# Pruebas de acceso a facultades, escuelas técnicas superiores y colegios universitarios

Comunidad: | Comunidad Valenciana
Convocatoria: | Septiembre de 1996
Modalidad: | LOGSE - Todas
Ejercicio: | 1er Ejercicio B
Asignatura: | Inglés
Obligatoriedad: | Obligatoria
Duración: | 60 minutos
Baremo: | Reading comprehension: 2 points (1 point each); True/False: 1 point (0.5 each); Find synonym: 1 point (0.5 each); Multiple choice: 2 points (0.5 each); Composition. 4 points.

## Part A. Reading comprehension

Read the following text:

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie1, known as king of the steel industry in the United States, became one of the wealthiest men in America. His sucess resulted in part from his ability to sell the product and in part from his policy of expanding during periods of economic decline, when most of his competitors were reducing their investments.

Carnegie believed that individuals should progress through hard work, but he also felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society. He opposed charity, preferring instead to provide educational opportunities that would allow others to help themselves. "He who dies rich, dies disgraced", he often said.

Among his more noteworthy contributions to society are those that bear his name, including the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, which has a library, a museum of fine arts, and a museum of national history. He also founded a school to technology that is now part of Carnegie-Mellon University. Other philantropic gifts are the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to promote undestanding between nations, the Carnegie Institute of Washington to fund2 scientific research, and Carnegie Hall to provide a center for the arts.

Few Americans have been left untouched by Andrew Carnegie's generosity. His contributions of more than five million dollars established 2,500 libraries in small communities throughout the country and formed the nucleus of the public library system that we all enjoy today.

1 pronounce 'ændru: ka:'negi
2 to fund = to finance, to provide money for

I. Answer the questions using your own words:

1. In the second paragraph, what does Carnegie mean when he says, "He who dies rich, dies disgraced"?
2. Why was Carnegie so interested in the foundation of libraries?

II. Are the following statements True (T) or False (F)?

1. Carnegie partly became a successful businessman because he imitated his competitors at the time of economic recession.
2. Carnegie was convinced that rich should give money to the poor rather than provide them with educational opportunities.

III. Find a word or phrase in the text which, in context, is similar in meaning to...

1. investing more money and enlarging the company.
2. interesting, remarkable, significant.

IV. Choose a, b, c or d in each questions below. Only one choice is correct.

1. With which of the following topics is the passage primarily concerned?
   1. The establishment of the public library system.
   2. The work of Carnegie-Mellon University.
   3. The building of the steel industry.
   4. The philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie.
2. How many libraries did Carnegie establish for the public library system?
   1. 25.
   2. 500.
   3. 2,500.
   4. five million.
3. The author mentions all of the following as recipients of philantropic contributions by Carnegie except...
   1. the arts.
   2. technology.
   3. economics.
   4. science.
4. The word those in the text refers to...
   1. opportunities.
   2. contributions.
   3. others.
   4. themselves.

## Part B. Composition (100-150 words approximately)

Choose one of the following two topics:

1. You win the jackpot in the lotto. Make a list of priorities to use your money and justify your decisions.
2. Describe some traits of your personality. Are you an optimistic? Are there any reasons for being pessimistic? Would you say the future looks bright? How can a possitive attitude be created?

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