Stop Trying to Change

1 In an effort to gain better control of our lives, lots of us make promises to ourselves that we are going to do and be
2 better in the future: “I’m going to make major changes.” And there are many self-help books that claim to show the way –
3 books that tell you to tidy your room, to take up yoga or meditation (or both), to look for a new hobby or seek out new
4 experiences. Books that suggest you be more assertive or less assertive, that you start talking to strangers on the bus, etc.
5 But I can’t help thinking that if one of these books was genuinely effective, we wouldn’t need all the others – we could
6 simply follow the instructions. Unfortunately, despite what the books suggest, it’s not easy to make major changes. It takes
7 time to develop new habits and in the meantime there’s the ever present danger of falling back into your old ways. As the
8 famous American author Mark Twain said, “Giving up smoking is easy; I’ve done it hundreds of times.” The biggest
9 obstacle of all, it seems, is … ourselves. The French novelist Marcel Proust once said that it’s not about travelling to new
10 places, but about looking with new eyes. Perhaps the wisest sentence I ever heard is, “Wherever you go, there you are.”
11 So, instead of trying to change ourselves, we should try to know ourselves. When you know yourself well, you realise
12 that there are situations and places that are suitable for you, and those that aren’t. Rather than trying to change yourself,
13 change your circumstances. Put yourself in situations where the conditions suit you – discover what you are good at, when
14 and where you prosper and flourish.
I* COMPREHENSION (4 points)
CHOOSE AND WRITE THE CORRECT OPTION (A, B, C OR D). (1p: 0.5 points each)
*Obligatorio poner la letra, en mayúscula para no dar lugar a confusion, o letra muy clara.
1. The writer’s purpose is to
(a) warn people about the dangers of self-help books. (c) explain why self-help books don’t work.
(b) promote an effective self-help book. (d) encourage people to make major life changes.
2. The writer’s tone at the end of the first paragraph becomes
(a) angry. (c) sad.
(b) sarcastic. (d) happy.
WRITE TRUE OR FALSE. FIND EVIDENCE IN THE TEXT TO JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS (2p: 0,5 each)
* Si no justificáis las respuestas no puntúa. Deben ir entre comillas.
3. The author has found one very effective self-help book.
False: “But I can’t help thinking that if one of these books was genuinely effective, we wouldn’t need all the others
…”(line 5)
4. The writer mentions Mark Twain as an example of someone who found it hard to change old habits.
True: “… I’ve done it hundreds of times.” (line 8)
5. The writer feels that self-knowledge is the first step to happiness.
True: “… we should try to know ourselves.” (line 11)
6. Another good title for the text would be: “Change Yourself and Change Your Life”.
False: “Rather than trying to change yourself, change your circumstances.” (lines 12-13)
FIND IN THE TEXT (1p: 0,25 each)
7.1 ONE OPPOSITE FOR “unimportant” (adjective). major (line 2 / line 6)
7.2 ONE SYNONYM FOR “quitting” (verb). giving up (line 8)
8.1 ONE WORD MEANING “people you don’t know” (noun). strangers (line 4)
8.2 ONE WORD MEANING “to meet the needs of” (verb). suit (line 13)

II* USE OF ENGLISH (6 points)

FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB IN BRACKETS (1p: 0,5)
9.1 Mark Twain is considered to be (be) one of the best American writers.
*Pasiva impersonal
9.2 If you gave up (give up) smoking, you’d be healthier.
*2ª condicional: if + suj. + past simple, suj. + would/ could + verbo en forma base
FILL IN THE GAP WITH THE CORRECT OPTION (0,5p: 0,25 each)
10.1 I’m trying on / out / for / with different options before I make my final decision.
10.2 I’m worried at / on / about / with you. You don’t seem happy these days.
FIND THE TWO MISTAKES AND REWRITE THE SENTENCE CORRECTLY (0,5)
11. This job doesn’t very suit me because I’m not enough assertive.
This job doesn’t REALLY suit me because I’m not ASSERTIVE ENOUGH
This job doesn’t suit me VERY MUCH because I’m not ASSERTIVE ENOUGH
*VERY + ADJETIVO // VERY MUCH es adverbio
*ADJETIVO + ENOUGH
GIVE A QUESTION FOR THE UNDERLINED WORDS (0,5)
12. She was doing yoga in the park when I saw her.
What was she doing in the park when you/I saw her?
*La oración interrogativa debe estar en el mismo tiempo: pasado continuo.
TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE PASSIVE VOICE (0,5)
13. You can find many different kinds of flowers in their shop.
Many different kinds of flowers can be found in their shop
*La oración pasiva tiene que tener el verbo “to be” en el mismo tiempo verbal que la activa: modal “can” + participio
del verbo de la activa.

TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE INTO THE ACTIVE VOICE (0,5)

14. I was given a spa voucher for my birthday by Susan but I refused to go.
Susan gave me a SPA voucher for my birthday but I refused to go
*Pide oración activa, y debe estar en pasado simple porque ése es el tiempo del verbo “to be.”
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING (0,5)
15. I haven’t smoked in over two years.
I stopped smoking over two years ago
*past simple + ago
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONAL SENTENCE (0,5)
16. Had I read that book before, suj + would / could + have + past participle …
*3ª condicional: no hay “if” `porque hay inversion “auxiliary + sujeto”, pero se hace como una tercera condicional
normal.
TURN THIS SENTENCE INTO DIRECT SPEECH (0,5)
17. He said that they had decided to join the gym the following month.
He said, “We have decided to join the gym next month”
*El pasado perfecto puede ser en Estilo Indirecto: past simple. present perfect o past perfect. En este caso, present
perfect porque el adverbio de tiempo no es de pasado.
JOIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING A RELATIVE PRONOUN. Write the two options: formal and
informal structures (1p: 0,5 each)
18. Jeff is the new manager of the gym. You’ll have to get advice from him.
Jeff, from whom you’ll have to get advice, is the new manager of the gym
Jeff, who you’ll have to get advice from, is the new manager of the gym
*la oración de relativo es “non- defining” porque el antecedente es nombre propio.
*1 opción: PREP + RELATIVO (si es WHO pasa a WHOM)
2ª opción: RELATIVO + la oración + la PREPOSICIÓN al final.