Examen resuelto de Inglés — Extraordinaria 2026

Is social media messing up our kids? A growing number of European countries seem to think it's causing a problem, as more and more consider bans or restrictions. In an effort to get children to log off screens and into real life, Spain plans to ban under-16s from social media platforms. For many adults, it seems to make sense, but how do young people feel about losing access? I've come to meet a group of 12- to 17-year-olds at Spain's oldest secondary school in Madrid. Much to my surprise, all of them support the restriction. "I think that as long as private companies own these apps, there won't be really positive things because the only thing that matters to them is that you spend more time in the app for them to make more money," 14-year-old Max explains. Like several of the other boys in the group, he said he has struggled in the past with social media addiction, spending hours doomscrolling at the expense of going out with friends. It's a problem that's also troubled 12-year-old Theo. "I was five or six hours a day watching a screen and I failed my exams," he said. "My parents took off all those things [apps] and I started to get good marks." Several of the girls also have concerns about the impact of social media on their peers' mental health. Elena, 16, and 17-year-old Vega explain that the algorithms often push endless streams of posts about “clean eating”, body image and beauty to teenage girls, leading some of them to become trapped in a cycle of unrealistic comparisons. At times, they say, it can feel overwhelming. "A lot of really young girls develop eating disorders at a very fast rate, for example, because of social media," adds Vega. While this group is pro-restrictions, they admit that not all their classmates agree. "We had a debate in class about this: most girls believe that the boundary is a good idea, while guys think it's not," Vega continues.
Social media platforms are made to hack the brain. "Among girls and boys that have previously been using social media for hours, we see worse mental health," explains psychologist Silvia Álava. The hormones rushing around teenagers' rapidly developing bodies mean they can have much stronger reactions to likes or comments on social media than adults. She likens it to the thrill people get from playing slot machines, and agrees that at such a formative age, children's brains need to be protected.
The government has also asked prosecutors to investigate potential crimes committed by Meta, X, and TikTok in connection with the possible creation and dissemination of child porn using AI. In February, representatives of the Spanish government said that in just 11 days, three million nude AI-generated images appeared on X, many of them depicting children. In a post a few days later, X said, "We maintain zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation, including AI-generated content, and enforce strict policies to keep minors safe and ensure a positive experience for everyone."
Read the text and, for items 1.1 and 1.2, choose the best option (A, B, or C) and copy the corresponding letter onto your answer sheet. Then, decide whether statements 1.3 and 1.4 are true or false and find a text fragment which confirms your answer in either case. Write “TRUE” or “FALSE” plus the fragment (one or two lines maximum) on your answer sheet. [Score: 4 items x 4 marks = 16 marks]
Part 1: Multiple-choice items
1.1. One argument in support of restricting social media access to under-16s is that …
a) … social media companies prioritize profit over young users’ wellbeing.
b) … the government should control online platforms more strictly.
c) … parents can’t control their children’s use of social media effectively.
1.2. What does Theo’s story mainly illustrate about heavy social media use?
a) It can distract children from social activities with friends.
b) It may have negative consequences for school performance.
c) It causes conflicts between children and their parents.
Part 1: True-False items
1.3. The psychologist believes teenagers react more strongly than adults to social media feedback.
1.4. X admitted responsibility for allowing AI-generated images involving children to appear on its platform.

Complete each sentence with information from the text but using your own words (about 10-15 words of your own per sentence). DO NOT COPY LITERALLY from the text nor from the items in Task 1 (1.1-1.4). Write the two sentences on your answer sheet. [Score: 2 items x 5 marks = 10 marks]

Find in the text words that match definitions 3.1 to 3.4 below. Copy the words from the text onto your answer sheet. [Score: 4 items x 1 mark = 4 marks]
Paragraph 1
3.1. Definition: To have difficulty dealing with a problem or situation.
Text word? (Verb) ____________.
Paragraph 1
3.2. Definition: The habit of continuously looking at large amounts of negative or worrying content online.
Text word? (Verb) ____________.
Paragraph 1
3.3. Definition: So strong or intense that it is difficult to manage or cope with.
Text word? (Adj) ____________.
Paragraph 3
Definition: A lawyer who represents the government in a court of law.
Text word? (Noun) ____________.

Complete the text choosing the best option (A, B, or C) for each gap (1-15). On your answer sheet, draw a table like the one below and, for each gap (1-15), copy the letter that corresponds to your answer (A, B, or C). Use CAPITAL LETTERS. [Score: 15 x 1 = 15 marks]

Smart clothing could become an important tool for health tracking in the future. Most people today use fitness trackers which are worn tightly on the wrist or (1) ___ the body. These devices measure movement and other physical signals and then convert them into information such as steps taken or calories burned.
(2) ___, recent research results suggest that looser clothing may track movement more accurately than tight wearables. According to these results, sensors placed in loose fabric (3) ___ predict body movement with much more accuracy while using less data. This challenges the common belief that loose sensors produce unclear (4) ___ unreliable results.
Researchers explain that when a person moves, loose fabric (5) ___ not remain still. Instead, it folds and reacts to movement, which allows sensors to capture more detailed information. This means that future health tracking devices could be integrated into everyday clothing, (6) ___ buttons or pins, without making people feel uncomfortable.
The study was carried out by a research team at King’s College London. Sensors were tested on different fabrics using (7) ___ human volunteers and robots. The results showed that the fabric-based sensors detected movement faster and more accurately (8) ___ traditional trackers. Interestingly, the accuracy did not depend on (9) ___ the sensor was placed on the clothing.
This technology could be especially useful (10) ___ detecting small movements that are often missed, such as slight tremors. In the future, it may help doctors monitor patients from (11) ___ homes, which could improve care and (12) ___ hospital visits.
Although current fitness trackers are useful for exercise, they (13) ___ have limitations. For example, they do not always provide reliable information about certain medical measurements. Smart clothing could help overcome (14) ___ of these problems.
Although this technology is still developing, researchers believe it has strong potential. In time, smart clothing may become as common as (15) ___ wearable devices.

Complete THREE of the following sentences so that each sentence keeps the meaning of the sentence printed before it and includes a clear change of linguistic structure. COPY THE COMPLETE SENTENCES (including the beginnings already given to you) onto your answer sheet. [Score: 3 items x 5 marks = 15 marks]

Choose ONE of the two options below (a or b) and write the corresponding text (150-175 words). Write your answer on your answer sheet. [Score: 1 item x 40 marks = 40 marks]