CUID-UNED CURSO 2016-17

IDIOMA: NIVEL:
PRUEBA ESCRITA

Instructions and Marking:

There are two parts to this test. Each part carries 5 points.
First part: Multiple-choice questions:
There are 25 multiple-choice questions.
Answer the multiple-choice questions on the answer sheet.
Each correct answer receives 0.20 points and 0.06 points are subtracted for wrong answers.
The minimum pass mark in the multiple-choice test is 2.5 points.
Second part: Writings:
The writings receive 2.5 points each. Length of the writings: 125 words.
The minimum pass mark in the writings is 3 points.
At the end of the test, hand in the answer sheet and the two writings. Make sure that your name is on all the sheets.
Time allowed: 120 minutes. No support materials are permitted.

MODELO C

1. READING COMPREHENSION. TEXT 1: How to ask for a raise.

Almost everyone thinks they’re worth more money, but many people don’t like to ask
for it. Asking doesn’t guarantee that you will get a raise, of course, but not asking may
make sure that you don’t. These conversations can often be uncomfortable and
unproductive, so it is better to prepare. Here are a few helpful suggestions.

Know the worth of your job: Just as everything in the store has a selling price,
every job has a market value. Learn the value of yours by networking with your peers*
at other companies or checking out salary comparison websites. Be careful about
comparing companies, though. The same position can mean different things at different
companies. So you need to compare responsibilities.

Research your company’s pay practices: Companies vary in their willingness to

openly publish pay scales and compensation plans. Look for any available information
on your company’s website or in the personnel manual. If none is available, talk with
your Human Resources manager. HR managers are usually willing to explain how
things work and give you some idea of the pay range for your position. They are likely
to talk about internal and external pay comparisons, which will be a helpful thing to
understand.
Ask for your boss’s criteria: It’s helpful to learn in advance about your boss’s
criteria for moving you to the next level. Well before you intend to request more money
or responsibility, ask your Human Resources (HR) manager what the criteria would be
for getting a raise or promotion. If your boss has never thought about this before, your
question may stimulate some helpful discussion.
 CUID-UNED CURSO 2016-17
IDIOMA: NIVEL:
PRUEBA ESCRITA

Don’t wait for your performance review: Although you might logically believe
the performance evaluation discussion is the best time to ask for a raise, that’s often not
the case. In many companies, salary decisions are made before evaluations are discussed
with employees, so you want to get your request on the table before review time. If your
organization does evaluations in January, for example, you should make your raise
request in November.
Choose your timing wisely: The best time to ask for a raise is when you have just
completed a big project, solved a major problem, accepted new responsibilities, or done
something else that was very important. But if you have recently fallen short of your
goals,* or have made a big mistake, forget about that pay increase for a while. And if
your boss was just called on the carpet* by the CEO or if your company recently had a
big layoff,* that’s obviously not a good time.
From: www.yourofficecoach.com/topics/managing_your_boss/performance_reviews/how_to_ask_for_a_raise.aspx

*Peers: equal to another in status, fellows.

*To fall short of your goals: not to reach your objectives.
*To call someone on the carpet: to tell someone that something s/he did was wrong; to reprimand.
*Layoff: the act of removing employees from their jobs.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS. For questions 1-10, choose the answer (a, b
or c) which best fits according to the text. There is an example at the beginning (0).
EXAMPLE:
0. One of the reasons people do not like asking for a raise might be _______________.
a) there is no guarantee they will achieve the raise even if they try.
b) they have to learn how to have a conversation about it.
c) they are not totally convinced they deserve it.

1) According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?

a. If you are not good at conversations, you should not ask for a raise.
b. Asking for a raise can be a waste of time.
c. People tend to believe they are too good for their company.

2) Talking with your colleagues will help you find out if ________________.
a. your company has good practices.
b. all the companies use websites to compare salaries.
c. you are fairly paid for the work you do.

3) The same position in different companies might get different salaries because
__________.
CUID-UNED CURSO 2016-17
IDIOMA: NIVEL:
PRUEBA ESCRITA

a. in some companies they like paying lower salaries.

b. separate companies always means different salaries.
c. the employees do not necessarily perform the same duties.

4) The Human Resources manager may _________________

a. make sure the pay scale of his/her company can be found in the company’s Website.
b. provide information about salary matters when requested.
c. compare the pay scale of his/her company with that of all the companies.

5) Which of the following words is closer to the meaning of “available”, as used in the
text?
a. useful. b. efficient. c. accessible.

6) Human Resources managers generally _________________________

a. do not mind comparing pay scales.
b. are not in favour of internal pay raises.
c. are not allowed to talk about how things work in relation to salaries.

7) According to the text, ______________________

a. a promotion can be better than a raise.
b. if you can’t get a raise, at least ask for more responsibility.
c. criteria for promotions and raises might be related.

8) The moment to discuss performance is _______________________

a. always the best time to ask for a raise.
b. always the worst time to ask for a raise.
c. not usually the best time to ask for a raise.

9) According to the text, which of the following statements is NOT true?

a. Important projects will get you a raise.
b. It is necessary to wait for the best moment to ask for a raise.
c. A major achievement can help you get a raise.

10. According to the text, _________________

a. the right time to ask for a raise is before a major layoff.
b. the worst time to ask for a raise is while completing a big project.
c. the best time to ask for a raise is when you have just achieved your goals.
CUID-UNED CURSO 2016-17
IDIOMA: NIVEL:
PRUEBA ESCRITA

TEXT 2: Things you are doing because of your anxiety

Sometimes, anxiety can be so debilitating, that you can’t get (0) ________ energy to go
out. No matter how excited you were for the event beforehand, when the day (11)
________ comes and your anxiety is very strong, you say “no”. You don’t want to be a
problem to anyone if you were to go, so the best choice for you is not to (12) ________.

You obsess over everything in your head. Most likely, the things you obsess about
would never cross someone’s mind who doesn’t have anxiety. Maybe you obsess over a
conversation you had last week, or the way your boss looked at you the other day.
Maybe you obsess over the fact that your boyfriend hasn’t texted* you in a day, and you
worry if you said anything to upset him. (13) ________ it may be, it’s hard for people
without anxiety to understand why you are so worried about things that wouldn’t even
matter to them.

Sleep is always a problem for you. It’s hard for you to get to sleep because you
have so many things to digest and contemplate about the day you just had. (14)
________ your mind never seems to shut off,* you never fail to wake up early with
worries that have already entered your mind. You tend to wake up super early
sometimes because you need to get going, and get everything done in a timely manner.
Sleeping is definitely a (15) ________ for you because you can’t switch off your
anxiety once you are already awake.

Before first dates, you are convinced it’s going to go terribly wrong. Before going
(16) ________ a trip, you envision everything falling apart. Before going abroad, you
fear accidents. When you get sick, you get terrified that there’s something truly wrong
with you. The list goes on and on, and it seems silly to others. But it’s real to you.

You try to avoid confrontation at all costs, because it causes your anxiety to get
worse. When you have an argument or even a conversation that seems lovely to the
other person, you continue to think about it after it’s said and done. You can never get it
out of your head and you always think you said something wrong. It can really eat you
up inside, and you always have to (17) ________ yourself that it’s just your anxiety
talking, and everything is most likely fine.

When people ask you if you are OK when you are having an anxiety attack, or
when people come to you when your head is full with negative thoughts, it makes your
anxiety worse. Of course they all mean well, but when others worry for you, it makes
 CUID-UNED CURSO 2016-17
IDIOMA: NIVEL:
PRUEBA ESCRITA

you think – “If they are worried, then I should worry (18) ________more about
myself!”

(19) ________ it’s your significant other,* your best friend, or sister, you
constantly get agitated when people don’t respond to you. People without anxiety would
usually not care, but for you it’s a huge deal. Usually when people don’t answer you or
text you back, you think that it’s all your (20) ________.
From https://www.mommynearest.com/article/5-ways-kids-birthday-parties-are-like-slow-torture

*To text: to send someone a message using a cell phone.

*To shut off: to stop.
*Significant other: husband / wife; boyfriend / girlfriend.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS. For questions 11-20, choose the answer (a, b
or c) which best fits each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).
EXAMPLE:
0. a) too b) enough c) so

11. a) actually b) hardly c) brightly

12. a) support b) leave c) attend
13. a) Besides b) Whatever c) Despite
14. a) Already b) However c) Because
15. a) challenge b) pleasure c) duty
16. a) at b) to c) on
17. a) remind b) recover c) research
18. a) event b) ever c) even
19. a) However b) Until c) Whether
20. a) wrong b) accident c) fault

2. USE OF ENGLISH. Choose the correct answer.

EXAMPLE:

0. That’s the dog ___________ was barking last night in the street.
a. what b. who c. that
CUID-UNED CURSO 2016-17
IDIOMA: NIVEL:
PRUEBA ESCRITA

21. If I stop ________ snacks, will I lose weight?

a. to eat b. eating c. eat

22. If we for directions, we wouldn’t be lost now.

a. would ask b. have asked c. had asked

23. What does Mr. Stark ___________ for lunch?

a. usually eats b. eat usually c. usually eat

24. Jim when the robbers his house.

a. was sleeping / broke into
b. slept/ broke into
c. had been sleeping / were breaking into

25. Soon people _________ sunbathe anymore.

a. won’t can b. won’t be able to c. will be not able to

3. COMPOSITIONS. Write two compositions about these topics following the

guidelines provided. Also, remember to read the instructions above.
Task 1: Write an e-mail to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time. Write about
the following:
 Apologize for not contacting him/her for a long time.
 Ask him/her how s/he is and what s/he has been doing.
 Tell him/her about experiences that have been happening to you.
 Ask him/her questions connected with what you have said about yourself.

Task 2: Selfies: What do you think about them? In your composition, make use of the
following points:
 Why are they so fashionable?
 Can they hurt some people’s self-esteem?
 Why do people share so many selfies?
 Do you think most people take selfies for themselves or to impress other people?