Examen de Inglés PAU Madrid 2018 · Modelo

Selfie Accidents

Tourists and camera lovers should remember a new danger that has recently appeared. This new life-threatening hazard started in the last few years and is now everywhere. It is almost twice as deadly as being killed by a shark. What is this new danger? Well, it is the selfie. The desire to take a photo of yourself in front of a world-famous site or to pose with a friend resulted in more deaths in 2015 than those due to lightning strikes. More and more people are putting themselves into dangerous situations in a bid to take the most outrageous pictures in order to get more likes and shares on social media. In particular, pictures with animals, or taken at great heights, or posing with weapons are widespread.

Selfie accidents happen in many ways. They include two Russian men who were killed while taking a selfie with a hand grenade, three Indian students who were killed by a train while taking selfies on train tracks, and a 32-year-old woman who was attacked by a bear in a national park after turning her back on the animal to take a picture with herself in the frame. The latest death came when a Japanese tourist died falling down the stairs at the Taj Mahal in India while trying to snap a selfie.

There is, however, some evidence that there may be other selfie-related deaths that we don’t know about because they didn’t make international headlines. In July, Russian authorities issued a selfie safety campaign after “hundreds” more injuries were reported. The interior ministry’s initiative included a leaflet, a video and a website.

QUESTIONS

1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

Deaths linked to selfies more than double those due to dangerous sea animals.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

It seems that not all deadly accidents caused by selfies have been reported in newspapers.

TRUE

FALSE

2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

Why do certain people want to take some shocking selfies?

b)

Has anything been done to prevent selfie accidents? Explain.

Selfie Accidents

Tourists and camera lovers should remember a new danger that has recently appeared. This new life-threatening hazard started in the last few years and is now everywhere. It is almost twice as deadly as being killed by a shark. What is this new danger? Well, it is the selfie. The desire to take a photo of yourself in front of a world-famous site or to pose with a friend resulted in more deaths in 2015 than those due to lightning strikes. More and more people are putting themselves into dangerous situations in a bid to take the most outrageous pictures in order to get more likes and shares on social media. In particular, pictures with animals, or taken at great heights, or posing with weapons are widespread.

Selfie accidents happen in many ways. They include two Russian men who were killed while taking a selfie with a hand grenade, three Indian students who were killed by a train while taking selfies on train tracks, and a 32-year-old woman who was attacked by a bear in a national park after turning her back on the animal to take a picture with herself in the frame. The latest death came when a Japanese tourist died falling down the stairs at the Taj Mahal in India while trying to snap a selfie.

There is, however, some evidence that there may be other selfie-related deaths that we don’t know about because they didn’t make international headlines. In July, Russian authorities issued a selfie safety campaign after “hundreds” more injuries were reported. The interior ministry’s initiative included a leaflet, a video and a website.

QUESTIONS

3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)

a)

b)

c)

d)

QUESTIONS

4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

We all know some social-media addicts can't avoid (snap) selfies all the time.

b)

Recently, young people (create) a new visual language which is understood both sender and recipient.

c)

many of us carry our phones almost constantly, the use of the selfie (become) more widespread.

d)

Complete the following sentence to report what was said.

Mike told Mary: “I spoke to my publisher about your new photography book.”

Mike said.

QUESTIONS

5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)

Do you think selfie sticks should be banned in some places? Give your opinion.

The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of ships and airplanes have disappeared without explanation. Indeed, this region of the sea certainly has had its share of marine tragedy. Unexplained circumstances surround some of these accidents, including one in which the pilots of a squadron became disoriented while flying over the area; the planes were never found. Nevertheless, other boats and planes have vanished from the area in good weather without even radioing distress messages.

The first report about the mysterious Bermuda Triangle has been assigned to Christopher Columbus when, in 1492, he sailed through the area on his first voyage to the New World. He wrote in his journals that, inside the triangle, the ship's compass stopped working and he saw a fireball in the sky. Other reported compass issues in the region followed, giving rise to the myth. In addition, the weather in this region can also make traveling hazardous. The summer brings hurricanes while the warm waters of the Gulf Stream promote sudden storms enhancing the mysterious aura.

Researchers have attempted to determine the cause of these plane and boat disappearances proposing innumerable theories regarding the Bermuda Triangle. However, none of them prove that mysterious disappearances occur more frequently there than in other well-traveled sections of the ocean. In fact, people navigate the area every day without incident. As a matter of fact, in spite of the navigational challenges this area poses, insurance companies do not consider it as an especially hazardous place.

QUESTIONS

1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

Disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle always occur when there are bad climatic conditions.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

The reputation of the Bermuda Triangle started centuries ago.

TRUE

FALSE

2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

What climatic conditions in the Bermuda Triangle might explain the problems for ships and airplanes?

b)

What do insurance companies and researches on the Bermuda Triangle have in common regarding the mystery of the area?

The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of ships and airplanes have disappeared without explanation. Indeed, this region of the sea certainly has had its share of marine tragedy. Unexplained circumstances surround some of these accidents, including one in which the pilots of a squadron became disoriented while flying over the area; the planes were never found. Nevertheless, other boats and planes have vanished from the area in good weather without even radioing distress messages.

The first report about the mysterious Bermuda Triangle has been assigned to Christopher Columbus when, in 1492, he sailed through the area on his first voyage to the New World. He wrote in his journals that, inside the triangle, the ship's compass stopped working and he saw a fireball in the sky. Other reported compass issues in the region followed, giving rise to the myth. In addition, the weather in this region can also make traveling hazardous. The summer brings hurricanes while the warm waters of the Gulf Stream promote sudden storms enhancing the mysterious aura.

Researchers have attempted to determine the cause of these plane and boat disappearances proposing innumerable theories regarding the Bermuda Triangle. However, none of them prove that mysterious disappearances occur more frequently there than in other well-traveled sections of the ocean. In fact, people navigate the area every day without incident. As a matter of fact, in spite of the navigational challenges this area poses, insurance companies do not consider it as an especially hazardous place.

3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)

a)

b)

c)

d)

4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.

(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

many theories were proposed by the scientists, nobody

(solve) the mystery yet.

b)

has it been

the first incidents occurred?

c)

If unexplained shipwrecks

(not take) place in the area, the region

(not call) the Devil's Triangle.

d)

Complete the following sentence to report what was said.

John: "Did you know that many ships and planes disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle?"

He asked us

.

5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic.

Describe an experience that made you feel afraid. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)