inglés

SELECTIVIDAD
PRUEBAS DE 2008
RESUELTAS
BIOLOGÍA
CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA
Y DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE
LENGUA CASTELLANA
Y LITERATURA
FÍSICA
QUÍMICA
INGLÉS
FRANCÉS
GEOGRAFÍA
HISTORIA
LATÍN
MATEMÁTICAS II
MATEMÁTICAS APLICADAS
A LAS CIENCIAS SOCIALES II

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GL
IN

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PRUEBA DE SELECTIVIDAD
ACLARACIONES PREVIAS
1. Lea todo el texto cuidadosamente.
2. Lea atentamente todas laspreguntas de la prueba.
3. Proceda a responder en lengua inglesa a las preguntas en el papel de examen.
Tiempo: 1 hora y 30 minutos.
Calificación: La puntuación máxima de la prueba es de 10 puntos.
COMPULSIVE SHOPPING
A new illness, the Compulsive Buying Disorder, has been diagnosed. Its
symptoms are frequent thoughts of shopping, experiencing senseless
impulses to purchase unneeded items andoverspending to the extent that
it harms relationships or job performance. A recent survey has found that
one in twenty American adults buy things they may not even want or need.
In today’s world of consumerism, where we are constantly bombarded by
ads, this is perhaps not unusual. But more surprising is a further finding
that runs counter to the conventional and rather stereotyped view thatcompulsive buying is very much a “woman’s disease”: men are just as
likely as women to suffer from compulsive buying. Gone seem to be the
days when women dragged their bored men around shopping malls.
Researchers say that the number of men who indulge in unnecessary
shopping has rocketed. Experts claim that past trends and figures may
have been unfairly distorted as male obsessive shoppersused to be more
reluctant than women to recognize that they have a problem, admit it
and seek help. While women buy more clothing and products that
improve appearance, men tend to focus more on gadgets and technical
items and can become compulsive collectors.
And help seems to be exactly what the doctor orders for any compulsive
shopper who is usually not made any happier by his or herrelentless buying.
Doctors have concluded that this behaviour is a way for people to try to
complete themselves. For some people, being complete is being impeccably
dressed or having something new. Instead, medical practitioners encourage
those seeking treatment to cultivate non-materialistic aspects of their lives.

2

QUESTIONS

1 Are the following statements true or false? Copy the evidencefrom
the text. No marks are given for only true or false.
a) According to the survey, women are more compulsive shoppers
than men.
b) Experts believe that buying is a form of self-realisation for
compulsive shoppers.
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)

2 In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the
following questions. Do not copy from the text.
a) How does the textdescribe a compulsive consumer?
b) What are the differences between male and female compulsive
buyers?
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)

3 Find the words in the text that mean:
a) result (paragraph 1)
b) increased (paragraph 2)
c) tendencies (paragraph 2)
d) looking for (paragraph 3)
(Puntuación máxima 1 punto)

4 Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the
word inbrackets when given.
a) As a result of too much shopping, some anxiety or depression may
________________ (experience) and this might interfere _____
work or school performance.
b) Contrary to the general idea that shopping is a ladies’ habit, men
are now ______________ (admit) that they also have this
problem, and they even ask ___ some help.
c) Doctors suggest that compulsive shoppers _________cultivate
more spiritual aspects of their lives, rather ______ buying
material things to complete themselves.
d) Rewrite the following in reported speech.
Yesterday the salesman said to me: “Don’t pay now”
….
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)

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5 Write about 100 to 150 words on one of the following topics.
a) Do you ever buy things that you don’t need? Why?
b) The Compulsive Buying...