Textos Ingl (Es 2bach

EVAU TEXTS
(2º Bachillerato)
CURSO 2020-2021
A New BBC Period Drama

1
The BBC is to make its first prime-time period drama that will have Asian actors in all the leading roles.
Filming is due to start this summer on an adaptation of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy, which at 1,349
pages is one of the longest novels in the English language.
It will be directed by Mira Nair, the Indian-American film-maker behind Monsoon Wedding. Andrew
Davies, best known for adapting Pride and Prejudice for the BBC, has been drafted in for the
screenplay.
To be broadcast next year, the series is expected to have more than 100 characters. All the main roles
will be played by Asians – many from India – while the handful of white characters in Seth’s book will
appear only as bit parts. It contrasts with ITV’s current Sunday night offering, Beecham House, which
stars Tom Bateman playing a former member of the East India Company in the leading role. Previous
hit dramas set in Asia, such as The Far Pavillions and The Jewel in the Crown, have also focused on
white characters.
Davies acknowledged it was a big departure for the BBC, but believes viewers will still tune in. “It is
exciting,” he said. “Not many of the leading players will be known to a British audience. But it is also like
a Jane Austen novel in that it’s got a lovely, easy-to-relate-to central plot.”
A Suitable Boy revolves around the desire of a middle-class Indian mother, Rupa Mehra, to marry off
her youngest daughter, Lata. The Indian actress Tabu, who starred as the mother in Ang Lee’s Life of
Pi, is expected to play Mehra, while a Bollywood star has been cast as Lata.
QUESTIONS
1 (2 puntos) Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No
marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE.
a) This will be the first production by Mira Nair.
b) There will be no white characters in the new BBC series.
2 (2 puntos) In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following
questions. Do not copy from the text.
a) How does Andrew Davies think the audience will react to this new series and why?
b) What is the plot of the new BBC series?
3 (1 punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

a) screened (paragraph 3)
b) present (paragraph 3)
c) change (paragraph 4)
d) wish (paragraph 5)
4 (2 puntos) Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in
brackets when given.
a) Vikram Seth......................(born) in India, but.....................(spend) most of his life in the UK.
b) I’d..................watch a period drama than...................(read) a book.
c) If I had..................opportunity to travel to India, I....................(visit) Vikram Seth’s relatives.
d) After....................(watch) the last thriller on Netflix, I couldn’t sleep...................a couple of nights.
5 (3 puntos) Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic.

What do you prefer, films or TV series? Justify your answer.
The Carbon Footprint of your Inbox
2
Your annual work email could be adding the same amount of warming carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere as a flight between London and Bruges. Email has a carbon footprint because of the
power demands to create and run the computers, servers and routers that transmit each message.
The average email reportedly adds an extra 4 grams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – but this
can increase 12 fold in email chains or with big attachments. Office workers on average process over
34,000 emails each year and can spend around 13 hours a week working on their inboxes. “This
amount of carbon dioxide is equivalent to a customer having used 16,800 plastic bags in a single year,”
a spokesperson for CWJobs said.
Not every email is equal, however, as adding a single 1MB attachment is predicted to raise its carbon
output up to 19 grams. Larger attachments use up more energy in turn. “A particularly long email chain
produces more than just hot air – it can generate as much as 50 grams in CO2 emissions,” CWJobs
said. With global email traffic predicted to rise by 18 per cent in 2023, it would result in an extra 620
million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
A series of recommendations for how people can cut down on their communicative carbon footprints
have also been published. These include only adding necessary people in email chains, replacing
attachments with links to material online, and talking to people in person. In addition, due to the
European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, the total number of unwanted emails have been
reduced by 1.2 billion messages a day, which is the equivalent of 360 tonnes of carbon dioxide
emissions cut every single day.
QUESTIONS
a) The carbon footprint of emails is not related only to the electricity consumed by computers.
b) The number of spam emails has been reduced thanks to the introduction of specific policies.
a) What is the relationship between the size of an attachment and its carbon emission?
b) What can we do to reduce the carbon footprint of emails? Mention two ideas.

a) yearly (paragraph 1)
b) additional (paragraph 2)
c) quantity (paragraph 2)
d) consume (paragraph 3)
a) Researchers said domestic travel was a bigger cause of CO2 emissions ....................international
travel. In fact, air travel was one of......................(important) causes.
b) ...................(avoid) natural disasters or extreme temperatures, .....................can damage the
environment, we must keep the level of greenhouse gases at their natural levels.
c) Some people think that the greenhouse effect.........................(not/become) such a big problem if we
.........................(not/cut) so many trees in the past.
d) Rewrite the following sentence so that it means the same: We are consuming natural resources
so fast that the Earth does not have time to renew them.
Natural resources...........................................................................................................
5 (3 puntos) Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic: Would you agree to have limited
Internet access to help reduce carbon emissions? Justify your answer.
Lost and Found
3
Losing your wallet is a sure-fire way to ruin your own day. It starts with panic when you realize the loss,
moves to a sinking feeling that your wallet is truly “missing in action”, continues with monitoring your
credit card transactions, and usually ends with calls to the powers that be at every credit card company,
bank, and gym membership you had stored in your wallet, while you mourn the loss of your cash.
Tim Cameron was most likely working through those stages of grief on Monday when he realized
that he had lost his wallet on the way home from his job in London. Luckily, though, a Good Samaritan
had found the wallet and came up with an ingenious plan to get it back to its rightful owner. Like most
people who lose a wallet, Cameron quickly checked his bank account to see if there was any
unauthorized or strange activity. Turns out there was – but for a good cause.
Cameron noticed that there were a series of bank transfers all for just one pence and each came with a
very small message. Someone had found his wallet, but since there wasn’t enough identifying
information to track down the owner, he had come up with a way to send his name and phone number
through the bank deposit notes. Cameron explained in a tweet that each of the “4 transfers of
£0.01” allowed for “a message of up to 18 characters”, which is how the helpful
stranger, known only as Simon, conveyed his contact information to Cameron.
Cameron called the number, got Simon’s address, and soon enough was
reunited with his wallet, handing over a bottle of red wine as a thank-you gift.
QUESTIONS
a) In his wallet, Tim Cameron didn’t keep any personal documents that had an address
or a telephone number.
b) Cameron didn’t show any appreciation for Simon’s help.
a) How do people normally react when they lose their wallets?
b) What was the aim of doing the bank transfers?

a) spoil (paragraph 1)
b) noticed (paragraph 2)
c) thought of (paragraph 2)
d) only (paragraph 3)
a) ......................(lose) your wallet is one of .......................(bad) things that can happen.
b) The person.......................wallet I found, had left it.........................the bus.
c) Stop.....................(complain)! We......................(find) your wallet sooner or later!
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
“You won’t believe what happened to me!” she said.
She told me ............................................................................................

Have you ever lost something that was important to you? Describe your experience or imagine one.
The Real History behind Game of Thrones
4
George R.R. Martin holds his cards close to his chest when it comes to his inspiration for Game of
Thrones – after all, too much information could spoil the plot. But he has acknowledged that much of
the political intriguing that drives his series is inspired by the Wars of the Roses, when the Houses of
Lancaster and York engaged in a bloody fight for the English throne.
Other historical parallels have been drawn by fans of the books and the HBO series. When Edward IV
died, his sons Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury were mysteriously imprisoned in the tower of
London, and eventually disappeared. Many suspect they were put to death by their uncle Richard III,
who became king. Sound familiar? Many have compared the Princes in the Tower to the
disappearance of Bran and Rickon; though in Game of Thrones, the boys actually escaped, and two
corpses burned beyond recognition were presented as their substitutes.
Like Yara Greyjoy, Empress Matilda was meant to take the throne when her father died but was
pushed out by a male relative. And like Cersei Lannister, Margaret of Anjou exerted outsized influence
for a medieval queen consort and fought vigorously for her son’s right to the throne.
The horrific Red Wedding has roots in the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692, when
38 members of the Clan MacDonald were killed by their own guests due to an unfulfilled promise of
loyalty to the monarchs. Obviously, the killings constituted a serious transgression against the rules of
hospitality. And the Wall along the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms bears a similarity to
Hadrian’s Wall, built along the northern border of Britannia to keep out the barbarians (the Scots).
QUESTIONS
a) Viewers and readers have pointed out similarities between Martin’s story and historical
events.
b) There is evidence that Richard III killed two of his nephews to inherit the throne.
a) Why didn’t Empress Matilda inherit the throne?
b) According to the text, what happened to the Clan MacDonald and why?
3 (1punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

a) admitted (paragraph 1)
b) jailed (paragraph 2)
c) finally (paragraph 2)
d) excessive (paragraph 3)
a) The series Game of Thrones.........................(base) on the book A Song of Ice and Fire,
........................(write) by George R.R. Martin
b) My younger sister is not allowed......................(watch) Game of Thrones because she is not
old...................
c) .....................the fact that Game of Thrones is bloody and sexist, most people ......................have
watched it say they like it.
d) Remember......................(return) Martin’s book to the library before the deadline....................(expire).

What is your favourite TV series? Describe the plot and say why you like it.
Scotland’s First Dog Café

5
In recent years, cat cafés have started to pop up nationwide, including Edinburgh’s beloved
Maison de Moggy; however, much to dog lovers’ dismay, dog cafés seem to be few and far between.
But fear not dog lovers, as Scotland’s first dog café will be opening its doors late this year.
The animal café market started with cats but has now expanded to include dog cafés, hedgehog
cafés, and even a penguin bar in Tokyo. Although the concept of the animal café really blossomed in
Japan, the world’s first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998. Since then, the popularity of animal cafés
has soared.
The Edinburgh Chihuahua Café will offer 50-minute sessions which you can spend cuddling
puppies, drinking tea, and eating scones. The café will also offer private puppy parties and is currently
offering limited edition Puppy Cream Tea Parties. Of course, the stars of the café are the resident
Chihuahuas – Ama, Lady Bee, Cleopatra, Duchess, and Gatsby, who have all been raised together
since they were puppies, but all have their own unique personalities. Lady Bee is the best at learning
tricks, Duchess is clumsy, and Gatsby loves long walks. Ama was the inspiration to open the Edinburgh
Café. Her owner, Tanya Salitura, believes the incredible popularity of animal cafes is down to the
instant feel-good feeling we get when we interact with animals, even calling it a form of therapy.
Animal activists have questioned the wellbeing of animals living in animal cafés, and animal
charities insist they should be properly regulated. Edinburgh Chihuahua Café states their number one
priority is the health and wellbeing of their Chihuahuas. The dogs have plenty of breaks away from the
crowds, a balanced diet, and have plenty of exercise and space to play.
QUESTIONS
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks
are given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Following the example of cat cafés in Scotland, a new dog café has already opened in that country.
b) The Edinburgh Café’s proprietor thinks that animal cafés are successful because of how rewarding
animal contact can be.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do
not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What kind of animal-related services will the Edinburgh Chihuahua Café provide its customers with?
b) What are two of the main concerns of animal organizations regarding the dogs?
3.- Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) nevertheless (paragraph 1)
b) brought up (paragraph 3)
c) immediate (paragraph 3)
d) a great deal (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when
given. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) _______having time to rest, the dogs in animal cafés still might suffer _______ a certain degree of
mistreat.
b) Toby was really good _______ learning the new tricks that his master _______ (teach) him last year.
c)Recently animal cafés _______ (become) really popular _______ of the therapeutic effect the
animals seem to have on customers.
d)Complete the following sentence to report what was said. “Have you visited the new dog café that
has just opened in town?” Kan asked us
___________________________________________________ .
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. Do you believe animal cafés would be
successful in Spain? Why or why not? (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
6
Friends Forever?
Throughout university, the sentence “I'll add you on Facebook” is a common end to a 4 a.m.
walk home with new acquaintances. Then you wake up in the morning to find out they actually have.
You cannot refuse because that would be awkward next time you meet them in the bar. However,
having too many friends is causing anxiety amongst many young people and, unless they change the
way they engage with Facebook post-university, these Facebook friends are likely to see their future
wedding, first children and 40th birthday party all online. Perhaps it is the time to cut down on the
number of online friends.
One fourth-year student suggested that deleting one person a day is a suitable method to gently
reduce your number of Facebook friends. But being deleted on Facebook is offensive. Rarely in real life
do we walk up to someone and very publicly say to their face, "we are not friends anymore", yet that is
the comparable act of deleting someone on Facebook. An online action with no real life equivalent.
A popular reason for keeping casual acquaintances from university days is that they could be
useful contacts in a future career. Yet, Hannah, a final year business student, also suggested that the
combination of personal use and professional image online had become difficult. In fact, coming
towards the end of fourth year, many students are concerned with potential employers checking their
social media account.
QUESTIONS
1. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are
given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Many university students enlarge their Facebook contacts with people they casually meet during a
night out.
b) There is no way Facebook friends could eventually be of help in your professional life.
a) Why can deleting Facebook friends be considered offensive?
b) Why should students in the last year of their degree be especially careful with the people they have
as Facebook friends?
a) people you have met but do not know well (paragraph 1)
b) reduce (paragraph 1)
c) though (paragraph 2)
d) worried about (paragraph 3
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word when given.
(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Students _______ have many social contacts over the Internet are at risk of _______ (lose)
opportunities when it comes to finding a job.
b) As every minute 240,000 pictures _______ (add) to Facebook, career advisers suggest that we
_______ (use) social networking wisely.
c) Peter asked: "How long _______ (have) a Facebook account?" Molly answered: “_______ I was 18
and I’m 22 now.”
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said. “Do not post these photos on Instagram.”
My mother told me_________________________________________________
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Should Facebook users make their contact information, photos and friends private? Justify your
answer.
7
Smartphones in Schools
Today, in a supposedly more enlightened age, adults turn a blind eye while children are
exposed to their smartphones and left to roam unsupervised in the darkest places online. Some
psychiatrists believe that a non-stop attachment to technology is leading to borderline “autistic”
behaviour and other problems such as eating disorders or self-harm. Can it be a coincidence that
mental health problems in the young have spiralled in the same period that, thanks to smartphones, the
internet has infiltrated every waking hour of the day?
Dazzled by this addictive life-changing technology, we seem to have forgotten that there are two
distinct groups of people – adults and children – and the former have a duty to set boundaries and
protect the latter from harm. Instead, parents give in to their adolescents’ pleading that not having a
smartphone would lead to social death.
Most astonishing is the fact that smartphones are allowed in many schools. A group of 14-year-
olds was asked how they would feel about handing their smartphones in at the beginning of the school
day and picking them up at home time. Horror! How would they keep in touch with their friends?
Perhaps parents should ban under-16s from having smartphones altogether. That being
unlikely, however, we should at least ban smartphones in schools. Forget the nonsense that these
devices are good for “learning strategies”. They are bad for young people’s mental health. We are the
adults with not just a right but a responsibility to tell children what they can and cannot do.
QUESTIONS
a) Nowadays adults let children use the internet without paying attention to its risks.
b) According to the writer, the use of smartphones should only be permitted to children over 14.
a) Why do parents let their children have a smartphone?
b) How does the writer feel about the use of smartphones in schools?
a) because of (paragraph 1)
b) limits (paragraph 2)
c) consent (paragraph 2)
d) improbable (paragraph 4)
a) He _______ (give) a new tablet for his birthday, although he was not old _____to know how to use it.
b) Smart watches will become _______ fashionable in a near future that nobody will be able to live
_______ one.
c) Remember _______ (switch) off your phone before the concert _______ (start).
d) I have met lots of young people _______ suffer _______ anxiety if they don’t have the latest device.
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. Explain how smartphones have
changed our lives. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
I, Robot
8
A good receptionist should have certain characteristics: helpful, friendly, organized. But do they
need to be human? Perhaps not anymore. Walk into JLL’s Carrington Street office in Sydney and you’ll
be greeted by JiLL, their new receptionist who can assist in a delivery, contact hosts, recognize
employees or visitors, and more. It is just one of a growing number of robotic staff now working in
offices around the world.
More than 260,000 robots are working in US factories today, most of them in the automotive,
semiconductor and electronics industries. In white-collar workplaces, automation takes the form of
reception assistants like JiLL that are assuming formerly human duties such as bulk and personalised
correspondence, appointment scheduling and other office functions. In the 2020s and beyond, robotic
versions of people will perform tasks previously reserved for humans. Sadly, this trend will reduce the
demand for low-skilled labour, but that’s only part of the picture; it will also increase the need for access
to highly skilled talent to manage the robots. The effect is more than mere replacement – it’s
advancement.
The influx of sophisticated technologies will enable us to think of work in new and innovative
ways. These “next-generation” digital changes are also imposing different work environments. As a
result, we are witnessing the emergence of new workforce models such as the “liquid workforce” and
the “human cloud”. The “liquid workforce” refers to employees who are able to re-train and adapt to
their environment in order to stay relevant during the digital revolution. The “human cloud” model brings
together autonomous, on-demand workers who can work onsite or perform their jobs remotely. Today,
“human cloud” freelance workers comprise 35% of the workforce in the USA, and their numbers are
expected to reach 80% of the future enterprise workforce by 2030.
QUESTIONS
a) The number of cyber-assistants working in commercial and administrative centres may seem modest
today, but it is gradually increasing everywhere.
b) Despite possible setbacks in some areas, the robotic revolution will mean progress for our society.
a) Explain four tasks that automated receptionists can perform today.
b) Describe the new labour models that are emerging because of refined technologies.
a) features (paragraph 1)
b) tendency (paragraph 2)
c) operate (paragraph 2
d) carry out (paragraph 3)
a)_______ robots had existed in the 1960s as they do today, it could have been possible to send one to
the moon before _______ (send) human beings.
b) I Robot is a film set in a future Earth _______ robots have three laws, but if they broke these laws,
there would nothing to stop them _______ taking over the world.
c) Robots can be used in almost _______ situation to help humans in some way, _______ is their
primary function.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said. “Teach your robot proper manners if you
want him to succeed!”, Peter told Emma.
Peter told Emma ….
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. How do you see our future coexistence
with robots? (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
9
Airport Cities
Anyone who has ever spent time in an airport waiting for a flight knows that this can be very dull.
However, this is changing, as airports have already entered the twenty-first century.
The rise and expansion of air traffic is causing many changes. Many people commute for
business reasons, and there has recently been a large increase in the air cargo business. Food items
produced in one place, for example, tropical fruit, may have to be transported quickly for sale in another.
In addition, the growth in Internet use has expanded e-commerce, and customers who order items online
expect delivery right away.
As a result, airports and the surrounding areas have grown tremendously. Many companies are
building warehouses near runways, and high-tech firms are setting up offices that are convenient for
airline commuters. Other new airport buildings include entertainment and sports facilities. Some
“aerotropoli”, as these new airport cities have been called, even include housing. Despite the noise and
pollution, developers are quickly building homes to house the increasing number of workers dependent
on airports.
Even without the adjacent businesses, airports themselves are growing. To meet the needs of
workers and travellers, airports are expanding their services. Not only has shopping become more
attractive and competitive, but some airports display works of art, and the Dallas / Fort Worth
International Airport even offers wine tasting.
The idea of building aerotropoli is now spreading beyond the USA, and there are plans to build
them in France, Brazil, South Korea, and Hong Kong. Wouldn’t it be nice if, while you wait for your next
flight, you could sit in a rocking chair (as in Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts) and listen
to live music (as in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas)?
QUESTIONS
1. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are
a) People don’t live in any “aerotropoli.”
b) Airport cities can be found in Hong Kong today.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
a) How has Internet growth affected airports?
b) Why are more airports today offering more services than in the past?
3. Find the words in the text that mean: (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
a) boring (paragraph 1)
b) immediately (paragraph 2)
c) establishing (paragraph 3)
d) show (paragraph 4)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when
a) “What time does the plane take _____ ? I think it ______ (be) about to leave soon.”
b) In the past, homes _______ (not build) near airports, but that _____ (change) nowadays.
c) Because ______ increased security, people must now arrive ______ airports earlier than in the past.
Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
d) “What time is your flight tonight?”
He asked me ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of air travel?
10
Daughter of David Adams joins Antarctic ski expedition
The 16-year-old daughter of explorer David Adams is to join her father on an expedition to ski to
the South Pole. If successful, Amelia will become the youngest person to ski in the Antarctic. They plan
to ski the last 97 miles to the South Pole over two weeks.
It would not be the first time one of Mr. Adams's daughters has joined him on a polar mission. In
2005, Amelia's sister Alicia, then aged 15, became the youngest person to trek to the North Pole.
The latest challenge will begin 97 miles from the South Pole, at the spot where Sir Ernest
Shackleton had to abandon his expedition in 1907. Mr. Adams said: "I am apprehensive about taking a
teenager to such a harsh environment. It will be minus 30 on a daily basis, dropping as low as minus 60
when the wind is cold. But Shackleton has always been a hero of mine and it will be wonderful to walk in
his footsteps. It will be very special to share this experience with my youngest daughter."
Amelia will have to consume 8,000 calories a day to deal with the harsh conditions because the
Antarctic is one of the coldest, driest and most windswept places on earth. "I am frightened about the
harsh conditions as I don't know what to expect, the cold, the wind, etc. However, eating a lot of
chocolate won't be hard for me," she said. "I am not sure if I'll be able to sleep, though, since it is 24-hour
daylight at the South Pole and dad snores very loudly when he is asleep."
QUESTIONS
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are
a) Mr. Adams´s expedition will begin at the point where Ernest Shackleton gave up.
b) Amelia doesn’t like chocolate.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not
copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What is unusual about Amelia’s Antarctic expedition?
b) Explain two of the challenges Amelia will have to face on the Antarctic.
a) walk (paragraph 2)
b) place (paragraph 3)
c) worried (paragraph 3)
a) The explorers _________ (train) _________the past few months.
b) The expedition, _________starts 97 miles from the South Pole, _________ (lead) by David Adams.
c) If Alicia_________ (not go) to the North Pole, Amelia _________ (be) the first teenager on an
expedition of this kind.
d) Rewrite the sentence 1e beginning with the words given:
Amelia said “I am not sure if I’ll be able to sleep.”
Amelia said (that) _________
What kind of expedition would you like to go on? Describe it and explain your choice.
11
Skin Art
Prehistoric man was thought to have practised tattooing, that is, puncturing the skin with tools
dipped in pigment that left a permanent mark. And mummies with decorative tattoos have been
discovered in many parts of the world. Yet for nearly as long as there has been tattooing, there has been
condemnation. The Romans considered decorative tattooing barbaric, which is still evident in the Latin
world for tattoos, stigma, and used tattoos to mark slaves and criminals. Despite its deep roots in ancient
cultures, tattooing had fallen out of practice in Europe by the time the Britain’s Captain Cook set sail for
the Polynesian Islands in 1768.
Though Cook and his men were not the first Europeans to encounter Oceanic tattooing, they
were the first to record the practice systematically. Cook also introduced to the English language the
word tattoo, taken from the Tahitian. Cook’s men did not fully understand the significance of tattooing
among the Oceanic people, for whom the designs were symbolic protection against earthly enemies. Yet
the sailors were fascinated and eager to be marked themselves. They adopted the practice with gusto,
designing mariner motifs of their own. A turtle meant a sailor had crossed the equator, and an anchor
that he had sailed the Atlantic. Crucifixion scenes were also popular motifs – a vain attempt to avoid
being beaten, as it was hoped no one would dare hit the image of Christ.
Today, all types of people get tattooed. Though the art was adopted from distant cultures and
adapted to suit Western tastes, the attraction of tattooing has changed very little.
QUESTIONS
1. Indicate if the following statements are True or False and write down the lines of the text where
you found the evidence to justify your choice: (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Fashionable people in the Roman world had tattoos.
b) The origin of the word tattoo is unknown.
2. Answer the following questions based on the ideas from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Why did the Polynesian Islanders get tattooed?
b) Why did the sailors choose to have crosses tattooed?
3. Find the words in the text: (Puntuación máxima: 1)

a) Embalmed human bodies (paragraph 1)
b) almost (paragraph 1)
c) profound (paragraph 1)
d) completely (paragraph 2)
4. Fill the blank spaces with one or more words. (Puntuación máxima: 2)
a) Before ________ (become) king of England, George the V had a dragon tattooed on________arm.
b) “________does the word ‘stigma’ mean?” “It means________mark or sign or shame.”
c) Winston Churchill’s mother, ________wrist was tattooed with a serpent, tried to cover ____with a
bracelet when in public.
d) In the past, tattoos ________ (link) to criminals, but today the tattoo________ (wear) proudly by
celebrities.
5. Write about 150 to 200 words on one of the following topics. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Why do many people get tattooed today? Give reasons
12
Dragons
Of all the mythological creatures, few have captured the human imagination as much as the
dragon. It appears in the literature and legends of cultures as diverse as China, Japan, Iran, the Mayans,
classical Greece, Rome, Judaism, the Babylonians, ancient Egypt, and medieval Europe.
These fascinating creatures have taken different forms and qualities in the mythologies of
different cultures throughout history. To the Chinese, a dragon was an immensely wise animal which
brought good luck. But for the Norsemen of Scandinavia, it was an evil, terrifying and treacherous
monster. And to the ancient Greeks, the dragon was often a creature of intelligence and virtue – and
might be found guarding shrines dedicated to the gods. All these dragons do have some things in
common, however. They tend to be show with huge bat-like wings, long toothed jaws like a crocodile,
piercing eyes, sharp eagle-like talons and huge scaly bodies-and they can often breathe fire. Another
common point is that they’re always creatures of immense power and strength.
But where do dragons come from? The creatures they most resemble, in size and shape, are
dinosaurs – but since the last dinosaurs died out tens of millions of years before the firs humans ever
appeared, that seems an unlikely source of inspiration. One theory is that the earliest humans may have
evolved when huge lizards – smaller than dinosaurs, but larger than anything know today – were still
around. Another theory is that the dragon represents something submerged in the human subconscious.
It’s fun to speculate, but nobody knows for sure.
QUESTIONS
1. Are they following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidences from the text. No
marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE. (puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Dragons in China are considered to have a positive influence on people’s life.
b) Dragons in different cultures do not physically resemble one another.
2. Answer the questions in your own words and based on the ideas in the text. (puntuación
máxima: 2 puntos)
a) How do dragons appear in European cultures?
b) Is there any connection between dragons and dinosaurs? Explain.
3. Find a synonym in the text: (puntuación máxima 1 punto)

a) clever (paragraph 2)
b) keeping (paragraph 2)
c) look like (paragraph 3)
d) hidden (paragraph 3)
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate from of the word in brackets when
given. (puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Dragons______(form) a part of human mythology since long ago. One only has to consult ancient
texts_____(know) that this is true.
b) In China the dragon_____(see) as a wise and lucky animal, while Greek people were afraid of it_____
of its evil and terrifying reputation.
c) The Komodo Dragon is the world’s______(large) living lizard, although there are some species of
reptile, such as the crocodile, that are much_____(big).
Rewrite the following sentence in reported speech with the words given.
d) “Dragons have played an important role in my life” Steven Spielberg said.
Steven Spielberg said…..
5. Write about 150 to 200 words on one of the following topics. (puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Have you ever read a look or seen a film about dragons? Tell the story.
13
January Sales
People who are addicted to shopping are nowadays called shopaholics. For these shopaholics,
the post-Christmas period means only one thing - sales! Across the country, prices are reduced on
clothing, electronics, home furnishings and more, but London is the place for serious shopping, and you
can certainly pick up some amazing bargains.
The sales start on Boxing Day, 26th December, and continue for the month of January, but the
keenest bargain hunters get there early to be first through the doors. In Oxford Street queues form
outside shops before pre-dawn openings for the start of their sales. At Brent Cross, in north London,
hundreds of people queue at 3:30 am for the “Next” clothing store’s sale which begins at 4 am. Some
hardy individuals even camp outside the shops to be first in the line.
Consumers who go to the shops are rewarded with discounts of up to 80%, as department stores
join the sales frenzy. The shops are packed with people moving around as the sales get into full swing,
with more than half a million people converging on London’s West End.
Some people are taking their partners shopping with them and buying their Christmas presents in
the sale - a practical but unromantic way of making sure you get the gift you really want. For a less
exciting but less stressful shopping experience, online retailers also participate in the January sales of
their own. The most organized of all are those who are already doing their present shopping for next
Christmas, in the January sales!
QUESTIONS
a) During January sales shops can sell products for less than half their price.
b) After-Christmas sales also offer good opportunities to buy products via internet.
a) What do some people in London do to get good bargains?
b) Why do some couples go shopping together during Christmas sales?
a) obtain (paragraph 1)
b) go on (paragraph 2)
c) most enthusiastic (paragraph 2)
d) compensated (paragraph 3)
a) There’s no _____ (good) time to buy a new computer than after the Christmas season, when prices
_____ (reduce) by more than 30%.
b) If you _____ (be) a shop owner, _____ would you encourage people to come to your shop during
January sales?
c) After _____ (go) shopping with my grandmother, I realised that I hadn’t spent so much money on
clothes _____ last Christmas.
d) Complete the sentence to report what was said.
“What did you buy for Peter?” →
I asked Mary …..
5. Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Who do you think benefits more from discount shopping, customers or shops? Discuss
14
Nomophobia: Mobile Phone Addiction
Are you addicted to your phone? According to a recent survey in the UK, almost two thirds of
respondents were afflicted with “nomophobia” or “no mobilephone phobia”. “Some people get panic
attacks when they are without their phones,” said Michael Carr, an adolescent psychologist. “Others
become very concerned and make all endeavors to locate their mobile phone. I have clients who abstain
from school or their part-time jobs to look for their phones when they cannot find them in the morning.”
According to the survey, the younger you are, the more prone you are to nomophobia. The
youngest age group (18-24) tops the nomophobic list at 77%, which is 11% more than that of the next
group – those aged 25-34. “This is the most tribal generation of young people,” said Carr. “Adolescents
want to be with their friends on a 24-hour basis.” The reasons that drive young people to nomophobia
include boredom and insecurity, while some young nomophobes cannot bear solitude. “Many of my
clients go to bed with their mobile phones just like one did with a teddy bear in the old days,” he said.
“While teddy doesn't communicate, the phone does,” said Carr, adding insomnia to the list of potential
problems. “Some kids cannot entertain themselves. The phone has become our digital security blanket.”
Accidents lurk while nomophobes fix their attention on phones. Nomophobes reported accidents
while messaging or talking on the phone, which include minor road accidents, falling while going upstairs
or downstairs and stumbling while walking. More than 20% also reported pain in the thumbs due to
excessive texting.
QUESTIONS
a) The “nomophobia” study was carried out on an international basis.
b) A number of phone addicts cannot stand to feel lonely.
a) What are the symptoms of “nomophobia”? Mention three.
b) What kind of accidents and injuries can nomophobes have?
a) anxious (paragraph 1)
b) attempts (paragraph 1)
c) inclined (paragraph 2)
d) because of (paragraph 4)
a) Individuals _____ use their mobile phone for more _____ 3 hours a day have a _____ (good) chance
of getting nomophobia.
b) Experts suggest _____ (switch off) our mobile phones while _____ (drive).
c) Since 2007, nomophobia in India _____ (grow) to about 45% of the population.
Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
d) Have you ever slept with your mobile phone?
The doctor asked me……..
Do you think Spanish teenagers are addicted to their mobile phones? Give reasons
15
The Decline of “Once upon a time….”
Once upon a time, parents read bedtime stories to their children... But now it seems that the fairy
tale is over. According to a poll of mums and dads with under-sevens, 36 per cent of parents never pick
up a book with their little ones. Of those who do read with their kids, just 21 per cent make time for a
story before bed every night. The study also showed that nearly half of the kids would rather watch TV or
play with toys or computer games.
In light of the findings, Littlewoods.com, a British online retailer behind the study, has teamed up
with 31-year-old British pop star Natasha Hamilton to get youngsters back into reading. Littlewoods and
Natasha have just launched a bedtime story competition for children under seven to draw pictures and
create their own tale. The winning entry will be turned into an audio book, narrated by Natasha. The pop
star said: “As a mum of three, I know how enjoyable bedtime stories are for my kids. I’m really excited
about seeing all the different story ideas. I can’t wait to see what the kids come up with. Choosing a
winner will not be easy”.
Experts say that one of the key ways of helping children to learn to read and write well is to give
them a lot of books. However, some parents blame a lack of time for not reading with their children,
while others say they are just too stressed, or that their kids are simply not interested. Surprisingly
enough, the vast majority of parents were told bedtime stories regularly when they were little.
QUESTIONS
a) A little over a third of parents who took part in the study never read a story to their children.
b) Most of the mums and dads who participated in the study had bedtime stories read to them when they
were kids.
a) How is Natasha Hamilton collaborating with Littlewoods.com in order to get young people to read
again?
b) Give two reasons why parents fail to read stories to their kids.
a) almost (paragraph 1)
b) joined forces (paragraph 2)
c) produce (paragraph 2)
d) main (paragraph 3)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets
when given. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) When my children were young, I ____ (tell) them a story every night before ____ (go) to bed.
b) Nowadays, reading ____ (consider) to be an interaction ____ the reader and the text.
The more you read to children, ____ (good) their reading and writing skills become.
c) According to research, English children read less for pleasure ____ their peers in many other
countries.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said:
A spokesman from the company said: "We appreciate how important it is for parents and kids to
spend quality time together.”
A spokesman from the company said that ……...
What kind of books do you like to read? Explain why you like them.
16
Romanian’s Medieval Marital Prison
Biertan is a Transylvanian village that feels frozen in time. Horse-drawn carts are still a part
of daily life, and local residents gather to trade their wares in a cobbled village square. At the heart
of the village, next to a 15thcentury fortified church that stands on a hill, there is a small building
with a very small room. For 300 years, couples whose marriages were on the rocks would find
themselves here, locked away for up to six weeks by the local bishop in hope that they would iron
out their problems and avert a divorce.
It may sound like a nightmare, but records show that this form of marriage counselling in
Transylvania was rather effective. “Thanks to this blessed building, in the 300 years that Biertan
had the bishop’s seat, we only had one divorce,” said Biertan’s current priest. Today, the small,
dark prison is a museum. The room has low ceilings and thick walls, and is equipped with a table
and chair, a storage chest and a bed that looks small enough to belong to a child. As couples
attempted to repair their marriages inside this tiny space, everything had to be shared, from a
single pillow and blanket to the lone table setting.
Lutheranism was the religion that governed most aspects of Biertan’s life. Although divorce
was allowed under certain circumstances, such as adultery, it was preferred that couples attempt
to save their union. So, a couple seeking divorce would voluntarily visit the bishop, who would send
them to the marital prison to see if their differences could be reconciled before they parted ways.
The prison was then an instrument to keep society in the old Christian order. It also protected
women and children, who were dependent on the family unit to survive.
QUESTIONS
1.- Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No
marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) Biertan’s marital prison was situated far away from Biertan.
b) Despite the Bishop’s policy, several couples in Biertan couldn’t save their marriage.
2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
Do not copy from the text. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)
a) What was this marital prison like?
b) Why did the Bishop, with his marital prison, try to avoid divorces?
a) meet (paragraph 1)
b) in trouble (paragraph 1)
c) fix (paragraph 2)
d) try (paragraph 3)
a) Last year, the number of divorces was much _______ (high) than ever before, as _______
(show) by the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.
b) I’d prefer to spend six weeks in prison instead of _______ (get) a divorce, which _______
(mean) I’d have to leave home and children.
c) I don’t remember the name of that Biertan bishop _______ story is written on that church wall in
order _______ justify his actions.
d)Complete the following sentence to report what was said. “What shall I do next?”
He asked ……..
17
Single life vs. married life. What would be best for you? Explain your choice.
Clara Barton: American Red Cross Founder

Clara Barton was born on December 25, 1821 in Massachusetts. As the youngest of five
children, young Clara often felt as if she had six parents instead of two. Her older sisters were
schoolteachers and they taught her everything they knew since they found the little girl to be an
eager pupil.
In April 1860, the Civil War began. She asked the War Department if she could go to the
battlefield to distribute medicine and food to the troops. Imagine their shock! No unmarried woman
had ever gone to the battlefield before, but Barton was determined to go and she didn’t stop until
someone gave her permission. She had found a way to serve her country. Her work of soliciting
and distributing supplies, as well as nursing the wounded was gruelling. She often criticized the
Army about the lack of food and supplies for the fighting men. When the war was about to finish,
she also set up an office to sort out the difficult business of locating and identifying prisoners,
missing men, and the dead buried in unmarked graves. But she was ordered to go to Europe by
her doctor for a rest cure in 1869.
While abroad, Barton came into contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross.
After recovering, she returned to the USA and campaigned to establish an American branch of the
Red Cross. In 1882, the US Senate ratified the Geneva Convention, forming the American
Association of the Red Cross. Then, Barton became its president. Her subsequent domestic
program was impressive. Her energy and commitment to humanitarian causes over a forty-year
period made her a household name, a symbol of charitable self-sacrifice. However, her inflexibility
forced her to resign in 1904 from the organization she had founded and built. Nevertheless, Barton
remained active in relief work until her death in 1912 at the age of ninety-on.
QUESTIONS
a) Clara Barton couldn’t help soldiers in the battlefield because she wasn’t married.
b) Clara first learned about the Red Cross while she was away from home.
a) What did Clara do just before the end of the American Civil War?
b) What did she do after coming back from Europe?
a) enthusiastic (paragraph 1)
b) established (paragraph 2)
c) extraordinary (paragraph 3)
d) dedication (paragraph 3)
a) If I _______ (know) that the Red Cross helped in so many countries, I _______ (join) as a volunteer years
ago.
b) From a shy little girl ______ talked in a low voice, Clara Barton _______ (become) a teacher, government
clerk and battlefield nurse.
c) After _______ (resign) from the American Red Cross, she founded the National First Aid Society, _______
mission was to promote local first aid programmes.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said. “When was the Red Cross founded in your
country?” he asked Mary. He asked Mary ……..
18
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)Are
humanitarian organisations important today? Give reasons to explain your answer.
Selfie Accidents
Tourists and camera lovers should remember a new danger that has recently appeared.
This new life-threatening hazard started in the last few years and is now everywhere. It is almost
twice as deadly as being killed by a shark. What is this new danger? Well, it is the selfie. The
desire to take a photo of yourself in front of a world-famous site or to pose with a friend resulted in
more deaths in 2015 than those due to lightning strikes. More and more people are putting
themselves into dangerous situations in a bid to take the most outrageous pictures in order to get
more likes and shares on social media. In particular, pictures with animals, or taken at great
heights, or posing with weapons are widespread.
Selfie accidents happen in many ways. They include two Russian men who were killed
while taking a selfie with a hand grenade, three Indian students who were killed by a train while
taking selfies on train tracks, and a 32-yearold woman who was attacked by a bear in a national
park after turning her back on the animal to take a picture with herself in the frame. The latest
death came when a Japanese tourist died falling down the stairs at the Taj Mahal in India while
trying to snap a selfie.
There is, however, some evidence that there may be other selfie-related deaths that we
don’t know about because they didn’t make international headlines. In July, Russian authorities
issued a selfie safety campaign after “hundreds” more injuries were reported. The interior ministry’s
initiative included a leaflet, a video and a website.
QUESTIONS
a) Deaths linked to selfies more than double those due to dangerous sea animals.
b) It seems that not all deadly accidents caused by selfies have been reported in newspapers.
a) Why do certain people want to take some shocking selfies?
b) Has anything been done to prevent selfie accidents? Explain.
a) wish (paragraph 1)
b) take place (paragraph 2)
c) most recent (paragraph 2)
d) brochure (paragraph 3)
a) We all know some social-media addicts _______ can’t avoid _______ (snap) selfies all the time.
b) Recently, young people _______ (create) a new visual language which is understood _______
both sender and recipient.
c) _______ many of us carry our phones almost constantly, the use of the selfie _______
(become) more widespread.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said. Mike told Mary: “I spoke to my
publisher about your new photography book.”
Mike said …….
19
Do you think selfie sticks should be banned in some places? Give your opinion.
The Legend of the Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of ships
and airplanes have disappeared without explanation. Indeed, this region of the sea certainly has
had its share of marine tragedy. Unexplained circumstances surround some of these accidents,
including one in which the pilots of a squadron became disoriented while flying over the area; the
planes were never found. Nevertheless, other boats and planes have vanished from the area in
good weather without even radioing distress messages.
The first report about the mysterious Bermuda Triangle has been assigned to Christopher
Columbus when, in 1492, he sailed through the area on his first voyage to the New World. He
wrote in his journals that, inside the triangle, the ship’s compass stopped working and he saw a
fireball in the sky. Other reported compass issues in the region followed, giving rise to the myth. In
addition, the weather in this region can also make traveling hazardous. The summer brings
hurricanes while the warm waters of the Gulf Stream promote sudden storms enhancing the
mysterious aura.
Researchers have attempted to determine the cause of these plane and boat
disappearances proposing innumerable theories regarding the Bermuda Triangle. However, none
of them prove that mysterious disappearances occur more frequently there than in other well-
traveled sections of the ocean. In fact, people navigate the area every day without incident. As a
matter of fact, in spite of the navigational challenges this area poses, insurance companies do not
consider it as an especially hazardous place.
QUESTIONS
a) Disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle always occur when there are bad climatic conditions.
b) The reputation of the Bermuda Triangle started centuries ago.
a) What climatic conditions in the Bermuda Triangle might explain the problems for ships and
airplanes?
b) What do insurance companies and researches on the Bermuda Triangle have in common
regarding the mystery of the area?
a) attributed (paragraph 2)
b) dangerous (paragraph 2)
c) countless (paragraph 3)
d) regard (paragraph 3)
a) _______ many theories were proposed by the scientists, nobody _______ (solve) the mystery
yet.
b) _______ has it been _______ the first incidents occurred?
c) If unexplained shipwrecks _______ (not take) place in the area, the region _______ (not call)
the Devil’s Triangle.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said. John: Did you know that many ships
and planes disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle? He asked us………………
20
Describe an experience that made you feel afraid.
Vampire Child
Archaeologists have discovered the body of a 10-year-old child at an ancient Roman site
which provides evidence of ancient “vampire burials”. A rock was inserted into the mouth of the
child as part of a funeral ritual to prevent the deceased child from rising from the grave and
spreading malaria, researchers believe. The unusual so-called “vampire burial” was described as
“extremely mysterious” by the American archeologists who have been excavating the site in
Teverina since 1987.
The find was unearthed at La Necropoli dei Bambini, an Italian cemetery that dates back to
a malaria outbreak in 400 AD which killed many vulnerable babies and small children in the area.
Previous excavations at this site have revealed the bones of infants and toddlers. There were also
objects associated with witchcraft and magic, including raven talons, toad bones, bronze cauldrons
filled with ash and the remains of puppies that appear to have been sacrificed.
Researchers had previously believed that the cemetery was designated exclusively for
babies, toddlers and unborn fetuses, since the eldest body found had been a three-year-old girl.
However, the discovery of the 10-yearold, whose age could be measured from dental development
but whose sex is unknown, suggests that it may have been a burial location for older children as
well.
Excavation director said: “Given the age of this child and its unique deposition, with the rock
placed within his or her mouth, it represents an anomaly within an already abnormal cemetery.”
“There are still sections of the cemetery that we haven’t excavated yet, so we don’t know if we’ll
find other older kids,” said Mr Wilson, a doctoral student in anthropology at the University of
Arizona.
Adapted from: Sky News <https://news.sky.com/story/vampire-childdiscovered-buried-in-italy-with-
stone-in-mouth-11524426>
QUESTIONS
a) Researchers have been able to determine the gender and the age of the child whose body was
discovered in Italy.
b) Given that every inch of the cemetery has been examined, it’s unlikely that more bodies might
be discovered.
a) Why are these burials called “vampire burials”?
b) Why did so many babies and young children die in 400AD?
a) stone (paragraph
b) enigmatic (paragraph 1)
c) excavated (paragraph 2)
d) place (paragraph 3)
a) I don’t know________ vampires are faster _________ human beings.
b) Although people believe these scary stories are true, there is ______ evidence that vampires
really ___________ (exist).
c) There _______ a lot of people around today ______ claim they are true vampires.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said.
“Stop telling me scary stories or I’ll have to sleep with the lights on,” my mother told me.
21
My mother told me …….……
You and your friends decide to spend a night in the forest. Write a horror story.
Quiz for divorce in China

In some parts of China, married couples trying to split up have been asked to take a quiz
distributed by the local authorities. The more they knew about each other, including a spouse’s
birthday or favorite food, the less likely they were to have their divorce immediately approved.
The quizzes, issued in at least two provinces since last year, follow the format of a typical
three-part school exam. First, there are some fill-in-the-blank questions. Then, short answer
questions and, finally, an essay. The topics of the questions are really varied from the mundane
“when is your anniversary?” to the philosophical “have you satisfied your responsibility to your
family?” The quizzes contain 15 questions, scored on a scale of 100 points. Liu Chunling, an
official in Lianyungang told the Yangtse Late News that they were developed as a way to prevent
“impulse divorces”. Local news agencies reported that the authorities considered a score of 60
points or higher to mean “room for recovery”, and those couples were encouraged to work on their
marriages.
The divorce rate in China is rapidly rising, pushed mainly by working women who feel newly
empowered to get one. But the government is trying to slow the trend, which it sees as a cause of
social instability. The state’s focus on preventing divorce, experts said, stems from a Confucian
belief that a stable society is made up of complete families. “Only through thousands of
harmonious family units can an entire society achieve harmony,” said Mr. Liu, the Lianyungang
official.
The Chinese government had previously regulated other many aspects of private family life,
including religion and pregnancy. In this case, the authorities claim, the main objective is only to let
the couple consider this rationally and to treat it seriously.
Adapted from “Want a Divorce in China? You Might Have to Fail a Quiz First,” The New York
Times 30 May 2018.
QUESTIONS
a) It is easier to get a divorce in China if you do not know a lot about your couple.
b) More women are making the decision of getting a divorce now than in the past.
a) Why does the government want to prevent divorce?
b) What does the idea of “room for recovery” refer to in the text?
a) accepted (paragraph 1)
b) include (paragraph 2)
c) goal (paragraph 4)
d) deal with (paragraph 4)
a) Fill-in-the gap questions are those _______ can _______ (answer) quickly with only a few words.
b) Chinese authorities _______ (regulate) aspects of family life _______ many years.
22
c) _______ what her father thought, she considered that getting a divorce was the _______ (good) option for
her.
d) If she _______ (meet) him before, she _______ (marry) him.
Divorce rates in Spain have increased in the last few years. Why do you think this is so? Justify
your answer.
Do Aliens Really Exist?

“Alien” is a word used to refer to beings from other worlds. Do aliens exist on Earth? No one
knows the answer for sure, but it is a question that has been debated for ages. If history is to be
believed, aliens have been a subject of mysticism in civilizations of places such as India, China,
Babylon, South America and Arabia. The external appearance of aliens is also a much discussed
matter: they have been depicted as green monsters, small creatures with arms and legs like
humans, tiny viruses or beings that change appearance at will.
Many people nowadays, including well-known scientists such as Carl Sagan or Frank
Drake, are tireless propagators of the theory that aliens are in fact regular visitors to Earth. This
theory is supported by many reported alien sightings. For example, a person waiting at St Martin
airport claimed to see fire in the sky; the fire suddenly transformed into a silver ball, moved over
him like a jet and vanished in a few seconds. And two brothers in Chile said that they saw a
humanoid creature about 80 cm tall, shiny and red, who resembled a child wearing a driver’s suit.
However, others believe that aliens are just figments of imagination. This view also has
scientists on its side, such as Enrico Fermi. He proposed the famous “Fermi paradox”, which states
that there is an apparent contradiction between the strong belief in the existence of extraterrestrial
civilizations and the present lack of solid evidence for, or contact with, such civilizations. Putting
the two views together, we cannot be sure if aliens are real unless and until we have strong
evidence about their existence.
QUESTIONS
a) The hypothesis that there are aliens on Earth is sustained by lots of witnesses.
b) The strange figure described in the text that looked like a small person seemed to benaked.
a) How are aliens described in the text? Mention four different characteristics.
b) Explain the view of the scientist who does not believe in the presence of aliens on Earth.
a) described (paragraph 1)
b) presently (paragraph 2)
c)disappeared (paragraph 2)
d)only (paragraph 3)
a) If my father _______ (not believe) in aliens, he would have never listened _______that radio
programme on extraterrestrial life.
b) My friend Jim, _______ wife is a scientist, likes the paradox proposed _______Enrico Fermi.
c) How _______ did you pay for that book about aliens? Oh, nothing. It _______ (give)to me as a
birthday present!
23
d)When my brother talked to me about the appearance _______ a strange creature yesterday, I
_______ (think) he had gone mad.
Do you think that aliens have ever been on Earth? Give reasons for your answer.
Homesickness
Whether you’ve gone away to college, moved to a new city or even just travelled for vacation,
homesickness is a common emotional experience. Longing for home is the subject of books, songs
and films. Celebrities have opened up about feeling homesick, and many people have shared their
tips for overcoming it.
But what exactly are we feeling when we experience homesickness and why do we feel it so
deeply – in a way that sometimes manifests physically? Joshua Klapow, a professor of public
health at the University of Alabama, points out that “homesickness has everything to do with
attachment”. When we feel homesick, we’re feeling insecure or uncomfortable with where we are,
physically and emotionally, he adds. “We’re longing for something that in our minds is known,
predictable, consistent and stable.”
Other psychologists emphasise that homesickness is a very normal part of the human experience
and is about overcoming a period of adjustment to a new environment. To get over it, homesick
people are encouraged to find a coffee shop or another place they can visit repeatedly and that will
start to feel familiar. Over time, they will form new attachments.
Even though it’s normal and common, homesickness can be associated with very difficult emotions
and experiences, according to Ricks Warren, an associate professor in the department of
psychiatry at the University of Michigan. Warren compares homesickness to losing a loved one,
although what the person is grieving is the loss of the familiar place. It’s associated with insomnia,
problems with appetite, and difficulty concentrating.
Adapted from “What Happens To Your Mind And Body When You Feel Homesick,” The Huffington
Post 29 June 2018.
QUESTIONS
a) Homesickness is often treated in literature, music and the cinema.

b) One of the symptoms of homesickness is the lack of sleep.
Do not copy from the text.
a) What emotions do people experience when being homesick?
b) What advice is given in the text to mitigate homesickness?
a) topic (paragraph 1)
b) states (paragraph 2)
c) again and again (paragraph 3)
d) tough (paragraph 4)
4.- Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
a) After _______ (live) in my new city for three months, I have started feeling less homesick than when I first _______
(move) in.
b) Feeling homesick is compared _______ the emotion that we experience _______ losing a beloved person.
24
c) _______ (long) you live in a new place, _______ (good) you get to know it, and the less homesick you feel.
d) Complete the following sentence to report what was said. “When did you last visit your hometown?”, David asked
me. David asked me ___________________________________________________.
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. Have you ever felt homesick? Describe
your experience. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
Change in Activism
It has always been the youth who have promoted changes. From the Vietnam protests to Tiananmen
Square, young people have been the catalyst for many moments of social change and expression of
resistance. This moment in time is no different, with millennials and Generation Z transforming activism
into a form appropriate for this new technological age.
The sharp increase in activism from young people is in direct correlation with the historic events that
took place in 2016, that is, the Brexit vote in June and the US presidential election in November. These
events triggered a powerful wave of activism, led by young people disillusioned with institutions and
frustrated with the direction our society is moving in. A key moment of youth activism was March for
Our Lives. This was an entirely student-led protest to demand gun control legislation in America. It
finally resulted in the third largest march in US history.
In the UK, The Pink Protest was created to form a community of activists more accessible to young
people. The Pink Protest’s mission manifested in the #FreePeriods campaign of last year. The protest’s
aim was to provide young girls in need with free menstruation products like sanitary towels and
tampons. As a result of the campaign, £1.5 million were given by the UK government to address this
problem.
This new germination has created a wave of socially engaged young people, eager to use their social
media presence for good. From #BlackLivesMatter to #LoveWins, social media has changed the
meaning and the practice of activism. It is no longer needed to take to the streets to make an impact; it
is now easier and more productive to reach greater numbers of people through a screen. Activism is no
longer a scary or unattainable notion but a democratic concept where anyone can find their place.
Adapted from “This Generation is Stepping up and Leading the Change in Activism,” The Student
Newspaper 13 October 2018.
QUESTIONS
are given for only TRUE or FALSE.
a) The recent rise in youth protests is closely related to the technological advances which have
developed for the last two years.
b) Despite the use of social media, demonstrations are still the most effective way of protesting.
not copy from the text.
a) Explain why youths organised activist movements in 2016.
b) What did the #FreePeriods campaign demand?
3.- Find the words in the text that mean:
a) founded (paragraph 3)
b) objective (paragraph 3)
c) tackle (paragraph 3)
d) frightening (paragraph 4)
(Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
25
a) If I had known everything was going to be so chaotic, I _______ (not join) the protest last Sunday. It _______
(be) a waste of time.
b) They didn’t apologise _______ the trouble they caused. What’s worse, they even complained _______ the
organisation.
c) _______ (you ever participate) in a social media campaign? If so, who was it organised _______?
d) The young activists, _______ had met at a university event, enjoyed _______(discuss) new ideas after
meetings.
5.- Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic. “Today’s Spanish youngsters are
conformists and feel less committed to social issues than previous generations.” Do you agree or
disagree, and why? (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)
THE DEATH OF LANGUAGE
Languages are possibly the most complicated structures the human mind has ever invented but, tragically,
our species´ most impressive creations are dying. According to the linguist David Crystal, one language
disappears every two weeks. By the end of the century, it is believed that 5,500 of the 6,000 languages,
now spoken will join Latin and Greek as "dead languages". Those, of course, were once two of the world's
top languages.
There is no mystery about the real cause of this linguistic holocaust. Take a holiday anywhere in the world
and you will be inundated by the English language: from airplane safety instructions to CocaCola logos. If
anyone wants to get a good job, an ability to speak English is obligatory. However, English dominance
places other languages in disadvantage.
How did this happen? How a dialect spoken by a tribe of a small island spread across the globe?
Linguists often say "a language is a dialect with an army behind it". Follow the big armies throughout history
and you will find the "world languages": In 2002 America leads the most potent army so it is not surprising
that English is currently the dominant language. Another factor why English is spreading is the language
uniformity caused by the mass media. American TV programs and MTV-style* music channels are
attracting a growing audience -and simultaneously guiding them towards English.
Changes in society will continue to cause linguistic change, and probably for a few generations most
humans will be speaking English. However, do not be too worried about this. The Romans were convinced
that Latin's dominance would last forever.
1. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the
text justifies your answer.
a. The disappearance of so many languages is unfortunate.
b. The main reasons for the language massacre are unknown.
2. Answer the following questions in your own words.
a. What can we learn from considering what happened to Latin and Greek?
b. How did the entertainment industry affect the growth of English?
3. Find words/phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions
given.
a.
b. leading (paragraph 2)
c. immense (paragraph 3)
d. expand (paragraph 4)
e. compulsory (paragraph 3)
4. Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning:

a. English dominance places other languages at a disadvantage.
Other languages_____________
b. America leads the most potent army and that is why English is the dominant language in the
world today.
26
If America did not ___________
c. Although nobody speaks Latin anymore, it is still an important reference language.
Despite _____________
d. The possibilities of ________ promoted also depend very often _____ your knowledge of a
foreign language, especially English.
5. Write a short essay (about 150-200 words) on the following topic:

“If anyone wants to get a good job, an ability to speak English is obligatory” Do you agree with this
sentence from the text? Give reasons for your answer.
LUNAR EMBASSY
"Psst! Do you want to buy three square miles of land for €12? Uninterrupted views, no
planning permission required. But bring your own air and a rocket; the land is on Mars and the
spaceestate agents say they are doing a roaring trade ..."
Dennis Hope is the owner of one of these estate agencies. His business card reads "Head
Cheese", and he and his eight employees have a very formal address: Lunar Embassy, Rio Vista,
California. If you ask nicely, he will sell you land on the Moon. And on Mars too, if you want. So far,
he says, more than 25,000 people around the world (including Hollywood celebrities and two past US
presidents) have bought 2,000acre plots of land on the two heavenly bodies from him at $19.95
apiece.
Why is the 49yearold Mr Hope, a former car salesman, ventriloquist and shoeshine boy, doing
this? Because, he says, he has the ownership and control of the land: he claimed it in 1980, and
though the United Nations prohibited any nation from laying claim to celestial bodies, it said nothing
about individuals.
What happens when spaceships like Mars Pathfinder land? "That's on my property right now,"
says Mr Hope. "But ... we consider these areas celestial reserves so nobody can own them to charge
landing fees." NASA is no doubt grateful. One question remains: why is his official title "Head
Cheese"? "Because when I was a child I was told the moon was made of cheese," he replies. Logical,
really.
1. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Write down the evidence from the text. No
a. Spaceship and oxygen are included in the price of the extraterrestrial land.
b. Only American people own land on the Moon and Mars.
2. In your own words and based on the ideas from the text, answer the following questions.
a. Why can Dennis Hope sell land on the Moon and on Mars.
b. Can anybody land on Dennis Hope's territory? Why?
3. Find the words in the text that mean.
a. sights (paragraph 1)
b. prosperous (paragraph 1)
c. forbade (paragraph 3)
d heavenly (paragraph 4)
27
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when
given.
a. In the last two years, people ......................... (buy) 60,000 square miles on the Moon, ......................... only
15,000 on Mars. Of course, Mars is farther away than the Moon.
b. In 1980 five nations ......................... (sign) a UN decree about "no individual making profit from
celestial bodies." The US was not ......................... them.
c. Those ......................... buy land also receive a Martian Bill of Rights and a site map, ......................... else can
you ask for?
d Mr Hope says that .........................(sell) land on celestial bodies is ......................... (good) selling houses in
California, because he has no competition at all.
5. Write about 150 to 200 words on one of the following topics.

Some people say that there is intelligent life on other planets. Discuss.
REWARDS
Experts in the field of education like to tell the story of an old man who was bothered by the noise
of boys playing in his neighbourhood. He offered to pay each boy a dollar to shout louder. The boys
were delighted. But on the second day the man said his limited resources meant he could pay the boys
only 80 cents. And on each successive day, he paid them less, until he finally didn´t pay them anything.
The boys got angry and stopped playing near his house. We´re not going to make noise for nothing!
they said.
This story demonstrates an important point. When we reward children for doing something they
enjoy, like playing a game, we destroy their natural desire to do that thing. This is particularly clear in
the field of education. If we want our children to learn, we kill their natural curiosity and desire to learn
when we offer them a reward.
Yet both parents and teachers often bribe children to learn by offering rewards. A mother may offer
her ten-year-old daughter sweets if she finishes reading a library book or a film for doing all her
homework. In high school, the reward is the mark. In such a system, according to psychologists, the
mark becomes the goal, not the learning. The greater the emphasis on marks-by the teachers, the
schools and the universities- the higher the student will work to get the right answer. But a lot of
strategies for getting the right answer aren´t good strategies for learning- like copying your neighbour´s
exam paper, or studying only the material you need for tests.
Educational experts have recommended changing the system of rewards, so that every student
can excel-but only if he really learns.
1.-Answer these questions based on the ideas from the text. Do not copy from the text:
a/ What is the man trying to do, and how, when paying the children to scream louder?
b/ According to the text, is it worthy to base the educational system on exams?
2.-Say if the following statements are True or False. Quote the words from the text:
a/ Only the mothers bribe their children.
b/ Nowadays students can excel by learning.
3. Find the word in the text that is used to mean:

1.-disturbed; upset 2.-prize or bonus for good behaviour
3.-results of a test 4.-aim, objective
4.-Fill in the gaps or complete the following sentences:
28
a/......................... most of students rely on educated backgrounds people with scarce
knowledge can ................... advantage of this system.
b/ ................ I been older, I .................................................... in such a situation.
c/ What a pity I never learned to use a computer!
-I should.........................................................................
d/A number of questionnaires had to .......................... and then a mock examiner ...........................
5.-Write about 150 to 200 words on the topic:
Pupils cheat because of the tension and pressure at school.
29

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EVAU TEXTS

A New BBC Period Drama

3 (1 punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

5 (3 puntos) Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic.

3 (1 punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

3 (1 punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

5 (3 puntos) Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic.

3 (1punto) Find the words in the text that mean:

5 (3 puntos) Write about 150 to 200 words on the following topic.

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5. Write about 150 to 200 words on one of the following topics.

3. Find the word in the text that is used to mean:

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