Modelo A — FAST FASHION: THE MONSTER IN OUR CLOSET
Clothes shopping used to be an occasional event—something that happened a few times a year when the seasons changed or when we outgrew what we had. But about 20 years ago something changed. Clothes became cheaper, trend cycles sped up and shopping became a hobby. Stores like Zara, HM or Primark started to sell cool, trendy clothing you could buy with your loose change, wear a handful of times and then throw away. Then in 2.013, when the Rana Plaza clothing manufacturing complex in Bangladesh collapsed killing over 1,000 workers, consumers really started questioning the real cost of bargains.
Fast fashion can be defined as cheap, trendy clothing that samples ideas from the catwalk and turns them into garments in high street stores at breakneck speed to meet consumer demand. The idea is to get the newest styles on the market as fast as possible, so shoppers can snap them up while they are still at the height of their popularity, and then, sadly, get rid of them after a few wears. Thus, fast fashion makes us believe we need to shop more and more to stay on top of trends, creating a constant sense of need and ultimate dissatisfaction.
Fast fashion's negative impact on the planet is huge. It includes the use of cheap, toxic textile dyes and fabrics such as polyester, which is derived from fossil fuels and contributes to global warming; it sheds microfibers that add to the increasing levels of plastic in our oceans when it's put through the wash. But even "natural fabrics" can be a problem at the scale fast fashion demands. Conventional cotton requires enormous quantities of water and pesticides in developing countries. This results in risks of drought and creates huge amounts of stress on water basins. This makes the fashion industry the second largest polluter of clean water globally after agriculture.
As well as the environmental cost of fast fashion, there's a human cost. Fast fashion impacts garment workers who have been found to work in dangerous environments, for low wages, and without basic human rights. Further down the supply chain, the farmers may work with toxic chemicals that can have devastating consequences on their physical and mental health. So, the next time you want to purchase a new garment, ask yourself this simple question: "Do I really need it?"
1. Answer these questions about the text. Use your own words wherever possible (2 points, 1 each).
a. What's the environmental cost of fast fashion?
b. What's the human cost of fast fashion?

Modelo A — 2. Read the following statements, decide whether they are true or false and justify your answer by quoting evidence from the text (1 point, 0,50 each).
a. In the past, we bought new clothes just when ours became too small.
b. Fast fashion replicates catwalk trends and makes them rapidly affordable and available.

Modelo A — 3. Find in the text the word or group of words which match these definitions (1 point, 0,25 each).
a. Went faster (paragraph 1).
b. A long stage that models walk along at a fashion show (paragraph 2).
c. Discard (paragraph 2).
d. Colorants, pigments (paragraph 3).

Modelo A — 4. Complete the text using the correct words from the box below. There are 2 words that you won't need (2 points, 0,25 each).
Animals are also (a)_ by fast fashion, for example by the toxic dyes that are released in waterways and the microfibers (b)_ are often ingested by ocean life. When animal products (c)_ leather and fur are used, animal welfare is put (d)_ risk. Paradoxically, numerous scandals reveal that real fur, including cat and dog fur, is often (e)_ passed off as fake fur, also called faux fur, to unknowing shoppers. The truth is that there is so (f)_ real fur being produced under terrible conditions in fur farms that (g)_ actually become (h)_ to produce and buy than faux fur!
BOX: BEEN, IMPACTED, CHEAPER, IT'S, BEING, IN, AT, MUCH, SUCH AS, THAT

Modelo A — 5. Write a composition of around 150-200 words on ONE of the following topics (4 points)
a. Imagine you are a worker in a sweatshop. This means that you are working with a lot of people in poor conditions for low pay. You have decided to tell your experience in a social site. Give details about the kind of work you do, who you are working for, your salary, working conditions and any other aspects you want to uncover.
b. "It is not too late to save the planet". Write an opinion essay on this topic.

Modelo B — THE REAL SPIRIT OF PARKOUR
Parkour, also known as free running, is the sport of traversing environmental obstacles (walls, benches, rooftops, etc.) by running, climbing, or leaping rapidly and efficiently. Its origin dates back to the early 1900s when French officer Georges Hebért observed the athletic skills of indigenous tribes in Africa. He was amazed that the locals were able to use their bodies in such flexible and nimble ways. They could do that without an educator in gymnastics but with the use of nature around. Hebért brought this concept to the French military and developed obstacle course race training plans that incorporated walking, running, jumping, crawling, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, self-defense, and swimming. Most importantly, Hebért also included training in courage and morality.
However, the real predecessor of parkour is considered to be the French soldier and firefighter Raymond Belle. In the mid-1940s he became an orphan and was placed in a military orphanage where he learned parkour. He took it upon himself to train harder and longer than everyone else because he did not want to be seen as weak. At night, when everyone else was asleep, he would be outside running or climbing trees. Later, he used parkour to become an elite firefighter. He was known for his acrobatic athleticism and ability to safely and quickly scale buildings and leap between building rooftops. He wanted to be strong, and agile to be able to do his job to the best of his ability in order to serve the people and effect rescues, which he did.
Raymond Belle also had a son, David Belle, who further developed his father's methods. In the 1980s David Belle was able to take parkour out of the military and make it very popular. David is now an actor and choreographer and he is well known for his work incorporating parkour into films. Parkour has since spread around the world and now has adherents in virtually every country. As David explains, parkour is not just jumping from building rooftops. The real underlying philosophy is the ability to be strong and useful in order to serve others. So, if you want to be a parkour practitioner, here is a useful tip: start small and work your way up slowly, always within your range of abilities. Understand your own limitations, the human body and simple physics. Train smart, not crazy.
1. a. During his life, Raymond used parkour with two purposes. Can you explain both of them?
b. Explain the philosophy underlying parkour and the advice given to become a parkour practitioner.

Modelo B — 2. Read the following statements, decide whether they are true or false and justify your answer (1 point, 0,50 each).
a. The natives of Africa were taking gymnastics classes.
b. Raymond couldn't work as hard or as long as the other orphans.

Modelo B — 3. Find in the text the word or group of words which match these definitions (1 point, 0,25 each).
a. Stunned, astonished (paragraph 1).
b. The ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation (paragraph 1).
c. First-rate, supreme (paragraph 2).
d. Make a large jump or sudden movement, usually from one place to another (paragraph 2).

Modelo B — 4. Complete the text using the correct words from the box below. There are 2 words that you won't need (2 points, 0,25 each).
Daniel Ilabaca was born (a)_ January 23rd 1.988 in Moreton, England. He has a brother, Chris Ilabaca, (b)_ often films and edits his videos. Daniel first noticed Parkour (c)_ seeing a man on the street perform a wall flip and wanted to be (d)_ to do the same. He later learnt the Brazilian martial art Capoeira, but felt (e)_ with its limitations. Finally, he started practicing parkour and freerunning. He has (f)_ won first place in MTV's inaugural Ultimate Parkour Challenge, and is one of the (g)_ watched freerunners with over 30 million views on YouTube. Ilabaca believes Parkour is a global movement (h)_ will change the way people interact with their environment.
BOX: MOST, ABLE, AFTER, WHO, DISAPPOINTING, DISAPPOINTED, SINCE, ON, THAT, EVER

Modelo B — 5. Write a composition of around 150-200 words on ONE of the following topics (4 points)
a. Imagine you have started the first parkour group in your town. Write a formal email to your local council explaining what your group can offer to the town and asking them to build a parkour course.
b. "Dangerous sports should be banned". Write a for and against essay on this topic.