OPTION A — Cyberbullying, Social Media Use, and Teen Experiences

As social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok become more popular, teenagers spend more and more time online in a complicated virtual world. It can even be a dangerous world. In fact, they become exposed to the kind of intimidating online behaviour that is known as cyberbullying.

A study from Pew Research Centre shows that a big 59% of U.S. teens have personally faced different kinds of cyberbullying, like being insulted or having their pictures shared without permission. Other common cyberbullying behaviours are personal attacks, spreading false information, and pretending to be someone else.

According to the study, being mean online is easier not only because teenagers can hide who they are, but also because they can't see the person they hurt and, consequently, they might not feel bad about it. Wanting attention on social media is another possible reason why teenagers bully others online, as they might think that this behaviour will get more 'likes', shares, comments, and 'retweets'.

Research shows there is a connection between cyberbullying among teenagers and how often they use social media. Results from a study conducted by the University of Georgia indicate that teenagers who spend more than seven hours online each day and show signs of being addicted to social media are more likely to bully others online. Tutors should check if teenagers who cyberbully have a problem with being addicted to social media. If they do, specific treatment plans and support groups can help them to use social media less, to improve their self-confidence, and to realise what the consequences of their online behaviour are.

Teenagers are still learning and growing, and it can be hard for them to make good choices when they have technology that gives them access to the whole world. Openly discussing the challenges of social media may help them to avoid being too vulnerable to cyberbullying. Practical advice can consist in showing how to adjust privacy settings, block and report bullies, as well as in explaining the importance of taking breaks from online platforms.

Since technology is such a huge part of teenagers' lives, it is important to teach them early how to use it safely, and to help them when they have problems online. With guidance from educators, teenagers can learn to use technology safely and navigate the challenges of both online and offline worlds.

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 is cyberbullying?
2. What are common examples of cyberbullying?
3. Why is being mean online easier than in real life?
4. According to research from the University of Georgia, what kind of teenagers are more likely to bully others online?
5. How can specific treatment plans and support groups help teenagers who cyberbully?
6. Why is it important to teach students how to use technology safely?

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. Social media platforms make the virtual world safer for teenagers.
2. More than half of U.S. teenagers have been victims to cyberbullying.
3. Making good choices is easy with technology that connects you to the whole world.

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

1. making you nervous or frightened
2. called offensive names
3. cause someone pain
4. feeling sure about one's own abilities
5. easy to hurt or attack
6. very large, enormous

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

1. What is your relationship with social media? How often do you use it? What do you use it for? Is there anything about social media that you would like to change? Explain.
2. Technology is never the problem; it's how we use it. Do you agree with this statement? Write an opinion essay on this topic.

OPTION B — Super-agers

Ageing is often associated with intellectual decline. However, in the last few years, medical science has identified a new group everybody would like to join: the super-agers. The term refers to people in their 70s and 80s who have the mental or physical abilities of those who are decades younger.

Dr Dickerson, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, and his team have been studying super-agers for several years, and their findings are crucial because understanding which factors protect against memory decline could lead to important advances in treating memory loss and, possibly, even various forms of brain disorders.

In the study, 81 healthy adults were read a list of 16 nouns six times. Twenty minutes later, they were asked to remember as many of the words as they could. While 23 of the older participants recalled 9 or fewer words, which could be considered average for their age group, 17 seniors could remember 14 words or more, like the younger participants.

The participants also underwent magnetic resonance imaging, which provides images of the brain at work. The researchers found that some areas of the brain appeared thinner — a sign of cell loss — in the older people, but not in those who scored as well as the younger participants. These areas of the brain are involved in many functions, including emotion, language, and stress. The thicker these regions of the brain are, the better a person's performance is on memory and attention. Although super-agers' brains show less cell loss than those of their peers, their intelligence quotients and educational levels are similar.

So, what makes super-agers different to others? Neurologist Dr Barrett guesses that super-agers may share the enthusiasm for acquiring a new skill, such as playing a musical instrument or speaking a new language. Therefore, super-agers keep moving out of their comfort zones to gain new areas of knowledge.

Physical super-agers, like intellectual super-agers, have scores comparable to those of people decades younger, especially when we look at their aerobic capacity. In general, people lose 10% of their aerobic capacity every decade after the age of 30. Some studies have indicated that people in their 80s who are used to exercising at high intensity for 20 to 45 minutes a day have the aerobic capacity of individuals 30 years younger.

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 the term "super-ager" refer to?
2. Why are Dr Dickerson's findings so crucial?
3. What did researchers find by using magnetic resonance imaging?
4. Why is thickness important when referring to certain regions of the brain?
5. According to Dr Barrett, what may super-agers have in common?
6. What have some studies revealed about people in their 80s who are used to exercising hard?

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. In a recent study on memory, most of the older participants could remember more than 10 words.
2. Super-agers have higher intelligence quotients and educational levels than other senior people.
3. Aerobic capacity decreases as we get older.

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

1. keep someone or something safe
2. ordinary, regular, normal
3. people who are the same age or have the same social status
4. wonders, theorises
5. a place or situation in which you feel safe
6. energy, strength, force

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

1. People are living longer and newer generations like Gen Z will probably exceed the 100-year-old mark, but is a long lifespan always a good thing? Write an opinion essay on this topic.
2. Exercise is an important factor when talking about quality of life. Today's young people need to exercise more than ever because of our modern lifestyles and an increasing dependence on technology. Do you agree with this statement?