UNIVERSIDADES PÚBLICAS DE LA COMUNIDAD DE MADRID PRUEBA DE ACCESO A ESTUDIOS UNIVERSITARIOS (LOGSE) Curso 2007-2008 (Septiembre) MATERIA: INGLÉS INSTRUCCIONES GENERALES Y VALORACIÓN l. Lea todo el texto cuidadosamente. 2. Lea atentamente todas las preguntas de la prueba. 3. Proceda a responder en lengua inglesa a las preguntas en el papel de examen. TIEMPO: 1 hora y 30 minutos. CALIFICACIÓN: La puntuación máxima de la prueba es de 10 puntos.
Smart shoes A clever invention by a British student may be the answer to parents' concerns about their increasingly obese children. The invention is a shoe, nicknamed "Square-Eyes", that contains a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter passes the information to a receiver connected to the television, and this decides how much viewing time the wearer deserves. The recommended average of 12,000 steps a day equates to a maximum of two hours of viewing time. Once the allocated time in front of the box has expired, the TV automatically switches off and the child must go out to play if he wants to earn more time. The expression "square-eyes" has long been a tern associated with sedentary children who are exposed to too much television. This new device reverses this association by promoting active lifestyles for kids. The designer of the device, Gillian Swan, hopes her invention will mean healthier, children who include exercise in their daily routines from an early age. She said: "Today's children are exposed to a huge offer of television programmes and children's channels. Ten years ago, children were entertained by playing games with their friends, but now they're in their bedrooms watching hours of television programmes.” According to Swan, “While children may find that two hours of TV is not especially generous, it will hopefully raise awareness among family members of their sedentary lifestyle and bring about a change in behaviour.” Some researchers believe the invention is at the vanguard of computer-integrated clothing which will allow clothes to monitor our health.
Autor: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
QUESTIONS 1.
Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE.
a. The term "square-eyes" refers only to a new invention. FALSE: The expression "square-eyes" has long been a tern associated with sedentary children who are exposed to too much television b. Some experts think that the smart shoes are the first of a new type of products that will help us control our physical condition. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
TRUE: Some researchers believe the invention is at the vanguard of computerintegrated clothing which will allow clothes to monitor our health. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos) 2.
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 this new invention control children's television viewing time? The microchip in the shoes sends information about the number of steps of the person who is wearing them, to another microchip set on the TV. If the person has stepped 12,000 steps, he or she can be watching TV during 2 hours, and when there are reached, the microchip automatically switch the television off. b. How may "Square-Eyes” benefit both children and their families, in Swan's opinion? Just a "square-Eye" of 2 TV hours may produce that the family could be aware of their sedentary life and the changes they should do. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos) 3. Find the words in the text that mean:
a. worries (paragraph 1) b. ended (paragraph 1) c. mechanism (paragraph 2) d. cause (paragraph 3)
concerns expired device bring about
(Puntuación máxima 1 punto) 4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
a. The 1 (easy) way to prevent children 2 watching too much television is to keep them busy with other interesting activities.
Autor: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
b. The television, 3 was invented many years ago, has both positive and negative aspects. c. Because 4 poor eating habits and too much television the number of obese children 5 (increase) in the last few year. d. Ann enjoys 6 (watch) her favourite TV programmes for hours. Afterwards she always 7 (try) to exercise more. Last year she ……8….. (spend) 200€ at a gym. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos) Solución. 1. easiest. Forma superlativa para adjetivos cortos. Obsérva que al terminar en “y” el adjetivo (easy), cambia ésta por una “i”. 2. from Verb avoid + from something 3. which. Pronombre relativo usado para objetos (su antecedente es, en este caso, la televisión). Se trata de una relative undefining clause. 4. of. Causativo because of. 5. has increased. Utilizamos el present perfect por tratarse de una acción empezada en el pasado de un período inconcluso (durante el ultimo año) 6. watching. Detrás de un pattern verb sólo se puede utilizar –ing o infinitivo con TO. 7. tries. Presente simple. Se trata de una acción habitual, con lo que utilizamos el presente habitual. Además, es 3ª persona, con lo que tenemos que añadir –s a la forma base. 8. spent. Pasado simple. Acción empezada y terminada en el pasado, de período de tiempo también concluso.
5. Write about 100 to 150 words on one of the following topics.
a. Discuss the negative and the positive aspects of television. b. Do you think parents should control the number of hours their children watch TV? Explain. (Puntuación máxima 3 puntos)
Para este ejercicio es muy importante la organización del texto. Siempre respetando las tres partes fundamentales de introducción, cuerpo y conclusión final. Es importante buscar estructuras que nos sean conocidas para evitar cometer errores, sin caer en el simplismo. a.
Discuss the negative and the positive aspects of television.
Solución. First of all, I would like to say that we’ll probably agree if we say that television has both positive and negative aspects. Onone hand, television, as internet does, could be a very useful tool tomake our knowledge and culture grow. For example, if you have satellite or wire television, you can contract thematic channels such as documentary, cinema or even sports ones! Therefore, everyone has the possibility of getting its own choice. So, if you choose the documentary or travel channels, you may learn a lot about some different cultures, animals, history, etc.
Autor: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
On the other hand, there is a new kind of television: the reality-show TV programs, which only show lots of people showing their miserable lives in front of a camera. Programs like ‘The Big Brother’ don’t show anything but human stupidity. But the worst thing of all is that they are the most watched programs. Another type of programs, which are done by the yellow media, only shows the lives of famous people, or other people who are not famous but have had an affaire with a cousin of a famous one. It’s obvious think that there’s nothing to learn about this kind of programs. In my opinion, they should even be controlled by governments, and to be retired if possible. To sum up, everything in life has both positive and negative aspects, and so television does. We should take the positive aspects and try to overcome the negative ones, as far as possible.
b. Do you think parents should control the number of hours their children watch TV? Explain. Solución As an introduction, I would like to say that quality may be more important than quantity. Television has both positive and negative aspects. Television could be a way to overcome our knowledge and culture, by documentaries, travel or children programmes, which might be educational. Of course, if children are watching TV, they can't play outside or practise any sport, and this fact increases the obesity problem, which is very common nowadays. In addition, there is another problem. If we are talking about television, we must say that there are a lot of rubbish programs, which unfortunately are the majority of them. So the majority of children watching TV can be watching the lives of famous people, reality programmes, or serial whose quality is, at least, a bit doubtful. Unless parents take care of their children, no one will do it for them. Nowadays, there are a lot of cases in which television is the best nanny for their children. It’s perhaps a bit difficult because of parents' long working days of 10 or 12 hours make that there are not able to spend more time with their children. On balance, if there’s no possibility of spending time with their children, parents should look for some activities in order to make their children do them, because television, is good, as everything, with measure.
Expresiones más frecuentes para realizar el texto: INTRODUCCIÓN -
The purpose of this report The aim of this report This report looks at First of all As an introduction I would like to say Firstly To begin with
CUERPO -
One of the main advantages/disadvantages of… Secondly From my point of view
Autor: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
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In my opinion I think/feel that On one hand……on the other hand
CONCLUSIÓN -
In conclusion To sum up On balance Last but not least
PARA UNIR FRASES -
Although However In spite of (this) Some people…..while/whereas others… VOCABULARIO RELACIONADO
Camera: Cámara Programmes: Programas Documentary: Documental Ads: Anuncios Nanny: Niñera Take care: Cuidar Overcome: Superar TV Shop: Teletienda Reality program: Telerrealidad
Autor: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
