Modal Verbs

Introdução
Os modal verbs, também chamados de verbos modais, são uma classe especial de
verbos auxiliares. Possuem características próprias e não seguem as regras gramaticais
de outros verbos do inglês.
Características
Os modal verbs só são utilizados na presença de outro verbo (porque são verbos
auxiliares) e conseguem alterar ou complementar o sentido desse verbo. Além disso,
eles não recebem a terminação “-ed” do passado - já que não possuem forma de futuro e
passado - e não recebem as terminações de terceira pessoa do singular (he, she e it).
Então, você nunca irá encontrar um modal verb com terminação “s”, “es” ou “ies”.
Esses verbos normalmente expressam coisas diferentes e são usados em contextos
também diferentes, podendo ter sentido de capacidade, pedido, desejo, obrigação,
possibilidade etc.
Uma coisa muito importante é que sempre que usarmos algum modal verb, o verbo
principal (ou seja, o que vem depois do modal) precisa estar no infinitivo, mas sem o to.
Temos nove modal verbs na língua inglesa. São eles:
 can
 could
 may
 might
 must
 should
 shall
 will
 would
Algumas gramáticas também aceitam o ought to como verbo modal, mas como ele caiu
em desuso, não interessa muito para nós.
Abaixo, iremos explicar um pouco melhor cada um dos modal verbs e como usá-los.
Can
O can é utilizado como uma forma de significar permissão ou capacidade de algo, sendo
equivalente ao verbo “poder” ou “conseguir” do português.
Sua forma negativa é cannot ou, contraído, can’t. Para a forma interrogativa, é só
colocarmos o can no começo da frase (lembrando que ele é usado para formas
interrogativas mais informais).
Vejamos alguns exemplos:
 You can’t play soccer today - Você não pode jogar futebol hoje.
 Can I order a pizza? - Eu posso pedir uma pizza?
 Cats can see in the dark - Gatos podem enxergar no escuro.
 We can make a party this weekend - Nós podemos fazer uma festa nesse fim de
semana.
Could
O could é é usado da mesma forma que o can, mas para ações que ocorreram
no tempo passado. É também usado para exprimir ações possíveis no presente ou
futuro, ou para falar sobre situações irreais ou hipotéticas.
Sua forma negativa é could not ou, contraído, couldn’t. Sua forma interrogativa também
vem no começo da frase, muito usada para fazer frases mais educadas.
Vejamos alguns exemplos abaixo:
 He could have drank more wine, but he didn’t. - Ele poderia ter bebido mais vinho,
mas não bebeu.
  I could’t open the jar, so I asked my mom to do it for me. - Eu não conseguia abrir o
pote, então eu pedi para minha mãe abrir para mim.
 We could make a party this weekend. What do you say about it? - Nós poderíamos
fazer uma festa nesse fim de semana. O que vocês acham disso?
 I am so hungry that I could eat a bull. - Eu estou com tanta fome que poderia comer
um touro.
 Could you make me a tea? - Você poderia fazer um chá para mim?
May e Might
Tanto may quanto might são usados com um significado de possibilidade. A única
diferença entre os dois é que may expressa uma possibilidade maior do que might e,
portanto, pesa um pouco mais na frase.
A forma negativa de may é may not e a de might é might not ou, contraído, mightn’t. A
forma interrogativa de ambos segue a mesma regra de todos os outros, sendo que a
do may é usada para fazer pedidos formais.
Vejamos alguns exemplos:
 I might go to the party. I have a headache that is bothering me. - Pode ser que eu
vá para a festa. Estou com uma dor de cabeça que está me incomodando.
 I may go to the party. I just need to find my wallet first. - Eu posso ir para a festa. Eu
só preciso achar a minha carteira primeiro.
 May I go to the bathroom? - Posso ir ao banheiro?
 She may not go to the movies tonight, because she has a headache - Ela não vai
para o cinema hoje à noite, porque ela está com dor de cabeça.
 She might not go to the movies tonight, because she has a lot of work to do - Pode
ser que ela não vá para o cinema hoje à noite, porque ela tem muito trabalho para
fazer.
Must
O must é usado para exprimir uma opinião ou constatação sobre algo que achamos ser
verdade, ou para falar sobre uma obrigação, sendo equivalente ao verbo “dever” do
português.
Sua forma negativa é must not ou mustn’t, que são usados para exprimir
uma proibição. Sua forma interrogativa é como em todos os outros modal verbs.
Aqui estão alguns exemplos:
 Hello, you must be John’s girlfriend! It’s nice to meet you! - Olá, você deve ser a
namorada do John! É tão bom te conhecer!
 You must do your homework before watching TV. - Você deve fazer seu dever de
casa antes de assistir TV.
 You must not accept candy from strangers. - Você não deve aceitar doces de
estranhos.
Should
O should é usado como uma sugestão ou um conselho para alguém.
Sua forma negativa é should not ou shouldn’t, e sua forma interrogativa é a mesma que
a dos outros.
Seguem alguns exemplos:
 You should call your sister, it’s been a while since you two have talked. - Você
deveria ligar para a sua irmã, faz um tempo que vocês dois não se falam.
 I should buy another umbrella. - Eu deveria comprar um outro guarda-chuva.
 He shouldn’t drink this much. - Ele não deveria beber tanto.
 Should I eat another slice of this cake? - Será que eu deveria comer outro pedaço
desse bolo?
Shall
O shall é usado em perguntas, para dar uma sugestão ou oferecer alguma coisa.
A forma negativa de shall é shall not ou shan’t (essa forma contraída é bem formal e
pouquíssimo utilizada).
Abaixo, temos alguns exemplos:
 Shall we dance? - Vamos dançar?
 They are going to travel this summer, but we shall not go, right? - Eles vão viajar
nesse verão, mas nós não vamos, né?
Will
O will é usado para falar sobre situações do futuro que acabamos de decidir, ou
que não temos certeza se irão ou não acontecer (cuidado para não confundir o will com
o verbo going to, que também expressa situações futuras, mas que traz o sentido de
certeza).
A forma negativa de will é will not ou won’t, e sua forma interrogativa é igual a dos
demais verbos modais.
Vejamos alguns exemplos:
 She will go to the japanese restaurant. - Ela irá para o restaurante japonês.
 I will buy another car. - Eu vou comprar outro carro.
 Will you come with me to London? - Você virá comigo para Londres?
 We won’t go to the movies this weekend. - Nós não iremos para o cinema nesse
fim de semana.
Would
O would é usado para falar sobre situações imagináveis no presente ou no futuro,
sendo equivalente aos verbos condicionais do português, como “seria”, “faria” etc.
Sua forma negativa é would not ou wouldn’t, e sua interrogativa é igual a dos demais e
pode ser usada como o can e o could.
Abaixo, temos os exemplos:
 If I were rich, I would buy a mansion in Paris. - Se eu fosse rica, iria comprar uma
mansão em Paris.
 Would you get this to me? - Você poderia pegar isso para mim?
 If I were you, I wouldn’t eat this much sugar. - Se eu fosse você, não comeria tanto
açúcar.

Exercícios
EXERCÍCIO 1
(FIEB-SP/2016)
It is possible to connect a number of computers and other electronic devices to create a
computer network. The computers and devices which are part of the network can “talk” to
each other and exchange information. In addition to the computers and devices which are
connected, other devices are often needed for the network to work correctly. Examples for
such devices include hubs and switches. Different kinds of network can be connected to
each other with a router. Firewalls are commonly used to protect the network. In general,
networks that use cables to connect can operate at higher speeds than those using
wireless technology.
A Local Area Network (LAN) connects computers which are close together. Building a
LAN is easier than connecting different networks by a Wide Area Network (WAN). The
largest Wide Area Network is the Internet. Computers can be part of several different
networks. Networks can also be part of bigger networks. The local area network in a
regional office or store is usually connected to the main corporate network. These
connections may allow access to the Internet, for example to show computers in a store,
display its catalogue through a web server, or convert received orders into shipping
instructions.
A network must be connected with appropriate hardware. This can be wired or wireless.
For a simple LAN, computers, media and peripherals are sufficient. WANs and some large
LANs need some additional devices like a bridge, gateway or router to connect different
small or large networks. A network needs a communication protocol. Microsoft Windows,
Linux and other operating systems use TCP/IP. Apple Macintosh computers used
Appletalk in the 20th century, but also use TCP/IP now.
(https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network. Adaptado)
In the fragment from the second paragraph – These connections may allow access to the
Internet, for example to show computers in a store…” – the word in bold indicates:
A -  need.
B -  advisability.
C -  request.
D -  possibility.
E -  permission.

(FIEB-SP/2016)
In the sentence from the third paragraph – A network needs a communication protocol. –
the word “needs” could be replaced, keeping the same sense of the text, by
A -  must have.
B -  may have.
C -  could have.
D -  would have.
E -  can have.

(G1-EPCAR/2016)
Leia o seguinte texto para responder à questão:
CYBERBULLYING ON THE RISE
Bullying among children and teenagers is not something new but it is getting more and
more common by modern methods of communication.
Cyberbullying happens when an adolescent is put in danger by another child or teenager
by photos or text messages sent to cell phones or posted on social networks. Sometimes
cyberbullies send mails with sexual comments or take passwords of other teenagers and
log on to websites with false identities. Children also play Internet games and make fun of
each other in many ways.
A study by a Canadian University shows that half of the young people interviewed said
that they suffer bullying. One of the reasons is the great use of cell phones over the past
years. Today’s children are connected with each other electronically. They call friends
every time they want or communicate with them on Facebook.
Cyberbullying is getting extremely popular because teens can stay anonymous. Many
adolescents act this way because they feel frustrated or angry and want to punish
somebody for something that happened to them. At other times they do it just for fun or
because have nothing else to do. Parents usually don’t know their child is a cyberbully.
They perceive it just when the victim or the victim’s parents contact them.
This kind of bullying is not as inoffensive as many people think. In some cases it can lead
to suicide. Many countries have organized campaigns to inform adults and children of its
dangers.
There are a few ways to prevent cyberbullying. First, it is important to show children that
they have to respect others and they are responsible for what they do. For victims it is
important not to play the bully’s game or answer their emails and text messages. It is also
important to get help from parents and teachers.
Often schools get involved. They bring together the parents of victims and cyberbullies
and talk with them. Cyberbullying does not always end at school. Often, parents go to the
police and accuse the bullies.
(Adapted from http://www.english-online.at/society/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-on-the-
rise.htm)
“Cyberbullying is getting extremely popular because teens can stay anonymous”
(reference 3). The underlined verb expresses:
A -  possibility.
B -  obligation.
C -  prohibition.
D -  permission.

2019 • Universidade Estadual do Centro-oeste • Universidade Estadual do Centro-oeste •

Vestibular PAC - 3ª Etapa • Prova: 75061

Considering language usage in the text, it’s correct to say:

A) The word “lives” ( l . 2) is the Simple Present form of the verb.

B) The phrase “as complex as” ( l . 3) expresses inequality.
C) The modal “can” ( l . 5) expresses certainty.
D) The expression “such as” ( l . 7) introduces an exemplification.

#1031626 | 9 • Inglês • Interpretação de Texto (reading Comprehension)

| Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)
2019 • Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro • Pontifícia Universidade
Católica do Rio de Janeiro • Vestibular Inglês 1º Dia Manhã - Grupo 2 • Prova: 74832

In the fragment “researchers and service providers must address public anxiety and make
it clear that robots are designed to assist social workers, not replace them.” (lines 94-97),
the verb form must conveys an idea of

A) strong recommendation
B) logical conclusion
C) possibility
D) condition
E) ability

#750550 | 22 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2017 • Unesp • Unesp • Vestibular - Primeiro Semestre • Prova: 61732

Assinale a alternativa que completa a lacuna da tira.

A) must
B) am going to
C) can
D) have been
E) would
#710086 | 30 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)
2017 • Unesp • Unesp • Vestibular - Segundo Semestre • Prova: 60198

No trecho do segundo parágrafo “The city has to be for everybody”, a expressão em

destaque pode ser substituída, sem alteração de sentido, por

A) must.
B) could.
C) may.
D) used to.
E) going to.

#663557 | 19 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2016 • PUC - RJ • PUC - RJ • Vestibular - 1º Dia Grupo 1, 3 e 4 • Prova: 57082

In the fragment of the text ‘“It should fly again,” Musk said Friday’ (line 68) the modal verb
“should” implies an idea of

A) advice.
B) necessity.
C) permission.
D) possibility.
E) request.

#665000 | 9 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2016 • PUC - RJ • PUC - RJ • Vestibular - 1º Dia Grupo 5 • Prova: 57083

In the fragment of the text ‘“It should fly again,” Musk said Friday’ (line 68) the modal verb
“should” implies an idea of

A) advice.
B) necessity.
C) permission.
D) possibility.
E) request.

#583315 | 20 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2013 • UERJ • UERJ • Vestibular - Prova 1 • Prova: 51102

most people should reach 80 or 90. (l. 31)

The function of should in the fragment above is to:

A) give advice
B) clear doubt
C) express possibility
D) impose obligation
#584293 | 41 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Interpretação de Texto (reading
Comprehension) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)
2012 • Unifesp • Unifesp • Vestibular - Conhecimentos Gerais • Prova: 51143

In the excerpt from the third paragraph – may suffer from a variety of problems later in life
–, the word may carries the idea of
A) obligation.
B) habit.
C) inevitability.
D) request.
E) possibility.

#584296 | 44 • Inglês • Interpretação de Texto (reading Comprehension)

| Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)
2012 • Unifesp • Unifesp • Vestibular - Conhecimentos Gerais • Prova: 51143

Instrução: Assinale as alternativas que completam, correta e respectivamente, as lacunas

numeradas de 42 a 45 no texto.

A) simply aren’t
B) could be
C) can’t be
D) are not
E) will do

#584884 | 11 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2012 • PUC - RJ • PUC - RJ • Vestibular - Inglês • Prova: 51184
The boldfaced expression conveys the idea of advice in
A) “To find an explicit political interculturalism we need to turn to Quebec,”(lines 98-99)
B) “This can be prevented or overcome through an interculturalism that promotes
community cohesion on a local level and the subscription to national citizenship identities.”
(lines 125-128)
C) “and so is more likely to emphasise the protection of individual rights.” (lines 150-
151)
D) “It is much better to acknowledge that the ‘multi’ in ‘multiculturalism’ will encompass
different kinds of groups and does not itself privilege any one kind,” (lines 177-179)
E) “but that ‘recognition’ should be given to the identities that marginalised groups
themselves value and find strength in,” (lines 180-182)

#584961 | 18 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2012 • PUC - RJ • PUC - RJ • Vestibular - Biologia e Inglês 01 • Prova: 51193
“Might” in “...might save your life” (L. 10) and “Shouldn’t” in “Shouldn’t evolution have
selected for a species...” (L. 29-31) express the ideas of, respectively:
A) probability – duty.
B) condition – ability.
C) obligation – assumption.
D) possibility – what is desirable.
E) theoretical ability – suggestion.

#584981 | 18 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2012 • PUC - RJ • PUC - RJ • Vestibular - Biologia e Inglês 02 • Prova: 51194
“We can’t deny” in “...we can’t deny that the world has changed very quickly...” (L. 12-13)
and “My phone can make” in “My phone can make and receive phone calls...” (L. 19-20)
express the ideas of, respectively:
A) probability – duty.
B) condition – ability.
C) obligation – assumption.
D) possibility – obligation.
E) impossibility – ability.

#585751 | 39 • Inglês • Verbos (verbs) | Verbos Modais (modal Verbs)

2008 • UEPB • UEPB • Vestibular - Literatura Brasileira e Inglês • Prova: 52076

The MODALS ‘can’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ’might’ in TEXT E are used to show
A) obligation.
B) certainty.
C) capacity.
D) the future.
E) probability.

(PUC-RJ)

LIES ARE SO COMMONPLACE,

THEY ALMOST SEEM LIKE THE TRUTH

Everyone lies. Little lies, perhaps, which may not

cause serious problems, but still they are lies. We fudge on
how old we are, how much we weigh, what we are paid. Some
people tell their children that Santa Claus will come on
Christmas Eve.
Consider the last time you got a phone call from
someone you didn't want to talk to. Did you perhaps claim
falsely that you were just on your way out the door? That your
newborn (you're childless) needed you?
Did you ever promise anyone, "We'll do lunch", when
you knew that you'd never get together?
Did you ever reach for the phone to call in sick to
work, then leap from bed to enjoy the day?
Did you ever tell someone you owed money to that
the check was in the mail when it wasn't?
Few behaviors serve as many purposes as lying. We
grow up to use lies - or at least half truths - to avoid things that
should be done, to get people to believe us, to get what we
want, to buy time, to end conversations, to keep relationships
going.
"Lying is also exciting," said Margaret Summy, a
professional counselor in Forth Worth, Texas. "It's living
dangerously. Besides, we all want to be important, so we
change our stories to make them more interesting."
"We also lie to make people agree with us, without
realizing that we're doing so," said clinical psychologist David
Welsh.
"In working with relationships such as parent-child or
husband-wife, each person has a different memory, one
which helps them. They'll accuse each other of lying," he said.
"But both are telling their own understanding of the truth."
Perhaps the most understandable reason people lie
is so they don't hurt others' feelings. Most guests at a dinner
party wouldn't want to say that they didn't like a specially
prepared meal, even if it was terrible.
But even though people lie for good reasons, lying
can be harmful. If we act on false information, we can be hurt.
If we lie and are discovered, it can destroy the trust necessary
for strong relationships. Besides, lying is hard on the brain
because one lie leads to another, and we always have to
remember our false story. In his "Discourses on Government",
Algernon Sidney said, "Liars ought to have good memories."
For most of us, though, lying is hard on us physically.
We breathe faster, our hearts beat harder, and our blood
pressure goes up.
The truth can be hard on the body too, of course —
especially if we're admitting to a lie. Just about the most
difficult thing for any human being to do is to tell others that he
or she lied to them. It's very stressful.
Terry L. Goodrich. Seattle Post-Intelligencer;
October 29, 1990, C1
The modal auxiliary ought to in "Liars ought to have good memories" (lines 42) indicates...
a) possibility. b) probability. c) obligation. d) ability. e)
permission.

(PUC-RS) TEXT

01  Captain Kirk did it. So did "2001" astronaut

02   David Bowman, the "Lost in Space"
03   Robinsons and the cartoon Jetsons. They
04   spoke to their computers and robots, and
05   the machines actually understood
06   and spoke back. After all, it was science
07   Afiction.
08   But suddenly it doesn’t seem so
09   fanciful. The latest technology of speech
10   recognition promises to arm our deaf-mute
11   PCs with the ability to act on commands
12   spoken into a microphone. "Speech will
13   eventually replace the need to use the
14   mouse and keyboard," says Michael
15   Dertouzas, the director of MIT’s computer-
16   science lab. That kind of enthusiasm has
17   generated optimistic forecasts of $1 billion
18   in over-all speech-technology sales by the
19   end of the century and caused a rush to
20   get software onto store shelves. Do the
21   products now available live up to the
22   enthusiasm? Not quite yet. But eventually,
23   you may rely on speech-recognition
24   software to surf the Web, check e-mail
25   from your car – and perhaps even do your
26   banking.
27   Today the most announced application
28   of speech technology is so-called
29   "continuous speech dictation", in which a
30   computer transcribes everyday dialogue.
31   Since individual accents and diction vary,
32   new users must spend about 30 minutes
33   reading to the computer from a training
34   routine. The software’s accuracy gradually
35   improves as it is used, adding
36   unrecognized words to its vocabulary and
37   learning from mistakes when they are
38   corrected. It typically takes a few trying
39   days of regular use to achieve the 95
40   percent accuracy announced on software
41   boxes.

(Adapted fromNewsweek -  March 30,1998)

The modal verb "must" (line 32) is closer in meaning to all alternatives but

a) need to. b) ought to. c) might. d) should. e) have to.

(PUC-RS) TEXT

  01Sylvia, a plump, pint-sized sexagenarian

02  who may even be slightly septuagenarian,
03  was indignant, "Hay-on-Wye is a town,
04  not a village!," she says. Sylvia claims to
05  have a "typical Welsh face." In other
06  words, the features of a rather special
07  ethnic group that looks upon the nearby
08  English with scornful disdain. This town
09   of 1,500 has acquired a unique status
10   because of the 500,000 people who visit
11   the place each year.
12  Local tourist brochures say that Hay,
13   located at the foot of the verdant
14  Radnorshire Hills, is the northernmost
15   point in Brecon Beacons National Park
16  south of the Wye river and has the Black
17  Mountains to its south and west. But
18   neither the park nor the mountains are
19  enough to explain why Hay attracts so
20   many visitors. Even Golden Valley,
21   which stretches eastward into English – in
22   other words, foreign – territory is not
23   sufficient. The exotic Welsh language –
24  strings of consonants with an occasional
25  stray vowel tossed in here and there – can
26  also be ruled out.
27  No, the real reason is that Hay has 31
28   bookstores for a population of 1,500.
29   Thirty-two if you count the beekeeper’s
30   shop located on the edge of town, where a
31  hundred or so books on bees stand next to
32   jars of honey.

(Air France Magazine, March 99)

The modal "may" (line 02) is indicating

a) permission. b) possibility. c) a wish. d) a condition. e) a request.

(UFPE) OLD AGE SURFING

"If you thought that only young people were interested in the Internet, you had better think again. In
Britain the fastest growing group of people who are learning to love new technology are the old age
pensioners. Internet provider America Online says that in the UK it now has twice as many members over
55 as it does under 30.

There are many reasons why these so-called grey-surfers are linking up to the Net, says AOL. Some want to
keep in touch with families and friends, while others use it to make new friends, share hobbies or find
work. "It’s so easy to learn how to use it," says one old-age-pensioner. "I was scared at first, but you get the
hang of it in no time at all."

(Source: "The Net - Old Age Surfing", MODERN LIFE NEWS, SPEAK UP, Ano 11, 1998, page 37)

"Had better" is equivalent to:

(UFRRJ) TEXT

A friend of mine was travelling in the train and opposite him sat a gentleman reading The Times.  Every now
and then he took  a complete sheet of the newspaper, crumpled it up, opened the window, threw it out and
shut the window. After he had done this two or three times my friend said: "Excuse me, sir, but I am most
interested in what you are doing. May I ask why you do it?"

"Oh yes", he replied, "it keeps the elephants away."

"But", my friend said, "there aren't any elephants here." "Of course not," came the answer. "That proves it
works!"

a) should. b) ought to. c) need. d) can. e) must.

(UFRRJ)

TEXT

ANGER: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT?

Mother: Jane, why did you throw that chair at your brother?
Jane: Because I wasn’t strong enough to throw the piano.

You may or may not think that Jane’s answer is funny. But you probably recognize how she feels. She is very
angry.

Everyone knows how it feels to be angry. It’s one of the most natural feelings in the world. In fact, it was
one of the first emotions you expressed as a baby.

Newborn babies are taken care of almost every minute that they are awake. They are fed, given clean
clothes, and tucked into bed so they can go right back to sleep.
Parents, though, can’t watch over a baby 24 hours a day. At some point, the baby will want to be fed when
the parents are busy or asleep. When hunger is there and food is not, the baby cries. The crying may begin
as a way of saying, "I’m uncomfortable." But it can quickly turn into anger.

So one of the first things you learned is that you can’t always have what you want when you want it. This
made you angry. As you grew older, you learned other things that made you angry.

Scholastic Scope, vol.24, No. 5, 1976

Anger is a feeling of

a) relief. b) thirst. c) displeasure. d) unhappiness. e) sadness.

Can talking on a mobile phone be hazardous to your health? It is difficult to know for sure. Some research
suggests that heavy users of mobile phones are at a greater risk of developing cancerous brain
tumours. However, many other studies suggest there are no links between cancer and mobile phone use.

The main problem with the current research is that mobile phones have only been popular since the
1990s. As a result, it is impossible to study long-term exposure to mobile phones. This concerns many
health professionals who point out that certain cancers can take over twenty years to develop. Another
concern about these studies is that many have been funded by the mobile phone industry or those who
benefit from it.

Over five billion people now use mobile phones on a daily basis, and many talk for more than an hour a day.
Mobile phone antennas are similar to microwave ovens. While both rely on electromagnetic radiation
(EMR), the radio waves in mobile phones are lower in frequency. Microwave ovens have radio wave
frequencies that are high enough to cook food, and they are also known to be dangerous to human tissues
like those in the brain. The concern is that the lowerfrequency radio waves that mobile phones rely on may
also be dangerous. It seems logical that holding a heat source near your brain for a long period of time is a
potential health hazard.

Some researchers believe that other types of wireless technology may also be dangerous to human health,
including cordless phones, wireless gaming consoles, and laptop or tablet computers with wireless
connections. They suggest replacing all cordless and wireless devices with wired ones where possible. They
also say that many cordless phones can emit dangerous levels of Electromagnetic Radiation even when
they are not in use. They even suggest keeping electronic devices such as desktop and tablet computers out
of the bedroom, or at least six feet from the head while we're sleeping.

A growing number of health professionals worldwide are recommending that mobile phone users err on
the side of caution until more definitive studies can be conducted. They use the example of tobacco to
illustrate the potential risks. Many years ago, people smoked freely and were not concerned about the
effects of cigarettes on their health. Today, people know that cigarettes cause lung cancer, though it is still
unknown exactly how or why. Some doctors fear that the same thing will happen with mobile phones. In
May 2016, the UK's Independent newspaper reported on research by the US government's National
Toxicology Program that showed a slight increase in brain tumours among rats exposed to the type of radio
frequencies commonly emitted by mobile phones. This doesn't prove that mobile phones can cause brain
tumours in humans, but it does show that it's possible. As a result, many experts now recommend texting
or using head sets or speaker phones instead of holding a mobile phone to the ear.

(Source: https://www.englishclub.com/reading/health/cell-phone.htm)

In the fourth paragraph, the modal verb may expresses:

Certainty, as researchers are convinced that wireless technology is dangerous to human health.

Uncertainty, as researchers are still not 100% sure of the dangers of wireless technology.

Uncertainty, as recent studies have proved that smartphones are not hazardous.

Certainty, as there is compelling evidence of the dangers of wireless technology.

sociado

Considering language usage in the text, it’s correct to say:

The word “lives” (l. 2) is the Simple Present form of the verb.

The phrase “as complex as” (l. 3) expresses inequality.

The modal “can” (l. 5) expresses certainty.

The expression “such as” (l. 7) introduces an exemplification.

By changing “must” (l. 29) into the past, it corresponds to

should.

had to.

ought to.
were able to.

THE HONEYBEE has... Disponível em: <www.bbc.co.uk/news/scienceenvironment-34749846>. Acesso em:

21 set. 2016.

Considerando o uso gramatical da língua no texto, é correto afirmar:

A forma verbal “had just emerged” (l. 9) refere-se ao tempo presente.

O modal em “may have been used” (l. 18-19) expressa possibilidade.

O ’s em “it”s (l. 24) expressa o genitivo de posse.

O adjetivo “the earliest” (l. 25) está no grau comparative de inferioridade.

Re-Planting a Forest, One Drone at a Time

That funny little buzz you hear in the forest may not just be the hum of summer insects. In the near future
it could be a small fleet of drones, coming to replant and restore forests that have been stripped of trees by
industrial-scale deforestation. It’s all part of an ambitious plan by BioCarbon Engineering, a U.K.-based
startup on a global mission to battle widespread clear-cutting, which strips more than 26 billion trees off
the planet each year. CEO Lauren Fletcher, who spent 20 years as an engineer with NASA, says the only way
to fight industrial-scale deforestation is with industrial-scale reforestation. Their idea: plant 1 billion trees a
year. The first targets are in South Africa and the Amazonian jungles, both of which have suffered from
widespread forest eradication.

BioCarbon’s reforestation scheme is simple and efficient. Here’s a quick look at how it plans to deploy its
drone fleet: 

1 Do a 3-D aerial survey. First, drones are sent to fly over a potential planting zone, snapping photos that
create 3-D maps of the area to be reforested. The number of drones will vary depending up on the size of
the seeding.

2 Create a seeding plan. Once all that terrain data has been analyzed, it then generates a seeding pattern
that best suits the terrain.

3 Load the seed pods. The drones, which are equipped with guidance and control software, carry
pressurized canisters of seed pods with germinated seeds immersed in a nutrient-rich gel.

4 Hover and plant. Flying at a height of 1 or 2 meters, the drones follow the planting patterns, firing the
biodegradable seed pods down to the ground. The pods break open upon impact, allowing the germinated
seed a chance to take root.

5 Monitor growth. After planting, the drones do low-level flights to assess the health of the sprouts and
saplings.

Such “precision forestry,” as BioCarbon calls it, is extremely efficient. A farmer might hand plant as many as
3,000 seeds a day; Fletcher says his drones can drop up to 36,000 seed pods daily, often in areas where a
human can’t reach. Working with local ecologists, BioCarbon will use the drones to spread a variety of tree
species, as well as microorganisms and fungi designed to improve the soil quality. “The central focus is
ecosystem restoration,” Fletcher says.

On a planetary climatological scale, Morton notes that “tropical deforestation plays a big role in global
climate cycles,” claiming the accelerated pace of cutting and burning of forests accounted for 20 percent of
greenhouse gas emissions in the 1990s. Fletcher and his team want to help reverse that trend. “By planting
at the scale we’re looking at,” he says, “we can make a real longterm impact. We hope to do a lot of good in
the world.”

(Adapted from https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2015/07/re-planting-forest-one-drone-time/. Access on

22/8/2017)

Choose the best answer, according to the text. Refer to the words in bold when necessary:

The words may and could are used to indicate uncertainty.

Lauren Fletcher is still working at NASA

The word widespread is used as an adjective to the noun battle.

The pronoun which is used to refer the aforementioned widespread clear-cutting.

Burning of forests accounts for 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions nowadays

(UFSC - 1999 Adaptada) Read the letter Benita wrote to Maria and select the CORRECT proposition to
complete the gaps.

Dear Maria,

It's good to hear you may want to visit _____ (1) United States. I think September is the best time to come.
It's _____ (2) quite warm, _____ (3) there may be some rain, and it might be a bit cold _____ (4) the
evening, so bring a sweater. Best of all, there won't be so many tourists. You _____ (5) like to stay in youth
hostels, which are pretty cheap and convenient. When you get to the U.S., give _____ (6) a call  I might be
able to take some time off and go around with you!

Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

I hope this is useful,

Take care,

Benita

(From: Move Up - Pre-intermediate. Simon Greenall. Heinemann, 1997.)

the (1), Usually (2), although (3), In (4), May (5), me (6)

 __(1), Frequently (2), therefore (3),for (4), ought (5), my (6)

 a (1), Very (2), despite (3), On (4), Have (5) I (6)

 the (1), Often (2), instead of (3), In (4), might (5), me (6)

 an (1), Very (2), never (3), for (4), May (5), Mine (6)

(UFSC - 2000 Adaptada) Read the following texts:

FOOD
Good News
The world is still managing to produce more food. Last year’s global grain production was a new record of
1,881 million tons. The world fish catch was also a record, at 93 million tons.
Bad News
The amount of food produced per person is falling. The amount of arable land per head - it now amounts to
an area the sixth of a football field - has been reduced to half since 1950 and tends to drop by another third
by 2030. For decades, production per acre increased to compensate, but recently it has stagnated. World
grain stocks are well below safety levels. All of the world’s 15 major areas of fish concentration are at risk.
Choose the CORRECT proposition to complete the following summary of the two texts, according to their
meaning.
The world ________ produce a lot of food. But the ________ of food produced per person is falling. The
area now used for agriculture per person is ________ than a football field. Production per acre ________
recently. The stocks of grain are ________ below safety levels. The ________ areas of fish concentration
are at risk.

must still - quantity - smaller - hasn’t increased - much - main

 should still - quality - bigger - hasn’t changed - very - poor

 is still able to - totality - less - hasn’t improved - really - chief

 must still - cost - greater - has grown - high - real

 is still expected to - price - better - has disappeared - low - most

(UFS - 2007 Adaptada) Assinale a alternativa gramaticalmente correta:

There’s lots of money in soccer, isn’t there?

 Soccer should be a fair game, shouldn’t it?

 You can’t follow rules, can’t you?

 Brazil does not play beautiful soccer, isn’t it?

 They didn’t put together a great team, they do?

(UFABC - 2007) Em The fact that a person should consume eight glasses of water per day, a relação de
sentido expressa por should é de:

proibição

 probabilidade

 suposição

 capacidade

 aconselhamento

(PUC-RIO 2005) The only option in which the underlined expression transmits an idea of
obligation/necessity is:

"An email distribution list on Star Trek may have close to one hundred members…"
  "…and the communication which takes place there could be either one-way…or merely
informational…"

 "Users must be invited to join the community by someone already there."

 "Similar to Friendster, Orkut goes a step further by permitting 'communities of users'"

 "InCircle was intended for use by former university students ."

Consider the sentence: Pamela should drive more carefully.

Which sentence below is an equivalent to the sentence above?

Pamela must drive more carefully.

 Pamela has to drive more carefully.

 Pamela might drive more carefully.

 Pamela ought to drive more carefully.

 Pamela is supposed to drive more carefully.

Choose the alternative that shows a wrong use of the Modal Verb:

Joseph shall arrive from Dallas tonight.

 May I use your laptop, please?

 Blake must study really hard if he wants to pass the test.

 Bob will be able to travel abroad as soon as his passport is ready.

 Jennifer can’t read any language other than English.

Aponte a alternativa ERRADA quanto ao uso dos Modal Verbs:

Should é usado para expressar recomendação ou conselho.

 Mustn’t é usado para expressar a não-obrigação de se fazer algo.

 Can é usado para expressar habilidade ou capacidade.

 May é usado para expressar possibilidade ou permissão.

 Must é usado para expressar ordem, necessidade ou obrigação.

Choose the alternative where the Modal Verb is used INCORRECTLY.

 The students must prepare their term papers as soon as possible.

 We shall see the results if we work hard on it.

 Serena should quit smoking because her health is being affected.

 You mustn’t break the anti-smoking law.

 Philip will can lift 100 kilos by next year.

You___________ all that money, now we have nothing left.

should spend

 mustn’t spend

 can not spend

 shouldn’t have spent

 oughtn’t have spend

(UFSC - 1999 Adaptada) Read the letter Benita wrote to Maria and select the CORRECT proposition to
complete the gaps.

Dear Maria,

It's good to hear you may want to visit _____ (1) United States. I think September is the best time to come.
It's _____ (2) quite warm, _____ (3) there may be some rain, and it might be a bit cold _____ (4) the
evening, so bring a sweater. Best of all, there won't be so many tourists. You _____ (5) like to stay in youth
hostels, which are pretty cheap and convenient. When you get to the U.S., give _____ (6) a call  I might be
able to take some time off and go around with you!

Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

I hope this is useful,

Take care,
Benita

(From: Move Up - Pre-intermediate. Simon Greenall. Heinemann, 1997.)

the (1), Usually (2), although (3), In (4), May (5), me (6)

Comentário:Usa-se o definite article antes de países cujos nomes descrevem a forma de organização do
Estado (The United Kingdom, The Czeck Republic). O espaço 3 somente pode ser corretamente preenchido
por uma concessive conjunction, uma vez que a carta dá a ideia de que setembro seja quente, EMBORA
possa esfriar à noite.

(UFSC - 2000 Adaptada) Read the following texts:

FOOD
Good News
The world is still managing to produce more food. Last year’s global grain production was a new record of
1,881 million tons. The world fish catch was also a record, at 93 million tons.

Bad News
The amount of food produced per person is falling. The amount of arable land per head - it now amounts to
an area the sixth of a football field - has been reduced to half since 1950 and tends to drop by another third
by 2030. For decades, production per acre increased to compensate, but recently it has stagnated. World
grain stocks are well below safety levels. All of the world’s 15 major areas of fish concentration are at risk.

Choose the CORRECT proposition to complete the following summary of the two texts, according to their
meaning.

The world ________ produce a lot of food. But the ________ of food produced per person is falling. The
area now used for agriculture per person is ________ than a football field. Production per acre ________
recently. The stocks of grain are ________ below safety levels. The ________ areas of fish concentration
are at risk.

must still - quantity - smaller - hasn’t increased - much - main

is still able to - totality - less - hasn’t improved - really - chief

Comentário:A chave para responder corretamente a questão é compreender o verbo "to manage" no
texto  Good News. Se o mundo ainda está "dando conta" de produzir comida suficiente, portanto ainda é
capaz de produzir muita comida.

(UFS - 2007 Adaptada) Assinale a alternativa gramaticalmente correta:

Soccer should be a fair game, shouldn’t it?

Comentário:Única alternativa que apresenta uma Tag Question corretamente estruturada, ou seja, o
modal da oração afirmativa aparece na negativa na Tag Question.

(UFABC - 2007) Em The fact that a person should consume eight glasses of water per day, a relação de
sentido expressa por should é de:

suposição

aconselhamento

Comentário:O modal  should  expressa recomendação, conselho. Também pode expressar probabilidade
(This movie should be good), mas não neste caso

(PUC-RIO 2005) The only option in which the underlined expression transmits an idea of
obligation/necessity is:

"Users must be invited to join the community by someone already there."

Comentário:Must  é o único termo sublinhado que expressa

obrigação/necessidade.  May  e  could  expressam possibilidade,  to be intended  expressa intenção e  permit,
permissão.

Consider the sentence: Pamela should drive more carefully.

Which sentence below is an equivalent to the sentence above?

Pamela has to drive more carefully.

Pamela ought to drive more carefully.

Comentário:Os modais  should  e  ought to  são sinônimos. Note que usamos o verbo seguinte a  ought  com
o infinitivo com  to.

Choose the alternative that shows a wrong use of the Modal Verb:

Joseph shall arrive from Dallas tonight.

Comentário:Usa-se  shall  com  I  ou  we.

Aponte a alternativa ERRADA quanto ao uso dos Modal Verbs:

Mustn’t é usado para expressar a não-obrigação de se fazer algo.

Comentário:Mustn’t  é usado para expressar proibição.

Choose the alternative where the Modal Verb is used INCORRECTLY.

Philip will can lift 100 kilos by next year.

Comentário:Usa-se  will be able to  quando se quer expressar habilidade ou capacidade futura.

You___________ all that money, now we have nothing left.

shouldn’t have spent

Comentário:O dinheiro já foi gasto, afinal, eles não têm mais nada. Por isso, deve-se escolher a forma que
apresenta relação com o passado