Examen de Inglés PAU Madrid 2022 · Extraordinaria Coincidencias

TEXTO A

Homeless NYC Teens Write Video Games

Middle and high schools have made video games responsible for the poor social life of many teens across New York City. But at two Bronx homeless shelters, gaming is opening the door to in-person collaboration for young people desperate for it.

Makeda, a senior studying drama at LaGuardia High School, is one of them. She is not much of a gamer, but in late August, a flyer inviting teen residents at her South Bronx shelter to join video game writers and creators for after-school writing sessions got her attention: “It was in-person and you could actually interact with people you don't really get to meet due to COVID,” the 17-year-old said. At the encouragement of shelter staff, she decided to join.

Nearly 30 young people in the shelters, run by the group BronxWorks, have participated in the after-school mentorship program. The sessions went remote in November and December as the city Department of Homeless Services restricted gatherings in facilities.

When the Writer's Circle resumes in the coming weeks, some contact will be remote but COVID-cautious in-person contact, in keeping with evolving city Department of Homeless Services guidelines, will remain part of the mix. The workshops are run by members of the New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVCC), a trade organization representing video game writers and reporters. The president of homeless shelter developer Gateway Housing, Ted Houghton, is on the videogame group's board and brought the idea to BronxWorks after the pandemic shut schools last spring. It provided an outlet for students to participate in a relatively socially distant after-school activity — writing and reading — that didn't feel quite like a study group, said Houghton. “They have the opportunity to learn how to write critically, but it's about video games so it's fun for them,” he said.

Adapted from “Writing about video games brings together homeless NYC teens,” Chalkbeat, February 5, 2021. <https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/5/22267743/writing-video-games-covid>

TEXTO A - QUESTIONS

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

a)

Video games have been blamed for the isolation of many teenagers across New York City.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

Roughly thirty youngsters have taken part in a BronxWorks after-school mentorship program.

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. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

What did Makeda find attractive in the gaming program?

b)

How will the next meetings of the Writer's Circle be held?

TEXTO A

Homeless NYC Teens Write Video Games

Middle and high schools have made video games responsible for the poor social life of many teens across New York City. But at two Bronx homeless shelters, gaming is opening the door to in-person collaboration for young people desperate for it.

Makeda, a senior studying drama at LaGuardia High School, is one of them. She is not much of a gamer, but in late August, a flyer inviting teen residents at her South Bronx shelter to join video game writers and creators for after-school writing sessions got her attention: “It was in-person and you could actually interact with people you don't really get to meet due to COVID,” the 17-year-old said. At the encouragement of shelter staff, she decided to join.

Nearly 30 young people in the shelters, run by the group BronxWorks, have participated in the after-school mentorship program. The sessions went remote in November and December as the city Department of Homeless Services restricted gatherings in facilities.

When the Writer's Circle resumes in the coming weeks, some contact will be remote but COVID-cautious in-person contact, in keeping with evolving city Department of Homeless Services guidelines, will remain part of the mix. The workshops are run by members of the New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVCC), a trade organization representing video game writers and reporters. The president of homeless shelter developer Gateway Housing, Ted Houghton, is on the videogame group's board and brought the idea to BronxWorks after the pandemic shut schools last spring. It provided an outlet for students to participate in a relatively socially distant after-school activity — writing and reading — that didn't feel quite like a study group, said Houghton. “They have the opportunity to learn how to write critically, but it's about video games so it's fun for them,” he said.

Adapted from “Writing about video games brings together homeless NYC teens,” Chalkbeat, February 5, 2021. <https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/5/22267743/writing-video-games-covid>

TEXTO A - QUESTION A.3

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

a)

eager (paragraph 1):

b)

in fact (paragraph 2):

c)

closed (paragraph 4):

d)

enjoyable (paragraph 4):

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

a)

COVID-19 restrictions, gatherings at a private residence (limit) recently to a maximum of 12 people.

b)

By (focus) on games with plot lines, students have an opportunity (write) critically about their own hobbies and interests.

c)

Video game writing is the art and craft of writing scripts for video games. Similar screenwriting, it is (usual) a freelance profession.

d)

We've modified the video game to provide the market a product that will prove suitable and (good) than the original one.

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

Videogames help you socialize. Do you agree with the statement? Justify your answer.

TEXTO B

Climate Change Is Making Earth Dimmer

Earth is reflecting less light as its climate continues to change, a new research suggests. This research relies on two decades' observations of a phenomenon called "earthshine" – which is the light that Earth reflects onto the surface of the dark side of the moon – and with satellite data of Earth's reflectivity and the sun's brightness. Different features on Earth reflect different amounts of light: the oceans very little, land about twice as much. Meanwhile, clouds reflect half the sunlight that hits them, and snow and ice reflect the majority of light they receive.

Scientists at Big Bear Solar Observatory in Southern California have been studying earthshine fluctuations since 1998. In this new research, scientists combined that data with observations from NASA’s Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) project, operating since 1997, to get a sense of Earth's brightness change. Over the last two decades, the amount of light Earth reflected dropped about 0.5%, with most of the change coming in the last four years, showing an even sharper decline at its end.

During the same time, the brightness of the sun – which went through two periods of maximum activity and one quiet period – didn't meaningfully connect to Earth fall in reflectance. Therefore, the change in the amount of light Earth is reflecting must undoubtedly come from a change in Earth itself, the researchers reasoned.

In particular, the CERES data noted a decrease in the amount of bright low-altitude clouds over the Pacific Ocean, where scientists are also registering sharp temperature increases at the ocean surface. And because light not reflected out to space is trapped in the Earth system, the change in brightness has implications for the future of climate, potentially increasing the pace of human-caused climate change.

Adapted from “Climate change is making Earth dimmer,” Live Science, October 3, 2021. <https://www.livescience.com/climate-change-dimming-earth>

QUESTIONS

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

a)

Clouds, snow and ice reflect at least 50% of the light they receive from the sun.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

According to experts, Earth reflection evolution isn't exclusively due to Earth's own changes.

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)

How has Earth brightness changed in the last twenty years?

b)

Which two facts have been observed in the Pacific Ocean area?

TEXTO B

Climate Change Is Making Earth Dimmer

Earth is reflecting less light as its climate continues to change, a new research suggests. This research relies on two decades' observations of a phenomenon called "earthshine" – which is the light that Earth reflects onto the surface of the dark side of the moon – and with satellite data of Earth's reflectivity and the sun's brightness. Different features on Earth reflect different amounts of light: the oceans very little, land about twice as much. Meanwhile, clouds reflect half the sunlight that hits them, and snow and ice reflect the majority of light they receive.

Scientists at Big Bear Solar Observatory in Southern California have been studying earthshine fluctuations since 1998. In this new research, scientists combined that data with observations from NASA’s Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) project, operating since 1997, to get a sense of Earth's brightness change. Over the last two decades, the amount of light Earth reflected dropped about 0.5%, with most of the change coming in the last four years, showing an even sharper decline at its end.

During the same time, the brightness of the sun – which went through two periods of maximum activity and one quiet period – didn't meaningfully connect to Earth fall in reflectance. Therefore, the change in the amount of light Earth is reflecting must undoubtedly come from a change in Earth itself, the researchers reasoned.

In particular, the CERES data noted a decrease in the amount of bright low-altitude clouds over the Pacific Ocean, where scientists are also registering sharp temperature increases at the ocean surface. And because light not reflected out to space is trapped in the Earth system, the change in brightness has implications for the future of climate, potentially increasing the pace of human-caused climate change.

Adapted from “Climate change is making Earth dimmer,” Live Science, October 3, 2021. <https://www.livescience.com/climate-change-dimming-earth>

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)

Dealing

global warming is

(important) goal for us at present.

b)

Currently, the energy sector

(undergo) a transition period in Spain, a country

electricity prices have risen dramatically.

c)

Since 2020, new research

(conduct) to discover climate change effects

the oceans.

d)

If I

(be able) to study the environment, I would never have thought of

(analyse) clouds.

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

(Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)

What actions do you think individuals can take to minimize climate change? Explain.