explain the millennials’ credit card affection.

defend the millennials’ fear of credit card use.

describe the millennials’ attitude towards the credit card.

present the millennials’ credit card historical  background.

demonstrate the millennials’ need of credit card use to  build a credit history.

O texto "Why Millennials Don’t Like Credit Cards" de Holly Johnson explora as razões pelas quais a geração dos millennials tende a evitar o uso de cartões de crédito. Para entender qual o propósito principal do texto, é necessário analisar os argumentos e informações que foram apresentados e, em seguida, relacioná-los com as alternativas da questão. 

Inicialmente, o texto destaca estatísticas sobre o uso limitado de cartões de crédito entre os millennials, citando uma pesquisa do Bankrate que revela que uma grande porcentagem dessa geração vive sem cartões de crédito. Este dado introduz o assunto principal, que é a relação dos millennials com os cartões de crédito.

Na seção "The Impact of the Great Recession", o autor discorre sobre como o ambiente econômico, marcado pela Grande Recessão, impactou as atitudes financeiras dos millennials. Esse cenário de instabilidade econômica contribuiu para uma aversão ao acúmulo de novas dívidas, incluindo aquelas decorrentes de cartões de crédito.

A seguinte seção, intitulada "A Generation Plagued with Student Loan Debt", segue reforçando esta aversão ao crédito, argumentando que as dívidas de empréstimos estudantis já significativas fazem com que os millennials hesitem ainda mais em adquirir dívidas adicionais por meio de cartões de crédito.

Por fim, em "How Millennials Can Build Credit Without a Credit Card", são oferecidas alternativas para a construção do histórico de crédito sem o uso de cartões tradicionais. Isso ressalta a precaução e o planejamento financeiro consciente dessa geração.

Portanto, a descrição da atitude dos millennials em relação ao uso dos cartões de crédito e as razões por trás dessa atitude são focos centrais do texto. Desta forma, a alternativa que melhor captura o propósito principal do texto é descrever a atitude dos millennials em relação aos cartões de crédito.

Gabarito: Letra C

by Holly Johnson 
Cheap, easy credit might have been tempting to 
young people in the past, but not to today’s millennials. 
According to a recent survey by Bankrate of over 
1,161 consumers, 63% of adults ages 18 to 29 live 
without a credit card of any kind, and another 23% 
only carry one card. 
The Impact of the Great Recession
Research shows that the environment millennials 
grew up in might have an impact on their finances. 
Unlike other generations, millennials lived through 
economic hardships during a time when their adult 
lives were beginning. According to the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics, the Great Recession caused 
millennials to stray from historic patterns when it 
comes to purchasing a home and having children, 
and a fear of credit cards could be another symptom 
of the economic environment of the times.
And there’s much data when it comes to proving 
that millennials grew up on shaky economic ground. 
The Pew Research Center reports that 36% of 
millennials lived at home with their parents in 2012. 
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for people ages 
16 to 24 was 14.2% (more than twice the national 
rate) in early 2014, according to the BLS. With those 
figures, it’s no wonder that millennials are skittish 
when it comes to credit cards. It makes sense that 
young people would be afraid to take on any new 
forms of debt.
A Generation Plagued with Student Loan Debt
But the Great Recession isn’t the only reason 
millennials could be fearful of credit. Many experts 
believe that the nation’s student loan debt level might 
be related to it. According to the Institute for College 
Access & Success, 71% of millennials (or 1.3 million 
students) who graduated from college in 2012 left 
school with at least some student loan debt, with the 
average amount owed around $29,400.
With so much debt already under their belts, 
millennials are worried about adding any credit card 
debt to the pile. After all, many adults with student 
loan debt need to make payments for years, and even 
decades. 
How Millennials Can Build Credit Without a 
Credit Card
The fact that millennials are smart enough to 
avoid credit card debt is a good thing, but that doesn’t 
mean the decision has its drawbacks. According to 
Experian, most adults need a positive credit history 
in order to qualify for an auto loan or mortgage. Even 
worse, having no credit history is almost as bad as 
having a negative credit history in some cases.
Still, there are plenty of ways millennials can 
build a credit history without a credit card. A few tips:
• Make payments on installment loans on time. 
Whether it’s a car loan, student loan or personal 
loan, make sure to mail in those payments on 
time and pay at least the minimum amount 
required.
• Put at least one household or utility bill in your 
name. Paying your utility or household bills on 
time can help you build a positive credit history.
• Get a secured credit card. Unlike traditional 
credit cards, the funds secured credit cards 
offer are backed by money the user deposits. 
Signing up for a secured card is one way to 
build a positive credit history without any risk.
The fact that millennials are leery of credit cards 
is probably a good thing in the long run. After all, not 
having a credit card is the perfect way to stay out of 
credit card debt. Even though it might be harder to 
build a credit history without credit cards, the vast 
majority of millennials have decided that the plastic 
just isn’t worth it.

O texto apresenta uma discussão sobre o motivo pelo qual a geração dos millennials tem evitado o uso de cartões de crédito. Um dos trechos foca em como a instabilidade econômica e as altas taxas de desemprego fizeram com que essa geração se torne mais cautelosa ou temerosa em relação a novas formas de dívida, como os cartões de crédito. 

O trecho específico mencionado na questão ("With those figures, it’s no wonder that millennials are skittish when it comes to credit cards") destaca essa cautela ou medo em assumir novos débitos. A palavra "skittish", utilizada no texto, sugere um comportamento de nervosismo, ansiedade, ou irrequietude, algo típico de quem tem receios ou preocupações. Em português, um termo que corresponde a essa ideia seria "nervoso" ou "apreensivo". 

Das opções apresentadas na questão, vamos analisar o significado de cada uma para identificar o sinônimo correto de "skittish": 
<ul>
<li>Uncertain: Incerto ou duvidoso, o que pode expressar falta de segurança ou firmeza de decisão, estado de quem está inseguro.</li>
<li>Enthusiastic: Entusiasmado, o que indica um sentimento positivo e altamente motivado, incompatível com "skittish".</li>
<li>Depressed: Deprimido, o que se refere a um estado psicológico de tristeza profunda, não se alinhando com "skittish".</li>
<li>Determined: Determinado, sugerindo firmeza e decisão, oposto de "skittish".</li>
<li>Secure: Seguro, que implica confiança e tranquilidade, características que não correspondem a "skittish".</li>
</ul>
A opção "Uncertain" é a que mais se aproxima ao significado de "skittish", refletindo a ideia de falta de segurança e hesitação diante de assumir novos compromissos financeiros, como a aquisição de cartões de crédito. Portanto, é a alternativa correta para substituir "skittish" sem alterar o sentido original do texto. 

Gabarito: Letra A

introduce the many categories of bank clerks one can 
find in a financial institution.

present an overview of the career of a bank clerk to an 
eventual future professional.

denounce the disadvantages associated with the clerk 
profession.

discuss all the benefits offered to employees who work 
in a bank.

ask for changes in the way bank recruiters select their 
future employees.

Com base na leitura do texto, podemos notar sua intenção de apresentar, de modo geral, como é o trabalho e a carreira de funcionários de banco. O próprio título do texto indica seu propósito: Bank Clerk Job Description - Descrição do trabalho de bancário. Desse modo, o propósito deste texto é apresentar um panorama (overview) da carreira de um bancário para um eventual futuro profissional. Alternativa correta: Letra (B)

Definition and Nature of the Work
Banks simplify people’s lives, but the business of 
banking is anything but simple. Every transaction — 
from cashing a check to taking out a loan — requires 
careful record keeping. Behind the scenes in every 
bank or savings and loan association there are dozens 
of bank clerks, each an expert at keeping one area of 
the bank’s business running smoothly.
New account clerks open and close accounts 
and answer questions for customers. Interest clerks 
record interest due to savings account customers, 
as well as the interest owed to the bank on loans 
and other investments. Exchange clerks, who work 
on international accounts, translate foreign currency 
values into dollars and vice versa. Loan clerks sort 
and record information about loans. Statement clerks 
are responsible for preparing the monthly balance 
sheets of checking account customers. Securities 
clerks record, file, and maintain stocks, bonds, and 
other investment certificates. They also keep track of 
dividends and interest on these certificates.
Other clerks operate the business machines on 
which modern banks rely. Proof operators sort checks 
and record the amount of each check. Bookkeeping 
clerks keep records of each customer’s account. In 
addition to these specialists, banks need general 
clerical help — data entry keyers, file clerks, mail 
handlers, and messengers — just as any other 
business does.
Education and Training Requirements
Bank clerks usually need a high school 
education with an emphasis on basic skills in typing, 
bookkeeping, and business math. Knowledge of 
computers and business machines is also helpful.
Prospective bank workers may be tested on their 
clerical skills when they are interviewed. Most banks 
provide new employees with on-the-job training.
Getting the Job
Sometimes bank recruiters visit high schools to 
look for future employees. High school placement 
offices can tell students whether this is the practice 
at their school. If not, prospective bank workers can 
apply directly to local banks through their personnel 
departments. Bank jobs may be listed with state and 
private employment agencies. Candidates can also 
check Internet job sites and the classified ads in local 
newspapers as well.
Advancement Possibilities and Employment 
Outlook
Banks prefer to promote their employees rather 
than hire new workers for jobs that require experience.
Clerks frequently become tellers or supervisors. Many 
banks encourage their employees to further their 
education at night.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
employment of bank clerks was expected to decline 
through the year 2014, because many banks are 
electronically automating their systems and eliminating 
paperwork as well as many clerical tasks. Workers 
with knowledge of data processing and computers 
will have the best opportunities. In addition to jobs 
created through expansion, openings at the clerical 
level often occur as workers move up to positions of 
greater responsibility.
Working Conditions
Although banks usually provide a pleasant 
working atmosphere, clerks often work alone, at times 
performing repetitive tasks. Bank clerks generally 
work between thirty-five and forty hours per week, 
but they may be expected to take on evening and 
Saturday shifts depending on bank hours.
Earnings and Benefits
The salaries of bank clerks vary widely depending 
on the size and location of the bank and the clerk’s 
experience. According to the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics, median salaries ranged from $23,317 to 
$27,310 per year in 2004 depending on experience 
and title. Generally, loan clerks are on the high end of 
this range, whereas general office clerks are on the 
lower end.
Banks typically offer their employees excellent 
benefits. Besides paid vacations and more than 
the usual number of paid holidays, employees may 
receive health and life insurance and participate 
in pension and profit-sharing plans. Some banks 
provide financial aid so that workers can continue 
their education.

Usado para expressar a ideia de possibilidade, o modal verb can só pode ser substituído por may, também usado para indicar possibilidades. O uso dos modal verbs should, must e do verbo need expressariam a ideia de obrigatoriedade, modificando o sentido da frase. Além disso, o uso do auxiliar do futuro will também modificaria o sentido da frase, uma vez que a afirmação mudaria de "os candidatos também podem (can) checar a internet" para "os candidatos também checarão (will check) internet". Alternativa correta: Letra (D)

No trecho "Banks simplify people’s lives, but the business of banking is anything but simple", observamos que os bancos simplificam as vidas das pessoas, mas (but) os negócios bancários são tudo, menos simples. A partir desta afirmação, podemos inferir que o trabalho no banco é uma atividade complexa (complex activity). Não se pode afirmar, portanto, que se trata de uma ocupação comum (ordinary occupation); de um trabalho simples (elementary job); de uma profissão trivial (trivial profession) e de um negócio fácil (easy business). Alternativa correta: Letra (C)

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