Vai morrer de quê?

Foi Arthur Schopenhauer quem afirmou que o homem está condenado a ser um eterno insatisfeito. Nós nos esforçamos e sofremos para tentar obter aquilo que desejamos, mas, quando finalmente conseguimos, o sentimento de satisfação é no máximo efêmero. Surge um novo desejo, num ciclo torturante que se repete ao longo de toda a vida.

Para não desmentir o filósofo, faço uma análise pessimista dos avanços da medicina. É verdade que esse ramo do saber deu, ao longo do tempo, passos notáveis, que tiveram significativo impacto na saúde e na vida das pessoas. Em 1950, 40% dos óbitos no Brasil se deviam a moléstias infectocontagiosas; hoje, elas são menos de 10%. Em termos de expectativa de vida ao nascer, passamos dos 43,3 anos em 1950 para 73,5 em 2010. Ótimo, não? Sim, mas, como todos precisamos morrer de alguma coisa, quando tiramos as doenças infecciosas da frente, pulamos para o próximo item da lista, que são as moléstias cardiovasculares. Elas representavam 12% do óbitos em 1950 e hoje são 40%. E a coisa não para por aí. As causas cardíacas já vão perdendo espaço para outras moléstias, notadamente os cânceres, mas também demências, doenças que afetam a mobilidade, e as várias enfermidades crônicas capazes de tornar nossa existência especialmente miserável.

Estamos ficando mais saudáveis, mas isso apenas nos empurra para mortes mais sofridas. Schopenhauer morreu do coração em 1860 sentado no sofá de sua casa com seu gato.

(Hélio Schwartsman - texto adaptado, Folha de S. Paulo, 30/11/2014)

De que modo o último parágrafo se relaciona aos anteriores?

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Dear,

It was great to hear from you. Sorry it’s taken me a while to reply, but I’ve been up to my eyes in work recently. I’m happy to hear that you’re having such a good time at college and that you’ve made lots of new friends. David sounds nice. Three weeks? That must be a record for you!!

I’m writing to ask you what you’re doing the last weekend in May. I was wondering if you’d like to come and spend a few days at the shore. How about bringing David with you? (Can he cook?!) Please try to come.

I’m really looking forward to seeing you.

Write soon and let me know.

Lots of love.

(Adapted from American Inside Out, Sue Kay and V. Jones)

GLOSSARY
up to my eyes in – muito envolvido em algo

According to the text, we can infer that, the letter wasn’t replied immediately, because

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Thanksgiving

In 1620 one of the first British settlements in America was established in Massachusetts. These settlers known as Pilgrims had come to America to freely practice their religion. They arrived in November, when it was too late to plant crops. many people died, the Pilgrim settlement survived the winter because of help from Indians who lived nearby. The Indians taught the Pilgrims about corn and showed them where to fish. The next November, after the crops were harvested, the Pilgrims gave thanks to God at a feast to which they invited the Indians.

Every year, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. Families and friends get together for a big feast. The meal usually includes roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, a sweet sauce made from cranberries, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie. What a meal! It’s not surprising that a recent Thanksgiving tradition is to sit after dinner in front of the TV watching a professional football game.

(Adapted from Inglês Doorway)

GLOSSARY
harvested – colhido
cranberries – mirtilo

According to the text, we can infer that

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Rio de Janeiro presented what they are calling the largest ever floating Christmas “tree” on the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon on Saturday night.

The giant structure was with a firework display during an event that featured lights and musical performance, drawing thousands of people to the lagoon.

This year’s theme celebrates the importance of light in people’s lives, by the sun, the moon and the stars.

The 280 ft. tall structure is by 3.1 million lights and it will be lit every night until 6 January.

(Adapted from www.telegraph .co. uk)

“largest", was used in the text as a