Junio 2005 Part A. Reading Comprehension.

Read the following text:

Public smoking ban cuts heart attacks

People at risk of heart disease should avoid buildings where smoking is permitted, the federal agency for public health in the US said yesterday in the starkest warning yet about the dangers of tobacco. Even thirty minutes of exposure to other peoples smoke, while eating in a restaurant or sitting in an office, might be enough to trigger a fatal heart attack for those at risk, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta said. It is the first time the US government agency in charge of protecting the nations health has told non-smokers that they should not enter buildings or enclosed places where other people are smoking. The warning comes in the wake of growing evidence that, in addition to the well-known long-term effects of smoking in causing heart disease and cancer, toxins in tobacco smoke also have rapid short-term effects in causing the blood to clot. The UK Department of Health said yesterday that it had consistently said smoke-free policies were the ideal and had drawn attention in leaflets to immediate effects of second-hand smoke on heart. A spokeswoman said: People with heart conditions do need to take extra precautions.

The Independent, 27th April 2004, p.16

I. Answer the following questions using your own words: (2 points: 1 point each) a. What effects do smoking and tobacco smoke have on peoples health? b. What kind of information has the UK Department of Health printed?

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? (1 point: 05 point each) a. Being exposed to smoke for half an hour is enough to cause a heart attack if you are at risk. b. Non-smokers are not affected by other peoples smoke.

III. Find a word or phrase in the text which, in context, is similar in meaning to: (1 point: 05 point each) a. Red liquid found in veins. b. Pamphlet

IV. Choose a, b, c or d, in each question below. Only one choice is correct: (2 points: 05 each) 1. In the US, smoking in buildings is a. completely forbidden. b. sometimes forbidden. c. always allowed. 2. What short-term effects does tobacco smoke have on health? a. It causes heart disease. b. It only causes cancer. c. It causes blood clot. 3. Second-hand smoke has a. no immediate effects on health. b. no immediate effects on people who dont smoke. c. immediate effects on health. 4. What kind of people have to be extremely cautious with smoke? a. People working for the US government health agency. b. People with heart disease. c. People with cancer.

Part B. Composition (100-150 words approximately). Choose one of the following topics: (4 points) 1. Describe the fatal effects of smoking on health. 2. Should smoking be forbidden in public places? Explain why.

Septiembre 2005 Part A. Reading Comprehension. Read the following text:

Zara
Zara, the popular clothing chain, is known for stylish designs, many resembling those of the big-name Italian fashion houses, sold at moderate prices. Yet if it finds that customers are coming in asking for, say, a rounded neck on a vest rather than the V-neck on display, a new version with the rounded neck can be in the store within about 10 days. If Jennifer Lopez appears in a beautiful new item, Zara can get a version of it into its stores in a matter of a weeks, not months. To do that, Amancio Ortega Gaona the companys chairman and one of the worlds wealthiest people-, built up an elaborate distribution structure over the years. Zaras huge warehouse features customised sorting machines that can now handle 40,000 items an hour. Tucks deliver goods to Zara stores that are within 24 hours driving time; stores farther away are supplied by air. Yet for all its technical expertise, quick delivery has its limits. Zara has just 10 stores in the United States, six of them in New York. To expand there, it may need to duplicate its manufacturing and distribution system in North America, perhaps in Mexico.

International Heral Tribune June 1st 2003

I. Answer the following questions using your own words: (2 points: 1 point each) a. Why has Zara become so commercially successful? b. What would Zara have to do in order to become larger in the US?

II. Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)? (1 point: 05 point each) a. Some of Jennifer Lopez dresses are designed by Zara. b. It didnt take Amancio Ortega very long to build up an elaborate distribution structure.

III. Find a word or phrase in the text which, in context, is similar in meaning to: (1 point: 05 point each) a. Richest b. Authoritative skill or knowledge in a particular field.

IV. Choose a, b, c or d, in each question below. Only one choice is correct: (2 points: 05 each) 1. Many Zara items are a. designed by Italian fashion houses. b. similar to those designed by Italian fashion houses. c. designed in italy. 2. Zaras clothes are a. inexpensive. b. particularly popular among wealthy people. c. very popular among Hollywood stars. 3. When customers ask for a different version of an item, they a. can get it in a few days. b. cannot get it in less than a month. c. have to get the one in display. 4. Zara stores are exclusively supplied a. by air. b. within 24 hours. c. by road and/or air.

Part B. Composition (100-150 words approximately). Choose one of the following topics: (4 points) 1. Do you think that most young people are fashion victims? Give reasons to support your answer. 2. Big fast food and clothing chains like McDonalds and Zara are expanding rapidly in Spain. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this expansion?