PART I: WRITTEN RECEPTION (70 points)

(ACCESS TO INFORMATION FROM WRITTEN TEXTS)

Read the text below and then answer questions 1–8.

TOO MANY PHOTOS

I How often do you use your smartphone camera? Studies show that 90% of smartphone
owners of all ages use them to take pictures. At a café, people take pictures of their meal before
they eat. During a family event, they take photos of relatives and friends. Anywhere they go –
to the beach, to a party, even to the store – they also take selfies. It seems that every experience
5 in their lives is photographed and saved on their smartphones.
II Maybe you think that looking at these photos will help you remember the events. But if
you think so, you are wrong. Think, for example, of the birthday party where you spent so much
time taking pictures. Do you remember the conversations you had or the new people you met?
Do you remember the taste of the food? Probably not. "When you concentrate on taking photos,
10 you miss many different things – how you feel, what you hear, what you taste," says psychologist
Sofia Miller. "And that's a problem because all these things help you form memories that last
a long time. If you don't pay attention to them, you will quickly forget much of the experience."
III The effects of constant camera use were also studied by scientists. In one experiment, for
example, two groups of students toured a beautiful old building. They were told to remember as
15 many details about it as possible. One group had their smartphones and took pictures. The other
group walked around without smartphones. A week later, the scientists gave all the students a
questionnaire to find out what they remembered about the building. They found that the students
who took photos remembered fewer details than those who did not take photos.
IV So, is there a way to avoid the negative effects of using smartphone cameras? According
20 to Miller, there is. "Just try to use your camera less," she says. "For example, when you're at a
café with friends, it is best to spend most of your time talking to them and enjoying the food.
Use your smartphone camera only to take pictures of special moments. That way, you will enjoy
the whole experience more, and also have stronger memories of it."

<u>QUESTIONS</u> (70 points)
Answer questions 1–8 in <u>English</u>, according to the text. In questions 1 and 4, circle the number of the correct answer. In the other questions, follow the instructions.