The harry potter phenomenon (Selectividad test)

UNIVERSIDAD DE ANDALUCÍA

THE HARRY POTTER PHENOMENON

The five Harry Potter books have sold 250 million copies worldwide. Author J.K. Rowling’s agent, Christopher Little, confirmed the extraordinary sales figures on Monday –and revealed that, consequently, Rowling had begun work on the sixth Potter adventure. Mr Little said the series had “entered the history books again with its record-breaking sales.”


The books have been sold in more than 200 countries and translated into 60 languages from Hindi to Ancient Greek. The fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix, sold 1.78 million copies on its first day in the UK alone. Teachers and publishers believe that the Potter books have been helpful in encouraging more children to read. That success is even more welcome in an age dominated by TV, cartoons and computer games. “J.K. Rowling’s books have hown the way for a new generation of writers of exciting children’s books, causing a revolution in children’s enthusiasm for reading,” Mr Little said.

Rowling, once a single mother who wrote her books in an Edinburgh café, is now a multi-millionaire ranked as the world’s best paid author. The stories started as a way of making her daughter sleep, and now Rowling earns some £125 million a year –the equivalent of £388 for every word of her most recent book.


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(A) COMPREHENSION (4 points)

a) ANSWER QUESTIONS 1-2 ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE TEXT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS. (1 point per answer)
1) Why has Rowling begun working on the sixth Harry Potter adventure?
2) Why is the success of the Harry Potter books so important today?

b) ARE THESE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWERS WITH THE PRECISE WORDS OR PHRASES FROM THE TEXT. (0.5 points per answer)
3) Harry Potter has been a failure in sales.
4) Up to now a total of 1.78 million copies of The Order of the Phoenix have been sold.
5) Rowling got the idea for the books from an Edinburgh café.
6) J.K. Rowling wasn’t married when she became a mother.


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(B) USE OF ENGLISH (3 points)

7) Find in the text a synonym for EXPLAIN (verb) (0.25 points)
8) Find in the text the word which has the following definition: (noun) (0.25 points)
“Someone who represents the business affairs of another person”
9) Give an adjective with the same root as ENTHUSIASM (line 10) (0.25 points)
10) Give one opposite for EXCITING (adjective) (line 9) (0.25 points)
11) Turn the following sentence into Reported speech: (0.5 points)
The Professor said, “I will finish my lecture before the bell rings”
12) Give a question for the underlined words. (0.5 points)
J.K. Rowling has written five Harry Potter books.
13) Complete the following sentence: (0.5 points)
I would have read J.K. Rowling’s books if … …
14) Join the following sentences using an appropriate linker (do not use AND or BUT). Make changes if necessary. (0.5 points)
Many Spaniards have read The Order of the Phoenix. It has already been translated into Spanish.


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(C) PRODUCTION (3 points)

15) Write a composition (80-100 WORDS) Choose ONE of the following options. Specify your option.
a) Family life and problems nowadays.
b) Do you prefer reading to watching TV or playing computer games? Why?