Examen de Inglés PAU Madrid 2026 · Extraordinaria (2ª lengua) Coincidencias

The Century-long Search for the Loch Ness Monster

The mystery of the Loch Ness Monster has puzzled researchers and delighted tourists for decades. A long thin lake in the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness holds more water than all English and Welsh lakes together. Who knows what secrets may lie at the bottom of the lake? From hunters to trombonists trying to see the beast, experts and amateurs alike have made a huge effort to catch the mysterious creature Nessie.

In 1987, a major sonar exploration attempted to find out if the Loch Ness Monster existed, but nothing was found. Over the course of a week, however, the sensors did pick up three sonar contacts that indicated “something big” in the waters below the ruins of a castle. And although that “something” could just have been a seal or fish, the good news was that it allowed the Loch Ness Monster myth to survive intact. After the mission was declared inconclusive, tourists were not content. One woman insisted she had seen the Monster during her visit. As the BBC’s reporter Clive Ferguson concluded: “If nothing else, the exploration has proved one thing; you cannot kill a legend with science.” In 1976, one less scientific attempt occurred. American trombone player Bob Samborski tried to persuade Nessie with a love call on his instrument. He claimed that if she did emerge, one of two things would happen: “Either I’ll become rich and famous, or if she likes it so much that she eats me alive, at least I’ll be famous and somebody else will become rich.”

But how was the Nessie legend born? The original myth dates back to the 6th century, when the Irish monk St Columba is said to have encountered and fought a creature in the River Ness, which flows from the loch, while he was trying to cross it. The more modern monster myth began in 1933 with a local eyewitness: one spring day, a hotel manager spotted something unusual in the water, although she did not give any detailed interviews at the time. Years later, a hunter was hired to track down the Monster. He found large footprints on the shore, but zoologists quickly discovered they were fakes made with an umbrella stand or ashtray with the shape of a hippopotamus leg.

The most famous image appeared in 1934 at the height of Nessie-mania: a serpent-like neck rising from the loch. For decades, the photo confused Nessieologists. In 1979, naturalist Dennis Power suggested the “monster” it depicted was an elephant swimming with its trunk above water. Elephants, he noted, could swim up to 30 miles. While the photo was later exposed as a fake, the unlikely elephant theory was not forgotten, and so the myth remains.

Adapted from Greg McKevitt’s “'You cannot kill a legend with science': The Century-long Search for the Loch Ness Monster.” BBC, 6 Oct. 2025. <https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20251002-the-century-long-search-for-the-loch-ness-monster>

1.- Indicate whether TWO of the following statements are True, False or the information is Not Given in the text (T/F/NG). In true and false cases, copy the complete sentence that contains the evidence which justifies your answer. No marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE.

a)

The fascination of scientists and travellers with the history behind the Loch Ness Monster has just begun.

b)

Hundreds of visitors and local people went to Loch Ness in 1987 to observe how the sonar exploration went.

c)

A popular picture of the monster taken in the thirties was found not to be real.

The Century-long Search for the Loch Ness Monster

The mystery of the Loch Ness Monster has puzzled researchers and delighted tourists for decades. A long thin lake in the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness holds more water than all English and Welsh lakes together. Who knows what secrets may lie at the bottom of the lake? From hunters to trombonists trying to see the beast, experts and amateurs alike have made a huge effort to catch the mysterious creature Nessie.

In 1987, a major sonar exploration attempted to find out if the Loch Ness Monster existed, but nothing was found. Over the course of a week, however, the sensors did pick up three sonar contacts that indicated “something big” in the waters below the ruins of a castle. And although that “something” could just have been a seal or fish, the good news was that it allowed the Loch Ness Monster myth to survive intact. After the mission was declared inconclusive, tourists were not content. One woman insisted she had seen the Monster during her visit. As the BBC’s reporter Clive Ferguson concluded: “If nothing else, the exploration has proved one thing; you cannot kill a legend with science.” In 1976, one less scientific attempt occurred. American trombone player Bob Samborski tried to persuade Nessie with a love call on his instrument. He claimed that if she did emerge, one of two things would happen: “Either I’ll become rich and famous, or if she likes it so much that she eats me alive, at least I’ll be famous and somebody else will become rich.”

But how was the Nessie legend born? The original myth dates back to the 6th century, when the Irish monk St Columba is said to have encountered and fought a creature in the River Ness, which flows from the loch, while he was trying to cross it. The more modern monster myth began in 1933 with a local eyewitness: one spring day, a hotel manager spotted something unusual in the water, although she did not give any detailed interviews at the time. Years later, a hunter was hired to track down the Monster. He found large footprints on the shore, but zoologists quickly discovered they were fakes made with an umbrella stand or ashtray with the shape of a hippopotamus leg.

The most famous image appeared in 1934 at the height of Nessie-mania: a serpent-like neck rising from the loch. For decades, the photo confused Nessieologists. In 1979, naturalist Dennis Power suggested the “monster” it depicted was an elephant swimming with its trunk above water. Elephants, he noted, could swim up to 30 miles. While the photo was later exposed as a fake, the unlikely elephant theory was not forgotten, and so the myth remains.

Adapted from Greg McKevitt’s “'You cannot kill a legend with science': The Century-long Search for the Loch Ness Monster.” BBC, 6 Oct. 2025. <https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20251002-the-century-long-search-for-the-loch-ness-monster>

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

a)

Describe how Bob Samborski tried to catch the monster in 1976 and what he said about it.

b)

Describe the first version given about the origins of the Loch Ness monster myth.

The Century-long Search for the Loch Ness Monster

The mystery of the Loch Ness Monster has puzzled researchers and delighted tourists for decades. A long thin lake in the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness holds more water than all English and Welsh lakes together. Who knows what secrets may lie at the bottom of the lake? From hunters to trombonists trying to see the beast, experts and amateurs alike have made a huge effort to catch the mysterious creature Nessie.

In 1987, a major sonar exploration attempted to find out if the Loch Ness Monster existed, but nothing was found. Over the course of a week, however, the sensors did pick up three sonar contacts that indicated “something big” in the waters below the ruins of a castle. And although that “something” could just have been a seal or fish, the good news was that it allowed the Loch Ness Monster myth to survive intact. After the mission was declared inconclusive, tourists were not content. One woman insisted she had seen the Monster during her visit. As the BBC’s reporter Clive Ferguson concluded: “If nothing else, the exploration has proved one thing; you cannot kill a legend with science.” In 1976, one less scientific attempt occurred. American trombone player Bob Samborski tried to persuade Nessie with a love call on his instrument. He claimed that if she did emerge, one of two things would happen: “Either I’ll become rich and famous, or if she likes it so much that she eats me alive, at least I’ll be famous and somebody else will become rich.”

But how was the Nessie legend born? The original myth dates back to the 6th century, when the Irish monk St Columba is said to have encountered and fought a creature in the River Ness, which flows from the loch, while he was trying to cross it. The more modern monster myth began in 1933 with a local eyewitness: one spring day, a hotel manager spotted something unusual in the water, although she did not give any detailed interviews at the time. Years later, a hunter was hired to track down the Monster. He found large footprints on the shore, but zoologists quickly discovered they were fakes made with an umbrella stand or ashtray with the shape of a hippopotamus leg.

The most famous image appeared in 1934 at the height of Nessie-mania: a serpent-like neck rising from the loch. For decades, the photo confused Nessieologists. In 1979, naturalist Dennis Power suggested the “monster” it depicted was an elephant swimming with its trunk above water. Elephants, he noted, could swim up to 30 miles. While the photo was later exposed as a fake, the unlikely elephant theory was not forgotten, and so the myth remains.

Adapted from Greg McKevitt’s “'You cannot kill a legend with science': The Century-long Search for the Loch Ness Monster.” BBC, 6 Oct. 2025. <https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20251002-the-century-long-search-for-the-loch-ness-monster>

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

a)

capture (paragraph 1):

b)

took place (paragraph 2):

c)

appear (paragraph 2):

d)

rare (paragraph 3):

e)

form (paragraph 3):

4.- Answer FOUR questions (from a to f) of your choice. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

Write a new sentence that has the same meaning as the one given. Use the word or expression in brackets. Do not change the word given.

a)

I should have trained more for the marathon. (enough)

b)

Anna last went to Scotland in 2022. (since)

c)

Paris is my favourite city; however, it is usually very crowded. (although)

d)

I think that you should revise a lot for this test. (suggest)

e)

Complete the following sentence to report what was said:

“Have you taken my camera and my wallet?”

She asked me

f)

Rephrase the sentence beginning with the words given:

Londoners usually buy Christmas presents in early November.

Christmas presents

5.- Option a (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)

Write between 140 and 180 words on the following question:

Write a story about an “unnatural” or strange experience that you, or someone you know, have lived.

5.- Option b (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)

Write between 140 and 180 words on the following question:

Your friend Laura, from Scotland, is going backpacking around the north of Spain for two weeks, and she has asked you for help to prepare her backpack, because she can’t bring a lot of luggage. Write an informal e-mail to her suggesting what to pack and explaining why. Remember: DO NOT SIGN OR IDENTIFY YOUR EMAIL.