Part 1: Listening comprehension — SUBTITLING AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOL

In this radio programme you are going to hear a new word. Read and listen to it. Make sure you know what it means. daunting: aclaparador, -a / abrumador, -a.

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. What was the aim of the “School in Town” project?

• To show students how the town provides unexpected learning opportunities.
• To help students improve their German while doing activities in town.
• To give students a taste of university life.
• To encourage students to do cultural activities.

2. Why did Margarita focus on German instead of English?

• Germany is geographically closer to Poland than the UK.
• Polish students are not as exposed to German as they are to English.
• Students are not aware that German translation is closer to Polish than to English.
• Schools provide better resources for learning English.

3. How did Margarita initially engage students with the video?

• By showing the technical aspects of subtitling immediately.
• By providing them with the subtitles in both German and Polish.
• By asking them to analyze the protagonists and the overall mood.
• By translating the first part of the video for them.

4. What strategy did Margarita use to help students given their low German proficiency?

• She provided a list of common German phrases which appeared underlined.
• She placed them in teams to work on different scenes.
• She asked them very easy questions in German, so they felt immediately confident.
• She selected a short video with simple dialogue and underlined the difficult parts.

5. What was the main purpose of underlining certain phrases in the subtitles?

• To encourage students to translate individual words.
• To emphasize the importance of context in translation.
• To make the subtitles easier to read.
• To provide examples of Polish idioms.

6. How did the students react when they saw their names in the credits?

• They felt satisfied and excited.
• They couldn’t believe their eyes.
• They felt anxious and uneasy.
• They boasted about their work.

7. According to Margarita, why are audiovisual materials attractive for students?

• They help students interact with other people.
• They are familiar with this kind of content.
• They provide a relaxed learning environment.
• They offer more learning opportunities than traditional materials.

8. What does Margarita hope students share with their parents?

• That subtitling in German can be as fun as in English but you also need technical skills.
• The importance of being able to translate and convey ideas in multiple languages.
• That subtitling involves translating concepts and that it is enjoyable.
• That learning unfamiliar foreign languages such as German is easier through subtitles.

Part 2: Reading comprehension — GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK: WHY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO REGAIN A SENSE OF BALANCE (texto adapted from Nick Huber, The Guardian, September 19, 2.023).

Answer the questions below using complete sentences. You may use fragments from the text unless specified not to do so. [3 points: 0.5 points for each correct answer. Up to 0.3 points might be deducted from the total mark for lack of intelligibility in the answers provided.]

1. Using information from the first paragraph, complete the following sentence IN YOUR OWN WORDS. You can keep the word business.

Balancing work and leisure time…

2. Why does the author say there is a gap between intention and action?

3. What seems to be the paradox in setting up one’s own business?

4. Find a sentence in the text that means the following: “Everyone has their own way of finding how to balance work and personal life.”

5. How can businesses benefit from leaders spending time away from work?

6. Explain the message in the last paragraph of the article IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Part 3: Writing — Choose ONE topic. Your answer should be 125-150 words in length. There is no specific penalty for exceeding 150 words in length. [4 points: 1 point for grammar, 1 point for vocabulary and spelling, 1 point for cohesion and 1 point for adequacy and coherence.]

1. Turning 18 entails making many decisions in life, such as deciding who to vote for, choosing your future education or looking for a job to pay for your education, among many others. Write an email to a friend or family member reflecting on your latest life-changing decisions, including your plans or goals. It could be related to career aspirations, travel plans, or personal development. Share your thoughts with this person and finish by asking for their input or experiences.

2. As part of a project on housing, your school has invited a group of interior designers and architects. They are interested in how spaces influence emotions and wellbeing. They say home is where your heart is and a place where you feel most comfortable and at peace. Write a description of this place that is home to you. It could be a physical location, like your childhood bedroom, a favorite park, a family gathering spot, or even a corner of a cafe. Use vivid sensory details (sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes) to help the designers experience the place as you do.