1. Mary Barneby runs a company that helps women plan for retirement. She is worried because housing values have declined, jobs are unstable, and women cannot rely on social security. 2. Women have difficulty saving for retirement because they take time off work to raise children or care for family, and generally earn less than men. However, women are also responsible for not planning early enough for the future. 3. The text provides tips for women to start learning about money, saving regularly from their income, and diversifying investments in mutual funds to prepare for retirement despite stock market fluctuations.

1. ESCOLA ESTADUAL “DR. JOAQUIM VILELA”
Avaliação de Língua Inglesa - English Test -
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Mary Barneby has been worried about the financial future America's women. She
runs a company that devises and manages retirement plans. "We're making a lot of
money, much more than our parents did. But in many areas of the country our
houses have lost value. Many of us have been downsized out of jobs. We have little
to expect from the Social Security System and we can't think of retiring at 65," says
Barneby.
Women do not put much money aside for a variety of reasons. They come and go
in the work force, taking time off early to raise children and, later, to tend to elderly
relatives. When they do work, they usually earn less. However, societal patterns
cannot be blamed for everything. The problem is also a refusal to think about white
hair and wrinkles.
Before it's too late, every woman should start thinking of herself. Here are some
useful tips:
1. Learn a little more about money. There are plenty of information sources.
2. Start saving now.
3. Take away a percentage from your income, as a tax you're charging on yourself.
4. Avoid spending your money on useless things.
One last and very, very important recommendation: the stock market has enjoyed
years of above-average growth. Sometimes a downward correction happens and it
may be for a month, a few months, a year or more. It's impossible to say how and
when. Build a diversified group of mutual funds and have reasonable expectations.
(Adapted from Readers' Digest, Sept. 1997, p. 82-87)
Vocabulary vocabulário
to run — to administer para executar - para administrar
to devise — to orientate conceber - para orientar
to manage — to administer para gerir - para administrar
retirement — a time when a person stops working, usually because of aposentadoria - um momento em que uma pessoa pára de
age trabalhar por causa da idade
to downsize — to reduce in size para reduzir - para reduzir de tamanho
aside — apart de lado - para além
to take time off — to leave para ter tempo livre - para deixar
to raise — to take care; to be responsible for para levantar - para cuidar, para ser responsável pela
later — after a certain time mais tarde - após um certo tempo
refusal — rejection recusa - rejeição
wrinkle — a line on someone's face that forms as they get old rugas - uma linha no rosto de alguém que se forma à medida
tip — suggestion; advice que envelhecem
source — fountain; the place something comes from ponta - sugestão; conselho
income — money received from work or investment fonte - fonte, a coisa vem de lugar
to charge — to debit renda - dinheiro recebido do trabalho ou de investimento
downward — reduction, lower, fall de cobrar - para débito
para baixo - redução, baixa, queda
CHECK YOUR READING
1. According to the text: 2. When Mary Barneby says, "We can't think of retiring
a) lots of American women can expect a solid financial at 65", she means that:
future. a) 65 years of work is too much.
b) there's not much to expect from the government policy b) 65 years of age is too early to retire.
of security c) 65 years of age is too late to retire.
c) there is a general devaluation of houses in the United d) retiring at 65 was something usual for her parents.
States.
d) the great majority of American women have no jobs.
3. All the options are right, EXCEPT: 4. Among the tips suggested in the text we can infer
a) women tend to forget that they will get old. that:
b) women's pay is inferior. a) the stock market presents risks.
c) women have to take care of children. b) there is nothing to fear from the stock market.
d) women have many reasons to be in the work force. c) in some periods of the year the stock market falls.
d) the stock market has oscilated during the last years.
5. Another title for the text could be:
a) The ups and downs of the stock market.
b) What every woman should know about money.
c) Women in the work force.
d) How to earn money.
GABARITO: 1 = b); 2 = c); 3 = d); 4 = a); 5 = b);