(Adapted from Going The Distance: Christopher Reeve, Internet,
Inglês
Read the text on Christopher Reeve’s routine and answer
the following eight questions.
Going the distance:
Christopher Reeve
“It doesn’t feel like a hospital here, does it?” says
Christopher Reeve, his eyes sweeping the office in the
quietly elegant home that he shares with his wife, Dana,
and their 12-year-old son, Will. “That’s because Dana,
from the very beginning, wanted our family to live as
normal a life as possible.”
The “beginning” was May 27, 1995, the day the athletic
actor, an accomplished rider, approached a routine three-
foot jump in a Virginia horse show. His chestnut
Thoroughbred balked and stopped short, and Reeve, his
hands tangled in the bridle, catapulted headfirst onto the
ground.
The injury rendered Reeve, now 52, a quadriplegic,
confined to a ventilator and a wheel-chair - and initially
contemplating suicide. But he titled his second memoir
Nothing Is Impossible, and has spent the years since
proving that point. Reeve works fiercely on his
rehabilitation and has regained sensation over 70 percent
of his body. He can go for long periods without his
ventilator (he had electrodes implanted in his abdomen to
help him breathe on his own). And he has stunned doctors
by willing himself to move one of his fingers, and, in water,
his legs and arms.
Reeve has labored tirelessly on legislation for spinal cord
injury patients: his Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act goes
before Congress this fall. And he hasn’t put his creative
life aside either. On October 25, A&E will air his second
directorial project, “The Brooke Ellison Story,” the real-life
saga of an 11-year-old girl paralyzed from the neck down
as the result of an auto accident.
Dressed in a striped polo shirt, white duck pants and
running shoes, Reeve spoke with Reader’s Digest about
the film, his advocacy and his remarkable journey. On the
rebound from a recent hospital stay, he displayed his
usual tenacity, saying, “Your body is not who you are. The
mind and spirit transcend the body.”
RD: It’s been more than nine years since the accident.
How has it changed your perspective on life ?
Reeve: I have more awareness of other people and, I
hope, more sensitivity to their needs. I also find that I’m
more direct and outspoken. It’s important to me to say
what I really mean
RD: Are you still optimistic you will walk again?
Reeve: I am optimistic. But I also know that, with time, I’m
beginning to fight issues of aging as well as long-term
paralysis. So it seems more difficult to project that it was
five years ago. But I haven’t given up.
RD: What really keeps you going ?
Reeve: The love and support of my family, and the fact
that I’m needed. I’m working. I focus on the opportunities
that come my way rather than on the things that haven’t
arrived yet.
Reader’s Digest rd.com October 02, 2004)
17. On May 27, 1995
0-0) Christopher Reeve was taking part on a Virginia
horse show.
1-1) Reeve’s horse wasn’t in a very good day.
2-2) Thoroughbred suddenly didn’t want to do the
three-foot jump.
3-3) Reeve was actually prepared for his horse
stopping abruptly.
4-4) Reeve fell down and hit his head seriously.
Resposta: VVVFV
Justificativa:
0-0), 1-1), 2-2) e 4-4) Verdadeiros. O ator
americano Christopher Reeve, que protagonizou o
herói no filme Superman, e outros, estava
participando de uma apresentação hípica, no
estado americano da Virginia (atividade rotineira,
para ele, até então) quando seu cavalo,
Thoroughbred, de cor marrom avermelhada, parou
de repente, no momento de realizar um salto,
jogando Reeve ao chão. Reeve bateu com a
cabeça, sofrendo, assim, irreversíveis
conseqüências: uma quadriplergia, com a qual
lutou por mais de 9 anos.
3-3) Falso. Reeve não tinha conhecimento de que
seu cavalo pararia repentinamente.
18. After that tragic accident, Reeve
0-0) was finally able to believe in God.
1-1) at first, thought of killing himself.
2-2) has lived life in a rather optimistic way.
3-3) has fought bravely to get better physically.
4-4) has annoyed doctors by being unable to move.
Resposta: FVVVF
Justificativa:
1-1), 2-2), 3-3) Verdadeiros. Logo após o trágico
acidente que modificou totalmente a vida de
Reeve, ele, a princípio, alimentou a idéia de
suicídio. Posteriormente, recuperou sua coragem,
e lutou brava e incansavelmente para reduzir seu
grave quadro traumático de quadriplergia. Ele
viveu, dessa forma, mais de 9 anos, posteriores ao
acidente, imbuído de uma força interior e de um
otimismo impressionantes, opção 2-2).
0-0) e 4-4) Falsos. Não há menção textual à sua
crença em Deus; Reeve teve, ao contrário da
opção 4-4), maravilhado a equipe médica, por sua
coragem e tenacidade, conseguindo recuperar o
sentido do tato em mais de 70% do seu corpo.
19. The text shows that the following characteristics
apply to Mr. Reeve today:
0-0) endurance.
1-1) courage.
2-2) will power.
3-3) jealousy.
4-4) inventiveness.
Resposta: VVVFV
Justificativa:
 0-0), 1-1), 2-2) e 4-4) Verdadeiros. Reeve
surpreendeu sua equipe médica com sua força de
vontade, sua coragem, sua tenacidade e seu
talento de continuar produzindo (opções 0-0), 1-1),
2-2) e 0-4)
3-3) Falso. Esta opção não é citada no texto como
sendo uma característica de Reeve.
20. Mr. Reeve’s Paralysis Act going before Congress this
coming fall reveals that he
0-0) doesn’t mind being confined to a ventilator and
a wheelchair.
1-1) accepts his quadriplegic situation and does
nothing to change it.
2-2) has done his best to establish a body of laws for
back-injured patients.
3-3) has worked hard to have Congress pass a law
on quadriplegic patients.
4-4) plans to run for the Senate in the coming
elections.
Resposta: FFVVF
Justificativa:
2-2) e 3-3) Verdadeiros. Reeve foi bem sucedido
ao elaborar um projeto de lei para os pacientes,
vítimas de paralisia grave, o qual será votado pelo
congresso americano neste outono.
0-0), 1-1), e 4-4) Falsos. Reeve não se incomoda
de estar preso a uma cadeira de rodas e de
depender de respiração artificial; ele aceitou seu
estado de quadriplergia e nada fez para mudá-lo; e
planejava candidatar-se ao Senado nas próximas
eleições nos EUA.
21. Though Mr Reeve is optimistic as to being able to
walk again, he nevertheless knows that he
0-0) has got to face the reality of getting older.
1-1) needs to consider that his paralysis may last
much longer.
2-2) must be aware that life ahead will be much
easier than now.
3-3) should give up because his paralysis case is
irreversible.
4-4) could have done much more effort to be able to
walk sooner.
Resposta: VVFFF
Justificativa:
0-0) e 1-1) Verdadeiros. Embora Reeve tenha
continuado bravamente otimista quanto à sua
possibilidade de voltar a andar, ele, entretanto,
esteve ciente de que precisava enfrentar a
realidade de envelhecer. Seu quadro poderia
prolongar-se por um tempo ainda indefinido.
2-2), 3-3) e 4-4) Falsos: Reeve devia-se
conscientizar de que sua vida futura seria muito
mais fácil que no momento atual 2-2); Reeve devia
desistir de lutar porque seu quadro era irreversível
3-3); e poderia ter-se esforçado muito mais para
retornar a andar mais cedo 4-4).
22. Reeve thinks that after over nine years since the
accident, he
0-0) has been less conscious of other individuals.
1-1) has got desperate every moment he looks at
himself.
2-2) actually says what he in fact means.
3-3) has been more concerned about people´s
needs.
4-4) has become more straightforward.
Resposta: FFVVV
Justificativa:
2-2, 3-3 e 4-4 – Verdadeiros. Após mais de nove
anos do seu trágico acidente hípico, Reeve achava
que ele, na verdade, dizia às pessoas o que de
fato pensava; que se julgava mais receptivo às
necessidades de outrem; e que se tornou um
indivíduo mais direto e objetivo.
0-0) e 1-1) Falsos. Reeve pensava que, após o
acidente, ficaria menos consciente da existência de
outros indivíduos; e sentia-se arrasado a cada
momento em que se conscientizava do seu
gravíssimo estado físico.
23. When Reeve says “I focus on the opportunities that
come my way rather than on the things that haven’t
arrived yet” he means that he
0-0) worries about surviving every day of his living.
1-1) takes life in an extremely tough and pessimistic
way.
2-2) hasn’t been strong enough to keep on fighting
his paralysis.
3-3) concentrates his thought and energy on
tomorrow’s events.
4-4) lives each single day at a time, not tomorrow’s.
Resposta: FFFFV
Justificativa:
4-4) Verdadeiro. Christopher Reeve concentrava
sua rotina diária nos eventos daquele dia
específico; ele vivia um dia de cada vez. O amanhã
seria outro novo dia a considerar.
0-0), 1-1), 2-2) e 3-3) Falsos. Reeve preocupava-
se com sua sobrevivência, cada dia da sua
existência; vislumbrava a vida de maneira
extremamente dura e pessimista; não foi forte
suficientemente para continuar enfrentando sua
paralisia; e concentrava seu pensamento e sua
energia no dia de amanhã.
24. The expression “bridle” in “His chestnut
Thoroughbred balked and stopped short, and Reeve,
his hands tangled in the bridle, catapulted headfirst
onto the ground” is equivalent to:
0-0) the front part of an animal’s face, with the nose
and mouth.
1-1) a covering round an animal’s mouth, to prevent
it from biting.
2-2) a reddish-brown horse.
3-3) leather bands put on a horse’s head for
controlling its movements.
4-4) the long hair on the back of a horse’s neck.
Resposta: FFFVF
Justificativa:
3-3) Verdadeiro. O gravíssimo acidente de Reeve
aconteceu quando seu cavalo Thoroughbred parou
de correr repentinamente, e Reeve, com suas
 mãos enlaçadas nas rédeas, caiu de cabeça.
0-0) 1-1) 2-2) 4-4) Falsos. A expressão não
corresponde semanticamente a: “parte frontal da
face de um animal, incluindo o nariz e a boca” 0-0);
a “uma mordaça em volta da boca do animal, para
evitar sua mordida” 1-1); a “um cavalo marrom
avermelhado” 2-2); e a “crina de um cavalo” 4-4).
A hybrid future
As the age of oil wanes, what will take its place?
A little of everything.
“Solutions wanted. No idea too weird.” If a classified ad
could sum up the world’s energy problem, this would be it.
Experts generally agree that our current reliance on fossil
fuels is unsustainable. Already oil is near $50 per barrel,
and the great millions of Chinese and Indians destined to
take to the road in the next decades have not yet gotten
behind the wheel. If the clamor over global warming
seems apocalyptic now, just wait until those two countries
are as developed as the West.
At the same time, even with higher oil prices, clean energy
sources like wind and solar – not to mention hydrogen, an
unproven technology barely off the drawing boards – don’t
yet make enough economic sense to replace oil. That’s
why many experts are starting to talk of building a hybrid
economy. Rather than replacing hydrocarbons entirely,
what we need to do is find ways to use less oil – and use it
more efficiently. This means changing everything from the
kinds of cars we drive, to the homes we live in, to the way
we make and distribute electricity. It’s a revolution in
thought – and in the making.
(From A hybrid future, Special Report, Newsweek, Double Issue,
September 6 / September 13, 2004, page 33.)
25. In accordance to the text,
0-0) the world’s energy problem will definitely be
solved by fossil fuels.
1-1) China will for sure get ahead of India in
producing hybrid energy.
2-2) clean energy sources don’t yet make economic
sense on their own.
3-3) sky-high oil prices will not yet prevent this
source of energy to be used.
4-4) in the near future, the energy systems that we
use will change dramatically.
Resposta: FFVVV
Justificativa:
2-2), 3-3) e 4-4) Verdadeiros. Como as fontes de
energia limpa ainda são economicamente inviáveis,
os altíssimos preços do petróleo não serão empecilho
para o seu uso. Mas, num futuro próximo, os
sistemas e recursos usados para gerar e distribuir
energia mudarão drasticamente.
0-0) e 1-1) Falsos. O problema mundial de energia
não será definitivamente sanado por combustíveis
fósseis. Além disso, não há indícios no texto que
assegurem que a China superará a Índia na
produção de energia híbrida.
26. This text has as its main purposes
0-0) to buy surplus power from any source and
distribute it worldwide.
1-1) to warn people of the world’s energy problem.
2-2) to appeal to one’s sensitivity to the emergent
energy problem.
3-3) to arouse one’s interest in a quest for efficient
energy.
4-4) to sell some of the power generated to power
companies.
Resposta: FVVVF
Justificativa:
1-1), 2-2) e 3-3) Verdadeiros. Advertir as pessoas
sobre o problema energético mundial, apelar para a
sensibilidade das pessoas no que tange a esse
problema emergente e suscitar-lhes o interesse numa
busca por uma energia eficiente correspondem à
matéria textual.
0-0) e 4-4) Falsos. Comprar o excedente
energético e vender parte da força gerada a
companhias de energia são informações não
contidas no texto.
27. As the age of oil wanes, what energy source(s) will
take its place?
0-0) only clean energy sources.
1-1) solely solar panels and batteries.
2-2) mainly hydrogen technology.
3-3) chiefly fossil fuels.
4-4) every available power source.
Resposta: FFFFV
Justificativa:
4-4) Verdadeiro. “Todas as fontes disponíveis de
energia” é a resposta correta, pois a energia do futuro
será híbrida.
0-0), 1-1), 2-2) e 3-3). Falsos. Os elementos
citados constituem fontes de energia ou técnicas
isoladas.
28. In order to power itself, the world looks for ways to
0-0) hinder definitely the use of oil.
1-1) use less oil more efficiently.
2-2) make power cheaper in the near future.
3-3) use energy solely to supply electricity.
4-4) build several nuclear powerplants.
Resposta: FVVFF
Justificativa:
1-1) e 2-2) Verdadeiros. O mundo busca formas de
usar menos petróleo, mais eficientemente, e de tornar
a energia mais barata num futuro próximo.
0-0), 3-3) e 4-4) Falsos. Coibir definitivamente o
uso do petróleo, usar a energia apenas na geração
de eletricidade e construir várias usinas nucleares
não correspondem ao que está no texto.
29. As a whole, the sentence – “Rather than replacing
hydrogens entirely, what we need to do is find ways
to use less oil.” – expresses
0-0) advice.
1-1) recommendation.
2-2) suggestion.
3-3) doubt.
 4-4) order.
Resposta: VVVFF

Justificativa:
0-0), 1-1) e 2-2) - Verdadeiros. Estas alternativas
são corretas, pois a sentença expressa: conselho,
recomendação ou sugestão.
3-3) e 4-4) Falsos. A sentença nem indica dúvida
nem ordem.

30. In “Experts generally agree that our current reliance

on fossil fuels is unsustainable.”, the words
underlined are, respectively, equivalent to
0-0) dependence and transitory.
1-1) trust and irreversible.
2-2) confidence and unquestioned.
3-3) assurance and underestimated.
4-4) belief and undertaken.
Resposta: VFFFF

Justificativa:
0-0) Verdadeiro. Dependence e transitory, neste
contexto, equivalem semanticamente a reliance and
unsustainable.
1-1), 2-2), 3-3) e 4-4) Falsos. As palavras nesses
itens não correspondem ao que está no texto.

31. In “If the clamor over global warming seems

apocalyptic now, just wait until those two countries
(China and India) are as developed as the West.”, the
author’s tone is
0-0) realistic.
1-1) unrealistic.
2-2) ironic.
3-3) neutral.
4-4) emphatic.
Resposta: VFVFV

Justificativa:
0-0), 2-2) e 4-4) Verdadeiros. O tom usado pelo
autor é realista, irônico e enfático.
1-1) e 3-3) Falsos. Irreal e neutro não
correspondem à conotação expressa no texto.

32. In the phrases “Solutions wanted. No idea too

weird.”, the language used is
0-0) formal standard.
1-1) informal standard.
2-2) nonstandard.
3-3) journalistic.
4-4) telegraphic.
Resposta: FVFVV

Justificativa:
1-1) e 3-3) e 4-4) Verdadeiros. A linguagem
utilizada no anúncio é padrão-informal, é
jornalística e telegráfica (concisa).
0-0) 2-2) Falsos. Os registros de linguagem –
padrão-formal e não-padrão – não se aplicam ao
anúncio em questão.