QUESTION 1. READ THE TEXT 1 AND ANSWER THE THREE QUESTIONS BELOW: (2.5 points)

1.1. Write a summary of the text in English, including the most important points, using your own words. (Approximately 50 words; 0.75 points).

1.2. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false (T/F) according to the text. Copy that part (and ONLY that part) of the text which justifies your answer. (1 point; 0.25 each)

a. Nowadays Zodiac signs are not popular any more in any part of the world.
b. One of the reasons why astrology is important is because people very often say there's some truth in it.
c. One cannot write the horoscope report for a newspaper if one is not an astrologist.
d. Human beings have a preference for mysterious things involving magic and the supernatural.

1.3. Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given here: (0.75 points; 0.25 each) a. arrangement b. provided that c. understanding/awareness

TEXT 1

The signs of the zodiac have existed for hundreds of thousands of years. They are ancient signs that people have looked to for guidance. Today, thousands of people inspect their horoscopes each day to find out what they are going to come up against in the world. Studies say 33% of Americans believe in astrology.

There are those who dismiss astrology as false, but the truth is that the signs of the zodiac do have some value. First, because humans have been using the zodiac for literally thousands of years; through inspecting the alignment of the planets, masters of astrology have managed to comprehend certain truths about the world. Second, due to the anecdotal evidence available; people are reporting time and time again that what they read in their horoscopes comes true. And it happens too often to dismiss it.

As for newspaper horoscopes, anyone can create a horoscope. As long as you know how the language works, you can make up any horoscope you like. And that's why astrology has such a bad reputation. The horoscopes you see in the newspaper are not true to the zodiac because they are composed by a reporter sitting in a room writing anything that comes to mind.

However, the true value of astrology is its ability to penetrate the part of our minds that naturally gravitates towards things like divination and the occult. By tapping into this inner meaning, it forces the mind to think in a different way. And this alone can generate some meaningful insights. Some people say that astrology is about helping you to understand what you already know. It's just a matter of forcing it from deep inside you.

Whether it is true or not that the alignment and orientation of planets at birth can determine an individual's life situation, there is always going to be something in a person's horoscope that they can apply to their lives.

QUESTION 2. READ THE TEXT 2 AND ANSWER THE THREE QUESTIONS BELOW: (2.5 points)

2.1. Write a summary of the text in English, including the most important points, using your own words. (approximately 50 words; 0.75 points).

2.2. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false (T/F) according to the text. Copy that part (and ONLY that part) of the text which justifies your answer. (1 point; 0.25 each)

a. No harm was caused to passengers.
b. The man was going on holiday when he was involved in this incident.
c. The man admits he got confused when he found himself alone.
d. The alarm went off after he walked into an area reserved for the crew.

2.3. Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given here: (0.75 points; 0.25 each) a. harmless b. called off c. finally

TEXT 2

Some mistakes may seem innocuous yet they can carry a high price. On Tuesday a young man from Spain involuntarily triggered a security alert at Munich airport after walking through the wrong door on his way to catch a Madrid flight, said federal police in Germany.

As a result, 130 flights were cancelled, causing numerous delays at one of the country's busiest airports, which was partially shut down for four hours. The Spaniard could face criminal proceedings over the incident.

The man, who is reported to be aged between 20 and 25, was on his way home after spending his vacation in Thailand and has stated that he was "horrified" at the outcome of his mistake during a stopover in Munich.

The Spaniard was arrested and interrogated by German security forces soon after the incident, which took place on Tuesday morning. He said that he had gone to the bathroom after stepping off a flight from Bangkok, and by the time he left the men's room all the other passengers had gone. Disoriented, he began walking in the wrong direction as he tried to find his connecting flight to Madrid.

He eventually pressed a button opening emergency doors to the restricted area reserved for passengers who have gone through a security check, according to the Bavarian public radio station BR24 and the local newspaper Merkur.

This immediately triggered an alert, as it meant that a passenger from outside the border-free Schengen Area had bypassed passport controls. Parts of Terminal 1 and 2 were evacuated, and passengers who had already gone through security checks had to repeat the process.

There were around 1,200 departures scheduled at Munich airport on Tuesday, representing a flow of around 120,000 passengers.

QUESTION 3. ANSWER THE TWO BLOCKS OF QUESTIONS:

3.1. Block 1. Pronunciation: (1 point; 0.25 each)

a. In which word are the underlined letters pronounced differently? word, bored, lord, sword
b. In which word is the ending "ed" pronounced /d/ as in "filed"? wanted, divided, folded, framed
c. In which word is the letter "u" silent? suite, quick, guilty, suit
d. Which pair of words does not rhyme? 1. break, cake; 2. mean, great; 3. blood, flood; 4. dear, fear.

3.2. Block 2. Complete the second sentence of each pair so that it has the same meaning as the first one. You must use the word or expression in italics. (1.5 points; 0.5 points each)

a. I must apologise to the woman. I took her phone by mistake.
…whose…
b. Sue hurt her back when she lifted a heavy table on her own.
If only…
c. Many people said his ideas were outrageous.
It…

QUESTION 4. ANSWER THE TWO BLOCKS OF QUESTIONS:

4.1. Block 1. Pronunciation: (1 point; 0.25 each)

a. In which word is the letter "h-" pronounced? heir, honest, humble, hour
b. In which word is the stress on the first syllable as in "horoscope"? astrology, alignment, impossible, generate.
c. In which of the following verbs is the past ending pronounced /id/ as in "conducted"? believed, tapped, needed, managed.
d. In which word are the underlined vowels pronounced differently? create, meaningful, read, each.

4.2. Block 2: Complete the second sentence of each pair so that it has the same meaning as the first one. You must use the word or expression in italics. (1.5 points; 0.5 points each)

a. I love the signs of the zodiac. My brother loves the signs of the zodiac too.
Both…
b. It is very usual for many people to read the horoscope in the morning.
… is very usual for many people.
c. My friends don't believe in astrology, but they read their horoscope.
In spite of …

QUESTION 5. WRITE A COMPOSITION ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS: Do you sometimes read your horoscope? Why/Why not? (Approximately 120 words; 2.5 points)

QUESTION 6. WRITE A COMPOSITION ANSWERING THIS QUESTION: What is the strangest thing that ever happened to you? (Approximately 120 words; 2.5 points)