Questões do Enem Comentadas sobre interpretação de texto | reading comprehension em inglês

The six-year molars
The six-year molars are the first permanent teeth. They are the “keystone” of the dental arch. They are also extremely susceptible to decay.
Parents have to understand that these teeth are very important. Over 25% of 6 to 7 year old children have beginning cavities in one of the molars.
The early loss of one of these molars causes serious problems in childhood and adult life. It is never easy for parents to make kids take care of their teeth. Even so, parents have to insist and never give up.
Módulo do Ensino Integrado: Fundamental, Médio, Profissional- DCL.
O texto aborda uma temática inerente ao processo de desenvolvimento do ser humano, a dentição. Há informação quantificada na mensagem quando se diz que as cáries dos dentes mencionados

The record industry
The record industry is undoubtedly in crisis, with labels laying off employees in continuation. This is because CD sales are plummeting as youngsters prefer to download their music from the Internet, usually free of charge.
And yet it's not all gloom and doom. Some labels are in fact thriving. Putumayo World Music, for example, is growing, thanks to its catalogue of ethnic compilation albums, featuring work by largely unknown artists from around the planet.
Putumayo, which takes its name from a valley in Colombia, was founded in New York in 1993. It began life as an alternative clothing company, but soon decided to concentrate on music. Indeed its growth appears to have coincided with that of world music as a genre.
Speak Up. Ano XXIII, n° 275 (fragmento).
A indústria fonográfica passou por várias mudanças no século XX e, como consequência, as empresas enfrentaram crises. Entre as causas, o texto da revista Speak Up aponta

Movie: Hijras - The Third Gender

Director: Devika Urvashi Bhisé

Duration: 29 minutes

Hijras are the outcastes of Indian society and live on its fringes. These eunuchs (originally only castrated males) were once employed by sultans and maharajas to guard the women in their harems. Now shunned by society, they are treated with less respect than the Dalits, or untouchables. Considered neither men nor women, Hijras have no constitutional rights. Currently, there is an ongoing debate in India regarding whether or not they should be granted the status of a third gender.

Most hijras are genetically born as men, but believe they are women within. The rest are hermaphrodites with some abnormality in genitalia. For those born men, becoming a hijra is a painful process that involves removing the entire genitalia in a secret ceremony that is often undergone without any anesthetic.

Currently, most hijras have only three ways in which they can make a living: prostitution, begging, and as performing shamans removing bad luck and/or spells from suspicious Indian households. Sex work is one of the only options for hijras because there are few employment opportunities available to them. Hijras are most commonly seen knocking on car windows, begging for money at stoplights. Although hijras are feared for their dissimilarities, they are also revered for their alleged mystical abilities. Most Indian families seek their blessings during any auspicious ceremony such as a birth, a wedding, or the building of a new house.

As pariahs of society, they are subjected to prejudice that is often translated into verbal abuse, humiliation, extreme discrimination, and violence in public as well as private venues. I have documented a short film to create awareness of the plight of this segment of society and allow their voices to be heard. I was privileged to share this community's inner life and have tried to capture its stark reality as a friend rather than a voyeur. The filming took place from June 2008 to September 2008 in various cities and locations in India.

Disponível em: www.engendered.org. Acesso em: 25 fev. 2012.

O filme Hijras - The Third Gender tem como objetivo chamar atenção para a situação vivida por um segmento da sociedade indiana, os hijras. De acordo com o que se captura dessas vozes no filme e do que se lê no texto, esse segmento reivindica

Tirinhas são construídas a partir de contextos sociais e podem promover reflexões diversas. Essa tirinha provoca no leitor uma reflexão acerca da

Cyberbullying is harassment through electronic means such as telephone text messages, social media such as Facebook and Twitter or online blogs and bulletin boards. In normal bullying, students are given a daily break from the torment as bully and victim each go to their separate homes. But for victims of cyberbullying, there is no reprieve, as the abuse enters into their private lives. In the US, there are at least 44 states that have anti-bullying laws on the books. While only six of them use the actual word “cyberbullying”, 31 others have laws that specifically mention “electronic harassment”.

Prosecution in the UK is a little more difficult. While all schools are required to have anti-bullying policies in place, cyberbullying itself is not named as a criminal offence. Offenders in the UK would have to be charged under various other laws, including the Protection from Harassment Act of 2003. This makes prosecution much more difficult.

Authorities agree that in order to stop cyberbullying, there has to be parental involvement. Parents need to be vigilant about their children’s access to technology. They should monitor their children’s use of social media, especially children under the age of 14. Bullies are not going to simply disappear, but parents can go a long way in protecting their children from being bullied.

Go! English, ano II, n. 14 (fragmento).

De acordo com o texto, nos Estados Unidos, alguns estados têm leis específicas para assédio via meios eletrônicos. Já no Reino Unido, a instauração de processos contra praticantes de cyberbullying é mais difícil porque

The art of happiness

Nearly every time you see him, he’s laughing or at least smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He’s the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, a Nobel Prize winner, and an increasingly popular speaker and statesman. Why is he so popular? Even after spending only a few minutes in his presence you can’t help feeling happier. If you ask him if he’s happy, even though he’s suffered the loss of his country, the Dalai Lama will give you an unconditional yes. What’s more, he’ll tell you that happiness is the purpose of life, and that “the very motion of our life is towards happiness”. How to get there has always been the question. He’s tried to answer it before, but he’s never had the help of a psychiatrist to get the message across in a context we can easily understand.

LAMA, D.; CUTLER, H. The Art of Happiness: a handbook for living. Putnam Books, 1998.

Pelo título e pela sinopse do livro de Lama e Cutler, constata-se que o tema da obra é

Placas como a da gravura são usadas para orientar os usuários de um espaço urbano. Essa placa, especificamente, tem a função de avisar que somente

                                                   Ebonics

    The word ebonics is made up of two words. Ebony, which means black and phonics, which refers to sound. It is a systematic rule-governed natural speech that is consistent as any other language in sentence structure. This is referred to as syntax. What makes this speech pattern uniquely different to “so called” American Standard English is its verb tense or lack of it. An example of this can be seen in the sentence, “He is sick today”. This same sentence translated in ebonics would read, “He sick today”. As you can see the verb has been omitted. However, this speech pattern is consistently used. Major controversy has arisen whether or not ebonics is a separate language or simply a dialect. In doing my research, I have found that most linguists take the position that ebonics is a dialect. What distinguishes dialect from language is that in dialect two speakers share most or some of the same vocabulary and is recognizable and understandable. In contrast, separate languages are present only when the inability to communicate verbally occurs. 

                      Disponível em: www.writework.com. Acesso em: 17 ago. 2011 (adaptado)

A linguística é a ciência que se interessa pela linguagem humana em seus mais diferentes aspectos, e assim nos ajuda a pensar sobre a diversidade cultural e linguística. Nesse texto, a questão da diversidade linguística é discutida por meio

Our currency

Australia was the first country in the world to have a complete system of bank notes made from plastic (polymer). These notes provide much greater security against counterfeiting. They also last four times as long as conventional paper (fibrous) notes.

The innovative technology with which Australian bank notes are produced — developed entirely in Australia — offers artists brilliant scope for the creation of images that reflect the history and natural environment of Australia. At the same time, the polymer notes are cleaner than paper notes and easily recyclable. Australia's currency comprises coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent and one and two dollar denominations; and notes of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar denominations.

AUSTRALIA GOVERNMENT. About Australia. Disponível em: www.newzealand.com. Acesso em: 7 dez. 2011.

O governo da Austrália, por meio de seu Departamento de Assuntos Estrangeiros, divulga inovações tecnológicas desse país. Associando as informações apresentadas na busca pelo tema, percebe-se que o texto se refere

Scared fit

My body was telling me things I did not want to hear. In February 2010, my doctor confirmed what my body was telling me. My not feeling well was a result of years of neglecting my body and diet. At 62, I had developed high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and my cholesterol was going through the roof. At 4' 10” and weighing 227 pounds, the problem was in the mirror looking back at me. My doctor said, “lose weight, start eating healthy, and start exercising if you want to live to a ripe old age”. Needless to say, I was scared I wouldn't see my grandkids and great-grandkids grow up.

PAZ, A. Disponível em: www.healthandfitnessmag.com. Acesso em: 28 fev. 2012.

No texto Scared fit, que relata a experiência de Amanda de la Paz relacionada aos cuidados com a saúde, a palavra scared faz referência ao seu medo de

Home is where the heart is

The heart of psychosocial care is to be found in the home and it is here that the main trust of external efforts to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable children must be directed. The best way to support the wellbeing of young children affected by HIV/AIDS is to strengthen and reinforce the circles of care that surround children. Some children — especially those living outside families, on the streets or institutions, with chronically ill caregivers, and orphans — are more vulnerable and especially require psychosocial care and support. However, this social support needs to be provided in family settings, with the same characteristics of commitment, stability, and individualized affectionate care. The primary aim of all psychosocial support programmes should be an encouraging and enabling family support, including foster care, and placing and maintaining young children in stable and affectionate family environments. Only secondarily should direct services be provided to affected children.

RICHTER, L.; FOSTER, G.; SHERR, L. W here the heart is: meeting the psychosocial needs of young children in the context of HIV/AIDS. Holanda: Bernard van Leer Foundation, 2006 (adaptado).

Ao tratar dos problemas psicossociais dos portadores do vírus HIV/AIDS, o texto argumenta que

BELL, D. Disponível em: www.candorville.com. Acesso em: 29 fev. 2012.

Com base nas informações verbais e no contexto social da tirinha, infere-se que o cliente

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" hits the ground running. This is a breathless, exciting story, heartbreaking and exhilarating at the same time, about a Mumbai orphan who rises from rags to riches on the strength of his lively intelligence. The film’s universal appeal presents the real India to millions of moviegoers for the first time.

The real India, supercharged with a plot as reliable and eternal as the hills. The film’s surface is so dazzling that you hardly realize how traditional it is underneath. But it's the buried structure that pulls us through the story like a big engine on a short train.

By the real India, I don't mean an unblinking documentary like Louis Malle's "Calcutta" or the recent "Born Into Brothels." I mean the real India of social levels that seem to be separated by centuries. What do people think of when they think of India? On the one hand, Mother Teresa, "Salaam Bombay!" and the wretched of the earth. On the other, the "Masterpiece Theater"-style images of "A Passage to India," "Gandhi" and "The Jewel in the Crown."

The film uses dazzling cinematography, breathless editing, driving music and headlong momentum to explode with narrative force, stirring in a romance at the same time.

EBERT, R. Disponível em: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com. Acesso em: 11 abr. 2011 (adaptado).

O texto trata do premiado filme indiano “Slumdog Millionaire". Segundo a resenha apresentada, a história retrata uma Índia real, uma vez que

Mary Mac's mother's making Mary Mac marry me.

My mother's making me marry Mary Mac.

Will I always be so Merry when Mary's taking care of me?

Will I always be so merry when I marry Mary Mac?

(from a song by Carbon Leaf)

Disponível em: http://www.uebersetzung.at. Acesso em: 27 jun. 2011.

O trava-língua, além de funcionar como um exercício de pronúncia, também pode abordar assuntos relacionados à sociedade. No texto, o tema abordado refere-se

Last Monday was a really awful day. I got to school late because I had missed the bus. Then I had a Math test and did badly because I hadn't studied for it. Things went from bad to worse: while I was waiting for the bus home I realised I had lost my money so I had to walk home. I really wanted to go to the cinema with my parents that evening but by the time I got home they had already gone out. I put my dinner in the oven, went to watch TV and fell asleep. When I woke up an hour later, there was a terrible smell and smoke coming up the stairs: I had forgotten to take my dinner out of the oven.

ACEVEDO, A.; GOWER, M. High Flyer. Longman, 1996.

A intenção do narrador, nesse texto, é

A tirinha é um gênero textual que, além de entreter, trata de diferentes temas sociais. No caso dessa tirinha, as falas no 3° quadrinho revelam o foco do tema, que é

Ao estabelecer uma relação entre a Matemática e o blues a partir da opinião pessoal de um dos rapazes, a charge sugere que

Turning Brown
A four-year-old boy was eating an apple in the back seat of the car, when he asked, “Daddy, why is my apple turning brown?” “Because,” his dad explained, “after you ate the skin off, the meat of the apple came into contact with the air, which caused it to oxidize, thus changing the molecular structure and turning it into a different color.” There was a long silence. Then the son asked softly, “Daddy, are you talking to me?”
Disponível em: http://hayspost.com. Acesso em: 10 nov. 2011.
Considerando os participantes da conversa nessa piada, nota-se que o efeito de humor é obtido em função

I read a study that measured the efficiency of I locomotion for various species on the planet. The condor used the least energy to move a kilometer. Humans came in with a rather unimpressive showing about a third of the way down the list ... That didn't look so good, but then someone at Scientific American had the insight to test the efficiency of locomotion for a man on a bicycle. And a man on a bicycle blew the condor away. That's what a computer is to me: the computer is the most remarkable tool that we've ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.

JOBS, S. Disponível em: www.msnbc.msn.com. Acesso em: 28 fev. 2012 (adaptado)

Ao abordar o deslocamento de várias espécies, com base em um estudo que leu, Steve Jobs apresenta o computador como uma ferramenta que

Tennesse Mountain Properties
Description
Own a renovated house for less than $290 per month!!!!!!!! New windows, siding, flooring (laminate throughout and tile in entry way and bathroom), kitchen cabinets, counter top, back door, fresh paint and laundry on main floor. Heat billsare very low due to a good solid house and an energy efficient furnace.
Disponível em: www.freerealestaeads.net .Acesso em: 30 nov. 2011(adaptado).
Em jornais, há diversos anúncios que servem aos leitores. O conteúdo do anúncio veiculado por este texto interessará a alguém que esteja procurando