FINAL EXAM

November 2015

S ection 1: LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Section 2: WRITING

Choose ONE of the following options and write a composition (200 - 250 words).

In either task, you must show a correct use of:

- Composition structure

- Specific vocabulary

- Grammar

A. Short Story:

You found the following article online:

"Pinewood Studios, a british film production company, is holding a short story contest for

young writers around the world. The winning short story will be made into a film. The genre

must be adventure/drama."

Write a short story about a sportsman/sportswoman/team who suffered a "strange"

accident while practising a sport.

Some tips for you to have in mind:

- Use time sequences, adverbs, reported speech/dialogue.

- Create suspense/adrenaline, include visual details (it has to be movie-material)

- Include character's feelings/thoughts/etc. You can choose to tell your story from either a

first person or a third person's point of view.

B. Informal Letter:

You are a well-known actor/actress. You have been filming your next movie in Japan, and it

has been three months since you have last seen your best friend.

Write an e-mail telling him/her:

1. How is this new filming experience in a place so different from what you are used to.

2. Which are your plans for the following months, according to the information

regarding filming-schedules the producer has given you.

3. Ask him/her wether he/she would like to visit you, should he/she have some days off

from his/her job. Mention what you will do if he/she comes.

Some tips for you to have in mind:

- Use time sequences, adverbs, reported speech, conditionals.

- Communicate your emotions (enthousiasm/disgust/etc.) and give your opinion.

- Use informal tone, familiar phrases, interjections, ask questions.

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FINAL EXAM

November 2015

Section 3: GRAMMAR

A. Put each verb in brackets into a suitable tense and form:

Susan _________________________(1. COME) in a few minutes ago ___________________________ (2. LOOK)

as if she ___________________________(3. SEE) a ghost. She ____________________________(4. TELL) me

what __________________________(5. HAPPEN). "I ___________________________(6. WALK) along the

street", she said, "when I _________________________________(7. APPROACH) by someone who

__________________________(8. ASK) me what the time __________________________(9. BE). While

I_____________________________(10. HEAR) him ____________________________(11.SPEAK), I

___________________________(12. HAVE) the feeling that we ___________________________(13. MEET)

before. After we _______________________________(14. SPEAK) for some time, I

___________________________(15. DISCOVER) that the person _________________________(16. BE) none

other than my younger brother, who I _________________________________(17. THINK)

_______________________________(18. DIE) during the war. If he ___________________________(19. NOT

SPEAK) to me, it is probable that we ________________________________(20. NEVER LEARN) of each

other's existence."

B. Paraphrase the following sentences:

1. The dentist took out all of my front teeth.

I had ___________________________________________________________________________________________

2. I feel I’m not doing much to save the environment.

It’s time ________________________________________________________________________________________

3. "You really must try some pie", she said.

She insisted ___________________________________________________________________________________

4. He couldn’t take a picture of Madonna because he’d forgotten to bring the camera.

If he _____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. They’re pulling down that row of shops to make way to a hypermarket.

That row _________________________________________________________________________________________

6. They didn’t let me have friends stay overnight until I was 16.

I wasn’t __________________________________________________________________________________________

7. She asked me whether I had dropped the paint on her shoes.

“Tell me John, ___________________________________________________________”_______________________

8. “You should take more excercices”, the doctor said.

The doctor advised __________________________________________________________________________

9. "What time do the children come out of school?", she asked

She wanted to know ____________________________________________________________________________

10. She was really pale and scared.

She looked as ___________________________________________________________________________________

11. I felt sick after that Chinese meal.

I wasn’t used ___________________________________________________________________________________

12. Many scientists think the ozone layer is getting bigger each year.

It is ________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. "Please, Kate, why don’t you speak to you brother personally?", her mum said.

Kate's mum begged _______________________________________________________________________________

14. I thought it’d be a hot, sunny day but now I’m freezing!

I should have _______________________________________________________________________________________

15. Everyone supposes that she’s coming on Saturday.

She is _______________________________________________________________________________________________

C. Complete the following dialogue:

A patient is answering a doctor’s questions. Look at the patient’s answers and complete the

doctor’s questions. The first one has been done for you.

DOCTOR: (0) Well, now, what seems to be the problem?

PATIENT: Uh, well, I keep getting a strange pain in my stomach.

DOCTOR: (1) ________________________________________________________?

PATIENT: Uh, well it’s difficult to describe. It’s just a heavy, very unpleasant feeling.

DOCTOR: (2) ________________________________________________________?

PATIENT: Usually after meals.

DOCTOR: (3) ________________________________________________________?

PATIENT: For about three months now.

DOCTOR: (4) ________________________________________________________?

PATIENT: Uh, usually I feel it down here, on the left side.

DOCTOR: (5) ________________________________________________________?

PATIENT: Yesterday evening, just after dinner.

Section 4: READING COMPREHENSION:

Read the text and then answer the questions that follow:

Decide which of the following statements is true in each case, A, B or C.

1) The reason for the discussion was that Juan:

A. did not like Shakespeare

B. had been invited to have coffee

C. was interested in Shakespeare's use of ghosts and witches

2) The Englishman thinks that ghosts stories in Mediterranean countries are:

A. equally common

B. less common

C. more common

3) Ghosts may be associated with old houses because:

A. the people who live in them are nervous

B. they don't like modern buildings

C. they usually haunt the places where they lived

4) The Englishman's uncle thought he had seen a ghost because:

A. she disappeared through a locked door

B. she was wearing a nightdress

C. they had no servants

5) His grandmother's conviction that she had seen a ghost was stronger because:

A. she had second sight

B. she had seen it in daylight

C. she was looking up at it

6) The Englishman's grandfather moved house because:

A. he had heard that a woman had killed herself there

B. his wife had told him it was haunted

C. the new house suited the family better

7) The Englishman:

A. believes his grandmother's story

B. does not believe his grandmother's story

C. is not sure about it

8) Juan:

A. believes in ghosts

B. believes in witches

C. does not believe in either

Section 5: ORAL

Imagery - the author’s attempt to create a mental picture (or reference point) in the mind of the reader. Remember, though the most immediate forms of imagery are visual, strong and effective imagery can be used to invoke an emotional, sensational (taste, touch, smell etc) or even physical response.

Point of View - pertains to who tells the story and how it is told. The point of view of a story can sometimes indirectly establish the author's intentions.

Symbolism - when an object is meant to be representative of something or an idea greater than the object itself.

Symbolism - when an object is meant to be representative of something or an idea greater than the object itself.

1. Lamb to the Slaughter - Roald DahlFocus on the character of Mary Maloney: a. How can you describe her at the beginning of the story? What imagery does the story begins to build up around this character?b. Is it possible to think that the final scene -Mary laughing- reveals a whole new dimension of the character? Why? How can you describe this "new" Mary?c. Why do you think the author chose to make this radical change in Mary's character?

3. Lamb to the Slaughter - R. Dahl Focus on one if the story's main symbolic element : the lamb. a. How can you relate the lamb to the character of Mary Maloney? Give an example of the text to justify your answer.b. Would you say there are two different kind of lambs in this story, a "symbolic" one, and a "real" one? Explain, show where do they appear in the text. c. How does Mary "uses" the leg of lamb? What effect does this have in the way we see Mary's character at the end? (think about what you said in a., and how does this change)

2. Lamb to the Slaughter - R. Dahl + Whose face do you see - M. BurgessFocus on the way the story is narrated :a. What can you say about the narrator of Lamb to the Slaughter? What kind of point of view does he have? Can you give an example where this can be seen?b. And what about the narrator of Whose face do you see? Which is the point of view? What element of the narrative points it out?c. Why do you think the authors each chose that particular point of view? What effect does it have in the reader (in how do we read the story)?

4. Whose face do you see - M. BurgessFocus on one if the story's main symbolic element : the mirror. a. How can you relate the mirror to the character of Marianne? Give an example of the text to justify your answer.b. Would you say there are two different kind of mirrors in this story, a "symbolic" one, and a "real" one? Explain, show where do they appear in the text. c. How is the mirror used in this story? What kind of change does it bring to the character? What symbolic message do you think the author wants to transmit with this ending?

Structure - The way that the writer arranges the plot of a story. Look for: Repeated elements in action, gesture, dialogue, description, as well as shifts in direction, focus, time, place, etc.

Character - Protagonist: The character the story revolves around / Antagonist: A character or force that opposes the protagonist / Static character: A character that remains the same.Dynamic character - A character that changes in some important way / Characterization: The choices an author makes to reveal a character’s personality, such as appearance, actions, dialogue, and motivations.

Character - Protagonist: The character the story revolves around / Antagonist: A character or force that opposes the protagonist / Static character: A character that remains the same.Dynamic character - A character that changes in some important way / Characterization: The choices an author makes to reveal a character’s personality, such as appearance, actions, dialogue, and motivations.

Imagery - the author’s attempt to create a mental picture (or reference point) in the mind of the reader. Remember, though the most immediate forms of imagery are visual, strong and effective imagery can be used to invoke an emotional, sensational (taste, touch, smell etc) or even physical response.

5. Lamb to the Slaughter - R. Dahl + Whose face do you see - M. Burgess Focus on how narrative structure creates suspense: a. How is the suspense build up in Whose face do you see? Explain, give examples from the text. (Think about shifts in the point of view, description, plot)b. How about Lamb to the Slaughter? (Think about Mary's character, narrative point of view, description)c. Choose one story. Why do you think the author needs to build up suspense in the story? Is he effective? Explain (think about what the author wants us to believe at the beginning and how does this changes towards the end)

6. Lamb to the Slaughter - R. Dahl + Whose face do you see - M. Burgess Focus on female character's development : a. What can you say about Mary Maloney's character? Is it static or dynamic? What makes her change? Explain and give examples from the text.b. How about Marianne's character? c. Both stories offer a very different female character. Explain the differences, making reference to: personalities, situation the story puts them in, relationship with other characters.

7. Lamb to the Slaughter - R. Dahl Focus on the differences between the female character vs. the male character : a. How can you describe Mary Maloney at the beginning of the story? What is the kind of relationship between her and her husband? Explain and give examples for the text.b. Which is the only fact we know about Patrick's character? Why is this important to the story's plot, and to Mary's character development? c. Could you say that, as the story develops, the character who is in control of the situation changes? Why? What role does the "leg of lamb" has in this change?

8. Whose face do you see - M. Burgess Focus on the character of Marianne: a. How can you describe her at the beginning of the story? What imagery does the story begins to build up around this character? b. How does this character changes? Explain the role of the memory and of her mother and their importance in Marianne's identity. c. Which is the message the author might wants us to think about at the end of the story?