CONSEJERÍA DE EDUCACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTES

PRUEBAS DE CERTIFICACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA IN_B1_CE_SOL_J_2015

ANSWER KEY – JUNE 2015

TASK 1:
THE HARDEST LANGUAGE

ANSWER BOX
Numbered Gap 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Answer A A A B C B C B B

TEXT (The hardest language)

People often ask which the most difficult language to learn is, and it is not easy to answer because there are many
factors to take into consideration. Firstly, in a first language the differences are unimportant as people learn their
mother tongue naturally, (0)__SO___ the question of how hard a language is to learn is only relevant when
(1)_LEARNING___ a second language.

Many people answer that Chinese is the hardest language to learn, possibly influenced by the thought of learning the
Chinese writing system, and the pronunciation of Chinese does (2)_APPEAR___ to be very difficult for many foreign
learners. However, for Japanese speakers, who already use Chinese characters in their own language, the writing
skill will be less difficult than for speakers of languages using the Roman alphabet. The greater the differences
between the second language and our first, (3)_THE HARDER___ it will be for most people to learn, so first language
can affect the acquisition of a second language.

Some people seem to learn languages without any effort, while others find it very difficult. Teachers and the
circumstances (4)_IN WHICH___ the language is learned also play an important role, as well as each learner's
motivation for learning. If people learn a language because they need to use it professionally, they often do it faster
than people studying a language that has no direct use in their day to day life.

Different cultures and individuals (5)__FROM__ those cultures will find different languages more difficult. In the case
of Hungarian for British learners, for instance, it is not a (6)__QUESTION__ of the writing system, which uses a
similar alphabet, but of the grammatical complexity, though native speakers of related languages may find it easier,
while struggling with languages that the British find relatively easy.

(7)_NO___ language is easy to learn well. Learning a completely different writing system is a huge challenge, but that
does not necessarily make a language more difficult than another. (8)__IN THE END__, it is impossible to say that
there is one language that is the most difficult language in the world.

0. A-so B. providing C. nevertheless

1. A. learning B. should learn C. will learn
2. A. appear B. resemble C. show
3. A. as hard B. the harder C. the hardest
4. A. in that B. in what C. in which
5. A. at B. from C. to
6. A. debate B. affair C. question
7. A. Any B. No C. None
8. A. In spite of B. In the end C. Even though

(Adapted from: http://www.usingenglish.com --340 words)

CONSEJERÍA DE EDUCACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTES
PRUEBAS DE CERTIFICACIÓN LINGÜÍSTICA IN_B1_CE_SOL_J_2015

TASK 2
WHY PEOPLE GET TATTOOS

ANSWER BOX
Paragraph
number
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Summary A G K L H F B C J

TEXT (Why people get tattoos)

0. _____A decision to get a tattoo because of the admiration for a friend’s courage._____________
Jack lay, quiet and unmoving, for thirty minutes while a stranger repeatedly scratched his skin. He was getting a tattoo. His
friend Tony had recently got a tattoo, and Jack was so impressed by Tony's bravery and his tattoo that he decided to get one
too.

1. _____In general, several reasons count when wearing tattoos in today’s North American society ____
Getting a tattoo because your friends and peers have them is just one of the reasons why a lot of young people in North
America get tattoos. Peer pressure, media influence, and personal expression are some of the common reasons for wearing
tattoos today.

2. _____The origin of tattoos and how trends have changed______

Tattoos are everywhere. Tattoos are respectable. Once associated with sailors, convicts and gang members, now one in five
US adults say they have one and will possibly have a second one in the next few years. A contribution to it has been made by
highly popular celebrities with multiple body markings. This has led to the decision by many to adopt tattoos that would have
been considered rude or tasteless a few years ago.

3. ___ The wish to relate to a specific group makes some people wear tattoos _____
The desire to be part of a group, to be accepted by one's friends or peers, can have a great influence on what a person does.
Sometimes, wearing a tattoo can be a sign that you belong to a certain group. Gangs often use special clothes and tattoos to
identify their particular group.

4. ____ Other young people behave differently to show their identity _________
However, it is not only gangs that have this type of special 'uniform'. Young people often belong to a certain group of friends.
Some of these groups wear only brand-name clothes. Some wear only black clothes. Others wear tattoos.

5. ____ Getting a tattoo is thought to lead people into succeeding in life _______
The media is another big influence behind the popularity of tattoos in North America. A wide variety of media images show
tattoos. Tattoos can be seen on people appearing in commercials selling expensive cars. Famous sports heroes with tattoos
are shown in magazines. Fashion models are often seen in magazines and on TV wearing designer clothes that show their
bodies tattooed with detailed and colourful patterns. These media images link tattoos to ideas of wealth, success, and status.
As a result, many people decide to get a tattoo for its fashion and status value.

6. _____ A tattoo may symbolize an individual’s particular taste or beliefs ________

It is not always the influence of other people or the media that results in a person getting a tattoo. Many people decide to
wear tattoos in order to express their artistic nature, their beliefs, or their feelings -- in other words, to show their individuality.

7. _____ Another reason may be to show what matters most to a person _________
A musician in a rock band may get a tattoo of a guitar on the arm. Some environmentalists may tattoo pictures of endangered
animals on their shoulders. Lovers may tattoo each others' names over their hearts. A tattoo can be a public sign to show
what is important in a person's life.

8. ___The combination of a few reasons has been considered in order to get a tattoo ______
There are many reasons why young North Americans get tattoos. A tattoo can be part of a group's uniform. It can be a sign of
fashion. It can be an expression of individuality. The decision to get a tattoo is most often a result of the influence of friends or
media or the desire to express oneself. For Jack, it was a mixture of all three.

(Adapted from: http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc -- 523 words)