Questions 31 to 38 address both the teaching of English as a foreign language and the Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCNs) The use of authentic materials in the reading classroom is seen as essential for the development of learner reading skills and, according to Nuttall (1996:172), real texts provide for realistic needs of real people. This said, one of the main advantages of using authentic materials in the classroom is the effect generated on: