Examen de Inglés PAU Madrid 2021 · Ordinaria Lunes

TEXTO A

Is the Full Stop no Longer Necessary?

The full stop has been used for centuries to end sentences, but its use is changing. As Generation Z – teenagers or those in their early twenties – have grown up in the age of instant messaging, the punctuation mark is no longer commonly used. Linguists from across the world have been investigating the purposefulness of the full stop as communication habits have evolved, and some of them think people simply do not put full stops in unless they want to make a point.

Dr Fonteyn tweeted: If you send a text message without a full stop, it’s already obvious that you’ve concluded the message. “So, if you add that additional marker for completion, they will read something into it, and it tends to be a falling intonation or negative tone.” The full stop is “intimidating” to young people who interpret it as a sign of anger.

According to The Telegraph, linguists are divided on whether the full stop has become redundant given that text messages are concluded by pressing “send” so there is arguably no need for the full stop. In 2015, a study from Binghamton University suggested that people who finish messages with full stops are perceived as insincere. The study involved 126 undergraduates and the researchers concluded that text messages ending in the most final of punctuation marks were perceived as being less sincere. Unusually, texts ending in an exclamation point are deemed heartfelt or more profound.

Research leader Celia Klin said: “When speaking, people easily convey social and emotional information with eye gaze, facial expressions, tone of voice and so on. People obviously can’t use these mechanisms when they are texting. Thus, it makes sense that texters rely on what they have available to them – emoticons, deliberate misspellings that mimic speech sounds and, punctuation.”

Adapted from “Full stop is ‘intimidating’ to young people who interpret it as a sign of anger, linguists say.” The World News, August 24, 2020. <https://bit.ly/3jRw1Hi>

QUESTIONS

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

[2 marks]

a)

According to the text, several researchers consider that people use the full stop when they want to highlight something.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

Youngsters think using a full stop shows someone is quite annoyed.

TRUE

FALSE

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

[2 marks]

a)

What is the difference between ending messages with a full stop or an exclamation mark?

b)

Why do people use emojis when they are messaging online?

TEXTO A

Is the Full Stop no Longer Necessary?

The full stop has been used for centuries to end sentences, but its use is changing. As Generation Z – teenagers or those in their early twenties – have grown up in the age of instant messaging, the punctuation mark is no longer commonly used. Linguists from across the world have been investigating the purposefulness of the full stop as communication habits have evolved, and some of them think people simply do not put full stops in unless they want to make a point.

Dr Fonteyn tweeted: If you send a text message without a full stop, it’s already obvious that you’ve concluded the message. “So, if you add that additional marker for completion, they will read something into it, and it tends to be a falling intonation or negative tone.” The full stop is “intimidating” to young people who interpret it as a sign of anger.

According to The Telegraph, linguists are divided on whether the full stop has become redundant given that text messages are concluded by pressing “send” so there is arguably no need for the full stop. In 2015, a study from Binghamton University suggested that people who finish messages with full stops are perceived as insincere. The study involved 126 undergraduates and the researchers concluded that text messages ending in the most final of punctuation marks were perceived as being less sincere. Unusually, texts ending in an exclamation point are deemed heartfelt or more profound.

Research leader Celia Klin said: “When speaking, people easily convey social and emotional information with eye gaze, facial expressions, tone of voice and so on. People obviously can’t use these mechanisms when they are texting. Thus, it makes sense that texters rely on what they have available to them – emoticons, deliberate misspellings that mimic speech sounds and, punctuation.”

Adapted from “Full stop is ‘intimidating’ to young people who interpret it as a sign of anger, linguists say.” The World News, August 24, 2020. <https://bit.ly/3jRw1Hi>

A.3.- Find the words in the text that mean:

[1 mark]

a)

b)

c)

d)

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

[2 marks]

a)

Youngsters who are used to

(communicate) electronically break up their thoughts by sending each one as a separate message,

than using a full stop.

b)

The full stop derives

Greek punctuation which

(introduce) by Aristophanes of Byzantium in the 3 rd century BC.

c)

(slight) mistake in punctuating a clause in a contract can have massive unintended consequences. Punctuation

(matter).

d)

If I were you, I

(show) how brilliant I am by manipulating the language

the internet.

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

[3 marks]

Our words have impact. Why is it determining or relevant to think before speaking our minds? Explain.

TEXTO B

Women Spies during World War II

The summer of 1941 was a difficult time for Britain and her European allies in the war. The Nazis were bombing key cities across the country and much of Europe had fallen to the Germans, leaving Britain vulnerable. This made the work of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), and the actions of women within it, that much more important.

Established in June 1940 in London, the SOE was a volunteer force set up to practice a secret war behind enemy lines. Intelligence agencies realized fairly early on during the war the important part women could play in spying, in what had been traditionally considered the domain of men. Women were thought to be more discreet as spies, and capitalized on this perception during the war, carrying out tasks and missions that men were unable to do. In the field, women could go unnoticed as messengers delivering vital information, with one SOE officer from Holland noting that in 1944, women were rarely stopped and searched at checkpoints.

In some instances, women spies took big risks and they had a great influence in the development of the war conflict. As historian Juliette Pattinson notes, “several wartime accounts indicate that male agents were less skilled and inventive than their female colleagues.”

The SOE had sent 39 women to Occupied France by the time of the D-Day invasions on June 6, 1944. Because it was crucial that they evade suspicion, the SOE recruited agents who could speak French and adapt to French life. Each agent was given a codename or an alias, and trained in specialist skills, including radio operations, how to maintain a cover story and how to open locks.

Adapted from “Inside the Stories of the Most Daring Women Spies of World War II,” Time, 2 October 2020. <https://bit.ly/3fbcjWp>

QUESTIONS

B.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)

Women began working as spies at the end of the war.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

Historical evidence shows that men were better spies than women.

TRUE

FALSE

B.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 are the two reasons why Great Britain was in a hard situation during the summer of 1941?

b)

Why speaking French required to be a good spy?

TEXTO B

Women Spies during World War II

The summer of 1941 was a difficult time for Britain and her European allies in the war. The Nazis were bombing key cities across the country and much of Europe had fallen to the Germans, leaving Britain vulnerable. This made the work of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), and the actions of women within it, that much more important.

Established in June 1940 in London, the SOE was a volunteer force set up to practice a secret war behind enemy lines. Intelligence agencies realized fairly early on during the war the important part women could play in spying, in what had been traditionally considered the domain of men. Women were thought to be more discreet as spies, and capitalized on this perception during the war, carrying out tasks and missions that men were unable to do. In the field, women could go unnoticed as messengers delivering vital information, with one SOE officer from Holland noting that in 1944, women were rarely stopped and searched at checkpoints.

In some instances, women spies took big risks and they had a great influence in the development of the war conflict. As historian Juliette Pattinson notes, “several wartime accounts indicate that male agents were less skilled and inventive than their female colleagues.”

The SOE had sent 39 women to Occupied France by the time of the D-Day invasions on June 6, 1944. Because it was crucial that they evade suspicion, the SOE recruited agents who could speak French and adapt to French life. Each agent was given a codename or an alias, and trained in specialist skills, including radio operations, how to maintain a cover story and how to open locks.

Adapted from “Inside the Stories of the Most Daring Women Spies of World War II,” Time, 2 October 2020. <https://bit.ly/3fbcjWp>

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

a)

b)

c)

d)

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

a)

(consider) the most dangerous of all allied spies by the Gestapo, Virginia Hall was particularly good opening locks.

b)

women spies worked very hard during World War II, they were paid less men.

c)

According official files, there were more than 200 women served as double spies during the war.

d)

Complete the following sentence to report what was said.

“Who is your preferred woman spy?”

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

Who is your favourite male or female historical character? Explain the reasons for your choice.

(Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)