(ESA 2025 - CFGS 2026 – 27) - QUESTÃO

Brazil Armed Forces launch border patrol operation  

Nearly 30 thousand soldiers have been engaged 

The Brazilian Armed Forces HAVE INITIATED an operation named Agatha 8 in an attempt to clamp down on crimes and irregularities that take place on national borders. This year, due to the World Cup, the measure will encompass the full length of the borders, which total over 16.8 thousand km.

Approximately 30 thousand soldiers from the Brazilian Army, Navy and Air Force, WERE SELECTED to take part in the operation, which began on Saturday (May 10). In addition, agents from the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police and the Military Police are also employed in the states covered. Other professionals ENGAGED in the action are those from such governmental agencies as the Federal Revenue Office, the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (“Abin”), and the National Civil Aviation Agency (“Anac”). Their focus is placed on the crimes most commonly committed at the national border, such as the trafficking of drugs and weapons, smuggling, environmental crimes, illegal immigration and mining.

According to the press office of the Ministry of Defense, no date HAS BEEN SCHEDULED for the end of the operation, as it depends on the outcomes of the patrols.

Operation Agatha 8 is part of a measure called Strategic Plan for Frontiers, CREATED by the federal government in 2011. Before the plan WAS INITIATED, the Brazilian government MAINTAINED contact with its ten neighbors so as to keep them informed of the employment of its military forces. 

BRANCO, M. Brazil Armed Forces launch border patrol operation. Disponível em: https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/geral/noticia/2014 05/brazil-armed-forces-launch-border-patrol-. Acesso em: 02 set. 2024.

Analyze the statements about the fragments in uppercase letters in Text 1, then choose the correct option. 

I – All of the fragments in uppercase letters are examples of the Simple Past tense. 

II – All of the fragments in uppercase letters refer to past actions in some way. 

III – In “have initiated”, the verb tense refers to a recent action at the time the news was written. 

IV – None of the fragments in uppercase letters contain a past participle form. 

V – The verb “created” is used in this verb tense because it refers to a past action in a specific time. 

Ⓐ All statements are true. 

Ⓑ Only statements II and III are true. 

Ⓒ Only one statement is false.

Ⓓ All statements are false. 

Ⓔ Only statements I and IV are false.

Let’s examine the uppercase fragments from the text:

• HAVE INITIATED → Present Perfect

• WERE SELECTED → Simple Past (passive)

• ENGAGED → Past participle used in a reduced relative clause (“professionals engaged in the action…”)

• HAS BEEN SCHEDULED → Present Perfect (passive)

• CREATED → Past participle in a reduced relative clause (“plan created by…”)

• WAS INITIATED → Simple Past (passive)

• MAINTAINED → Simple Past

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Statement analysis

I – All of the fragments in uppercase letters are examples of the Simple Past tense.
- False.
Some are Present Perfect (have initiated, has been scheduled) and others are past participles (engaged, created).

II – All of the fragments in uppercase letters refer to past actions in some way.
- True.
Even participles like engaged and created refer to actions that happened in the past.

III – In “have initiated”, the verb tense refers to a recent action at the time the news was written.
- True.
The Present Perfect is commonly used in news to report recent events.

IV – None of the fragments in uppercase letters contain a past participle form.
- False.
Several are past participles: initiated, selected, engaged, scheduled, created, maintained.

V – The verb “created” is used in this verb tense because it refers to a past action in a specific time.
- True.
“Created by the federal government in 2011” refers to a specific past moment (a reduced form of which was created).

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- Correct answer: Ⓔ Only statements I and IV are false.