Examen de Inglés PAU Canarias 2025 · Julio (Reserva)

Are animals so different from us?

The details differ, but the same story has been happening for around a decade now: animals are more similar to humans than we believed. For instance, it has recently been revealed that dogs can remember the names of their old toys, even after not seeing them for two years. This finding questions the belief that language acquisition is a “uniquely human” faculty.

The territory we thought was “uniquely human” is diminishing at an alarming rate. Several remarkable examples illustrate this point. Wasps can distinguish faces, dolphins call one another by name, pigs use tools, some birds dream, and chimpanzees, which exist in complex cultures similar to ours, even follow fashion trends. In one recorded instance, a high-ranking female chimp started wearing grass in her ears, and within a week, all the female chimps were doing the same.

These discoveries would have looked obvious to Charles Darwin, who, along with other naturalists, once assumed that animals, like us, were individuals with some form of consciousness. Darwin’s successors were more sceptical, however. At the start of the 20 th century, opinion changed, and attributing human traits to animals was seen as a sign of sentimentality and intellectual failure. In other words, a stupid thing. In fact, the British government only recognised animal sentience in law in 2021.

This situation shows that there is an apparent link between cruelty and the belief that your victims are not, like you, capable of deep suffering. The medical profession, for example, did not recognise the fact that newborns could feel pain until 1987; before then, babies were regularly operated on without anaesthetics or sedation.

Therefore, kindness to animals depends on recognising that they are similar to us. As an example, naturalists trying to protect elephants from hunters changed their strategy; instead of showing statistics and aerial photographs, they started to create elephant “celebrities” with biographies and pictures in high-fashion style. From that moment on, support increased significantly.

If animals are indeed more like us, it is worth integrating that knowledge. Nevertheless, human tendencies can complicate this perspective. Humans assign human motives to practically anything, but, curiously, we end up empathising only with the animals we know well, such as our pets. Experiments on dogs have provoked huge protests by anti-cruelty leagues, while the fate of other animals has attracted little interest. Although we have abundant laws against pet cruelty, we continue to treat farm animals badly. It’s not just dogs and cats that deserve our empathy.

Accordingly, the job of science is to treat such contradictory attitudes with scepticism and to proceed only based on evidence.

Fragment adapted from The Guardian, September 2024

1. Say whether the following sentences are TRUE or FALSE according to the text. COPY the evidence from the text. No marks will be given without the evidence. (1.5 points)

a)

A documented case demonstrates that some primates have a fashion sense similar to that of humans.

b)

The renowned British naturalist and his contemporaries never admitted any human characteristics in animals.

c)

The rights and welfare of dogs have not received more attention than those of other animals.

Are animals so different from us?

The details differ, but the same story has been happening for around a decade now: animals are more similar to humans than we believed. For instance, it has recently been revealed that dogs can remember the names of their old toys, even after not seeing them for two years. This finding questions the belief that language acquisition is a “uniquely human” faculty.

The territory we thought was “uniquely human” is diminishing at an alarming rate. Several remarkable examples illustrate this point. Wasps can distinguish faces, dolphins call one another by name, pigs use tools, some birds dream, and chimpanzees, which exist in complex cultures similar to ours, even follow fashion trends. In one recorded instance, a high-ranking female chimp started wearing grass in her ears, and within a week, all the female chimps were doing the same.

These discoveries would have looked obvious to Charles Darwin, who, along with other naturalists, once assumed that animals, like us, were individuals with some form of consciousness. Darwin’s successors were more sceptical, however. At the start of the 20 th century, opinion changed, and attributing human traits to animals was seen as a sign of sentimentality and intellectual failure. In other words, a stupid thing. In fact, the British government only recognised animal sentience in law in 2021.

This situation shows that there is an apparent link between cruelty and the belief that your victims are not, like you, capable of deep suffering. The medical profession, for example, did not recognise the fact that newborns could feel pain until 1987; before then, babies were regularly operated on without anaesthetics or sedation.

Therefore, kindness to animals depends on recognising that they are similar to us. As an example, naturalists trying to protect elephants from hunters changed their strategy; instead of showing statistics and aerial photographs, they started to create elephant “celebrities” with biographies and pictures in high-fashion style. From that moment on, support increased significantly.

If animals are indeed more like us, it is worth integrating that knowledge. Nevertheless, human tendencies can complicate this perspective. Humans assign human motives to practically anything, but, curiously, we end up empathising only with the animals we know well, such as our pets. Experiments on dogs have provoked huge protests by anti-cruelty leagues, while the fate of other animals has attracted little interest. Although we have abundant laws against pet cruelty, we continue to treat farm animals badly. It’s not just dogs and cats that deserve our empathy.

Accordingly, the job of science is to treat such contradictory attitudes with scepticism and to proceed only based on evidence.

Fragment adapted from The Guardian, September 2024

2. Answer the questions below. COPY no more than 10 words and/or a number from the text to answer each question. [1.5 points]

a)

What ability, once believed to be exclusive to humanity, is now clearly recognized in dogs?

b)

What discovery was not made until the end of the last century by doctors?

c)

What impact did the change in the approach to elephant conservation have?

Are animals so different from us?

The details differ, but the same story has been happening for around a decade now: animals are more similar to humans than we believed. For instance, it has recently been revealed that dogs can remember the names of their old toys, even after not seeing them for two years. This finding questions the belief that language acquisition is a “uniquely human” faculty.

The territory we thought was “uniquely human” is diminishing at an alarming rate. Several remarkable examples illustrate this point. Wasps can distinguish faces, dolphins call one another by name, pigs use tools, some birds dream, and chimpanzees, which exist in complex cultures similar to ours, even follow fashion trends. In one recorded instance, a high-ranking female chimp started wearing grass in her ears, and within a week, all the female chimps were doing the same.

These discoveries would have looked obvious to Charles Darwin, who, along with other naturalists, once assumed that animals, like us, were individuals with some form of consciousness. Darwin’s successors were more sceptical, however. At the start of the 20 th century, opinion changed, and attributing human traits to animals was seen as a sign of sentimentality and intellectual failure. In other words, a stupid thing. In fact, the British government only recognised animal sentience in law in 2021.

This situation shows that there is an apparent link between cruelty and the belief that your victims are not, like you, capable of deep suffering. The medical profession, for example, did not recognise the fact that newborns could feel pain until 1987; before then, babies were regularly operated on without anaesthetics or sedation.

Therefore, kindness to animals depends on recognising that they are similar to us. As an example, naturalists trying to protect elephants from hunters changed their strategy; instead of showing statistics and aerial photographs, they started to create elephant “celebrities” with biographies and pictures in high-fashion style. From that moment on, support increased significantly.

If animals are indeed more like us, it is worth integrating that knowledge. Nevertheless, human tendencies can complicate this perspective. Humans assign human motives to practically anything, but, curiously, we end up empathising only with the animals we know well, such as our pets. Experiments on dogs have provoked huge protests by anti-cruelty leagues, while the fate of other animals has attracted little interest. Although we have abundant laws against pet cruelty, we continue to treat farm animals badly. It’s not just dogs and cats that deserve our empathy.

Accordingly, the job of science is to treat such contradictory attitudes with scepticism and to proceed only based on evidence.

Fragment adapted from The Guardian, September 2024

3. FIND a word or expression in the text that means... [1 point]

a)

b)

c)

d)

4. READ this conversation and COMPLETE your part. Write the numbers (1-6) and complete each sentence on your exam paper. [1.5 points]

Discussing the English teacher's participation in the graduation ceremony

Your teacher: There are only a few days until the graduation ceremony. I'm sure everyone in your class must be excited.

You: You bet we are. We have been preparing this for months. Everyone is especially curious about (1)

Your teacher: I don't know what you're talking about.

You: Oh, come on! Don't be shy, we all know (2)

Your teacher: What?! Hey, this is no longer funny, so tell me immediately what this is all about.

You: My goodness, don't tell me our class representative didn't tell you (3)

Your teacher: You must be mad, all of you!! I hate being in front of an audience, I always have.

You: Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear that! A colleague of yours told us (4)

Your teacher: I can guess who told you that... Sorry guys, but you will need to find someone else.

You: Oh, please, (5)

Your teacher: No way! That would be too embarrassing for me.

You: But what if (6)

Your teacher: Well, that's not a bad option. Yeah, let's do that. When is the rehearsal?

5. Choose ONLY 3 of the following situations and WRITE what you would say in each one to show that you understand the context of the situation. Write between 10 and 25 words. [1.5 points]

You must complete only 3 situations. If you write more than 3, only the first three will be evaluated. Each situation must contain between 10 and 25 words.

a)

You arrived at the gym but forgot your entry card. Contact the person in charge and suggest a possible solution.

b)

While waiting at the bus station, you realise you left your wallet with your bus pass at home. Ask a classmate for help.

c)

You were supposed to bring the food for the get-together at your friend's place to watch the Champions League final match, but you didn't get anything. Explain what happened.

d)

Your partner wanted to organise a surprise party for your birthday, but you discovered it ruining the surprise. Apologise.

e)

You and some classmates are working on a history project for tomorrow, but your partners have not finished their sections yet. Complain about it.

6. Choose ONE of the following topics and WRITE a composition of about 120-150 words. If you choose the email, DO NOT SIGN IT. [3 points]

Opción a)

A friend of yours in the UK has just bought an iguana as a pet. Write an email to your friend explaining what you think about that.

Instructions

Write an email of about 120-150 words. Do NOT include your name or any signature.

6. Choose ONE of the following topics and WRITE a composition of about 120-150 words. [3 points]

Opción b)

Do animals make us happier? Give your opinion.

Instructions

Write an opinion essay of about 120-150 words.