Examen de Inglés PAU Valencia 2024 · Ordinaria solapamiento

TEXT A/TEXTO A

THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in human blood, placenta and baby poo.

Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of polyester increased by nearly 900%.

Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor, the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.

So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they generate – would almost certainly not exist.

“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.

Adapted from an article by Lucianne Tonti, The Guardian, 13-2-2024.

A1. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text. (2 points: 1 point each)

a)

Can we always be sure that there is no plastic in our clothes?

b)

Why are plastics employed so often if we know that the environment is damaged?

TEXT A/TEXTO A

THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in human blood, placenta and baby poo.

Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of polyester increased by nearly 900%.

Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor, the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.

So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they generate – would almost certainly not exist.

“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.

Adapted from an article by Lucianne Tonti, The Guardian, 13-2-2024.

Part I. Reading Comprehension

A2. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer by copying the exact passage on the answer sheet. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

a)

Even sustainable and organic clothing contains plastics.

b)

A recent report shows that we may find 900% polyester in clothes.

c)

Almost 70% of all materials used in clothing are plastics.

TEXT A/TEXTO A

THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in human blood, placenta and baby poo.

Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of polyester increased by nearly 900%.

Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor, the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.

So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they generate – would almost certainly not exist.

“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.

Adapted from an article by Lucianne Tonti, The Guardian, 13-2-2024.

A3. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options. All words are underlined in the text (1 point: 0.25 each)

strategy • luxury • waste • generate • sourcing • harm

a)

damage:

b)

plan:

c)

litter:

d)

cause:

TEXT A/TEXTO A

THE HIDDEN PLASTICS IN OUR CLOTHES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

There is a lot of plastic hidden in our clothes. Sometimes it’s in plain sight, like a pair of pleather trousers that squeak with every step. Sometimes it’s disguised, like the elastic inside the waistband of your otherwise organic cotton shorts. Often it is invisible, like the microplastics shed by synthetic materials; while you may never see them, they have been found at the bottom of the ocean and in human blood, placenta and baby poo.

Despite our awareness of the perils of plastic, fashion’s dependence on it persists. A recent report by the sustainability not-for-profit Fibershed says that, between 1980 and 2014, production of polyester increased by nearly 900%.

Two common plastics, polyester and nylon, account for 69% of all the materials used in clothing globally and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2030, according to Georgia Rae-Taylor, the sustainability strategy director for environmental consultancy Eco-age.

So why do we continue to use plastics? Synthetic materials are cheap and making them isn’t dependent on seasons or farms affected by rainfall or heatwaves, as is the case with cotton and wool. Without them, fast fashion and mass-produced luxury – as well as the incredible waste they generate – would almost certainly not exist.

“Material sourcing of our clothing matters,” says Heather Podoll, who works at Fibershed. “Our plastic-based textile economy has led to unsustainable overproduction of clothing that is unhealthy for our communities and our ecosystems.” We should do our best to minimise the harm.

Adapted from an article by Lucianne Tonti, The Guardian, 13-2-2024.

A4. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

1. Fashion industry depends on...

2. Polyester and nylon presence in clothes will...

3. The plastic-based textile industry is...

Part II. Composition (130 to 150 words approximately) [4 points]

A5. What can we do to reduce the large amount of plastic that we use?

TEXT B/TEXTO B

THAT SMARTPHONE IN YOUR HAND CHANGES HOW YOU WALK

One recent study found that a quarter of people crossing intersections were glued to a device, which can cause what some experts call "inattentional blindness." But that screen in your hand also changes your mood and your posture, and hinders your ability to get from point A to point B without running into trouble. When we walk and use a phone at the same time, we reflexively adjust how we move. People on phones walk about 10 percent slower than their undistracted counterparts. People take shorter steps and spend longer time with both feet on the ground.

And if walking makes up a big portion of your daily physical activity, strolling more slowly may have repercussions for your fitness. Besides, looking down at a smartphone while walking can also increase the amount of load, or force, placed on the neck and upper back muscles, which can contribute to symptoms of "text neck."

There's also evidence that walking while using a phone increases the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Generally, when people go for a walk, they feel better afterwards, and this is found in the phone-free walking people. In the phone-walking ones, these effects were reversed. Instead of feeling more positive after walking, people feel less positive, less happy, less relaxed.

It's important that your attention is on the environment, rather than on your phone. It's also possible that walking and trying to use a phone is simply annoying, and that's why it sours your mood.

Adapted from an article by Markham Heid, The New York Times, 23-1-2024.

B1. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text. (2 points: 1 point each)

a)

How do smartphones impact on the way we move?

b)

Which are the symptoms of “text neck”?

TEXT B/TEXTO B

THAT SMARTPHONE IN YOUR HAND CHANGES HOW YOU WALK

One recent study found that a quarter of people crossing intersections were glued to a device, which can cause what some experts call "inattentional blindness." But that screen in your hand also changes your mood and your posture, and hinders your ability to get from point A to point B without running into trouble. When we walk and use a phone at the same time, we reflexively adjust how we move. People on phones walk about 10 percent slower than their undistracted counterparts. People take shorter steps and spend longer time with both feet on the ground.

And if walking makes up a big portion of your daily physical activity, strolling more slowly may have repercussions for your fitness. Besides, looking down at a smartphone while walking can also increase the amount of load, or force, placed on the neck and upper back muscles, which can contribute to symptoms of "text neck."

There's also evidence that walking while using a phone increases the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Generally, when people go for a walk, they feel better afterwards, and this is found in the phone-free walking people. In the phone-walking ones, these effects were reversed. Instead of feeling more positive after walking, people feel less positive, less happy, less relaxed.

It's important that your attention is on the environment, rather than on your phone. It's also possible that walking and trying to use a phone is simply annoying, and that's why it sours your mood.

Adapted from an article by Markham Heid, The New York Times, 23-1-2024.

B2. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer by copying the exact passage on the answer sheet. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

a)

Your device can help you go from place A to place B without getting lost.

True

False

b)

Looking down at a smartphone always reduces your fitness.

True

False

c)

Having to look at the environment while walking increases the levels of cortisol.

True

False

TEXT B/TEXTO B

THAT SMARTPHONE IN YOUR HAND CHANGES HOW YOU WALK

One recent study found that a quarter of people crossing intersections were glued to a device, which can cause what some experts call "inattentional blindness." But that screen in your hand also changes your mood and your posture, and hinders your ability to get from point A to point B without running into trouble. When we walk and use a phone at the same time, we reflexively adjust how we move. People on phones walk about 10 percent slower than their undistracted counterparts. People take shorter steps and spend longer time with both feet on the ground.

And if walking makes up a big portion of your daily physical activity, strolling more slowly may have repercussions for your fitness. Besides, looking down at a smartphone while walking can also increase the amount of load, or force, placed on the neck and upper back muscles, which can contribute to symptoms of "text neck."

There's also evidence that walking while using a phone increases the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Generally, when people go for a walk, they feel better afterwards, and this is found in the phone-free walking people. In the phone-walking ones, these effects were reversed. Instead of feeling more positive after walking, people feel less positive, less happy, less relaxed.

It's important that your attention is on the environment, rather than on your phone. It's also possible that walking and trying to use a phone is simply annoying, and that's why it sours your mood.

Adapted from an article by Markham Heid, The New York Times, 23-1-2024.

B3. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options. All words are underlined in the text (1 point: 0.25 each)

glued

changes

hinders

repercussions

increases

mood

a.

consequences:

b.

state of mind:

c.

stuck:

d.

raises:

TEXT B/TEXTO B

THAT SMARTPHONE IN YOUR HAND CHANGES HOW YOU WALK

One recent study found that a quarter of people crossing intersections were glued to a device, which can cause what some experts call "inattentional blindness." But that screen in your hand also changes your mood and your posture, and hinders your ability to get from point A to point B without running into trouble. When we walk and use a phone at the same time, we reflexively adjust how we move. People on phones walk about 10 percent slower than their undistracted counterparts. People take shorter steps and spend longer time with both feet on the ground.

And if walking makes up a big portion of your daily physical activity, strolling more slowly may have repercussions for your fitness. Besides, looking down at a smartphone while walking can also increase the amount of load, or force, placed on the neck and upper back muscles, which can contribute to symptoms of "text neck."

There's also evidence that walking while using a phone increases the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Generally, when people go for a walk, they feel better afterwards, and this is found in the phone-free walking people. In the phone-walking ones, these effects were reversed. Instead of feeling more positive after walking, people feel less positive, less happy, less relaxed.

It's important that your attention is on the environment, rather than on your phone. It's also possible that walking and trying to use a phone is simply annoying, and that's why it sours your mood.

Adapted from an article by Markham Heid, The New York Times, 23-1-2024.

B4. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

1.

People who use a phone while walking do so...

)

2.

Text neck is associated with...

)

3.

People who look at their mobiles while walking are less happy because they have to...

)

Part II. Composition (130 to 150 words approximately) (4 points)

B5. What is your experience when you use your mobile while walking?