Examen SELECTIVIDAD Inglés 2013 (Junio)

OPTION A: “Are mobile phones dangerous?”
Are mobile phones dangerous to your health? It is difficult to know for sure. Some researchers suggest that heavy 1 users of mobile phones are at a greater risk of developing brain tumours. Nevertheless, many other studies suggest there 2 are no links between cancer and mobile phone use. Over three billion people use mobile phones on a daily basis, and many 3 talk for more than an hour a day. Mobile phone antennas are similar to microwave ovens. While both rely on electromagnetic 4 radiation, the radio waves in mobile phones are lower in radio frequency (RF). Microwave ovens have enough RF to cook 5 food and are known to be dangerous to human tissues. However, the concern is that the lower frequency radio waves that 6 mobile phones rely on may also be dangerous. 7
Some researchers believe that other types of wireless technology may also be dangerous to human health, including 8 laptops, cordless phones, and gaming consoles. They say that many cordless phones emit dangerous levels of 9 Electromagnetic Radiation (ER) even when they are not in use. They even suggest keeping electronic devices, such as 10 computers and alarm clocks, out of bedrooms, or at least 1.8 metres from your pillow. Besides, a growing number of health 11 professionals recommend that children and teens, whose brains are still developing, use mobile phones only for 12 emergencies. Concerned medical experts use the example of tobacco to illustrate the potential risks. Many years ago, 13 people smoked freely and were not aware of the effects of cigarettes on their health. Today, people know that cigarettes 14 cause lung cancer, though it is still unknown exactly how or why. Some doctors fear that the same thing will happen with 15 devices such as mobiles. 16
I * COMPREHENSION (4 points: questions 1-3, 1 point each; 4-5, 0.5 points each)
ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-3 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
1. According to the article, do mobile phones lead to brain tumours? Explain.
2. Are mobile phones the only devices that can damage our health? Explain
3. Why do some experts think that mobile phones can be harmful to the development of children’s brains?
ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT, OR USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
4. Microwave ovens and mobile phones emit similar levels of RF.
5. In the past the negative effects of tobacco were unknown.
II * USE OF ENGLISH (3 points; questions 6-9, 0.25 points each; 10-13, 0.5 points each)
6. FIND IN THE TEXT A SYNONYM FOR “worry” (noun).
7. GIVE AN ADJECTIVE WITH THE SAME ROOT AS “health” (noun).
8. WHICH WORD IS NOT AN ADJECTIVE? dangerous / risky/ scare / unsafe.
9. FIND IN THE TEXT ONE WORD WHICH HAS THE FOLLOWING DEFINITION: “A machine or piece of equipment which has been invented for a particular purpose.”
10. GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS: “Some health professionals point out that many cancers take at least ten years to develop”.
11. REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. BEGIN AS INDICATED: “Even though the car was very expensive, she bought it”. In spite of…
12. FILL IN THE GAP WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS. “George stopped ……. (smoke) two years ago.”
13. TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE: Scientists believe that mobile phones are dangerous to our health.
III * PRODUCTION (3 points)
14. WRITE A COMPOSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 120 WORDS ABOUT THE PROPOSED TOPIC AND FOCUS STRICTLY ON IT:
Computers, mobile phones, game consoles..., what is your favourite technological device? Why?