Ejercicio Text 2: The Disappearance of Michael Rockefeller · Inglés PAU Andalucía Ordinaria Titular (Admisión) 2024

TEXT 2: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MICHAEL ROCKEFELLER

1 Michael Rockefeller, great-grandson of the founder of the wealthy Rockefeller dynasty, was deeply impressed when his father

2 opened the Museum of Primitive Art in 1960. He decided there and then to devote his life to finding “primitive” art —a term no

3 longer used today due to its implications that non-Western cultures are inferior. Within months of the museum launch, Michael

4 went on an expedition trip to New Guinea —ruled by the Netherlands at the time— to collect art from the native Asmat people.

5 Michael learned on arrival that Asmat warriors took the heads of their enemies in battle and that they practised cannibalism. He

6 was fascinated by these people, who represented such an intriguing violation of the norms of Western society.

7 When Michael returned to the island one year later, his boat sank. The Rockefellers spent a small fortune supporting the

8 Dutch’s search for Michael. Despite all efforts, the search was called off barely two weeks after the boating accident. Michael was

9 never seen again. The official cause of death was filed as drowning, but the news and rumours about it spread like wildfire in

10 tabloids and newspapers.

11 In 2014, reporter Carl Hoffman revealed in a book that the Netherlands’ inquiries into the matter had concluded, shortly after

12 the disappearance, that the Asmat had killed Michael. But why would the Dutch bury those files? According to Hoffman, Michael

13 couldn’t have arrived at a worst time: the Netherlands was losing the colony to Indonesia, and the scandal would have exposed

14 their lack of control. So, they denied the murder rumours even to the Rockefellers, who to this day refuse to accept any other

15 version of events than that Michael drowned.

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

9.

According to the text, Michael Rockefeller travelled to New Guinea…

10.

According to the text, the Rockefellers…

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)

.

15. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

15.1.

ONE SYNONYM FOR: “inauguration” (noun)

15.2.

ONE SYNONYM FOR: “dedicate” (verb)

16. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

16.1.

ONE WORD MEANING: “to govern people or a political unit.”

16.2.

ONE WORD MEANING: “a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time.”