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.
Arts speak the language of sound and image. While listening to music, looking at a sculpture, watching a play or reading a book, we are communicating with a whole world of ideas. In this communication, ideas are born in our minds; each person understands a piece of art differently. This is especially true for performing arts and literature. For example, a poem can offer many ways of understanding.
As for the visual arts, we often try to explain the main idea behind an artwork just because we like to discuss how good or bad a thing is. Some artworks inspire endless discussions and arguments, for example, the famous ‘Black Square’ by Kazimir Malevitch. Is it art? A joke? A symbol of something important? There’s no wrong or right way to look at it. It could be a window into the night, or you could see it as just a black shape on a white canvas. The problem is that words cannot always bring out the true meaning of a painting or sculpture.
Task 2
Study the advertisement.
Our successes are acknowledged in international
and UK league table rankings and education awards
You are going to take the course ‘English for Academic Purposes’ offered by the University of Southampton 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:
- English language requirements
- facilities and services to support your learning
- exams included
- learning activities
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 exam preparation. 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 do you prepare for exams? How much time do you typically give yourself to study for an exam?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: Do you rely on online study tools when preparing for exams? If so, could you mention any websites or apps that you find useful for your exam preparation?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: How do you manage stress and anxiety when you are preparing for exams?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: Which way of exam preparation would you prefer: alone or in a group? What are the reasons behind your preference?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: What advice would you give to teenagers who want to improve their exam preparation skills?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.
Task 4
Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project “Games we play”. 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 games;
- mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two games;
- express your opinion on the subject of the project – which of the games presented in the pictures you preferred as a child and why.
You will speak for not more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.
