EXAM WITH ANSWERS
EBAU Practice Examination (Asturias)
Shark Fever
In 1975, the film Jaws came out and, at that time, it was the most successful film
that had ever been made. It was based on a novel about a giant shark which terrorised
the beaches of a fictional American resort town in the New England area. Jaws T-shirts
are still a popular souvenir in these areas and the film is shown regularly during the
summer season. Now, however, the film’s storyline is dangerously becoming a reality.
In 2017, shark expert George Burgess forecast that a fatal shark attack would
take place in New England within five years. The main reason was because of the local
seal population. Seals are the sharks’ main source of food and have always been native
to the area. However, they were endangered until 1972, when the Marine Mammal
Protection Act banned people from hunting them. Gradually, the seal population
recovered, attracting sharks back to the area.
Researchers have noticed more and more young sharks, a sure sign that the
sharks are returning to the area in groups. Due to the fact that adult sharks are very
aggressive while looking for prey, the younger sharks end up searching in other areas,
including the shallow waters off the main tourist beaches. Sharks don’t usually eat
humans but they may attack them by accident, thinking they are seals.
George Burgess was proved correct very quickly. In August 2018, a man was
attacked while swimming off one of the beaches in New England. He survived but, a
month later, a surfer a few kilometres to the south was not so lucky and he became the
first fatality in the area in over 80 years.
After the attack, emergency landline phones were installed on beaches with a
poor mobile phone signal. Drones now patrol the shores, spotting and filming sharks,
and there is an app which shows if there are any sharks in their particular area.
How will the attacks affect tourism? Will the shark attacks reduce tourist
numbers or, as in the film, will they attract people eager to spot a ‘monster of the deep’
in real life and to take a selfie in front of one of the ‘Danger’ signs now found on every
beach?
QUESTIONS. Do not copy literally from the text. (1 punto por respuesta = 4 puntos)
1. What is the connection between the Marine Mammal Protection Act and shark
attacks?
Since people were banned from hunting seals, the seal population increased and
this attracted sharks back into the area.
2. Why are there sightings of sharks in shallow waters?
They separate from the aggressive adult sharks and end up looking for prey in
other areas, including the shallow waters.
3. Why were phones put up on beaches after the attacks?
To provide access to emergency services on beaches with a minimal mobile
phone signal.
4. Why does the writer think people will still be attracted to beaches that have had shark
attacks?
Because they will be hoping to catch sight of a shark and to take a selfie in front
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