(PUC - RS - 2007)
COCONUT TREE, COCO PALM
A thousand 7years ago, the coconut 8tree did not even exist in Tahiti. 1It was the pioneering Polynesians who 9first brought this 21plant with them in their migrations. A 2tree of 10life in every sense of the 11phrase, its nut 12supplies water, milk and 3edible pulp; its "heart" is eaten in salads; its 22trunk serves as 23framework for Tahitian 24huts, and its palms are 4woven as 25roofing.
15Then, of course, there is the coconut 16which, when cut in two and dried 18in the sun, produces oil. 5Plait three 6blades of grass and 13dip 19into this oil, 14light... And you have a lamp. A lamp which not 20so very long ago was still used 17throughout the islands.
Nouns in English can be divided into "countable" or "uncountable" (e.g.: apple X water). In order to indicate some kind of "measurement" in the case of uncountable nouns, another noun is required (e.g.: "glasses" or "liters" of water).
Accordingly, the expression below that is equivalent to the structure "blades of grass" (ref. 6) is
structures of steel.
classes of Chinese.
cups of coffee.
floors of wood.
letters of complaint.
Gabarito:
cups of coffee.
[C]
A questão solicita que seja localizada a alternativa em que - como em "blades of grass" - algum tipo de unidade de medida seja empregado para quantificar um "uncountable noun".
a) structures of steel. >> "estruturas de aço" >> "steel" caracteriza o substantivo "structures", e este não quantifica aquele.
b) classes of Chinese. >> a palavra "classes" não ajuda a quantificar o substantivo "Chinese", pois ele refere-se a uma língua - algo inquantificável.
c) cups of coffee. >> a palavra "cups" nos permite identificar a quantidade de café, tornando a estrutura contável.
d) floors of wood. >> o plural de "floors" não quantifica o substantivo "wood".
e) letters of complaint. >> a palavra "complaint" (reclamação) não é um "uncountable noun" e está presente para especificar o tipo de cartas ("letters").