Confúcio foi professor e o maior famoso filósofo e pensador político da China. Seu nome verdadeiro era Chiu Kung, mas ele se tornou conhecido como Mestre Kung e viveu entre 552 e 479 a.C.

Confúcio não deixou nenhuma obra escrita. Felizmente, seus discípulos reuniram pequenos provérbios e diálogos com o mestre em um texto intitulado Lun Yu (“Os Analectos”).

Muitos livros já foram escritos com base nesse trabalho e um deles é o "How would Confucius ask for a raise?", da escritora americana Carol Orsborn. A atividade abaixo foi elaborada para exercitar o vocabulário e gramática contidos neste extrato do livro.

Além de praticar inglês, selecionando as alternativas que deixarão todo o texto correto, ainda vamos tomar contato com um pouco dos ensinamentos de Confúcio:

The company I own and run is doing fine right now, but long-term I’ve got a problem I can’t seem to get a grip on. If I don’t invest in 1. (  ) news equipments to /(  ) new equipments  for / (  ) new equipment for the company, the industry may leave us behind, If I do, it could take that much more than we’ve got short-term to  2. (  ) break even / (  ) broke even / (   ) break ever. What should I do?

You think your insecurity and confusion are 3. (  ) a liable / (  ) an asset / (  ) a liability. Furthermore you think you need to be certain you are making the right decision before you act. But Confucius says:

Danger 4. (   ) arises / (   ) rise / (   ) raises  when a man feels secure in his position.

Destruction 5. (   ) threats / (   ) threatens /(   ) threat when a man 6. (   ) seeks / (   ) sicks / (   ) search to preserve his wordly estate.

Confusion develops when a man has put everything in order.

Therefore the superior man does not forget danger in his security nor ruin when he is well established, nor confusion when his affairs are in order. In this way, 7. he (   ) could gain personal /(   ) gains personal /(   ) gained personnel safety and is able to protect the empire.

Your fear and 8. (  ) restlessness / (   ) restless  / (   ) restfulness indicate that you are in full possession of your powers. Take comfort in fact that your insecurity and disorder 9. (  ) provide / (   ) prevent / (  ) yields such fertile 10. (  ) ground to growth / (   ) ground for grow / (  ) ground for growth, keeping you on your toes. Now what is most important is to make full use of the time.

In fact the only thing that will cause certain harm to your company is your 11. ( ) continuous / (  ) continues / (  ) continuing to hold out for guarantees that you 12. (  ) will make / (  ) do / (  ) will do the right decision, your preference for having perfect clarity and faith in place before you act.

Baron Wen Chi, a contemporary of Confucius, said that he always 13. (   ) though / (   ) tough / (  ) thought three times before he acted. When Confucius heard this, he remarked, “To think twice is quite enough.”

Resposta:

The company I own and run is doing fine right now, but long-term I’ve got a problem I can’t seem to get a grip on. If I don’t invest in 1. new equipment for the company, the industry may leave us behind, If I do, it could take that much more than we’ve got short-term to 2. break even. What should I do?

You think your insecurity and confusion are 3. a liability. Furthermore you think you need to be certain you are making the right decision before you act. But Confucius says:

Danger 4. arises when a man feels secure in his position.

Destruction 5. threatens when a man 6. seeks to preserve his wordly estate.

Confusion develops when a man has put everything in order.

Therefore the superior man does not forget danger in his security nor ruin when he is well established, nor confusion when his affairs are in order. In this way, he 7. gains personal safety and is able to protect the empire.

Your fear and 8. restlessness indicate that you are in full possession of your powers. Take comfort in fact that your insecurity and disorder 9. provide such fertile 10. ground for growth, keeping you on your toes. Now what is most important is to make full use of the time.

In fact th only thing that will cause certain harm to you company is your 11. continuing to hold out for guarantees that you 12. will make the right decision, your preference for having perfect clarity and faith in place before you act.

Baron Wen Chi, a contemporary of Confucius, said that he always 13. thought three times before he acted. When Confucius heard this, he remarked, “To think twice is quite enough.”

*Lígia Velozo Crispino, fundadora e sócia-diretora da Companhia de Idiomas. Graduada em Letras e Tradução pela Unibero. Curso de Business English em Boston pela ELC. Coautora do Guia Corporativo Política de Treinamento para RHs e autora do livro de poemas Fora da Linha. Colunista do portal Vagas Profissões. Organizadora do Sarau Conversar na Livraria Martins Fontes.