The theme of TEXT D is:
TEXT D
PARAGRAPH 1: The payment of fees by students is widely seen as
a novelty. In fact this ‘innovation’ marks a return to the medieval
origins of universities. At that time student money meant student
power on a huge scale. Medieval student power was focused on the
University of Bologna. […] This power was based on their economic
grip over their teachers.[…] Most university lecturers depended for
their academic incomes on teaching fees collected from their students.
[…] The power which students derived from paying fees at Bologna
led to extensive control over the lecturing system. […]
PARAGRAPH 2: For what was a lecturer punished? He was fined if
he started the lectures a minute late or if he went beyond the approved
time. […] The lecturer was also fined if he failed to cover the syllabus
according to an agreed timetable. […]
PARAGRAPH 3: All students were encouraged to denounce
lecturers who were absent without leave or who contravened the
statutes in any other way. In addition, there was also an organized
system of secret denunciations. Four students were elected in secret
to spy on the lecturers. […]
PARAGRAPH 4: Student power at Bologna lasted a little over one
hundred years […] As __ its rise, its demise is linked directly __ the
subject __ student fees. By 1350 almost all the lecturers were
appointed and paid __ the local commune. With changes in the
payment of lecturers, control of the university passed __ the students
to the commune and there it would remain.
PARAGRAPH 5: What does the situation in medieval Bologna
have to say to us? Hopefully the return of student fees will not be
accompanied by the return of student spies, secret denunciations
and fines on lecturers. But, as ever greater emphasis is placed on
research, the Bolognese case may be a timely reminder of the demands
of students and of the importance of high quality teaching.
UOW Magazine, ISSUE 9
Gabarito comentado
Resposta correta: D
Tema central: o texto trata da relação entre o poder estudantil e o pagamento de taxas na Universidade de Bologna medieval — como a cobrança de fees deu aos alunos controle sobre os professores e como a mudança no pagamento reverteu esse poder.
Resumo teórico e estratégia de leitura: procure a topic sentence (frase tema) e repetições lexicais. Aqui, palavras-chave são “fees”, “students”, “power”, “lecturers”, “payment/paid”. O parágrafo que explica a causa/efeito (pagamento → poder; mudança no pagamento → perda do poder) contém a ideia-núcleo. Em provas, priorize alternativas que refletirem esse vínculo explícito entre elementos do texto.
Justificativa da alternativa D: o texto descreve explicitamente que o poder estudantil derivava do pagamento das taxas e que, quando os professores passaram a ser pagos pelo comune, o controle passou dos alunos para o commune. Essa relação causa‑efeito entre “student power” e “payment of fees” é o foco central — logo, D é a resposta adequada.
Análise das alternativas incorretas:
A — “Lack of incentive for research”: aparece só como observação final e não é o foco do texto; é periférico.
B — “The powerlessness of today’s university students”: o texto fala de poder estudantil medieval e da transferência desse poder; não sobre a impotência dos alunos de hoje.
C — “Misuse of fees in modern universities”: não há argumento sobre má utilização das taxas; fala-se de quem paga quem decide, não de desvio de recursos.
E — “The state of modern universities”: demasiado genérico; o texto usa a história medieval para oferecer um lembrete, não para descrever o “estado” atual.
Dica de prova: elimine alternativas que extrapolem o conteúdo (generalizações, temas periféricos). Responda com base no que o texto afirma claramente — especialmente em passagens que expressam causa e consequência.
Fontes úteis: UOW Magazine (origem do texto) e obras de referência sobre a Universidade de Bologna (ex.: Encyclopaedia Britannica) para contexto histórico.
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