The word reinforce (2nd paragraph) is closest in
meaning to:
Opportunity Cost
This phenomenon goes by the name of ‘opportunity
cost,’ since by not investing in more equipment and
a more rigid production flow, the company is forgoing the opportunity to earn increased profits. These
costs are every bite as real as the payment of dollars
out-of-pocket.
This notion _______ opportunity cost can be reinforced _________ a famous saying ______ Benjamin
Franklin, no slouch himself _________ operations
management. To make the point, however, we must
make a brief excursion into logic. One truth of logic is
the validity of the so-called contrapositive, which says
simply that if the statement “If A, then B” is true, then
it is also true that “If not B, then not A.” That is, of every
time A occurs B follows, then we can be sure that if B
does not occur, then A did not occur as well. Enough
logic then, and back to Ben Franklin.
One of his Poor Richard sayings is that “A penny saved
is a penny earned.” We have all recognized the truth of
that since childhood, but I assert that by this saying
Ben showed us he knows everything about opportunity cost. After all, what is the contrapositive of “A
penny not earned is a penny not saved (i.e., a penny
sent). All we are saying by this notion of opportunity
cost is that “a penny not earned (an opportunity forgone) is a penny spent.” We shall often have occasion
to consider opportunity costs, in analyzing and deciding various operations issues.
SCHMENNER, Roger W. Production/Operations Management. 5th
Edition. Prentice-Hall, 1993.
Opportunity Cost
This phenomenon goes by the name of ‘opportunity cost,’ since by not investing in more equipment and a more rigid production flow, the company is forgoing the opportunity to earn increased profits. These costs are every bite as real as the payment of dollars out-of-pocket.
This notion _______ opportunity cost can be reinforced _________ a famous saying ______ Benjamin Franklin, no slouch himself _________ operations management. To make the point, however, we must make a brief excursion into logic. One truth of logic is the validity of the so-called contrapositive, which says simply that if the statement “If A, then B” is true, then it is also true that “If not B, then not A.” That is, of every time A occurs B follows, then we can be sure that if B does not occur, then A did not occur as well. Enough logic then, and back to Ben Franklin.
One of his Poor Richard sayings is that “A penny saved is a penny earned.” We have all recognized the truth of that since childhood, but I assert that by this saying Ben showed us he knows everything about opportunity cost. After all, what is the contrapositive of “A penny not earned is a penny not saved (i.e., a penny sent). All we are saying by this notion of opportunity cost is that “a penny not earned (an opportunity forgone) is a penny spent.” We shall often have occasion to consider opportunity costs, in analyzing and deciding various operations issues.
SCHMENNER, Roger W. Production/Operations Management. 5th
Edition. Prentice-Hall, 1993.
Gabarito comentado
Resposta correta: D — to make stronger
1. Tema central
A questão trabalha sinônimos em contexto: é preciso reconhecer o sentido da palavra reinforce no trecho e escolher a alternativa que corresponde ao verbo no mesmo sentido. Isso exige atenção à classe gramatical (verbo) e ao contexto semântico.
2. Resumo teórico rápido
Verbos têm significados que se confirmam pelo contexto. Reinforce (Oxford / Cambridge) significa basicamente “tornar mais forte; fortalecer; reforçar”. Em provas, identifique se a alternativa apresenta verbo equivalente, não apenas palavras próximas ou parecidas.
3. Justificativa da alternativa correta (D)
D — to make stronger é a equivalência direta de reinforce: “reforçar/fortalecer uma noção”. No contexto: “This notion ... can be reinforced ... a famous saying…” = “Essa noção pode ser reforçada por um ditado famoso”. Logo, “to make stronger” corresponde exatamente.
4. Análise das alternativas incorretas
A — strong effect: expressão nominal (efeito forte), não é um verbo; muda a classe gramatical, logo incompatível.
B — to feel better: “sentir-se melhor” é significado distinto, não relaciona-se com reforçar uma ideia.
C — violent action: “ação violenta” é sentido totalmente diferente; além disso, não é verbo.
E — to bring something into force: significa “promulgar/entrar em vigor” (verbo parecido com enforce/bring into force), não “tornar mais forte”. É uma armadilha comum com palavras semelhantes (reinforce × enforce).
5. Estratégias práticas
- Identifique a classe gramatical exigida pelo espaço (aqui: verbo).
- Substitua mentalmente a palavra pela alternativa para ver se mantém o sentido.
- Cuidado com falsos cognatos e pares próximos (reinforce × enforce).
- Quando em dúvida, recorra a dicionários confiáveis: Cambridge, Oxford, Merriam-Webster.
Fontes sugeridas: Cambridge Dictionary — reinforce; Oxford Learner’s Dictionary — reinforce.
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