PRUEBA DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDADY PRUEBA DE ADMISIÓN
ANDALUCÍA, CEUTA, MELILLA y CENTROS en MARRUECOS
CURSO 2024-2025
LENGUA EXTRANJERAINGLÉS (ACCESO)
Instrucciones:
a) Duración: 1 hora y 30 minutos.
b) Todas las cuestiones deben responderse en el papel entregado para la realización del examen y nunca en los folios que contienen los enunciados.
c) Este examen consta de varios bloques. Debe responder a las preguntas que se indican en cada uno.
d) La puntuación está indicada en cada uno de los apartados.
e) No se permite el uso de diccionario.
El examen consta de 3 Bloques (A, B y C)
En cada bloque (Comprehension, Use of English y Writing) se plantean varias preguntas. Se deberá responder al número que se indica. En caso de aportar más de una respuesta, solo se tendrá en cuenta la que aparezca en primer lugar. Las preguntas han de ser respondidas en su totalidad: si la pregunta tiene dos secciones, hay que responder a ambas.
BLOQUE A (Comprensión lectora)
Puntuación máxima: 4 puntos
Debe responderse a las 8 preguntas del texto propuesto.
COMPREHENSION (4 points). READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS.
DOLLAR PRINCESSES
- During the late 1800s, a period also known as The Gilded Age, the US experienced rapid economic growth following the Civil
- War. Although some American families became insanely wealthy, they still considered themselves “commoners”, lacking the
- exquisite titles of European aristocracy, such as Dukes, Barons, and the like. This became unacceptable to many of them who
- wanted an aristocratic identity to accompany their newfound fortunes.
- Meanwhile, British noblemen represented “old world charm” on the other side of the Atlantic. They were sophisticated, cultured,
- and aristocratic, with noble titles passed down through their family legacies. However, they were desperate for cash due to
- economic pressures mostly caused by rural populations moving to the cities and the costly maintenance of their aging mansions.
- The answer to the problems of the American millionaires and the British aristocracy can be summed up in two words: dollar
- princesses. Dollar Princess was a term referring to an American heiress, a woman from a newly wealthy family. The fathers of
- these “princesses” believed that a title would provide a shortcut to social acceptance. Since the American Constitution forbade the
- government from giving out titles of nobility, they “sold” their daughters to British aristocrats in exchange for titles.
- In a short time, more than $25 billion was sent to Britain, rejuvenating dying aristocratic families and boosting the European
- economy. If these marriages seem like cold, hard contractual negotiations, it’s because they were. Very often, the future husbands
- were complete strangers to the young heiresses, who led hopeless and miserable lives with no support.
- Once in Britain, most dollar princesses found their majestic homes terribly dark and cold, as they were in desperate need of
- repair. Soon, the new wives remodeled their homes, but they were often judged, and even mocked, for doing so. To make matters
- worse, they were marginalized by high society for their non-aristocratic roots.
- In 1880, railway heiress Frances Ellen Work married the future Baron Fermoy. Like many dollar-princess matches, it was an
- unhappy one. The baron blew Frances’s $2.5 million fortune on gambling, and the couple divorced in 1891. Frances’s story might
- suggest that dollar princesses were but an anecdote in the history of Britain. However, just over a century after she traded her
- money for aristocracy, her great-granddaughter Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales—and later, the mother of Prince
- William, now first in line to the British throne.
CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)
A1. According to the text, Dollar Princesses…
Solución
(d) improved their parents’ prestige in social circles.
Los padres casaban a sus hijas con aristócratas británicos porque creían que un título era un atajo para ser aceptados socialmente (líneas 9-10): “The fathers of these ‘princesses’ believed that a title would provide a shortcut to social acceptance.”
No se casaron en contra de la voluntad de sus padres ni desafiaron su autoridad, sino que fueron ellos quienes las “vendieron” (“they ‘sold’ their daughters”) (a y c); y el dinero no salvó la fortuna de sus padres, sino la de las familias aristocráticas británicas (“rejuvenating dying aristocratic families”) (b).
A2. According to the text, after the wedding, Dollar Princesses…
Solución
(b) were entirely on their own.
Llevaban vidas desesperanzadas y desgraciadas, sin ningún apoyo (línea 14): “the young heiresses, who led hopeless and miserable lives with no support.”
El texto dice que se burlaban de ellas (“mocked”), pero no que lo hicieran sus maridos (a); emplearon su dinero en reformar las casas, no en divertirse (c); y la alta sociedad las marginaba (“they were marginalized by high society”) (d).
ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT. (0.5 points each)
A3. The British nobles were unable to bear the expense of preserving their residences.
Solución
TRUE. “However, they were desperate for cash due to (economic pressures mostly caused by rural populations moving to the cities and) the costly maintenance of their aging mansions.” (líneas 6-7).
Mantener sus viejas mansiones era tan caro que necesitaban dinero desesperadamente. La parte entre paréntesis se puede omitir, porque la clave está en “desperate for cash” y “the costly maintenance of their aging mansions”.
A4. The American Government granted aristocratic titles to rich families.
Solución
FALSE. “(Since) the American Constitution forbade the government from giving out titles of nobility (, they ‘sold’ their daughters to British aristocrats in exchange for titles).” (líneas 10-11).
La Constitución prohibía al Gobierno conceder títulos nobiliarios; por eso las familias ricas los buscaban casando a sus hijas en Gran Bretaña.
A5. The brides used to date their husbands-to-be before the wedding.
Solución
FALSE. “Very often, the future husbands were complete strangers to the young heiresses (, who led hopeless and miserable lives with no support).” (líneas 13-14).
Muchas veces ni siquiera conocían a sus futuros maridos.
A6. Traces of the dollar princesses’ legacy can be seen in today’s British royal family.
Solución
TRUE. “(However, just over a century after she traded her money for aristocracy,) her great-granddaughter Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales (—and later, the mother of Prince William, now first in line to the British throne).” (líneas 20-22).
Diana de Gales, bisnieta de una dollar princess, llegó a ser princesa de Gales y es la madre del heredero al trono. La clave es “her great-granddaughter Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales”; lo que va entre paréntesis sitúa la cita.
A7. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)
A7.1. ONE SYNONYM FOR: “origin” (noun).
Solución
roots (línea 17): “their non-aristocratic roots”. Como “origin” está en singular, también vale root.
A7.2. ONE SYNONYM FOR: “ridicule” (verb).
Solución
mocked (línea 16): “they were often judged, and even mocked”. Como se pide un verbo, también vale el infinitivo, mock.
A8. FIND IN THE TEXT: (0.5 points)
A8.1. ONE WORD MEANING: “change the structure or form of something, especially a building.”
Solución
remodeled (línea 16): “the new wives remodeled their homes”. Como la definición es un infinitivo (“change…”), también vale remodel.
A8.2. ONE WORD MEANING: “the activity of betting money in a game.”
Solución
gambling (línea 19): “The baron blew Frances’s $2.5 million fortune on gambling”.
BLOQUE B (Uso de la lengua)
Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos
Debe responder a las 6 preguntas de la opción escogida.
USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; 0.5 points each). CHOOSE OPTION 1 OR OPTION 2 AND ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS FROM THAT OPTION ONLY.
OPTION 1
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORIGINAL MEANING. THE NEW SENTENCE MUST CLEARLY PRESENT A DIFFERENT LINGUISTIC STRUCTURE.
- BEGIN AS INDICATED OR USE THE WORD IN BRACKETS.
- THE WORDS PROVIDED MUST NOT BE CHANGED IN ANY WAY.
B1. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure.
If…
Solución
If I had been sure, I would have told you.
Tercer condicional, para hablar de una situación pasada que no ocurrió: If + pasado perfecto, would have + participio. Las dos oraciones negativas pasan a afirmativas porque se imagina lo contrario de lo que pasó.
B2. The laundry is too wet to be taken off the clothesline.
The laundry isn’t…
Solución
The laundry isn’t dry enough to be taken off the clothesline.
Too + adjetivo equivale a not + adjetivo contrario + enough. Enough va detrás del adjetivo: dry enough.
B3. I would prefer not to go on the field trip.
(RATHER)
Solución
I would rather not go on the field trip. (o I’d rather not go…)
Would rather equivale a would prefer, pero va seguido de infinitivo sin to. La negación se coloca justo delante del verbo: would rather not go.
B4. They can’t leave the class unless the teacher gives them permission.
(ALLOWED)
Solución
They aren’t allowed to leave the class unless the teacher gives them permission.
El modal can’t, que aquí expresa prohibición, se sustituye por la forma pasiva be (not) allowed to + infinitivo. Como unless equivale a if… not, también es correcto They aren’t allowed to leave the class if the teacher doesn’t give them permission.
B5. I think they should go home.
I think it’s time…
Solución
I think it’s time they went home. (o I think it’s time for them to go home.)
It’s time + sujeto + pasado simple expresa que algo debería estar ocurriendo ya. El pasado went no se refiere al pasado, sino al presente.
B6. They consider that Manuel is an expert on manga.
Manuel…
Solución
Manuel is considered (to be) an expert on manga.
Pasiva impersonal con sujeto personal: They consider that + sujeto + verbo → Sujeto + is considered + (to be). Como el sujeto genérico they no aporta información, desaparece.
OPTION 2
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORIGINAL MEANING. THE NEW SENTENCE MUST CLEARLY PRESENT A DIFFERENT LINGUISTIC STRUCTURE.
- BEGIN AS INDICATED OR USE THE WORD IN BRACKETS.
- THE WORDS PROVIDED MUST NOT BE CHANGED IN ANY WAY.
B7. He wondered why Lisa was so curious about stick insects.
‘Why…
Solución
‘Why is Lisa so curious about stick insects?’ he wondered.
Se pasa de estilo indirecto a directo: el verbo vuelve al presente (was → is) y recupera el orden de pregunta, con el verbo delante del sujeto. Va entre comillas y con signo de interrogación. Como él se lo pregunta a sí mismo, no a Lisa, se mantiene la tercera persona.
B8. Let’s go to Scotland next summer for a vacation.
How…
Solución
How about going to Scotland next summer for a vacation?
Una sugerencia con Let’s + infinitivo se puede expresar con How about + -ing. Al ser una pregunta, termina con signo de interrogación.
B9. Alice hasn’t smoked for three months.
Alice gave…
Solución
Alice gave up smoking three months ago.
El present perfect negativo con for + periodo se convierte en el pasado simple del phrasal verb give up (“dejar”), seguido de -ing, con ago para indicar cuándo ocurrió.
B10. Urban Flora sometimes delivers gardenia bouquets to Anna.
Anna sometimes gets…
Solución
Anna sometimes gets gardenia bouquets delivered by Urban Flora.
Construcción con get + objeto + participio: Anna recibe los ramos, pero es otro quien realiza la acción. Urban Flora pasa a ser el agente con by.
B11. Alina cannot speak English as well as Dimitri.
Dimitri…
Solución
Dimitri speaks English better than Alina. (o Dimitri speaks better English than Alina.)
El comparativo de igualdad negativo (not as well as) se convierte en comparativo de superioridad invirtiendo los términos. Better es el comparativo irregular de well y de good: puede ir detrás de English, como adverbio (habla inglés mejor), o delante, como adjetivo (habla un inglés mejor). También se acepta mantener el modal: Dimitri can speak English better than Alina.
B12. Masha will be disappointed if she doesn’t get top marks in the exam.
Unless…
Solución
Unless Masha gets top marks in the exam, she will be disappointed.
Unless equivale a if… not, así que el verbo de la condición pasa a afirmativa: doesn’t get → gets.
BLOQUE C (Redacción)
Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos
Deberá realizar una redacción de un mínimo de 120 palabras de SOLAMENTE 1 de los dos temas propuestos.
WRITING (3 points)
C. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF AT LEAST 120 WORDS ABOUT ONE OF THE TOPICS PROPOSED AND FOCUS ON IT. CHOOSE ONE TOPIC ONLY:
C1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using apps to meet other people?
C2. The importance of listening to your parents. Should we always listen?