Task 1
Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.
People have always had a love-hate relationship with school uniforms. The upside of having a school uniform is that it creates equality and saves time getting ready in the morning. The downside is that there is a lot less room for self-expression (plus, wearing the same thing every day is pretty boring).
School uniforms first appeared in the UK in the 16th century. Surprisingly, the uniforms weren’t very different than what we see in other schools today and included blue coats and knee-high yellow socks. After catching on in England, school uniforms started spreading around Europe, and from there to other countries around the world. The practice is most common in schools around East Asia and Africa.
Task 2
Study the advertisement.
You are going to make a vet appointment and now you’d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask four direct questions to find out about the following:
- appointment hours
- duration of visit
- documents to bring
- payment policy
You have 20 seconds to ask each question.
Suggested answers
1. What are the appointment hours of the vet clinic?
2. How long should I expect the visit to last?
3. Are there any documents I need to bring for my pet’s visit?
4. What is your payment policy?
Task 3
You are going to give an interview. You have to answer five questions. Give full answers to the questions (2–3 sentences). Remember that you have 40 seconds to answer each question.
Tapescript for Task 3
Audio Task 3
Suggested answers
Interviewer: Hello everybody! It’s Teenagers Round the World Channel. Our guest today is a teenager from Russia and we are going to discuss modern technology. We’d like to know our guest’s point of view on this issue. Please answer five questions. So, let’s get started.
Interviewer: What devices do you use in your daily life?
Student: I use a smartphone and a laptop for most of my daily activities. I also have a smartwatch and a tablet, but I don’t use them much.
Interviewer: In your opinion, what are the most remarkable breakthrough technologies that have emerged in the last decade?
Student: I think the most remarkable ones include artificial intelligence and machine learning. There have also been exciting advancements in gene editing and space exploration.
Interviewer: What do you know about artificial intelligence?
Student: As far as my knowledge goes, artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that aims to make machines smart enough to perform tasks that were traditionally done by humans. Many people believe that AI will have a big impact on different areas of our lives and could change the way we work and live.
Interviewer: What are the negative effects of technology?
Student: One of the negative effects of technology is that people can become addicted and dependent on their devices, which can lead to health problems and sleeping difficulties. Also, privacy concerns are a growing issue as more personal information is shared online.
Interviewer: Would you like to live without gadgets? Why or why not?
Student: No, I wouldn’t like to live without gadgets. It would be challenging to live without them in today’s world, as they have become essential for various daily activities like communication, entertainment, and work.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.
Task 4
Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project “Indoor games”. You have found some photos to illustrate it but for technical reasons you cannot send them now. Leave a voice message to your friend explaining your choice of the photos and sharing some ideas about the project. In 2.5 minutes be ready to:
- explain the choice of the illustrations for the project by briefly describing them and noting the differences;
- mention the advantages (1–2) of the two indoor games;
- mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two indoor games;
- express your opinion on the subject of the project – which of the indoor games presented in the pictures you’d prefer and why.
You will speak for not more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.
Suggested answer
Hi Alex! I’ve found two photos to illustrate our project on fun indoor games. I’ll explain my photo choices and share some ideas through this voice message.
One of the photos captures a joyful scene of young people engaged in a lively game of bowling. They seem to be having a good time and a lot of fun together. The other one features two adults and a child playing a board game at home, and they all look really into it. I’ve chosen these photos because they show two different indoor games that offer enjoyable experiences: bowling and a board game.
I think discussing some advantages and disadvantages of these two indoor games will make a good addition to our project. Speaking of bowling, it’s a fun way to spend time with friends, and the competitive nature of the game can be exciting. On the other hand, board games can be a great way for families to bond, and they offer a fun mental challenge that many people enjoy.
However, playing bowling regularly can be expensive, while board games can be time-consuming and some people might find them boring.
Personally, I’d prefer board games as I find mentally engaging activities to be highly entertaining, especially when I play them with my friends and family.
Well, that’s all for now. Let me know what you think about these photos. Bye!