textos de febrero, selectividad
1) GOING BLANK
Nervousness before an exam is common amongst students. The symptoms are well-known: small tics, bitten fingernails, sweating and so on. However, for 20% of Spanish students, nervousness becomes uncontrollable fear, with panic attacks before tests. Very often the result is that their minds go completely blank. This mental block is caused by anxiety. Anxiety is a common emotion for all individuals which is not necessarily negative, sometimes it helps us to decide whether to accept or avoid a risk.
According to J.Tobal, a psychologist, “a total inhibition takes place” in panic attacks. A strong emotional reaction paralyses the mechanisms that recover the information stored within the memory. This is what the students usually call “going blank”. Once the panic has passed the students are able to access the answers.
J. Tobal states that exacerbated anxiousness also appears in other spheres of life, such as driving tests or declarations of love. Anxiety is associated with stress, and although it has accompanied humanity since its origins, today’s lifestyle foments it with the predominance of competitive attitudes.
J. Tobal affirms that anxiety can be treated. His group of therapy, which has a 90% success rate with students, teaches them techniques to relax and avoid catastrophe when they are convinced that they are going to get everything wrong. These techniques do not eliminate anxiety: rather, they maintain it at normal levels that do not interfere with academic performance.
COMPREHENSION
a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
1. Why do students sometimes go blank?
a. What kind of people can suffer from anxiety?
b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT.
b. Anxiety may be positive.
c. Nervousness is a result of today’s lifestyle.
d. J. Tobal’s therapy cures anxiety.
e. Nervousness shows itself in different ways.
USE OF ENGLISH
7. Give an adjective with the same root as DANGER (noun)
8. Find in the text one synonym for TOTALLY (adverb)
9. Find in the text one opposite for RIGHT (adjective)
10. Which word is not a verb:
ACCEPT FOMENT PERFORMANCE INTERFERE
Complete the following sentence:
If my mind had gone blank ………………………………………………………..
Join the following sentences using an appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT). Make changes if necessary.
These attacks can occur at all educational levels. They are especially common in professional exams.
Turn the following sentence into active voice.
Stress may be caused by competitive attitudes.
Turn the following sentence into indirect speech:
The therapist told me:” Relax and don’t think about your problems”
Nervousness before an exam is common amongst students. The symptoms are well-known: small tics, bitten fingernails, sweating and so on. However, for 20% of Spanish students, nervousness becomes uncontrollable fear, with panic attacks before tests. Very often the result is that their minds go completely blank. This mental block is caused by anxiety. Anxiety is a common emotion for all individuals which is not necessarily negative, sometimes it helps us to decide whether to accept or avoid a risk.
According to J.Tobal, a psychologist, “a total inhibition takes place” in panic attacks. A strong emotional reaction paralyses the mechanisms that recover the information stored within the memory. This is what the students usually call “going blank”. Once the panic has passed the students are able to access the answers.
J. Tobal states that exacerbated anxiousness also appears in other spheres of life, such as driving tests or declarations of love. Anxiety is associated with stress, and although it has accompanied humanity since its origins, today’s lifestyle foments it with the predominance of competitive attitudes.
J. Tobal affirms that anxiety can be treated. His group of therapy, which has a 90% success rate with students, teaches them techniques to relax and avoid catastrophe when they are convinced that they are going to get everything wrong. These techniques do not eliminate anxiety: rather, they maintain it at normal levels that do not interfere with academic performance.
COMPREHENSION
a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
1. Why do students sometimes go blank?
a. What kind of people can suffer from anxiety?
b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT.
b. Anxiety may be positive.
c. Nervousness is a result of today’s lifestyle.
d. J. Tobal’s therapy cures anxiety.
e. Nervousness shows itself in different ways.
USE OF ENGLISH
7. Give an adjective with the same root as DANGER (noun)
8. Find in the text one synonym for TOTALLY (adverb)
9. Find in the text one opposite for RIGHT (adjective)
10. Which word is not a verb:
ACCEPT FOMENT PERFORMANCE INTERFERE
Complete the following sentence:
If my mind had gone blank ………………………………………………………..
Join the following sentences using an appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT). Make changes if necessary.
These attacks can occur at all educational levels. They are especially common in professional exams.
Turn the following sentence into active voice.
Stress may be caused by competitive attitudes.
Turn the following sentence into indirect speech:
The therapist told me:” Relax and don’t think about your problems”
2) THE PRESSURES OF POPULARITY
Imagine travelling the world in the first class, going to interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, and then performing in front of thousand of screaming fans every night. It may sound glamorous, but the fast-paced lifestyle can also be destructive, leading to exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and even drug abuse.
A case in point is pop star Robbie Williams, who, in a recent interview, talked about his early experiences with fame, joking that he would like to create a “Help Centre” for young performers battling with the pressures that accompany the pop star lifestyle. In the past Williams’ excessive lifestyle and his problems with drugs and alcohol became so notorious that he often appeared on the covers of tabloids and magazines, for all the wrong reasons. In the end, he realised that he had problems and went to a rehabilitation centre.
Williams reached out for help, but unfortunately there are many other artists who give in to the pressures of fame and fortune. One can only hope that the new stars of “Operación Triunfo” will be able to combine the pressures of success with a balanced private life.
a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
1. How can fame affect the health of pop stars?
2. Is Robbie Williams’ reaction to his problem typical to pop stars? Why/ why not?
b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT.
3. Pop stars’ lifestyles are always destructive.
4. In the past, Robbie Williams was not conscious that he had problems with drugs.
5. The new stars of “Operación Triunfo” will be able to combine success with a balanced private life.
6. Robbie Williams is going to create a “Help Centre” for young performers with problems.
USE OF ENGLISH
7. Find in the text one synonym for “ACTING” (gerund)
8. Find in the text one opposite for “CONSTRUCTIVE”
9. Complete the following sentence:
If he had realised that he had a problem -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Join the following sentences using a relative pronoun. Make changes if necessary.
Robbie Williams was recently interviewed. His experiences with fame were disastrous.
11. Turn the following sentence into passive voice.
They won’t create a “Help Centre” for young performers.
12. Turn the following sentence into indirect speech:
The journalist asked him: “Have you had experiences with drugs and alcohol?
13. Give a question for the underlined words.
He talked about his past experiences
PRODUCTION
14. WRITE A COMPOSITION (80-100 WORDS). CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS. SPECIFY YOUR OPTION.
a. Would you like to be a pop star?
b. You need to be rich to be happy. Discuss.
Imagine travelling the world in the first class, going to interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, and then performing in front of thousand of screaming fans every night. It may sound glamorous, but the fast-paced lifestyle can also be destructive, leading to exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and even drug abuse.
A case in point is pop star Robbie Williams, who, in a recent interview, talked about his early experiences with fame, joking that he would like to create a “Help Centre” for young performers battling with the pressures that accompany the pop star lifestyle. In the past Williams’ excessive lifestyle and his problems with drugs and alcohol became so notorious that he often appeared on the covers of tabloids and magazines, for all the wrong reasons. In the end, he realised that he had problems and went to a rehabilitation centre.
Williams reached out for help, but unfortunately there are many other artists who give in to the pressures of fame and fortune. One can only hope that the new stars of “Operación Triunfo” will be able to combine the pressures of success with a balanced private life.
a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
1. How can fame affect the health of pop stars?
2. Is Robbie Williams’ reaction to his problem typical to pop stars? Why/ why not?
b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT.
3. Pop stars’ lifestyles are always destructive.
4. In the past, Robbie Williams was not conscious that he had problems with drugs.
5. The new stars of “Operación Triunfo” will be able to combine success with a balanced private life.
6. Robbie Williams is going to create a “Help Centre” for young performers with problems.
USE OF ENGLISH
7. Find in the text one synonym for “ACTING” (gerund)
8. Find in the text one opposite for “CONSTRUCTIVE”
9. Complete the following sentence:
If he had realised that he had a problem -------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Join the following sentences using a relative pronoun. Make changes if necessary.
Robbie Williams was recently interviewed. His experiences with fame were disastrous.
11. Turn the following sentence into passive voice.
They won’t create a “Help Centre” for young performers.
12. Turn the following sentence into indirect speech:
The journalist asked him: “Have you had experiences with drugs and alcohol?
13. Give a question for the underlined words.
He talked about his past experiences
PRODUCTION
14. WRITE A COMPOSITION (80-100 WORDS). CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS. SPECIFY YOUR OPTION.
a. Would you like to be a pop star?
b. You need to be rich to be happy. Discuss.
3) THE DISEASE OF THE 21ST CENTURY
According to the official statistics, the late nineties seem to have been marked by a dramatic increase in aggressive behaviour. The factors that move people to violent behaviour are many and complex, but the main reason may be an increasing divergence between evolution and culture. In terms of evolution, aggression would have been very useful when we had to hunt for our food. But nowadays it has little sense in the so-called “free-time culture”. Our society has become increasingly sedentary which reduces the possibilities of freeing our aggressiveness physically. Alcohol consumption, which has gone up enormously in recent years, is a powerful factor in much aggressive behaviour and probably has its effects by lowering inhibition. Cocaine and amphetamines associated with violence both because of their effect on the brain and also because users often move in a world dominated by crime and firearms. Stress also plays an important role in social aggressiveness. But violent behaviour often has its roots in childhood. Verbal or physical abuse within the family often sets up a vicious cycle, in which the aggressive patterns are repeated through the generations. In other words, most abusers were abused themselves.
COMPREHENSION
ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 CCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT
USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
How are alcohol and drugs related to aggressiveness?
In what way does the family influence violent behaviour?
ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THR TEXT.
Violence has been reduced since the beginning of the century.
Aggressive behaviour was useful for primitive people.
Nowadays, people drink less alcohol.
Stress makes people more aggressive.
USE OF ENGLISH
Find in the text one opposite for SIMPLE (adjective)
Find in the text one synonym for GROWING (adjective)
Which word is not an ADJECTIVE?
AGGRESSIVE VIOLENT DIVERGENCE USEFUL
Give a noun with the same root as PROBABLY (adverb)
Turn the following sentence into the active voice.
The late nineties have been marked by a dramatic increase in aggressive behaviour.
Fill in the gaps with the correct verb tenses.
If John (NOT DRINK) so much last night he (NOT BEHAVE) so aggressively.
13. Join the following sentences using the appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT).Make changes if necessary.
People shouldn’t use drugs. It affects their brains.
14. Turn the following sentence into the reported speech.
A psychologist from Liverpool University established: “Most abusers were abused themselves”.
PRODUCTION
Write a composition (80-100 words). Choose ONE of the following options. Specify your option.
a. Do you consider yourself an aggressive person? Have you ever behaved aggressively?
b. Sports and violence.
According to the official statistics, the late nineties seem to have been marked by a dramatic increase in aggressive behaviour. The factors that move people to violent behaviour are many and complex, but the main reason may be an increasing divergence between evolution and culture. In terms of evolution, aggression would have been very useful when we had to hunt for our food. But nowadays it has little sense in the so-called “free-time culture”. Our society has become increasingly sedentary which reduces the possibilities of freeing our aggressiveness physically. Alcohol consumption, which has gone up enormously in recent years, is a powerful factor in much aggressive behaviour and probably has its effects by lowering inhibition. Cocaine and amphetamines associated with violence both because of their effect on the brain and also because users often move in a world dominated by crime and firearms. Stress also plays an important role in social aggressiveness. But violent behaviour often has its roots in childhood. Verbal or physical abuse within the family often sets up a vicious cycle, in which the aggressive patterns are repeated through the generations. In other words, most abusers were abused themselves.
COMPREHENSION
ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 CCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT
USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
How are alcohol and drugs related to aggressiveness?
In what way does the family influence violent behaviour?
ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THR TEXT.
Violence has been reduced since the beginning of the century.
Aggressive behaviour was useful for primitive people.
Nowadays, people drink less alcohol.
Stress makes people more aggressive.
USE OF ENGLISH
Find in the text one opposite for SIMPLE (adjective)
Find in the text one synonym for GROWING (adjective)
Which word is not an ADJECTIVE?
AGGRESSIVE VIOLENT DIVERGENCE USEFUL
Give a noun with the same root as PROBABLY (adverb)
Turn the following sentence into the active voice.
The late nineties have been marked by a dramatic increase in aggressive behaviour.
Fill in the gaps with the correct verb tenses.
If John (NOT DRINK) so much last night he (NOT BEHAVE) so aggressively.
13. Join the following sentences using the appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT).Make changes if necessary.
People shouldn’t use drugs. It affects their brains.
14. Turn the following sentence into the reported speech.
A psychologist from Liverpool University established: “Most abusers were abused themselves”.
PRODUCTION
Write a composition (80-100 words). Choose ONE of the following options. Specify your option.
a. Do you consider yourself an aggressive person? Have you ever behaved aggressively?
b. Sports and violence.
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