Selectividad Review

©Ángela Ruiz 2009-10

(A) COMPREHENSION (4 points)

BULLFIGHTS TO DISAPPEAR?
Spanish matadors may soon have to change their names. The matador, which in Spanish means
“killer”, may soon be banned from dispatching bulls in “las corridas”. Spain’s Environment Minister,
Cristina Narbona, said that the law should be changed to spare the bulls from their traditionally
bloody end. Instead, Spain should follow Portugal’s example, and hold bullfights without killing the
animals.
Ms. Narbona told the Spanish daily El Mundo: “We have to try, perhaps in the next legislature, to
finish with this bloody moment at the end of the bullfight. There is a growing movement in the
European Parliament against bullfights and each time it is harder to defend them.”
Ms. Narbona said recent legislation introduced by Madrid which involved jail terms and though
fines for animal cruelty and holding “unauthorised shows” such as cockfighting or illegal
greyhound races, should also include bullfights. Although the level of support the minister has in
Spain’s ruling Socialist party for her proposal was unclear, El Mundo speculated that politicians,
including the Industry Minister Joan Clos, would support a ban on killing in bullfights. Mr Clos was
the major of Barcelona when the city officially declared itself opposed to bullfighting in 2004.
Ms. Narbona’s comments met with immediate opposition from those keen to preserve Spain’s
controversial national “sport”, some from the most unlikely quarters. Gaspar Llamazares, leader of
the United Left Party, said that he opposed a measure which would “incorporate the prejudices of
the Anglo-Saxons.” Enrique Garza, president of the Association of Organisers of Bullfights, said: “This
spurious attitude of the minister goes against the interests of a section of Spaniards.” And a
bullfighter, Miguel Abellán, said: “They want to end bullfighting little by little.”
But animal rights activists and ecologists supported the suggestion, which came after Barcelona’s
city council announced that the city’s only working bullring might have to close soon because of
lack of business. Consuelo Polo, spokeswoman for Ecologists in Action, applauded the minister’s
suggestion. This is an open window to hope. What we have lacked is a brave and dignified
government who can finish with this macabre fiesta for once and for all,” she said.
On the other hand, bullfight promoters at the Monumental Plaza de los Toros in Madrid said they
were losing €28,000 each time they held a bullfight, owing to falling attendance.
(Adapted from The Independent)

a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN
WORDS. (1 point per answer)
1. What changes in the law regarding bullfights would Ms. Narbona like to introduce? Why?

2. What does Miguel Abellán considers?

3. Are Animal rights activists pessimistic about the eventual ban on bullfights?

b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM
THE TEXT OR WITH YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points per answer)
4. The Industry Minister has promised Ms. Narbona unconditional support for her proposal.

5. Barcelona’s city council has always shown its opposition to bullfight shows.

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©Ángela Ruiz 2009-10
(B) USE OF ENGLISH (3 points)
1. Find words or expressions in the text that mean: “opposed to, contrary to” (0,25 points)
2. Find in the text a synonym to “because of” (0,25 points)
3. Give a noun with the same root as “DECLARE”. (0,25 points)
4. Complete the series with another word of the same semantic group. (0,25 points) COCK,
GREYHOUND, BULL…
5. Turn the following sentence into reported speech. Ms. Narbona said, “We have to try,
perhaps in the next legislature.” (0,5 points)
6. Rewrite the following sentence without changing the meaning. Begin as indicated:
There is a growing movement against bullfightings. (0,25 points)
There is a movement against…
7. Join the following sentences with a relative pronoun. (0,25 points)
Bullfighting is considered an art by many people. Bullfighting is hated by ecologists.
8. Turn the following sentence into the passive voice.
Animal rights activists and ecologists supported the suggestion. (0,5 points)
9. Join the following sentences using an appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT). Make
changes if necessary. (0,5 points) I can’t stand animal suffering. I like bullfighting.

(C) PRODUCTION (3 points)

15) Write a composition (120 WORDS) Choose ONE of the following options. Specify
your option.
a. Killing animals for pleasure is ethically wrong. Do you agree?
b. For or against bullfighting?

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 Selectividad Review
©Ángela Ruiz 2009-10

bull toro controversy controversia

bullring plaza de toros identity identidad
bullfighter torero fox hunting caza del zorro
bullfighting toreo greyhound galgo
supporters defensores major sport deporte muy importante
detractors detractors debate debate
bravery valentía legislation legislación
bloody sangriento pain dolor
shocking impactante suffering sufrimiento
sword espada cruelty crueldad
abbatoir matadero protection protección
roots raíces employment empleo
sacrifice sacrificio pleasure placer
combat combate preserve conserver
fight lucha right correcto
ban prohibición wrong erróneo
crowd multitude demonstration manifestación
sword servant mozo de espadas banners pancartas
team of bullfighters cuadrilla ecologists ecologistas
sun/shade sol / sombra opposition oposición
show espectáculo business negocio

1. Write down your ideas.

2. Write down words related to the topic you would like to use.
3. Organize your ideas into paragraphs. Don’t forget: introduction, body, conclusion.
4. Use linkers.
5. Use the grammar you have studied: passive voice, reported speech,
comparatives…

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 Selectividad Review
©Ángela Ruiz 2009-10
COMPREHENSION (4 points)

2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS

Do you know this saying? ‘When the US sneezes, the world catches a cold’. In today’s
interconnected financial system, what began with some unwise lending decisions in the US has
spread throughout the world, and threatens to sink the globe into another great depression.
It began with the burst of the US housing bubble in 2004. Everyone seemed to be making money:
construction companies, banks, materials firms, etc. Happy consumers were able to be home
owners for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately, in 2005-2006, interest rates on mortgages shot
up. The problem was that lenders had lent to ‘risky’ borrowers who would not normally be qualified
for a mortgage to buy a home. Economists had warned of the dangers, but for the most part
nobody in the US wanted to interrupt the party atmosphere of the housing bubble. Today, banks
and other financial institutions can’t get any credit. Many have had to declare bankruptcy or are
close to doing so. Governments have had to rescue these institutions for fear of what their
collapse would mean to the broader economy.
However, the mortgage crisis and credit crunch aren’t the only factors in the 2008 financial crisis.
Oil prices are at a record high, driven by the increasing energy needs of China and India’s
emerging economies. This has affected consumers in North America and Europe in two ways.
Consumers have been forced to pay much higher prices for fuel to fill their cars and heat their
homes, and at the same time the increased food cost has driven up food prices dramatically,
because it takes fuel to produce and transport food. Food has become so much more expensive
in the developing world that it has resulted in food riots in some instances.
To sum up, the financial crisis is the result of man-made mistakes in the US and the natural rise of
economies in the east. Fuel prices are never going to return to the levels experienced in the past,
and the world must learn to adjust to this new reality. At the same time, the credit crisis - which was
created in the US - can only be solved by the US. There is little Europe can do but stand by and try
to put up with the storm.
(Adapted from an article by Dave Keating at www.cafebabel.com , 7/10/2008)

a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN
WORDS. (1 point per answer)
1. Have governments taken action in order to help banks? How?

2. What are the main factors involved in the current financial crisis?

3. How has the crisis affected consumers?

b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH WORDS OR PHRASES FROM
THE TEXT OR WITH YOUR OWN WORDS. (0.5 points per answer)
4. Interest rates on mortgages were increased considerably.

5. Very few banks have declared insolvency.

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©Ángela Ruiz 2009-10
USE OF ENGLISH (3 points)
6. Find in the text a synonym for: “SUPPORT” (0,25 points)
7. Find in the text an opposite to “LOW” (0,25 points)
8. Give a NOUN with the same root as “ABLE” (0,25 points)
9. Give a NOUN with the same root as “DEVELOPING” (0,25 points)
10. Rewrite the following sentence without changing the meaning. Begin as indicated:
Would you lend me that book on the economic crisis? (0,5 points)
Would you mind…
11. Join the following sentences with a relative pronoun. (0,5 points)
Consumers have been forced to pay much higher prices. They were able to be home
owners for the first time in their lives.

12. Turn the following sentence into the passive voice. (0,5 points)
The crisis has affected consumers in North America and Europe.

13. Join the following sentences using an appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT). Make
changes if necessary. (0,5 points)
In 2004, everyone seemed to be making money. The crisis has changed this situation.

PRODUCTION (3 points)

14. Write a composition (120 WORDS) Choose ONE of the following options. Specify your
option.
a. Possible solutions to the crisis.
b. What would you do if you suddenly were unemployed? Give your opinion.

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 Selectividad Review
©Ángela Ruiz 2009-10

burst estallar collapse colapso

housing bubble burbuja inmobiliaria credit crunch restricción del crédito

owner propietario drive up reventar

interest rate tasa de interés rise subida

disturbio,
mortgage hipoteca riot
manifestación
lender prestamista credit crisis crisis crediticia

borrower prestatario solve solucionar

shoot up dispararse (los precios) save ahorrar

bankruptcy quiebra, bancarrota spend gastar

rescue rescate recession recesión

emerging emergente stock acciones

investor inversor Stock Exchange La Bolsa

liquidity liquidez cash dinero en efectivo

euro zone zona euro trading operaciones bursátiles

bail (out) fianza assets activos

loan préstamo sink hundir

Great Depression La Gran Depresión (1930s)

1. Write down your ideas.

2. Write down words related to the topic you would like to use.
3. Organize your ideas into paragraphs. Don’t forget: introduction, body, conclusion.
4. Use linkers.
5. Use the grammar you have studied: passive voice, reported speech,
comparatives…