The word “lessening" (line 3) means:
Read the Text 1 and answer the questions from 41 to 45.
Recycle – Reduce – Reuse
Easier – Recycle means to process old, used items in order that the material can be used to
make new products. Examples of things that are often recycled are glass, plastic,
newspapers, aluminum cans, used motor oil, and batteries. Here, reduce refers to lessening
the amount of items or resources that are consumed, using only the amount that is needed,
and looking for alternatives that will lessen our use. And reuse means extending the 'life' or
repurposing an item rather than discarding or throwing it away.
Harder – Recycling is the processes of collecting, processing, remanufacturing, and reusing
materials instead of discarding them. This helps conserve raw materials and energy that
manufacturers would otherwise use in producing new products. Recycling also reduces the
amount of material going into landfills. Recycling helps lessen the pollution that may result
from waste disposal. Reducing our consumption of materials and reducing the waste of
materials also adds to the conservation of our resources.
Disponível em:
Acesso em: abr. 2011.
Recycle – Reduce – Reuse
Easier – Recycle means to process old, used items in order that the material can be used to make new products. Examples of things that are often recycled are glass, plastic, newspapers, aluminum cans, used motor oil, and batteries. Here, reduce refers to lessening the amount of items or resources that are consumed, using only the amount that is needed, and looking for alternatives that will lessen our use. And reuse means extending the 'life' or repurposing an item rather than discarding or throwing it away. Harder – Recycling is the processes of collecting, processing, remanufacturing, and reusing materials instead of discarding them. This helps conserve raw materials and energy that manufacturers would otherwise use in producing new products. Recycling also reduces the amount of material going into landfills. Recycling helps lessen the pollution that may result from waste disposal. Reducing our consumption of materials and reducing the waste of materials also adds to the conservation of our resources. Disponível em: Acesso em: abr. 2011.
Gabarito comentado
Resposta correta: E - to become weaker
Tema central: vocabulário em contexto (reading comprehension). A questão pede o sentido da palavra lessening dentro da frase “lessening the amount of items…”. Para resolver, é preciso identificar a função da palavra e buscar sinônimos no contexto.
Resumo teórico: o verbo lessen significa “to make or become less; to decrease” (Cambridge Dictionary). Em textos de compreensão, procure palavras próximas que indiquem ação sobre quantidade (ex.: amount, consume, use) — elas ajudam a inferir o sentido correto. Fonte: Cambridge Dictionary (https://dictionary.cambridge.org).
Justificativa da alternativa correta: E corresponde a “to become weaker”, que é equivalente a “to become less” ou “to decrease”. No contexto (“lessening the amount”), o verbo indica diminuir a quantidade — logo, “become weaker/less” expressa corretamente essa ideia.
Análise das alternativas incorretas:
A – to become stronger: é o oposto de lessen; portanto, incorreta.
B – to throw things away: refere-se a “discard” ou “throw away”, não a reduzir quantidade; não corresponde ao sentido de lessening.
C – to help: sem relação semântica com “diminuir/lessen”.
D – to take care of something: significa “cuidar”, também não equivalente a “diminuir”.
Estratégias úteis:
- Identifique a classe gramatical (aqui, lessening funciona como verbo/gerúndio) e a palavra-raiz (lessen).
- Busque palavras no contexto que indiquem ação sobre quantidade (amount, consume) para confirmar o sentido.
- Elimine alternativas com sentidos opostos ou não relacionados.
Gostou do comentário? Deixe sua avaliação aqui embaixo!
