Unit Review & Progress Test

Unit review — Travel, Culture & Identity

Al finalizar esta unidad, deberías ser capaz de utilizar estructuras gramaticales avanzadas, como las cláusulas de participio, para condensar información y mejorar la cohesión de tus textos. También deberías haber ampliado tu léxico para discutir temas abstractos relacionados con la identidad cultural, el impacto del turismo y las experiencias de viaje de manera sofisticada.

En este examen de revisión, pondrás a prueba tu capacidad para transformar frases complejas, utilizar colocaciones de nivel C1 y redactar textos coherentes. El objetivo es que evalúes si estás preparado para el nivel de precisión y fluidez que exige el examen Cambridge C1 Advanced.

Grammar consolidation

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between three and six words, including the word given.

1. Because she was born in a small village, she felt like a stranger in the city. (BORN) ________ in a small village, she felt like a stranger in the city.

2. After he had finished his research on local customs, he decided to move to Japan. (HAVING) ________ his research on local customs, he decided to move to Japan.

3. Since I didn't want to offend the locals, I kept my opinions to myself. (WANTING) ________ to offend the locals, I kept my opinions to myself.

4. The flight was delayed, which meant we missed our connecting flight. (DELAYED) ________, we missed our connecting flight.

5. Because the city was overwhelmed by tourists, the locals began to leave. (OVERWHELMED) ________ by tourists, the locals began to leave.

6. As he was travelling through South America, he met many interesting people. (TRAVELLING) ________ through South America, he met many interesting people.

7. Because she had lost her passport, she couldn't board the plane. (LOST) ________ her passport, she couldn't board the plane.

8. The book was written by a famous explorer, so it became a bestseller. (WRITTEN) ________ by a famous explorer, the book became a bestseller.

9. Because they were exhausted from the long journey, they fell asleep immediately. (EXHAUSTED) ________ from the long journey, they fell asleep immediately.

10. After we had explored the ruins, we went to a local cafe. (EXPLORING) ________ the ruins, we went to a local cafe.

Vocabulary activation

A. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in capitals.

1. The sudden _____ of traditional customs in the region is a cause for concern. (DISAPPEAR)
2. Traveling alone can be a deeply _____ experience that changes your worldview. (TRANSFORM)
3. Many people believe that cultural _____ is inevitable in a globalised world. (ASSIMILATE)
4. The museum offers an _____ insight into the lives of ancient nomads. (EXHAUST)

B. Choose the correct collocation to complete the sentence.

5. To truly understand a country, you must ___ its local customs. a) catch / b) absorb / c) take
6. The heavy rain ___ our travel plans for the weekend. a) put off / b) set back / c) broke down
7. We were struck by the ___ beauty of the remote islands. a) breathtaking / b) heart-stopping / c) breath-takingly
8. The city is a ___ of different cultures and traditions. a) melting pot / b) mixing bowl / c) blending pot

C. Rewrite the sentences using a more formal/C1 register.

9. The trip was really good and we learned a lot. The journey proved to be highly _____.
10. It is hard to understand why people like to travel so much. The _____ of the human desire to travel remains a subject of debate.
11. They want to keep their culture the same. They aim to _____ their cultural heritage.
12. The place was very crowded with tourists. The area was _____ with tourists.

Integrated skills task

Source Text

"In an era of unprecedented global connectivity, the concept of 'authentic' travel has become increasingly blurred. As digital nomads traverse the globe, they often seek out 'untouched' destinations, yet their very presence can inadvertently alter the cultural fabric of the places they visit. While tourism provides a vital economic lifeline to many remote communities, it also risks turning sacred traditions into mere commodities for consumption. This tension between economic necessity and cultural preservation is the defining challenge of modern travel. Is it possible to experience a culture without fundamentally changing it, or is the act of observation itself a form of transformation?"

Writing Task

Instrucciones: Basándote en el texto anterior, escribe un ensayo (180-220 palabras) en el que analices los pros y los contras del turismo en comunidades locales. Debes discutir si el impacto económico compensa la posible pérdida de autenticidad cultural y dar tu opinión personal sobre cómo se puede viajar de forma más responsable.

Speaking checkpoint

1. Compare: Compare the experience of travelling to a bustling metropolis with travelling to a remote, rural area. Which do you find more enriching?
2. Speculate: How might the way we experience different cultures change in the next fifty years due to virtual reality?
3. Evaluate: "Tourism does more harm to local identities than good." To what extent do you agree with this statement?
4. Justify: If you had to choose between a luxury holiday or a backpacking adventure, which would you justify as a better way to learn about a culture?
5. Compare: Compare the concept of 'home' for a local resident versus a long-term traveller.
6. Evaluate: Evaluate the impact of social media on how people perceive 'authentic' travel destinations.

Self-assessment rubric

Answer key

Grammar consolidation 1. Born 2. Having finished 3. Not wanting 4. Being delayed / Having been delayed 5. Overwhelmed 6. Travelling 7. Having lost 8. Written 9. Being exhausted 10. Having explored

Vocabulary activation 1. disappearance 2. transformative 3. assimilation 4. exhaustive 5. b) absorb 6. b) set back 7. a) breathtaking 8. a) melting pot 9. enlightening / rewarding 10. motivation / impetus 11. preserve 12. teeming / swarming