Paper 1a
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow
A The bull has for long had a special place in the culture of the people around the Mediterranean. Bulls were important in the religion of the ancient Minoans of Crete. They had great festivals during which young men jumped over the backs of bulls and even did somersaults, turning head over heels. Perhaps they wanted to show how brave they were. Certainly, bulls will attack anything that annoys them, and their weight, strength and long, sharp horns can cause terrible injuries, so to play with them is very dangerous. In ancient Egypt, there were bull gods who were made into mummies after their death. Roman soldiers had temples to Mithras, a hero who killed bulls, and bulls were sacrificed in the places of worship. Bull fights were probably also part of the Roman games, where all sorts of animals fought to entertain people.
B With this background we can probably understand the popularity of bullfighting in Spain, although there are rather improbable stories. For example, when the Moors of North Africa attacked Spain, they used to set fire to the tails of bulls and send them running towards the Spanish, who as a result became good at fighting the animals. Bull fighting is also a sport in Portugal, the southwest corner of France next to Spain, and in Central and South America, once part of the Spanish empire. For a long time, bullfighting was for rich young men who fought on horseback. But, in the 18th century, Francisco Romero started fighting on foot, and together with Juan Belmonte, invented the modern sport in which the fighter stands very close to the bull and controls it with a cape.
C What is a full bullfight like? It begins with the sound of trumpets. Then the bullfighters - in their glittering costumes - enter the ring with their assistants to loud music. There are usually three bullfighters who will each fight two bulls. After the procession, the main events begin. Each fight is the same. First, the bull enters the ring. It runs round hoping to escape and the bullfighter gets used to it. Then the assistants take over, some on horseback and some on foot, and push long, sharp sticks into the bull's shoulders and sides to make it weaker. (In some cases, it is said heavy sandbags are dropped on the bull to hurt it before the fight and it is given drugs to make it confused. As with every sport, there is probably plenty of cheating.) Then comes the famous part of the fight, with the bullfighter showing his skill alone with the bull, making it turn round and round following the red cape. The more confident the bullfighter looks, turning his back on the bull and controlling it, the more the audience cheer and shout 'ole'. Once the bull is dizzy, the bullfighter must do the most dangerous part of the show: place himself in the right position to put his sword between the bull's horns and push it down into its heart. Depending on the audience's cheers, the bullfighter is given one or both of the bull's ears. For a perfect performance he will get the tail, too.
D The sport is less bloody in Portugal where the bull only has to be pushed down and is then taken away, though often to the butcher. In France, there are bull runs, with small bulls let loose in the street. People run after them, try to touch them and later in the ring try to snatch flowers from their heads. This is less cruel to the bulls, but dangerous to the participants. Cruelty is the big issue. People who love tradition and believe in men showing their strength and bravery support the sport. People who believe in animal rights say it is disgusting. There was talk of opening a bull ring in China for tourists. Probably it would have been popular, but perhaps wisely the government said 'no'. Would you go to a bullfight? I don't think I would.
1 Crete is________________________________.