Spanish schoolboy fakes kidnap to avoid parents' evening - PAU 2014

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Police officer's 11-year-old son, who claimed he was being driven away in the boot of a car, was found hiding in family home. It was both dramatic and creative, but it was also one of the most over-the-top solutions ever invented for avoiding that well-known childhood nightmare, when parents are called in to talk to their teachers.

Early on Monday afternoon the unnamed 11-year-old son of a Spanish police officer stationed in the northwestern town of Xinzo de Limia sent a text message from his mobile phone to tell his father he had been

kidnapped. When his father phoned back, the boy confirmed the worst. He had been snatched off the street as he was putting out the rubbish, he said, and was locked in the boot of a car. He had no idea where his kidnappers were taking him, but knew that the car was a blue Seat.

It was only two hours later that the boy's father noticed the keys to a spare flat owned by the family were missing. The child was soon discovered there and reportedly explained that he had been terrified by the prospect of his parents going to school to speak to his teachers.

"The civil guard attributed the false alarm to a childish prank that had something to do with the boy's situation at school," the local Faro de Vigo newspaper reported. "The child's poor school grades in recent weeks appear to explain a form of behaviour that no one in Xinzo could understand," said the Voz de Galicia newspaper.

Adapted from The Guardian January 2012.

RESPUESTAS

READING COMPREHENSION

Question 1: [2 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a) The Spanish schoolboy made up the story because his parents did not want to talk to his teachers.

• False. It was both dramatic and creative, but it was also one of the most over-the-top solutions ever invented for avoiding that well-known childhood nightmare, when parents are called in to talk to their teachers explained that he had been terrified by the prospect of his parents going to school to speak to his teachers.

b) The Spanish schoolboy claimed he knew where he was going.

• False. He had no idea where his kidnappers were taking him.

c) The Spanish schoolboy was later found in an empty apartment owned by the family.

• True. It was only two hours later that the boy’s father noticed the keys to a spare flat owned by the family were missing. The child was soon discovered there.

d) The Voz de Galicia said that his behaviour was because he was not doing well at school.

• True. “The child’s poor school grades in recent weeks appear to explain a form of behaviour that no one in Xinzo could understand”, said the Voz de Galicia newspaper.

Question 2: [2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words according to the text.

a) How did the Spanish schoolboy say he was kidnapped?

• 1. When he was throwing away the refuse, he was abducted.
  2. He was locked up in the back of a car.

b) Why did the Spanish schoolboy say he was kidnapped?

• He was really afraid of going to a meeting between his parents and his teachers.

Question 3: [1,5 POINTS] Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

• a) Far more than usual or expected. (Paragraph 1) over-the-top
• b) An extremely difficult or frightening situation. (Paragraph 1) a nightmare
• c) A trick (Paragraph 4) a prank

Question 4: [1,5 POINTS] Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

• a) Susan´s friends said to her: “Where are you going tonight?”
• Susan´s friends asked her where she was going that night.
• b) The teacher will give the students their reports next Thursday.
• The students will be given their reports next Thursday.
• c) I can’t go to the cinema because I’m too busy.
• If I weren’t too/so busy I could/would go the cinema.

WRITING

Question 5: [3 POINTS] Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic:

– Is it important for young people to have their own mobile phone? Give reasons.

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