The word childhood has its synonym in which
alternative?
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: Alternativa D — youth
Tema central: trata-se de sinonímia lexical em inglês. Para resolver, é preciso identificar a classe gramatical da palavra alvo (aqui childhood — substantivo abstrato que indica um período da vida) e escolher a alternativa com significado equivalente.
Resumo teórico rápido: Childhood = "the state or period of being a child" (Merriam‑Webster / Oxford). Sinônimos funcionam quando mantêm a mesma classe gramatical e cobertura semântica essencial. Youth significa "the period of being young; young people" — corresponde ao conceito temporal de infância/juventude, portanto é o sinônimo mais apropriado.
Justificativa da alternativa correta (D): Youth compartilha a mesma classe (substantivo) e sentido temporal: refere‑se ao período da vida caracterizado pela juventude/infância. Apesar de "youth" às vezes indicar adolescência/joventude, no uso amplo pode equivaler a "childhood" como período de vida jovem.
Análise das alternativas incorretas:
A — toddler: é um substantivo, mas refere‑se a uma criança muito pequena que está engatinhando/começando a andar (1–3 anos). Não é sinônimo de childhood (período geral).
B — child: é a palavra para a pessoa jovem, não para o período/estado. Child (substantivo contável) ≠ childhood (substantivo abstrato). São relacionados, mas não sinônimos diretos.
C — childish: adjetivo que descreve comportamento imaturo. Difere em classe (adjetivo) e em sentido; portanto não é sinônimo.
E — adulthood: substantivo que designa o período adulto — é o oposto de childhood, logo incorreto.
Dicas de resolução para provas: 1) Identifique a classe gramatical da palavra‑alvo; 2) busque alternativa com mesma classe e sentido temporal; 3) desconfie de palavras morfologicamente próximas (child ≠ childhood) ou que mudam categoria (adjetivo vs substantivo); 4) verifique se a alternativa é antonímica (ex.: adulthood).
Fontes consultadas (dicionários reconhecidos): Merriam‑Webster; Oxford Learner's Dictionary — definições de "childhood" e "youth".
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