Comprensión escrita: ejercicios de selectividad de Lengua Extranjera: Inglés (Madrid)
42 ejercicios oficiales de Comprensión escrita de los exámenes de Lengua Extranjera: Inglés de la PAU de Madrid, con el enunciado y un simulacro con corrección.
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Musicians Feel Pain Differently
It is well known that learning to play an instrument gives advantages beyond music. Research shows it is a great activity for the brain. It can improve coordination, speech and memory. It can even help to keep our brains younger. Making music is more than a creative skill, it is also a mental exercise that strengthens how we think and feel.
After working with musicians for years, we saw how they kept practising despite feeling pain from repeated movements. That made us wonder: if musical training can reshape the brain, can it also change how musicians feel pain? Pain activates many reactions in our body and brain. For example, touching something hot makes you move your hand immediately. Pain also changes brain activity. Usually, it reduces activity in the area of the brain that controls movement. This helps you stop using an injured body part too much and protects you in the short term. However, if pain continues, problems can appear. For example, if you injure your ankle and avoid using it for weeks, mobility decreases and brain activity is disrupted. This can increase pain.
Research also shows that long-lasting pain can make the brain’s “body map” smaller. This map helps the muscles know when and how to move. When the map gets smaller, the pain can feel stronger. However, not everyone reacts the same way. Some people tolerate pain better than others. In our study, we wanted to find out if musical training changes how musicians deal with pain. We created temporary hand pain in musicians and non-musicians. To do this, we used a special substance called “nerve growth factor”. This substance is safe but it makes muscles ache for days.
We then measured brain activity by sending small magnetic signals into the brain to see how it controls the hand. We made hand maps before the injection, two days later, and eight days later. The results were clear. Even before feeling pain, musicians had more detailed hand maps. The more hours they practised, the better these maps were. After feeling pain, musicians reported less discomfort. In non-musicians, the brain map became smaller after only two days. In musicians, the maps stayed the same. The more they had trained, the less pain they felt.
This was a small study with only 40 people, but findings show that musicians’ brains respond differently to pain. Their training seems to protect them.
Adapted from Ana Zamorano’s “Neuroscience Finds Musicians Feel Pain Differently from the Rest of Us.” The Conversation, 24 Sep. 2025. <https://theconversation.com/neuroscience-finds-musicians-feel-pain-differently-from-the-rest-of-us-265815>
Question 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. [2 points: 1 point each]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Musicians Feel Pain Differently
It is well known that learning to play an instrument gives advantages beyond music. Research shows it is a great activity for the brain. It can improve coordination, speech and memory. It can even help to keep our brains younger. Making music is more than a creative skill, it is also a mental exercise that strengthens how we think and feel.
After working with musicians for years, we saw how they kept practising despite feeling pain from repeated movements. That made us wonder: if musical training can reshape the brain, can it also change how musicians feel pain? Pain activates many reactions in our body and brain. For example, touching something hot makes you move your hand immediately. Pain also changes brain activity. Usually, it reduces activity in the area of the brain that controls movement. This helps you stop using an injured body part too much and protects you in the short term. However, if pain continues, problems can appear. For example, if you injure your ankle and avoid using it for weeks, mobility decreases and brain activity is disrupted. This can increase pain.
Research also shows that long-lasting pain can make the brain’s “body map” smaller. This map helps the muscles know when and how to move. When the map gets smaller, the pain can feel stronger. However, not everyone reacts the same way. Some people tolerate pain better than others. In our study, we wanted to find out if musical training changes how musicians deal with pain. We created temporary hand pain in musicians and non-musicians. To do this, we used a special substance called “nerve growth factor”. This substance is safe but it makes muscles ache for days.
We then measured brain activity by sending small magnetic signals into the brain to see how it controls the hand. We made hand maps before the injection, two days later, and eight days later. The results were clear. Even before feeling pain, musicians had more detailed hand maps. The more hours they practised, the better these maps were. After feeling pain, musicians reported less discomfort. In non-musicians, the brain map became smaller after only two days. In musicians, the maps stayed the same. The more they had trained, the less pain they felt.
This was a small study with only 40 people, but findings show that musicians’ brains respond differently to pain. Their training seems to protect them.
Adapted from Ana Zamorano’s “Neuroscience Finds Musicians Feel Pain Differently from the Rest of Us.” The Conversation, 24 Sep. 2025. <https://theconversation.com/neuroscience-finds-musicians-feel-pain-differently-from-the-rest-of-us-265815>
Question 2
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. [2 points: 1 point each, 0.5 for the ideas and 0.5 for the expression]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Musicians Feel Pain Differently
It is well known that learning to play an instrument gives advantages beyond music. Research shows it is a great activity for the brain. It can improve coordination, speech and memory. It can even help to keep our brains younger. Making music is more than a creative skill, it is also a mental exercise that strengthens how we think and feel.
After working with musicians for years, we saw how they kept practising despite feeling pain from repeated movements. That made us wonder: if musical training can reshape the brain, can it also change how musicians feel pain? Pain activates many reactions in our body and brain. For example, touching something hot makes you move your hand immediately. Pain also changes brain activity. Usually, it reduces activity in the area of the brain that controls movement. This helps you stop using an injured body part too much and protects you in the short term. However, if pain continues, problems can appear. For example, if you injure your ankle and avoid using it for weeks, mobility decreases and brain activity is disrupted. This can increase pain.
Research also shows that long-lasting pain can make the brain’s “body map” smaller. This map helps the muscles know when and how to move. When the map gets smaller, the pain can feel stronger. However, not everyone reacts the same way. Some people tolerate pain better than others. In our study, we wanted to find out if musical training changes how musicians deal with pain. We created temporary hand pain in musicians and non-musicians. To do this, we used a special substance called “nerve growth factor”. This substance is safe but it makes muscles ache for days.
We then measured brain activity by sending small magnetic signals into the brain to see how it controls the hand. We made hand maps before the injection, two days later, and eight days later. The results were clear. Even before feeling pain, musicians had more detailed hand maps. The more hours they practised, the better these maps were. After feeling pain, musicians reported less discomfort. In non-musicians, the brain map became smaller after only two days. In musicians, the maps stayed the same. The more they had trained, the less pain they felt.
This was a small study with only 40 people, but findings show that musicians’ brains respond differently to pain. Their training seems to protect them.
Adapted from Ana Zamorano’s “Neuroscience Finds Musicians Feel Pain Differently from the Rest of Us.” The Conversation, 24 Sep. 2025. <https://theconversation.com/neuroscience-finds-musicians-feel-pain-differently-from-the-rest-of-us-265815>
Question 3
Find the words in the text that mean: [1 point: 0.2 for each word]
Write the word exactly as it appears in the text.
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
A Style Icon
Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress whose death at 79 surprised everyone in 2025, was one of the last movie stars to arrive in Hollywood before big brands changed the way celebrities dressed. She never used a stylist but came with an aesthetic so clearly formed that she shaped fashion, rather than allowing fashion to shape her.
As a result, she was fond of men’s suits, of coats and raincoats as evening wear, and of accessories—bowler hats, gloves, belts, glasses. All that is as much a part of her legacy as her unforgettable roles in films like Annie Hall (1977)—the film that first introduced the Keaton aesthetic to the world—and Reds (1981). In a time when it often seems that movie stars let designers and professional brands choose their clothes, Keaton is a reminder that personal style can be powerful.
Keaton inspired not just her early director, Woody Allen, who famously asked her to dress herself for Annie Hall, but also designers such as Ralph Lauren. Her fashion was the impetus for two titles from Keaton herself: the 2014 essay collection, Let’s Just Say it Wasn’t Pretty, about finding and staying true to your own style, and the 2024 coffee table book, Diane Keaton: Fashion First. Ralph Lauren wrote the introduction for the latter. Lauren said he is always being credited with dressing Diane in her role as Annie Hall, which could not be further from the truth. He praised her look: “Annie’s style was Diane’s style. It’s not defined by the moment. It’s not about trends, but authentic and forever.”
Her affinity for ties, loose trousers, vests and outfits typically worn by men put Keaton in the tradition of some old Hollywood female stars who refused to conform to gender or social expectations. Those clothes also covered up what she viewed as her weak points. She wore hats, she said, because she did not like her hair. Turtlenecks because they hid the neck and framed her face. All those layers gave her freedom because they gave her security. “You could call my wardrobe an impenetrable castle,” she wrote. Her way of dressing for red-carpet ceremonies was indeed the negation to today’s naked dressing trend.
She never avoided fashion discussions nor rejected the role it played in her life. For her it was not frivolous, it was an established part of her identity. Her goal, Keaton wrote, was “finding whatever works for you to get out the door every day.” She found it and she encouraged other people to find it too. Her style was not for sale, and that made it priceless.
Adapted from Vanessa Friedman’s “Diane Keaton Was the Definition of a Style Icon: An Appraisal.” The New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025. <https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/style/diane-keaton-style-icon.html>
Question 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. [2 points: 1 point each]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
A Style Icon
Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress whose death at 79 surprised everyone in 2025, was one of the last movie stars to arrive in Hollywood before big brands changed the way celebrities dressed. She never used a stylist but came with an aesthetic so clearly formed that she shaped fashion, rather than allowing fashion to shape her.
As a result, she was fond of men’s suits, of coats and raincoats as evening wear, and of accessories—bowler hats, gloves, belts, glasses. All that is as much a part of her legacy as her unforgettable roles in films like Annie Hall (1977)—the film that first introduced the Keaton aesthetic to the world—and Reds (1981). In a time when it often seems that movie stars let designers and professional brands choose their clothes, Keaton is a reminder that personal style can be powerful.
Keaton inspired not just her early director, Woody Allen, who famously asked her to dress herself for Annie Hall, but also designers such as Ralph Lauren. Her fashion was the impetus for two titles from Keaton herself: the 2014 essay collection, Let’s Just Say it Wasn’t Pretty, about finding and staying true to your own style, and the 2024 coffee table book, Diane Keaton: Fashion First. Ralph Lauren wrote the introduction for the latter. Lauren said he is always being credited with dressing Diane in her role as Annie Hall, which could not be further from the truth. He praised her look: “Annie’s style was Diane’s style. It’s not defined by the moment. It’s not about trends, but authentic and forever.”
Her affinity for ties, loose trousers, vests and outfits typically worn by men put Keaton in the tradition of some old Hollywood female stars who refused to conform to gender or social expectations. Those clothes also covered up what she viewed as her weak points. She wore hats, she said, because she did not like her hair. Turtlenecks because they hid the neck and framed her face. All those layers gave her freedom because they gave her security. “You could call my wardrobe an impenetrable castle,” she wrote. Her way of dressing for red-carpet ceremonies was indeed the negation to today’s naked dressing trend.
She never avoided fashion discussions nor rejected the role it played in her life. For her it was not frivolous, it was an established part of her identity. Her goal, Keaton wrote, was “finding whatever works for you to get out the door every day.” She found it and she encouraged other people to find it too. Her style was not for sale, and that made it priceless.
Adapted from Vanessa Friedman’s “Diane Keaton Was the Definition of a Style Icon: An Appraisal.” The New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025. <https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/style/diane-keaton-style-icon.html>
Question 2
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. [2 points: 1 point each, 0.5 for the ideas and 0.5 for the expression]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
A Style Icon
Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress whose death at 79 surprised everyone in 2025, was one of the last movie stars to arrive in Hollywood before big brands changed the way celebrities dressed. She never used a stylist but came with an aesthetic so clearly formed that she shaped fashion, rather than allowing fashion to shape her.
As a result, she was fond of men’s suits, of coats and raincoats as evening wear, and of accessories—bowler hats, gloves, belts, glasses. All that is as much a part of her legacy as her unforgettable roles in films like Annie Hall (1977)—the film that first introduced the Keaton aesthetic to the world—and Reds (1981). In a time when it often seems that movie stars let designers and professional brands choose their clothes, Keaton is a reminder that personal style can be powerful.
Keaton inspired not just her early director, Woody Allen, who famously asked her to dress herself for Annie Hall, but also designers such as Ralph Lauren. Her fashion was the impetus for two titles from Keaton herself: the 2014 essay collection, Let’s Just Say it Wasn’t Pretty, about finding and staying true to your own style, and the 2024 coffee table book, Diane Keaton: Fashion First. Ralph Lauren wrote the introduction for the latter. Lauren said he is always being credited with dressing Diane in her role as Annie Hall, which could not be further from the truth. He praised her look: “Annie’s style was Diane’s style. It’s not defined by the moment. It’s not about trends, but authentic and forever.”
Her affinity for ties, loose trousers, vests and outfits typically worn by men put Keaton in the tradition of some old Hollywood female stars who refused to conform to gender or social expectations. Those clothes also covered up what she viewed as her weak points. She wore hats, she said, because she did not like her hair. Turtlenecks because they hid the neck and framed her face. All those layers gave her freedom because they gave her security. “You could call my wardrobe an impenetrable castle,” she wrote. Her way of dressing for red-carpet ceremonies was indeed the negation to today’s naked dressing trend.
She never avoided fashion discussions nor rejected the role it played in her life. For her it was not frivolous, it was an established part of her identity. Her goal, Keaton wrote, was “finding whatever works for you to get out the door every day.” She found it and she encouraged other people to find it too. Her style was not for sale, and that made it priceless.
Adapted from Vanessa Friedman’s “Diane Keaton Was the Definition of a Style Icon: An Appraisal.” The New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025. <https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/12/style/diane-keaton-style-icon.html>
Question 3
Find the words in the text that mean: [1 point: 0.2 for each word]
Write the word exactly as it appears in the text.
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
How England Forgot Its First King
During his lifetime, the first king of England was a well-known figure across Europe, but over the centuries, he has been almost forgotten by history. For a king who achieved so much, Æthelstan remains a very mysterious person. (The “Æ”, by the way, is pronounced like the “a” in cat). Around 1,100 years ago, he united several small kingdoms, each with different cultures and identities, to create what we now call England. He also set trends, becoming the first English monarch to wear a crown—a tradition that continues today. However, despite his importance, he has been strangely absent from most history books. It is time to remember this monarch better, argues David Woodman, a professor of history at the University of Cambridge and author of a new biography of Æthelstan. A closer look at his reign reveals some interesting lessons about what it means to be English.
Æthelstan’s story, for example, challenges the old idea that England began as a single, uniform culture, says Woodman. It is a misunderstanding that still appears today, but the truth was very different. “England was actually a very diverse place in the early 10th century. I always think about Æthelstan’s royal assemblies, where people came from many different kingdoms within Britain, and from Europe. They spoke a mix of languages—Old Welsh, Old Norse, Old English, Latin,” he explains. In addition, Æthelstan brought a cosmopolitan spirit to his new kingdom. Today, early England is often shown as isolated from the rest of Europe, but in reality, Æthelstan built strong connections with other nations in a way earlier kings had not. “He was very connected with the rest of Europe,” says Woodman. “He married off some of his half-sisters into European royal families and encouraged scholars from across the continent to visit England.”
After his death, however, Æthelstan’s fame quickly disappeared, overshadowed by that of his grandfather, Alfred the Great. There are many sources about Alfred’s life, including a biography written during his lifetime by the Welsh monk Asser. These documents help bring Alfred’s character to life. However, for Æthelstan, such sources are missing. A biography of him was written in the 10th century—we know this because a later text mentions it—but the original has not survived. “That’s one of the reasons Æthelstan is so little known today,” says Woodman. “He just didn't have a major contemporary biographer writing about his life in the same way his grandfather did.” Despite having no biographer of his own in his lifetime, historians today are rising to the challenge of piecing together Æthelstan’s life and legacy, and restoring England’s first king to his right place in history.
Adapted from Martha Henriques’s “How England Misplaced its First King.” BBC, 29 Sept. 2025. <https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250926-why-england-forgot-its-first-king>
Question 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. [2 points: 1 point each]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
How England Forgot Its First King
During his lifetime, the first king of England was a well-known figure across Europe, but over the centuries, he has been almost forgotten by history. For a king who achieved so much, Æthelstan remains a very mysterious person. (The “Æ”, by the way, is pronounced like the “a” in cat). Around 1,100 years ago, he united several small kingdoms, each with different cultures and identities, to create what we now call England. He also set trends, becoming the first English monarch to wear a crown—a tradition that continues today. However, despite his importance, he has been strangely absent from most history books. It is time to remember this monarch better, argues David Woodman, a professor of history at the University of Cambridge and author of a new biography of Æthelstan. A closer look at his reign reveals some interesting lessons about what it means to be English.
Æthelstan’s story, for example, challenges the old idea that England began as a single, uniform culture, says Woodman. It is a misunderstanding that still appears today, but the truth was very different. “England was actually a very diverse place in the early 10th century. I always think about Æthelstan’s royal assemblies, where people came from many different kingdoms within Britain, and from Europe. They spoke a mix of languages—Old Welsh, Old Norse, Old English, Latin,” he explains. In addition, Æthelstan brought a cosmopolitan spirit to his new kingdom. Today, early England is often shown as isolated from the rest of Europe, but in reality, Æthelstan built strong connections with other nations in a way earlier kings had not. “He was very connected with the rest of Europe,” says Woodman. “He married off some of his half-sisters into European royal families and encouraged scholars from across the continent to visit England.”
After his death, however, Æthelstan’s fame quickly disappeared, overshadowed by that of his grandfather, Alfred the Great. There are many sources about Alfred’s life, including a biography written during his lifetime by the Welsh monk Asser. These documents help bring Alfred’s character to life. However, for Æthelstan, such sources are missing. A biography of him was written in the 10th century—we know this because a later text mentions it—but the original has not survived. “That’s one of the reasons Æthelstan is so little known today,” says Woodman. “He just didn't have a major contemporary biographer writing about his life in the same way his grandfather did.” Despite having no biographer of his own in his lifetime, historians today are rising to the challenge of piecing together Æthelstan’s life and legacy, and restoring England’s first king to his right place in history.
Adapted from Martha Henriques’s “How England Misplaced its First King.” BBC, 29 Sept. 2025. <https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250926-why-england-forgot-its-first-king>
Question 2
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. [2 points: 1 point each, 0.5 for the ideas and 0.5 for the expression]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
How England Forgot Its First King
During his lifetime, the first king of England was a well-known figure across Europe, but over the centuries, he has been almost forgotten by history. For a king who achieved so much, Æthelstan remains a very mysterious person. (The “Æ”, by the way, is pronounced like the “a” in cat). Around 1,100 years ago, he united several small kingdoms, each with different cultures and identities, to create what we now call England. He also set trends, becoming the first English monarch to wear a crown—a tradition that continues today. However, despite his importance, he has been strangely absent from most history books. It is time to remember this monarch better, argues David Woodman, a professor of history at the University of Cambridge and author of a new biography of Æthelstan. A closer look at his reign reveals some interesting lessons about what it means to be English.
Æthelstan’s story, for example, challenges the old idea that England began as a single, uniform culture, says Woodman. It is a misunderstanding that still appears today, but the truth was very different. “England was actually a very diverse place in the early 10th century. I always think about Æthelstan’s royal assemblies, where people came from many different kingdoms within Britain, and from Europe. They spoke a mix of languages—Old Welsh, Old Norse, Old English, Latin,” he explains. In addition, Æthelstan brought a cosmopolitan spirit to his new kingdom. Today, early England is often shown as isolated from the rest of Europe, but in reality, Æthelstan built strong connections with other nations in a way earlier kings had not. “He was very connected with the rest of Europe,” says Woodman. “He married off some of his half-sisters into European royal families and encouraged scholars from across the continent to visit England.”
After his death, however, Æthelstan’s fame quickly disappeared, overshadowed by that of his grandfather, Alfred the Great. There are many sources about Alfred’s life, including a biography written during his lifetime by the Welsh monk Asser. These documents help bring Alfred’s character to life. However, for Æthelstan, such sources are missing. A biography of him was written in the 10th century—we know this because a later text mentions it—but the original has not survived. “That’s one of the reasons Æthelstan is so little known today,” says Woodman. “He just didn't have a major contemporary biographer writing about his life in the same way his grandfather did.” Despite having no biographer of his own in his lifetime, historians today are rising to the challenge of piecing together Æthelstan’s life and legacy, and restoring England’s first king to his right place in history.
Adapted from Martha Henriques’s “How England Misplaced its First King.” BBC, 29 Sept. 2025. <https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250926-why-england-forgot-its-first-king>
Question 3
Find the words in the text that mean: [1 point: 0.2 for each word]
Write the word exactly as it appears in the text.
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Home Education: the Right Choice?
There has been a notable rise in parents choosing to home educate their children over recent years, particularly since the COVID pandemic. However, the exact number of families home educating is not known and there is no legal requirement to register with a local authority in countries like England.
How and why do families choose home education instead of the traditional system? There are several options available to families when following an educational pathway for their children. If a child is already at conventional school when their family decides to home educate, the parents must cancel their child’s registration before beginning home education, sending a letter to the school. However, if a child is not at school and has not been entered into the schooling system, there is no requirement to alert the local authority, and parents can simply continue to educate their kids as they prefer. Some parents may go for a combination of school and home education. This is known as flexi-schooling: the child attends school part time and learns at home part time. However, this is not a right and it requires the agreement of the school’s headteacher.
There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home. There are those who reject the typical way of educating and opt for a more “unconventional” approach. The parents want to focus on nurturing their children and want to be at home learning with them. Some families prefer to home educate so they can teach the curriculum they wish and give their children a personalised education. Their child might have special educational needs or disabilities that their school is unable to meet adequately, or they might be being bullied at school, or be highly gifted, meaning that they or their parents feel the school curriculum isn’t suitable for them.
Social media—where parents discuss the challenges their children face in mainstream education—has played a powerful role in expanding knowledge of home education. More parents may be making this choice because they know it is an option available to them. The challenge is to ensure that adequate support is in place for the children who may want to remain in school but feel they cannot, as well as for those whose families wish to home educate.
Adapted from Lucie Wheeler’s “Home Education: Why Are So Many Parents Choosing it Over Mainstream School?” The Conversation, 30 Aug. 2024. <https://theconversation.com/home-education-why-are-so-many-parents-choosing-it-over-mainstream-school-228164>
Question 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. [2 points: 1 point each]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Home Education: the Right Choice?
There has been a notable rise in parents choosing to home educate their children over recent years, particularly since the COVID pandemic. However, the exact number of families home educating is not known and there is no legal requirement to register with a local authority in countries like England.
How and why do families choose home education instead of the traditional system? There are several options available to families when following an educational pathway for their children. If a child is already at conventional school when their family decides to home educate, the parents must cancel their child’s registration before beginning home education, sending a letter to the school. However, if a child is not at school and has not been entered into the schooling system, there is no requirement to alert the local authority, and parents can simply continue to educate their kids as they prefer. Some parents may go for a combination of school and home education. This is known as flexi-schooling: the child attends school part time and learns at home part time. However, this is not a right and it requires the agreement of the school’s headteacher.
There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home. There are those who reject the typical way of educating and opt for a more “unconventional” approach. The parents want to focus on nurturing their children and want to be at home learning with them. Some families prefer to home educate so they can teach the curriculum they wish and give their children a personalised education. Their child might have special educational needs or disabilities that their school is unable to meet adequately, or they might be being bullied at school, or be highly gifted, meaning that they or their parents feel the school curriculum isn’t suitable for them.
Social media—where parents discuss the challenges their children face in mainstream education—has played a powerful role in expanding knowledge of home education. More parents may be making this choice because they know it is an option available to them. The challenge is to ensure that adequate support is in place for the children who may want to remain in school but feel they cannot, as well as for those whose families wish to home educate.
Adapted from Lucie Wheeler’s “Home Education: Why Are So Many Parents Choosing it Over Mainstream School?” The Conversation, 30 Aug. 2024. <https://theconversation.com/home-education-why-are-so-many-parents-choosing-it-over-mainstream-school-228164>
Question 2
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. [2 points: 1 point each, 0.5 for the ideas and 0.5 for the expression]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Home Education: the Right Choice?
There has been a notable rise in parents choosing to home educate their children over recent years, particularly since the COVID pandemic. However, the exact number of families home educating is not known and there is no legal requirement to register with a local authority in countries like England.
How and why do families choose home education instead of the traditional system? There are several options available to families when following an educational pathway for their children. If a child is already at conventional school when their family decides to home educate, the parents must cancel their child’s registration before beginning home education, sending a letter to the school. However, if a child is not at school and has not been entered into the schooling system, there is no requirement to alert the local authority, and parents can simply continue to educate their kids as they prefer. Some parents may go for a combination of school and home education. This is known as flexi-schooling: the child attends school part time and learns at home part time. However, this is not a right and it requires the agreement of the school’s headteacher.
There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home. There are those who reject the typical way of educating and opt for a more “unconventional” approach. The parents want to focus on nurturing their children and want to be at home learning with them. Some families prefer to home educate so they can teach the curriculum they wish and give their children a personalised education. Their child might have special educational needs or disabilities that their school is unable to meet adequately, or they might be being bullied at school, or be highly gifted, meaning that they or their parents feel the school curriculum isn’t suitable for them.
Social media—where parents discuss the challenges their children face in mainstream education—has played a powerful role in expanding knowledge of home education. More parents may be making this choice because they know it is an option available to them. The challenge is to ensure that adequate support is in place for the children who may want to remain in school but feel they cannot, as well as for those whose families wish to home educate.
Adapted from Lucie Wheeler’s “Home Education: Why Are So Many Parents Choosing it Over Mainstream School?” The Conversation, 30 Aug. 2024. <https://theconversation.com/home-education-why-are-so-many-parents-choosing-it-over-mainstream-school-228164>
Question 3
Find the words in the text that mean: [1 point: 0.25 for each word]
Write the word exactly as it appears in the text.
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
The Magic of Train Travel
Planes are faster and cars more convenient, but neither captures the spirit of travel quite like an adventure by rail. The love of railways has very deep roots, which have been sustained by the tales of train travel in literature and the arts.
Before the invention of railways, carriages pulled by horses took days to cross a country and passengers were at constant risk of injury or death, as accidents were frequent. The railways transformed all this. Train travel changed even the way people interacted. Rather than having to marry one of the girls or boys in the village, people were able to travel to the nearest town or city, where the opportunities for romance were far greater. Soon, the railways created possibilities that were unimaginable before. And soon, the journey became part of the fun. As facilities such as dining cars and softer seats—not to mention toilets—began to be introduced on trains, the journey also became something exciting, a part of the holiday.
Part of the pleasure of railway travel is its perfect pace. The right train journey is just fast enough to avoid the boredom of a car or bus trip. Besides, it is not so rapid, like air travel, as to get rid of the need for adaptation from the familiar location to a new one. Ideally, there will be a few stops long enough to buy food off the station kiosks and pick up a newspaper to be read back on the train. Trains provide a constantly changing vision of the world, an ever-running film through the window.
The renaissance of long-distance rail travel can be seen as a reaction to the arrival of high-speed trains, which remove some of the traditional enjoyment of rail travel. They are too functional, with service that often mirrors the worst aspects of air travel—such as security checks at stations—and their speed removes part of the pleasure of watching the world go by slowly enough to enjoy imagining who lives in that little cottage, or why those cows are all grouped together at the far end of that field.
What is it then about trains? In truth, it would not have been surprising if they had gone the way of the horse and cart. The railways were a nineteenth-century invention that were lucky to survive the twentieth, given the convenience of cars. But here we are, well into the twenty-first century dreaming of the magic of our next charming train journey.
Adapted from Christian Wolmar’s “The Enduring Magic of Train Travel—and Three Long-distance Routes to Try.” The Telegraph, 17 Dec. 2021. <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/enduring-magic-train-travel-three-long-distance-routes-try/>
Question 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. [2 points: 1 point each]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
The Magic of Train Travel
Planes are faster and cars more convenient, but neither captures the spirit of travel quite like an adventure by rail. The love of railways has very deep roots, which have been sustained by the tales of train travel in literature and the arts.
Before the invention of railways, carriages pulled by horses took days to cross a country and passengers were at constant risk of injury or death, as accidents were frequent. The railways transformed all this. Train travel changed even the way people interacted. Rather than having to marry one of the girls or boys in the village, people were able to travel to the nearest town or city, where the opportunities for romance were far greater. Soon, the railways created possibilities that were unimaginable before. And soon, the journey became part of the fun. As facilities such as dining cars and softer seats—not to mention toilets—began to be introduced on trains, the journey also became something exciting, a part of the holiday.
Part of the pleasure of railway travel is its perfect pace. The right train journey is just fast enough to avoid the boredom of a car or bus trip. Besides, it is not so rapid, like air travel, as to get rid of the need for adaptation from the familiar location to a new one. Ideally, there will be a few stops long enough to buy food off the station kiosks and pick up a newspaper to be read back on the train. Trains provide a constantly changing vision of the world, an ever-running film through the window.
The renaissance of long-distance rail travel can be seen as a reaction to the arrival of high-speed trains, which remove some of the traditional enjoyment of rail travel. They are too functional, with service that often mirrors the worst aspects of air travel—such as security checks at stations—and their speed removes part of the pleasure of watching the world go by slowly enough to enjoy imagining who lives in that little cottage, or why those cows are all grouped together at the far end of that field.
What is it then about trains? In truth, it would not have been surprising if they had gone the way of the horse and cart. The railways were a nineteenth-century invention that were lucky to survive the twentieth, given the convenience of cars. But here we are, well into the twenty-first century dreaming of the magic of our next charming train journey.
Adapted from Christian Wolmar’s “The Enduring Magic of Train Travel—and Three Long-distance Routes to Try.” The Telegraph, 17 Dec. 2021. <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/enduring-magic-train-travel-three-long-distance-routes-try/>
Question 2
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy from the text. [2 points: 1 point each, 0.5 for the ideas and 0.5 for the expression]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
The Magic of Train Travel
Planes are faster and cars more convenient, but neither captures the spirit of travel quite like an adventure by rail. The love of railways has very deep roots, which have been sustained by the tales of train travel in literature and the arts.
Before the invention of railways, carriages pulled by horses took days to cross a country and passengers were at constant risk of injury or death, as accidents were frequent. The railways transformed all this. Train travel changed even the way people interacted. Rather than having to marry one of the girls or boys in the village, people were able to travel to the nearest town or city, where the opportunities for romance were far greater. Soon, the railways created possibilities that were unimaginable before. And soon, the journey became part of the fun. As facilities such as dining cars and softer seats—not to mention toilets—began to be introduced on trains, the journey also became something exciting, a part of the holiday.
Part of the pleasure of railway travel is its perfect pace. The right train journey is just fast enough to avoid the boredom of a car or bus trip. Besides, it is not so rapid, like air travel, as to get rid of the need for adaptation from the familiar location to a new one. Ideally, there will be a few stops long enough to buy food off the station kiosks and pick up a newspaper to be read back on the train. Trains provide a constantly changing vision of the world, an ever-running film through the window.
The renaissance of long-distance rail travel can be seen as a reaction to the arrival of high-speed trains, which remove some of the traditional enjoyment of rail travel. They are too functional, with service that often mirrors the worst aspects of air travel—such as security checks at stations—and their speed removes part of the pleasure of watching the world go by slowly enough to enjoy imagining who lives in that little cottage, or why those cows are all grouped together at the far end of that field.
What is it then about trains? In truth, it would not have been surprising if they had gone the way of the horse and cart. The railways were a nineteenth-century invention that were lucky to survive the twentieth, given the convenience of cars. But here we are, well into the twenty-first century dreaming of the magic of our next charming train journey.
Adapted from Christian Wolmar’s “The Enduring Magic of Train Travel—and Three Long-distance Routes to Try.” The Telegraph, 17 Dec. 2021. <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/enduring-magic-train-travel-three-long-distance-routes-try/>
Question 3
Find the words in the text that mean: [1 point: 0.25 for each word]
Write the word exactly as it appears in the text.
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Would You Eat Insects?
Chef Joseph Yoon is a renowned cook who is popularizing the age-old practice of eating insects. He is used to people reacting negatively to his creations: he’s watched a child cry when she realized the pumpkin cake in her mouth was made with cricket powder, seen a grown adult spit out food that contained bugs and suffered racist online comments aimed at him for suggesting that scorpions are worth eating. But none of that seems to discourage Yoon. If anything, it just reaffirms the importance of his work removing stigma from this practice of eating insects. As the founder of an organization called Brooklyn Bugs and a self-described “insect ambassador”, Yoon is on a mission to prove that eating insects is good for the planet—and the mouth.
Yoon’s work includes giving presentations everywhere from elementary schools to Harvard and working with museums and institutions like NASA on sustainable food initiatives. Occasionally, he cooks for journalists, scientists and environmentalists. His main objective is to raise awareness about the planetary benefits and culinary joys of eating bugs. “I like to share the sense of hope and optimism, and to be able to capture people’s imagination through cooking insects,” Yoon said from his kitchen table in New York over some fried crickets. “The question is: how do we start changing the perception from insects as disgusting animals to something that’s sustainably farmed, nutrient dense and that can add a tremendous amount of flavor to your food?”
Insect consumption has been highlighted by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization as an important tool in addressing food insecurity for a growing global population. And, since agriculture is the second-largest greenhouse gas emitter after the energy sector, insect eating presents a good climate solution too. Crickets, for example, can provide the same amount of protein as cows for less than 0.1% of the emissions.
Yoon pointed out that people have been eating insects since long before the practice was recognized as a climate win. “There are over 2 billion people in 80% of the world’s nations that are already regularly consuming insects,” he said. But the stigma and disgusting factor that persist in many places, including much of the US, are what Yoon is interested in changing. His approach is to lead with the joy of eating. Learning to enjoy consuming bugs might require some training of your tastes depending on where you grew up, he said, but we apply that training whenever we try new foods from unfamiliar cultures or teach our kids to eat vegetables.
Adapted from Whitney Bauck’s “Meaty, Cheesy, Coconutty: a Chef’s Quest to Prove Insects Taste Delicious.” The Guardian, 9 Sep. 2022. <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/09/insects-food-menu>
Question 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. [2 points: 1 point each]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Would You Eat Insects?
Chef Joseph Yoon is a renowned cook who is popularizing the age-old practice of eating insects. He is used to people reacting negatively to his creations: he’s watched a child cry when she realized the pumpkin cake in her mouth was made with cricket powder, seen a grown adult spit out food that contained bugs and suffered racist online comments aimed at him for suggesting that scorpions are worth eating. But none of that seems to discourage Yoon. If anything, it just reaffirms the importance of his work removing stigma from this practice of eating insects. As the founder of an organization called Brooklyn Bugs and a self-described “insect ambassador”, Yoon is on a mission to prove that eating insects is good for the planet—and the mouth.
Yoon’s work includes giving presentations everywhere from elementary schools to Harvard and working with museums and institutions like NASA on sustainable food initiatives. Occasionally, he cooks for journalists, scientists and environmentalists. His main objective is to raise awareness about the planetary benefits and culinary joys of eating bugs. “I like to share the sense of hope and optimism, and to be able to capture people’s imagination through cooking insects,” Yoon said from his kitchen table in New York over some fried crickets. “The question is: how do we start changing the perception from insects as disgusting animals to something that’s sustainably farmed, nutrient dense and that can add a tremendous amount of flavor to your food?”
Insect consumption has been highlighted by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization as an important tool in addressing food insecurity for a growing global population. And, since agriculture is the second-largest greenhouse gas emitter after the energy sector, insect eating presents a good climate solution too. Crickets, for example, can provide the same amount of protein as cows for less than 0.1% of the emissions.
Yoon pointed out that people have been eating insects since long before the practice was recognized as a climate win. “There are over 2 billion people in 80% of the world’s nations that are already regularly consuming insects,” he said. But the stigma and disgusting factor that persist in many places, including much of the US, are what Yoon is interested in changing. His approach is to lead with the joy of eating. Learning to enjoy consuming bugs might require some training of your tastes depending on where you grew up, he said, but we apply that training whenever we try new foods from unfamiliar cultures or teach our kids to eat vegetables.
Adapted from Whitney Bauck’s “Meaty, Cheesy, Coconutty: a Chef’s Quest to Prove Insects Taste Delicious.” The Guardian, 9 Sep. 2022. <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/09/insects-food-menu>
Question 2
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. [2 points: 1 point each, 0.5 for the ideas and 0.5 for the expression]
Read the text carefully and answer the questions IN ENGLISH.
Would You Eat Insects?
Chef Joseph Yoon is a renowned cook who is popularizing the age-old practice of eating insects. He is used to people reacting negatively to his creations: he’s watched a child cry when she realized the pumpkin cake in her mouth was made with cricket powder, seen a grown adult spit out food that contained bugs and suffered racist online comments aimed at him for suggesting that scorpions are worth eating. But none of that seems to discourage Yoon. If anything, it just reaffirms the importance of his work removing stigma from this practice of eating insects. As the founder of an organization called Brooklyn Bugs and a self-described “insect ambassador”, Yoon is on a mission to prove that eating insects is good for the planet—and the mouth.
Yoon’s work includes giving presentations everywhere from elementary schools to Harvard and working with museums and institutions like NASA on sustainable food initiatives. Occasionally, he cooks for journalists, scientists and environmentalists. His main objective is to raise awareness about the planetary benefits and culinary joys of eating bugs. “I like to share the sense of hope and optimism, and to be able to capture people’s imagination through cooking insects,” Yoon said from his kitchen table in New York over some fried crickets. “The question is: how do we start changing the perception from insects as disgusting animals to something that’s sustainably farmed, nutrient dense and that can add a tremendous amount of flavor to your food?”
Insect consumption has been highlighted by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization as an important tool in addressing food insecurity for a growing global population. And, since agriculture is the second-largest greenhouse gas emitter after the energy sector, insect eating presents a good climate solution too. Crickets, for example, can provide the same amount of protein as cows for less than 0.1% of the emissions.
Yoon pointed out that people have been eating insects since long before the practice was recognized as a climate win. “There are over 2 billion people in 80% of the world’s nations that are already regularly consuming insects,” he said. But the stigma and disgusting factor that persist in many places, including much of the US, are what Yoon is interested in changing. His approach is to lead with the joy of eating. Learning to enjoy consuming bugs might require some training of your tastes depending on where you grew up, he said, but we apply that training whenever we try new foods from unfamiliar cultures or teach our kids to eat vegetables.
Adapted from Whitney Bauck’s “Meaty, Cheesy, Coconutty: a Chef’s Quest to Prove Insects Taste Delicious.” The Guardian, 9 Sep. 2022. <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/09/insects-food-menu>
Question 3
Find the words in the text that mean: [1 point: 0.25 for each word]
Write the word exactly as it appears in the text.
Text A
Women Engineers
Gladys West is a mathematician whose work helped with the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS). A black woman born in rural America under racial segregation, her work has transformed our everyday lives. Her excellent performance at high school granted her a scholarship for university. She became the second black woman programmer to work at a naval base. Gladys programmed a computer to produce an accurate model of the shape of the Earth, tides, gravitation, and other forces and this model became the basis for GPS.
Marian Croak is a pioneer in telecommunications engineering, who has over 200 patents. She is known for the invention of VoIP (voice over Internet protocol), the technology which permits real-time audio and video calls over the Internet. Marian was born in the USA. As a child, her father built a chemistry set for her, and this is what inspired her to follow a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths).VoIP allows us to video chat, to have economical phone calls with loved ones around the world, and work remotely. She is a supporter for racial justice and women in engineering.
Larissa Suzuki is a computer scientist and engineer who works in the field of AI (artificial intelligence). She works at Google exploring how AI can solve real-world problems, and collaborates with NASA. She was fascinated with electronics, and imagined ways of making static things walk and dance. Toys like Lego allowed her to be creative and explore building structures. She has developed systems for smart cities, robots, healthcare, and finance. Larissa has autism and hyperactivity disorder. She has been dedicated to equality and diversity in engineering.
These women have overcome various obstacles due to their personal struggles and have had tremendous impact. Today women continue to pave the way for future generations.
Adapted from “Women Engineers,” Science Museum, May 30, 2023. <https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/women-engineers/>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: Does Chicken Soup Really Help when You’re Sick?
7 puntos
Text B
Does Chicken Soup Really Help when You’re Sick?
For centuries, people all around the world have been making chicken soup when someone is sick and it's a tradition that has been passed down through generations. But here's a good question about it: Does chicken soup actually have any science-based benefits, or is it just a comforting remedy that makes us feel better when we're feeling unwell, even if it doesn't have any true medical benefits?
Even when we are not sick, the popularity of chicken soup is huge. The reason behind its success is its warmth and the delicious flavors it contains, such as those from the chicken, vegetables, and noodles. The unique taste of chicken soup is often described as umami (in Japanese), which is a savory taste. It is considered the fifth category of taste, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Studies have shown that the taste of chicken soup plays a significant role in its healing properties. When people are suffering from respiratory illnesses, they often lose their appetite gradually and eat less. This happens because respiratory illnesses cause an inflammatory response in your throat, so swallowing becomes painful. Not eating enough can lead to a lack of necessary nutrition, which isn't ideal for recovering from illness.
To sum up, while the idea of chicken soup as a remedy for illness might have its roots in comfort, there is indeed some science behind its potential benefits. In particular, it has been proved that its taste stimulates our appetite when we are sick.
Adapted from “Does chicken soup really help when you’re sick?,” Popular Science, October 23, 2023. <https://www.popsci.com/health/chicken-soup-sick/>
Ejercicio 1 — Text A: How a Child Lives the Present
7 puntos
Text A
How a Child Lives the Present
I took my two-year-old grandson, Jason, to the park where he could run around and see the duck pond. My goal was to get him outside for a while and teach him about the ducks. They’re actually geese, but duck pond sounds cuter, so that’s what we call it. Some neighbors have seen frogs in it, and even snails! Swans settled in the pond some time ago. Many ducks too, but one day the ducks flew away and never returned.
Two-year-olds don’t need goals. That was the first of several lessons I learned that day. Jason had a sense of wonder. As soon as we got out of the car, he looked up at the sky. He found joy in watching the big, pillowy clouds drifting across the sky. I’d forgotten how hypnotic clouds could be. Next, he stared at the oaks and the willows and watched their leaves rustle in the wind.
His curiosity was constant, intense. He was always on the search for sticks, big and small. A stick could be used for many things. He scraped the ground with them or waved them in the air like a flag. Jason said hi to everyone. A few 4- and 5-year-olds weren’t sure how to respond. But they all said hi back. His emerging language skills are typical for his age, part vocabulary and part babble. He tried to start conversations with more enthusiasm than success. It was clear he didn’t care what people looked like, how old they were, or whether they said hello first.
My biggest revelation was that Jason was fully present no matter what he was doing —looking for sticks, running across the lawn, or looking at the sky. He was completely and absolutely in the moment.
Adapted from “Right Here, Right Now,” Stanford Magazine, July 2023, <https://stanfordmagazine.org/contents/right -here-right-now>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: Is Artificial Intelligence Transforming Education?
7 puntos
Text B
Is Artificial Intelligence Transforming Education?
As one of the most disruptive technologies in the forthcoming years, even in schools, Artificial Intelligence will be able to make the educational experience more efficient and engaging, both for teachers and students. Last year, Stanford University published the report “Artificial Intelligence and Life in 2030,” exploring the role of AI in various aspects of society. Talking about education and learning, the report stated that AI will play a fundamental role.
Formal education will probably never disappear completely, but it is clear that the new forms of online education are becoming more and more important. “They will become part of learning at all levels, from K-12 to University,” says the report by Stanford University, “facilitating more customisable approaches to learning.” Thanks to the Artificial Intelligence, in fact, online education systems will learn as the students learn, understanding their needs and supporting them with a tailor-made itinerary.
Also, statistics about learning will accelerate the development of new tools for personalised education. With the use of technologies powered by Artificial Intelligence, the problem of a “one-size-fits-all” approach to teaching will be finally solved. Thanks to Machine Learning algorithms, teachers will be able to identify the educational needs of their students, and find the gaps in their methods, pointing where students are struggling the most. On the other hand, students will be able to move through their education more effectively, and talented students who are often bored by easy tasks will finally find new motivation and challenges.
In years to come, teaching will remain a complex social interaction that requires authentic human skills, such as empathy for example, and these skills could hardly be learned by a machine. This means instructors will simply be assisted by robots, which will make these professionals better at their job.
Adapted from “‘Is Artificial Intelligence transforming Education?,” Acer Education, April 18, 2017. <https://acerforeducation.acer.com/education-trends/education-technology/is-artificial-intelligence-transforming-education/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqP2pBhDMARIsAJQ0CzpKFPvmKVdmN1PsO8trjYQ5ga29fOo5T3Lt 9WVwzOUpcaSbnR37t1caAl_lEALw_wcB>
Text A
World's Deepest Hotel
The deepest sleep experience in the world has just opened in North Wales, offering people the chance to stay overnight in an abandoned Victorian mine, 1,375 feet below the surface. Deep Sleep, the latest creation by Go Below's founder, Miles Moulding, is a unique adventure like no other. Set below the mountains of Snowdonia above, Deep Sleep was tunneled by miners over a century ago to mine minerals at the bottom of the sea. It comprises four private twin-bed cabins and a romantic cavern with a double bed.
Once you've met your trip leader at the base, he will drive you to a little cottage to give you a hard head protector, and water-resistant boots. Then, you will embark on a 60-minute walk to the mine, navigating an old stairway and deteriorated bridges. Food will also be provided once you arrive; the price includes an expedition-style meal to eat at the large picnic table. The route down is not for the fearful but don't worry, you won't be left alone in the mine. Your instructor and a member of technical staff will remain in their own cabin next to you, ready to prepare breakfast the following morning. Once you've eaten, it will be time to embark on the long climb up to the sea level.
Speaking about the experience, Deep Sleep say: "The trip to reach it is an adventure in itself, journeying for over an hour through tunnels and channels carved by those miners. One of Go Below's experienced and qualified trip leaders will guide guests through the caverns, showing the visitors some fascinating sights and giving an insight into the history of the mine and the lives of the men and boys who worked there. You can live a totally different ecosystem, and, most important, get away from screens for a couple of days."
Adapted from “World's deepest hotel opens in Snowdonia mine 1,375 feet below ground,” Country living, June 10, 2023. <https://www.countryliving.com/uk/travel-ideas/staycation-uk/a44139060/world-deepest-hotel-snowdonia-go-below-deep-sleep/>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: What Air Pollution Does to our Lungs
7 puntos
Text B
What Air Pollution Does to our Lungs
The World Health Organization is on a mission to make politicians understand that the climate crisis is a health crisis. Dr. María Neira (Director of the Department of Public Health and Environment) used the Cop28 summit last December to wake people up to the tremendous human cost of a global economy based on coal, oil and gas, and to make every politician take action immediately. “Are you ready to cope with the consequences of your inaction?” she said. “You have to live with that weight on your shoulders. You are not saving those lives – I don’t want to say killing – but you are definitely not protecting the lives of those people.”
That brings us back to our lungs. Burning fossil fuels leads to air pollution, which kills millions of people due to lung illnesses each year. Only blood pressure, smoking and diet play a bigger role in early deaths in the world. Nevertheless, the difference is that we have direct control over those three; we can decide how much exercise we do, whether we smoke, and what we eat.
Air pollution is a far bigger killer than extreme climate, which dominates discussions nowadays. But fortunately, stopping climate change and cutting air pollution go hand in hand. The shift to clean energy implies burning fewer fuels that emit toxic particles.
Doctors see “co-benefits” like this everywhere. Cleaning up transport implies fewer vehicles, cleaner cars, and more walking and cycling, all of which can save 5 million lives a year. Cleaning up agriculture implies a shift to healthier diets that can save millions more. Taken together, these health benefits strongly support a fast climate action. And Neira is confident she can make policymakers see this too.
Adapted from “What air pollution does to our lungs,” The Guardian, November 9, 2023. <https://deal.town/the-guardian/what-air-pollution-does-to-our-lungs-the-guardian-P3ZZNLS45E>
Text A
Theatre Audience Etiquette
Face masks, proof of vaccine and strict seating assignments might not sound like your ideal night out at the theatre. But while many of these rules may appear unprecedented in British performance venues, COVID-19 protocols can be connected to a long history of regulating audience behaviours in theatres. In the approximately 2,500 years of theatre history, rules and expectations of theatre audiences have reflected the ways that societies negotiate social norms. Spectators’ conduct has frequently raised questions about how they should behave and who should oversee that behaviour.
Audiences in the theatre of ancient Greece were active participants in the many dramatic festivals. Aristotle describes an angry audience shutting down a performance after they perceived inconsistency in the show. Alongside this lively conduct was also an impulse to regulate audience behaviour: a kind of “theatre police” was tasked with maintaining order during performances. Sixteenth-century England was renowned for its noisy audiences who, in public outdoor theatres, could sleep, eat and drink heartily all while taking in Shakespeare’s newest work. And in the mid-18th century, celebrated theatre manager David Garrick renovated his theatre to move the spectators off stage (up to that point audience members could actually sit on stage alongside the performers) and prevent them from entering the theatre via the actors’ dressing rooms.
Nowadays, the notion of proper etiquette at the theatre persists, although the audience is more docile. Audience etiquette guides, which cover everything from dress code and late arrivals to coughing and unwrapping candies, are widely available today. Cell phone use has also become a particularly controversial issue, sometimes policed by the actors themselves: in 2015, American actress Patti Lupone stopped a New York City performance by physically confiscating an audience member’s phone because it was ringing.
Adapted from “Theatre audience etiquette and norms have always shifted with the times, ”The Conversation, November 21, 2021. <https://theconversation.com/theatre-audience-etiquette-and-norms-have-always-shifted-with-the-times-169834>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: The Risks of Ultra-processed Foods
7 puntos
Text B
The Risks of Ultra-processed Foods
In many households, ultra-processed foods are popular options at the kitchen table, including unhealthy products that you may not even think of as junk food such as snack bars and sweetened yogurts. Breakfast cereals, soft drinks and energy drinks count, too.
Every year, food companies introduce thousands of new ultra-processed foods with an endless variety of flavours and ingredients. They are what scientists call hyper-palatable: easy to overeat, and capable of controlling the brain’s reward system and provoking powerful desires. Some experts argue that ultra-processed foods are so appealing to us not only because they taste really good, but also because they contain potent combinations of fat, sugar, sodium and artificial flavours.
Ultra-processed foods represent a larger share of the world’s diet in relation to earlier decades. Almost 60 percent of the calories that adults in America eat are from these foods. They account for 25 to 50 percent of the calories consumed in many other countries. Yet in dozens of studies, scientists have found that ultra-processed foods are linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, hypertension, and colon cancer. In 2021, a study found that people who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods had a 19 percent higher likelihood of early death from cancer and a 32 percent higher risk of dying young from a heart attack, compared with people who ate few ultra-processed foods.
Research also shows that our bodies seem to react differently to ultra-processed foods compared with similar foods that are not so highly processed. For example, on a diet of ultra-processed foods, people quickly gain weight and body fat. However, on an unprocessed, homemade diet, the reverse happens: people lose weight, and they have reductions in cholesterol and an increase in their levels of an appetite-suppressing hormone.
Adapted from “What are ultra-processed foods? What should I eat instead?” The Washington Post, September 27, 2019. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/09/27/ultraprocessed-foods/>
Text A
Who Invented Music?
No historical evidence exists to tell us exactly who sang the first song, or whistled the first tune, or made the first rhythmic sounds that resembled what we know today as music. But researchers know it happened thousands of years ago. The earliest civilizations throughout Africa, Europe and Asia had music. Back then, many believed it was a divine creation, a gift from the gods.
Some scholars say singing was the first kind of musical sound. Not that people back then were humming full songs. Instead, they made simpler vocal sounds – perhaps just a few notes combined. If that’s true, perhaps early humans began to speak and sing at about the same time. Why did they sing? Maybe they had an impulse to imitate something beautiful, like bird sounds. Vocal imitations of other animal sounds, however, may have been used for hunting, like a modern-day duck call. It’s also possible singing was a way to communicate with infants and toddlers, like early versions of lullabies. But again, people were not singing melodies or songs; our modern lullabies evolved throughout centuries.
Archaeologists have helped musicologists to learn about ancient musical instruments from the artifacts they’ve uncovered. For example, they have found flutes and whistles made of bone, pottery and stone. When the scientists measured how much carbon-14 was left in the flutes – which were made from the bones of large birds – they discovered some of the instruments were more than 30,000 years old! Musical instruments could also be associated with different types of people. Farmers played the syrinx, a small instrument that was easy to take into the fields. The aulos was a more sophisticated wind instrument: typically preferred by poet-musicians, it took more skill to play it.
Adapted from “Who invented music? The search for stone flutes, clay whistles and the dawn of song,” The Conversation, October 10, 2022. <https://theconversation.com/who-invented-music-the-search-for-stone-flutes-clay-whistles-and-the-dawn-of-song-185285>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: How Global Warming is Cutting Sleep Across the World
7 puntos
Text B
How Global Warming is Cutting Sleep Across the World
Humans spend about a third of their lives asleep, yet a growing number of people do not sleep enough. When adults do not receive the recommended amount of sleep, they may have issues with concentration. Long-term effects can include an increased risk of some health concerns like cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. Global warming does not help.
People worldwide are likely to lose 50 to 58 hours of sleep a year by 2099 due to the climate crises, a new study revealed. Researchers used wristbands with internal accelerometers to measure sleep duration in over 47,000 adults across 68 countries for an average of six months. A single night over 30 degrees Celsius reduces sleep time by about a quarter hour per person. Based on the research, the elderly lost twice the amount of sleep per degree of warming compared with young or middle-aged adults. Women were also about 25% more affected by the rising temperatures than men.
The amount of sleep people received during the first month of summer, when people were less familiar with the heat, and the last month of summer was very similar. This similarity in sleep loss indicated that people cannot adapt to higher temperatures over time. Additionally, results showed that people did not appear to recover the sleep they lost during a warm night in the two weeks after a temperature spike.
Air conditioning may allow people to adapt to the warmer temperatures, but it’s not a reliable, long-term solution. People living in lower-income countries have less access to air conditioning, which could further the equality divide. In addition, air conditioners release greenhouse gas emissions, which naturally increase global warming.
Adapted from “Expect to lose up to 58 hours of sleep a year by 2099. Here’s why,” CNN, May 24, 2022. <https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/24/health/sleep-loss-global-warming-study-wellness/>
Text A
The Origin of Chess
Chess is one of the world's most popular and beloved games. Almost 605 million players around the globe enjoy it regularly — about 8% of the world’s population. While most games are forgotten one decade after their invention, chess has survived the test of time. The game also got a boost thanks to the 2020 Netflix series The Queen's Gambit, with around 62 million watchers within its first four weeks. This led to a chess-buying boom, with eBay seeing a 215% increase in chess-set sales in the weeks after the show was released.
Its specific origins are difficult to determine, but most historians think the game originated in India. This is due to an ancient legend with written records dating from 1256 that names Grand Vizier Sissa Ben Dahir as the game's originator because he gifted the first chessboard to King Shirham of India. Against this theory, a few scholars follow the Spanish chess player and researcher Ricardo Calvo. He wrote that “most certainly it was invented in Iran”, a conclusion reached largely on the basis that ancient Persian literature mentions chess prior to it ever being mentioned in Indian literature.
Regarding the game age, there is no credible evidence that chess existed in a form approaching the modern game before the 6th century. Since that time, the game has evolved, with different cultures introducing both minor and major changes. Most regional cultures — those rich and unified enough to expand geographically — had their own forms of chess. In time, however, chess became more standardized thanks to the influence of 15th-century mathematician Luca Pacioli, who wrote On the Game of Chess. His book quickly established itself as a “chess bible”, codifying the rules and popularising the game the way it is known today.
Adapted from “Who invented chess?” Livescience, July 27, 2022. <https://www.livescience.com/32431-who-invented-chess.html?utm_campaign=368B3745-DDE0-4A69-A2E8-62503D85375D>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: The Case against Energy Drinks is Getting Stronger
7 puntos
Text B
The Case against Energy Drinks is Getting Stronger
Energy drinks are popular among teens and adults, but studies continue to show they may have serious side effects, including high blood pressure and hyperactivity.
In a report published in Pediatric Emergency Care, from 2011 to 2013 researchers conducted a questionnaire at two emergency departments that surveyed adolescents between ages 12 and 18 about their energy drinks habits in relation to health issues. Of the 612 young people who responded, 33% said they drank them frequently. Among those teens, 76% said they had suffered a headache in the last six months, 47% said they had experienced anger and 22% reported difficulty when breathing. It is impossible to say whether any of those behaviors were due to power drinks, but young people who consumed them were more likely to report the symptoms than those who didn’t. However, those who drank energy drinks were more inclined to say they helped them to do better in school or in sports, to focus and to stay up at night.
Energy drinks contain multiple stimulating ingredients beyond caffeine. “Often energy drinks contain an energy blend which is a combination of herbal supplements as well as vitamins in often greater levels than the appropriate daily intake,” says one of the researchers. “Further research may be needed to determine their use and dosages.”
As Time magazine has previously reported, energy drink companies insist their products are safe and that a link between their beverages and side effects can’t be confirmed. They claim that their products give an energy boost and improve physical and cognitive performance. However, studies supporting these statements are limited: although power drinks may have beneficial effects on physical performance, they also have possible adverse health consequences. The promotion of energy drinks should be limited until independent research confirms their safety, particularly among adolescents.
Adapted from “The Case Against Energy Drinks Is Getting Stronger,” Time, November 16, 2016. <https://time.com/4569694/energy-drinks-soda-caffeine>
Ejercicio 1 — Text A: Today’s "Fake News" Used to Be Called Yellow Journalism
7 puntos
Text A
Today’s "Fake News" Used to Be Called Yellow Journalism
It is perhaps not so surprising to hear that the problem of "fake news" — media outlets adopting sensationalism to the point of fantasy — is nothing new. As Robert Darnton said, the first example of this in history may have been in the late 19th century. This was when "Yellow Journalism" first began.
Why yellow? The reasons are not totally clear and some sources point to the yellow ink the publications would sometimes use, though others say it was named after a popular cartoon called The Yellow Kid. This cartoon first ran in Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, and later William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. These two newspapers were in a battle because they wanted to win readers. Their competition led to the rise of Yellow Journalism.
Although today his name is somewhat synonymous with journalism of the highest standards, through association with the Pulitzer Prize, Joseph Pulitzer had a very different reputation while alive. After purchasing The New York World in 1884 and rapidly increasing circulation through the publication of sensationalist stories, he earned the dubious honour of being the pioneer of tabloid journalism. He soon had a competitor in the field when his rival William Randolph Hearst acquired The New York Journal in 1885. The rivalry was fierce, each trying to outdo each other with ever more sensational and scandalous stories.
Yellow Journalism was at its worst in the days leading up to the Spanish-American War. Hearst's newspaper had a major influence on the conflict. It encouraged anti-Spanish feelings across the United States. Some people started calling the war "The Journal's War". Both newspapers published stories about the war that were full of unconfirmed claims, sensationalist propaganda, and outright factual errors.
Adapted from “Yellow Journalism: The "Fake News" of the 19th Century,” The Public Domain Review, December 11, 2019. <https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/yellow-journalism-the-fake-news-of-the-19th-century>
Text B
Breakfast Radio
Global Breakfast Radio (GBR) is a 24-hour operation, broadcasting programs from more than 250 radio stations around the world. But there's a catch: each of those stations is only played during its time zone's respective breakfast time slot. As GBR explains in a statement, "The sun is always rising somewhere; breakfast is always just about to happen. In some small way, Global Breakfast Radio hopes to be a way of traveling globally through the medium of radio."
The station was created by two UK-based breakfast radio fans, Seb Emina, a writer, and Daniel Jones, a systems artist. The duo searched for hundreds of radio stations worldwide to narrow down the current list of 250. Those stations play on a loop, with music and news following the sunrise. Pulling that off, however, required a bit of technical finesse. Digital music lovers might notice that the output bears a little resemblance to the algorithmically generated playlists built by Spotify or Pandora. "The difference is that here the algorithm is mediated by the day-long cycle of the Sun sweeping the globe," says Jones, "tied together with the myriad broadcasters in these remote locations."
But this is not without problems, explains Jones. "We soon discovered that internet stream URLs seem to decay and disappear extremely quickly, meaning that the database of stations needs to be constantly updated." Once the algorithmic problems were worked out, the team tried to create a list that is representative of the tremendous diversity around the globe and that captures the feeling of exploring new places. Even licensed photos of sunrises from those places are shown as music and news are broadcast.
Adapted from “This Radio Station Broadcasts All Over the World, But Only at Breakfast Time,” Smithsonian Magazine, May 7, 2014. <https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/radio-station-broadcasts-all-over-world-only-breakfast-time-180951352/>
Ejercicio 1 — Text A: Firms Hire for “Cultural Fit”
7 puntos
Text A
Firms Hire for “Cultural Fit”
Job rejections are like break ups – they are never fun, but some are worse than others. ‘We were impressed by your resume, but you’re not a cultural fit’ is the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ of job rejections. It is vague, confusing and almost always means there was something about you personally they didn’t like, but didn’t want to say out loud. Sandra Okerulu experienced this first-hand earlier this year. She applied for a role at a New York-based company and had an interview which went “perfectly”, she says. The company told her that her experience was what they were looking for, and she’d get an email about a second interview shortly. But she heard nothing for days. “Then I got an email saying I wasn’t a good fit, so they went with somebody else,” she says.
Of course, candidates understand job interviews are about more than checking qualifications. They’re also compatibility assessments – if your working style and behaviours mean you’ll function well within an organisation. The problem is that, too often, these assessments are subjective. That can mean candidates who look, act or sound different to recruiters are at an immediate disadvantage. Being dismissed for ‘cultural fit’ can leave demoralised candidates struggling to decipher what they did wrong. It can also leave certain workers unable to access particular roles or sectors.
Although many recruiters only hire candidates they think will fit with the company culture, research shows it’s actually in companies’ interests to stop doing this if they want to build better teams. In fact, there’s a significant disadvantage for companies who rely on cultural fit: they can end up very homogenous, so diversity is actually better for business.
Adapted from “What Does Being a ‘Cultural Fit’ Actually Mean?” BBC Worklife, October 20, 2021. <https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211015-what-does-being-a-cultural-fit-actually-mean>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry
7 puntos
Text B
Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry
According to reports from 2019, the amount of clothes bought in the European Union (EU) per person has increased by 40% in just a few decades. This fact was driven by a fall in prices and the increased speed with which fashion is delivered to consumers.
Clothing accounts for between 2% and 10% of the environmental impact of EU consumption. This impact is often felt in third countries, as most production takes place out of the EU. The production of raw materials – e.g. pesticides for cotton –, spinning them into fibres, weaving fabrics and dyeing require enormous amounts of water and chemicals. Consumer use also has a large environmental footprint due to the water, energy and chemicals used in washing, tumble drying and ironing, as well as to microplastics shed into the environment.
Less than half of used clothes are collected for re-use or recycling when they are no longer needed, and only 1% are recycled into new clothes, since technologies that would enable recycling clothes into virgin fibres are only starting to emerge. Various ways to address these issues have been proposed, including developing new business models for clothing rental, designing products in a way that would make re-use and recycling easier (circular fashion), convincing consumers to buy fewer clothes of better quality (slow fashion), and generally directing consumer behaviour towards choosing more sustainable options.
In 2018, the EU adopted a circular economy package that will for the first time ensure that textiles are collected separately in all Member States by 2025 at the latest. The European Parliament has for years promoted the use of ecological and sustainable raw materials and the re-use and recycling of clothing.
Adapted from “Environmental Impact of the Textile and Clothing Industry,” European Parliament Think Tank, January 17, 2019. <https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI%282019%29633143>
Ejercicio 1 — Text A: Can our Bodies Withstand Global Heating?
7 puntos
Text A
Can our Bodies Withstand Global Heating?
“Every human being is at risk from extreme heat – it’s a fact of life, your body needs to function in a certain environment,” says Mike McGeehin, environmental health epidemiologist. “And when that environment becomes extreme then you are at risk.” The impact of extreme heat on the human body is not unlike what happens when a car overheats. Failure starts in one or two systems, and eventually it takes over the whole engine until the car stops.
The hypothalamus, located in the brain, regulates body temperature using information passed to it by temperature sensors in our skin, muscles, and other organs. When high temperatures are detected, the brain initiates a cascade of responses to help us cool down, such as sweating, increased respiration and the impulse to seek water and cooler environments. But when the system overheats, these responses start to fail, and miscommunication can occur in the brain, contributing to confusion, dizziness and altered behaviour. Each organ responds differently to extreme heat exposure, with symptoms that quickly become fatal or cause permanent damage from which the body may never fully recover. For instance, to sweat and cool off, blood flow shifts to the periphery of the body, causing a fall in blood pressure in vital organs. The heart starts to beat faster to compensate, but, if the person does not replenish their water reserves, blood pressure can drop dangerously and cause fainting.
Between 1998 and 2017, more than 166,000 people died due to heat, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and countries around the world are experiencing a year on year rise in record-breaking high temperatures. For many people, unendurable heat is becoming the new normal. It is most likely to disproportionately affect the poor, the sick – those with chronic conditions, or heart and kidney disease in particular – and older people.
Adapted from “Too Hot to Handle: Can our Bodies Withstand Global Heating?” The Guardian, October 20, 2021. <https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/oct/20/too-hot-to-handle-can-our-bodies-withstand-global-heating>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: The Rise of the ‘Granfluencer’
7 puntos
Text B
The Rise of the ‘Granfluencer’
Over the past decade, social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube have rapidly grown in importance. According to a recent report, more than 45% of the world's population is tapped into social media. Within this large number, there's a common misconception that most people posting, liking, and commenting on social feeds are twenty-somethings and younger. The truth is, many seniors have broadened their horizons when it comes to technology. According to a research study, the percentage of adults aged 65 and older who used social media grew from 3% in 2005 to 45% in 2021.
Some seniors have even become ‘granfluencers’, and people of all ages can't get enough of their content. Granfluencers are senior influencers who know their way around social media and use their popularity to make money (snapping pics, recording videos, and learning the art of selfies). This group also engages in leisure tasks that do not generate income, such as tech and travel, working out and dining out, all while sharing on social media.
The added bonus with granfluencers is that there's immense value in their wisdom and life experiences, filling the need of audiences that seek out content that encourages diverse voices and makes them feel good. After all, what's more heart-warming than a grandma enjoying a product she loves or having fun with the latest TikTok challenge? There are quite a few seniors sharing their authentic voices in the social space these days — some of the best-known granfluencers include 92-year-old performance artist Helen Ruth Elam and and 75-year-old Joan MacDonald, who is a health and fitness influencer. Women aren't the only ones boosting ratings and capturing hearts, though: Nicky Elliott is a lively and entertaining man who helps people enjoy and learn sign language through music.
Adapted from “How Granfluencers Are a Growing & Positive Influence for Us All,” Resort Lifestyle Communities, September 9, 2021. <https://rlcommunities.com/blog/how-granfluencers-are-a-growing-positive-influence-for-us-all/>
Text A
The Special Olympics
Over 50 years ago, Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly people with intellectual disabilities were treated and that many children didn’t even have a place to play. She decided to take action and held a summer day camp for young people with intellectual disabilities in her own backyard. In this camp, these young people could participate in sports and physical activities, focusing on what they could do, and not on what they couldn’t do. This was a revolutionary idea at the time.
In 1968, 1,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from the USA and Canada competed in the first Special Olympics International Summer Games in Chicago. There, over 200 events were offered – from 100-yard swim to high jump, water polo and floor hockey. The event was so successful that Eunice assured that more games would be held as a “Biennial International Special Olympics”.
The event has grown to become an international competition. In 2003, for the first time, it went to another country, Ireland. Initially, the organisers didn’t expect it, but nearly every country wanted to host the competing nations and their athletes. Ireland took the Olympic Games to its heart. There were around ten thousand volunteers and people came out in the hundreds of thousands to enjoy the spectacle and cheer on the athletes. Any barriers that had existed before between those with and without intellectual disabilities broke down then.
Sport brings people together. Nevertheless, it seldom brings out the levels of shared empathy and joy as the Special Olympics does, being a force for good, change, and unity. It has been celebrated every two years in seven different countries so far and is usually the largest sports and humanitarian event in the world that year.
Adapted from “Special Olympics History,” Special Olympics, November 28, 2020. <https://www.specialolympics.org/about/history>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: Students Vote and Work the Polls, Despite the Pandemic
7 puntos
Text B
Students Vote and Work the Polls, Despite the Pandemic
Historically, most young Americans don’t vote. In the 2016 presidential election, fewer than half of eligible voters between 18 and 29 cast a ballot. Last year, that changed. Young voters were showing rare levels of enthusiasm, even as college students faced new obstacles. “The pandemic upturned both how people vote and how students learn,” said our colleague Dan Levin, who wrote about the struggles students face right now. “Just like there have been Zoom classes, students were going virtual with their organizing.”
In a regular election year, campus activists would have tables on the quad and knock on doors in dormitories. Last year, instead of crowding into common rooms, students were hosting debate watch parties on Zoom, recruiting poll workers over Instagram and encouraging students to post their voting plans on Snapchat. “We had to exhaust every possible option to continue energizing voters,” said Roderick Hart, 20, a junior at Morehouse College in Atlanta. “Social media was really our only way of connecting everybody at once, considering we weren’t on campus.”
Last year, more than seven million voters under 30 had already cast ballots, including nearly four million in 14 key battleground states, according to data compiled by researchers at Tufts University. “We just came in and got as many students as we could engage on their floor,” said Jess Scott, who asked resident advisers at the University of Pittsburgh to host voter information sessions on Zoom. Students were disproportionately vulnerable. The coronavirus exacerbated concerns about student IDs and proof of residency, as documents moved online, and many students were learning in other places.
Adapted from “Students Vote and Work the Polls, Despite the Pandemic,” New York Times, November 2nd, 2020. < https://bit.ly/2N4CR29>
Ejercicio 1 — Text A: Is the Full Stop no Longer Necessary?
7 puntos
Text 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>
Ejercicio 1 — Text B: Women Spies during World War II
7 puntos
Text 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>
Ejercicio 1 — Text A: TikTok, a Social Media Sensation
7 puntos
Text 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>
Text B
Gap Years for Every Student
Taking a gap year – a period of time during which a student takes a break from studying after school and before college or university – has long been considered a rite of passage. Students delay advanced academic studies to spend a year in the world focused on experiential education, internship, volunteer work and gaining real-world experience to complement the classroom learning.
It is not so much a year “off” of school, as a year “on” your own terms used to experiment with interests and pursue passions that may clarify a student’s future career path. Academic experts say that students who take gap years will frequently be more mature, more self-reliant and independent than non-gap year students. Career advisors state that taking a year out can set you apart from other applicants.
The benefits of taking a gap year aren’t just a matter of opinion. Research statistics show that 90 percent of students who took a gap year returned to college within a year and confirmed that this experience had an impact on their choice of academic major and career. Students who have taken a gap year report being satisfied with their jobs and figures confirm that 88 percent of them improved their employability thanks to this experience.
The question that is hotly debated, of course, is that of economic parity. Traditionally, gap years have been seen as something for children of wealthy families. While statistics indicate that 18% of students taking a gap year come from families with high-income levels, 19% came from families with more limited incomes. Therefore, the value of a gap year is widely recognized and even families in the lower to middle income brackets are investing in this experience for the educational benefit of their students.
Adapted from “Gap Years for Every Student: How to Make the Most of the Opportunity,” Bootsnall Articles, November 27, 2020. <https://www.bootsnall.com/articles/a-gap-year-for-every-student.html>
Answer only TWO of the three statements (a, b, c); if you answer all three, only the first two count. Write T, F or NG and, for T or F, copy the complete sentence from the text.
Answer both questions (a and b) in your own words.
Answer only TWO of the three statements (a, b, c); if you answer all three, only the first two count. Write T, F or NG and, for T or F, copy the complete sentence from the text.
Answer only TWO of the three statements (a, b, c); if you answer all three, only the first two count. Write T, F or NG and, for T or F, copy the complete sentence from the text.
Answer only TWO of the three statements (a, b, c); if you answer all three, only the first two count. Write T, F or NG and, for T or F, copy the complete sentence from the text.
Answer only TWO of the three statements (a, b, c); if you answer all three, only the first two count. Write T, F or NG and, for T or F, copy the complete sentence from the text.
Answer only TWO of the three statements (a, b, c); if you answer all three, only the first two count. Write T, F or NG and, for T or F, copy the complete sentence from the text.