Questões de Concurso Sobre inglês

We can help you save energy in the home…

There are lots of things you can do to save energy at home, from simple things like washing at 30 °C, saving water and
recycling, to insulating your loft and cavity walls. By saving energy you’ll be reducing your home’s carbon dioxide () emissions
and helping to fight climate change.

Why should you save energy?

Over 40 per cent of the UK’s man-made emissions actually come from energy we use every day – at home and when
we travel. To generate that energy, we burn fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) that produce ‘greenhouse’ gases – in particular –
which are changing our climate and damaging the environment.

The greenhouse effect

and various other gases wrap the Earth in an invisible ‘blanket’, helping to prevent heat from escaping. Without this
greenhouse effect, the average temperature on Earth would be around -18 ºC, compared with the current average of around +15
ºC. This blanket of gases has remained at a constant concentration for many thousands of years. Since the Industrial Revolution
began around 200 years ago, people have been burning more fossil fuels. This has increased the heating effect of the ‘blanket’,
trapping more of the sun’s energy inside our atmosphere. In turn the Earth’s temperature has increased more rapidly in a shorter
period of time than it has for thousands of years.

The impact of climate change

People sometimes think that climate change will be a positive thing for the UK, giving us warmer summers and fewer cold
winters. But hotter summers and less rain in the south and east will mean water shortages, forest fires and damage to crops and
wildlife. In the north and west there could be much heavier rain and more flooding. As the polar ice caps continue to melt, rising sea
levels will threaten many coastal communities. Overall, the cost to society, the environment, our health and the economy is likely to
far outweigh any benefits.

Make a difference

The average UK household creates around six tonnes of every year – that’s 6,000 kg – to heat and power their home.
Making your home more energy efficient could save you up to £340 a year and reduce your home’s emissions by up to 1,500–
2,000 kg. You could save even more by switching to renewable energy sources, by walking, cycling or using public transport
whenever possible, and by driving more efficiently.
(Texto introdutório ao manual “A guide to energy saving in the home”, disponível em: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Resources/Publications.)

Read the text below entitled “10 Ways to Protect Your
Privacy Online” in order to answer questions 17 to
20:

10 Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online
Source: www.newsweek.com (Adapted) Oct, 22nd 2010


Up to a couple of years ago, I used to say that
the average person could protect his or her privacy
on the Web. Even as the founder of an online
reputation-management company, I believed it was
possible – so long as you were willing to commit some
time doing it. Today, I tell people this: the landscape
of personal data mining and exploitation is shifting
faster than ever; trying to protect your online privacy
is like trying to build your own antivirus software –
really, really dif?cult. But whether or not you have the
time (or money) to invest in the pros, there are a few
simple steps we can all take to reduce the risk to our
private data.

1. Do not put your full birth date on your social-
networking pro?les.
Identity thieves use birth dates as cornerstones
of their craft. If you want your friends to know your
birthday, try just the month and day, and leave out
the year.

2. Use multiple usernames and passwords.
Keep your usernames and passwords for social
networks, online banking, e-mail, and online shopping
all separate. Having distinct passwords is not enough
nowadays: if you have the same username across
different Web sites, your entire life can be mapped
and re-created with simple algorithms.

3. Shred.
If you are going to throw away credit-card offers, bank
statements, or anything else that might come in hard
copy to your house, rip them up into tiny bits ?rst.