MODELO 2008 INSTRUCCIONES GENERALES 1. 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.
The Travels of Marco Polo The Travels of Marco Polo was a book conceived in a prison cell in Genoa (Italy) in 1298. A few years earlier, in 1292, after a twenty-four year journey, Polo had returned to the West from Kublai Khan's Eastern empire. Polo's book was an account of this vast empire having a stage of civilization far more advanced than anything Europeans could imagine. In medieval times Europe was plagued by inept and corrupt leaders, misguided Crusades, the Black Death, hunger and lack of hygiene. To this grim reality, Polo introduced Kublai Khan, a model statesman who presided wisely over a huge empire with fantastic cities, advanced technology and transportation systems. This was a place where everything that Europe did not have and greedily desired could be found. However, many people questioned the authenticity of Polo's accounts and even took them to be fairytales. But much of what Polo wrote, regarded with suspicion in medieval times, was confirmed by travellers of the 18th and 19th centuries, and most of the detail has since been corroborated by historians and geographers. Fiction or not, Polo's book has captured readers for centuries. Although its author received little recognition in life, he was capable of comprehending cultures completely alien to his own. Today no one can fail to appreciate the book's celebration of the heterogeneity of nature, geography and, above all, people. Races are differentiated but not denigrated and the customs of different cultures are met with enthusiastic curiosity, not with the prejudice prevalent in Europe at that time.
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) Marco Polo wrote his book during his famous journey to the East.
FALSE: The Travels of Marco Polo was a book conceived in a prison cell in Genoa (Italy) in 1298. b) Experts have proved that all the information included in Polo's book was invented.
FALSE: […] much of what Polo wrote, regarded with suspicion in medieval times,
was confirmed by travellers of the 18th and 19th centuries, and most of the detail has since been corroborated by historians and geographers. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos) 2.
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
a) Describe life in the Middle Ages for Europeans.
European people in Middle Ages suffered of corrupt politicians, epidemic Author: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
illnesses, such as the Black Death, wars and hunger, besides living without any king of hygiene. b) Why was Marco Polo's attitude to different cultures important?
Because his attitude was a very good example of understanding cultures and customs so different as the ones he had in that moment and to live among other races and respecting all them. (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos) 3.
4.
Find the words in the text that mean: a) description (paragraph 1) b) terrible (paragraph 2) c) foreign (paragraph 3) d) common (paragraph 3) (Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)
account grim alien prevalent
Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.
a) Marco Polo, 1
was born in Venice, went to China with his father and uncle when he 2 seventeen years old. b) While the West 3 (govern) by corrupt leaders in the Middle Ages, a wise emperor 4 (rule) the East. c) Marco Polo's book dealt 5 a world 6 products were highly valued in the West. Rewrite the following in reported speech. d) Marco Polo said, “I have only told half of what I saw!” Marco Polo said… 7 (Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
Solución. 1. who. Pronombre relativo, en este caso se trata de una proposición de relativo indefinida, puesto que no se trata de información fundamental para la frase. 2. was. La edad en ingles SIEMPRE va con el verbo To Be. 3. was governed. Voz pasiva. Usamos la pasiva sólo con verbos transitivos seguidos de un objeto. 4. ruled. Pasado simple 5. with 6. whose. Pronombre relativo posesivo, en este caso es una proposición definida. La frase no tiene sentido si se elimina la proposición de relativo. 7. he had only told half of what he had seen. Estilo indirecto, usamos esta forma para informar de lo que alguien dice o piensa, normalmente dando un paso para atrás en el tiempo. 5.
Write about 100 to 150 words on one of the following topics.
a) lf you could choose a historical period to live in, which one would you choose and why?
b) Are travel books popular with modem readers? Give reasons for your answer. (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
Author: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
buscar estructuras que nos sean conocidas para evitar cometer errores, sin caer en el simplismo. a) lf you could choose a historical period to live in, which one would you choose and why?
Solución First of all, I would like to say that I think we are probably living in the most progressive period in human History. However, if I have to choose another historical one, I would choose Middle Ages. I know that Middle Ages were terrible because of wars, Crusades, hunger and the lack of hygiene, but I also think that it could be exciting to live in a Castle, to become a Knight, or to meet a witch! But in my opinion, these ideas are because of the books that I have read about Middle Ages, such as "King Arthur", and it’s possible that I would rather prefer being a character of this novel but living the normal life of this nowadays in Europe. To sum up, I would like to say that all historical periods could have something exciting to live in, for example: wouldn’t like to meet Jesus Christ, fighting next to ‘Che’ Guevara or discovering America with Columbus? Nowadays, we have hundreds of television channels, computers, trips by plane or even spaceships!!! Isn't it exciting? I think it is. b) Are travel books popular with modem readers? Give reasons for your answer.
Solución As an introduction, I would like to say that travel books are not the main guide of information to make a trip, because we can use internet, travel guides, etc. Travel books could be an instrument to wake up the desire about knowing new places, and being in that places we are reading it in exciting novels. But, as I have just said, not only travel books but novels with love, action or thriller stories… even cinema films!!! Looking for a treasure in a lost island, or knowing interesting old cities in Europe (Prague, Vienna, Rome, Paris, Berlin…). From my point of view, travel books aren’t so popular now than they used to be some years ago, because of the huge quantity of information that we have nowadays. If you want to know something about a city, you don’t need a travel book, but only search it on the Internet. On balance, I think travel books are not an absolutely and necessary instrument to go abroad, but anyway, they are useful tools to enjoy our trips, as far as possible. 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
Author: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
-
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 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
Trip: viaje Foreign: Extranjero Go abroad: Ir/viajar al extranjero Travel guides: Guías de viaje Middle Ages: Edad Media French Revolution: Revolución francesa History: Historia (períodos históricos) Story: historia (= cuento, leyenda)
Author: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
