Facebook generation suffers from information withdrawal* syndrome
In an experiment, called “Unplugged”, volunteers at 12 universities around the world spent 24 hours
without access to computers, mobile phones, iPods, television, radio and even newspapers. They were
allowed to use landline telephones or read books. Participants were asked to keep diaries about their
experience. Entries in the diaries showed that many recorded feeling impatient,anxious or isolated.
Participants described feeling restless and reaching for their mobile phones even when they weren't
there. There were also some good effects though, as people developed survival skills and went out for walks
and visited friends rather than sitting in front of a computer.
“What was amazing for us was how dependent people now are on their technology. People often
don't own watches or alarm clocks because they rely upon their mobile phones to wake themselves up,"
researchers commented. Most participants in the study struggled without their mobile phones and felt they
were missing out by not using Facebook. However, it was abstinence from music that caused them the most
difficulty.
"A lot of them said they found the silence quite uncomfortable and awkward," he said. "But as they
got used to it, they began to notice more things around them like birds singing or hearing what their
neighbours were doing. In their reflections on what they had been through, people freely admitted that they
were experiencing symptoms of withdrawal. The students compared the experience to going on a diet or
giving up smoking radically. The word addiction kept recurring."
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. (Puntuación
máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The experiment described in the text was carried out by twelve universities in Great Britain.
b) For most of the participants, not being able to use Facebook was the hardest part of the experiment.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy
from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What did the volunteers in the experiment have to do?
b) What positive effects did the experiment have on participants? Mention two.
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) lonely (paragraph 1)
b) uneasy (paragraph 2)
c) depend on (paragraph 3)
d) when (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) 1% of Norwegians are addicted to the internet. An additional 5% are at risk of _____ (develop) internet
addiction. The _____ (high) rate of addiction is in the 16-29 year old group.
b) Internet users in Greece have _____ internet addiction rate of 8.2%. Most internet addicts are males _____
play online games.
c) It wasn’t _____ the 1940s, with the development of electronic data machines, that manual calculation _____
(become) obsolete.
d) Technology addiction amongst teenagers is having a negative effect _____ learning. The report revealed
that, last year, students _____ (spend) 1-2 hours a day on social network sites.
5.- Write about 100 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Does technology help you save time or make you waste it? Explain your views.
1
Cleopatra Was not Killed by a Snake
The Queen of the Nile ended her life in 30 BC. According to legend it was the bite of an Egyptian cobra
which caused her death. After losing the Battle of Actium, her Roman lover, Mark Antony, is said to have
committed suicide. Cleopatra did likewise, according to tradition, by killing herself. Her legacy survives in
numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature and other media. Cleopatra is
usually portrayed as a great beauty and her successive conquests of the world's most powerful men are
taken to be proof of her aesthetic and sexual appeal.
Now Christoph Schaefer, a German historian and professor at the University of Trier, has presented
evidence on a television programme that drugs and not a snake were the cause of death. He said that the bite
of a snake would have given her an agonizing death over several days. “Queen Cleopatra was famous for her
beauty and was unlikely to have subjected herself to a long and disfiguring death,” said Schaefer, the author
of a best-selling book in Germany called Cleopatra.
“Cleopatra wanted to remain beautiful in her death to maintain her myth. The last female Pharaoh
probably took a lethal cocktail, which, back then, was a well-known mixture that led to a painless death
within just a few hours. We consulted eminent zoologists and toxicologists and they said that a snake bite
would have been too uncertain and taken too long,” Professor Schaefer added.
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. Nomarks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Professor Schaefer’s new hypothesis about the cause of Cleopatra’s death was made known through a
specialized magazine.
b) Experts in poisons told Schaefer that a snake bite causes immediate death.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Why is Mark Antony mentioned in the text?
b) What made Professor Schaefer think that a snake bite was not the cause of Cleopatra’s death?
3.- Find the words or phrases in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) the same (paragraph 1)
b) represented (paragraph 1)
b) proof (paragraph 2)
c) drink (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The popular image we have of Cleopatra is…………. of a beautiful queen …………. was adored by Roman
politicians and generals.
b) An old coin with the image of Cleopatra …………. (show) that she may not have been as attractive………….
first thought.
c) The coin, which …………. (hide) in a bank vault, accidentally fell …………. the floor of the bank after a
robbery.
d) Shakespeare …………. (write) his tragedy Antony and Cleopatra in 1608, but it was first printed fifteen
years…………. (late).
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Write about a historical figure that you admire.
2
Just what is "development"?
Some years ago, a well-known writer on humanitarian issues took a European economist -who was a
development expert- on a tour of villages in his native Sri Lanka. It was the expert's first visit to the
developing world, and he came armed with a doctorate in development studies, goodwill toward the needy
and the authority to hand out generous grants. In one village, the development emissary was troubled by the
sight of peasants on bullock carts1 with old wooden wheels. "My country will give you a big donation so that
you can buy rubber tyres for your carts", he said to the village chief. "That will make your vehicles more
efficient". The sarong-wrapped village chief thanked the safari-suited visitor, then said, "Sir, we will use your
donation to buy tractors for our people. That will be even more efficient".
The lesson of this story? All development is local. Global goodwill is worthy of praise, but real needs
are better addressed through cultural sensitivity and sensible solutions to everyday problems. A few
developing countries are starting to realize that the solution to their problems may not necessarily lie in
international help alone. For example, one Bangladesh-based organization has assembled a coalition of ten
nations to exchange expertise on development issues. These countries send local experts and funds to
neighbouring nations to support culturally sensitive projects.
1Bullock carts: "carros de bueyes"
1. Are the following sentences TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text.
(Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. The European economist had visited a few developing countries before coming to Sri Lanka.
b. The development expert was wearing the traditional Sri Lankan costume.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas from the text, answer these questions.
(Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. What did the development expert suggest in order to get more efficient vehicles? Did his proposal
satisfy the village chief?
b. What is the new attitude of developing countries towards international help?
3. Find in the text words which mean the same as the following words or phrases.
(Puntuación máxima: 1)
a. questions (paragraph 1)
b. poor people (paragraph 1)
c. dealt with (paragraph 2)
d. special knowledge, skill or training (paragraph 2)
4. Complete sentences a) and b). (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. If I …………. (know) you were coming I would have told you…………. (bring) me some new tools.
b. "I …………. (not be) long. I'll be ready …………. a minute and then we can leave".
Write a comparative sentence using the adjective given:
c. The train takes …………. (long) …………. the bus.
Reorder the following words to make a suitable sentence:
d. /countries/ developing/ everybody/ help/ like/ to/ would/
5. Write 120 to 150 words on the following topic. Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 3)
a. If you lived in an underdeveloped country, what do you think your life would be like?
3
Golden "ants"
For more than 2,500 years, historians have been intrigued by Herodotus' tale of large furry* ants that
enriched the Persian empire by marking holes to find gold. Herodotus' story of ants bigger than foxes but
smaller than dogs inspired generations of treasure hunters, In the absence of proof; some classical scholars
concluded that the man who many people call the father of history was at best ingenuous and at worst a liar.
Now it appears he may have been right -or largely so. Recently returned, from a Himamalyan
expedition, French explorer Michel Peissel and British photographer Sebastian Guinness say they have
located the gold diggins ants on Pakistan´s Dansar plain near the tense border with India. The "ants", it turns
out, are actually marmots, catsize rodents that live in a gold-bearing stratum of sandy soil a few feet
underground. Peissel believes Herodotus' confusion came from the ancient Persian word for marmot, which
means mountain ant.
Peissel first heard about gold-digging marmots in 1983, while travelling on the Indian side of the
border. Local tribesmen told him their ancestors extracted gold from sand that was stuck to the rodents' fur
and was deposited on the surface. But the marmots. were located on the Pakistani side of the border in an
area that is regularly bombarded with mortar and gunfire. It took Peissel 14 years to get permission to visit
the region under Pakistani military protection. But he is now convinced it was worth the wait. "The
expedition's findings at last vindicate Herodotus*, said Peissel.
furry: "peludas"
Herodotus: historiador de la antigua Grecia.
1.- Are the following sentences TRUE or FALSE? Give the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only True or False. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Some scholars believed Herodotus' tale of large furry ants was not true.
b) The animals were found in a peaceful region.
2.- In your own words and based on. the ideas in the text, answer these questions. (Be careful with
the grammar. Write precise answers). (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Why were treasure hunters so interested in the large "furry ants" Herodotus mentioned?
b) Why are Peissel and Guinness mentioned in the text?
3.- Find the words or phrases in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1)
a) academics (paragraph 1)
b) frontier (paragraph 2)
c) adhered (paragraph 3)
d) shooting (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate. form of the words in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) If Peissel ............................. (not visit) Pakistan in 1983 he .............................(not hear) about the gold-digging
marmots.
b) How long ............................. (it / take) Peissel to get permission before …………. (visit) Pakistan?
c) Peissel and Guinness ............................. (prove) that Herodotus' story ............................. be true.
d) “The scientist are studying the origin of the fossils that they found last year” Said the news reporter.
The news reporter
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on ONE of the following topics. Do not copy from the text.
(Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Have you ever thought of finding a buried treasure? Would it change your life?
4
Nessy
The history of the Loch Ness Monster goes back more than 1400 years to 565 A.D.. In this year, St.
Columba, a Christian missionary from Ireland who was passing near the lake is supposed to have seen a
dragon about to eat a visitor standing beside the river Ness. The religious man fortunately managed to chase
the monster away. Although we cannot be certain about the authenticity of such an early account, there have
been many other important sightings through the years and since 1953 the monster has begun to develop an
international reputation. In April of that year some boys reported to the Inverness Courier, a local
newspaper, that they had seen a dragon-like creature the size of a horse in the area of Loch Ness. In May
another report appeared in the same newspaper, this time the story of a prominent businessman who was
driving near the lake. This man saw a large creature "with a body resembling that of a whale and sending up
waves bigger than those made by a steamship".
The most convincing evidence came in July when a London couple named Spicer, motoring along the
shores of the Loch, came practically face to face with the beast. Mr. Spicer wrote in a letter to the Courier that
the creature was "between six and eight feet long, with a long neck that moved up and down like a scenic
railway, a hump in its back, and was the nearest approach to a dragon or a prehistoric animal that I have
ever seen".
In London the Daily Mail felt that there might be a big story here and sent a reporter to Loch Ness. He
interviewed the people who had seen the monster and wrote a story which made "Nessie" famous.
1. Indicate if the following statements are True or False and write down the lines of the text where
you found the evidence to justify your choice: (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Among the miracles attributed to St. Columba is the saving of a man from a dragon´s mouth.
b) The history of the monster dates from the year 1400.
2. Answer the following questions using the information-but not the words-of the text:
(Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) What are the proofs of the monster´s existence?
b) What role did the press play in the development of the legend?
3.- Find the words or phrases in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1)
a) sure (paragraph 1)
b)narrated (paragraph 1)
c) reliable (paragraph 2)
d) protuberance (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate. form of the words in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) …………………..the history of the Loch Ness Monster is fairly old it has become world known thanks to
scientific research.
b) The visitors said that it was ………………………..(huge) creature they have ………………seen.
c) Before………………….. (visit) Scotland, I …………………….. (read) a lot of stories ………………… the monster.
d)"Did you see a large creature while you were visiting The Loch Ness", the reported asked.
The businessman told the reporter...........
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on ONE of the following topics. Do not copy from the text.
(Puntuación máxima: 3)
"A Daily Mail reporter made Nessy famous", write about 120 and 150 words on the power of the press.
5
Dictionaries
The earliest extant Dictionary that has been found in the Akkadian language from 17th
century B. C. in Mesopotamia, was written on clay tablets. Dictionaries began as a result of language
changes that needed explanation, the proximity of Europe´s languages brought about many multilingual dictionaries from the Middle Ages onwards. 17th and 18th century English words in some of
these are the earliest records of written English. The word Dictionary comes from Latin
dictionarius, meaning ‘a collection of words’. Latin dictionaries were used for many centuries, due
to the quantity of scholarly works written in that language, including translations from Arabic.
The first English dictionaries were the result of attemps to standarize spelling, and to spread
literacy among ordinary people. From 17th century onwards, dictionary production grew, often
borrowing heavily from earlier sources. The compiling of one of the most notable was started in
about 1746 by Doctor Samuel Johnson who, immersed in this task, often forgot to wash. When told
by his wife ‘Doctor Johnson, you smell’, he is reputed to have replied ‘Correction Madam, you smell,
I stink!’.A dictionary, while containing words in alphabetical order with their corresponding
definitions, should ideally have standard and alternate spellings and meanings, grammatical forms,
etymologies, and other pearls of infinite wisdom. Does your Dictionary have all these?.
1. Indicate if the following statements are True or False and write down the lines of the text where
you found the evidence to justify your choice: (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Doctor Samuel Jonhson was an English scholar who lived in the 18th century.
b) Today all dictionaries include the etymology of the word they define.
2. Answer the following questions based on the ideas from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Why have been Latin dictionaries used for many centuries?
b) What was the aim of the first English dictionaries?
3. Find the words in the text: (Puntuación máxima: 1)
a. existing (paragraph 1)
b. because of (paragraph 1)
c. extend (paragraph 2)
d. dipped (paragraph 2)
4. Fill the blank spaces with one or more words. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. It …………… the proximity of Europe´s languages ...............brought about the multi-lingual
dictionaries.
b. In the Middle Ages some scholarly works ................. (write) in Arabic and translated .....................
Latin.
c. If 17th and 18th century English words ...................... (no record) in dictionaries, we .........................
(know) their meaning today.
d. Doctor Jonhson, ........................ was a famous scholar, started ................... (compile)his famous
Dictionary in 1746.
5. Write about 120 to 150 words. (Puntuación máxima: 3)
Do you think dictionaries should be used in exams of foreign languages?. Why?
6
Where does Dracula come from?
The English seaside town of Whitby is a fishing port which has changed little for the past 300
years. Critics say that it was this picturesque town, with the imposing ruins of the thirteenthcentury abbey perched on a promontory, which gave the writer Bram Stocker the idea for his
world-famous book Dracula. The writer, his wife and his son spent the summer of 1890 in Whitby,
while he was probably engaged in planning the novel.
Dracula, published in 1897, is the story of a vampire from Transylvania who travelled to
England. When his ship was damaged in a terrible storm, Dracula – the vampire – jumped to land at
Whitby in the shape of a huge dog. Stocker, the author, is known to have consulted books on
legends from Transylvania, Moldavia and the Carpathians at the local library at Whitby and later in
the British Library in London.
The Dracula of Transylvanian legend appears to originate from Vlad Dracul II, prince of
Walachia (1456-1476), known for his prodigious cruelties both to enemies – the invading Turks –
and his own people. However, he was not a vampire. It is suggested that Stocker’s Count Dracula
was a composite figure derived from Vlad Dracul II and the Countess Báthori. This lady was a
Hungarian aristocrat who was arrested in 1610 for murdering girls. It was her habit to wash in the
blood of her victims in order to stay young and to maintain her skin in a perfect condition.
1. Indicate if the following statements are True or False and write down the lines of the text where
you found the evidence to justify your choice: (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. When Stocker’s Dracula arrived in England, he had the appearance of a terrible black cat.
b. Bram Stocker was familiar with Eastern European stories because of his readings.
2. Answer the following questions based on the ideas from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. Why is Whitby important to understand the origin of the novel Dracula?
b. What do you know about Countess Báthori and why is she mentioned in the text?
3. Find the words in the text: (Puntuación máxima: 1)
a. impressive (paragraph 1)
b. involved (paragraph 1)
c. seems (paragraph 3)
d. custom (paragraph 3)
4. Fill the blank spaces with one or more words. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. ……………. many people know the legend of Count Dracula, few have read the novel. However, I
think that the film Dracula is less frightening ……………. the book.
b. If you ……………. (be) a victim of Count Dracula, …………….would you have done?
c. This is the first book about Bram Stocker that ……………. (deal) with the sources of his novels.
Every detail……………. (explain) with clarity and precision.
Complete the following sentence to report what was said:
d. “What else did you see?”→ I asked her …………...
5. Write about 120 to 150 words on one of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3)
a. Do you believe in vampires, ghost or other supernatural forces? Why or why not?
7
Skin Art
Prehistoric man was thought to have practised tattooing, that is, puncturing the skin with
tools dipped in pigment that left a permanent mark. And mummies with decorative tattoos have
been discovered in many parts of the world. Yet for nearly as long as there has been tattooing, there
has been condemnation. The Romans considered decorative tattooing barbaric, which is still
evident in the Latin world for tattoos, stigma, and used tattoos to mark slaves and criminals.
Despite its deep roots in ancient cultures, tattooing had fallen out of practice in Europe by the time
the Britain’s Captain Cook set sail for the Polynesian Islands in 1768.
Though Cook and his men were not the first Europeans to encounter Oceanic tattooing, they
were the first to record the practice systematically. Cook also introduced to the English language
the word tattoo, taken form the Tahitian. Cook’s men did not fully understand the significance of
tattooing among the Oceanic people, for whom the designs were symbolic protection against
earthly enemies. Yet the sailors were fascinated and eager to be marked themselves. They adopted
the practice with gusto, designing mariner motifs of their own. A turtle meant a sailor had crossed
the equator, and an anchor that he had sailed the Atlantic. Crucifixion scenes were also popular
motifs – a vain attempt to avoid being beaten, as it was hoped no one would dare hit the image of
Christ.
Today, all types of people get tattooed. Though the art was adopted from distant cultures
and adapted to suit Western tastes, the attraction of tattooing has changed very little.
1. Indicate if the following statements are True or False and write down the lines of the text where
you found the evidence to justify your choice: (Puntuación máxima: 2)
Fashionable people in the Roman world had tattoos.
a. The origin of the word tattoo is unknown.
2. Answer the following questions based on the ideas from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. Why did the Polynesian Islanders get tattooed?
b. Why did the sailors choose to have crosses tattooed?
3. Find the words in the text: (Puntuación máxima: 1)
a. embalmed (paragraph 1)
b. almost (paragraph 1)
c. profound (paragraph 1)
d. completely (paragraph 2)
4. Fill the blank spaces with one or more words. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. Before …………. (become) king of England, George the V had a dragon tattooed on ………………. arm.
b. “………………. does the word ‘stigma’ mean?” “It means ………………. mark or sign or shame.”
c. Winston Churchill’s mother, …….…. wrist was tattooed with a serpent, tried to cover ……………….
with a bracelet when in public.
d. In the past, tattoos ………………. (link) to criminals, but today the tattoo………………. (wear)
proudly by celebrities.
5. Write about 120 to 150 words on one of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3)
b. Why do many people get tattooed today? Give reasons
8
The death of language
Languages are possibly the most complicated structures the human mind has ever invented but,
tragically, our species´ most impressive creations are dying. According to the linguist David Crystal, one
language disappears every two weeks. By the end of the century, it is believed that 5,500 of the 6,000
languages, now spoken will join Latin and Greek as "dead languages". Those, of course, were once two of the
world's top languages.
There is no mystery about the real cause of this linguistic holocaust. Take a holiday anywhere in the
world and you will be inundated by the English language: from airplane safety instructions to Coca-Cola
logos. If anyone wants to get a good job, an ability to speak English is obligatory. However, English
dominance places other languages in disadvantage.
How did this happen? How has a dialect spoken by a tribe of a small island spread across the globe?
Linguists often say "a language is a dialect with an army behind it". Follow the big armies throughout
history and you will find the "world languages". In 2002 America leads the most potent army so it is not
surprising that English is currently the dominant language.
Another factor why English is spreading is the language uniformity caused by the mass media.
American TV programs and MTV – style music channels are attracting a growing audience – and
simultaneously guiding them towards English.
Changes in society will continue to cause linguistic change, and probably for a few generations most
humans will be speaking English. However, do not be too worried about this. The Romans were convinced
that Latin's dominance would last forever.
1. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write the part of the text justifies
your answer. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. The disappearance of so many languages is unfortunate.
b. The main reasons for the language massacre are unknown.
2. Answer the following questions in your own words. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. What can we learn from considering what happened to Latin and Greek?
b. How did the entertainment industry affect the growth of English?
3. Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words given.
(Puntuación máxima: 1)
a. compulsory (paragraph 2)
b. expand (paragraph 3)
c. powerful (paragraph 4)
d. leading (paragraph 5)
4. Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning: (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a. The possibilities of _______ (be) promoted also depend very often ___ your knowledge of a foreign language,
especially English.
b. America leads the ………………….potent army and that is …………. English is the dominant language in the
world today.
c. ………………………. nobody speaks Latin anymore, it is still ……………… important reference language.
d. English dominance places other languages at a disadvantage.
Other languages …………………………..
5. Write a sort essay about 120 to 150 words on the following topic: (Puntuación máxima: 3)
a. “If anyone wants to get a good job, an ability to speak English is obligatory” Do you agree with this
sentence from the text? Give reasons for your answer.
9
January Sales
People who are addicted to shopping are nowadays called shopaholics. For these shopaholics, the
post-Christmas period means only one thing - sales! Across the country, prices are reduced on clothing,
electronics, home furnishings and more, but London is the place for serious shopping, and you can certainly
pick up some amazing bargains.
The sales start on Boxing Day, 26th December, and continue for the month of January, but the
keenest bargain hunters get there early to be first through the doors. In Oxford Street queues form outside
shops before pre-dawn openings for the start of their sales. At Brent Cross, in north London, hundreds of
people queue at 3:30 am for the “Next” clothing store’s sale which begins at 4 am. Some hardy individuals
even camp outside the shops to be first in the line.
Consumers who go to the shops are rewarded with discounts of up to 80%, as department stores join
the sales frenzy. The shops are packed with people moving around as the sales get into full swing, with more
than half a million people converging on London’s West End.
Some people are taking their partners shopping with them and buying their Christmas presents in
the sale - a practical but unromantic way of making sure you get the gift you really want. For a less exciting
but less stressful shopping experience, online retailers also participate in the January sales of their own. The
most organized of all are those who are already doing their present shopping for next Christmas, in the
January sales!
QUESTIONS
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) During January sales shops can sell products for less than half their price.
b) After-Christmas sales also offer good opportunities to buy products via internet.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy
from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What do some people in London do to get good bargains?
b) Why do some couples go shopping together during Christmas sales?
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) obtain (paragraph 1)
b) go on (paragraph 2)
c) most enthusiastic (paragraph 2)
d) compensated (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) There’s no _____ (good) time to buy a new computer than after the Christmas season, when prices _____
(reduce) by more than 30%.
b) If you _____ (be) a shop owner, _____ would you encourage people to come to your shop during January
sales?
c) After _____ (go) shopping with my grandmother, I realised that I hadn’t spent so much money on clothes
_____ last Christmas.
Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
d) “What did you buy for Peter?” → I asked Mary …..
5. Write about 100 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Who do you think benefits more from discount shopping, customers or shops? Discuss.
10
The Influenza Pandemic of 1918
The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than The Great War, known today as the
World War I, at somewhere between 20 and 40 million people. Known as “Spanish Flu”, that outbreak of
influenza as a global disaster. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history.
More people died of influenza in a single year than in four years of the Bubonic Plague from 1347 to 1351.
In the fall of 1918, the Great War in Europe was finding down and peace was on the horizon. Then,
something erupted that seemed as benign as the common cold. The influenza of that season, however, was
far more than a cold. In the two years that this plague ravaged the earth, a fifth of the world’s population was
infected. The “Spanish Flu” was most deadly for people aged 20 to 40. This pattern of morbidity was unusual
for influenza, which is usually a killer of the elderly and young children.
It infected 28% of all Americans. An estimated 675.000 Americans died of influenza during the
pandemic, ten times as many as in the World War I. of the U.S. soldiers who died in Europe, half of them fell
to the influenza virus and not to the enemy.
People were struck with illness on the street and died rapid deaths. The physicians of the time were
helpless against this powerful agent of influenza. A well-known anecdote tells of four women playing bridge
together late into the night. Overnight, three of the women died from influenza.
1.- Are the following sentences TRUE or FALSE? Give the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) No plague has been as lethal as the “Spanish Flu”.
b) Common influenza mainly affects middle-aged people.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer these question. (Be careful with the
grammar. Write precise answers). (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) How was the American population affected by the “Spanish Flu”?
b) Did people suffering from “Spanish Flu” take a long time to die? Explain your answer.
3.- Find in the text words which mean the same as the following words or phrases. (Puntuación
máxima: 1)
a) catastrophe (paragraph 1)
b) autumn (paragraph 2)
c) ending(paragraph 2)
d) fatal(paragraph 2)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Many more people…………….(kill) by the “Spanish Flu” in a single year…………….. those who died from the
Black Death
b) If doctors of the time…………. (have) effective medicines at their disposal in 1918, many people…………...
(save) their lives.
c) Normally, …………… takes years to find and effective drug against a virus. We still haven’t one for
AIDS…………… three decades of research.
d) Mrs Mitchell said to her daughter: “Wear your scarf and gloves in case it snows”
Mrs Mitchell told
5.- Write 120to 150 words (Puntuación máxima: 3)
What do you look after yourself when you catch a cold or the flu?
11
Amphibian decline serves as global warming
Nearly one in three species of frogs and toads in the world is under threat of extinction, according
to the most comprehensive global study of amphibians ever conducted. The report shows that 122
amphibian species have disappeared since 1980. The discovery, reported in the journal Science, is seen
by researchers as an early warning of imminent environmental disaster.
Amphibians act like "natural barometers" since their highly permeable skin makes them very
sensitive to the effects of climate change and pollution. Any drastic change in the natural world is
likely to affect them first. Over the past three years, scientists analysed the distribution and
conservation status of all 5,743 known amphibian species. Of these, 1,856 -32 per cent- were
threatened with extinction. In comparison, only 12 per cent of bird species and 23 per cent of all
mammal species are considered to be endangered. The president of Conservation International, who
co-led the research, said: "Amphibians are one of nature's best indicators of overall environmental
health. Their catastrophic decline serves as a warning that we are in a period of significant
environmental degradation."
Amphibians were the first terrestrial vertebrates to colonise the land successfully about 350
million years ago. They have developed a remarkable diversity by adapting to many different aquatic
and terrestrial habitats. Amphibians are present today in every continent except Antarctica, and can be
found in almost all habitat types from dry, inhospitable deserts to lush tropical rainforests and
temperate climates such as Britain's.
1.-Say if the following statements are true(T) or false(F) and give evidence from the text. No marks
will be given for only T/F answers:
a) Researchers consider that the disappearance of amphibians is a sign of ecological catastrophe in the
near future.
b) The number of endangered birds is greater than that of amphibians.
1.- Answer the following questions based on the ideas from the text:
a)Why does any climate change affect amphibians before birds and mammals?
b)Where do amphibians live and why do they live there?
3)Find a synonym in the text for the following words:
a) complete (paragraph 1)
b) because (paragraph 1)
c) extreme (paragraph 2)
d) excepcional (paragraph 3)
4/Fill in the blanks with the proper word or words. Be very careful with the grammar:
a) If human interference …………………………… (continue) to alter the composition of the atmosphere,
average temperatures ……………………. (rise) more than 3ºC in the next 100 years.
b) Greenpeace ……………………….. (create) to fight environmental disaster. This organization is especially
interested in …………………………..(protect) our environment.
c) Air pollution …………………………….(cause) more than one hundred thousands deaths last year. Some
experts believe that it is the ………………………… (important) health problem in the industrial world.
d) We should avoid ……………………………….(pollute) our planet in order …………….. protect it for our
children.
5.- Write 120to 150 words (Puntuación máxima: 3)
What could we do to reduce pollution in big cities?
12
Burglars move in for the weekend
Gill Cox, a 58-year woman who took her first break in more than a year from caring for her ill
husband, returned to find that thieves had spent the weekend in her home. The burglars cooked meals, made
cup of tea, drank a bottle of gin and slept in the beds before making off with a 30,000 pounds haul. Mrs. Cox
said yesterday that the robbery had been like an unpleasant version of the Three Bears. She had arranged for
her husband Jack, a former financier who now suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, to stay in hospital for the
weekend while she attended a wedding in London. The family dog was looked after by friends in Bath and
their home in Somerset was left locked but empty.
Police believe that three thieves forced a window only hours after Mrs Cox had left. “They drew the
curtains and basically settled in”, said Mrs Cox. “When I arrive back, there were three glasses and three mugs
on the kitchen table. Chairs had been sat in and the bed had been used. They had obviously stayed for some
time and helped themselves to food from the fridge. They ate two pork chops wich I had bought for our
Sunday lunch.”
Mrs. Cox has cared for her husband since he became ill in 1984. “We have been coming gradually
down in the world since Jack stopped working and all we have is a few possessions.” She added “But the
thieves appeared to know exactly what they wanted.” The gang filled pillowcases with 94 items from the
house, including her string of pearls, an antique doll, and a silver coffee pot.
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE’ Write down the evidence from the test. No marks
are given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
a) Mrs. Cox takes her husband to hospital twice a month when she goes to London.
b) Mr. Cox has suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for more that fifteen years.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas from the text, answer the following questions.
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
a) Explain why the house was empty that weekend.
b) What did the thieves do in Mrs. Cox’s house while she was away?
3.- Find the words in the text that mean. (Puntuación máxima 1 punto)
a) leaving (paragraph 1)
b) loot (paragraph 1)
c) closed (paragraph 1)
d) looked after (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropiate from of the word in the brackets when
given. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
a) Mrs Smith,………………… had to go away, …………………….. (tell) to be careful.
b) This week they ……………………… (visit) the National Gallery of Art and learnt a lot ……………Impressionism.
c) ………………I had to go away, I ………………………… leave my dog to look after the house.
d) Thank you for …………………….(warn) me. I left all the windows …………………….(open).
5.- Write about 100 to 150 words on one of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Who do you think benefits more from discount shopping, customers or shops? Discuss.
13
The Sound of Music
William Congreve claimed that “music has charms to soothe a savage breast”, and indeed this is so.
Although scientists are not sure exactly how and why music affects us, new research is beginning to reveal
how the human brain deals with both the production and perception of music.
It seems that the capacity for music is located in areas of the brain separate from those devoted to speech.
This separation is illustrated by cases of brain-damaged patients who lost the power of speech but didn’t
lose their musical ability. A Russian composer, Vissarion Shebalin, was robbed of his ability to speak by a
stroke in 1953, but he continued composing music until his death a decade later. Conversely some people
who have lost their capacity for music have an aptitude for speech.
While music is different from language and it seems to be treated differently by our brains, it is
considered to be a method of communication. Musical instruments made from animal bones that are at least
53,000 years old have been found in France and Slovenia. Could it be that prehistoric man used music before
he learned to talk?
Studies show that music affects our emotions. Monitoring physiological responses while someone is
listening to music proves this. Sad music slows the pulse rate and a quicker tempo makes people breathe
faster, an indication of happiness. Daniel Levitin from McGill University believes that for music to affect the
emotions in such a profound way, it must have another function.
So what could that purpose be? One theory, suggested by Geoffrey Miller of University College London, is
that musical abilities may be used to impress a potential partner in much the same way as a male bird shows
off its bright feathers. In line with this, Daniel Levitin also suggests that music is used to communicate
perhaps in the same way as our ancestors did in the past. So, as Shakespeare said, it may be that music really
is the “food of love”.
1. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Scientists have always understood the effects of music on the human brain.
b) Vissarion Shebalin lost his aptitude for music in 1953.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. (Puntuación
máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What evidence is there that music was used by prehistoric man?
b) What is Geoffrey Miller’s theory about music?
3.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
show (paragraph 1)
language (paragraph 2)
significant (paragraph 4)
possible (paragraph 5)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) These days, more ______ (know) about how music ______ (affect) the human brain.
b) ______ you ______ (believe) that there is a connection ______ music and emotions?
c) He can’t speak ______ of the stroke he ______ (suffer) last year.
d) Music ______ (associated) with love ______ centuries.
5. Write about 120 to 150 words on ONE of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
a) Write a letter to a friend describing a concert that you attended. Give reasons why you enjoyed / didn’t
enjoy the performance.
14
Food Allergies
Are you hungry? Perhaps you would like a peanut butter sandwich and some milk. For some people –
including two million US teenagers – such foods could cause a severe adverse reaction, or even death.
Potentially life-threatening allergies to food are common among children and are often outgrown over
time, although allergies to peanuts or other nuts almost never disappear. Sometimes, an allergic person may
suffer a reaction from simply touching or smelling the dangerous food.
An allergic reaction is a mistake made by the body. It may identify certain foods as harmful and try to
attack the “threat” by releasing chemicals such as histamine, which cause an allergic reaction. The reaction
may prove fatal if the vocal chords swell shut, leading to suffocation. Or the sufferer may experience an
anaphylactic reaction, which results in a decrease in the flow of blood to the heart, lungs or brain, leading to
seizures and, possibly, to death.
Allergic individuals are encouraged to wear medical alert bracelets, and carry anti-histamine for
immediate injection if necessary. But recent research shows that teenagers often ignore these precautions
partly because they want to conform and partly because they tend to minimise the risks. Certainly, living
with a potentially fatal food allergy can be difficult for teenagers. They have to cope with telling new
acquaintances about their allergy, eating carefully in restaurants, and reading labels on food packaging. And,
since even kissing someone who has recently eaten a forbidden food can trigger a reaction, they may even
have to ask their dates to brush their teeth before kissing!
So the next time you reach for some peanuts, remember those who can’t. Some people avoid peanuts
because they are fattening or can cause skin problems, but for a small minority, those peanuts are a killer.
1. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Food must be eaten in order to cause an allergic reaction.
b) An allergic reaction results from the production of histamine.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) How does an allergic reaction become fatal?
b) Why are allergic teenagers at more risk than other people?
3.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
error (paragraph 3)
resulting in (paragraph 3)
start (paragraph 4)
stay away from (paragraph 5)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) They are looking forward to ______ (eat) in the new restaurant ______ opened yesterday.
b) He did not eat the nuts ______ purpose; he ate them ______ accident because they were mixed in the salad.
c) ______ allergic teenagers are supposed ______ take precautions, many of them are not careful enough.
d) People ______ suffer from severe allergies ______ be careful what they eat.
5. Write about 100 to 150 words on ONE of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
a) Do you think that people with severe allergies should eat in restaurants? Why / Why not?
15
REWARDS
Experts in the field of education like to tell the story of an old man who was bothered by the noise
of boys playing in his neighbourhood. He offered to pay each boy a dollar to shout louder. The boys were
delighted. But on the second day the man said his limited resources meant he could pay the boys only 80
cents. And on each successive day, he paid them less, until he finally didn´t pay them anything. The boys
got angry and stopped playing near his house. We´re not going to make noise for nothing! they said.
This story demonstrates an important point. When we reward children for doing something they
enjoy, like playing a game, we destroy their natural desire to do that thing. This is particularly clear in
the field of education. If we want our children to learn, we kill their natural curiosity and desire to learn
when we offer them a reward.
Yet both parents and teachers often bribe children to learn by offering rewards. A mother may offer
her ten-year-old daughter sweets if she finishes reading a library book or a film for doing all her
homework. In high school, the reward is the mark. In such a system, according to psychologists, the
mark becomes the goal, not the learning. The greater the emphasis on marks by the teachers, the
schools and the universities, the higher the student will work to get the right answer. But a lot of
strategies for getting the right answer aren´t good strategies for learning, like copying your neighbour´s
exam paper, or studying only the material you need for tests.
Educational experts have recommended changing the system of rewards, so that every student can
excel, but only if he really learns.
1.-Say if the following statements are True or False. Quote the words from the text:
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Only the mothers bribe their children.
b) Nowadays students can excel by learning.
2.-Answer these questions based on the ideas from the text. Do not copy from the text:
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What is the man trying to do, and how, when paying the children to scream louder?
b) According to the text, is it worthy to base the educational system on exams?
3. Find the word in the text that is used to mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 puntos)
a) disturbed (paragraph 1)
b) shows (paragraph 2)
c) prizes (paragraph 3)
d) aim (paragraph 3)
4.-Fill in the gaps or complete the following sentences: (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The students ……………. (give) 2 hours time in tomorrow exam,……………….they say it is not enough
b) Students………….. marks are the highest……………… choose the better option at university.
c) After ……………. (fill) a number of questionnaires, the candidates………………….do a mock exam.
d) Why did you arrived late yesterday when you knew it was a terrible mistake? The teacher said.
The teacher ..............................................................................................
5.-Write about 120 to 150 words on the topic: (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
Pupils cheat because of the tension and pressure at school.
16
New answers to old questions
Age can be a nebulous concept, but its contours are undeniable. Old people's brain becomes smaller
with aging, researchers say. The quest to understand the nature of aging, and consequent quest to avoid
growing old dates back at least to biblical times, when the elderly King David was advised to allow a young
virgin to warm him.
Sages, scientists and snake-oil salesmen have offered countless other antidotes since then. Medieval
Latin alchemists tried in vain to make gold digestible, in the belief that its absorption into the body would
add years to life. In the 17th century a more affordable remedy for aging won popularity, smelling fresh
earth upon awakening each day. Sir Francis Bacon believed that life span was determined by how quickly
one used up one's personal store of "vital spirits". Still others focused on the possibility of getting vital spirit
refills from fountains of youth, mythologized in many cultures long before Juan Ponce de León dropped
anchor off the Florida shore to look for his imagined fountain.
Today many scientists are pinning their hopes on molecular and are teasing apart the hormonal,
cellular, and, genetic of old age.
1. Are the following sentences TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence front the text. No marks are given
for only True or False. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Ponce de León was the first person to look for the fountain of youth.
b) Nowadays people are not interested in the problem of aging.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas from the text, answer the following questions.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) How did some people try to keep young in the old times?
b) Why did some people try to find the fountain of youth?
3. Find the words or phrases in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 puntos)
a) recommended (paragraph 1)
b) doctors(paragraph 2)
c) coast (paragraph 2)
d) nowadays (paragraph 3)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the words in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a. The ........................ (old) a person grows, the ........................(small) his brain becomes
b. If explorers ........................ (find) the fountain of youth a long time ago, they ........................ (not die)
c. ........................ their age, people don't usually like ........................ (consider) old.
d. People ate gold ........................ they ........................ live longer.
5. Write about 120 to 150 words on one of the following topics: (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
Are longer lives necessarily better lives?
17
Rob the rubbish
Most mountaineers will probably tell you that they climb mountains because of the challenge. But Rob the
Rubbish climbs mountains to collect the rubbish.
Robin Kevan, aged 63, was horrified by the litter in the streets of his hometown, Llanwrtyd Wells in
Wales. However, instead of complaining, he started to pick up the rubbish and most days filled a large plastic
sack, or bin bag, by breakfast. One day, his wife wrote “Rob the Rubbish” on his jacket, and the name stuck.
In November 2005, Rob heard about the litter on Ben Nevis, the United Kingdom’s highest mountain. In a
two-day visit, he filled six bin bags with rubbish. Wearing his yellow jacket and two pairs of gloves (because,
he explains, you never know what you may encounter in other people’s rubbish), he has since climbed other
mountains in the UK. He finds paper wrappers, plastic bags, soft drinks cans and bottles. These are the worst,
because glass takes a million years to degrade.
Rob believes that tackling the problem of rubbish involves the re-education of a whole generation. Until
then, he wants to do what he can to help restore the purity of natural beauty spots. In addition, his selfimposed task brings him other advantages: a healthy outdoor hobby, a sense of purpose and a feeling of
satisfaction.
As a result of the publicity he had received, in autumn 2006 Rob climbed Mt Everest to collect rubbish
from the base camp. Now he wants to visit Mt Kilimanjaro in east Africa. Rob hopes that he is raising
awareness of the litter problem with his work. So, the next time you go hiking, make sure you don’t leave
your rubbish behind.
1. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Ben Nevis was the first UK mountain that Rob climbed.
b) Cans and bottles take the same amount of time to degrade.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) In what ways does Rob benefit personally by collecting rubbish.
b) Why was Rob able to go to Mt Everest in 2006?
3.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
big (paragraph 2)
bring back (paragraph 4)
job (paragraph 4)
increasing (paragraph 5)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The man ………….. Rob met claimed that he ………….. (not leave) any litter on the mountain.
b) Besides ………….. (gain) a feeling of satisfaction, Rob ………….. (benefit) physically from his self-imposed
task.
c) ………….. (climb) mountains is dangerous ………….. it can also be exciting.
d) Rob ………….. (find) a lot of litter ………….. he climbed Ben Nevis in November 2005.
5. Write about 120 to 150 words on one of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Describe the problem of litter in your hometown and what is being done to solve it.
18
Abuse of Antibiotics
Among the many things that people in industrialized countries today take for granted is that we will
not die of a sorethroat or infected scratch from a rosebush. Effective protection provided by antibiotics and
other microbe-killers was not available 50 years ago, and a new report from the WHO* warns that if we
continue current practices, such protection will not be avallable 50 years from now.
Drugs lose effectiveness because the microbes they fight become resistant. This natural process has
been accelerated by human misuse of medicine. In poor countries the biggest problem is that people
underuse drugs. They cannot afford a complete course of treatment, or take weaker and cheaper drugs. This
kills off only the susceptible forms of the microbes, allowing the more resistant versions to remain and
dominate.
In wealthy countries the problem is the opposite. Drug resistance has soared because antibiotics are
overprescribed, used even when they are no good at all - for example, to fight colds. In addition, half of all
antibioties are produced for animal use, and the resistant nilcrobes that they create can spread to humans.
Developed nations must drastically reduce antibiotic usage. The easiest place to start is to reduce the
use of antibiotics to fatten animals. Patient education is also critical. Doctors need to resist demands for
antibiotics from patients with colds. Most people alive today do not remember a world without antimicrobial agents, when the possibility of death lurked in every cough or upset stomach. lf we do not reform
our use of medicines, this is the world we might bequeath to our children.
1. Are the following sentences TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) In developing countries people do not take enough drugs because they are too expensive for them.
b) lt is absolutely essential that rich countries stop abusing drugs.
2. In your own words and hased on the ideas from the text, answer the following questions.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Why do people today think it is natural not to die from simple infectious diseases?
b) How can we contribute to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics?
3. Find the words or phrases in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 puntos)
a) a small cut (paragraph 1)
b) survive (paragraph 2)
c) increased (paragraph 3)
d) leave (paragraph 4)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) ________ new anti-microbial soaps ________ domestic use contribute to drug resistance by ________ (kill) only
weak bacteria.
b) Discases that ________ (once easily cure) are now ________ (strong) their medicines.
c) Children ________ he vaccinated against infectious diseases.
d) People ________ (live) in a world with antibiotics ________ flfty years
5.Write about 120-150 words on one of the following topics: (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Should antibiotics be available without a doctor's prescription?
19
I'm working from home
The British use the lounge or dining room while the French prefer the bedroom. Location is not the
only difference between Britons and the rest of Europe when it comes to choosing a place to work for a
company from home and not at the office.
There is more paranoia in the ranks of British homeworkers about working from home while
colleagues are confined to the office, the evidence suggests. Half of the British homeworkers, according to a
survey, said they e-mailed or telephoned a colleague early in the morning to prove they were working, while
only 14 per cent of German homeworkers felt it necessary to check in and demonstrate they were working
hard.
There are also national differences in the motivation for homeworking. The French see it as a way to a
healthier lifestyle with an emphasis on more regular exercise and enjoying the benefits of home cooking at
the expense of junk food. For the Spanish the interaction with the family is a principal reason for
homeworking, while for the Germans it is the opportunity to increase their income. Overall, fewer British
work from home than in the rest of Europe, although more would like the opportunity to do so, and less
stress is seen as one of the main reasons for making the switch. The study predicts that by 2005 around 11
per cent (16 millions) of the European Union workforce will be working from home either permanently or
for part of the working day.
1. Are the following statements TRUE OR FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are
given for only TRUE OR FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) People in Spain don't like working from home because they don't like being with their relatives.
b) The number of British who would prefer working from home is increasing.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
a) How do the British feel about working away from the office?
b) What are the motivations for the French to work from home?
3. Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 puntos)
a) selecting (paragraph 1)
b) study (paragraph 2)
c) chance (paragraph 3)
d) change (paragraph 3)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) I ……………… (work) as a waitress during the past year at 5 $ ……………… hour.
b) I don't think my pay is very good ……………….I'm desperate………………
a job to pay for my studies.
c) I've been to six agencies. They……………… ................. (accept) my CV but all their jobs…………….. (take)
d) "For many firms and many workers homeworking will be a way to reduce costs."
The minister remarked that ………………
5. Write about 120 to 150 words on one of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages you find in homeworking.
20
Earthquake Hits Britain
On 27th February 2008, something very unusual happened in the UK: there was a rather large
earthquake. It was the biggest earthquake in 25 years in Great Britain.
There have been very small tremors in the past but they seem nothing compared to this one. It was
felt in a large area across the country too, from as far north as Edinburgh in Scotland to as far south as
Plymouth on the south coast of England. The epicentre of the earthquake was in a small town in
Lincolnshire, which is an area about two and a half to three hours north of London by car. A magnitude of 5.2
was registered on the Richter scale.
There were lots of reports in the news from people who felt the earth move. One man said, “We had
loads of vibrating and wall shaking, noise coming off the roof. I went outside - the chimney’s on the floor!” A
collapsed chimney was, in fact, the cause of what was probably the worst injury from the earthquake: a man
broke his pelvis when the chimney fell on him. The earthquake was felt by a lot of people, but it surprisingly
caused very little structural damage to property.
Most British people would be surprised to learn that there are 200-300 earthquakes in Britain every
year - but most of them are so small, they go unnoticed. The magnitude of this earthquake is fairly small in
comparison to some other natural disasters that have made international news, but, for the people affected,
it certainly came as a surprise.
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. Nomarks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The earthquake could only be felt in a small village in Lincolnshire.
b) Lots of buildings were destroyed in the 2008 earthquake.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy
from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Are earthquakes frequent in Britain? Explain your answer.
b) What did people tell reporters about the earthquake?
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) rare (paragraph 1)
b) fallen (paragraph 3)
c) amazed (paragraph 4)
d) find out (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) This was the ………………(important) story in the news, because the earthquake was quite a big ……………….
b) Usually, earthquakes ……………… (measure) with a seismometer; another device ………………records
earthquakes is known as a seismograph.
c) After ……………… (destroy) half of the country, an enormous wave was created ………………the earthquake.
Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
d. “What did you see after the earthquake?”
I asked the girl ................
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Describe any natural disaster you have seen, read or been told about.
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Daughter of David Adams joins Antarctic ski expedition
The 16-year-old daughter of explorer David Adams is to join her father on an expedition to ski to the
South Pole. If successful, Amelia will become the youngest person to ski in the Antarctic. They plan to ski the
last 97 miles to the South Pole over two weeks.
It would not be the first time one of Mr. Adams's daughters has joined him on a polar mission. In
2005, Amelia's sister Alicia, then aged 15, became the youngest person to trek to the North Pole.
The latest challenge will begin 97 miles from the South Pole, at the spot where Sir Ernest Shackleton
had to abandon his expedition in 1907. Mr. Adams said: "I am apprehensive about taking a teenager to such a
harsh environment. It will be minus 30 on a daily basis, dropping as low as minus 60 when the wind is cold.
But Shackleton has always been a hero of mine and it will be wonderful to walk in his footsteps. It will be
very special to share this experience with my youngest daughter."
Amelia will have to consume 8,000 calories a day to deal with the harsh conditions because the
Antarctic is one of the coldest, driest and most windswept places on earth. "I am frightened about the harsh
conditions as I don't know what to expect, the cold, the wind, etc. However, eating a lot of chocolate won't be
hard for me," she said. "I am not sure if I'll be able to sleep, though, since it is 24-hour daylight at the South
Pole and dad snores very loudly when he is asleep."
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Mr. Adams´s expedition will begin at the point where Ernest Shackleton gave up.
b) Amelia doesn’t like chocolate.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy
from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What is unusual about Amelia’s Antarctic expedition?
b) Explain two of the challenges Amelia will have to face on the Antarctic.
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) walk (paragraph 2)
b) place (paragraph 3)
c) worried (paragraph 3)
d) take in (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The explorers ……………… (train) ………………the past few months.
b) The expedition, ………………starts 97 miles from the South Pole, ……………… (lead) by David Adams.
c) If Alicia……………… (not go) to the North Pole, Amelia ……………… (be) the first teenager on an expedition of
this kind.
d) Rewrite the sentence beginning with the words given:
Amelia said “I am not sure if I’ll be able to sleep.”
Amelia said (that) ………………
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
What kind of expedition would you like to go on? Describe it and explain your choice.
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Diamonds
Diamonds are the symbol of love, romance and weddings, and they are too expensive for most of us
―usually. However, now, if you want one you don’t have to spend so much money since, today, real
diamonds can be grown in machines. In a factory in Florida, the process is overseen by Clark McEwen,
manager of Gemesis Corporation. "Basically what we do here is to recreate, or emulate, the process that
occurs 100 miles below the earth's surface," McEwen says. A lump of coal is placed in the middle of what is
essentially a very large pressure cooker. Under extreme heat and pressure, carbon atoms form a diamond
crystal. The machine reaches 1,500º C, and the pressure on the core is 385,553 kilos per square inch ―that's
equivalent to a hundred 3,628-kilo elephants standing on a coin. Once the machine is closed, nature takes
over.
Four days later, a man-made diamond is inside. Optically, chemically and physically they're identical
to a mine diamond. But diamond-making is not an exact science. Some turn out beautiful. Others don’t.
McEwen says there is a misconception that every one of the man-made diamonds is perfect. That's not the
case. "Just like in nature, each one of these grows individually and has its own unique characteristics." After
coming out of the machine, the rough diamonds are graded and sent to be made into what many women
want for Valentine's Day.
As regards price, a one-carat yellow diamond from nature costs about $20,000 and a man-made one
costs about $6,000. The Gemesis Corporation has its name inscripted on all of its diamonds so buyers know
they are man-made.
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) The structure of diamonds grown by man is completely different from that of natural diamonds.
b) Gemesis diamonds are cheaper than those found in mines.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy
from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Why is Clark McEwen mentioned in the text?
b) Summarize what Gemesis Corporation does in order to make a diamond.
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) controlled (paragraph 1)
b) piece (paragraph 1)
c) classified (paragraph 2)
d) written (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) A diamond is the………………..(hard) natural substance ………………..earth.
b) If a diamond is heated to about 700º C, it……………….. (vanish), without ……………….. (leave) any ash.
c) During the 15th century, it ………….. (discover) that diamonds ………………..only be cut with other diamonds.
d) At the beginning of the 20th century, a prominent scientist, ………………..was born in 1854, spent a
considerable part of………………..fortune trying to produce diamonds.
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
How important is a brand name for people your age when they go shopping?
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Young da Vinci
Leonardo was born near the Italian town of Vinci in 1452. He probably spent the first few years living
with his mother, but moved to his father's house when she married. His father was stern and distant with
him, but Leonardo was a favourite with his uncle, Francesco, who ran the family's farm. Piero da Vinci didn't
know what to do about his son, Leonardo. He had reached the point in life when young men needed to
prepare for a career.
Piero himself was an important official - a notary, but because the boy was illegitimate, the
association of magistrates and notaries would not accept him, nor would he be allowed to attend the
university. The boy did show a definite talent for drawing, however. Perhaps he could be apprenticed to an
artist…
Some time between the age of fifteen and eighteen, Leonardo was apprenticed to the artist Andrea di
Cione, called Verrocchio (which means “true eye”) in his studio in Florence. This is how young Leonardo da
Vinci started on his career in art, a career in which he would create some of the most famous paintings in the
world.
Leonardo was more than just an artist, however. He was also interested in science, anatomy and
architecture. His sketchbooks, filled with his ideas for inventions, stunned the world when they were found
centuries after his death. He was a scientist before there was science, an inventor whose ideas surpassed the
technology of his time, and a famous artist who produced the most valuable and recognized paintings in the
world.
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given
for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Leonardo’s relationship with his father was not easy as a child.
b) Leonardo’s father had clear ideas about his son’s future.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Explain why Leonardo couldn’t attend the university.
b) Why is Leonardo considered a man ahead of his time?
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) managed (paragraph 1)
b) aptitude (paragraph 2)
c) acclaimed (paragraph 3)
d) amazed (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) I wonder _____ Leonardo da Vinci would have invented if he _____ (have) access to a computer during his
lifetime.
b) When young, Leonardo learnt _____ his master. Then, he _____ (leave) us some of the best paintings ever.
c) Although he began his career _____ an artist, the _____ (old) Leonardo grew the more attracted he became to
different topics.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
Verrocchio said to Leornardo “don’t stop practising until you learn how to paint”.
Verrocchio told Leonardo…..
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Some of the most famous paintings belong to private collections. Should they be taken to museums so that
everyone could enjoy them? Discuss.
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What’s in a Name?
Recently, a couple in New Zealand was not allowed to name their baby son 4Real. Even though New
Zealand has quite liberal rules about naming children, names beginning with a number are not allowed. They
decided to call him Superman instead.
In many countries around the world, unusual names for children are becoming more popular,
especially since the increasing fashion for celebrities to give their children silly names. In Britain, you can
call a child almost anything you like - the only restrictions on parents relate to offensive words. Some
parents choose names which come from popular culture. For example, there have been six boys named
Gandalf after the character in the Lord of the Rings novels and films.
Equally, names relating to sport are fairly common - since 1984, 36 children have been called Arsenal
after the football team. Other countries have much stricter rules about how parents should name their
children. Countries including Japan, Denmark, Germany and Argentina have an approved list of names from
which parents must choose. In China, there are some rules about what you may call a child - no foreign
letters or symbols are allowed. As a result, just a year ago, a couple could not name their baby son @.
In Britain, some names which were previously considered old-fashioned have become more popular
again, such as Maisie or Ella for a girl, or Alfie or Noah for a boy. But the most popular names are not the silly
ones. The top names are fairly traditional - Jack, Charlie and Thomas for boys and Grace, Ruby and Jessica for
girls.
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are
given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) There are no rules about what you can name your child in the UK.
b) Some children in the UK now have names of fictional characters.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What was the New Zealand couple’s problem and how did they solve it?
b) Explain at least three different regulations on naming children mentioned in the text.
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) trend (paragraph 2)
b) select (paragraph 2)
c) in the same way (paragraph 2)
d) like (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Naming your baby is one of …………. (important) tasks you will ever face. A silly name may affect you and
your child …………. ever!
b) …………. you don’t like the first name that comes into your mind, keep …………. (search) until you find a
name that you really like.
c) No one …………. (like) having their name constantly …………. (mispronounce), that’s for sure.
d) Once you have an idea for your …………. (baby) name, always check the initials! I had a neighbour ………….
initials were “P.I.G.”.
5.- Write about 120 to 150 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
What names would you give your children and which ones would you avoid? Explain why.
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