EBAU Practice Examination (Murcia)

NOTA IMPORTANTE
La primera sección (Reading Comprehension) contiene dos textos. Hay que elegir uno (Text A o Test B) y responder a
las dos cuestiones asociadas al mismo (Task 1 y Task 2). Para la segunda sección (Use of English), las dos
cuestiones (Task 3 y Task 4) son únicas. Hay que responder ambas y, en la segunda (Task 4), se responderá sólo a
tres de los cinco ítems. En la tercera sección (Writing), se elegirá sólo una de las cuatro opciones (email, texto
descriptivo, argumentativo, o de opinión). Si se responde a un número de cuestiones o ítems superior al requerido,
solo se corregirán las primeras respuestas dadas hasta llegar a la cifra indicada en cada caso.

SECTION I: READING COMPREHENSION (3 marks)

Choose Text A or Text B. Then do Task 1 and Task 2.

TEXT A
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait
“No dessert until you have finished your dinner!” If that’s what your mother taught you, you’ll probably have
a better life than if she had let you have your dessert right away. Some psychologists believe that children
who have good self-control are more likely to make it in life than their more impatient friends.
The idea that self-control is important for success isn’t new. In the 1960s, Professor Walter Mischel
studied the behaviour of children left alone in a room with a plate that had a marshmallow on it. Professor
Mischel explained that if the children rang a bell, they could eat the marshmallow, but they couldn’t get
a second one. If the children waited 15 minutes, they could have two marshmallows. Some children
couldn’t wait a minute before ringing the bell, while others held out 1 for the full 15 minutes. Interestingly, the
children who were better at resisting temptation also did better at school.
More recently, Professor Terrie Moffitt, a professor of psychology, conducted a study of willpower 2.
Professor Moffitt and her team followed 1,000 people from the age of 3 until they were 32. They studied the
children’s impulsivity, persistence at a task, patience while waiting in a queue and levels of hyperactivity.
Moffitt’s studies, like those of Mischel, showed that the children with more self-control had better paying
jobs as adults, were healthier and were less likely to have addiction problems or to be in trouble with the
police.
While some of us may be better than others at resisting that bar of chocolate, exercising self-control
is rarely easy. However, technology can also help those of us with weaker self-control. In 2008, Professors
Dean Karlan and Ian Ayers as well as Jordan Goldberg founded the website stickK.com to encourage
people to achieve their goals. Users sign a contract in which they agree to achieve a certain goal, like
losing weight. They can allow the company to fine 3 them if they don’t stick to4 their goals. The money goes
to a charity or person of the user’s choice. These days, a stickK phone app is also available.
With or without the help of technology, self-control is something we can improve and can be
an important tool for achieving success.
1
hold out: resist
2
willpower: the ability to control your thoughts and actions
3
fine: make someone pay money as a punishment
4
stick to: to continue with something difficult or unpleasant

1. Read the text and choose the best option (A, B, or C) for items 1.1 to 1.4. On your answer sheet,
draw a table like the one below and, for each item, copy only the letter that corresponds to your
answer (A, B, or C). Use CAPITAL LETTERS. [Score: 4 items x 0.5 mark = 2 marks]
1 2 3 4

1.1 According to the article, why should you finish dinner before eating dessert?
A Dessert isn’t healthy.
B It teaches self-control.
C You should listen to your mother.

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1.2 Professor Mischel wanted to find out …
A how aware children are of time.
B if children could stay alone in a room.
C about children’s ability to resist temptation.
1.3 According to the text, …
A the results of Mischel and Moffitt’s studies were similar.
B Moffitt followed 1,000 3 to 32 year-olds.
C impulsivity and hyperactivity are present in all children.
1.4 Users of stickK.com …
A have no self-control.
B use the site to help them achieve goals.
C donate to charity.
2. Complete each sentence with information from the text but using your own words (about 10-15
words of your own per sentence). DO NOT COPY LITERALLY from the text nor from statements 1.1
to 1.4. Write the two sentences on your answer sheet. [Score: 2 items x 0.5 mark = 1 mark]
2.1 In Professor Mischel’s experiments, some children succeed in …
2.2 More recently, a study of willpower …

TEXT B
The Psychology of Space
We spend much of life inside buildings, yet until recently, there had been little research on the psychological
effects of the buildings we live and work in. It wasn’t until the end of the 20th century that architects and
psychologists began to realise that the design of physical space can affect our moods 1 and health. They
noticed that many aspects of design – the view from a window, the noise level and even the height of a ceiling
– can influence the way we feel.
In 1984, scientist Roger Ulrich published the first study examining the relationship between our
physical space and our health. Ulrich studied patients recovering from surgery2 in hospital. Some patients had
a view of trees while others had a view of a brick wall. He discovered that the patients that saw trees from
their window spent a day less in hospital and needed less pain medication than those who had to look at a
brick wall. Later studies showed similar results and also showed that a peaceful view or sunlight from a
window can help a person recover faster. Ulrich’s study was the first of its kind and its results made architects
think about how constructing the right kind of environment can prevent illness and help maintain mental
health.
In a recent US study, researchers studied government workers, who were divided into two groups. The
first group was sent to work in old buildings with low ceilings and noisy air conditioners, while the second
group was sent to offices filled with3 sunlight and open work areas. Researchers monitored various aspects of
the workers’ health, such as heart rate4 and stress levels. They discovered that the people working in the
older buildings suffered considerably more stress even when they weren’t at work. The stress was so bad,
they were even considered as having an increased risk of heart disease.
A building’s user has no control over its design, so architects need to take into account not only the
appearance of a building, but also the health of the people living and working in it.
1
mood: the way you are feeling at a specific time
2
surgery: medical procedure involving cutting open the body
3
filled with: to be full of something
4
rate: speed at which something happens

1. Read the text and decide whether statements 1.1 to 1.4 are true or false. Then find a text
fragment which confirms your answer in either case. Write “TRUE” or “FALSE” plus the fragment
(one or two lines maximum) on your answer sheet. [Score: 4 items x 0.5 mark = 2 marks]
Example: The physical aspects of a building can affect our mood.
TRUE. Evidence: “… many aspects of design … can influence the way we feel.”

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Good Things Come to Those Who Wait / The Psychology of Space
1.1 In the late 20th century, architects began to study psychology.
1.2 Ulrich’s study was important because it showed the connection between our environment
and our health.
1.3 Later studies agreed with Ulrich’s conclusions.
1.4 The effect of a building’s design can last after its user has left.
2. Complete each sentence with information from the text but using your own words (about 10-15
words of your own per sentence). DO NOT COPY LITERALLY from the text nor from items 1.1 to 1.4.
Write the two sentences on your answer sheet. [Score: 2 items x 0.5 mark = 1 mark]
2.1 Even though we spend a lot of time in buildings, …
2.2 The writer recommends that …

SECTION II: OVERALL LANGUAGE ABILITY (USE OF ENGLISH) (3 marks)

3. Complete the text choosing the best option (A, B, or C) for each gap (1-15). On your answer
sheet, draw a table like the one below and, for each gap (1-15), copy the letter that corresponds
to your answer (A, B, or C). Use CAPITAL LETTERS. [Score: 15 items x 0.1 mark = 1.5 marks]
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Would you describe yourself as an optimist or a pessimist? For (1) ___ , people have claimed that these
are personality traits you are born (2) ___ . And of course, having the trait for optimism is more
favourable.
Recent research has shown that optimism can help people become smarter and more productive.
Numerous studies claim that a positive attitude promotes (3) ___ effective thinking. It can make you
more attentive and (4) ___ you to switch between tasks more easily – something that is often necessary
in today’s busy world.
One (5) ___ advantage is that being positive can enhance your (6) ___ and make you a better
thinker. For example, in one experiment, researchers worked with a group of doctors and showed them
a “feel-good” film. Consequently, the doctors (7) ___ up with more accurate diagnoses because they
were able to think of more disease possibilities.
(8) ___ , being positive can improve your problem-solving skills even when dealing with complicated
tasks, (9) ___ the famous “candle problem”. In this problem, you are given a candle, a matchbox and
some pins, and are asked to attach the candle to the wall in a way that it will burn without dripping any
wax on the floor. More positive research participants managed (10) ___ out that by pinning the matchbox
to the wall, it can be used as a shelf for the candle.
So, it (11) ___ like being positive has many benefits, but what if you are not a naturally positive
person? The scientists’ advice is, “Fake it till you make it!” It is true that people smile when they are
happy, but, as (12) ___ turns out, people are also happy when they smile. When you are happy, your
brain sends a signal to your facial muscles, making them smile. (13) ___ , if you smile first, your facial
muscles send a message to your brain, saying, “I’m happy!” and the brain tries to catch up. This creates
a cycle of happiness and, as researchers proved, works to lift your mood even better (14) ___ chocolate!
So, if you have some long and difficult task in front of you, greet it with a smile – (15) ___ it will
make succeeding that much easier!
1. a) periods b) ages c) times 9. a) containing b) included c) such as
2. a) for b) in c) with 10. a) to figure b) figure c) figuring
3. a) more b) much c) plenty 11. a) hears b) listens c) sounds
4. a) disable b) enable c) able 12. a) this b) it c) that
5. a) further b) last c) better 13. a) Therefore b) For example c) However
6. a) creative b) creativity c) creating 14. a) that b) than c) then
7. a) came b) brought c) caught 15. a) and b) but c) that
8. a) Nevertheless b) Finally c) To sum up

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Good Things Come to Those Who Wait / The Psychology of Space
4. Complete THREE of the following sentences so that each sentence keeps the meaning of the
sentence printed before it and includes a clear change of linguistic structure. COPY THE COMPLETE
SENTENCES (including the beginnings and the endings already given to you) onto your answer sheet.
[Score: 3 items x 0.5 mark = 1.5 marks]
4.1 I didn’t find Joan, so I couldn’t give her the books.
If I … the books.
4.2 I enjoyed the lecture even though I don’t like history.
Despite … the lecture.
4.3 They are building a new office block in our town.
A new office block … in our town.
4.4 You didn’t see Paul last night because he’s in France.
You can’t … because he’s in France.
4.5 “Don’t be so impatient!”
My coach warned … so impatient.

SECTION III: WRITING (4 marks)

5. Choose ONE of the four options below (a, b, c, or d) and write the corresponding text (150-175
words). Write your text on your answer sheet. [Score: 4 marks x 1 item = 4 marks]
a) Opinion Writing. Students’ access to the Internet should be limited. Do you agree?
WRITE AN OPINION TEXT providing the necessary arguments to convince the reader of your
opinion.
b) Descriptive Writing. A local festival or holiday
WRITE A DESCRIPTIVE TEXT describing an unusual or interesting festival or holiday in your area.
Think of its religious or cultural significance, traditional foods associated with it, music, clothing, etc.
c) Argumentative Writing. All plastic should be banned.
WRITE AN ARGUMENTATIVE TEXT providing reasons for and against the statement above.
Remember you need to provide a balanced discussion.
d) Email Writing. “I’m about to make a very important decision.”
WRITE AN EMAIL to a friend describing an important decision that you need to make.

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Good Things Come to Those Who Wait / The Psychology of Space