Examen de Inglés PAU Andalucía 2019 · Ordinaria Titular (Admisión) 2

OPTION A: THE SPANISH LEGIÓN PUT ON DIET OVER OBESITY FEARS

The Spanish army has put soldiers in one of its most famous units on a diet because of fears that some are becoming obese. Members of La Legión, nicknamed "the Bridegrooms of Death", are known for their toughness, distinctive green uniforms and rapid marching pace. Recognisable by their open-necked shirts, the legionnaires found themselves attracting global attention last year after a Twitter user posted a picture of fatty soldiers with a sarcastic comment about their bellies and unbuttoned shirts.

Concerns have emerged over the legionnaires' figures and fitness levels, forcing the army to act. La Legión has elaborated an internal report, published by El País, which states that they require a series of measures to reduce excess weight among their personnel. The document has noted that factors including a lack of fitness facilities and a higher average age are contributing to the problem.

More than 3,000 troops have undergone checks to determine their body mass index (BMI). The results showed that 180 (6%) had a BMI of 30 or above, which makes them obese. They received medical examinations as well as nutritional advice and exercise plans to help them lose between 500g and 1kg a week. Although La Legión recognises that without the necessary action "we will be condemned to loss of prestige as a combat unit", it admits that being overweight "can be due to cultural, pathological or even psychological factors that need to be properly considered".

An army spokesman said the initiative, which began last September, was designed to improve legionnaires' wellbeing. "The reaction has been very positive and the initial results are good", he said.

I * COMPREHENSION (4 points)

CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)

1. According to the text, the legionnaires have become the focus of attention for...

2. The document treating obesity factors in the legionnaires was...

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points each)

.

TRUE

FALSE

7. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

7.1.

7.2.

8. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

8.1.

8.2.

II * USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; 0.5 points each)

9. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH A CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS:

9.1.

"She made me... the same thing over and over." (do)

9.2.

"He never knows when... talking." (stop)

10. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:

10.1.

"La Legión's pet goat plays a part

the Annual March."

10.2.

"They are not fond

summer camps."

11. JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY:

"The infantry was marching past the cheering crowd. Their uniforms looked nicer this year."

12. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS:

"They received nutritional advice to lose weight."

13. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE:

"Doctors advise weak patients to gain weight gradually."

14. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE:

"Unless you change your eating habits,..."

III * WRITING (3 points)

15. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS ABOUT THE TOPIC PROPOSED AND FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT:

Advantages and disadvantages of following a diet.

OPTION B: NETFLIX ADDICTION IS REAL

1 The World Health Organization (WHO) recently classified obsessive video-gaming as an addiction. I believe it won't be long until

2 "gaming disorder" is joined in the WHO's International Classification of Diseases by another modern, screen-based illness: "Netflix

3 disorder".

4 I watch a lot of Netflix and I am starting to worry that it has become an emotional aid. If I am feeling stressed or depressed, I self-

5 medicate by staying up late, watching show after show. It makes me forget about everything else, which is welcome, considering the

6 state of the world. And just when I remember what I should be focusing on, another episode starts automatically and I disconnect

7 again.

8 Entertainment has always been about escapism. What is new, however, is the degree to which Netflix, like all the big tech platforms,

9 is engineered to be addictive. Netflix has turned unhealthy behaviour into an accepted part of modern culture. It does not even try to

10 hide the fact that its ambition is to hook us all. Reed Hastings, Netflix's co-founder, has admitted its biggest competitor is sleep. "When

11 you watch a Netflix show and you get addicted to it, you stay up late at night", he said.

12 I am not the only one with a Netflix problem. Netflix has become the opium of the masses. Indeed, it is beginning to feel as though

13 we are living in a real-world version of David Wallace's famous book, Infinite Jest, where there's a film so entertaining that its viewers

14 lose interest in anything other than viewing it, and eventually die. We are also entertaining ourselves to death. Actually, I never finished

15 reading Infinite Jest. But I am sure it will be on Netflix soon.

I * COMPREHENSION (4 points)

CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)

1. The author watches Netflix because...

2. According to the writer, addiction to Netflix is...

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points each)

.

TRUE

FALSE

7. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

8. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

II * USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; 0.5 points each)

9. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH A CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS:

9.1.

"My parents won't allow me... Netflix." (watch)

9.2.

"By the time they arrived, the film... yet." (not begin)

10. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:

10.1.

"What time does the plane take...?"

10.2.

"She is getting... her flu really quickly."

11. REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED:

"I was so bored that I decided to go to the cinema with my friends."

12. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS:

"I self-medicate by staying up late."

13. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE:

"Netflix has turned unhealthy behaviour into a part of modern culture."

14. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO REPORTED SPEECH:

"Gloria said to us, 'Let's go for a walk.'"

III * WRITING (3 points)

15. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS ABOUT THE TOPIC PROPOSED AND FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT:

Do you enjoy watching TV series? Explain.

OPTION A: THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF NIKOLA TESLA

1 Tesla was born in Serbia in 1856, during a lightning storm, which led the nurse to say, “He will be a child of the storm”, to which

2 his mother replied, “No, of the light”. As a student, he was so good at mathematics that teachers accused him of cheating. Tesla

3 migrated to the US in 1884, where he developed the alternating current motor and held over 300 patents. At the World’s Exposition of

4 1893 in Chicago, he illuminated more light bulbs than could be found in the entire city, and amazed audiences with an electric light

5 that required no wires. He had a photographic memory, which helped him memorize whole books and speak eight languages.

6 Besides his remarkable achievements as a scientist, he was also known for his eccentricities. He claimed that he had developed

7 a motor that ran on cosmic rays, and that he had discovered a technique for photographing thoughts.

8 He never married, and ended up broke and alone, living in a New York hotel paid by the Westinghouse Corporation. He frequented

9 the local park, where he was regularly seen feeding the pigeons, with which he claimed to share a special affinity. He was found dead

10 in his room at age 86.

11 Today the name Tesla is still very much in circulation. The world’s best-known electric car bears his name, and the strength of MRI

12 scanners is measured in Teslas. He was a real-life Prometheus: the mythical Greek titan who brought fire to humankind, but in

13 punishment was chained to a rock where each day an eagle ate his liver. Tesla brought lightning down to earth, but his uncommon

14 habits eventually led to his downfall.

I * COMPREHENSION (4 points)

CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)

1.

According to the text, Tesla was...

2.

According to the text, Nikola Tesla...

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points each)

3.

Tesla showed his special intelligence when he was at school.

TRUE

FALSE

4.

Tesla surprised people with the development of a wireless electric bulb.

TRUE

FALSE

5.

Tesla ended his days rich but alone.

TRUE

FALSE

6.

Nobody remembers Tesla anymore.

TRUE

FALSE

7. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

7.1.

7.2.

8. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

8.1.

8.2.

II * USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; 0.5 points each)

9.

FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT WORD:

10.

FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:

11.

REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED:

“I'm sure she didn't steal the money.” → She can't...

12.

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE:

“If I had known you were in trouble,...”

13.

TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE:

“They have broken into my car twice this month.”

14.

GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS:

“Mike works for a rich businessman on weekends.”

III * WRITING (3 points)

15. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS ABOUT THE TOPIC PROPOSED AND FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT:

What is the greatest invention in history? Justify your answer.

OPTION B: DO YOU HAVE A FEAR OF MISSING OUT?

1 FOMO, or the “Fear of Missing Out”, is a syndrome many of us have experienced. It happens when we start to feel nervous about

2 not taking part in social events. It’s no coincidence that FOMO and social media have grown at approximately the same time. Social

3 media activate awareness of all the most exciting things other people are doing, and using social media is closely connected to FOMO,

4 according to research.

5 The syndrome is often associated with perceived feelings of inferiority. When we miss a party, vacation, or any other social event,

6 we sometimes feel a little less cool than those who showed up and uploaded photos. Surveys have suggested that FOMO is most

7 common in people aged from 18 to 33, and also more common among men than women, though it’s still unclear why. Research

8 suggests FOMO can have a pretty negative impact on psychological health. It can cause anxiety and depression, especially among

9 young people. In more extreme cases, these social insecurities can even contribute to violence and feelings of shame.

10 Our social media selves are very often better and shinier than reality, and sometimes it’s only the beautiful parts that we show.

11 Everyone has experienced challenges, letdowns and sadness. Everyone. However, we can’t only blame social media for causing

12 FOMO. For people likely to have these kinds of thoughts, unplugging all those gadgets might not solve the problem as efficiently as

13 therapy. FOMO may be a type of cognitive distortion separate from technology.

14 So, the next time you compare yourself to the perfect lives portrayed on social media, take a deep breath and remember that things

15 are not always as they seem.

I * COMPREHENSION (4 points)

CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)

1.

According to the text, FOMO...

2.

According to the text, in social media people...

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points each)

.

FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

7.1.

7.2.

FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

8.1.

8.2.

II * USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; 0.5 points each)

9. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT WORD:

9.1.

“The thief started to shoot

the police.” (preposition)

9.2.

“Who does this dictionary belong

?” (preposition)

10. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:

10.1.

“To be a secret agent, you... be strong, but you have to be intelligent.”

10.2.

“We were having... good time that my children didn’t want to leave.”

11.

REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: “My mechanic can fix my car in less than a day.”

12.

TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE ACTIVE VOICE: “That report shouldn’t be read by anybody.”

13.

TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO DIRECT SPEECH: “Tony asked Sandra how old her brother was.”

14.

THERE ARE TWO MISTAKES IN THIS SENTENCE. FIND THE MISTAKES AND REWRITE THE SENTENCE CORRECTLY: “We’d better leaving now if we want to arrive at time.”

III * WRITING (3 points)

15. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS ABOUT THE TOPIC PROPOSED AND FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT:

Are you afraid of missing out? Explain.