer: At Smarterer, we define skillset as the
set of digital, social, and technical tools professionals
use to be effective in the workforce. Professionals
are rapidly accumulating these skills, and the tools
themselves are proliferating and evolving – we’re giving
people a simple, smart way for people to validate their
skillset and articulate it to the world.

Heather: How do you define mindset?

Paul: We define mindset as “the lens through
which you see and navigate life.” It undergirds and
affects all that you think, see, believe, say, and do.

Heather: How can job seekers show they have
the skillset employers are seeking throughout the
entire hiring process?
Jennifer: At the beginning of the process, seekers
can showcase the skills they have by incorporating
them, such as their Smarterer scores, throughout
their professional and personal brand materials. They
should be articulating their skills in their resume, cover
letter, LinkedIn profile, blog, website - everywhere
they express their professional identity.

Heather: How can job seekers show they have
the mindset employers are seeking throughout
the entire hiring process?
Paul: One of the most head-spinning studies
we did, which was conducted by an independent
statistician showed that, out of 30,000 CVs/resumes,
when you look at who gets the job and who does not:

A. The conventional wisdom fails (at best). None
of the classic, accepted advice, like using action verbs
or including hobbies/interests actually made any
difference.

B. The only factor that made the difference was
that those who had one of the 72 mindset qualities
from our master model, articulated in their CV/resume,
in a specific way, were three times as likely to get the
job. Furthermore, those who had two or more of these
statements, were seven times more likely to get the
job, often over other more qualified candidates.
Available at: .Retrieved on: 17 Sept. 2011. Adapted.



The study mentioned by Paul Stoltz (lines 75-89) shows that, to get a job, candidates must

a) mention in their CVs or resumes at least one mindset quality from a pre-selected group identified in Stoltz"s model.
b) show they are qualified applicants for the function by making a list of their seven best mindset qualities.
c) list their 72 most relevant aptitudes and capabilities, in accordance with Stoltz"s master model.
d) send their resumes three times to the same employer before being accepted.
e) use action verbs and report on hobbies and interests in their resumes.

A resposta correta é:

Text I


Air traffic controllers asleep on the job…still

Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., in Sleepnewzzz



Here’s some news of workers sleeping on the
job that’s downright scary. A news investigation
produced a story and footage of air traffic controllers
at Westchester County Airport sleeping during their
shifts. The video, provided to the news outlet by an
employee in the air traffic control tower at Westchester
Airport, also shows controllers reading and using
laptops and cell phones while on duty. The Federal
Aviation Administration ( FAA ) bans its controllers from
use of cell phones, personal reading material and
electric devices while on duty. Sleeping is prohibited
anywhere in air traffic control towers.

All of these violations are alarming and
dangerous, and pose a serious public safety problem.
It is important, I believe, to separate the issue of air
traffic controllers sleeping on the job from their choice
to play with laptops and cell phones when they are
supposed to be working. The video images showing
air traffic controllers slumped over and sleeping
at their stations is truly frightening. But the issue of
sleep deprivation among air traffic controllers is a
very real one, and means that some instances of
falling asleep—however dangerous and wrong—is
not entirely the controllers’ fault, or even within their
control.

Unfortunately this is not a new problem. We’ve
seen several instances of air traffic controllers falling
asleep on duty in recent months.

In response to these cases, the FAA in 2011
revised its regulations for air traffic controllers to
include additional time for rest between shifts. The
FAA:
• Raised the minimum amount of time off between
work shifts to 9 hours from 8 hours
• Prohibited air traffic controllers from swapping shifts
without having a minimum of 9 hours off in between
shifts
• Increased supervisor coverage in air traffic control
towers during late night and early morning shifts
• Prohibited air traffic controllers from picking up an
overnight shift after a day off

These adjustments are a step in the right direction,
but they don’t go far enough. Managing schedules
for shift workers in these high-pressure jobs where
public safety is at stake is too important to settle for
improvements that don’t actually solve the problem.

Shift workers of all types face challenges to getting
enough sleep while managing long hours, overnight
shifts, and changing schedules that fluctuate between
day and night. Research shows that:
• People who engage in shift work get less sleep
overall than those of us who work more regular
hours
• Shift workers are at higher risk for illness and
chronic disease
• The sleep deprivation associated with shift work
increase the risk of accidents, injuries and mistakes
in high-profile, public-safety related industries like
medicine and law enforcement, as well as air traffic
control

In addition to making people more prone to
accidents and injury, sleep deprivation causes a
number of negative effects—both physical and
psychological—that can impair the on-the-job
performance of air traffic controllers and other shift
workers. Sleep deprivation:
• Slows reaction time
• Interferes with memory
• Causes fatigue
• Compromises judgment
• Impairs the ability to retain new information

I think we can all agree that we don’t want the
people responsible for guiding our planes to be
sluggish, slow-reacting, forgetful, fatigued and of
questionable judgment. But that’s exactly what being
sleep deprived can make them!

It’s the FAAs responsibility to create workplace
regulations that enable air traffic controllers to get the
rest they need. This can include not just mandating
reasonable time off between shifts, but also giving
controllers breaks during shifts and allowing them
to nap on their breaks. There are also some basic
things that the controllers themselves—or any shift
workers—can do to help avoid sleep deprivation:
• Make sure to get adequate rest before a shift begins.
Take a nap before work, if need be.
• Limit your reliance on caffeine. While it’s okay as
an occasional pick-me-up, coffee and caffeinated
beverages are not substitutes for adequate sleep.
And caffeine can interfere with your sleep when you
actually want and need to be sleepy.
• Keep a strong and consistent sleep routine both
during your workdays and your days off. It’s not
always easy, but shift workers in particular need to
build their off-duty schedules around making sure
they get the sleep they need.

Similarly to the recent changes in health care,
the FAA is moving in the right direction to help its
employees get the sleep they need to do their jobs
safely. As this latest incident at Westchester Airport
confirms, there is a great deal of work still to be done.
And it’s in everyone’s best—and safest—interest that
progress continues to be made.
Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor™
www.thesleepdoctor.com

Available at: Adapted. Retrieved on: July 25, 2012.




Text II


President Obama to Sleepy Air Controllers:

‘Better Do Your Job’

Lisa Stark and Andrew Springer



President Obama lectured air traffic controllers
in an exclusive interview with ABC News, impressing
on them the enormous responsibility of safeguarding
flying passengers and telling them, “You better do
your job.”

The president spoke after several controllers
were caught asleep on the job and the man in charge
of air traffic control, Hank Krakowski, resigned on
Thursday.
“The individuals who are falling asleep on the job,
that’s unacceptable,” the president told ABC News’
George Stephanopoulos in an exclusive interview
on Thursday. “The fact is, when you’re responsible
for the lives and safety of people up in the air, you
better do your job. So, there’s an element of individual
responsibility that has to be dealt with.”

Five controllers have been suspended for
apparently napping on the job while planes were
trying to land at their airports.
The president said a full review of air traffic
control work shifts is under way.

“What we also have to look at is air traffic control
systems. Do we have enough back up? Do we have
enough people? Are they getting enough rest time?”
Obama said.

He added, however, “But it starts with individual
responsibility.”

In March, two commercial airliners were forced
to land unassisted at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan
National Airport after a controller apparently fell
asleep.

Just days later, two controllers at the Preston
Smith International Airport in Lubbock, Texas, did
not hand off control of a departing aircraft to another
control center and it took repeated attempts for them
to be reached.

On Feb. 19, an air traffic controller in Knoxville,
Tenn., slept during an overnight shift. Sources told
ABC News that the worker even took pillows and
cushions from a break room to build a make-shift bed
on the control room floor.

And this month, there were two more incidents.
A controller fell asleep on the job in Seattle, and
days later a controller in Reno was snoozing when a
plane carrying a critically ill passenger was seeking
permission to land.

The FAA and the controller’s union have been
studying the fatigue issue for over a year and their
report finds that “acute fatigue occurs on a daily basis,”
and “fatigue can occur at any time, on any shift.”

Sleep experts suggest midshift naps

Some sleep experts said controllers are ripe for
fatigue because they often bounce between day shifts
and night shifts. “When we’re constantly having to
adjust to different work schedules, our body is always
playing catch up,” said Philip Gehrman, Director of
the Behavioral Sleep Program at the University of
Pennsylvania.

Controllers on the night shift have another hurdle:
they often work in dim light conditions with little
stimulation between radio calls. “That’s exactly the
kind of type of task that’s hardest to maintain, when
you’re at the wrong point in your biological rhythms,”
said Gehrman.
One recommendation from the government study
suggests allowing controllers to take scheduled naps,
with breaks as long as two and a half hours to allow
for sleeping and waking up.

Sleep experts said a long break in the middle of
an eight hour overnight shift would help, but it might
be a tough sell politically. It has taken decades to try
to come up with new fatigue rules for pilots and it may
not be any easier when it comes to controllers.

Available at: . Retrieved on: July 25, 2012.



A comparison between Texts I and II reveals that

a) only Text I discusses how the absence of sleep can disturb the routine of air traffic controllers.
b) only Text II introduces a list of recommendations to improve the on-the-job performance of air traffic controllers.
c) neither Text I nor Text II seem to be concerned with improving air traffic controllers" health conditions.
d) both Text I and Text II mention alarming situations resulting from air traffic controllers" sleep deprivation.
e) Text I tries to justify why air traffic controllers constantly fall asleep while on duty, while Text II only condemns their improper behavior at work.

A resposta correta é: