MAGISTER

OPOSICIONES AL PROFESORADO Inglés Secundaria

PRACTICE EXERCISES (PART A – LINGUISTICS)

MARCH 2015
1. TRANSLATIONS.

A. Translate the following text into English.

Desde el primer día me saltó a la vista que eran matrimonio, él de cerca de cincuenta años y
ella de unos cuantos menos, no habría alcanzado aún los cuarenta. Lo que más agradaba de ellos era
ver lo bien que lo pasaban juntos. A una hora a la que casi nadie está para nada, y menos para
fiestas y risas, hablaban sin parar y se divertían y estimulaban, como si acabaran de encontrarse o
incluso de conocerse, y no como si hubieran salido juntos de casa, y hubieran dejado a los niños en
el colegio, y se hubieran arreglado al mismo tiempo ―acaso en el mismo cuarto de baño―, y se
hubieran despertado en la misma cama, y lo primero que cada uno hubiera visto hubiera sido la
descontada figura del cónyuge, y así un día tras otro desde hacía bastantes años, pues los hijos, que
los acompañaron en un par de ocasiones, debían de tener unos ocho la niña y unos cuatro el niño,
que se parecía enormemente a su padre.
Éste vestía con distinción levemente anticuada, sin llegar a resultar ridículo ni anacrónico en
modo alguno. Quiero decir que iba siempre trajeado y bien conjuntado, con camisas a medida,
corbatas caras y sobrias, pañuelo asomándole por el bolsillo de la chaqueta, gemelos, lustrados
zapatos de cordones ―negros o bien de ante, éstos sólo al final de la primavera, cuando se ponía
sus trajes claros―, manos cuidadas por manicura. A pesar de todo esto, no daba una impresión de
ejecutivo presuntuoso ni de pijo de ultranza. Parecía más bien un hombre cuya educación no le
permitiera asomarse a la calle vestido de otra manera, en día laborable al menos; en él resultaba
natural aquella clase de indumentaria, como si su padre le hubiera enseñado que a partir de cierta
edad era eso lo que tocaba, independientemente de las modas que ya nacen caducas y de los
desharrapados tiempos actuales, que a él no tenían por qué afectarlo. Era tan clásico que ni siquiera
le descubrí nunca ningún detalle extravagante: no quería hacerse el original, aunque acababa por
resultarlo un poco en el contexto de aquella cafetería en la que lo vi siempre y aun en el de nuestra
ciudad negligente.
El efecto de naturalidad se veía realzado por su carácter indudablemente cordial y risueño,
que no campechano (no lo era con los camareros, por ejemplo, a los que trataba de usted y con
amabilidad desusada, sin caer en el empalago): de hecho llamaban algo la atención sus frecuentes
carcajadas que eran casi escandalosas, aunque en ningún caso molestas. Sabía reír, lo hacía con
fuerza pero con sinceridad y simpatía, nunca como si adulara ni en actitud aquiescente sino como si
respondiera siempre a cosas que le hacían verdadera gracia y fueran muchas las que se la hicieran,
un hombre generoso, dispuesto a percibir lo cómico de las situaciones y a aplaudir las bromas, por
lo menos las verbales.
Quizá era su mujer quien se la hacía, en conjunto, hay personas que nos hacen reír aunque no
se lo propongan, lo logran sobre todo porque nos dan contento con su presencia y así nos basta para
soltar la risa con muy poco, sólo con verlas y estar en su compañía y oírlas, aunque no estén
diciendo nada del otro mundo o incluso empalmen tonterías y guasas deliberadamente, que sin
embargo nos caen en gracia. El uno para el otro parecían ser de esas personas; y aunque se los veía
casados, nunca sorprendí en ellos un gesto edulcorado ni impostado, ni tan siquiera estudiado, como
los de algunas parejas que llevan años conviviendo y tiene a gala exhibir lo enamoradas que siguen,
con un mérito que las revaloriza o un adorno que las embellece.
De «Los enamoramientos » de Javier Marías
Inglés Secundaria ©MELC S.A.(MAGISTER) Práctico Parte A (Lingüística) Marzo 2015

B. Translate the following fragment into Spanish.

Shri Arhat Mindadali, M.A., Ph.D.
Supreme Meditator, Asram Arhat
/spw

May 13, 1986

Sir:
Your recent editorial in the Forrest Weekly Sentinel condemnatory of the Ashra, Arhat as a
“glorified summer camp” for “bored yuppies” and “pathetic societal strays” would be beneath our
notice were we not sincerely anxious to cultivate good relations with our felow-citizens of Dorado
County and to have our substantial contributions to the regional economy recognized. A barren tract
of exhausted range has been transformed into productive agricultural land at no cost to the water
table. Our extensive irrigation and sanitation draw solely upon an aquifier confined to the valley of
Gritty Creek, now happily renamed the Sachchidananda River and not to be confused with the
miserable alkaline trickle the good “citizens” of Forrest have amusingly dubbed Babbling Brook.
To correct a few other misapprehensions or deliberate misstatement: (1) Our facilities for
meditation, therapy (both physio- and psycho-), non-soil-depleting agriculture, and hand
manufacture have never claimed tax-exempt status; via real-state tax and other levies the ashram
has contributed $46,742.07 to Dorado County coffers in the fiscal year ended this March, in return
for which we have received precisely no public services ―neither police protection nor trash pickup
nor highway maintenance nor water nor sewer mains nor anything but the forced enrolment of
sixteen of our children in public schools where, after sickeningly long bus rides, they are bullied
and tormented by their teachers and fellow-students alike and subjected to a bowdlerized, anti-
evolutionist, rightwing curriculum that would insult the intelligence of a chuckwalla. (2) Our
armed security forces exist solely to defend our property and personnel against the attacks of
trigger-happy rednecks and beered-up adolescents who have repeatedly damaged and fired upon our
water tanks, our outlying pump-houses and tool sheds, our faithful watchdogs, and our signs of
welcome in many languages. (3) Our so-called “orgies” are in fact exercises in the ancient art of
tantric youga, wherein he participants worship one another as Shiva and Shaktu, the fundamental
forces of the cosmos; sexuality and spirituality are forms of one energy, proclaims our Arhat, whose
love unites us all in ecstatic love of whom we are all made new.
With united voice, therefore, we remind you that this is supposedly a free country. Accedited
lawyers among us stand ready to defend our constitutional rights. Defamatory and false information
infringed these rights. Ashram Arhat holds out the hand or peace to its neighbors in Dorado County
and the “city” of Forrest. Let us live side by side and strive to make our hitherto sadly neglected
region the paradise it can become. The world is weary of the old agendas; let us welcome in the new
agendas. Vindictive and mendacious editorials such as yours feed the atmosphere of hate that has
grown up needlessly, and in his ineffable sorrow our Master has empowered me to compose this
letter of friendly correction.
Yours most sincerely,
Ma Prem Durga
Executive Director, Ashram Arhat
From “S.” by John Updike

2
Inglés Secundaria ©MELC S.A.(MAGISTER) Práctico Parte A (Lingüística) Marzo 2015

2. TEXT ANALYSIS.

Read the following text and answer the questions below:

The first time I saw Brenda she asked me to hold her glasses. Then she stepped out to the
edge of the diving board and looked foggily into the pool; it could have been drained, myopic
Brenda would never have known it. She dove beautifully, and a moment later she was swimming
back to the side of the pool, her head of short clipped auburn hair held up, straight ahead of her, as
though it were a rose on a long stem. She glided to the edge and then was beside me. “Thank you”,
she said, her eyes watery though not from the water. She extended a hand for her glasses but did not
put them on until she turned and headed away. I watched her move off. Her hands suddenly
appeared behind her. She caught the bottom of her suit between thumb and index finger and flicked
what flesh had been showing back where it belonged. My blood jumped.
That night, before dinner, I called her.
“Who are you calling?” my Aunt Gladys asked.
“Some girl I met today.”
“Doris introduced you?”
“Doris wouldn’t introduce me to the guy who drains the pool, Aunt Gladyss.”
“Don’t criticize all the time. A cousin’s a cousin. How did you meet her?”
“I didn’t really meet her. I saw her.”
“Who is she?”
“Her last name is Patimkin.”
“Patimkin I don’t know,” Aunt Gladyss said, as if she knew anybody who belonged to the
Green Lane Country Club. “You’re going to call her you don’t know her?”
“Yes,” I explained. “I’ll introduce myself.”
“Casanova,” she said, and went back to preparing my uncle’s dinner. None of us ate
together: my Aunt Gladys ate at five o’clock, my cousin Susan at five-thirty, me at six, and my
uncle at six-thirty. There is nothing to explain this beyond the fact that my aunt is crazy.
“Where’s the suburban phone book? I asked after pulling out all the books tucked under the
telephone table.
“What?”
“The suburban phone book. I want to call Short Hills.”
“That skinny book? What, I gotta clutter my house with that, I never use it?”
“Where is it?”
“Under the dresser where the leg came off.”
“For God’s sake,” I said.
“Call information better. You’ll go yanking around there, you’ll mess up my drawers. Don’t
bother me, you see your uncle’ll be home soon. I haven’t fed you yet.”
(…/) But when I called, Brenda Patimkin wasn’t at home. She’s having dinner at he club, a
woman’s voice told me. Will she be home after (my voice was two octaves higher than a
choirboy’s)? Who is this? I mumbled some words ―nobody she wouldn’t know I’ll call back no
message thank you sorry to bother… I hung up somewhere along in there.
From “Goodbye Columbus” by Philip Roth

a) Identify the style and textual types in the extract. Explain your answer.
b) Describe the communicative functions used on the text.
c) Locate cohesive devices and other rhetorical resources, illustrated by examples.

3
Inglés Secundaria ©MELC S.A.(MAGISTER) Práctico Parte A (Lingüística) Marzo 2015

d) Comment briefly on the author, her work and time.

e) Provide definitions or synonyms for the following words or expressions from the text.
Explain their word formation process if applicable:
1. drained:
2. myopic:
3. auburn:
4. glided:
5. flicked
6. tucked
7. clutter:
8. dresser:
9. yanking:
10. octaves:

f) Transcribe phonologically the following lines from the text.

She extended a hand for her glasses but did not put them on until she turned and headed
away. I watched her move off. Her hands suddenly appeared behind her. She caught the bottom
of her suit between thumb and index finger and flicked what flesh had been showing back
where it belonged. My blood jumped.

g) Analyse syntactically the following extract from the text.

None of us ate together: my Aunt Gladys ate at five o’clock, my cousin Susan at five-thirty,
me at six, and my uncle at six-thirty. There is nothing to explain this beyond the fact that my aunt is
crazy.

4
Inglés Secundaria ©MELC S.A.(MAGISTER) Práctico Parte A (Lingüística) Marzo 2015

3. LISTENING

Listen to David Crystal: The Future of English Language.

1. Answer the following questions.

a. What is it really, asking about the future of language?

b. What is the main reason driving a language global?

c. Which other languages could build up future language scenarios?

d. Why does he predict no change in English as a global language in the short term?

e. Which examples are given on the influence of American English in Britain?

f. Is there any example of British English impact on America?

g. What will be the English of the future like?

2. Fill in the gaps of this extract from the transcript.

Why is there American English in the (1)____________ place? Because the Americans wanted to
(2)______________ themselves as American and not as British. It was a quite (3) ______________
decision. When America became independent Noah Webster, (4)___________ others, said we want
an American English for an American identity, for the new nation. And that's where American
spelling's started you see?

And how new American vocabulary got into (5)____________. Now what happened in America
then, is now happening (6)________________.

So all over the English-speaking world people are saying: well you can be British if you like, you
can be American if you like, but we want to be Indian or we want to be (7)_____________ , or what
have you, and in and the English that we use will (8)__________ that cultural identity.

3. Summarize the content.

5
Inglés Secundaria ©MELC S.A.(MAGISTER) Práctico Parte A (Lingüística) Marzo 2015

4. USE OF ENGLISH

A. Complete the sentences with one of the following adjectives and then either that, a wh-
word or a preposition.
abusive adamant agreed angry apologetic not certain
complimentary dismissive doubtful unsure
1. The climbers were ___________________ the clothes would be warm enough at high
altitudes.
2. My boss is very unsympathetic and was _______________ my complaints about the new
software.
3. The company is __________________ the child car seats are safe.
4. Sue tried to pick up the rabbit, but was ___________________ to hold it.
5. She was very _______________________the window had been broken.
6. Rachel is normally very reliable and was extremely ________________ turning up late.
7. Jack left for New York in September but he was ___________________ he would return.
8. The court heard that Hughes became _______________________ a police officer and was
arrested.
9. Amanda doesn’t normally like spicy food, but was quite _______________ my fish curry.
10. All the players are __________________ the game should go on despite the snow.

B. Correct any mistakes in these sentences or write (C) if they are already correct.

1. The Unites States come top of the list of countries ranked by economic performance.
2. The people I know who have seen the film say that it’s really good.
3. A report in the Sunday Times detail the crimes of a 14-year-old boy in Southcastle.
4. Northern Lights are of Suzanne’s favourite books.
5. The stairs leading to the first floor were steep and poorly lit.
6. Chequers is the country house of the British Prime Minister.
7. Whoever made all the mess in the kitchen have to clear it up.
8. The phrase ‘men in white coats’ are used to talk about psychiatrists.
9. The public needs to be kept informed about progress in the peace talks.
10. Musical chairs are a party game where everyone dashes for a seat when the music stops.

C. Choose an appropriate verb to complete these sentences. Use a to-infinitive or –ing form,
giving alternatives where possible.
Cheat earn know leave open panic
reduce resign see talk turn understimate
1. I’m afraid I can’t afford that much. Would you be prepared __________________ the price
if I pay cash?

2. Jack was stupid __________________ in the exam. He was bound to get caught.

3. He felt good __________________ that he had helped solve the problem.

4. Don’t feel that you need to stay to the very end of the conference. You’re free
______________ at any time.

5. I hadn’t been to Wolverton since I was a child, and I was curious _______________ how it
had changed.

6
Inglés Secundaria ©MELC S.A.(MAGISTER) Práctico Parte A (Lingüística) Marzo 2015

6. Anyone trying to climb the mountain would be foolish ________________ tha challenge
facing them.

7. People told me I was crazy ____________ a shop in this part of the city, but it’s been very
successful so far.

8. She was too busy _______________ on the phone to notice that Dave had come into the
room.

9. She felt guilty ____________________ such a lot when so many people in the country were
living in poverty.

10. It’s so difficult to get a job at the moment you’d be mad _________________.

11. Some people would be inclined _________________ if they smelt smoke in the house.

12. I felt awful ______________ people away from the concert, but there just wasn’t any more
room.

D. Circle the correct idioms to complete the sentences.

1. If something bears fruit / misses the mark it produces successful results.
2. If a plan gets off the ground / goes pear-shaped, it starts or succeeds.
3. If something falls flat / works like a dream, it works very well.
4. If something goes from strength to strength / misses the mark, it fails to achieve what it is
intended to achieve.
5. If an attempt to achieve something or to tell a joke bears fruit / falls flat, it fails.
6. If something comes to nothing / gets off the ground, it doesn’t succeed.
7. If a plan hoes pear-shaped / works like a dream, it fails.
8. If something comes to nothing / goes from strength to strength, it becomes better and better or
more and more successful.