UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS – TECHNOLOGY FOR INDUSTRIES FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ********* REVISION FOR ENGLISH 04 A SPEAKING TEST FORMAT PART DURATION FORMAT Part 1 Read out loud the following paragr[.]
UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS – TECHNOLOGY FOR INDUSTRIES FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ********* REVISION FOR ENGLISH 04 A SPEAKING TEST FORMAT PART DURATION FORMAT Part 1: Read out loud the following paragraph and answer examiner’s questions 3-5 minutes Read out loud paragraph and answer examiner’s questions Part 2: Topic minutes Give your own opinions on a given topic B SAMPLE OF SPEAKING TEST Read out loud the following paragraph and answer examiner’s questions I'm from Vancouver, Canada and the public transportation is not very good so not as many people use it as in some other countries where it's more efficient The bus lines don't go in the most efficient places and the train systems are very limited So if I compare that to that of Japan, the trains in Japan are very efficient and being on a train in Japan is sometimes it's similar to be being on an airplane in first class You have a big seat, comfortable space, snacks, vending machine, washrooms, so I would have to say that's preferable Example: Examiner: How is the public transportation in Canada? Student: It is not very good Topic Talk about a future mean of transport Suggestion: ● ● ● ● ● What is the future mean of transport? Describe it What are the advantages of it? Do you like it? Why? Do you buy it in the future? C TEST TAKING STRATEGIES AND MARKING CRITERIA FOR SPEAKING: Part 1: READ OUT LOUD AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS In this part of the test, you are given A PARAGRAPH You need to read out loud the paragraph, then listen and answer examiner’s questions The examiner asks the examinee questions according to the paragraph and the examinee answers How is the public transportation in Canada? Where doesn’t the bus line go? How is about the train in Japan? Part 2: Topic In this part of the test, there will be given a TOPIC and some SUGGESTIONS You need to CLARIFY the topic by using the supporting details and your own ideas - Step 1: analyze the topic + Find the synonym, phrasal verbs, collocation, etc to change the expressions of the statement topic - Step 2: state your answer + Introduction, paraphrase the statement + Body: develop the supporting details which are given as nouns, noun phrase, verbs phrase, etc into sentence For each supporting detail, present example or further information + Conclusion: summarize the topic Tips: - Try to vary your vocabulary by using synonym, related words, phrasal verbs, etc, instead of using given words Sample: Students prepare and present briefly in minutes Traffic jams have appeared in many places of our country So in the future, many interesting means of transport will be invented by humans My dream means of transport is a smart cycle In my opinion, it will be powered by solar energy and wind energy to avoid pollution and save fuel Two people can sit on it We can use it any when and anywhere It's won't take a lot of space With the use of modern technology, this smart cycle will be able to help us many things and it will make our life become better It will be able to avoid traffic jam, pollution and it help us travel to the sky more clearly In the future, I hope this mean of transport will be come true Pa rt Content and criteria 1 Đ iể m Read out loud the following paragraph and answer questions Accuracy, fluency 2, 1, Answer examiner’s questions What is ? It’s ………………………… What is the main cause ? It’s ………………… What does ? ……………………………………… Talk about advantages of using public transport Pronunciation, grammatical range and accuracy, lexical resource, fluency and coherence 2 Content about advantages of using public transport D REVISION FOR EXAM READ OUT LOUD THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS Paragraph 1: Education Education is one of the most important things in our lives Don’t you agree? It can make the difference between success and failure An education can bring us knowledge and make us rich In rich countries, people are lucky to have good schools Children start learning from a very young age They can further their education and go to higher education or university In Japan, there are even private schools for babies to learn English It’s a shame that in many rich countries, many children don’t want to learn Perhaps schools need to find better ways to teach so children want to learn It’s sad that in many parts of the world, children want to learn but can’t Make sure you never stop learning Education is the key to a better future Paragraph 2: I’m going to begin by telling you about my first business trip to Bogota, 15 years ago The client I met was very generous and he invited me to his home for a meal I didn’t want to be rude, so I arrived on time I brought some gifts for his wife and daughter and wrapped them carefully They didn’t open their presents, so I ask them to I also asked if they liked the presents They said they did When dinner was served, I toasted my new friend and his family The conversation was about culture, soccer, history and literature and seemed to go well At the end of the evening, he offered me some coffee Unfortunately, I don’t like coffee, so I said no Most jobs require people to work in teams If you business internationally, it’s good to understand basic cultural information about team work Research shows that East Asian cultures – Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and China – tend to like working in groups It feels natural and comfortable in these societies They tend to put the group before the individual But other cultures value team work, too Scandinavians – Danes, Norwegians and Swedes – are good team players However, teams not always work closely together in these cultures Once team members are given a task, they usually want the freedom to complete it without too much control Paragraph 3: Paragraph In the case of team working, researchers have found that there are some cultural attitudes that are similar for the majority of people from Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and China These are societies that usually like working in groups People in these societies are often happier working towards team goals rather than individual targets They are naturally good team players, and it’s not always necessary to spend a lot time on team-building training sections The individual is not as important as the group, and arguments should be avoided Team leaders must avoid situations where team members might lose face or lose respect Paragraph Doing business in Japan People planning to business in Japan should know a few things about the country, its history and its people First of all, you should hire a good interpreter - someone who speaks the language and who knows the customs and traditions Many people in Japan shake hands when they meet, but you shouldn't be too fast You should wait and see if they offer their hand first When somebody gives you their business card, you should look at it and read it carefully You shouldn't write on it, because Japanese people think this is very impolite Some advice about meeting - you shouldn't worry about silences during a meeting You should respect those silences And finally, remember that you shouldn't make too much eye contact Paragraph Culture I’m really interested in the culture of other countries I don’t know why, but I always think other cultures are more interesting than my own culture Every time I travel, I learn wonderful, strange, amazing and interesting things about other cultures One of the biggest surprises I had was when I went to the USA as a child I’m English so I thought Americans had the same culture as me When I went to America I understood Americans and Brits are very different people Understanding the culture of other people is very important It helps us all to get along If everyone really tried to learn about other cultures, the world would be a more peaceful place The world is becoming smaller, so I think this is happening Paragraph Business Business isn’t so good at the moment In fact, it’s the worst time for businesses for decades Many businesses are going bust because of the global financial crisis Even sound businesses like the car industry and electronics are going through a really bad time Many small businesses have gone out of business It’s a real shame because so many lives are being ruined With a lot of businesses, it’s a real fight for survival I really respect people for trying to make a go of their business I don’t have much business sense I wouldn’t know where to start in opening my own business I suppose the best thing would be to look at business startups on the Internet An online business might be good There seems to be less risk Paragraph Career Choosing a career is one of the biggest decisions we make in life It used to be that we chose only one career People would start a job when they were 18, 19 or 20 and stay in that same career for life Their career path was quite straightforward Nowadays, it is normal for people to change careers, five, six, seven times New technology and globalization means things change quickly We need to study and keep up with all the changes I’ve had four different careers now I like moving from one job to another It … What are the disadvantages of doing work that pays well, but you don’t like? Long working hours Pressure Not focusing on skill Explain your choice, and give examples 2_7 What are the important things for you to choose a job? Suggestion: What thing you need to take into consideration when choosing a job? Salary Passion Benefits package Working hours Commute/ distance/ location Work style Responsibilities Promotion opportunities Company culture Colleagues and managers Working environment Insurance Training opportunities Holiday …………………… Explain your choice 2_8 What is your ideal/dream job? Suggestion: What’s your dream job? Why? What you like most about that job? What are necessary characters for that job? What are some jobs that you think would be suitable for men and some that would be suitable for women? Currently, what are you preparing for that job? 2_9 What are your strengths and weaknesses? Suggestion: Some examples of strengths include: Creative Attentive Determined ... to learn for your future job? Where would you like to work after graduating? Do you want to work for yourself or for somebody else? What would you like to achieve before you’re forty? ... necessary characters for that job? What are some jobs that you think would be suitable for men and some that would be suitable for women? Currently, what are you preparing for that job? 2_9... What are some jobs that you think would be suitable for men and some that would be suitable for women? Currently, what are you preparing for your future job? 2_4 What would you like in a job?