TEC THE English College - Gijón

Pruebas de Aptitud para el Acceso a la Universidad (5)

INGLÉS

Read the text and then answer the questions:

During the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) General Antonio López de Santa Ana lost every battle he fought, despite having studied Napoleon´s strategy and made of the French general a model to follow. At the age of twenty he attended lectures on his hero and for some years adopted Napoleon’s hairstyle, combing it from the back towards his forehead. In fact, he looked nothing whatever like Napoleon who was short and fat. Santa Ana was tall, skinny and had only one leg. What’s more, he lacked almost all of Napoleon’s strategic abilities. In one inspired “surprise attack” he dressed all his troops in enemy uniforms. The chaos was indescribable and the plan a total failure. The Texans took him prisoner in the 1830s, but, in a move of tactical brilliance, they released him. On 20 April 1836, showing the calmness of a great commander, he set up a camp at the San Jacinto River overlooking a wood where a Texan general was hiding a high number of men and ordered his troops to take a siesta. At half past three in the afternoon his entire army was wiped out in only eighteen minutes. Santa Ana himself was enjoying a deep and refreshing sleep from which he woke up due to the continuing noise of the enemy. Realising that his entire army was being destroyed, Santa Ana didn’t help matters by shouting “The enemy is upon us” and leaving on a horse.

Questions

Answer the following questions. Do not copy literally from the text:

1.- Was the study of Napoleon’s strategy of any use for Santa Ana? Why? Why not?(1 punto)

2.- Why does the author say that the Texans made “a move of tactical brilliance” when they
released him? (1 punto)

3.- What did Santa Ana do when he realised that the Texans were destroying his army? (1 punto)

4.- Several sentences are underlined in the passage. Put them in the passive voice. (1’5 puntos)

5.- Find words or groups of words in the passage that mean:
lame / thin / amazing / set free / whole / profound (1’5 puntos)

6.- Write an essay describing the funniest people you know. (100-120 words) (4 puntos)