PROVA DE INGLÊS

TEXT 1

The language barrier and its implications for HQ-subsidiary.relationships

Drivers of misunderstandings
Most multinational companies (MNCs) routinely experience the interaction
between managers belonging to different language groups. Even if the managers in
question are relatively competent in the language of the other party loss of rhetorical
skills is always present as the use of humor, symbolism, sensitivity, negotiation,
5 persuasion, and motivation requires a very high level of fluency. These are skills that
are more important in managerial positions than in operational positions. Cyr and
Schneider (1996) found that senior managers had more language-related problems than
production employees. As a result of loss of rhetorical skills, misunderstandings are
therefore easily caused, resulting in uncertainty and anxiety (Gudykunst, 1995;
10 SanAntonio, 1988). Whereas Vaara et al. (2005) provide an excellent example of these
problems in the context of a merger, this problem is particularly pertinent to the HQ-
subsidiary relationship. If it is the subsidiary management working without rhetorical
skills, they might fail to impress their senior colleagues and as a result their skills might
be undervalued. Where the parent company managers are working without the ability to
15 communicate fluently, they may be seen as lacking charisma, confidence, and
leadership skills and the subsidiary management may then choose to ignore their
direction.
Misunderstandings are aggravated by the need to avoid a loss of face. The
concept of "face" is much used when discussing Japanese or Chinese culture, but in fact
20 it applies to all nationalities (Ting-Toomey, 1988). Nobody, least of all international
managers of senior status, want to be considered stupid, ill informed or slow on the
uptake. Therefore, managers will often maintain a knowing façade, even when they
have lost track of a discussion, or remain in stony silence (see also Lincoln et al., 1995).
As a consequence such managers can find themselves signing up to agreements they
25 have barely comprehended. Subsequently, they may distance themselves from the
agreements, alleging there had been no such discussion, or renege on their commitments
denying that the implications had been explained (see e.g. Kingston, 1996). In a
developing HQ-subsidiary relationship, such behaviour can be interpreted as
inconsistent, mercurial, and even devious. This may undermine credibility and trust, and
30 the second language user, in particular, might gain an unmerited reputation of being
fickle, unreliable, and deceitful.

Extraído de HARZING, A.; FEELY, A. The language barrier and its implications for
HQ-subsidiary relationships. Cross Cultural Management, v.15, n.l, p.49-61, 2008.

INSTRUÇÕES: As questões de 1 a 5 dizem respeito ao conteúdo do TEXT 1. Leia-o

atentamente antes de respondê-las. Escolha a melhor resposta para cada questão e
marque-a em seu Cartão de Respostas.

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1. According to the text, language problems in MNCs
A) affect mostly non-native speakers of English.
B) are more serious in the Japanese and Chinese cultures.
C) do not constitute a common issue in interactions.
D) occur despite speakers' relative linguistic competence.
E) result from lack of leadership and personality.

2. The text explains that in HQ-subsidiary relationships

A) rhetorical skills are demanded by HQs from their subsidiaries.

B) problems are aggravated by nationality characteristics.
C) misunderstandings are more serious than in cases of merging.
D) humorous or symbolic language is strongly discouraged.
E) communication failure has an impact for both parties.

3. To avoid loss of face, managers

A) distance themselves from non-native speakers.

B) make efforts to comprehend agreements.
C) pretend they are following a discussion.
D) seek information about cultural differences.
E) try to improve their second language skills.

4. According to the text, inconsistency results from managers

A) refusing to sign agreements.
B) keeping distance from employees.
C) having a dubious reputation.
D) failing to fulfil their commitments.
E) being considered ill informed.

5. Where in the text do the authors justify the relevance of the kind of research they
report?

A) Lines 5 to 6
B) Lines 9 to 12
C) Lines 14 to 16
D) Lines 17 to 18
E) Lines 19 to 21

INSTRUÇÕES: As questões de 6 a 8 consistem em uma palavra ou expressão, em

inglês, seguida de cinco opções de palavras ou expressões, também em inglês,
identificadas de A até E. Escolha a opção que apresenta o melhor sinônimo da palavra
ou expressão nas linhas indicadas do TEXT 1.

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 6. SLOW ON THE UPTAKE (line 20/21)

A) Not eager to interact

B) Not fast to communicate
C) Not quick to understand
D) Not ready to interact
E) No willing to agree

7. BARELY ( line 25)

A) Very easily
B) Very freely
C) Very little
D) Very precisely
E) Very quickly

8. FICKLE (line 31 )

A) Inconsistent
B) Impatient
C) Intimidating
D) Impenetrable
E) Intolerant

TEXT 2
Cracks in a particularly thick glass ceiling; women in South Korea are slowly
changing a corporate culture that lags behind the rest of the country

South Koreans are a bit conflicted about career women. Gender wasn't much of
an issue in the selection of a female astronaut to fly this month on the country's first
space mission. But when women are seeking workaday corporate jobs, some South
Korean men still resist change. Outer space is one thing, but a woman the next cubicle
5 is something else.
For years, most educated women in South Korea who wanted to work could
follow but one career path, which began and ended with teaching. The situation started
to change after the 1998 Asian financial crisis. Thousands of men lost their jobs or took
salary cuts, and their wives had to pick up the slack by starting businesses in their
10 homes or seeking part-time work. A couple of years later, the government banned
gender discrimination in the workplace and required businesses with more than 500
employees to set up child-care facilities. It also created a Gender Equality Ministry.
These days the government hires thousands of women (42% of its new
employees last year), many for senior positions in the judiciary, international trade
15 administration, and foreign service. Startups and foreign companies also employ (and
promote) increasing numbers of Korean women.

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 One of the guys
20 But at the top 400 companies, many of which are family-run conglomerates, it’s
hard for women to reach ranks. In all, about 8% of working women hold managerial
positions. (In the V.S. nearly 51% do.) "We have a long way to go", says Cho Jin Woo,
director of the Gender Equality Ministry.
South Koreans are grappling with traditional attitudes about women, a
25 hierarchical business culture, and the need to open up the workplace to compete
globally. A senior manager at SK Holdings, which controls the giant mobile phone
carrier SK Telecom, says he avoids hiring women because he believes they lack
tenacity. When deadlines are tight, he says, "You need people prepared to put in long
hours at the office". Park Myung Soon, a 39-year-old woman who is in charge of
30 business development at the carrier, says, "Many men are preoccupied with the notion
that women are a different species". To get ahead, Park says she had to achieve 120% of
what her male colleagues did-as well as play basketball and drink with them after
work. "Luckily, I like sports, and l like to drink", she says.

Extraído de Business Week, n. 4080, p.58, April 21, 2008.

INSTRUÇÕES: As questões de 9 a 14 dizem respeito ao conteúdo do TEXT 2. Leia-o

atentamente antes de respondê-las. Escolha a melhor resposta para cada questão e
marque-a em seu Cartão de Respostas.

9. According to the text, South Korean women

A) are conflicted about gender issues.

B) can only dream of becoming astronauts.
C) do not like changes in their relations with men.
D) end up working in small cubicles next to men.
E) have traditionally been led to work as teachers.

10. The 1998 financial crisis

A) was the result of the country' s traditional workplace.

B) prompted women to find jobs and other forms of income.
C) led to changes in gender re1ationsin the workplace.
D) forced the government to ban men from the workplace.
E) encouraged South Korean wives to stay in their homes.

11. All of the following facts explain why South Korean women are in a better position
today than in the past EXCEPT FOR

A) they compare to women in the US holding top managerial positions

B) they have support from their workplace to raise their children.~
C) they may be hired by foreign companies and new enterprises/
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D) they reach upper ranks in government institutions and services./
E) they rely on government regulations to ban gender discrimination.
12. Park Myung Soon is mentioned in the text as an example of a South Korean who

A) competes with men in basketball games.

B) devotes time and effort to show she can manage.
C) finds it difficult to stay long hours at the office.
D) likes drinking with her friends after work.
E) works 120 hours ahead other male colleagues.

13. The problem with women according to the manager at SK Holdings is that they

A) are not persistent enough.

B) cannot compete globally.
C) have different habits from men.
D) hold traditional values.
E) work long hours at the office.

14. Space missions are mentioned in the text in order to

A) show that South Korea has technological expertise to fly to outer space.
B) prove that women do not lack tenacity and can reach upper ranks.
C) illustrate the impact of the creation of the Gender Equality Ministry.
D) exemplify how South Korea is opening up to compete globally.
E) contrast that sector with corporate culture and its reluctance to changes.

INSTRUÇÕES: As questões de 15 a 17 consistem em uma palavra ou expressão, em

inglês, seguida de cinco opções de palavras ou expressões, também em inglês,
identificadas de A até E. Escolha a opção que apresenta o melhor sinônimo da palavra
ou expressão nas linhas indicadas do TEXT 2.

15. TO PICK UP THE SLACK (line 9)

A) To do work to earn money.

B) To fight the government.
C) To comfort their families.
D) To begin a new career.
E) To quit their husbands.

16. PUT IN (line 28)

A) Cut.
B) Rest.
C) Spend.
D) Wait.
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 E) Waste.

17. GRAPPLING (line 25)

A) Suffering.
B) Struggling.
C) Playing.
D) Leaning.
E) Agreeing.

TEXT 3
Matriculate while-u-wait

Tom Petty had it right: The waiting is the hardest part. Now William & Mary
and Wake Forest B-schools are doing something about that. They have come up with an
express service for admissions that reduces the months-long wait for acceptance
notification to a matter of hours by replacing the lengthy application essay with an
5 hour-long face-to-face interview by faculty and school administrators. At both
schools, about 10% of all applicants used the fast-track process, which the schools say
is more effective than traditional applications because it requires students to
demonstrate business skills such as preparedness and grace under fire.

Extraído de Business Week, n. 4078, p.92, ApriI,2008.

INSTRUÇÕES: As questões 18 e 19 dizem respeito ao conteúdo do TEXT 3. Leia-o

atentamente antes de respondê-Ias. Escolha a melhor resposta para cada questão e
marque-a em seu Cartão de Respostas.

18. The title of the text refers to the fact that students

A) are requested to wait outside the interview room before they get a notification.
B) can write their applications while they wait to talk with interviewers.
C) have to show their business skills by filling application forms and writing essays.
D) learn they have been accepted and can enrol shortly after their interviews.
E) still have to wait for long periods to get admitted to some business colleges.

19. According to the text, the new admission process is more effective because
A) 10% of all applicants at both schools have used i1.
B) students look graceful during the interview.
C) required skills can be demonstrated face-to-face.
D) both faculty and school administrators are involved.
E) application essays are now shorter than before.

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R. Prof. Rubião Meira, n. 31 – São Paulo/SP 05409 020
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CNPJ: 07275065/0001-99
INSTRUÇÕES: A questão 20 diz respeito a aspectos formais do TEXT 3, mais
especificamente a relações de coesão e inferência. Escolha a opção que melhor substitui
a palavra especificada nesta questão tendo em vista a linha indicada no TEXT 3.

20. THAT (line 3)

A) Students thinking they are always right.

B) Some schools being c1assifiedas B-schools.
C) Essays being replaced by hour-long interviews.
D) Candidates waiting long for acceptance notifications.
E) Applications requiring a face-to-face interview.

CE - Central de Ensino – F.3063 4019 7

R. Prof. Rubião Meira, n. 31 – São Paulo/SP 05409 020
http://www.centraldeensino.com.br
CNPJ: 07275065/0001-99