 argue that slowing the economic growth will definitely cause inflation to take root.

 indicate that inflation is a serious problem, and it needs to be adequately dealt with.

 suggest that restoring price stability will certainly increase inflation.

 show that controlling inflation is a minor concern, compared to unemployment.

 inform that the U.S. central bank’s monetary policy has already decreased inflation to 2%.

O principal propósito do texto é (B) indicar que a inflação é um problema sério que precisa ser adequadamente tratado. O texto destaca que o governador do Fed, Philip Jefferson, considera a inflação como o problema mais sério enfrentado pelo Federal Reserve e que pode levar algum tempo para ser resolvido. Ele expressa o compromisso de reduzir a inflação para 2%. Além disso, o texto menciona que a política monetária que estabiliza a inflação pode levar a expansões econômicas não inflacionárias a longo prazo, enfatizando a importância de controlar a inflação. Portanto, o foco principal do texto está na preocupação com a inflação e na necessidade de enfrentá-la de maneira eficaz. Alternativa correta é (B).


1    Inflation is the most serious problem facing the Federal Reserve and “may take some time” to address, Fed Governor Philip Jefferson said on Tuesday in his first public remarks since joining the U.S. central bank’s governing body.

2    “Restoring price stability may take some time and will likely result in a period of below-trend growth,” Jefferson told a conference in Atlanta, joining the current Fed consensus for continued interest rate increases to battle price pressures.

3    “I want to assure you that my colleagues and I are resolute that we will bring inflation back down to 2% ... We are committed to taking the further steps necessary.” 

4    Monetary policy that stabilizes inflation “can produce long-term, noninflationary economic expansions ... that economic history suggests is an ideal framework or environment for inclusive growth,” Jefferson said. “So, it is important that we get back to that kind of economy. And that is what I think the intent of the Fed is.” 

5    Fed Chair Jerome Powell has admitted that the central bank’s intent to slow economic growth will cause economic “pain” and likely increased unemployment, but that the worst outcome would be to let inflation take root.

6    In his remarks, Jefferson said there are reasons to think rigid conditions in the labor market are already easing. Indeed new data on Tuesday showed a severe decrease in job openings in August that began to bring the number of workers sought by companies more in line with the numbers of unemployed.

7    That could help reduce salary growth, Jefferson said, and there were indications as well that “supply bottlenecks have, finally, begun to resolve,” and could also help slow down price increases.

8    But it remains uncertain how that will work, and in the meantime “inflation remains elevated, and this is the problem that concerns me most,” Jefferson said. “Inflation creates economic burdens for households and businesses, and everyone feels its effects.” 



No fragmento "the worst outcome would be to let inflation take root," a expressão "take root" pode ser substituída, sem alteração de significado, pela opção (E) "become established". Nesse contexto, "take root" significa que a inflação se estabeleça firmemente e comece a crescer ou se desenvolver de forma significativa. Substituir "take root" por "become established" mantém a ideia de que a inflação se tornaria uma parte arraigada ou estabelecida da economia, o que é consistente com o sentido original da frase. Alternativa correta é (E).

 regret society’s attitude regarding money.

 deny the importance of money to humankind.

 describe the relevance of money in the world.

O texto de Rich Beattie, intitulado "From Bartering to Bitcoin", explora a evolução do conceito e das formas de dinheiro ao longo da história. Esta análise contextual ajudará a discernir o propósito principal do texto apresentado, levando à correta identificação da alternativa que melhor o descreve. 

No primeiro parágrafo, o autor afirma que "money" sempre foi um "moving target", indicando que o dinheiro sempre passou por mudanças ao longo do tempo ("What we call 'money' has always been a moving target."). Isso já sugere uma introdução à história e evolução do dinheiro. 

A sequência do texto é uma narrativa cronológica que começa com a troca (barter) de bens tangíveis, como gado, e percorre diversas formas e etapas importantes na história monetária, como o uso de conchas (cowries) como moeda, a criação de moedas de metal pelos Lídios, a introdução do papel-moeda na China, os desafios associados ao padrão ouro, e finalmente, a modernização monetária através do dinheiro digital e criptomoedas como o Bitcoin ("...from cattle, sheep and camels to cowries...to the first known coins...paper money...gold standard...Bitcoin"). 

Essa progressão linear dos desenvolvimentos monetários explicita que o texto aborda a história e as transformações do dinheiro. Ele não apenas menciona eventos isolados, mas explica como cada fase foi importante para o entendimento atual de "money". 

Portanto, o propósito principal do texto é apresentar uma história concisa do dinheiro, desde a troca primitiva até as modernas criptomoedas. Esta análise corrobora os elementos mencionados ao longo do texto, sem desviar para temas relacionados a guerras, atitudes sociais específicas sobre dinheiro, ou negar a importância do dinheiro para a humanidade. 

Gabarito: Letra A

By Rich Beattie 
1 What we call “money” has always been a moving target. It changes appearance and value. Here are five key developments in the history of money that have impacted how we earn, save and spend today.

2 Cash Cows - Before humans had money, they had stuff. In ancient times, when you had stuff other people wanted, you bartered it for stuff you wanted. Around 9000 BC, the most popular commodities included things like cattle, sheep and camels. This was fine when people bartered close to home, but bulky creatures are cumbersome and difficult to transport. As people started to venture farther afield to trade, a more portable option became essential.

3 In 1200 BC people started using cowries—the shells of marine mollusks taken from oceans. They were recognized as precious, and their use spread across Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe. Having been in use for centuries — even into the 20th century in some places—cowries win the prize as the world’s longest-running currency.

4 Three Coins in the Fountain - The issue with bartering became assigning value: Just how much was a cowrie or a cow worth? So, agreeing on the value of money became essential. It was the Lydians, around 600 BC, who get credit for a critical step in this process: fashioning the first known coins, which were made of a gold and silver alloy.

5 The metal used to make a coin—along with its weight—was important, as it denoted the money’s value. Moreover, as coins gained popularity, so did the idea of adorning them with locally inspired designs. Coins were money, but they now doubled as a historic record. Eventually, they took on even more uses: People flipped them to make decisions and tossed them into wells while making wishes. They may be used less in 2020, but coins have been an integral part of our culture for centuries.

6 The Paper Chase - Coins were obviously lighter and easier to transport than cows, but carrying bags of heavy metal still wasn’t very practical. China’s Tang Dynasty, in the seventh century, came up with a smart solution, namely, paper money. It was super-light and could feature even richer designs than coins, and it promised a certain amount of purchasing power.

7 Gold Rush - One of the problems, though, was that counterfeiters had great success with paper bills. The bigger problem came when governments faced economic crises; it was far too easy to print more paper money, which led to skyrocketing inflation. Paper needed a backup—something universally valued yet not easily replicated. Something like gold.

8 The “gold standard” let governments create a fixed price for this precious metal that was tied directly to the value of their currency. In the United States, the idea took root in the late 17th century, and it spread to Europe in the 19th century. But confidence in the gold standard crumbled during World War I, and it soon became apparent that in order to thrive, currencies needed the freedom to fluctuate dynamically against each other. The gold standard was dropped in the United States in 1933, and a global economy started to take shape.

9 The E-Buck Stops Here? - Cows, cowries, coins, paper, gold: Money has always had a physical presence. But today, it is quickly evolving into numbers that float through the ether. This modern era of money began in 1946 with the first bank-issued charge card. Credit cards followed some 12 years later, still related to dollars. However, technology, with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, is changing the world’s definition of “money.” 

10 Now, social media companies and entire countries are considering digital currencies of their own. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is growing eversmarter, and perhaps one day soon your budget and expenses will be managing themselves. The debate rages about exactly where we are headed, but with history as our guide, the one thing we can absolutely count on is the inevitability of change.

O trecho mencionado no enunciado da questão encontra-se claramente no sexto parágrafo do texto fornecido. Este parágrafo detalha a introdução do dinheiro de papel. Vejamos o que o autor diz: 

"Coins were obviously lighter and easier to transport than cows, but carrying bags of heavy metal still wasn’t very practical. China’s Tang Dynasty, in the seventh century, came up with a smart solution, namely, paper money." 

Tradução: "As moedas eram obviamente mais leves e mais fáceis de transportar do que vacas, mas carregar sacos de metal pesado ainda não era muito prático. A Dinastia Tang da China, no século VII, propôs uma solução inteligente, nomeadamente, o dinheiro de papel." 

No texto, é especificado que a invenção do dinheiro de papel ocorreu durante a Dinastia Tang na China, portanto, confirma-se que o papel moeda começou a circular primeiro na China, conforme mencionado no parágrafo aludido. 

Gabarito: Letra B

No décimo parágrafo do texto, o autor discute as evoluções atuais e possíveis futuros impactos no conceito e na gestão do dinheiro, relacionados à tecnologia e à inteligência artificial. A passagem relevante cita:

"Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is growing eversmarter, and perhaps one day soon your budget and expenses will be managing themselves."

Tradução: "Enquanto isso, a inteligência artificial está se tornando cada vez mais inteligente, e talvez um dia em breve seu orçamento e despesas estarão se gerenciando sozinhos."

Analisando as alternativas apresentadas:

A) manage bank accounts - Esta opção sugere uma gestão de contas bancárias, que poderia estar superficialmente relacionada ao texto, mas a referência direta a "budget and expenses" (orçamento e despesas) não especifica o gerenciamento de contas bancárias por si só.

B) prevent money changes - Não há menção específica sobre a prevenção de mudanças monetárias no parágrafo citado.

C) eliminate exchange rates - A eliminação de taxas de câmbio não é discutida no texto.

D) control financial resources - A gestão autônoma de "budget and expenses" (orçamento e despesas) pode ser interpretada como uma forma de controle de recursos financeiros, uma vez que administrar como o dinheiro é alocado e gasto é um aspecto do controle financeiro.

E) avoid inflation and corruption - Não há nenhuma menção na passagem sobre a capacidade da inteligência artificial de evitar inflação ou corrupção.

Dentre as opções, a alternativa "D" é a que melhor interpreta a ideia de que a inteligência artificial poderia eventualmente controlar os recursos financeiros ao gerir automaticamente orçamentos e despesas. Embora a expressão exata "control financial resources" não seja usada, é uma representação válida do que a gestão autônoma de orçamento e despesas implicaria em termos de administração financeira.

Gabarito: Letra D

Questões de CESGRANRIO - Inglês - Compreensão de textos - Banco do Brasil