PRUEBAS PARA LA OBTENCIÓN DEL TÍTULO DE BACHILLER PARA

PERSONAS MAYORES DE 20 AÑOS. Convocatoria 2010

Apellidos: ........................................................................................ Nombre:..........................................................

DNI/ NIE: ...............................................

PRIMERA LENGUA EXTRANJERA II: INGLÉS (2º curso)

Instrucciones:
 Lee atentamente las preguntas antes de contestar y responde en los folios que se te
proporcionarán excepto en las preguntas tipo test.
 La puntuación máxima de cada pregunta está indicada en su enunciado.
 Revisa detenidamente la prueba antes de entregarla.
 Al finalizar, se entregarán las pruebas y todas las hojas utilizadas para las respuestas.

TEXTO: Volcanic ash cloud costs Thomas Cook £70m

The volcanic ash cloud that grounded planes across Europe last month has cost Thomas Cook around £70m. The travel
firm reported this morning that the disruption will have a significant impact on its financial results this year. But on an
optimistic note, it believes that the public have not been deterred from booking a foreign holiday.
Thomas Cook estimates that it lost up to £20m of revenue from customers who chose not to rebook their holiday after
they were unable to fly. The rest of the £70m cost relates to the cost of supporting customers who were stranded, and
bringing them home.
Chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said this morning that while customers had been reluctant to book holidays
during the days when flights were cancelled, booking patterns quickly recovered once airspace was reopened. "We are
pleased with the development of our summer bookings programme, particularly given the disruption caused by the
volcanic ash cloud. If we exclude the estimated impact of the volcanic ash cloud, then the group remains confident of
meeting board expectations for the year," Fontenla-Novoa said.
The volcanic ash cloud has caused significant economic damage, with the EU estimating that European businesses lost
up to €2.5bn (£2.1bn). Airlines are thought to have lost at least $1.7bn (£1.15bn). Within the travel sector, TUI reported
a £90m hit earlier this week.
Fontenla-Novoa still believes that the authorities overreacted by closing down airspace for so many days. "The group is
working with the government and relevant national and international bodies to put in place measures to ensure such a
blanket ban is not needlessly imposed again and to seek some compensation for the exceptional costs and lost
contribution," he said.
Graeme Wearden, guardian.co.uk, Thursday 13 May 2010
< http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/may/13/thomascookgroup-iceland-volcano>

I. Reading comprehension (30 puntos)

1. Say whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F) according to the information given in the text.
(10 puntos, 5 por apartado)
[ ] In spite of the volcanic ash cloud, board expectations for the year are expected to be met.
[ ] Manny Fontenla-Novoa agrees that the closing down of airspace was a necessary measure.

Primera Lengua Extranjera II: Inglés, 1/3

 PRUEBAS PARA LA OBTENCIÓN DEL TÍTULO DE BACHILLER PARA
PERSONAS MAYORES DE 20 AÑOS. Convocatoria 2010

Apellidos: ........................................................................................ Nombre:..........................................................

DNI/ NIE: ...............................................

2. Choose the correct answer. (10 puntos, 2’5 por apartado)

A. Thomas Cook believes that the public…
 will travel by train.
 will complain against the flying ban.
 will go on booking foreign holidays.
 will stop booking foreign holidays.
B. The cost of helping stranded passengers …
 is more or less the same as the cost of people who did no re-book their holiday.
 is about £20m.
 is about £50m.
 is about £70m.
C. Because of the volcanic ash cloud, airlines are thought …
 to have lost more than $2bn.
 not to have lost any money.
 to have lost more than £1bn.
 to have lost less than £1bn.
D. Thomas Cook is holding conversations in order to…
 get some compensation and study ash clouds.
 get some compensation and avoid unnecessary bans.
 get some compensation and ask for more strict bans.
 buy more planes and ask for more strict bans.

3. Answer the following questions in your own words, using information from the text. (10 puntos, 5 por
apartado)
A. Despite the problems caused by the volcanic ash cloud, why is Thomas Cook optimistic?
B. What does Fontenla-Novoa think about the decision of the authorities of imposing a general ban on
flights?

II. Language usage. (40 puntos)

4. Find in the text a synonym of the following words. (5 puntos)

dissuade, discourage (verb)

announce (verb)

Primera Lengua Extranjera II: Inglés, 2/3

 PRUEBAS PARA LA OBTENCIÓN DEL TÍTULO DE BACHILLER PARA
PERSONAS MAYORES DE 20 AÑOS. Convocatoria 2010

Apellidos: ........................................................................................ Nombre:..........................................................

DNI/ NIE: ...............................................

5. Link each one of the words listed below with one word or expression in the column. (10 puntos, 2 por
apartado)

cloud expectation revenue ban ash customer

A visible mass of water or ice particles suspended at a considerable altitude CLOUD

The residue that remains when something is burned
The entire amount of income before any deductions are made
Someone who pays for goods or services
Belief about (or mental picture of) the future
Prohibition

6. Transform the following sentences as suggested. (25 puntos, 5 por apartado)

A. The volcanic ash cloud grounded planes across Europe last month. (Make a question for the
underlined word)
B. The volcanic ash cloud has caused significant economic damage. (Turn into the passive voice)
C. “We lost a great amount of money last month” the spokesperson said. (Turn into reported
speech)
D. The volcano erupted last month. Travel firms are worried about the volcano. (Join with a relative
pronoun)
E. (Complete the following conditional sentence): If the volcano hadn’t erupted

III. Writing. (30 puntos)

7. Write a composition of about 100-120 words on one of the following topics.

A. Do you think the measures taken about flight restrictions are proportionate to the danger of the ash
cloud?
B. Do you think travel firms should be compensated for their losses?

Primera Lengua Extranjera II: Inglés, 3/3