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2021

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Proves d’accés a la universitat

Llengua estrangera
Anglès
Sèrie 1 - A

Qualificació TR

Comprensió oral

Comprensió escrita

Redacció

Suma de notes parcials

Qualificació final

Etiqueta de l’alumne/a

Ubicació del tribunal ..................................................................................

Número del tribunal ....................................................................................

Etiqueta de qualificació Etiqueta del corrector/a

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Part 1: Listening comprehension

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KAREN BLIXEN, A LIFE MADE FOR FILM

In the following conversation you are going to hear some new words. Read and listen to
them. Make sure you know what they mean.
supplies: provisions / provisiones
spells of drought: sequera / sequía
hazardous: arriscat / arriesgado
auction: subhasta / subasta
engaged: compromesa / comprometida
breakdown: atac, crisi / ataque, crisis

Ready?
Now read the questions on the following page. Read them carefully before listening to
the conversation.

[Now listen to the interview.]

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QUESTIONS

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Choose the best answer according to the recording. Only ONE answer is correct.

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[3 points: 0.375 points for each correct answer. Wrong answers will be penalized by deducting 0.125 points. There is no

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penalty for unanswered questions.]

Espai per al corrector/a

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Correcta Incorrecta contestada

1. Which of these facts is TRUE about Karen Blixen according to the interview?
She enjoyed being interviewed and gave many interviews.
She did not talk much about herself and her ordinary life.
Her father was a rich journalist working for The New York Times.
She arrived in Kenya in the middle of the World War.
2. Who gave the Blixens money to start their coffee farm?
The English government.
The rulers in Kenya.
A British aristocrat.
Their own families.
3. Which of these statements is NOT true according to the text?
It rained a lot and the farm was flooded often.
Coffee could not be imported to Great Britain during the war.
Karen Blixen’s husband ran into debts.
There were not enough workers for the farm because of the war.
4. How do we know about Karen Blixen’s love affair?
Her husband published a book about their life in Africa.
She wrote about the love affair in Out of Africa.
She wrote a letter to her brother that he made public.
A Danish journalist wrote about it in a Copenhagen newspaper.
5. What happened to the coffee farm after the Blixens’ divorce?
The British government took it over and closed it.
The farm went bankrupt and was sold at auction.
Karen Blixen turned it into a successful business.
Karen Blixen wanted to leave Kenya so she sold the farm.
6. When did Karen Blixen first start writing?
After she met Denys Finch Hatton.
When she moved back to Denmark from Kenya.
When she was 8 years old.
In 1925, while she was in Kenya.
7. Why did Karen Blixen stop writing when she got married?
She wanted to follow the general expectations for women at that time.
She and her husband worked on the coffee farm so she did not have
time to write.
She was ill most of the time and could not write.
The first short stories she had published had been very poorly received
by critics.
8. What did she do after the publication of Seven Gothic Tales?
She underwent several severe operations and could not write anymore.
She visited several countries because she wanted to gather information
for her books.
She went on writing and gave lectures when her illness allowed.
She changed her name and moved back to Africa.

Correctes Incorrectes No contestades

Recompte de les respostes

Nota de comprensió oral 3

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Part 2: Reading comprehension

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RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINES: HOW UNPLUGGING HELPS

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In the past, people could “switch off” after work by simply going home or avoiding dealing with
dramatic friends by not picking up the phone. But smartphones, social media and the expectation
that everyone should be available all the time have made taking a break much more difficult. From
this necessity, a new anti-tech trend has arisen: over the past few years, the concept of unplugging has
become popular amongst bloggers and youtubers.
It is widely accepted that multitasking and constant email cause a lack of productivity, negatively
impact on social relationships and increase stress. But can we reverse these bad consequences if we
abstain from using technology? According to most research, the answer is “yes.”
Like a muscle, the brain needs recovery time in order to develop, grow and retain new memories.
In fact, shutting off completely may be crucial: a Michigan university study found that students who
walked in the woods after learning something new were more likely to retain it. Even brief activities
such as taking a short walk, spending time in nature, or just daydreaming can help the brain. Without
free time, it is impossible to fully learn new skills and keep the brain at its cognitive best.
Luckily more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of down time. Over the
past few years, the idea of disconnecting from all online communication has grown into a major
movement. In 2010, for instance, a group of Jewish artists created the Sabbath Manifesto designed
to help people of all faiths and creeds find a day of rest amid the fuss of modern technology. This
manifesto created the National Day of Unplugging which happens once a year, typically in early
March.
Recently, countless bloggers have written about technological stress. For example, some of the
people behind the lifestyle website The Minimalists suggest cancelling home Internet access in order
to make using a computer more difficult and less appealing. Even some Internet celebs advocate a
more radical approach: a 25-day digital detoxification after realizing their addiction was noticeable.
And finally, a well-known magazine journalist has spent an entire year without Internet.
Unplugging is a trendy buzzword these days, but hopefully taking technological breaks is not
just a passing fad. The Internet and mobile communication have grown by impressive leaps in the
past ten years. But because we are used to tech companies releasing new and better products every
week, we have assumed that more communication is good, more social media sites are better, and
the ability to contact anyone at any time is best of all.
In reality, however, this behaviour might be unsustainable. Keeping up with email, Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and other sites round-the-clock have been shown to be exhausting, bad for our
brains, our relationships and our productivity. Regardless of length and intensity, technology fasts
have proved an important point: with a little bit of effort we can stop living through our phones and
computer screens. It would be better if we could re-connect with other human beings, thus reducing
stress and enhancing creativity.
Text adapted from an article by
Sophia Breene. Greatist [online] (June 2015)
down time: temps d’inactivitat / tiempo de inactividad
fuss: rebombori / jaleo
buzzword: paraula en voga / palabra de moda
passing fad: tendència passatgera / tendencia pasajera
fast: dejuni / ayuno
to enhance: augmentar / aumentar

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QUESTIONS

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Choose the best answer according to the text. Only ONE answer is correct.

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[3 points: 0.375 points for each correct answer. Wrong answers will be penalized by deducting 0.125 points. There is no

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penalty for unanswered questions.]

Espai per al corrector/a

No
Correcta Incorrecta contestada

1. Some years ago people did not answer phone calls so that
they could be connected to the web without disturbance.
they were able to forget about their problems.
they could be available all the time.
they could continue working from home.
2. According to most research, we can avoid the bad consequences of being
permanently connected to the web
if we leave little time for socialization.
if we learn to go without technological tools.
by emailing as little as possible.
if we admit that multitasking harms our friends irreversibly.
3. A Michigan university study concluded that
our brain only develops when it does not work.
a student must leave the city if he/she wants to learn something new.
students learn best after moments of outdoor relaxation.
brief activities are beneficial for our memories.
4. The idea of disconnecting from all online communication
was conceived by Israeli social activists.
can unite people from all faiths and creeds.
has induced several organizations to remind people to unplug.
has been discarded because it is too expensive.
5. Which of these four statements is NOT true according to the text?
Some famous people have decided to unplug for almost a month.
For many network users, technological stress is a serious issue.
If home Internet access is available, switching on a computer
is appealing.
Taking technological breaks can develop into a severe addiction.
6. The text states that one possible solution to reduce stress would be:
to not use smartphones on weekends.
to keep up with Facebook and Twitter all day.
to pause our use of connected devices periodically.
to maintain contact with everybody through social media.
7. According to the text, why do people think that increased use of technology
to contact others is good?
Because we know companies are constantly launching state-of-the-art
devices.
Because technology has barely developed since the beginning of
the 21st century.
Because people have little time to communicate with each other.
Because we know that it is always better to have more information.
8. What is unsustainable about not “unplugging”?
Multitasking has a positive impact on our social relationships.
Being connected all the time makes us less creative.
Keeping up with Facebook and Instagram keeps people more informed.
Maintaining a public profile on social media is the key to success
in business.

Correctes Incorrectes No contestades

Recompte de les respostes

Nota de comprensió escrita 5

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Part 3: Writing

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Choose ONE topic. Your answer should be 125-150 words in length. There is no specific

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penalty for exceeding 150 words in length. Extra points are not given for exceeding 150 words.

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[4 points]

1. Due to your low marks, you have been punished and for the next three months your
access to Internet after school is strictly limited to 30 minutes a day during the school
week and to 1 hour a day on Saturdays and Sundays. Do you think this is an effective
punishment? Write an opinion essay.

2. Live animals are used by many companies in the beauty industry for the testing of cosmetics.
Many activists for animal rights claim that this practice should be stopped because it is
cruel to the animals. The companies claim that testing on live animals is necessary to
ensure safe products for humans. What do you think? Should beauty products that have
been tested on animals be banned by the government? Write a for-and-against essay.

3. All of us occasionally have arguments with our friends, even with people who have
been our very close friends for a long time. Big arguments sometimes mean the end of a
friendship, and that often upsets us. In other cases, we are able to forgive and forget, and
continue on with our friendship. Write a narrative about an argument with your best
friend.

Grammar
Vocabulary
Text
Maturity
Total
Nota de la redacció
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Etiqueta de l’alumne/a

L’Institut d’Estudis Catalans ha tingut cura de la correcció lingüística i de l’edició d’aquesta prova d’accés