Reading C1/C2. Model 4. Picking out specific information about texts

🧭 C1

Topic: “Portugal and Spain – Close Neighbours, Distinct Souls”

You are going to read four texts in which different people discuss the relationship between Portugal and Spain.For questions 1–10, choose from texts A–D.The texts may be chosen more than once.

Texts

A

I live near the border, so I’ve often travelled between Spain and Portugal. It’s surprising how different the two countries feel, despite sharing a peninsula. Spain seems loud and energetic, full of colour and movement, while Portugal feels quiet, introspective, and almost nostalgic. Yet both nations are proud and deeply connected to their pasts. The Spanish celebrate history through festivals and public life; the Portuguese preserve it through music and memory, especially in their soulful fado. Both express emotion beautifully, but in very different ways — one outwardly, the other inwardly.

B

When I first moved from Lisbon to Madrid for work, I expected the cultures to be nearly identical. I soon learned otherwise. Spanish workplaces are more social and talkative, while in Portugal people are polite but reserved, preferring indirect communication. Spanish colleagues often interrupt each other — something that would seem impolite in Lisbon. Over time, I realised neither approach is better; they simply reflect different cultural rhythms. Spain thrives on spontaneity and debate, Portugal on patience and subtlety. What unites both is warmth and hospitality once you get to know people.

C

As a historian, I find the relationship between Spain and Portugal fascinating. For centuries, their paths have been parallel but separate. Spain became an empire of conquest, while Portugal turned outward through navigation and trade. These choices shaped national identity: Spain looked inward to unify its kingdoms; Portugal looked outward across the seas. Even today, that difference remains visible — Spain projects grandeur and variety, Portugal continuity and calm. But both share a sense of destiny tied to exploration, faith, and the sea.

D

I’m a language teacher, and students often assume that Portuguese and Spanish are almost the same. They’re wrong! While they share Latin roots, pronunciation and rhythm are very different. Spanish flows sharply, with clear vowels and energetic stress, while Portuguese has a softer, more melodic sound. Even attitudes to language differ: Spaniards see theirs as a global tool of identity, while the Portuguese treat their language with quiet pride and poetry. Learning both taught me that language reflects national temperament — Spain’s passion, Portugal’s melancholy.

Questions

Which speaker…

1. mentions how historical development shaped national identity?

2. explains that linguistic similarities hide deep contrasts?

3. notes that each nation expresses emotion in different ways?

4. contrasts communication styles in the workplace?

5. links language to cultural temperament?

6. says that both countries remain connected through shared roots?

7. describes the Portuguese as more reserved than Spaniards?

8. mentions the influence of exploration and trade on character?

9. refers to how sound and rhythm distinguish the two languages?

10. remarks that similar geography leads to distinct identities?

✅ Answer Key

Q	Text	Explanation
1	C	“Spain an empire of conquest, Portugal of navigation.”
2	D	“They share roots, but pronunciation and rhythm differ.”
3	A	“Spain outwardly emotional, Portugal inwardly.”
4	B	“Spanish workplaces more social and talkative.”
5	D	“Language reflects national temperament.”
6	A	“Despite sharing a peninsula… deeply connected.”
7	B	“Portugal… polite but reserved.”
8	C	“Portugal turned outward through navigation.”
9	D	“Spanish sharp vowels, Portuguese melodic.”
10	A	“Same peninsula, but different identities.”

💡 C1 Tips

Skill	What to Do	Example
Identify contrast markers	“Despite,” “while,” “yet” → show main idea.	“Despite sharing a peninsula…”
Link key nouns	Emotion, identity, communication, language → repeated themes.	Helps match ideas fast.
Note tone	A = emotional, B = personal, C = historical, D = linguistic.	Makes elimination easier.

🧠 C2

Topic: “Spain and Portugal – Two Faces of the Iberian Spirit”

You are going to read four extracts from essays in which cultural critics discuss Spain and Portugal.For questions 1–10, choose from critics A–D.The extracts may be chosen more than once.

Texts

A

To compare Spain and Portugal is to explore two expressions of the same soul. Both emerged from a shared medieval world, yet evolved contrasting temperaments. Spain’s culture is extroverted, theatrical, confident; Portugal’s, introspective, ironic, and melancholic. The Spaniard confronts fate through action; the Portuguese contemplates it through reflection. Don Quixote and Os Lusíadas are twin mirrors of the Iberian imagination — one heroic, one nostalgic. Their tension defines the peninsula: pride balanced by humility, exuberance by restraint.

B

Linguistically, the two nations share ancestry but not rhythm. Spanish is a language of assertion; Portuguese, of suggestion. Spanish insists, Portuguese insinuates. The clarity of Castilian reflects a desire for precision and order, while the musical cadence of Portuguese carries a tone of saudade — that untranslatable sense of longing. These patterns of sound echo cultural attitudes: Spain projects its identity; Portugal preserves it. In both cases, language becomes not only a means of communication but a philosophy of being.

C

Historically, the divergence between the two countries lies in their visions of expansion. Spain sought dominance, Portugal connection. One built empires, the other networks. Spain’s grandeur was political; Portugal’s, poetic. This difference explains much about their modern character: Spain’s confidence and centralism versus Portugal’s modesty and introspection. Yet both were driven by the sea — a force that shaped their art, religion, and dreams. In the waves, Iberia found both separation and unity.

D

Modern relations between Spain and Portugal are marked by mutual respect and subtle tension. Culturally, they are like siblings who admire yet misunderstand each other. Spain’s collective energy sometimes overshadows Portugal’s quieter genius, but both contribute distinct voices to European identity. What unites them now is resilience: small nations with vast histories, adapting to a globalised world while preserving authenticity. Their differences, far from dividing them, enrich the dialogue between two enduring civilisations.

Questions

Which critic…

1. describes Spain and Portugal as complementary opposites?

2. suggests that language embodies each nation’s philosophy?

3. argues that their historical expansion shaped their national psyche?

4. says that the two countries admire each other but sometimes misinterpret one another?

5. refers to how both identities stem from the same origins?

6. contrasts Spain’s self-assertion with Portugal’s quiet reserve?

7. mentions how the sea symbolically links the two nations?

8. compares the tone or musical quality of each language?

9. presents their cultural differences as mutually enriching?

10. draws a parallel between their great literary works?

✅ Answer Key

Q	Text	Explanation
1	A	“Two expressions of the same soul… pride vs humility.”
2	B	“Language… a philosophy of being.”
3	C	“Visions of expansion… Spain dominance, Portugal connection.”
4	D	“Siblings who admire yet misunderstand each other.”
5	A	“Both emerged from a shared medieval world.”
6	A	“Spain extroverted, Portugal introspective.”
7	C	“In the waves, Iberia found both separation and unity.”
8	B	“Spanish assertion, Portuguese suggestion… musical cadence.”
9	D	“Differences enrich the dialogue between civilisations.”
10	A	“Don Quixote and Os Lusíadas… twin mirrors of imagination.”

🧠 C2 Tips

Strategy	Focus	Example
Follow conceptual words	“Identity,” “soul,” “language,” “expansion.”	Each text uses symbolic language.
Match tone	A = literary, B = linguistic, C = historical, D = modern/political.	Quickly eliminate options.
Watch metaphors	“Sea,” “mirror,” “siblings” → these reveal main idea.	Used in A, C, D respectively.
Note philosophical vocabulary	“Philosophy of being,” “temperament,” “civilisation.”	Common in C2 texts.

🌍 Summary

Level	Focus	Tone	Complexity
C1	Cultural contrasts, language, lifestyle	Personal, descriptive	Medium
C2	Historical, linguistic, philosophical depth	Reflective, symbolic	High