Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1. Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 1.
Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood Pronunciation is clear and easy to understand The candidate's vocabulary is appropriate in relation to the questions asked There are no grammatical inaccuracies Presentation: The candidate sounds quite relaxed and friendly Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked The answers are well structured: the questions are answered and in all cases, additional, related details are given Content: The responses answer the questions the examiner asks in detail (no one or two word answers!) The candidate demonstrates quite a wide vocabulary base: ‘work vocabulary’ (waiter): cutlery, plates, patrons, self-serve, buffet) ‘television vocabulary’: news, documentaries, soap operas, storyline, comedy The candidate's friendly personality is quite evident right from the very beginning making the experience an enjoyable one for both candidate and examiner The candidate answers the questions asked with good examples and involves the examiner with a rhetorical question This is a good, confident start! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can communicate on the topic effectively There are no grammatical inaccuracies Presentation: The candidate sounds quite relaxed and confident The personality of the candidate comes through and through the use of vocal variety, the topic is made more interesting through the recounting of an interesting story Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked on the Candidate Card The first three points are answered almost immediately leaving most of the time to expand upon the last point (why you were proud of it) A point is made and then additional, related details are given Content: Remember the question required the candidate to discuss: what it was why you made it when it was made explain why you were proud of it All of these aspects of the question were answered Good expression used The vocabulary was varied and descriptive For example,'carpentry vocabulary' [timber, saw, file, tape measure, (two coats of) paint] He concluded the speech by returning to the original, main point (something he was proud of) and gave good reasons why he was proud ['I'm not a carpenter (but I successfully made a shoe rack), 'we solved a problem', 'we spent quality time together'] One of the interesting things about the presentation is that the candidate did not know what to say ('my mind's gone blank') He decided to talk about a very ordinary thing but he did it in a very interesting way – he obviously quickly chose his subject material He used the time to tell a story (the process of building the shoe rack) – an excellent way to extend the Part Long Turn This is a good, confident continuation of the test! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can communicate on each topic raised by the examiner effectively There are no grammatical inaccuracies Presentation: The candidate continues to sound quite relaxed and confident The personality of the candidate continues to come through and builds upon the rapport established through Parts & Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked Firstly, he answers the question then conversationally, he expands upon the topic In other words, a point is made and then additional, related details are given Content: The information presented in the conversation clearly answers the questions The candidate demonstrates very well that he has a diverse vocabulary on many different topics - a demonstration of a very advanced knowledge of the language Some good, academic words are used and the candidate demonstrates his good vocabulary base by using a range of words which relate directly to the subjects asked (eg: mechanisation, of better construction, environmentally friendly, carbon monoxide, 'as a whole', to drive (people) towards achievement) He expressed ideas that were clearly his opinions and not a universal truth by saying, “I guess ”, “I believe ”, "I think" and “I would (have to) say ” This is a good, confident conclusion! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Q1 I'd like to talk with you about what you Are you a student or you have a job? A1 Actually, I’m both I have a part-time job and I also study! Q2 Ok! You must be busy Can you tell me about your job? A2 Sure I’m a waiter It's not much I don't too much it's only part time not my ideal job but it does offer me a modest income I'm usually on the breakfast shift You see I work in a hotel and most of the guests of the hotel come to the restaurant for breakfast Q3 What is it you like most about your job? A3 I guess it's interesting to meet and greet new people Most of the patrons of the restaurant are from overseas so the restaurant is a good place to meet people from other countries It's a good working environment, the restaurant is air conditioned which is also a plus Q4 Is there anything you don't like about your job? A4 Yes, it's fairly repetitious work There's not a lot of thought involved you take away dirty plates and cutlery and you replace them with clean plates and cutlery and on and on the process goes You serve coffee or tea, the rest is up to the customer it's really a self-serve buffet I guess I'd like to something which involves more thinking so that's probably the main thing I dislike about my job Q5 Anything else you dislike? A5 No, I guess not oh well, the boss The supervisor, is really quiet in fact, he's so quiet that he seems unfriendly I don't really understand him he's an unusual man [Examiner: Unusual?] Well, he's just so quiet I like people who are a bit more friendly and show a bit more enthusiasm He rarely smiles, he's always so serious I guess that's what I mean by ‘unusual’ Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Q6 I see, ok Let's change topics and talk about television Do you like to watch television? A6 Yes I watch television but I try to mainly watch the news and documentaries I don't like watching a lot of the shows on television because they can waste a lot of time - especially soap operas! Some people I know spend hours watching those sort of shows, especially when you get to know the characters and the story line I like some comedy shows though, some are hilarious! Q7 Tell me about your favourite television show A7 Actually I really don't have one favourite television show but I like watching nature programs - programs about animals and birds and things Last week I saw one on crocodiles I didn't realise that crocodiles lay so many eggs! I also remember one show about hummingbirds The camera showed the wings of the hummingbird in slow motion, and it was just amazing they go so fast These are the sort of shows I like, I wish there were more of them Q8 How popular is television in your country? A8 Television is very popular in my country and I imagine that nearly every home would have one In fact, I think that many homes in my country have more than one television Televisions are very popular when there is a big sporting event on - like a soccer match People will invite their friends over to watch the match on television and to cheer for their team Another popular television program which people in my country watch is the news, especially in the evening Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Transcript Q1 Ok that’s good I'm now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 1-2 minutes You can take notes if you want You have minute to prepare what you want to say I want you to talk about something you have made which you are proud of Ok You have a maximum of minutes to speak so if you go over minutes, I will ask you to stop Can you please begin speaking now? A1 Something which I have made and am quite proud of is a shoe rack for my sons - a place for them to put their shoes, when they're not wearing them Maybe you're thinking, why are you proud of a shoe rack? Well, the main reason I'm talking about it is because honestly, my mind's gone blank and I can't think of anything else I've made! Anyway there are a number of reasons why I was proud of this thing that I made Firstly, I'm not a carpenter! I've never made anything before with wood, and also I solved a problem One night, about years ago, my wife walked into our son's bedroom and it was a really dark night Anyway, she nearly sprained her ankle on one of his shoes They were always their shoes scattered around the bedroom Her ankle looked quite bruised the next day So at that time, I decided to make a shoe rack With my oldest son, we took a tape measure and measured how long and wide it should be Next we bought a piece of timber Anyway, we got home and I got out my my saw and a pencil and ruler We measured the lengths and then cut the pieces Ok, we cut the lengths, then we smoothed off the rough edges with a file Next we got some nails and a hammer and we nailed the pieces together My oldest son, Aaron said, “Dad we need to paint it” I agreed We got out some ahhh cream-coloured paint We put two coats of paint on that shoe rack I was proud of what the boys and I had accomplished We'd solved a problem and, at the same time, spent some quality time together We still have Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab that shoe rack It's still helping to keep my boy's room tidy and no more sprained ankles for my wife! Speaking Lab Part 3: Transcript Q1 We've been talking about something that you made and I'd like to discuss one or two more questions that are related to this Firstly, let's consider hand-made versus machine-made items Can you comment on the popularity of hand-made versus machine-made products in your country? A1 Unfortunately, these days hand-made items tend to be more expensive than machinemade and as a result machine-made items are more popular in my country because they're cheaper I think this is due to labour costs If a machine can produce large quantities of products automatically, this will always be cheaper when compared to human labour A person needs to be paid a wage, but a machine well, it can work day and night, I guess Q2 Are there any things in your country which are only made by hand? A2 Only handmade well, I know that some types of furniture are only handmade Of course this furniture is quite a lot more expensive and generally (of) better construction than the umm machine made Another thing that comes to mind is jewellery Most women desire a unique piece of jewelry I know my wife when I got a ring made for my wife it was completely hand made in fact, we gave the design we wanted to the jeweller and he made it by hand I guess there are other things but I can't think of any others at the moment Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Q3 Do you think in the future that handmade products will no longer be made? A3 That's an interesting question Of course we understand that machine made products are cheaper to make The bottom line for companies is that they need to make profits If a company can make more and more products and pay less and less to make them, then I believe that mechanisation will win over hand-made products Q4 Ok I'd like us to lastly consider creativity in general Do you think people learn creativity or is it something that comes naturally? A4 Learn creativity people learn creativity mmm Well, I know some creative people, especially artists, and I say to them, how can you draw like that? You know I can only draw 'stick figures' but they can draw in such detail They usually say to me, I've always been able to draw and it comes naturally to me I think that if you're good at something and if you like it, you spend time at it So what usually happens is the naturally good artists tend to draw more so they get better and better Q5 Do you think that there are more or less creative people living in your country today? A5 Well more or less creative in my country we are often coming up with new inventions – especially in the area of ‘environmentally friendly products’ I saw in the newspaper recently that a new device for removing - or at least reducing - carbon monoxide in vehicle emissions was made available to the public I don't remember how it worked but I remember thinking that there are still creative people around in my country so I guess I would have to say that there are still some around, but whether there are more or less than in the past, I couldn't say with any certainty Q6 What might be the effects of reduced creativity in society? A6 Well, if people are less creative, then I believe society as a whole suffers We need creative people, problem solvers who are able to find problems and devise solutions I guess if a society becomes lazy, you know, sitting all day and night in front of the television, if they have no goals or ambitions in life, nothing to drive them toward achievement, then creativity suffers and society, I believe would suffer People would loose the spark or interest in life, it would be a terrible thing for any society to lose its creative people! Texas Academy ... Part Long Turn This is a good, confident continuation of the test! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The... have Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab that shoe rack It's still helping to keep my boy's room tidy and no more sprained ankles for my wife! Speaking Lab Part 3: Transcript Q1 We've... would (have to) say ” This is a good, confident conclusion! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Q1 I'd like to talk with you about what you Are you a student or you