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.
While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become addicted to disposable plastic. Around the world, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, while 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year.
Researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the early 1950s. About 60% of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. Cigarette butts were the most common type of plastic waste found in the environment in a recent global survey. Drink bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws and stirrers were the next most common items. Many of us use these products every day, without even thinking about where they might end up. If current trends continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050.
Task 2
Study the advertisement.
Best Buy
You are considering buying this laptop 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:
- screen quality
- battery life
- operating system
- weight
You have 20 seconds to ask each question.
Suggested answers
1. What is the screen quality of the laptop?
2. What is the average battery life of the laptop with regular usage?
3. What operating system does the laptop have?
4. What is the weight of the laptop?
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.
Task 3 Audio
Tapescript for 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 online gaming. We’d like to know our guest’s point of view on this issue. Please answer five questions. So, let’s get started.
Interviewer: Do you play online games? Why is online gaming so popular?
Student: Yes, I play online games because they are fun and relaxing. I think online games are popular because you can play with people from different countries.
Interviewer: Can online games teach players any life skills? If so, give an example.
Student: I think playing games with other people on the internet can teach important skills for life. Teamwork is one of these skills that gamers can learn.
Interviewer: Parents think that video games have little educational value. Do you agree?
Student: Personally, I don’t agree that video games are not educational. Some games may not have a direct purpose to teach you something, but they can still help you learn some life skills.
Interviewer: What negative effects do games played over a computer network have, if any?
Student: I’ve realised that playing online games non-stop can have bad effects. It eats up all your time and you end up missing out on other stuff you like doing, like sports or hobbies. Plus, sitting in one spot for too long can really mess with your health.
Interviewer: Would you like to be a game designer? Why or why not?
Student: Yes, I’d love to be a game designer because I have a passion for both gaming and design. It would be cool to make games that people enjoy playing.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.
Task 4
Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project “Healthy living”. 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 healthy lifestyles;
- mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two healthy lifestyles;
- express your opinion on the subject of the project – which of the healthy lifestyles presented in the pictures you’d prefer and why.
You will speak for not more than 3 minutes (2–3 sentences for every item of the plan, 12–15 sentences total). You have to talk continuously.
Suggested answer
Hi Alex! I’ve found a couple of photos to illustrate our project on healthy living. I’ll explain my choice and share some of my thoughts in this voice message.
The first one shows a girl eating a fresh veggie salad, making it an excellent example of healthy eating. The second photo depicts two people jogging in a park. This one focuses on physical activity and exercise. The photos are a good choice for the project because they show two different types of healthy lifestyles we’re looking into: eating healthy food and exercising.
Both lifestyles have some advantages and disadvantages, which we could discuss in our project. Opting for a healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of obesity, but sticking to a healthy diet can be tough, especially with fast food around.
When it comes to sport or other physical activity, it can improve sleep quality, leading to better overall well-being, but exercising can be time-consuming and weather-dependent, if done outdoors.
Personally, I’d prefer to eat healthy food because I’m not a fan of jogging or other sport. I think making wise food choices is a good way to live a healthy life without the need for outdoor exercise.
Well, that’s all for now. Let me know your thoughts on these photos. Bye!