Compulsive shopping - PAU inglés Madrid 2008

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos C. Madrid

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 male 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 or having something new. Instead, medical practitioners encourage those seeking treatment to cultivate non-materialistic aspects of their lives.

RESPUESTAS

I. READING COMPREHENSION

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.

• 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.

• TRUE: Doctors have concluded that this behaviour is a way for people to try to complete themselves.

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?

• Compulsive buyers have frequent thoughts of shopping and overspend to the extent they buy things that they don’t even need. Moreover, their behaviour reaches the point of affecting their social and professional lives. 

b. What are the differences between male and female compulsive buyers?

• Women tend to buy clothes and products which can make them look more attractive while men collect gadget and electronic devices compulsively.  Furthermore, men are more reluctant than women to recognize their problem. 

II. USE OF ENGLISH 

3. Find the words in the text that mean:

• a. result (paragraph 1): finding
• b. increased (paragraph 2): rocketed
• c. tendencies (paragraph 2): trends
• d. looking for (paragraph 3): seeking

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 be experienced (experience) and this might interfere with work or school performance.
• b. Contrary to the general idea that shopping is a ladies’ habit, men are now admitting (admit) that they also have this problem, and they even ask for some help.
• c. Doctors suggest that compulsive shoppers should / ought to / --- cultivate more spiritual aspects of their lives, rather than buying material things to complete themselves.
• d. Rewrite the following in reported speech: Yesterday the salesman said to me: “Don’t pay now”. 
•  Yesterday the salesman said to/told me not to pay then.

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