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.
Every autumn, Canadian and American families gather for a day centred around community, food and giving thanks – the day of Thanksgiving. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. In the United States, it is on the fourth Thursday in November. It is an occasion to spend time with loved ones and express gratitude for the good things in life and the year that has passed.
Thanksgiving dinner traditionally includes roast turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and, for dessert, apple, pumpkin or pecan pies. Every family has its own recipes, sometimes secret recipes handed down through generations. Beyond food and gratitude, there are some unexpected sides to the American and Canadian holiday. One of these is football. This popular sport is an important part of the holiday, when families gather around to cheer on local or national teams.
Task 2
Study the advertisement.
Experience art in virtual reality!
You are considering visiting this VR gallery 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:
- admission fee
- VR experiences offered
- duration of each VR experience
- special packages for first-time visitors
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 school uniforms. We’d like to know our guest’s point of view on this issue. Please answer five questions. So, let’s get started.
Interviewer: Did you wear a school uniform, and what is your opinion on school uniforms?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: What are the benefits of wearing a school uniform?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: Why do some children dislike wearing school uniforms?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: In your opinion, what are some alternative ways to promote a sense of belonging and identity within a school without uniforms?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: Should children have a say in the design or choice of school uniforms? Why or why not?
Student: _________________________
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.
Task 4
Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project “Travel experiences”. 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 ways to travel;
- mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two ways to travel;
- express your opinion on the subject of the project – which of these ways to travel you’d prefer and why.
You will speak for not more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.
