SELECTIVIDAD MADRID

UNIVERSIDADES PÚBLICAS DE LA COMUNIDAD DE MADRID
JUNIO 2008
INSTRUCCIONES GENERALES
1. Lea todo el texto cuidadosamente
2. Lea atentamente todas las preguntas de la prueba.
3. Proceda a responder en lengua inglesa a las preguntas en el papel de examen
TIEMPO: 1 hora y 30 minutos
CALIFICACIÓN: La puntuación máxima de la prueba es de 10 puntos.
Compulsive shopping
A new illness, the Compulsive Buying Disorder, has been diagnosed. Its symptoms are frequent
thoughts of shopping, experiencing senseless impulses to purchase unneeded items, and
overspending to the extent that it harms relationships or job performance. A recent survey has
found that one in twenty American adults buy things they may not even want -or. need. In
today's world of consumerism, where we are constantly bombarded by ads, this is perhaps not
unusual. But more surprising is a further finding that runs counter to the conventional and rather
stereotyped view that compulsive buying is very much a '_woman's disease": men are just as
likely as women to suffer from compulsive buying. Gone seem to be the days when women
dragged their bored men around shopping malls
Researchers say that the number of men who indulge in unnecessary shopping has rocketed.
Experts claim that past trends and figures may have been unfairly distorted as mate obsessive
shoppers used to be more reluctant than women to recognize that they have a problem, admit it,
and seek help. While women buy more clothing and products that improve appearance, men
tend to focus more on gadgets and technical items and can become compulsive collectors.
And help seems to be exactly what the doctor orders for any compulsive shopper who is usually
not made any happier by his or her relentless buying. Doctors have concluded that this
behaviour is a way for people to try to complete themselves. For some people, being complete is
being impeccably dressed at having something new. Instead, medical practitioners encourage
those seeking treatment to cultivate non-materialistic aspects of their Jives.
Autora: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
QUESTIONS
1.
Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE? Copy the evidence from the text. No marks
are given for only TRUE or FALSE.
a. According to the survey, women are more compulsive shoppers than men.
Solución.
FALSE: […] men are just as likely as women to suffer from compulsive buying.
b. Experts believe that buying is a form of self-realization for compulsive shoppers.
Solución.
TRUE: […] Doctos have concluded that this behaviour is a way for people to
complete themselves.
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
2.
In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do
not copy from the text
a. How does the text describe a compulsive consumer?
Solución.
A compulsive consumer, according to the text, is a person either a woman or a
man, who buys things (clothes, technical items, etc.) which he/she doesn't need at all, in
order to be better dressed or made-up (women) or to collect and have more technical
items (men).
b. What are the differences between male and female compulsive buyers?
Solución.
Men usually buy electronic and technical gadgets, such as laptops, music
players, PDA‟s, mobile phones… While women mostly buy things to improve their
physical appearance, as clothing or make up.
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
3. Find the words in the text that mean:
a. result (paragraph 1)
b. increased (paragraph 2)
c. tendencies (paragraph 2)
d. looking for (paragraph 3)
(Puntuación máxima 1 punto)
extent
rocketed
trends
seeking
Autora: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when
given.
a. As a result of too much shopping, some anxiety or depression may
1
(experience)
and this might interfere
2
work or school performance.
b. Contrary to the general idea that shopping is a ladies' habit, men are now
3
(admit)
that they also have this problem, and they even ask
4
some he1p.
c. Doctors suggest that compulsive shoppers
5
cultivate more spiritual aspects of their
lives, rather
6
buying material things to complete themselves.
Complete the following sentence in reported speech.
d. Yesterday the salesman said to me: “Don‟t pay now”. 7
(Puntuación máxima 2 puntos)
Solución.
1. be experienced. En este caso se utiliza la pasiva (la ansiedad o la depresión
solamente pueden recibir la acción de ser experimentados, no pueden realizarla),
además, utilizando el infinitivo sin to (be) dado que viene precedido de un
modal verb.
2. in.
3. admitting. Present continuous with the temporary clause "now".
4. for. Ask for es un phrasal verb con el significado de pedir o solicitar
5. should. Verb "suggest" + verb in the conditional time "should".
6. than. Segunda parte del comparativo, en este caso, de superioridad.
7. Yesterday the salesman said to me not to pay in that moment. Observa que
no cambia el adverbio de tiempo yesterday (ayer) porque se encuentra fuera de
lo que cita textualmente el tendero
5. Write about 100 to 150 words on one of the following topics.
Do you ever buy things that you don‟t need? Why?
The Compulsive Buying Disorder has become worse with the arrival of online shopping and
television programmes devoted to buying goods 24 hours a day. Discuss.
(Puntuación máxima 3 puntos)
a.
b.
Para este ejercicio es muy importante la organización del texto. Siempre respetando las
tres partes fundamentales de introducción, cuerpo y conclusión final. Es importante
buscar estructuras que nos sean conocidas para evitar cometer errores, sin caer en el
simplismo.
Autora: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
a.
Do you ever buy things that you don‟t need? Why?
Solución.
First of all I would like to say that it‟s often difficult overspending in superfluous things
when you have not enough money. In my case, I try to avoid overspending money.
After having said this, it‟s a very hard problem for people who are not able to control
themselves when they earn some money, but, if we are realistic, we are all more or less
suffering of this condition, I have a friend who usually goes shopping (clothes) with another
friend, and she buys without measure, to an extent in which she has a lot of T-shirts in her
wardrobe which haven't been used yet. Of course she has a big amount of money, but in my
opinion she is in serious problems because of this compulsive buying, although I think, she is
not guilty but victim. We are living in a society which awards a heavy consumerism. A very
good clear instance could be watching TV on Christmas, looking at the amount of ads you can
watch about any kind of items. All of us should take care about it, because nowadays the
economic situation is delicate, we have serious problems concerning prices (oil, building,
food…) and I think that it is not time to be a compulsive buyer.
To sum up, if we want to improve our lives, we should avoid overspending in
superfluous things, and spend money in things which are really necessary, or even help poor
people if you have enough money. We would probably feel better doing it than having a new
shirt inside a bag in our wardrobe.
b) The Compulsive Buying Disorder has become worse with the arrival of
online shopping and television programmes devoted to buying goods 24
hours a day. Discuss.
Solución
As an introduction, I would like to say that since advertising has become one of the
main powers of television (either public or private television), this kind of problems have
increased in a spectacular ratio.
Advertising in traditional television consists on short spots to show the wonderful
qualities of the product. But advertising is a special world, a mobile world, and it has to adapt
itself to the new times in which we are living nowadays. A good instance could be that
television channels in which you can purchase goods during 24 hours a day, by only dealing a
telephone number. This kind of shopping became very popular in last 80‟s and, overall during
90‟s, and helped people to buy every kind of items. Today, we are in the XXI century, which is
called the „internet age‟, and of course, advertising has to update itself once again to the online
shopping, in which you can buy whatever you want, only by clicking a button in a internet
website. Of course, this new facilities help all of us to improve our lives, but there‟s a relative
problem about it. If videogames affect people who have gaming problem, of course online
shopping or T.V. shopping, affect people who have saving problems, or compulsive buying
disorders.
In conclusion, technical advances are good to improve our lives, but we must have our
minds opened to realize that this fact carries with some problems, such as these disorders.
Autora: Patricia Herrero Pinilla
Expresiones más frecuentes para realizar el texto:
INTRODUCCIÓN
-
The purpose of this report
The aim of this report
This report looks at
First of all
As an introduction I would like to say
Firstly
To begin with
CUERPO
-
One of the main advantages/disadvantages of…
Secondly
From my point of view
In my opinion
I think/feel that
On the one hand……on the other hand
CONCLUSIÓN
-
In conclusion
To sum up
On balance
Last but not least
PARA UNIR FRASES
-
Although
However
In spite of (this)
Some people…..while/whereas others…
VOCABULARIO RELACIONADO
To overspend: Malgastar
Superfluous: Innecesario
Consumerism: Consumismo
Ads: Anuncios
Improve: Mejorar
Advertising: Publicidad
Acquire: Adquirir
Purchase: Comprar
Saving problems: Problemas financieros
Autora: Patricia Herrero Pinilla