It is true to say that Bilingualism
Read the text below and answer following four
questions according to it.
Why bilinguals are smarter
SPEAKING two languages rather than just one has obvious
practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world. But in
recent years, scientists have begun to show that the
advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than
being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being
bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter. It can have a
profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not
related to language and even shielding against dementia in
old age.
This view of bilingualism is remarkably different from the
understanding of bilingualism through much of the 20th
century. Researchers, educators and policy makers long
considered a second language to be an interference,
cognitively speaking, that hindered a child’s academic and
intellectual development.
They were not wrong about the interference: there is ample
evidence that in a bilingual’s brain both language systems
are active even when he is using only one language, thus
creating situations in which one system obstructs the other.
But this interference, researchers are finding out, isn’t so
much a handicap as a blessing in disguise. It forces the
brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout
that strengthens its cognitive muscles.
The collective evidence from a number of such studies
suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s
so-called executive function — a command system that
directs the attention processes that we use for planning,
solving problems and performing various other mentally
demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring
distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from
one thing to another and holding information in mind — like
remembering a sequence of directions while driving.
The bilingual experience appears to influence the brain from
infancy to old age. Nobody ever doubted the power of
language. But who would have imagined that the words we
hear and the sentences we speak might be leaving such a
deep imprint?
Adaptado de: <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-ofbilingualism.html?WT.mc_id=D-NYT-MKTG-MOD-31048-0502-HD&WT.mc_ev=click&WT.mc_c=> Acessado em 25 de abril de 2015
SPEAKING two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world. But in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter. It can have a profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shielding against dementia in old age.
This view of bilingualism is remarkably different from the understanding of bilingualism through much of the 20th century. Researchers, educators and policy makers long considered a second language to be an interference, cognitively speaking, that hindered a child’s academic and intellectual development.
They were not wrong about the interference: there is ample evidence that in a bilingual’s brain both language systems are active even when he is using only one language, thus creating situations in which one system obstructs the other. But this interference, researchers are finding out, isn’t so much a handicap as a blessing in disguise. It forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles.
The collective evidence from a number of such studies suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other mentally demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another and holding information in mind — like remembering a sequence of directions while driving.
The bilingual experience appears to influence the brain from infancy to old age. Nobody ever doubted the power of language. But who would have imagined that the words we hear and the sentences we speak might be leaving such a deep imprint?
Gabarito comentado
Resposta correta: B
Tema central: o texto trata dos benefícios cognitivos do bilinguismo, destacando que falar duas línguas melhora funções mentais gerais, especialmente a executive function (controle executivo).
Resumo teórico: O controle executivo engloba atenção, controle de interferência, alternância de tarefas e memória de trabalho. Pesquisas de Ellen Bialystok e colaboradores mostram que bilíngues tendem a desenvolver essas habilidades e que o bilinguismo pode até atrasar o início de demência (ver Bialystok et al., Neurology 2007; Bialystok, Craik & Luk, 2012).
Justificativa da alternativa correta (B): o texto afirma explicitamente que "the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function" — ou seja, o bilinguismo ajuda essa função. Portanto, a alternativa B corresponde diretamente à ideia central apresentada.
Análise das alternativas incorretas:
- A: afirma que ajuda a esquecer rotas — o texto diz o contrário ao exemplificar a memória de sequência de direções como algo que o controle executivo sustenta.
- C: embora mencione interferência entre línguas, o texto mostra que essa interferência força o cérebro a resolver conflitos, fortalecendo, não simplesmente confundindo.
- D: é falsa porque o texto afirma que a influência ocorre "from infancy to old age", isto é, em todas as idades.
- E: é irrelevante/absurda — impressão/printing problems não são tratadas no texto.
Estratégia de prova: busque palavras-chave (p.ex. executive function, interference, infancy to old age) e elimine alternativas que contradizem ou não aparecem no texto. Sempre relacione alternativas às frases-texto que suportam (ou refutam) a ideia.
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