Opción A - I * COMPREHENSION · Inglés PAU Andalucía Ordinaria Suplente 2019

OPTION A: MINDFULNESS: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE

Mindfulness is a meditation technique aimed at focusing the mind on the present moment. A report published this week analysing data involving 3,000 participants suggests that mindfulness can help alleviate feelings of stress and increase quality of life. The study also shows measurable improvements of up to 20% in symptoms of anxiety and depression.

So, what is mindfulness, and how does it work? Unlike mantra meditation, which involves focusing concentration on a particular word or sound, mindfulness aims to achieve a relaxed, non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts, feelings and sensations. This is what Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, calls a "direct knowing of what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment."

Buddhist monks have been practicing a similar technique for 2,500 years, but it didn't reach Western medicine until the late 1970s. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a US medical professor, began successfully treating patients suffering from chronic pain with a program he called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

In recent years, organizations as varied as the US Army and Google have started offering mindfulness training for employees; moreover, increasing numbers of schools are incorporating it into the curriculum for 13- and 14-year-olds. Frequently, the pace and stress of modern living leave us caught up in a stream of thoughts and feelings, trapped in past problems or overwhelmed by future anxieties. The idea is that by connecting with the present moment mindfulness practitioners become essentially able to manage feelings and sensations.

The techniques sound simple enough: sitting in a quiet place, deep-belly breathing, paying attention to your body and training the mind to observe, focus and filter. Why not give it a go?

I * COMPREHENSION (4 points)

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

1.

According to the text, mindfulness...

2.

According to the text, mindfulness 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)

3.

Mindfulness has nothing to do with Buddhism.

TRUE

FALSE

4.

Google and other companies have started sponsoring mindfulness courses in schools.

TRUE

FALSE

5.

Apparently, it is quite easy to practice mindfulness.

TRUE

FALSE

6.

The writer suggests that we try practising mindfulness.

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.