Examen de Inglés PAU Madrid 2020 · Ordinaria Lunes

TEXTO A

Lost and Found

Losing your wallet is a sure-fire way to ruin your own day. It starts with panic when you realize the loss, moves to a sinking feeling that your wallet is truly “missing in action”, continues with monitoring your credit card transactions, and usually ends with calls to the powers that be at every credit card company, bank, and gym membership you had stored in your wallet, while you mourn the loss of your cash.

Tim Cameron was most likely working through those stages of grief on Monday when he realized that he had lost his wallet on the way home from his job in London. Luckily, though, a Good Samaritan had found the wallet and came up with an ingenious plan to get it back to its rightful owner. Like most people who lose a wallet, Cameron quickly checked his bank account to see if there was any unauthorized or strange activity. Turns out there was – but for a good cause.

Cameron noticed that there were a series of bank transfers all for just one pence and each came with a very small message. Someone had found his wallet, but since there wasn’t enough identifying information to track down the owner, he had come up with a way to send his name and phone number through the bank deposit notes. Cameron explained in a tweet that each of the “4 transfers of £0.01” allowed for “a message of up to 18 characters”, which is how the helpful stranger, known only as Simon, conveyed his contact information to Cameron.

Cameron called the number, got Simon’s address, and soon enough was reunited with his wallet, handing over a bottle of red wine as a thank-you gift.

Adapted from “Kind Genius Returns a Man’s Lost Wallet to Him in the Most Impressive Way,” Time, 15 October 2019. <https://time.com/5699798/wallet-lost-bank-account/>

QUESTIONS

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

a)

In his wallet, Tim Cameron didn’t keep any personal documents that had an address or a telephone number.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

Cameron didn’t show any appreciation for Simon’s help.

TRUE

FALSE

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

a)

How do people normally react when they lose their wallets?

b)

What was the aim of doing the bank transfers?

TEXTO A

Lost and Found

Losing your wallet is a sure-fire way to ruin your own day. It starts with panic when you realize the loss, moves to a sinking feeling that your wallet is truly “missing in action”, continues with monitoring your credit card transactions, and usually ends with calls to the powers that be at every credit card company, bank, and gym membership you had stored in your wallet, while you mourn the loss of your cash.

Tim Cameron was most likely working through those stages of grief on Monday when he realized that he had lost his wallet on the way home from his job in London. Luckily, though, a Good Samaritan had found the wallet and came up with an ingenious plan to get it back to its rightful owner. Like most people who lose a wallet, Cameron quickly checked his bank account to see if there was any unauthorized or strange activity. Turns out there was – but for a good cause.

Cameron noticed that there were a series of bank transfers all for just one pence and each came with a very small message. Someone had found his wallet, but since there wasn’t enough identifying information to track down the owner, he had come up with a way to send his name and phone number through the bank deposit notes. Cameron explained in a tweet that each of the “4 transfers of £0.01” allowed for “a message of up to 18 characters”, which is how the helpful stranger, known only as Simon, conveyed his contact information to Cameron.

Cameron called the number, got Simon’s address, and soon enough was reunited with his wallet, handing over a bottle of red wine as a thank-you gift.

Adapted from “Kind Genius Returns a Man’s Lost Wallet to Him in the Most Impressive Way,” Time, 15 October 2019. <https://time.com/5699798/wallet-lost-bank-account/>

A.3 (1 punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

a)

b)

c)

d)

A.4 (2 puntos) Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.

a)

(lose) your wallet is one of

(bad) things that can happen.

b)

The person

wallet I found, had left it

the bus.

c)

Stop

(complain)! We

(find) your wallet sooner or later!

d)

Complete the following sentence to report what was said.

“You won’t believe what happened to me!” she said.

She told me

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

Have you ever lost something that was important to you? Describe your experience or imagine one.

Palabras: (longitud recomendada: 150-200 palabras)

TEXTO B

The Real History behind Game of Thrones

George R.R. Martin holds his cards close to his chest when it comes to his inspiration for Game of Thrones – after all, too much information could spoil the plot. But he has acknowledged that much of the political intriguing that drives his series is inspired by the Wars of the Roses, when the Houses of Lancaster and York engaged in a bloody fight for the English throne.

Other historical parallels have been drawn by fans of the books and the HBO series. When Edward IV died, his sons Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury were mysteriously imprisoned in the Tower of London, and eventually disappeared. Many suspect they were put to death by their uncle Richard III, who became king. Sound familiar? Many have compared the Princes in the Tower to the disappearance of Bran and Rickon; though in Game of Thrones, the boys actually escaped, and two corpses burned beyond recognition were presented as their substitutes.

Like Yara Greyjoy, Empress Matilda was meant to take the throne when her father died but was pushed out by a male relative. And like Cersei Lannister, Margaret of Anjou exerted outsized influence for a medieval queen consort and fought vigorously for her son’s right to the throne.

The horrific Red Wedding has roots in the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692, when 38 members of the Clan MacDonald were killed by their own guests due to an unfulfilled promise of loyalty to the monarchs. Obviously, the killings constituted a serious transgression against the rules of hospitality. And the Wall along the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms bears a similarity to Hadrian’s Wall, built along the northern border of Britannia to keep out the barbarians (the Scots).

Adapted from “9 Books to Read about the Real History behind Game of Thrones,” Time, June 27, 2016. <https://time.com/4347517/game-of-thrones-history-books/>

QUESTIONS

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

a)

Viewers and readers have pointed out similarities between Martin's story and historical events.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

There is evidence that Richard III killed two of his nephews to inherit the throne.

TRUE

FALSE

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

a)

Why didn't Empress Matilda inherit the throne?

b)

According to the text, what happened to the Clan MacDonald and why?

TEXTO B

The Real History behind Game of Thrones

George R.R. Martin holds his cards close to his chest when it comes to his inspiration for Game of Thrones – after all, too much information could spoil the plot. But he has acknowledged that much of the political intriguing that drives his series is inspired by the Wars of the Roses, when the Houses of Lancaster and York engaged in a bloody fight for the English throne.

Other historical parallels have been drawn by fans of the books and the HBO series. When Edward IV died, his sons Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury were mysteriously imprisoned in the Tower of London, and eventually disappeared. Many suspect they were put to death by their uncle Richard III, who became king. Sound familiar? Many have compared the Princes in the Tower to the disappearance of Bran and Rickon; though in Game of Thrones, the boys actually escaped, and two corpses burned beyond recognition were presented as their substitutes.

Like Yara Greyjoy, Empress Matilda was meant to take the throne when her father died but was pushed out by a male relative. And like Cersei Lannister, Margaret of Anjou exerted outsized influence for a medieval queen consort and fought vigorously for her son’s right to the throne.

The horrific Red Wedding has roots in the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692, when 38 members of the Clan MacDonald were killed by their own guests due to an unfulfilled promise of loyalty to the monarchs. Obviously, the killings constituted a serious transgression against the rules of hospitality. And the Wall along the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms bears a similarity to Hadrian’s Wall, built along the northern border of Britannia to keep out the barbarians (the Scots).

Adapted from “9 Books to Read about the Real History behind Game of Thrones,” Time, June 27, 2016. <https://time.com/4347517/game-of-thrones-history-books/>

B.3 (1 punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

a)

b)

c)

d)

B.4 (2 puntos) Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.

a)

The series Game of Thrones (base) on the book A Song of Ice and Fire, (write) by George R.R. Martin.

b)

My younger sister is not allowed (watch) Game of Thrones because she is not old.

c)

the fact that Game of Thrones is bloody and sexist, most people have watched it say they like it.

d)

Remember (return) Martin's book to the library before the deadline (expire).

B.5 (3 puntos)

Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic:

What is your favourite TV series? Describe the plot and say why you like it.