Triskaidekaphobia (Modelo Opción A)

Examen

Respuestas

I * COMPREHENSION (3 points)

CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C or D). (0.5 points each)

1. According to the text...

(a) there are no triskaidekaphobics anymore.

(b) there are explanations why 13 is an unlucky number. (l. 6-7)

(c) black cats are related to triskaidekaphobia.

(d) airlines prevent planes from flying on Friday 13th.

2. Triskaidekaphobics...

(a) often re-schedule their plans. (l. 2-3)

(b) believe that Roosevelt was truly cursed.

(c) are concerned about what statistics have to say.

(d) know the origins of their apprehension.

ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points each)

3. People are generally reluctant to celebrate their wedding on a 13th.

True: “most people avoid getting married or buying a house on a day marked by this dreaded number” (l. 2)

4. Architects frequently omit a 13th floor from their plans.

True: “most tall buildings do not have a 13th floor” (l. 12-13)

5. No data exists to confirm that 13 is an adverse number.

True: “there isn’t any statistical proof to support the superstition that Friday the 13th — or even just the number 13 itself — is unlucky” (l. 10-11)

6. Triskaidekaphobia is a recent phenomenon.

False: “Our fixation with the number 13 runs deep.” (l. 3)

“unlucky 13 isn't the only popular superstition that has been linked to the human psyche for decades” (l. 4) 

“Stuart Vyse explains that the number 13 has a history of very old references”. (l. 6-7)

II * USE OF ENGLISH (4 points; questions 7-12, 0.25 points each; 13-17, 0.5 points each)

7. FIND IN THE TEXT THE WORD WHICH HAS THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION: “preceding in time, prior or earlier”.

Former (l. 13)

8. WHICH WORD DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME MEANING? scared / afraid / frightened / aware

9. GIVE A VERB WITH THE SAME ROOT AS “proof” (noun).

Prove, disprove.

10. FILL IN THE GAP WITH A CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS: “Rafael Nadal..... (beat) Andy Murray many times”.

Has beaten

11. FILL IN THE GAP WITH THE CORRECT OPTION: Tom admitted ....... the other car the day before. to hit / to hitting / hit / hitting.

12. FIND IN THE TEXT ONE SYNONYM FOR “support” (verb).

Back up (l. 14)

13. JOIN THE SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE. MAKE CHANGES IF NECESSARY. Kate won the tennis match. She was playing against my sister.

Kate, who was playing against my sister, won the tennis match.

Kate, who won the tennis match, was playing against my sister.

14. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS: The number 13 is synonymous with bad luck.

What is the number 13 synonymous with?

15. REWRITE THE SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: He isn’t as noisy as his brothers.

His brothers are… noisier than him.

His brothers are… noisier than he is.

16. USE THE WORDS IN THE BOXES TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL SENTENCE. USE ALL AND ONLY THE WORDS IN THE BOXES WITHOUT CHANGING THEIR FORM:

listened

if

you

to

I

only

had

If only I had listened to you.

17. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE: Unless I am really lucky,...

… I won’t pass the exam.

III * PRODUCTION (3 points)

18. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS ABOUT THE TOPIC PROPOSED. YOU MUST FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT:

What do you think about superstitions? Discuss.