PAU Practice 1 by IES Reyes Católicos Sección Bilingüe

Inglés 2º Bachillerato

PAU PRACTICE No. 1

OPTION A PEACE AND SILENCE Visitors who leave behind the city centre of Charleston, South Carolina, and drive only 30 miles south, may come upon the monastery of Our Lady of Mepkin. Twenty-eight monks live at Mepkin Abbey, following the same routine establishes in France 900 years ago: praying, reading the Bible, and working. Monasteries and spiritual centres throughout the United States find that demand for temporary accommodation is increasing. More and more visitors come to this peaceful abbey st every day, men and women who are tired of the fast pace of life and work in 21 century America. These people usually stay in the abbey between one and six days. “Most come for the silence,” explains one of the monks. They pray with the monks (attending the first service of the day, at 3.20 in the morning, if they wish), observe the same silence as the monks, eat the same vegetarian food. The abbey’s guest rooms, most with private baths, are full much of the time, and rooms for the weekend are booked for the next six months. The monks hope that their visitors will “find peace, joy and perspective of life.” I. COMPREHENSION (4 points: questions 1-3, 1point each; 4-5, 0.5 points each) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-3 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS. 1. What do the monks at Mepkin Abbey do every day? 2. Why have monasteries and spiritual centres become popular in the USA? 3. What is it that visitors find most appealing in monasteries? ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. 4. Mepkin Abbey was founded in France 900 years ago. 5. All guests have to do some work in the Abbey to pay for their accommodation. II. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

USE OF ENGLISH (3 points: questions 6-9, 0.25 points; questions 10-13, 0.5 points each) Find in the text the word which has the following definition “sequence of actions regularly followed” (noun). Give one synonym of “peaceful” (adjective) (line 6). Give an adjective with the same root as “joy” (noun) (line 13). Find in the text an opposite of “host” (noun). Turn the following sentence into the passive voice. Visitors find peace and joy at the monastery. Give a question for the underlined words. This dictionary cost fifty dollars ten years ago. Join the following sentences using an appropriate linker (do not use and, but or because). Make changes if necessary. Lindsay is the eldest child. She has to look after the other children. Rewrite the sentence correctly. Monks are used to live in peace.

III. PRODUCTION (3 points) 14. Write a composition of approximately 120 words. Focus strictly on the topic: Would you stay for a month in a monastery? Why?

Inglés 2º Bachillerato

PAU PRACTICE No. 1

OPTION B CHILD EXPLOITATION Dhiraj Kumar, who is 14 years old, works at a tea shop at Delhi’s bus station. His 12hour work shift begins at 9pm. He makes tea, washes pots, pans and glasses, and serves the customers. For his work, he is paid 50 rupees (a little less than a euro) a day. When a glass is stolen from the tea shop, he is held responsible. His family lives 1,000 km away, in the state of Bihar, and the small piece of land the family owns is unable to sustain everyone. Dhiraj’s pay is crucial in the family’s battle to survive. Children under 14 are vulnerable to physical, mental and even sexual abuse. Their exploitation goes unreported and unnoticed inside the closed confines of homes and food stalls. Parents say poverty forces them to send their children, sometimes as young as five, to work in other people’s homes and businesses. An Indian government law banning children from working as domestic servants or in roadside food stalls came into effect on 10 October 2006. Anyone found exploiting children will face penalties, including imprisonment. According to the authorities, the ban will affect 185,000 children working as domestic help and 70,000 who work in roadside food stalls. But many people say the real number of exploited children could be as high as 20 million, and consequently they believe the prohibition will not solve the entire problem. I. COMPREHENSION (4 points: questions 1-3, 1point each; 4-5, 0.5 points each) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-3 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS. 1. How long does Dhiraj have to work every day? 2. Can a child under 12 work legally as a housemaid in India? Why? 3. Why may the Government’s measure not solve the entire problem of child labour? ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. 4. Dhiraj’s family does not need the money he earns. 5. In India some children start working when they are five years old. II. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

USE OF ENGLISH (3 points: questions 6-9, 0.25 points; questions 10-13, 0.5 points each) Find in the text the word which has the following definition “which can be easily attacked or easily hurt” (adjective) Find in the text one opposite for “wealth” (noun). Give an adjective with the same root as “survive” (noun) (line 6). Give one synonym for “ban” (noun) (line 13). Join the following sentences using a relative. Make changes if necessary. A friend of mine is a famous scientist. He was born in India. Use the words in the boxes to make a meaningful sentence. Use all and only the words in the boxes without changing their form. YOUNG CHILD VERY THE IS WORK TO

12. Rewrite the sentence without changing its meaning. Begin as indicated. Many Indian people are too poor to have their own houses. Many Indian people aren’t... 13. Turn the following sentence into reported speech. “I am very sorry for what I have done,” he said. IV. PRODUCTION (3 points) 14. Write a composition of approximately 120 words. Focus strictly on the topic: Children should enjoy their childhood. Give your opinion.