PAU Anglès 2021 · Juny · Sèrie 5 · Part 1 · Listening comprehension

Part 1: Listening comprehension THE MYSTERY OF JIM THOMPSON In the following conversation you are going to hear some new words. Read and listen to them. Make sure you know what they mean. silk: seda guild: gremi / gremio spinner: filador / hilandero fabrics: roba, tela / ropa, tela legacy: llegat / legado teakwood: teca (tipus de fusta / tipo de madera) Ready? Now read the questions on the following page. Read them carefully before listening to the conversation. [Now listen to the interview.] QUESTIONS Choose the best answer according to the recording. Only ONE answer is correct. [3 points: 0.375 points for each correct answer. Wrong answers will be penalized by deducting 0.125 points. There is no penalty for unanswered questions.] 1. Which of these facts is NOT true about Jim Thompson? He worked as an architect in New York. He arrived in Bangkok in the middle of the World War. His father was a rich textile businessman. He had four siblings. 2. The Thais did not use silk because there were not many silk manufacturers in Thailand. silk from Europe was better than Thai silk. Thai silk spinners had all been sent to Europe. they used other types of cloth that were cheaper. 3. Which of these statements is TRUE according to the text? Thais defended Asian art, and specially Asian architecture. Thompson did not like parties but attended international events. Thais liked Western things more than traditional Thai things. Thompson felt more Thai than American after some time in Thailand. 4. How did Thompson disappear? He was murdered by Asian spies while he was on holiday. He was on holiday in Malaysia and did not return after leaving for a stroll. His plane was lost at sea while flying to Malaysia. He was kidnapped in Malaysia by his driver and guide. 5. What contributed to the mystery of his disappearance? The Malaysian police did not want to investigate his disappearance. His sister was murdered not long after he went missing. The CIA admitted that Thompson was an agent and had been sent somewhere else. Truman Capote wrote a best-selling crime novel about his life. 6. Which of these things does Thompson’s firm NOT have? Restaurants. Silk industries. Architecture studios. Wine bars. 7. What can you visit in Thompson’s mansion? Thompson’s collection of Thai art. The houses that Thompson designed when he was an architect. Documents from Thompson’s career as a spy. One of the best collections of Western art objects. 8. What is special about Thai buildings? The buildings are never isolated but always built in groups of six. They have a special room to display a family’s possessions. The houses are held together without nails. They are built partially underground.

Listening comprehension The Mystery of Jim Thompson In the following conversation, you are going to hear some new words. Read and listen to them. Make sure you know what they mean. silk: seda guild: gremi / gremio spinner: filador / hilandero fabrics: roba, tela / ropa, tela legacy: llegat / legado teakwood: teca (tipus de fusta / tipo de madera) Ready? Now read the questions on the following page. Read them carefully before listening to the conversation. More than forty years after the supposed death of Jim Thompson, he remains the most important and beloved farang (‘foreigner’) in Thailand. His name is related to the silk business in Thailand, but he led a life full of adventures and his death, if he is dead, is still a mystery. In today’s program, our reporter interviews Mark Biles, who has just published a biography of Jim Thompson. REPORTER: Hi, Mark. Welcome to our programme. MARK: My pleasure. REPORTER: To start, tell us why you are so interested in Jim Thompson. MARK: Well, lea […]