Examen de Inglés PAU Extremadura 2021 · Extraordinaria

Reading comprehension: Text 1

Some facts on coronaviruses

Most of us will be infected with a coronavirus at least once in our lifetime. This might be a worrying fact for many people, especially those who have heard of just one coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the disease known as COVID-19.

However, there is more to coronaviruses than SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are in fact a family of hundreds of viruses. Most of these infect animals such as bats, chickens and cats. Occasionally, viruses that infect one species can mutate in such a way that they start infecting a different species. This is called "cross-species transmission" or "spillover".

The first coronavirus was discovered in chickens in the 1930s. It was a few decades until the first human coronaviruses were identified by German researchers in the 1960s. Today, we know that seven different coronaviruses have the ability to cause disease in humans. Four are endemic –regularly found among a specific group of people or in a certain area– and usually cause just minor disease, but the other three can produce even death!

SARS –Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome– is the name of another coronavirus-related disease. It was first detected in 2002 and it was rather similar to the current pandemic of COVID-19. The cause of this outbreak wasn't confirmed until 2003 when the genome of the virus was identified by Canadian researchers. Older people were much more likely to suffer severe disease, which in many cases caused death. From 2002 until the last reported case in 2014, 774 people died.

One of the main difficulties in containing outbreaks of coronavirus-related diseases is that some people suffering these diseases may not show any symptoms at all. However, those people can still infect others. As a result, although SARS-CoV-2 is not as lethal as other coronaviruses, the number of people it will infect will be higher than any coronavirus we have ever encountered because it can spread undetected.

Adapted from https://theconversation.com/

EXERCISE 1. Answer 3 of the following 4 questions, providing evidence from the text (maximum 1 point each, total 3 points):

a.

Does the author say that numerous types of coronavirus exist?

b.

According to the text, were all varieties of coronavirus found by scientists at the same time?

c.

Does the writer say that young people are more severely affected by coronavirus-related diseases?

d.

According to the text, is the virus that causes COVID-19 the worst of all coronaviruses?

Reading comprehension: Text 1

Some facts on coronaviruses

Most of us will be infected with a coronavirus at least once in our lifetime. This might be a worrying fact for many people, especially those who have heard of just one coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the disease known as COVID-19.

However, there is more to coronaviruses than SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are in fact a family of hundreds of viruses. Most of these infect animals such as bats, chickens and cats. Occasionally, viruses that infect one species can mutate in such a way that they start infecting a different species. This is called "cross-species transmission" or "spillover".

The first coronavirus was discovered in chickens in the 1930s. It was a few decades until the first human coronaviruses were identified by German researchers in the 1960s. Today, we know that seven different coronaviruses have the ability to cause disease in humans. Four are endemic –regularly found among a specific group of people or in a certain area– and usually cause just minor disease, but the other three can produce even death!

SARS –Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome– is the name of another coronavirus-related disease. It was first detected in 2002 and it was rather similar to the current pandemic of COVID-19. The cause of this outbreak wasn't confirmed until 2003 when the genome of the virus was identified by Canadian researchers. Older people were much more likely to suffer severe disease, which in many cases caused death. From 2002 until the last reported case in 2014, 774 people died.

One of the main difficulties in containing outbreaks of coronavirus-related diseases is that some people suffering these diseases may not show any symptoms at all. However, those people can still infect others. As a result, although SARS-CoV-2 is not as lethal as other coronaviruses, the number of people it will infect will be higher than any coronavirus we have ever encountered because it can spread undetected.

Adapted from https://theconversation.com/

EXERCISE 2. Find in the text words that fit in 4 of the following 5 gaps. Use just one word in each gap (maximum 0,5 points per word, total 2 points):

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

Reading comprehension: Text 2

Women's right to vote in Great Britain and Ireland: The history of suffragettes

A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organization in the early 20th century. Under the banner "Votes for Women", these women fought for their right to vote in any public election. The term refers to members of the British Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), a women-only movement founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, which engaged in direct, civil action. In 1906, a reporter writing in the Daily Mail was the first one to use the term "suffragette". His intention was to insult the women advocating women's right to vote. However, the militants soon accepted the new name, even adopting it for use as the title of their own newspaper.

Women had won the right to vote in several countries by the end of the 19th century; in 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing country to guarantee the right the vote to all women over the age of 21. When by 1903 women in Britain had not obtained the right to vote, Pankhurst decided that women had to do the work themselves.

The suffragettes often interrupted politicians, tried to attack parliament, had battles with the police, chained themselves to railings, smashed windows, and faced anger and ridicule in the media. If they were imprisoned, they went on hunger strike, to which the government responded by making them eat by force. The death of one suffragette when she ran in front of the king's horse at the 1913 Epsom Derby made headlines around the world.

Leaders suspended the suffragette campaign when World War I broke out in 1914. After the war, the Representation of the People Act 1918 gave the vote to women over the age of 30 who met certain property qualifications. Ten years later, women gained electoral equality with men when a new law gave all women the right to vote at age 21.

Adapted from https://www.wikipedia.org/

EXERCISE 1. Answer 3 of the following 4 questions, providing evidence from the text (maximum 1 point each):

a.

According to the text, could male members be accepted in the WSPU movement?

b.

Does the author say that the word "suffragette" had a negative meaning when it was invented?

c.

According to the text, were all the activities carried out by suffragettes peaceful?

d.

Does the writer say that all women could vote in England when the first World War finished?

Reading comprehension: Text 2

Women's right to vote in Great Britain and Ireland: The history of suffragettes

A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organization in the early 20th century. Under the banner "Votes for Women", these women fought for their right to vote in any public election. The term refers to members of the British Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), a women-only movement founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, which engaged in direct, civil action. In 1906, a reporter writing in the Daily Mail was the first one to use the term "suffragette". His intention was to insult the women advocating women's right to vote. However, the militants soon accepted the new name, even adopting it for use as the title of their own newspaper.

Women had won the right to vote in several countries by the end of the 19th century; in 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing country to guarantee the right the vote to all women over the age of 21. When by 1903 women in Britain had not obtained the right to vote, Pankhurst decided that women had to do the work themselves.

The suffragettes often interrupted politicians, tried to attack parliament, had battles with the police, chained themselves to railings, smashed windows, and faced anger and ridicule in the media. If they were imprisoned, they went on hunger strike, to which the government responded by making them eat by force. The death of one suffragette when she ran in front of the king's horse at the 1913 Epsom Derby made headlines around the world.

Leaders suspended the suffragette campaign when World War I broke out in 1914. After the war, the Representation of the People Act 1918 gave the vote to women over the age of 30 who met certain property qualifications. Ten years later, women gained electoral equality with men when a new law gave all women the right to vote at age 21.

Adapted from https://www.wikipedia.org/

EXERCISE 2. Find in the text words that fit in 4 of the following 5 gaps. Use just one word in each gap (maximum 0,5 points per word, total 2 points):

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

SEGUNDO BLOQUE: REDACCIÓN

El segundo bloque consiste en una pregunta de redacción con tres opciones, de las cuales el alumno deberá escoger y realizar tan solo una. La redacción tendrá que contener cien palabras como mínimo. La puntuación máxima es de tres puntos.

a.

Write a story beginning with this sentence: "John thought that he would never become infected with COVID-19". Remember that the 10 words in this sentence cannot be counted in the 100 words you must write.

SEGUNDO BLOQUE: REDACCIÓN

El segundo bloque consiste en una pregunta de redacción con tres opciones, de las cuales el alumno deberá escoger y realizar tan solo una. La redacción tendrá que contener cien palabras como mínimo. La puntuación máxima es de tres puntos.

b.

Do you think that absolutely everybody older than 18 years old should be allowed to vote in Spain? Why or why not?

SEGUNDO BLOQUE: REDACCIÓN

Write a formal essay in which you explain your personal reasons for or against being vaccinated against coronavirus-related diseases. (At least 100 words)

TERCER BLOQUE: TRANSFORMACIÓN GRAMATICAL

Contesta exclusivamente cuatro de las seis transformaciones propuestas (a, b, c, d, e, f). Cada ejercicio vale 0,5 puntos como máximo.