Marilyn Monroe June 2003

UNIBERTSTATERA SARTZEKO HAUTAPROBAK. 2002/2003 EKAINA.
PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD
JUNIO. 2002/2003.

On August 5, 1962 Norma Jean Baker, Marilyn Monroe, was found dead in her bed. She died from an overdose of sleeping pills. At age 36 the most beautiful woman in Hollywood was gone forever. Marilyn was not a great actress, but she revolutionized the role of the sex symbol in film. She had presence and could make women envious and men melt.
Norma Jean Baker was born in Los Angeles, June 1, 1926. She never knew her father. Her mother cut film strips for RKO studios, at one time an important studio in Hollywood. Because of her unstable situation at home, Norma began to live with different families.

At 16, she married 21-year-old Jim Dougherty. It was war time, 1942, and everyone was asked to help in the war effort. The newlyweds went to work in an arms factory. One day a photo-journalist came to take pictures of workers fighting the war at home. Marilyn's face was in one of the pictures. The photograph of this beautiful girl with chestnut-coloured hair found its way to the desk of a publicity agent. Norma Jean began her career as a fashion model and soon after divorced her husband.

She began playing very small roles in minor films. In one of these early films she sang Everybody Needs a Daddy with her inimitable, sexy, little-girl voice. It was a very provocative song. When the journalists interviewed her, she told them that her parents had been killed in a car accident. Of course she told a lie, but in this way, she created a new image of herself. It was the irresistible combination of sex and innocence. That began Marilyn' rise to stardom. In films she showed that eroticism was not dangerous, but could be sweet, funny and fun. In 1950 she changed her family name, becoming Marilyn Monroe. The Marilyn's myth was becoming a reality at the expense of Norma Jean. She married Joe DiMaggio, the great baseball player. During the 1954 filming of The Seven Year Itch, she and DiMaggio announced their divorce. Marilyn then went to New York and entered acting school. She studied with young actors like Marlon Brando, Joanne Woodward, and Eva Marie Saint. She also met the playwright Arthur Miller. He encouraged her and recommended books for her to read. For the first time she was being treated as an intelligent woman and not a sex object. Miller divorced his wife and married Marilyn. They tried to have children but there were many complications. Marilyn thought that this was the most important thing that she could do to gain acceptance from other women. When it was obvious that she could not bear children, she began taking tranquillizers for her depressions. Marilyn was beginning to break.

In the following years she made a number of films, including Bus Stop (1956) and the memorable Some Like it Hot (1959), directed by Billy Wilder and starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. By the early 1960s, Marilyn was in a constant state of melancholy. It was even affecting her work. She would arrive late to work and forget her lines. In 1961, Miller wrote The Misfits for her to play in, thinking it would help her. But it didn't. It was her last film. During the filming she had to be carried away for a severe nervous breakdown. Afterward, she and Miller divorced. She then began to work on a new film with Dean Martin, but continued to arrive at the studio later and later. Eventually, Fox Studios fired her and fined her $750.000 for damages. One month later Marilyn' s life ended. Over thirty years later, the myth remains.

1.- IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON THE IDEAS FROM THE TEXT, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (4 marks)

1.- What did Marilyn Monroe think it was the most important thing she could do to be accepted by other women?
2.- Why was she fired from working in films?
3.- What was the reason of her rise to be a famous film actress?
4.- Which was one of the main reasons for her breakdown?

2.-ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? SAY WHY.TAKE EVIDENCE, EVEN QUOTING, FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER. NO MARKS ARE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE ONLY TRUE OR FALSE. (2 marks)

3.- VOCABULARY. FIND FOUR SYNONYMS IN THE TEXT THAT HAVE A SIMILAR MEANING (1 mark) (0,25 each)

1.- A person with a resentment or envy.
2.- A dramatist.
3.- Recently married.
4.- A great amount of drugs.

4.-WRITE A COMPOSITION IN ENGLISH OF ABOUT 130 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 marks)

1.- According to what you have just read about Marilyn, what is your opinion about her as a woman and film actress?
2.- Do you know a modern film actress as famous and glamorous as Marilyn? Name the one you like best and write something about her.

	English Department
	BHI Orixe IES
	University Entrance English Test
	JUNE 2002/2003
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UNIBERTSTATERA SARTZEKO HAUTAPROBAK. 2002/2003 EKAINA. PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD JUNIO. 2002/2003. MARILYN MONROE On August 5, 1962 Norma Jean Baker, Marilyn Monroe, was found dead in her bed. She died from an overdose of sleeping pills. At age 36 the most beautiful woman in Hollywood was gone forever. Marilyn was not a great actress, but she revolutionized the role of the sex symbol in film. She had presence and could make women envious and men melt. Norma Jean Baker was born in Los Angeles, June 1, 1926. She never knew her father. Her mother cut film strips for RKO studios, at one time an important studio in Hollywood. Because of her unstable situation at home, Norma began to live with different families. At 16, she married 21-year-old Jim Dougherty. It was war time, 1942, and everyone was asked to help in the war effort. The newlyweds went to work in an arms factory. One day a photo-journalist came to take pictures of workers fighting the war at home. Marilyn's face was in one of the pictures. The photograph of this beautiful girl with chestnut-coloured hair found its way to the desk of a publicity agent. Norma Jean began her career as a fashion model and soon after divorced her husband. She began playing very small roles in minor films. In one of these early films she sang Everybody Needs a Daddy with her inimitable, sexy, little-girl voice. It was a very provocative song. When the journalists interviewed her, she told them that her parents had been killed in a car accident. Of course she told a lie, but in this way, she created a new image of herself. It was the irresistible combination of sex and innocence. That began Marilyn' rise to stardom. In films she showed that eroticism was not dangerous, but could be sweet, funny and fun. In 1950 she changed her family name, becoming Marilyn Monroe. The Marilyn's myth was becoming a reality at the expense of Norma Jean. She married Joe DiMaggio, the great baseball player. During the 1954 filming of The Seven Year Itch, she and DiMaggio announced their divorce. Marilyn then went to New York and entered acting school. She studied with young actors like Marlon Brando, Joanne Woodward, and Eva Marie Saint. She also met the playwright Arthur Miller. He encouraged her and recommended books for her to read. For the first time she was being treated as an intelligent woman and not a sex object. Miller divorced his wife and married Marilyn. They tried to have children but there were many complications. Marilyn thought that this was the most important thing that she could do to gain acceptance from other women. When it was obvious that she could not bear children, she began taking tranquillizers for her depressions. Marilyn was beginning to break. In the following years she made a number of films, including Bus Stop (1956) and the memorable Some Like it Hot (1959), directed by Billy Wilder and starring Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. By the early 1960s, Marilyn was in a constant state of melancholy. It was even affecting her work. She would arrive late to work and forget her lines. In 1961, Miller wrote The Misfits for her to play in, thinking it would help her. But it didn't. It was her last film. During the filming she had to be carried away for a severe nervous breakdown. Afterward, she and Miller divorced. She then began to work on a new film with Dean Martin, but continued to arrive at the studio later and later. Eventually, Fox Studios fired her and fined her $750.000 for damages. One month later Marilyn' s life ended. Over thirty years later, the myth remains. 1.- IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON THE IDEAS FROM THE TEXT, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (4 marks) 1.- What did Marilyn Monroe think it was the most important thing she could do to be accepted by other women? 2.- Why was she fired from working in films? 3.- What was the reason of her rise to be a famous film actress? 4.- Which was one of the main reasons for her breakdown? 2.-ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? SAY WHY.TAKE EVIDENCE, EVEN QUOTING, FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER. NO MARKS ARE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE ONLY TRUE OR FALSE. (2 marks) 1.- Her parents died in a car accident. 2.- She was very fond of reading books from her childhood. 3.- VOCABULARY. FIND FOUR SYNONYMS IN THE TEXT THAT HAVE A SIMILAR MEANING (1 mark) (0,25 each) 1.- A person with a resentment or envy. 2.- A dramatist. 3.- Recently married. 4.- A great amount of drugs. 4.-WRITE A COMPOSITION IN ENGLISH OF ABOUT 130 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 marks) 1.- According to what you have just read about Marilyn, what is your opinion about her as a woman and film actress? 2.- Do you know a modern film actress as famous and glamorous as Marilyn? Name the one you like best and write something about her.
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