Examen de Inglés de selectividad — Aragón 2025

PRUEBA DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD
CONVOCATORIA EXTRAORDINARIA DE 2025
EJERCICIO DE: INGLÉS II
TIEMPO DISPONIBLE: 1 hora 30 minutos

PUNTUACIÓN QUE SE OTORGARÁ A ESTE EJERCICIO: (véanse las distintas partes del examen)

This exam consists of 6 exercises. They must be answered in English. You must do all the exercises. The
marks assigned to each exercise are given between brackets at the beginning of the exercise.

Exercises 1, 2, and 3 are based on the text given below. The text you have to produce for exercise 6 can
be drafted on the last sheet of the exam answer sheets, but please remember to give a clean version of it
on another sheet (but first cross the draft out and insert the word “DRAFT” immediately before the draft).

TEXT

ON THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY: WHY TEENAGERS SHOULD CARE ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION

Have you ever heard of the Apollo 11 mission? It was the spaceflight conducted from July 16 to July 24, 1969, by
the United States that marked the first time humans landed on the Moon. Fifty-six years ago, the United States of
America was just that—united. With excited breath and upward eyes, the nation watched with hope as Apollo 11
lifted off to put the first human on the Moon. However, July 16, 1969, represented not just progress for a country,
but for all of humankind.

In fact, space exploration is one of the most exciting and important tasks of humankind today. It involves travelling
beyond Earth to study planets, stars, and the universe as a whole. While it may seem like something that only
scientists and astronauts care about, space exploration plays a crucial role in shaping the future of humanity, and
it impacts our daily lives in ways we may not even realize, as did the Apollo 11 mission for people all over the
world in 1969.

One of the biggest reasons why space exploration is important is that it helps us understand our own planet better.
By studying other planets and their atmospheres, scientists can learn more about Earth’s climate and how to
protect it. For example, studying Mars’ history of water loss helps us to understand climate change and its potential
effects on our world. Another major benefit of space exploration is technological advancement. Many of the
technologies we use today were originally developed for space missions. GPS systems, weather forecasting,
satellite communication, and even medical advancements like magnetic resonance have roots in space research.

Additionally, space exploration is essential for the future of humanity. Earth has limited resources, and one day,
we may need to explore other planets for survival. Establishing human settlements on the Moon or Mars might be
necessary for the long-term survival of our species, and learning how to live and work in space prepares us for
that future. It was the fulfilment of this necessity that was pioneered by Commander Neil Armstrong and Pilot Buzz
Aldrin, the astronauts that landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969. Armstrong and Aldrin became
the first persons to step onto the Moon’s surface. They spent about two hours exploring a site they named
Tranquility Base, and collected 21.5 kg of lunar material to bring back to Earth for scientific study into the future.

Ejercicio 1

1. (1.5 points). Add True or False, quoting the relevant information from the text to justify your answer.
   Only "T" or "F" or the full words "True" or "False" will be accepted as valid answers. Their translation into
   Spanish or another language will never be accepted, but if the justification is correct, 0.25 points will be
   awarded for each sentence. No points will be given for answers without their corresponding justification or if
   the justification is incorrect. Likewise, answers in which the justification is not a direct quote from the text or
   only consist of line numbers will not be scored. The use of quotation marks in the justification is not obligatory.
   Ellipses in parentheses, (…), may be used to indicate that parts of the original text have been omitted in the
   justification, but make sure those parts do not contain essential information for the justification.

1.1. Exploring space is among the most thrilling and significant projects of humanity today.
1.2. Scientists will never gain a deeper understanding of Earth's climate and ways to protect it by examining

other planets and their atmospheres.
1.3. Tranquility Base is the name which Armstrong and Aldrin gave to the lunar site they explored after setting

foot on the Moon’s surface.

CONTINÚA AL DORSO

Ejercicio 2

2. (2.4 points). Choose THREE of the following questions and answer them according to the information
   given in the text. Use your own words.
   Each answer will be awarded 0.8 points. Provide only the number of answers requested; if you don’t, only the first
   three answers you give will be corrected. The aim of this exercise is to evaluate both comprehension (up to 0.5
   points) and linguistic accuracy (up to 0.3 points); in other words, the ability to communicate information inferred from
   the reading. Therefore, the literal reproduction of expressions from the text should be avoided. If the response is
   incomplete or includes information that does not appear in the text, an appropriate amount of points will be deducted.
   2.1. What is meant by the term “Apollo 11 mission”?
   2.2. How can space exploration help us to understand planet Earth better?
   2.3. Why is modern technology said to be dependent on space exploration?
   2.4. What is the relationship between establishing human bases on Mars and the survival of humankind?

Ejercicio 3

3. (1 point). Find words or phrases in the text which mean the same as the ones below.
   0.25 points will be awarded for each answer, with four answers in total. This exercise aims to assess the
   comprehension of the text and the semantic value of certain terms that appear in it. Therefore, the answer can
   never be, for example, a hypernym, or have a different grammatical form.
   3.1. projects, responsibilities:
   3.2. building, creating:
   3.3. notable, principal:
   3.4. begun, initiated:

Ejercicio 4

4. (0.5 points). Fill in the gap in TWO of the following sentences using ONE of the four options (a, b, c, d)

given in each.

0.25 points will be awarded for each correct answer. Provide only the number of answers requested; if you don’t,

only the first two sentences you use for answering will be corrected. In the answer sheet you can rewrite the whole

sentence with the word or phrase of the option chosen or just give the letter of the option chosen (e.g., 4.x — c).

4.1. Teenagers should be _________ of the benefits of space exploration.

a) familiar b) aware c) keen d) acquainted

4.2. I really wish I _________ of the Apollo 11 mission when I worked for NASA in the early 90s.

a) would hear b) had listened c) heard d) had heard

4.3. Philip had met the new astronaut just before the accident, when she _________ trained in a New

Mexico NASA complex.

a) was being b) was c) did d) is being

Ejercicio 5

5. (0.6 points). Rewrite TWO of the following sentences using the word or phrase(s) given after each of them.
   0.30 points will be awarded for each correct answer, which must not alter the meaning of the original sentence.
   Provide only the number of answers requested; if you don’t, only the first two answers you give will be corrected.
   5.1. GPS systems exist because space research became a human undertaking a long time ago.
   If space research …
   5.2. Allegedly, two people wrote the book about the first space walk.
   Allegedly, the book about the first space walk …
   5.3. The second film about the Apollo Moon landing was not as interesting as the first film.
   The first film about the Apollo Moon landing was …

Ejercicio 6

6. (4 points). Choose ONE of the following tasks and write between 120 and 160 words:
   Up to 1 point will be awarded to answers that comply with the genre, topic, and communicative goal requested.
   Although the structure of the requested genre may typically include a name or signature, you must not sign
   your answer or include any real or fictional name, as current PAU regulations prohibit the use of personal
   identifiers. The omission of such structural elements will not be considered a mistake by examiners. Up to 1.5
   points will be awarded to aspects of cohesion, coherence, and quality of presentation. The remainder 1.5
   points will cover aspects of lexis (form, including orthography, and variety), grammar, syntax included, and,
   where appropriate, variety in the linguistic repertoire. If the answer does not comply with the genre requested
   (email, essay, review), the answer will score 0 points.
   6.1. An e-mail to a friend recommending him or her to read biographies about scientific pioneers such as
   Marie Curie or Isaac Newton.
   6.2. A for-and-against essay on the following statement: “Billions of dollars are being wasted on space
   research. The money could be better employed if used to improve the living conditions of people
   on Earth”.
   PRUEBA DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD
   CONVOCATORIA EXTRAORDINARIA DE 2025

CRITERIOS ESPECÍFICOS DE CORRECCIÓN
EJERCICIO DE: INGLÉS II

CRITERIOS ESPECÍFICOS DE CORRECCIÓN

This exam consists of 6 exercises. They must be answered in English. You must do all the exercises.
The marks assigned to each exercise are given between brackets at the beginning of the exercise.

Exercises 1, 2, and 3 are based on the text given below. The text you have to produce for exercise 6
can be drafted on the last sheet of the exam answer sheets, but please remember to give a clean
version of it on another sheet (but first cross the draft out and insert the word “DRAFT” immediately
before the draft).

TEXT

ON THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY: WHY TEENAGERS SHOULD CARE ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION

Have you ever heard of the Apollo 11 mission? It was the spaceflight conducted from July 16 to July 24, 1969,
by the United States that marked the first time humans landed on the Moon. Fifty-six years ago, the United
States of America was just that—united. With excited breath and upward eyes, the nation watched with hope
as Apollo 11 lifted off to put the first human on the Moon. However, July 16, 1969, represented not just progress
for a country, but for all of humankind.

In fact, space exploration is one of the most exciting and important tasks of humankind today. It involves
travelling beyond Earth to study planets, stars, and the universe as a whole. While it may seem like something
that only scientists and astronauts care about, space exploration plays a crucial role in shaping the future of
humanity, and it impacts our daily lives in ways we may not even realize, as did the Apollo 11 mission for
people all over the world in 1969.

One of the biggest reasons why space exploration is important is that it helps us understand our own planet
better. By studying other planets and their atmospheres, scientists can learn more about Earth’s climate and
how to protect it. For example, studying Mars’ history of water loss helps us to understand climate change and
its potential effects on our world. Another major benefit of space exploration is technological advancement.
Many of the technologies we use today were originally developed for space missions. GPS systems, weather
forecasting, satellite communication, and even medical advancements like magnetic resonance have roots in
space research.

Additionally, space exploration is essential for the future of humanity. Earth has limited resources, and one
day, we may need to explore other planets for survival. Establishing human settlements on the Moon or Mars
might be necessary for the long-term survival of our species, and learning how to live and work in space
prepares us for that future. It was the fulfilment of this necessity that was pioneered by Commander Neil
Armstrong and Pilot Buzz Aldrin, the astronauts that landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969.
Armstrong and Aldrin became the first persons to step onto the Moon’s surface. They spent about two hours
exploring a site they named Tranquility Base, and collected 21.5 kg of lunar material to bring back to Earth for
scientific study into the future.

1. (1.5 points). Add True or False, quoting the relevant information from the text to justify your answer.
   Only "T" or "F" or the full words "True" or "False" will be accepted as valid answers. Their translation into
   Spanish or another language will never be accepted, but if the justification is correct, 0.25 points will be
   awarded for each sentence. No points will be given for answers without their corresponding justification or if
   the justification is incorrect. Likewise, answers in which the justification is not a direct quote from the text or
   only consist of line numbers will not be scored. The use of quotation marks in the justification is not obligatory.
   Ellipses in parentheses, (…), may be used to indicate that parts of the original text have been omitted in the
   justification, but make sure those parts do not contain essential information for the justification.
   1.1. Exploring space is among the most thrilling and significant projects of humanity today.
   True: “space exploration is one of the most exciting and important tasks of humankind today”.
   1.2. Scientists will never gain a deeper understanding of Earth's climate and ways to protect it by examining
   other planets and their atmospheres.
   False: “By studying other planets and their atmospheres, scientists can learn more about Earth’s
   climate and how to protect it”.
   1.3. Tranquility Base is the name which Armstrong and Aldrin gave to the lunar site they explored after
   setting foot on the Moon’s surface.
   True: “Armstrong and Aldrin became the first persons to step onto the Moon’s surface. They spent
   about two hours exploring a site they named Tranquility Base, (…)”.
2. (2.4 points). Choose THREE of the following questions and answer them according to the
   information given in the text. Use your own words.

Each answer will be awarded 0.8 points. Provide only the number of answers requested; if you don’t, only
the first three answers you give will be corrected. The aim of this exercise is to evaluate both comprehension
(up to 0.5 points) and linguistic accuracy (up to 0.3 points); in other words, the ability to communicate
information inferred from the reading. Therefore, the literal reproduction of expressions from the text should
be avoided. If the response is incomplete or includes information that does not appear in the text, an
appropriate amount of points will be deducted.

2.1. What is meant by the term “Apollo 11 mission”?

2.2. How can space exploration help us to understand planet Earth better?

2.3. Why is modern technology said to be dependent on space exploration?

2.4. What is the relationship between establishing human bases on Mars and the survival of

humankind?

3. (1 point). Find words or phrases in the text which mean the same as the ones below.
   0.25 points will be awarded for each answer, with four answers in total. This exercise aims to assess the
   comprehension of the text and the semantic value of certain terms that appear in it. Therefore, the answer
   can never be, for example, a hypernym, or have a different grammatical form.

3.1. projects, responsibilities: tasks
3.2. building, creating: shaping
3.3. notable, principal: major
3.4. begun, initiated: pioneered

4. (0.5 points). Fill in the gap in TWO of the following sentences using ONE of the four options (a, b, c,
   d) given in each.

0.25 points will be awarded for each correct answer. Provide only the number of answers requested; if you
don’t, only the first two sentences you use for answering will be corrected. In the answer sheet you can
rewrite the whole sentence with the word or phrase of the option chosen or just give the letter of the option
chosen (e.g., 4.x — c).

4.1. Teenagers should be _________ of the benefits of space exploration.

a) familiar b) aware c) keen d) acquainted

4.2. I really wish I _________ of the Apollo 11 mission when I worked for NASA in the early 90s.

a) would hear b) had listened c) heard d) had heard

4.3. Philip had met the new astronaut just before the accident, when she _________ trained in a New
Mexico NASA complex.

a) was being b) was c) did d) is being

5. (0.6 points). Rewrite TWO of the following sentences using the word or phrase(s) given after each
   of them.

0.30 points will be awarded for each correct answer, which must not alter the meaning of the original
sentence. Provide only the number of answers requested; if you don’t, only the first two answers you give
will be corrected.

5.1. GPS systems exist because space research became a human undertaking a long time ago.
If space research HADN’T become a human undertaking a long time ago/before, GPS systems

WOULDN’T exist.

5.2. Allegedly, two people wrote the book about the first space walk.
Allegedly, the book about the first space walk WAS WRITTEN BY TWO PEOPLE.

5.3. The second film about the Apollo Moon landing was not as interesting as the first film.
The first film about the Apollo Moon landing was MORE INTERESTING THAN the SECOND.
6. (4 points). Choose ONE of the following tasks and write between 120 and 160 words:
Up to 1 point will be awarded to answers that comply with the genre, topic, and communicative goal
requested. Although the structure of the requested genre may typically include a name or signature, you
must not sign your answer or include any real or fictional name, as current PAU regulations prohibit the use
of personal identifiers. The omission of such structural elements will not be considered a mistake by
examiners. Up to 1.5 points will be awarded to aspects of cohesion, coherence, and quality of presentation.
The remainder 1.5 points will cover aspects of lexis (form, including orthography, and variety), grammar,
syntax included, and, where appropriate, variety in the linguistic repertoire. If the answer does not comply
with the genre requested (email, essay, review), the answer will score 0 points.

6.1. An e-mail to a friend recommending him or her to read biographies about scientific pioneers such
as Marie Curie or Isaac Newton.

Subject: A Book Recommendation You’ll Love!

Hey,

I hope you’re doing great! I wanted to share something with you that I think you’d really enjoy—
biographies of amazing scientific pioneers like Marie Curie and Isaac Newton.

These books aren’t just about science; they tell the incredible life stories of people who changed the
world with their discoveries. Marie Curie, for example, was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (twice!),
and her work with radioactivity led to breakthroughs in medicine. Isaac Newton, on the other hand,
literally shaped how we understand the universe with his laws of motion and gravity.

Reading about their struggles, experiments, and achievements is super inspiring. It shows how
curiosity and determination can lead to world-changing discoveries. Moreover, their stories can be
surprisingly exciting—full of challenges, rivalries, and moments of genius!

Let me know if you’re interested, and I can recommend a good book to start with. I’d love to hear what
you think!

Take care,

6.2. A for-and-against essay on the following statement: “Billions of dollars are being wasted on space
research. The money could be better employed if used to improve the living conditions of people on
Earth”.

Is Space Research a Waste of Money?

Some people think spending billions on space research is pointless when there are so many problems
on Earth. With poverty, hunger, and climate change, shouldn’t that money go towards helping people
instead? After all, we don’t need to explore Mars when millions don’t even have clean water.

On the other hand, space research isn’t just about discovering new planets—it helps us here too! GPS,
weather forecasts, and even medical advancements come from space technology. Plus, space
exploration pushes science forward and inspires new generations. What if we find new resources or
even a backup planet for humanity?

Sure, we should fix problems on Earth, but stopping space research wouldn’t magically solve them.
Instead, we should balance spending on both. Exploring space could be the key to a better future—
on Earth and beyond!