Bloque A · Inglés PAU Andalucía Ordinaria Titular (Acceso) 2025

BLOQUE A (Comprensión lectora)

[Puntuación máxima: 4 puntos]

COMPREHENSION (4 points). READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS.

DOLLAR PRINCESSES

1 During the late 1800s, a period also known as The Gilded Age, the US experienced rapid economic growth following the Civil

2 War. Although some American families became insanely wealthy, they still considered themselves "commoners", lacking the

3 exquisite titles of European aristocracy, such as Dukes, Barons, and the like. This became unacceptable to many of them who

4 wanted an aristocratic identity to accompany their newfound fortunes.

5 Meanwhile, British noblemen represented "old world charm" on the other side of the Atlantic. They were sophisticated, cultured,

6 and aristocratic, with noble titles passed down through their family legacies. However, they were desperate for cash due to

7 economic pressures mostly caused by rural populations moving to the cities and the costly maintenance of their aging mansions.

8 The answer to the problems of the American millionaires and the British aristocracy can be summed up in two words: dollar

9 princesses. Dollar Princess was a term referring to an American heiress, a woman from a newly wealthy family. The fathers of

10 these "princesses" believed that a title would provide a shortcut to social acceptance. Since the American Constitution forbade the

11 government from giving out titles of nobility, they "sold" their daughters to British aristocrats in exchange for titles.

12 In a short time, more than $25 billion was sent to Britain, rejuvenating dying aristocratic families and boosting the European

13 economy. If these marriages seem like cold, hard contractual negotiations, it's because they were. Very often, the future husbands

14 were complete strangers to the young heiresses, who led hopeless and miserable lives with no support.

15 Once in Britain, most dollar princesses found their majestic homes terribly dark and cold, as they were in desperate need of

16 repair. Soon, the new wives remodeled their homes, but they were often judged, and even mocked, for doing so. To make matters

17 worse, they were marginalized by high society for their non-aristocratic roots.

18 In 1880, railway heiress Frances Ellen Work married the future Baron Fermoy. Like many dollar-princess matches, it was an

19 unhappy one. The baron blew Frances's $2.5 million fortune on gambling, and the couple divorced in 1891. Frances's story might

20 suggest that dollar princesses were but an anecdote in the history of Britain. However, just over a century after she traded her

21 money for aristocracy, her great-granddaughter Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales—and later, the mother of Prince

22 William, now first in line to the British throne.

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

A1.

According to the text, Dollar Princesses...

A2.

According to the text, after the wedding, Dollar Princesses...

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

A3.

The British nobles were unable to bear the expense of preserving their residences.

TRUE

FALSE

A4.

The American Government granted aristocratic titles to rich families.

TRUE

FALSE

A5.

The brides used to date their husbands-to-be before the wedding.

TRUE

FALSE

A6.

Traces of the dollar princesses' legacy can be seen in today's British royal family.

TRUE

FALSE

A7. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

A7.1.

A7.2.

A8. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)

A8.1.

A8.2.