Inglés. (con respuestas) Selectividad: The McCanns still hope to find their missing daughter

The McCanns still hope to find their missing daughter

The parents of a missing British girl, Madeleine McCann, are back in Britain more than four months after their daughter disappeared in Portugal.

Madeleine McCann disappeared more than four months ago from an apartment in the small Portuguese resort of Praia de Luz. Kate and Gerry McCann say they returned from eating in a restaurant a short distance away, to find their daughter missing - she's not yet been found.

The McCanns have stayed in Portugal since Madeleine's disappearance, where they have at times been the focus of close media scrutiny. They seemed to use that interest to their advantage, launching an international campaign to keep the story in the public eye. Pictures of Madeleine were posted on a special website, in airports and police stations around the world.

The McCann's have found strength in their own religious faith in the past months, even though admitting times of doubt. Travelling to the Vatican weeks after Madeleine's disappearance, they were given a brief audience with the Pope.

In this and all public appearances, the McCanns have always seemed calm, even after the dramatic turn of events of recent days which saw them being named as official suspects by Portuguese police. In interviews with British newspapers, the McCanns have accused the police of trying to frame them in the case. Officers say Portuguese law prevents them from responding to that accusation.

The McCanns have said they wanted to return to Britain for the sake of their twins. But on Saturday a family friend said, they were determined that the focus of the investigation does not shift away from trying to find Madeleine.

Part A. Reading Comprehension.

I. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text. (2 points: 1 point each)

a) What do officers say about Portuguese law?

b) Why did he McCanns want to return to Britain?

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer. (1.5 point: 0.5 each)

a. The parents of Madeleine McCann have been back in Britain for more than 4 months.

b. They managed to have a long meeting with the Pope.

c. The McCanns had a meal in a restaurant which was not near the hotel.

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options: (1 point: 0.25 each)

shift           strength          suspects          launching        scrutiny          frame

a) move

b) detailed examination

c) beginning

d) make sb feel they are guilty

IV. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct. (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

1. The McCanns have found strength…

a) after visiting the Vatican.

b) because they believe in God according to their faith.

c) because they work out in a gym .

2. The McCanns have accused the police of…

a) killing Madeleine.

b) making them feel guilty of a crime they did not commit.

c) preventing them from responding to the accusations.

3. The McCanns…

a) returned to England when their daughter disappeared.

b) have never wanted to return to Britain.

c) seem to have used media interest to their advantage.

Part B. Composition (130-150 words approximately). Choose one of the following topics. (4 points)

1. What do you think of the McCann case? (OPINION)

2. What can we do to make sure children are safe? (PROBLEM SOLVING)

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having children? (ARGUMENTATIVE)

Possible solutions: It is important to understand that the questions may be modified in any way ... It is also true that there may be mistakes and that possible solutions are open to improvement or that there may be better options ...

Part A. Reading Comprehension.

I. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text (2 points: 1 point each)

a) What do officers say about Portuguese law?

0.5 ANSWER:

Officers say Portuguese law prevents them from responding to that accusation.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

Officers say that Portuguese law does not allow them to answer that accusation.

Officers feel that Portuguese law does not help them to respond to that accusation.

b) Why did he McCanns want to return to Britain?

0.5 ANSWER (Be careful! Past simple question … notice “did”)

The McCanns wanted to return to Britain for the sake of their twins.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

The McCanns went back to England because they wanted to look after their twins. (reason)

The McCanns returned to England in order to look after their twins. (purpose)

The McCanns went back to England so that they could look after their twins. (purpose)

The McCanns returned to England to take care of their twins. (purpose)

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer. (1.5 point: 0.5 each)

a. The parents of Madeleine McCann have been back in Britain for more than 4 months.

F … are back in Britain more than four months after their daughter disappeared in Portugal

b. They managed to have a long meeting with the Pope.

F … they were given a brief audience with the Pope

c. The McCanns had a meal in a restaurant which was not near the hotel.

F … they returned from eating in a restaurant a short distance away

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options: (1 point: 0.25 each)

a) move (shift)

b) detailed examination (scrutiny)

c) beginning (launching)

d) make sb feel they are guilty (frame)

IV. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

1. The McCanns have found strength … B

b) because they believe in God according to their faith.

2. The McCanns have accused the police of … B

b) making them feel guilty of a crime they did not commit.

3. The McCanns … C

c) seem to have used media interest to their advantage.

Inglés. (con respuestas) Selectividad: Argentina's first elected woman President

Argentina's first elected woman President

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won Argentina's Presidential elections and will take over as the country's first elected woman President from her husband, Nestor Kirchner. She won a clear victory with more than 40% of the vote - enough to avoid a second round of voting.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner called her victory a triumph for all Argentines. Addressing supporters at her campaign headquarters in a hotel in Buenos Aires, she urged the whole of society to work together. A country, she said, could not be built by a government alone.

Mrs Kirchner also thanked her husband, Nestor, who she will replace as President, before being drowned out by the cheering crowd.

With more than forty percent of the vote she's won an outright victory with no need for a second round next month. The former economy minister, Roberto Lavagna, finished a distant second, and the ex-beauty queen, Elisa Carrio, was third.

Some of the candidates alleged fraud but the official results merely confirmed what the opinion polls had been saying for several months - that Cristina Kirchner would be the first elected woman president of Argentina.

Part A. Reading Comprehension.

I. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text. (2 points: 1 point each)

a) What did Cristina Kirchner tell supporters at her campaign headquarters?

b) What has Cristina Kirchner won with more than 40% of the vote?

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer. (1.5 point: 0.5 each)

a. Nestor Kirchner was President before Cristina.

b. Cristina Kirchner is not the first elected woman president of Argentina.

c. Cristina is Nestor Kirchner’s sister.

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options: (1 point: 0.25 each)

outright      merely        triumph      urged        headquarters       drowned out

a) purely

b) great success

c) strongly advised

d) complete

IV. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

1. With more than forty percent Cristina Kirchner…

a) has won the right to vote.

b) does not need a second round.

c) has got the vote of the right.

2. The official results merely confirmed …

a) Cristina Kirchner’s victory.

b) Cristina Kirchner’s opinion.

c) what Cristina Kirchner had been saying for months.

3. Some of the candidates …

a) were not happy with the results.

b) confirmed what the opinion polls had been saying.

c) were ex-beauty queens.

Part B. Composition (130-150 words approximately). Choose one of the following topics. (4 points)

1. What do you think of politics? (OPINION)

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a politician? (ARGUMENTATIVE)

3. Describe a Spanish politician (DESCRIPTION)

4. What can we do to encourage young Spanish people to vote in the next General Elections (PROBLEM SOLVING)

************************************************

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

I. Answer the following questions using your own words but taking into account the information in the text (2 points: 1 point each)

a) What did Cristina Kirchner tell supporters at her campaign headquarters?

She told supporters to work together because a country could not be built by a government alone.

She told supporters that it was important to work together in order to build a country

She told supporters that a government could not build a country alone (by itself / on its own)

b) What has Cristina Kirchner won with more than 40% of the vote?

She has avoided a second round of voting

She has managed to avoid a second round of voting

She does not need a second vote

She has won the elections without needing a second vote

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? Identify the part of the text that supports your answer. (1.5 point: 0.5 each)

a. Nestor Kirchner was President before Cristina.

T … Nestor, who she will replace as President

b. Cristina Kirchner is not the first elected woman president of Argentina.

F … will take over as the country's first elected woman President

c. Cristina is Nestor Kirchner´s sister

F … Mrs Kirchner also thanked her husband, Nestor

III. Find a synonym for each of the four words below from these six options: (1 point: 0.25 each)

a) purely (merely)

b) great success (triumph)

c) strongly advised (urged)

d) complete (outright)

IV. Choose a, b, or c, in each question below. Only one choice is correct (1.5 points: 0.5 each)

1. With more than forty percent Cristina Kirchner… B

b) does not need a second round.

2. The official results merely confirmed … A

a) Cristina Kirchner’s victory.

3. Some of the candidates … A

a) were not happy with the results