Examen de Inglés PAU Andalucía 2024 · Extraordinaria Titular (Admisión)

TEXT 1: ICELAND ELVES: REAL OR IMAGINARY?

1 Iceland is filled with legends and all sorts of mythical creatures. None of them are better known than Iceland elves. They are

2 present everywhere in the local culture. In Iceland, you leave food outside for the elves during Christmas. You also keep the house

3 neat and tidy. This way, the elves have enough space to dance around while the family living in the house attends the Christmas

4 church service. In addition, the elves are on their annual moving day on New Year's Eve, so people light candles to help them on

5 their way to their new residence.

6 Mentions of Icelandic elves can be found in Viking poems dating back to 1,000 years ago. Today elves are believed to be real

7 by 62% of Icelanders, according to official studies by the University of Iceland. You only have to stop to have a chat with any

8 Iceland road worker to hear many "true" stories. One of these legendary testimonies comes straight out of the 1930s. Attempts

9 were made to build a road through a rock known as Elf Hill in the south of Kopavogur. Despite numerous efforts, all attempts were

10 pointless due to unexplained occurrences. The project had to be abandoned and workers have refused to go anywhere near the

11 site ever since. Also, in 2013 Iceland's supreme court stopped a highway project near Reykjavik because it would disturb a

12 protected area where there was an elf "church". Roadwork could only start again once the church was safely relocated.

13 Elves have even inspired an actual ecological movement in Iceland. There are organizations and protesters actively

14 campaigning against the development of certain areas of the island because they are supposedly inhabited by elves.

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

1.

The belief in elves...

2.

Elf Hill...

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.

Elves dance in churches because they need plenty of room.

TRUE

FALSE

4.

Icelanders light candles to keep elves away from their homes.

TRUE

FALSE

5.

Icelandic judges have dealt with elf-related disputes.

TRUE

FALSE

6.

Icelandic environmental activists fight to preserve elves' natural habitat.

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.

TEXT 2: PLEASE DON'T STOP THE MUSIC

1 As a child, Steve Howgego loved to sing. His favourite teacher at primary school told him he did it beautifully. He once

2 overheard his father say: "We should send him to Durham Chorister School." His mother said he sang awfully and didn't let him

3 go. It took Steve years to find his true voice. Now, at 66, Steve makes a living off music despite having received no music education

4 as a kid.

5 In his youth, Steve dropped out of his degree course and got a job as a trainee computer programmer. He got promoted and

6 moved to France, where he worked for Citicorp and bought himself some singing lessons. But he eventually lost interest in

7 programming and quit.

8 Back in London, someone suggested Howgego should try gospel singing. At 33, he joined London Community Gospel Choir.

9 Singing with other singers helped him boost his confidence and vocal ability. But when his sister, to whom he was close, died at

10 the start of the century, Howgego had a breakdown. His voice left him for five years.

11 His second turning point came during therapy sessions, where he made a friend who also sang. His friend suggested Steve

12 should try singing in the streets —opera seemed the best option. Steve was unemployed and struggling to pay his mortgage. He

13 thought, "Why don't I have a go?" Donations from passers-by enabled him to keep his home. But it was their appreciation that

14 reaffirmed him and opened up other possibilities. "What I have found by trusting in my abilities is that one positive thing leads to

15 another," Steve says. At present, he collaborates with other creatives and is working on a play about his experiences.

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

9.

According to the text, Steve's father...

10.

According to the text, Steve...

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)

11.

According to the text, Steve gave up on college.

12.

Steve's therapist advised him to take up singing again.

13.

Steve paid his debts by passing the hat around on the street.

14.

The public's support strengthened Steve's determination.

15. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

15.1.

15.2.

16. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

16.1.

16.2.

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

17.1.

“Please, don't forget the door when you leave home.” (lock)

17.2.

“You phoned me while I my first book on A.I.” (read)

18. FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT OPTION:

18.1.

“Please, don't laugh... me.”

18.2.

“Dinner is ready. You... cook anything tonight.”

19. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE ACTIVE VOICE:

“We were never told the truth.”

20. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE:

“Someone will pick you up after tonight’s event.”

21. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS: “A sharpener costs about three euros.”

22. JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY: “This is the hospital. I worked there in the 90s.”

23. REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: “I haven’t had cheesecake for a long time.” It’s been…

24. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE: “If I were fluent in Italian, …”

25. THERE ARE TWO MISTAKES IN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE. FIND THE MISTAKES AND REWRITE THE SENTENCE CORRECTLY: "Tell to us what have you been doing, please."

26. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO DIRECT SPEECH: "Laura asked her assistant to call an urgent meeting for the next day."

27. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO REPORTED SPEECH: "'I am visiting my grandparents this afternoon,' said Mike."

28. USE THE WORDS IN THE BOXES TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL SENTENCE. USE ALL AND ONLY THE WORDS IN THE BOXES WITHOUT CHANGING THEIR FORM:

we · if · problem · only · could · get · this · of · rid

BLOQUE C (Redacción)

Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos. Deberá realizar una redacción de un mínimo de 120 palabras de UNO de los dos temas propuestos SOLAMENTE.

WRITING (3 points)

29. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF AT LEAST 120 WORDS ABOUT ONE OF THE TOPICS PROPOSED AND FOCUS ON IT. CHOOSE ONE TOPIC ONLY:

29.1.

Do you like supernatural films or stories? Give reasons.

BLOQUE C (Redacción)

Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos. Deberá realizar una redacción de un mínimo de 120 palabras de UNO de los dos temas propuestos SOLAMENTE.

WRITING (3 points)

29. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF AT LEAST 120 WORDS ABOUT ONE OF THE TOPICS PROPOSED AND FOCUS ON IT. CHOOSE ONE TOPIC ONLY:

29.2.

Is it important to follow one's dreams? Explain.