Cómo las palabras cambian el debate

by Vocafy Verificado

Inglés (Estados Unidos) C1 10 preguntas Words & expressions Noticias y blogs

Explora cómo los titulares ficticios y las discusiones ficticias usan etiquetas para influir en la atribución de culpa, la credibilidad y las expectativas.

1. 1. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   Two headlines describe the same meeting: “Residents discuss parking changes” and “Busybodies discuss parking changes.” What does “busybodies” suggest about the residents?

   • They are too busy to give the issue much attention.
   • They are interfering in matters that are not their concern.
   • They have official responsibility for setting parking rules.

   Considera la actitud de quien escribe hacia la participación de esas personas, en lugar de qué tan ocupadas están.

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   • They are interfering in matters that are not their concern.

   “Busybodies” descalifica la participación de las personas como una intromisión no deseada antes de que los lectores escuchen sus inquietudes.

2. 2. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   A council has lowered its annual grants to local clubs. Which headline reports this change without judging whether the funding was valuable or wasteful?

   • Council reduces funding for local clubs
   • Council guts vital funding for local clubs
   • Council curbs wasteful funding for local clubs

   Look for a description that does not praise or condemn the decision.

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   • Council reduces funding for local clubs

   “Reduces” describes the direction of the change. “Vital” and “wasteful” tell readers how to value the funding.

3. 3. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   Two speakers discuss the same spending on a new bus network. One calls it “a public cost”; the other calls it “an investment in access.” What expectation does “investment” encourage?

   • The money is a temporary loan that must be repaid.
   • The spending has already produced measurable savings.
   • The spending should produce benefits in the future.

   Piensa en por qué alguien acepta un costo ahora.

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   • The spending should produce benefits in the future.

   “Investment” enmarca el gasto actual en términos de los beneficios futuros esperados. Esos beneficios no tienen que ser financieros.

4. 4. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   A city charges drivers to enter downtown. Entry is permitted when they pay. One headline calls the charge a “fee”; another calls it a “penalty.” Which extra implication comes from “penalty”?

   • Drivers must make a payment.
   • Drivers are being punished for doing something wrong.
   • The charge applies to entering a particular area.

   Separa el pago en sí del motivo que normalmente se da para imponer una sanción.

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   • Drivers are being punished for doing something wrong.

   Una “fee” puede ser el precio de un acceso permitido. Una “penalty” presenta el pago como un castigo por una infracción.

5. 5. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   Compare “Company cuts jobs” with “Jobs lost in workforce adjustment.” What does the second headline make less visible?

   • The company's role in causing the job losses.
   • The fact that jobs have disappeared.
   • The connection between the change and staffing.

   Fíjate en quién realiza la acción en el primer titular.

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   • The company's role in causing the job losses.

   El segundo titular omite a quien toma la decisión. “Workforce adjustment” también les da a las pérdidas un tono más administrativo.

6. 6. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   A residents' group requests shorter street-market hours. One headline calls its members “neighborhood representatives”; another calls them “self-appointed neighborhood representatives.” What does the added label challenge?

   • Their responsibility for managing the market's daily operations.
   • Their wish to change the market's opening hours.
   • Their authority to speak for local residents.

   Considera la diferencia entre asumir un papel y que otras personas te asignen ese papel.

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   • Their authority to speak for local residents.

   “Self-appointed” sugiere que el grupo se atribuyó su papel de representante sin recibir un mandato de las personas en cuyo nombre habla.

7. 7. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   Two headlines describe the same qualified engineers:
   Experts criticize recycling plan
   “Experts” criticize recycling plan
   What do the quotation marks around “Experts” suggest in the second headline?

   • The writer is reproducing a complete statement from the engineers.
   • The writer questions whether the engineers deserve that label.
   • The writer is giving the official name of the engineers' association.

   Las comillas pueden indicar distanciamiento respecto de una etiqueta, no solo reproducir las palabras exactas de alguien.

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   • The writer questions whether the engineers deserve that label.

   Estas suelen llamarse comillas de distanciamiento. Permiten que quien escribe use una etiqueta y, a la vez, exprese dudas sobre su validez.

8. 8. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   Several people at a march break a window; most march peacefully. One report says “Some marchers damaged property.” Another calls the entire march “a parade of vandals.” What shift does the second description make?

   • It turns the conduct of a few participants into a defining label for the whole group.
   • It distinguishes the people who caused damage from the peaceful participants.
   • It describes the damage while leaving the participants' character unjudged.

   Compara el alcance de “some marchers” con la etiqueta aplicada a toda la marcha.

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   • It turns the conduct of a few participants into a defining label for the whole group.

   Una etiqueta aplicada a un grupo puede extender la culpa más allá de las personas cuyas acciones la justifican, reemplazando una afirmación limitada por una identidad más amplia.

9. 9. Elige la respuesta correcta.

   A library is considering Sunday hours. Compare “Library considers Sunday access” with “Library considers restoring Sunday access.” What does “restoring” present as given?

   • The library has already approved the proposed Sunday schedule.
   • The library intends to keep Sunday hours permanently.
   • The library offered Sunday access at some point in the past.

   Think about what must have existed before something can be restored.

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   • The library offered Sunday access at some point in the past.

   “Restoring” assumes a previous state. A headline can quietly introduce that assumption without making it a separate claim.

10. 10. Elige la respuesta correcta.

    Residents disagree about a proposed housing development. A moderator asks, “Is it fair to let the anti-progress lobby block these homes?” Which disputed point does “anti-progress lobby” treat as already settled?

    • The opponents have already succeeded in stopping construction.
    • Opposing this housing proposal amounts to opposing progress.
    • The opponents agree that the proposal would improve the neighborhood.

    Observa cómo la etiqueta define a los oponentes antes de que se discuta la cuestión de la equidad.

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    • Opposing this housing proposal amounts to opposing progress.

    La etiqueta equipara una propuesta con el progreso mismo. Hace que las objeciones parezcan hostiles a la mejora, en lugar de críticas que podrían referirse específicamente al plan.