OPTION A — JOB SHADOWING

Job shadowing is a type of on-the-job training that companies use, where a visitor learns about a job by following and observing a skilled employee, known as the host or mentor, through the working day as a shadow. By doing so, the visitor becomes familiar with the occupation and the skills necessary for that job. The length could range from a couple of hours to a few weeks.

Colleges and universities also hold these programmes, since job shadowing is an amazing way to get to know the field students aspire to work in. This process allows students ('shadows') to accompany a trained professional and gives them a chance to move beyond theoretical lessons to practical performance.

The kind of job shadowing might vary from observation to hands-on training. Observation is when the person taking part in the program just watches the mentor perform their day-to-day activities. This type of job shadowing is particularly useful for students, recent graduates and new employees wishing to gain a greater understanding of a certain role within a company.

In addition, there is hands-on shadowing, which is an interesting extension of the observation model. Here, 'shadows' can carry out some tasks after observing a senior employee, getting real experience of the work under the supervision of the host.

After the experience, students present a report, but some information learned during the job shadowing experience may be confidential and must not be revealed to outsiders. Additionally, shadowing reports should concentrate on how far the objectives were achieved and not report negative things that are unfavourable to the person being shadowed or the host company.

As a student, the main benefits of job shadowing are that it will help you gain an understanding of the workplace, it will build your network of contacts, and most of all, it will help you decide whether it is really the job you want. Furthermore, if students make a positive impression on the company, they may be opening the door to a job there one day.

But students are not the only ones to benefit from job shadowing. Job shadowing can also be positive for host companies because it provides them with potential employees who know how the business works and are trained to do the job.

I.- Answer 4 out of the following 6 questions according to the information given in the text. WRITE COMPLETE SENTENCES USING YOUR OWN WORDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DO NOT COPY FROM THE TEXT. (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (4 marks)

1. What does a visitor do during the shadowing period?
2. Why do colleges and universities hold job shadowing programmes?
3. What is hands-on shadowing?
4. What should a job shadowing report not include?
5. What are the main advantages of job shadowing for students?
6. Why do host companies benefit from job shadowing?

II.- Are these statements True or False? Justify your answers based on information from the text, rewriting the original sentences in your own words or quoting properly. (Choose 2 out of the 3 statements) (2 marks).

1. The duration of the job shadowing process can be flexible.
2. Observation shadowing is only useful for students.
3. The observation and hands-on shadowing models are completely different.

III.- Find the words or expressions in the text that mean: (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (1 mark)

1. measurement or distance of something from one end to the other
2. to go somewhere with someone
3. achieve, accomplish, obtain
4. a written or spoken account of an event
5. made known or public
6. a system of things which are connected

IV.- Write a composition of about 130 words on one of these topics. Specify your option. (3 marks)

1. How important do you want your job to be in your life? Some people are quite happy with jobs that require long working hours. Others prefer a better work/life balance. Write an opinion essay on this topic.
2. Some people think that teenagers should be encouraged to work during holiday breaks, over the summer, or on weekends. Write a for and against essay on this topic.

OPTION B — MORE THAN RECYCLING: UPCYCLING

While we are all very familiar with recycling as a concept that is part of our daily lives, what do we know about upcycling?

Upcycling is taking something that is considered waste and giving it a new purpose. The upcycled item frequently becomes more functional or beautiful than what it previously was, and the value of the item increases.

The first mention of upcycling was in 1.994 in the architecture and antiques magazine Salvo, in an interview with mechanical engineer Reiner Pilz. He stated, "I call recycling downcycling. What we need is upcycling, thanks to which old products are given a higher, not a lower, value."

Upcycling aims to support circular economy, which represents an incredible environmental benefit. Circular economy is the system in which goods are reused rather than being abandoned after one use.

Upcycling has a growing number of followers and is becoming a huge trend. The Instagram hashtag #upcycling has almost 5 million posts, and it is filled with amazing stories to give you inspiration to start upcycling goods on your own. Instagram upcycling examples include repainting old furniture to give it a new appearance or even using fabric from old clothes to make some boring lampshades look more attractive.

According to a recent study, Generation Z shoppers (people born between 1.995 and 2.010) demand sustainable shopping. Textile companies, which are rated as the second most polluting industries and produce a great deal of waste and emissions, fear losing their customers and are determined to demonstrate that sustainability and fashion can go hand in hand.

Furthermore, alternative materials have become a point of focus for the fashion industry, with major clothing brands working with companies that create new textiles. An example of such an innovative company is Renewcell, which has developed its characteristic product, Circulose®, a new material manufactured using recycled cotton clothing.

Nowadays, upcycling is an ethical choice. It is important to remember that even though our waste is picked up from our homes and businesses, that does not mean that it has disappeared forever. In fact, there is much we can do to help reduce textile waste. We can buy second-hand items, donate used goods, and take better care of the clothes that we already own. Many of our things, if not most, can be upcycled; it is merely a matter of imagination, skill, and motivation.

I.- Answer 4 out of the following 6 questions according to the information given in the text. WRITE COMPLETE SENTENCES USING YOUR OWN WORDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DO NOT COPY FROM THE TEXT. (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (4 marks)

1. What can often happen to an item when it is upcycled?
2. What is circular economy?
3. How can Instagram stories help us upcycle?
4. Why do textile companies want to show that they are concerned about sustainability?
5. Why is Renewcell considered an innovative company?
6. How can we help reduce textile waste?

II.- Are these statements True or False? Justify your answers based on information from the text, rewriting the original sentences in your own words or quoting properly. (Choose 2 out of the 3 statements) (2 marks).

1. Reiner Pilz preferred upcycling to recycling.
2. Upcycling is a very unpopular movement.
3. There are many things we own that can be upcycled.

III.- Find the words or expressions in the text that mean: (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (1 mark)

1. happening, done, or produced every day
2. old and often valuable items
3. left and no longer wanted or used
4. tendency, movement
5. new, original, using new methods or ideas
6. to make something smaller

IV.- Write a composition of about 130 words on one of these topics. Specify your option. (3 marks)

1. Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood once said: "Buy less, choose well, make it last." Do you agree with this statement? Write an opinion essay on this topic.
2. The 3 'R's — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle — are all about decreasing the amount of waste we produce. Explain how you would help minimise waste considering these three 'R's.