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.
It’s hard to imagine a world without iPhones or YouTube. But not long ago, these essential pieces of technology didn’t even exist. In just a few short decades, technology has infiltrated our businesses, homes, and lives.
How technology will affect future jobs is unclear, but there are many indicators and predictions that technology could take away millions of jobs soon. In fact, by 2030 we’ll likely lose 73 million jobs to automation. While this might seem discouraging, the future also holds many new job prospects for college graduates, particularly in knowledge creation and innovation. Advancements in machinery and technology will provide graduates with the tools to explore, experiment, and find unique solutions to complex problems.
Task 2
Study the advertisement.
A great place to shop for the perfect gift!
You are considering visiting the craft fair 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:
- entrance fee
- opening hours
- kinds of crafts
- gift wrapping service
You have 20 seconds to ask each question.
Suggested answers
1. Is there an entrance fee to the craft fair?
2. What are the opening hours?
3. What kinds of crafts will be on sale?
4. Is there a gift wrapping service at the fair?
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 household chores. 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 chore or chores were you responsible for when you were a child?
Student: When I was a child, I used to tidy up my toys and put away my clothes. I was also responsible for feeding our pet fish.
Interviewer: Were you ever rewarded for doing chores when you were younger? If so, what kind of rewards did you usually get?
Student: Yeah, I was rewarded for doing chores. Most of the time, my parents gave me extra screen time. When I got older, I sometimes got a bit of pocket money instead.
Interviewer: How have your chores changed since childhood? What household chores do you help with at home?
Student: Since then, my chores have become more varied. Now, I help with things like shopping, taking care of our pet dogs, and sometimes cooking.
Interviewer: Do you think children should be paid for doing chores? Why or why not?
Student: I think it depends. Paying children for chores can teach them the value of money and encourage responsibility. But it’s also important they learn to help out just because it’s part of being in a family.
Interviewer: What can children learn from doing chores?
Student: Children can learn a lot of useful skills from doing chores. For example, they learn to be responsible and manage their time. Chores also teach them how to cook, clean, and help around the house.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.
Task 4
Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project “Birthday celebration ideas”. 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 birthday celebration ideas;
- mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two birthday celebration ideas;
- express your opinion on the subject of the project – say which way of celebrating your birthday you preferred as a child 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 been trying to send you a couple of photos I’ve found to illustrate our project on birthday celebration ideas, but some technical stuff doesn’t let me do it. So, I’ll explain my photo choices and share some ideas in this voice message.
The first one captures a group of kids having a fun time celebrating their friend’s birthday. The room is filled with balloons and has a joyful feel. The second photo depicts a festive setting with three adults and two kids, as one of the children has turned 6 years old. The photos really show two different types of birthday celebrations, one with friends and the other with family.
Both ways of celebrating birthdays have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, which we could include in our project to make it more interesting. For example, celebrating with friends can be a lot of fun and full of laughter, but it can also be tiring and time-consuming, as you’ll need to clean up any mess or decorations afterwards.
On the other hand, celebrating with family members can create a warm and loving atmosphere with your nearest and dearest, but it may lack the excitement and fun that comes with celebrating with friends.
When I was a child, I preferred to celebrate my birthday with my friends because it felt like a real celebration that way – we could play all my favourite games and have a lot of fun.
Anyway, let me know your thoughts on the photos I’ve found. Talk to you soon!