Questão 49 · Língua Inglesa: Interpretação de textos
Texto associado à questão
Text 9A2DDD
The average english speaker’s vocabulary Because experts disagree about what constitutes a word, it is difficult to count the number of words people know.
The simple word run, for example, can be transformed by adding suffixes to produce the nouns runner and running. Are these distinct words? Furthermore, run has many meanings.
Does each meaning count as a different word?
Estimates of an individual’s word knowledge must also consider the difference between active vocabulary — the words a person can use — and passive or receptive vocabulary — the words a person can recognize or understand in print or when other speakers use them. The receptive vocabulary of native speakers and second language learners alike is much larger than their active vocabulary.
Some studies suggest that by the time they start Kindergarten, English-speaking children know about 1,000 words and add this total at the rate of about 1,000 words a year.
By the age of eight, most students have a vocabulary of 4,000 to 5,000 words. According to some estimates, the average undergraduate enrolling at university has acquired a vocabulary of about 15,000 word families, which are related words such as educate, education, educated and educational.
Elizabeth Coelho and Dyanne Rivers. Adding English: a guide to teaching in multilingual classrooms. Toronto: Pippin, 2004, p. 91 (adapted).
According to text 9A2DDD,
- A) the difference between active vocabulary and receptive vocabulary must be disregarded as a factor to estimate how many words a person knows.
- B) undergraduate students acquire vocabulary related to word families after enrolling at universities.
- C) the similarity of some word families prevents students from counting the number of words they really know.
- D) both native speakers and second language learners have a larger passive vocabulary than an active vocabulary.
- E) studies are certain that the average English speaker knows about 1,000 words by the time she or he starts Kindergarten.
Marque a alternativa correta:
Gabarito: D
Gabarito definitivo divulgado pela banca Cebraspe (PREF/SAOLUIS 2017).
Comentário
Gabarito: D.
O texto afirma que "the receptive vocabulary of native speakers and second language learners alike is much larger than their active vocabulary". Ou seja, tanto falantes nativos quanto aprendizes de segunda língua entendem mais palavras (vocabulário passivo) do que usam (vocabulário ativo). A alternativa D é a correta.
Erros das demais:
- A) Errada: o texto diz que as estimativas devem levar em conta ("must also consider") a diferença entre vocabulário ativo e passivo; portanto ela não deve ser desconsiderada.
- B) Errada: o texto diz que o universitário "enrolling at university" já tem cerca de 15.000 famílias de palavras, isto é, o vocabulário foi adquirido antes da matrícula, e não depois dela.
- C) Errada: a dificuldade de contagem vem de os especialistas discordarem sobre o que é uma palavra (run, runner, running; vários significados); o texto não diz que a semelhança entre famílias de palavras impede os alunos de contar o que sabem.
- E) Errada: o texto diz "some studies suggest" que as crianças sabem cerca de 1.000 palavras ao entrar no jardim de infância; sugerir não é ter certeza.
Dica: cuidado com expressões de certeza (certain, always, only) trocando verbos de cautela do texto, como "suggest".
Fundamentos: Texto-base: “The receptive vocabulary of native speakers and second language learners alike is much larger than their active vocabulary” · Texto-base: “Some studies suggest…”
Comentário gerado pela Cravei IA a partir do enunciado e do gabarito definitivo divulgado pela banca, e conferido por uma verificação automática. A IA pode errar: o gabarito oficial sempre prevalece.
Fonte: prova Cebraspe PREF/SAOLUIS 2017 (Professor Nível Superior/PNS – A – Especialidade: Língua Inglesa), questão 49, com o gabarito definitivo da banca. Comentário: Equipe Cravei · como fazemos e revisamos.