Linguistic Awareness

Most humans use language readily and on most occasions successfully without much cognitive knowledge the nature of language. Because language is mostly unselfconsciously used to accomplish daily tasks, not much thought is given to the actual complexity of language. David McMillan, in his graduate thesis "Miscommunications in Air Traffic Control", points out that the ease with which we use language(s) to communicate in our daily lives and the usual lack serious consequences for miscommunication mask the fragility of human language as a vehicle for clear communications. The apparently simple use of language actually requires a sophisticated interaction of complex processes, and our usually successful daily experience with language belies its complexity. In daily life, miscommunication occurs but rarely results in anything other than minor inconvenience, minor embarrassment, or lost time. In air traffic control communications, however, the stakes are dramatically higher and communication errors have the potential for far more serious consequences.

GLOSSARY

to accomplish = executar

to belie = camuflar, ocultar

embarrassment = constrangimento

stakes = riscos

A place of superlatives

Antarctica is a place of superlatives: it is the coldest, windiest, driest, highest and most remote continent on earth. The continent’s large mass of snow and ice contains around 85 percent of all freshwater in the world. The first tourists to reach it arrived in 1957.

Nowadays, the variety of Antarctica travel itineraries, activities and prices is wider than ever before.

(Adapted from Speak up # 149)

GLOSSARY

freshwater – água doce

to reach – chegar

travel itineraries – roteiros de viagem

wide – amplo

“it”, underlined in the text, refers to

What do you think of when you hear the word beauty? Chances are that you would envision someone young and beautiful, someone in good health. Today the words health and beauty have become so confused, almost standing as synonyms for each other, that they are almost impossible to differentiate. But if you think for a moment, why do you buy a certain kind of health food? Surely, yes, you want to maintain good health, but more likely, you bought it mainly because it contains fewer calories, thus allowing you to eat more and maintain your good looks. This is a normal reaction because disease prevention, as a part of good health, feels so distant while the benefits of beauty are so immediate.

Cosmetics, skin care and plastic surgery constantly tempt us to make that decision, wavering between using slight tricks to improve upon or help the natural and actually adding or removing parts to the body. In the USA alone, 696,904 people have cosmetic surgery, and the numbers seem to be on the rise in this youth-worshipping, health- conscious culture. People really think that attractiveness indicates good health. It's just that they're mistaken about it.

GLOSSARY

to envision = visualizar

thus = assim, desta forma

to tempt = tentar

to waver = oscilar

slight tricks = pequenos macetes

youth-worshipping = cultuador da juventude

According to the text, the words "health" and "beauty" nowadays

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling?

Everyone wants to be Irish on March 17th, the party of the patron saint of Ireland.

But nowhere is this more fun than in Dublin, where anyone can put on a green hat and participate in Ireland’s biggest annual celebration.

A four-day event, the St. Patrick’s Festival attracts over 1.3 million people from around the world. Free events, including street theater and fireworks, are programmed around the city and are all accessible by foot.

(Adapted from Speak Up # 180)

GLOSSARY

Dublin – Capital da Irlanda

fireworks – fogos de artifício

A POPULAÇÃO DO MUNDO VAI PARAR DE CRESCER?

Provavelmente sim, em 2050. Mas isso vai trazer alguns problemas.

“A batalha para alimentar toda a humanidade acabou. Nas próximas décadas, centenas de milhões de pessoas vão morrer de fome, apesar de qualquer plano de emergência iniciado agora. A esta altura, nada pode impedir o aumento substancial da mortalidade mundial”, alerta Paul Ehrlich em seu mais famoso livro, publicado em... 1968. Pois é: a bomba populacional não estourou. Nos anos 70 e 80, a agropecuária aumentou sua produtividade e a taxa de natalidade despencou no mundo inteiro, levando ao quase consenso de que a população mundial vai se estabilizar em torno de 9 bilhões de pessoas ali por 2050. E essa freada brusca vai transformar o mundo.

Um artigo de Jack Goldstone, publicado na última edição da revista Foreign Affairs, mostra que o importante não é tanto o tamanho da população, mas onde ela diminui e onde cresce, e aponta quatro tendências. A primeira já está em curso há muito tempo: em 2050, a maioria dos terráqueos vai viver em grandes cidades – e haja esgoto, hospital e ruas para tanta aglomeração. Outras duas dizem respeito aos países mais ricos: além de sua população envelhecer e diminuir, Europa, EUA e Canadá vão representar menos riqueza – apenas 30% do PIB mundial em 2050, menos que antes da Revolução Industrial.

Por fim, 70% do crescimento mundial deve se concentrar em países com maioria ou grande população islâmica. Ou seja, é bom Ocidente e Oriente Médio começarem a se entender, antes que o mundo fique pequeno demais para os dois.

Texto de Emiliano Urbin – Revista SuperInteressante – março 2010.