In the first paragraph, the expression “to raise awareness”
means:
Uncontacted Amazon tribe has been threatened by illegal
loggers
Remarkable close-up footage that appears to show an
uncontacted tribesman in the Amazon rainforest has been
released by an indigenous media group that wants to raise
awareness of the threat posed by illegal loggers, miners and
drug traffickers. (...) The Awá have been described as the world’s most
threatened tribe by the NGO Survival International, which has
tracked killings by loggers, who surround and frequently
encroach upon the group’s territory. Many of the community have been forced to abandon
the forest, but some remain in self-imposed isolation. Their
existence has been called into question by commercial interests
that want to move into the land, but the new footage has been
cited as proof that they remain in the territory. It was recorded by a member of a neighbouring tribe,
the Guajajara, which is trying to defend one of the last pockets
of intact forest in Maranhão, a massively deforested state in the
north-east of Brazil.
―We hope this film produces something positive. We
hope it makes an impact around the world to help protect our
people and our forest,‖ said Flay Guajajara, who shot the image
while out hunting and released it through the Mídia
Índia platform.
(...) Olimpio Guajajara, coordinator of the Guardians of
the Amazon, said three of the group’s members have been
murdered in this activity, which highlighted the need for more
long-term support. He said: ―We Guardians are defending our
people’s rights, defending the uncontacted Indians, and
defending nature for all of us. We need the land to be protected
for good." Indigenous groups say successive governments have
failed to adequately recognise their territorial rights and their
role in protecting forests that are globally essential for carbon
sequestration and natural habitats.
According to Survival International, loggers have been
emboldened by the government and their camps can now be
seen on the edge of Awá land. Director Stephen Corry said: ―This video is further
proof that the uncontacted Awá people really exist. And a
glance at a satellite photo shows just how much danger they’re
in. Loggers have already killed many of their relatives and
forced others out of the forest".
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/22/uncontactedtribe-video-amazon-rainforest-awa-people.
Gabarito comentado
Resposta correta: A
1. Tema central: trata‑se de interpretação de uma expressão idiomática em inglês — "to raise awareness" — no contexto de um texto jornalístico. Saber localizar a expressão, entender seu sentido global e relacioná‑la ao contexto é essencial para escolher a alternativa correta.
2. Base teórica (clara e prática): “to raise awareness (of/about sth)” significa tornar algo mais conhecido, chamar a atenção das pessoas para um problema, ou seja, provocar maior percepção/consciência pública. Fonte: Cambridge Dictionary — “to make people more aware of something” (https://dictionary.cambridge.org).
3. Justificativa da alternativa A: A alternativa A diz “to encourage reflection on the dangerous situation the Amazon tribe is going through.” Isso é uma paráfrase correta de “to raise awareness of the threat”: o objetivo do filme é chamar atenção/estimular reflexão sobre o perigo enfrentado pela comunidade. O sentido coincide com a definição do dicionário e com o contexto do texto.
4. Por que as outras alternativas estão incorretas:
B — Investe numa ideia contrária e sem base: “to show negligence towards the invasion by indigenous groups against loggers.” Inverte agentes e sentido (fala de negligência e de invasão pelos indígenas), coisa que não aparece nem é sugerida no trecho. Logo, incompatível semanticamente.
C — “to refuse adequate support from government at the present time.” Trata de recusa de apoio governamental; isso descreve uma ação política, não o propósito de “raise awareness”. A expressão não significa negar apoio.
D — “to ignore indigenous groups’ role of land protection...” Também inverte o sentido: “raise awareness” busca precisamente o oposto de ignorar — pretende evidenciar o papel dos indígenas.
5. Estratégias de resolução (dicas para provas):
- Localize a expressão no parágrafo e leia a frase inteira para captar o propósito do autor.
- Parafraseie mentalmente: troque por “make people aware” ou “draw attention to”.
- Elimine alternativas que invertam sujeitos/atos do texto ou que introduzam ideias inexistentes (pegadinhas comuns).
- Consulte mentalmente um dicionário de confiança quando surgir dúvida sobre expressões compostas.
Comentário final: A alternativa A é a única que reproduz fielmente o sentido de “to raise awareness” no contexto dado.
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