I’m having a hard time starting this article. According to research out of the University of Melbourne, that might be because I’m middle-aged and work too much. Economists determined that burning the midnight oil makes you, well, dumber.” Our study highlights that too much work can have adverse effects on cognitive functioning,” they conclude.

    Tell us something we didn’t know. Who hasn’t, at the end of a seemingly endless workweek, found themselves staring blankly at their computer screen or into space unable to remember what they had for lunch, let alone form a coherent thought about the task at hand?

      For some employees, of course – the average resident 2 physician or, these days, that “3 gig economy” worker who makes ends meet by banging away at multiple projects – long hours are a fact of modern working life. And there’s a cost. Medical researchers have shown that working too much can affect employees’ physical and mental health.

      So how much is too much? For people age 40 and older, working up to roughly 25 hours per week boosts memory, the ability to quickly process information and other aspects of cognitive function, according to the study, which drew on a longitudinal survey that tracks the well-being of 6,000 Australians. Beyond 25 hours a week, the middle-aged brain doesn’t work as well, the study indicates, noting that the findings apply to both men and women.

<http://tinyurl.com/j4os8ck> Acesso em: 24.08.2016. Adaptado.

Leia o texto a seguir para responder à questão.

 

Migrant or Refugee? There Is a Difference, With Legal Implications

 

In the first half of this year alone, at least 137,000 men, women and children crossed the Mediterranean Sea to reach the shores of Europe, according to the United Nations. Thousands are traveling across the Balkans now. However, are they refugee or migrants? Does it make any difference? In search for these answers, let’s read the interview.

 

Q. Does it matter what you call them?

A. Yes. The terms “migrant” and “refugee” are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a crucial legal difference between the two.

 

Q. Who is a refugee?

A. Briefly, a refugee is a person who has fled his or her country to escape war or persecution, and can prove it.

 

Q. What does the distinction mean for European countries?

A. Refugees are entitled to basic protections under the 1951 convention and other international agreements. Once in Europe, refugees can apply for political asylum or another protected status, sometimes temporary. By law, refugees cannot be sent back to countries where their lives would be in danger. “One of the most fundamental principles laid down in international law is that refugees should not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom would be under threat,” the refugee agency said in a statement on Thursday.

 

Q. Who is a migrant?

A. Anyone moving from one country to another is considered a migrant unless he or she is specifically fleeing war or persecution. Migrants may be fleeing dire poverty, or may be well-off and merely seeking better opportunities, or may be migrating to join relatives who have gone before them. There is an emerging debate about whether migrants fleeing their homes because of the effects of climate change – the desertification of the Sahel region, for example, or the sinking of coastal islands in Bangladesh – ought to be reclassified as refugees.

 

Q. Are migrants treated differently from refugees?

A. Countries are free to deport migrants who arrive without legal papers, which they cannot do with refugees under the 1951 convention. So it is not surprising that many politicians in Europe prefer to refer to everyone fleeing to the continent as migrants.

 

Disponível em: <https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/28/world/migrants-refugees-europe-syria.html?_r=0>.  Acesso em: 15 set. 2015.

    As we all know, electricity is a fundamental need. On a daily basis, we consume electricity even without us knowing it. Just a simple task such as listening to your music player consumes electricity. Today, most of our electric generators and power plants are fed with fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal. However, due to the exponential increase of power demand, fossil fuel supplies are slowly being depleted. Not only that, but also burning fossil fuels has given off greenhouse gases and other unwanted byproducts. Because of this, the search for alternative energy sources is now a necessity. One of the most promising alternative energy sources today is Wind Powered Generators. So, what is a wind-powered generator? Basically it is the use of wind as a mechanical force needed to power an electric generator. Utilizing wind as an energy source is not exactly a new idea. The ancient Persians were the first to use wind to pump water, cut wood, and grind food and others by building windmills. Even today you can find windmills still being used on some farms. It was the use of wind as an electric source that came into existence much later. The first practical wind powered generators were built in 1970, but yet we rarely see them in widespread use today, why? Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of the wind powered generator.

    The main advantage of wind powered generators is that they have, ideally, zero gas emissions – unlike fossil-fueled power generators. Because of the alarming effects of greenhouse gases and global warming, we want our power generators to be as clean and as environmentally friendly as possible. Since there is no burning process in a wind powered generator that produces toxic gases, it is very safe to build one in residential areas. Also, with proper engineering and enough wind, these generators can provide a high rate of wattage that can go as high as the Megawatt range. Another advantage is that it can be implemented using several small turbines connected together. This is a good thing when there is not enough space for huge structures.

     The major disadvantage of wind powered generators is that wind power varies greatly from one place to another and from day to day and season to season. Sometimes wind may be strong enough to supply energy, but that strength cannot be maintained due to changes in weather patterns. Needing strong, constant wind to most effectively power wind generators is one reason they are often built in coastal areas. Another disadvantage is that the structure of most practical wind powered generators is huge and bulky. Commonly, its size is proportional to the wind power it can collect.

    Research in wind power has now intensified because of its innate advantages over other power generators. With this increase in interest in wind energy and alternative energy sources as a whole, our future will become brighter and more and more remote areas will eventually enjoy the benefits of clean electric energy. In an electricity-dependent world, power supplies must provide the required electricity for communities and businesses. Wind powered generators might just be the solution for power shortages.

Disponível em: http://mysolarcellhome.org/articles/pros-and-cons-of-wind-powered-generators.