Examen de Inglés PAU Extremadura 2022 · Ordinaria

Reading comprehension: Text 1

Why African Birds are Seeking Refuge from Climate Change in Spain

Birds from Africa such as the common bulbul are colonizing southern Spain, while storks and swallows are migrating less to Africa; meanwhile, some species of duck are remaining further north and no longer heading south to Andalusia. In short, millions of birds are modifying their habits, becoming sentinels of climate change as they adapt to the warming weather.

These new living conditions triggered by global warming bring advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, Juan Carlos del Moral, social science coordinator for the Spanish Ornithological Society, points out that in the Euro-African migratory system, which passes through the Iberian Peninsula, "birds are beginning to spend winter further north, which prevents them from having to cross the formidable barrier that is the Sahara."

More negatively, there are imbalances when the birds are not able to adjust their life cycles to the advance of spring, which results in population decline. "Many birds no longer leave," says Del Moral. And those that still migrate return earlier because spring comes earlier, "which can kill them because there are no insects, or because it gets cold again and they don't have time to leave for warmer areas," he adds.

Tattooed in the DNA of species such as storks and swallows is the annual migration from Europe to the Sahel, where they spend the winter. But if, thanks to global warming, they enjoy a milder climate in the countries of departure, "why make the dangerous journey across the Sahara?" asks biologist Del Moral. His data show that a growing number of these birds are not making this journey. "The increasingly mild winters in these places make it easier for them to stay at home where they can find food and don't have to fly for miles," explains Del Moral.

Adapted from www.elpais.com

EXERCISE 1

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

a)

According to the text, do some birds still migrate to Africa?

b)

According to the text, is the following statement true or false? Global warming only has negative consequences for wildlife.

c)

According to the text, do some birds die because of the inability to adapt to climate change?

d)

Does the writer say that migrating is an innate habit of some bird species?

Reading comprehension: Text 1

Why African Birds are Seeking Refuge from Climate Change in Spain

Birds from Africa such as the common bulbul are colonizing southern Spain, while storks and swallows are migrating less to Africa; meanwhile, some species of duck are remaining further north and no longer heading south to Andalusia. In short, millions of birds are modifying their habits, becoming sentinels of climate change as they adapt to the warming weather.

These new living conditions triggered by global warming bring advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, Juan Carlos del Moral, social science coordinator for the Spanish Ornithological Society, points out that in the Euro-African migratory system, which passes through the Iberian Peninsula, "birds are beginning to spend winter further north, which prevents them from having to cross the formidable barrier that is the Sahara."

More negatively, there are imbalances when the birds are not able to adjust their life cycles to the advance of spring, which results in population decline. "Many birds no longer leave," says Del Moral. And those that still migrate return earlier because spring comes earlier, "which can kill them because there are no insects, or because it gets cold again and they don't have time to leave for warmer areas," he adds.

Tattooed in the DNA of species such as storks and swallows is the annual migration from Europe to the Sahel, where they spend the winter. But if, thanks to global warming, they enjoy a milder climate in the countries of departure, "why make the dangerous journey across the Sahara?" asks biologist Del Moral. His data show that a growing number of these birds are not making this journey. "The increasingly mild winters in these places make it easier for them to stay at home where they can find food and don't have to fly for miles," explains Del Moral.

Adapted from www.elpais.com

EXERCISE 2

Find in the text words to solve 4 of the following 5 questions. Use just one word in each case (maximum 0.5 points per word, total 2 points):

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

Reading comprehension: Text 2

Trans Swimmer Revives an Old Debate in Elite Sports: What Defines a Woman?

For nearly a century, certain elite athletes have been subject to hormonal testing to compete in women's events. At the Ivy League women's swimming championships this week, many eyes in the crowd will be fixed on Lia Thomas, a star of the University of Pennsylvania team. In recent months, Thomas has made headlines not only for her speed, but also for her gender identity. In 2019, while competing on the men's team, Thomas began to medically transition, taking testosterone blockers and estrogen. Although her swim times slowed considerably, she's still a regular winner in several women's events, raising questions about the role of testosterone in athletic performance.

Some have asked for her to be separated from ordinary competition, arguing that her body went through changes during puberty that gave her an unfair advantage. But others have expressed the opinion that there's no justification for excluding transgender athletes like her.

These complicated questions over the nature of athleticism are not new in women's sports. They have come up many times over the past century, typically when an athlete deemed too masculine started to win. Sports authorities have relied on medical tests — whether anatomical, chromosomal or hormonal — to determine eligibility in women's categories, while requiring no analogous tests for men. But in the world of elite physical performance, where the limits of biology are stretched, science has never provided straight answers.

“Trans women, in general, aren't winning in all sports,” said Dr. James Barrett, the director of the Adult Gender Identity Clinic in London. “It's not obvious that there's necessarily an advantage at all.” “In the end, it's about how we think about who is a woman, right?” said Katrina Karkazis, an anthropologist at Amherst College.

Adapted from www.nytimes.com

EXERCISE 1

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

a)

According to the text, is the following statement true or false?

“Lia Thomas can't swim as fast as she did before transitioning.”

b)

Does the author say that everybody agrees that trans women should be excluded from women's competitions?

c)

According to the text, are men subjected to medical tests in order to compete in men's categories?

d)

According to the text, is the following statement true or false?

“It is clear that trans women have an advantage in all sports.”

Reading comprehension: Text 2

Trans Swimmer Revives an Old Debate in Elite Sports: What Defines a Woman?

For nearly a century, certain elite athletes have been subject to hormonal testing to compete in women's events. At the Ivy League women's swimming championships this week, many eyes in the crowd will be fixed on Lia Thomas, a star of the University of Pennsylvania team. In recent months, Thomas has made headlines not only for her speed, but also for her gender identity. In 2019, while competing on the men's team, Thomas began to medically transition, taking testosterone blockers and estrogen. Although her swim times slowed considerably, she's still a regular winner in several women's events, raising questions about the role of testosterone in athletic performance.

Some have asked for her to be separated from ordinary competition, arguing that her body went through changes during puberty that gave her an unfair advantage. But others have expressed the opinion that there's no justification for excluding transgender athletes like her.

These complicated questions over the nature of athleticism are not new in women's sports. They have come up many times over the past century, typically when an athlete deemed too masculine started to win. Sports authorities have relied on medical tests — whether anatomical, chromosomal or hormonal — to determine eligibility in women's categories, while requiring no analogous tests for men. But in the world of elite physical performance, where the limits of biology are stretched, science has never provided straight answers.

“Trans women, in general, aren't winning in all sports,” said Dr. James Barrett, the director of the Adult Gender Identity Clinic in London. “It's not obvious that there's necessarily an advantage at all.” “In the end, it's about how we think about who is a woman, right?” said Katrina Karkazis, an anthropologist at Amherst College.

Adapted from www.nytimes.com

EXERCISE 2

Find in the text words to solve 4 of the following 5 questions. 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 that begins with the following words: “Many people at school thought that Lia was too masculine.” 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.

Write a letter to the Olympic Committee discussing whether trans athletes should take part in the Olympics (and how).

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.

c. Do you think climate change affects the habits of animals? Why or why not? How?

TERCER BLOQUE: TRANSFORMACIÓN GRAMATICAL

El tercer bloque contiene seis ejercicios de transformación gramatical, de los cuales el alumno deberá escoger y contestar exclusivamente cuatro. Cada ejercicio contestado vale medio punto como máximo. La puntuación máxima del bloque en su conjunto es de dos puntos.

a.

Rewrite the following sentence in reported speech, beginning "The scientist believed..."

'There have been imbalances when the birds adjust their life cycles poorly to the advance of spring'.

b.

Rewrite the following sentences using a non-defining relative clause.

The Euro-African migratory system is changing rapidly. This system passes through the Iberian Peninsula.

c.

Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first one. You must not change the initial two words in any way or omit any element from the original sentence:

In the world of elite physical performance, science has never provided straight answers.

d.

Rewrite the following sentence as a second-type (hypothetical) conditional:

If birds enjoy a milder climate in these countries, why will they make the dangerous journey across the Sahara?

e.

Rewrite the following sentence in the interrogative form of the conditional perfect.

Thomas has made headlines for her gender identity

f.

Rewrite the following sentence in the active voice. Do not omit any part of it.

At the Ivy League championships this week, many questions will be asked by the press about Lia Thomas.