Speaking part: variant 22 - Langart

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.

Critics of zoos would argue that animals often suffer physically and mentally by being enclosed. This deprivation causes many zoo animals to become stressed or mentally ill. Capturing animals in the wild also causes much suffering by splitting up families. Some zoos make animals behave unnaturally: for example, marine parks often force dolphins and whales to perform tricks. These mammals may die decades earlier than their wild relatives, and some even try to commit suicide.

On the other hand, by bringing people and animals together, zoos have the potential to educate the public about conservation issues and inspire people to protect animals and their habitats. Some zoos provide a safe environment for animals which have been mistreated in circuses, or pets which have been abandoned. 

Task 2

Study the advertisement.

Whipsnade Zoo:

An escape from the urban jungle!

You are considering visiting the largest zoo in the UK 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:

  1. transportation options to get there
  2. guided tours
  3. open-dated tickets
  4. opportunities to support the zoo

You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

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

Interviewer: Hello everybody! It’s Teenagers Round the World Channel. Our guest today is a teenager from Russia and we are going to discuss homework. We’d like to know our guest’s point of view on this issue. Please answer five questions. So, let’s get started.

Interviewer: How did you stay focused and avoid distractions while doing homework during your school time?

Student: _________________________

Interviewer: What role did technology and online resources play in your homework routine?

Student: _________________________

Interviewer: What benefits does homework bring, if any?

Student: _________________________

Interviewer: Why do you think many children hate doing homework?

Student: _________________________

Interviewer: What is your attitude to homework?

Student: _________________________

Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.

Task 4

Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project “Summer activities”. 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 summer activities;
  • mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two summer activities;
  • express your opinion on the subject of the project – which of these summer activities you’d prefer and why.

You will speak for not more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.