Dragons - PAU Madrid 2003 inglés

>Exámenes selectividad inglés resueltos C. Madrid

From picturescloset.com by Cyrus Lum

Of all the mythological creatures, few have captured the human imagination as much as the dragon. It appears in the literature and legends of cultures as diverse as China, Japan, Iran, the Mayans, classical Greece, Rome, Judaism, the Babylonians, ancient Egypt, and medieval Europe.

These fascinating creatures have taken different forms and qualities in the mythologies of different cultures throughout history. To the Chinese, a dragon was an immensely wise animal which brought good luck. But for the Norsemen of Scandinavia, it was an evil, terrifying and treacherous monster. And to the ancient Greeks, the dragon was often a creature of intelligence and virtue - and might be found guarding shrines dedicated to the gods. All these dragons do have some things in common, however. They tend to be shown with huge bat-like wings, long toothed jaws like a crocodile, piercing eyes, sharp eagle-like talons and huge scaly bodies - and they can often breathe fire. Another common point is that they're always creatures of immense power and strength.

But where do dragons come from? The creatures they most resemble, in size and shape, are dinosaurs - but since the last dinosaurs died out tens of millions of years before the first humans ever appeared, that seems an unlikely source of inspiration. One theory is that the earliest humans may have evolved when huge lizards - smaller than dinosaurs, but larger than anything known today - were still around. Another theory is that the dragon represents something submerged in the human subconscious. It's fun to speculate, but nobody knows for sure.

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) Dragons in China are considered to have a positive influence on people's life.

• TRUE: To the Chinese, a dragon was an immensely wise animal which brought good luck.

b) Dragons in different cultures do not physically resemble one another.

• FALSE: All these dragons do have some things in common, however. They tend to be shown with huge bat-like wings, long toothed jaws like a crocodile, piercing eyes, sharp eagle-like talons and huge scaly bodies - and they can often breathe fire.

2. In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions.
a) How do dragons appear in European cultures?

• For the Norsemen of Scandinavia, the dragon was an evil, terrifying and treacherous monster. And to the ancient Greeks, it was often a creature of intelligence and virtue - and might be found guarding shrines dedicated to the gods.

b) Is there any connection between dragons and dinosaurs? Explain.

• One theory is that the earliest humans may have evolved when huge lizards - smaller than dinosaurs, but larger than anything known today - were still around. Both are considered very powerful and fierce creatures. Both have been used in fantastic stories.

II. USE OF ENGLISH

 

3. Find a synonym for the following words according to their meaning in the text:

• a) clever (paragraph 2): wise
• b) keeping (paragraph 2): guarding
• c) look like (paragraph 3): resemble
• d) hidden (paragraph 3): submerged

4. Complete the following sentences. Use the appropriate form of the word in brackets when given.

• a) Dragons have formed (form) a part of human mythology since long ago. One only has to consult ancient texts to know (know) that this is true.
• b) In China, the dragon is/was/has been seen (see) as a wise and lucky animal while Greek people were afraid of it because of its evil and terrifying reputation.
• c) The Komodo Dragon is the world's largest (large) living lizard although there are some species of reptile, such as the crocodile that are much bigger (big).
• d) Rewrite the following sentence in reported speech with the words given."Dragons have played an important role in my life" Steven Spielberg said.
• Steven Spielberg said that dragons had played an important role in his life.

+EXÁMENES RESUELTOS