Ejercicio Grupo A - 6 · Inglés PAU Canarias Junio (Ciencias) 2023

‘It was giving me a hug’

A recent viral encounter between a diver and an octopus has highlighted the particular magic of Vancouver

Island in Canada.

On a cloudy morning, high school teacher Andrea Humphreys and a group of friends got into the sea, they

were on the hunt for an enigmatic local creature: the giant Pacific octopus. Humphreys was looking forward

5 to showing a visiting friend the region’s underappreciated beauty. “People say it’s dark and gloomy

underwater here. But when you have lights, you see every colour of the rainbow. This is one of the best

diving sites in the world. I’ve completed more than 675 dives,” she said.

Humphreys said that she occasionally spots octopuses hiding in holes or under rocks. But, on this occasion,

they saw one out in the open after just a few minutes. It quickly approached her friend, gently touching her

10 mask and regulator with its tentacles. Humphreys photographed the encounter until the octopus turned its

attention to her. “It was just crawling on my camera, crawling on my lips, giving me a hug,” Humphreys

said.

The octopus stayed close for 40 minutes, taking a special interest in Humphreys’ camera, changing the

lights and playing with it. During all that time, the octopus never took the greyish tone of a fearful or

15 aggressive cephalopod; it maintained its deep red colour. Humphreys posted her video online for friends

and family. In a few days, it had received tens of thousands of views.

Octopuses are believed to be the most intelligent of the invertebrates. They are expert imitators; they take

on the colour and texture of the rocks and marine life around them. Their lives are also marked by a tragic

cycle. They live far longer than other species, often reaching five years. However, females look after their

20 eggs with such intensity that caring for their babies costs them their lives. Mothers stop eating to protect

their eggs and live only on fat stores until they die.

Humphreys visits classrooms with her diving equipment to give students a window into a marine world

many will not encounter first-hand. “I want to give them a sense of what’s at risk,” she said. “With a

changing climate, warming waters and pollution, I want them to learn why it matters.”

25 Humphreys is planning more dives to try to renew her friendship with the octopus. “That encounter was so

magical. The octopus’ curiosity and ability to explore were amazing,” she said. “I’ve never eaten octopus

– and I’ll never touch it now.”

Fragment adapted from The Guardian, November 2022

6. WRITE a composition of about 120-150 words on the following topic: [3 points]

Write an email to Ms Humphreys telling her your opinion about her experience and work.