Part 1: Listening comprehension — 3, 2, 1… SLAM!: POETRY COMES TO THE STAGE

In this radio programme you are going to hear some new words. Read and listen to them. Make sure you know what they mean.

• scribble: gargotejar / garabatear
• thumb through: fullejar / hojear
• be hooked on: estar enganxat / estar enganchado
• open mic: micròfon obert / micrófono abierto

Choose the best answer according to the recording. Only ONE answer is correct. [3 points: 0.375 points for each correct answer. Wrong answers will be penalized by deducting 0.125 points. There is no penalty for unanswered questions.]

1. How does Anne write her poems?

• She always uses her laptop because her handwriting is messy.
• She prefers to write out her poems by hand.
• She first records them on her phone and then writes them down.
• She needs to write with dirty hands to find inspiration.

2. How did Anne learn about poetry slam?

• She went to a slam competition with a friend in 2.018.
• She read an ad about a competition.
• She heard about it in an open mic session.
• She read an interview with a slammer in a magazine.

3. According to Anne, the best thing about slam is

• that poets know how to make you laugh and cry.
• the fact that it can be streamed online and played on any device.
• the strong link between the poet and the live audience.
• that poems are performed instead of written and read aloud.

4. Anne's poems

• are based on strict mathematical patterns.
• search phrasing and rhyme by following patterns.
• usually take about five minutes to recite.
• intend to be messy and playful, as opposed to mathematical formulae.

5. How long does it take Anne to write a poem?

• A minimum of three months.
• Usually three minutes.
• Sometimes just a couple of weeks.
• Much longer than before.

6. How does Anne prepare for a performance?

• She recites poems aloud to become familiar with their rhythm.
• She reads the poem lots of times to learn all rhymes.
• She sings poems out loud in front of the mirror.
• She studies poems line by line as if they were jokes.

7. Why is the audience important in a slam competition?

• Because they can decide which poems are performed.
• Because they can help slammers score higher.
• Because the panel asks for the audience's opinion.
• Because some members of the audience may be part of the panel.

8. Which of the following statements is NOT true about Anne?

• She started writing when she was younger.
• She does not like maths anymore.
• She is good at memorising text.
• She finds inspiration in other slammers.

Part 2: Reading comprehension — SHE WAS SOLD TO A STRANGER SO HER FAMILY COULD EAT AS AFGANISTAN CRUMBLES (text adapted from edition.cnn.com, November 2, 2.021).

Choose the best answer according to the text. Only ONE answer is correct. [3 points: 0.375 points for each correct answer. Wrong answers will be penalized by deducting 0.125 points. There is no penalty for unanswered questions.]

1. Which of the following best describes Parwana?

• Parwana was thrilled to return home and to marry the man of her dreams.
• Parwana giggled when she knew that she was getting married.
• Parwana was delighted to accept her fate.
• Parwana didn't want to accept her parent's decision.

2. According to the text,

• she had a sister who had already been sold to the same man.
• her parents were forced to sell her due to hunger.
• not many young Afghan girls have been sold into marriage.
• some other girls were sold to Mohammad Naiem Nazem.

3. Which of the following sentences is NOT true?

• International aid has gradually diminished.
• Hunger has forced many families to take very hard decisions.
• The country's economy is booming.
• The situation of Afghan people worsened when the Taliban came to power.

4. The word futile is used in the text in paragraph 5. A synonym for futile is

• useless.
• heartbreaking.
• meaningful.
• productive.

5. Parwana's sale

• will probably be prevented by international aid agencies.
• will be a decision that Parwana's father will have to face for the rest of his children's sake.
• will sustain the family for a long time.
• is one of several possible options that the family has to survive.

6. According to the text, what does Qorban say about the sale?

• He will send Parwana to school to become a teacher.
• He paid more than what was first agreed because of the vulnerable situation of the family.
• He would treat her as another family member.
• He wants to marry her because he needed a wife for his children.

7. When girls under 15 are married off

• they increase their possibilities to have an education.
• they have accepted and chosen their partner freely.
• their future prospects for a better life improve.
• their fundamental freedoms are being infringed.

8. Which of the following sentences best summarizes the content of the article?

• The sale and marriage of young girls is a desperate measure to overcome extreme poverty.
• Marriages of convenience are frequent in rural areas in Asia.
• Afghan girls look forward to marriage at age 15.
• Arranged marriages are a beloved tradition among Afghan families.

Part 3: Writing — Choose ONE topic. Your answer should be 125-150 words in length. There is no specific penalty for exceeding 150 words. [4 points: Grammar + Vocabulary + Text + Maturity.]

1. In our country, young people tend to live with their parents for much longer than they do in other European countries or in the United States. Write an opinion essay analyzing the reasons why you think this may be so.

2. What are the key ingredients for a successful holiday trip? Write a blog entry in which you give recommendations to your readers about how to plan their holidays so that they can make the most of their leisure time.

3. People around the world have strong opinions about governments requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. Write an argumentative essay in which you take a side in the vaccination debate. Make sure to support your view with arguments.