Content text INGLÉS PCE SOLUCIÓN
Solución del examen de Inglés del 2024 de la Comunidad Valenciana. Convocatoria del 22 de mayo de 2024 Part I A) Comprehension questions on the text. Read the text and choose the correct answer. You must choose and answer only 2 out of the 3 questions below (0.6 points each). How did the human heart become associated with love? And how did it turn into the shape we know today? We see the familiar symbol everywhere - in text messages, signs, cakes, clothing, and more. In 2011, I went to the British Museum in London to see a collection of 15th-century artifacts, which included gold coins and jewelry that were part of the Fishpool Hoard found in England in 1966. I was particularly attracted to a heart-shaped brooch. That day, I noticed the heart's two upper lobes and its V-shaped bottom point as if I were seeing them for the first time. It quickly dawned on me that the symmetrical shape is a far cry from the ungainly lumpish organ inside us. From that moment on, the figure of the heart pursued me. I wanted to answer two questions: "How did the human heart become transformed into the iconic form we know today?" and "How long has the heart been associated with love?" As far back as the ancient Greeks, lyric poetry identified the heart with love in verbal conceits. Among the earliest known Greek examples, the poet Sappho agonized over her own "mad heart" quaking with love. She lived during the 7th century BC on the island of Lesbos surrounded by female disciples for whom she wrote passionate poems, now known only in fragments, like the following: Love shook my heart, Like the wind on the mountain Troubling the oak-trees. Greek philosophers agreed, more or less, that the heart was linked to our strongest emotions, including love. Plato argued for the dominant role of the chest in love and in negative emotions of fear, anger, rage and pain. Aristotle expanded the role of the heart even further, granting it supremacy in all human processes. Among the ancient Romans, the association between the heart and love was commonplace. Venus, the goddess of love, was credited - or blamed - for setting hearts on fire with the aid of her son Cupid, whose darts aimed at the human heart were always overpowering. In the ancient Roman city of Cyrene—near what is now Shahhat, Libya - a coin was discovered. Dating back to 510-490 BC, it’s the oldest-known image of the heart shape. However, it’s what I call the non-heart heart, because it is stamped with the outline of the seed from the silphium plant, a now-extinct species of giant fennel. Why in the world would anyone have put that on a coin? The ancient Romans held a curious belief about the heart - that there was a vein extending from the fourth finger of the left hand directly to the heart.
They called it the vena amoris. Even though this idea was based upon incorrect knowledge of the human anatomy, it persisted. In 1344, the first known image of the indubitable heart icon with two lobes and a point appeared. It made its debut in a manuscript titled The Romance of Alexander, written in the French dialect of Picardy by Lambert le Tor (and, after him, finished by Alexandre de Bernay). With hundreds of exquisitely ornamented pages, Alexander is one of the great medieval picture books. The scene containing the heart image appears in the lower border of a page decorated with sprays of foliage, perched birds and other motifs characteristic of French and Flemish illumination. On the left-hand side, a woman raises a heart that she has presumably received from the man facing her. She accepts the gift, while he touches his breast to indicate the place from which it has come. From this moment on, there was an explosion of heart imagery, particularly in France. During the 15th century, the heart icon proliferated throughout Europe in a variety of unexpected ways. It was visible on the pages of manuscripts and on luxury items like brooches and pendants. The heart also turned up in coats of arms, playing cards, combs, wooden chests, sword handles, burial sites, woodcuts, engravings and printer's marks. The first commercial valentines appeared in England at the end of the 18th century. They were printed, engraved or made from woodcuts and sometimes colored by hand. They combined traditional symbols of love - flowers, hearts, cupids, birds - with doggerel verse of the "roses are red" variety. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, mass-produced Valentine's Day cards obliterated the handmade variety in England and the US. The French, too, began exploiting the commercial valentine, with cards featuring angel-like cupids surrounded by hearts. In 1977, the heart icon underwent yet another transformation when it became a verb. The "I ❤️ NY" logo was created to boost morale for a city in crisis. Trash piled up on the streets, the crime rate spiked, and it was near bankruptcy. Twenty-two years later, a new graphic form appeared that brought the heart into a whole new realm. In 1999, Japanese provider NTT DoCoMo released the first emojis made for mobile communication. In the original set of 176 symbols, there were five concerning the heart. One was colored completely red, one included white blank spots to suggest 3-D depth, another had jagged white blanks at its center signifying a broken heart, one looked as if it were in flight, and one had two small hearts sailing off together. 1. What is the significance of the heart-shaped brooch from the Fishpool Hoard in the British Museum? a) The brooch represents a modern artistic interpretation of the heart. b) The brooch showcases an ancient Greek design associated with love. c) The brooch raises questions about the transformation of the human heart's shape over time.
2. When did the first known image of the indubitable heart icon with two lobes and a point appear? a) 496 AD. b) 1344 AD. c) 1977 AD. 3. What significant event in 1999 brought the heart icon into a new realm? a) The release of the first commercial valentines. b) The creation of the "I ❤️ NY" logo. c) The introduction of emojis for mobile communication by NTT DoCoMo. B) Use of English. Choose the correct answer. You must choose and answer only 3 out of the 5 questions below (0.6 points each). 4. They didn't reach an agreement ________ to their differences. a) owe b) due c) because 5. I wish I ___________ those words, but now it is too late. a) not having said b) have never said c) had never said 6. ___________ in trying to solve this problem. It is clearly unsolvable. a) There's no point b) It's no point c) There isn't point 7. Last year, when I met Pedro, he said he ___________ a letter every day for the last three years. a) has written b) had been writing c) writes 8. We'll never know what might have happened if Mark ___________ the email earlier. a) sent b) had sent c) did sent Part II Write an essay of 200 words on ONE of the following subjects (7 points): A- Have you ever fallen in love? Discuss the concept of love and the experience of falling in love. Explain what love means to you personally or culturally. Consider the
different types of love, the emotions involved, and how societal influences shape our understanding of love. Share personal anecdotes or examples to illustrate your perspectives on the subject. Love is a powerful and beautiful feeling that everyone experiences differently. I have fallen in love once, and it was an amazing experience. Love, for me, means caring deeply for someone and wanting to be with them all the time. It is about sharing happiness and supporting each other during tough times. When I fell in love, it felt like I was on top of the world. Every moment spent with my loved one was special. We enjoyed doing simple things together like walking in the park, watching movies, and cooking meals. These small moments made me realize how love makes everything more enjoyable. Culturally, love is seen as a very important part of life. In my culture, we celebrate love with festivals and family gatherings. Love is not just between partners, but also between family members and friends. In fact, there are different types of love: romantic love, familial love, and friendship love. Each type is unique and important. Society influences how we understand love through movies, books, and social media. They often show love as a perfect and easy thing, but in reality, it requires effort and understanding. For example, my grandparents have been married for 52 years. They taught me that love is about patience, compromise, and working together to solve problems. In conclusion, falling in love is a wonderful experience that teaches us many things. It helps us grow as individuals and brings joy to our lives. Love is about more than just feelings; it is about actions, respect, and commitment. Sharing love with others makes life beautiful and meaningful. B- Reflect on the individuals you deeply respect and admire. Explain the qualities, actions, or values that make these people stand out in your eyes. Consider the impact they have had on your life or the lives of others. Discuss how these individuals have influenced your own character, beliefs, or aspirations. There are many people I deeply respect and admire in my life. My parents and teacher are the people I value most. They have different qualities and actions that make them special and important to me. My parents are the first people I admire. They are always there for me, no matter what. My mother is very kind and always helps others. She teaches me to be compassionate and caring. My father is hardworking and never gives up. He shows me the value of determination and perseverance. Together, they have taught me important life lessons and values.