UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE LA PLATA
FACULTAD DE HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIÓN
PROFESORADO Y TRADUCTORADO EN INGLÉS
Prueba Optativa Ingreso 2010
1. You are going to read a magazine article about being liked. Choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text or write your answer in the space provided, using your own
words.
LOVE ME DO!
I’ve just got to talk about this
problem I’m having with my
postman. It all began a year ago,
after the birth of his first child. Not
wanting to appear rude, I asked him
about the baby. The next week, not
wanting him to think I had asked out
of mere politeness the week before,
I asked all about the baby again.
Now I can’t break the habit. I freeze
whenever I see him coming. The
words ‘How’s the baby?’ come out
on their own. It’s annoying. It holds
me up. It holds him up. So why
can’t I stop it?
The answer, of course, is that
I want him to like me. Come to think
of it, I want everyone to like me.
This was made clear to me the
other day. I found myself in the
bank, replying ‘Oh, as it comes’
when the cashier asked how I’d like
the money. Even as she was
handing me the £20 note, I realized
I’d have no small change with which
to buy my newspaper. But, not
wanting her to dislike me (she’d
already written ‘1 x £20’ on the back
of my cheque), said nothing.
In order to get the £20 note
down to a decent, paper-buying
size, I went into the grocer’s. Not
wanting to buy things I didn’t
actually need (I do have some
pride, you know), I bought some
large cans of beans and a frozen
chicken for dinner that night. That
got the price up to a respectable
£5.12, which I duly paid. I then
bought my paper at the station with
my hard-gained £5 note.
With my sister, it wasn’t the
postman who was the problem, but
the caretaker of her block of flats:
‘All he ever does is moan and
complain; he talks at me rather than
to me, never listens to a word I say,
and yet for some reason I’m always
really nice to him. I’m worried in
case I have a domestic crisis one
day, and he won’t lift a finger to
help.’
I have a friend called
Stephen, who is a prisoner of the
call-waiting device he has had
installed on his phone. ‘I get this
beeping sound to tell me there’s
another call on the line, but I can
never bring myself to interrupt the
person I’m talking to. So I end up
not concentrating on what the first
person is saying, while at the same
time annoying the person who’s
trying to get through.’
What about at work? Richard
Lawton, a management trainer,
warns: ‘Those managers who are
actually liked by most of their staff
are always those to whom being
liked is not the primary goal. The
qualities that make managers
popular are being honest with staff,
treating them as human beings and
observing common courtesies like
saying hello in the morning.’ To
illustrate the point, Richard cites the
story of the company chairman who
desperately wanted to be liked and
who, after making one of his
managers redundant, said with
moist eyes that he was so, so sorry
the man was leaving. To which the
embittered employee replied: ‘If you
were that sorry, I wouldn’t be
leaving.’
The
lesson
being,
therefore, that if you try too hard to
be liked, people won’t like you.
The experts say it all starts in
childhood. ‘If children feel they can
only get love from their parents by
being good,’ says Zelda WestMeads, a marriage guidance
consultant, ‘they develop low self
confidence and become compulsive
givers.’ But is there anything wrong
in being a giver, the world not being
exactly short of takers? Anne
Cousins believes there is. ‘There is
a point at which giving becomes
unhealthy,’ she says. ‘It comes
when you do things for others but
feel bad about it.’
I am now trying hard to say to
people? I feel uncomfortable about
saying this, but …’, and tell myself
‘Refusal of a request does not
mean rejection of a person’ and I
find I can say almost anything to
almost anyone.
1. Why does the writer ask the postman about the baby?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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2. Why did the writer go into the grocer’s?
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3. What do we find out about the writer’s sister and the caretaker?
A
She doesn’t want to risk offending him.
B
She doesn’t pay attention to him.
C
He refuses to help her.
D
He asks her for advice.
4. How does Stephen feel about his call-waiting equipment?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Managers are more likely to be popular if they
A
help staff with their problems.
B
make sure the staff do not lose their jobs.
C
encourage staff to be polite to each other.
D
do not make too much effort to be liked.
6. When is it wrong to be ‘a giver’?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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7. What do we learn from this article?
A
If you tell the truth, it will not make people like you less.
B
If you take time to talk to people, they will like you better.
C
You should avoid unpleasant situations where possible.
D
You shouldn’t refuse other people’s requests for help.
8. Why was this article written?
A
To analyse the kinds of conversations people have.
B
To persuade people to be more polite to each other.
C
To encourage people to have more self-confidence.
D
To suggest ways of dealing with difficult people.
2. For questions 9 – 20, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only
one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).
SHARKS
For anyone who wants either to film (0) ..or… study great white sharks, Australian expert, Rodney
Fox, is the first contact. Fox knows exactly (9) ……….. the sharks will be at different times of the
year; and can even predict (10) ………. they will behave around blood, divers and other sharks.
He understands them as well as (11) ………. else alive. In fact, he’s lucky to be alive; a ‘great
white’ once tried to bite him (12) ………. half.
Three decades (13) ………. this near-fatal attack, Fox still carries the physical scars, but feels (14)
……….. hate for his attacker. Instead he organizes three or four trips a year to bring scientists and
photographers to the kingdom of the great white shark. (15) ………. main aim of these trips is to
improve people’s understanding of an animal (16) ……….. evil reputation has become an excuse
for killing it.
Great white sharks are not as amusing as dolphins and seals, (17) ………. their role in the ocean
is critical. They kill off sick animals, helping to prevent the spread of disease and to maintain the
balance in the ocean’s food chains. Fox feels a responsibility to act (18) ………. a guardian of
great white sharks. (19) ……….. the scientists, film makers and photographers can communicate
their sense of wonder to other people, he is confident that understanding (20) ……….. replace
hatred.
3. Choose one of the following topics and write a composition using 150 -180 words.
A. Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. What are
some of the important qualities of a good roommate? Use specific reasons and examples to
support your answer.
B. In some countries, people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public places and office
buildings. Do you think this is a good rule or a bad rule? Use specific reasons and details to
support your answer.
Sample compositions
Topic A
Sample 1
After all the discussion about weather (sp. whether) to have rules against smoking in public places
or not, in some countries people are no longer allowed to smoke in office buildings, cinemas, etc.
(x style)
First of all, this rule protects the environment (sp. environment), as less smoke is spread in the air.
It is benefical (sp. beneficial) for all living creatures, such as animals, plants and human beings
who share the same air in order to continue living (X cohesion. and have the right to live a healthy
life).
Secondly, the rule also promots (sp. promotes) respect for others, due to the fact that people who
have decided not to smoke, do (gr. should) not have to put up with the contaminating smoke
cigarettes produce. Furthermore, smokers will still have the opportunity to smoke at their (voc. in
their own) homes or cars, for example. This means (om. that), while smokers can enjoy smoking,
non-smokers can enjoy breathing fresh and clean air.
In conclusion, I strongly believe this rule against smoking in public places is extremely convinient
(sp. convenient) not only for people who do not smoke, but also for our important enviroment (sp.
environment) which is (st. already) very damaged. these days.
In spite of a few inaccuracies, this composition answers the task adequately: it presents an opinion
and includes specific reasons and details. Ideas are presented clearly in neat paragraphs.
Grammar and vocabulary are generally appropriate, though not very ambitious. Errors do not
hinder communication. (Pass)
Sample 2
Nowadays, most of the (gr. no article) people smoke in many public places, but the rest (those)
who doesn’t (don’t) smoke complains (complain) about that. There should be places where (gr.
which) allow (om. people) to smoke and others which don’t.
First of all, everyone has the right to smoke is (gr. in) places like pubs, clubs, (and) office
buildings, etc. (x. style) And it’s necessary (st. Everyone needs) to have their own space to enjoy
the habit of smoking (st. a cigarette) and having (gr. have) a good time with friends.
But on the other hand, not all the people (st. some people) have to (coh. don´t want to) put up with
it (coh. smokers’ habit), (punc. semi-colon) They think it (coh. smoking) should be forbidden in
closed places in order to respect another’s (gr. their) choice of keeping safe their lives (gr. to keep
their lives safe).
In conclusion, both sides ought to be listened (to) and (coh/om. the government should) try to
make a deal (voc. take measures) to respect opposite backrounds (voc. views) and (om make
sure people) live with them without bothering one each other. (gr. another)
The task has not been achieved successfully. Although the compositions is organised into
paragraphs, the writer’s opinion is not clearly expressed. Apart from this, there are too many errors
which make communication really difficult. (Fail)
Topic B
Sample 1
It is a well-know (sp. well-known) fact that many students have to live with roomates (sp.
roommates) while going to school or university. That is why we have to (st. it’s particularly
important to) consider certain rules (voc. qualities) to be (st. which make) a good roommate (sp.
roommate).
Firstly, respecting each other’s property is vital. This can lead to a prosperous relationship, where
both people can (coh. will) get on well and live in harmony. However (coh. Otherwise), we cannot
ensure the future of a situation like this. It is highly possible that they (partners) will have difficulties
when it comes to sharing food, for instance, or turning up the music while their roomate (sp.
roommate) is trying to study. Roomates (sp. Roommates) should plan who cleans or goes (gr. will
do the housework or go) to the supermarket each day. In that way, it would (gr. will) be easier to
avoid strong arguments. It is better if you are organized, polite and thoughtful.
All in all, I believe that in order to be a good roomate (sp. roommate), you have to try your best at
(gr. while) living with the other person, whose ways of thinking might be different from yours but
(punc. semi colon) you (You) still have to respect it (gr. them), and make them respect you in
return.
This composition manages to achieve the task. There is a clear opinion with illustration and
examples. There are several errors, but in spite of them the message can be conveyed
successfully. (Pass)
In those days (voc. Nowadays) many students have to live with roommates because they must to
go (gr. must go) to university or school (far from their homes), and this way (sharing a flat or a
house) is more cheaper (gr. cheaper) than live (gr. living) alone.
A roommate have (gr. has) to be (voc. have) some important qualities. For example, would
(coh/gr. They should) be considerate and respect the space, ideas and times of the other peoples
(voc persons) who are living in the same place. The (gr. x no article) roommates should help with
the house or apartment order (st. housework), this is an important point if you share or will share a
place.
Is (gr. It is) better if your roommate is your friend, because the convivence (voc. living
together/daily life) could be more easy (gr. easier) if you know (coh. get on well with) the person
that will live with you.
Sometimes, find (gr. finding) a good roommate is not easy, but you will have a good relationship if
you respect at (gr. respect the person) the person that lives with you or will live with you (st. lives
or will live with you).
The task has been achieved. This student has managed to express his/her opinion about the
topic. Nevertheless, the range of expression is very limited and yet, there are too many basic
language errors which hinder communication. (Fail)
Code used for correction:
gr. = grammar
voc. = vocabulary
st. = style
punct. = punctuation
coh. = cohesion
sp. = spelling
NB: The words and phrases which are underlined are those written by the students. The words
and phrases in blue between brackets are corrections and suggestions made by the teacher.
Answer Key
Part 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Because the writer wants to create a good impression on him.
The writer went into the grocer’s so that he could buy something to get some change.
C
He is unable to use it effectively.
D
When it does not give you pleasure.
A
C
Note: Questions 3, 5, 7 and 8 receive two marks for comprehension.
Questions 1, 2, 4, and 6 receive two marks for comprehension and two marks for
expression. Your answers should not necessarily have the same words as those
provided in the key, but should express the same idea. Language should be appropriate
to get full marks.
Part 2
9. where
10. how
11. anyone/anybody
12. in
13. after
14. no
15. The
16. whose
17. yet/ but/ (al)though
18. as
19. if/provided/providing
20. will/can