Ejercicio A · Inglés PAU Madrid Extraordinaria 2021

TEXTO A

TikTok, a Social Media Sensation

Andy Warhol predicted a time everyone would have 15 minutes of fame. He was nearly right – it is actually 15 seconds. That is the maximum duration of a video clip with music (non-music clips can last up to a minute) on TikTok, the video-sharing platform that has taken the world by storm. Favoured by under-20s, who make up its core audience, TikTok this year surpassed Facebook and WhatsApp as the world’s most downloaded non-gaming app.

TikTok’s content doesn’t take itself too seriously, and ranges from food to fashion, pranks to pets – as well as the omnipresent dance challenges. It is a perfect fit, in other words, for the lockdown, when many of us were stuck inside and in desperate need of some silly fun. What makes it stand apart from Snapchat is one crucial difference: the closely guarded algorithm that produces the app’s opening dashboard. Unlike other apps, this home screen is not full of people you are following. That is because the algorithm searches for new clips rather than pushing already popular ones. So, you don’t need lots of followers to go viral.

TikTok as a family business is not uncommon. One of the most famous TikTok families is the Harfins (Felicity and her sons). Their 1.8 million followers watch the family play pranks, dance, and cook. Felicity, a former marketer, runs the account and has helped to turn it into a business giving clients the chance to be mentioned or promoted in their videos. Indeed, it is now Felicity’s main job. But it was the boys who initiated the project. “They grew up watching videos online and always wanted to create themselves.” It took them years to persuade her. “I didn’t realise how much fun it was going to be.”

Adapted from “TikTok is the social media sensation of lockdown. Could I become its new star?” The Guardian, April 14, 2020. <https://bit.ly/3eyAwWd>

A.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)

Most people watching TikTok videos are adults.

TRUE

FALSE

b)

Becoming famous exclusively depends on the number of fans you have.

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 is the usual content of TikTok videos?

b)

In which two ways does Felicity take advantage of TikTok?