VaN DAP A

James Scott has a garage in Silbury and now he has just bought another garage in Pinhurst?. Pinhurst is only five miles from Silbury, but Mr.[r]

HANDOUT FOR THE EXAMINERS:

Oral examination

1 Good morning How are you?

- Good morning I’m fine, thank you And you?

2 What’s your name? - My name is _ 3 Spell your name, please. 4 What time is it?- It’s ten forty (10.40).

5 What day is today?- Today is Sunday. 6 How old are you?- I am _ years old. 7 Where were you born?- I was born in _ 8 When were you born? - I was born in _ 9 Where you live?- I live in Tran Hung Dao street. 10 What’s your address?- It is 10, THD street.

11 How many people are there in your family?

- There are people in my family: my wife, my two children and I 12 What time you usually get up?

- I usually get up at a.m

13 What time you usually have lunch? - I usually have lunch at noon

14 What time you usually have dinner? - I usually have dinner at p.m

15 What time you often go to bed? - I often go to bed at 11 p.m

16 What you often have for breakfast?

- For breakfast I often have bread, sticky rice or Vietnamese noodles 17 What you do? / What’s your job?

- I’m a /student /teacher/ an accountant/ a taxman/ a taxwoman 18. What’s your hobby? - Reading books is my hobby

What kind of books you like reading best? - I like reading scientific books best

19 What you usually in your free time? - I sometimes watch TV or listen to music 20 How many rooms are there in your house?

- There are rooms: a living room, two bedrooms and a kitchen 21 What is there in the living room?

- There is a sofa, a coffee table, and two armchairs 22 Do you love your house? Why?

- Yes, I Because it is the place where my family has lived for years And of course, it always gives me a lot of unforgettable memories

23. How far is it from your house to your office?- It’s about two kilometers 24 How long does it take you to get there?

- It takes me about 15 minutes to get there by motorbike 25 Tell me about your daily activities?

have lunch at home After that, I have a short rest In the afternoon, I work from 1.00 to 5.00 In the evening, I usually watch TV or listen to music

26 How old are your parents?

- My father is sixty years old, and my mother is five years younger than him 27. What are your parents’ jobs?- Both of them are farmers

28 What your parents usually in the evening?

- After dinner, my father usually reads newspapers, and my mother usually watches TV

29. How long have you been studying English? - I have been studying English for two years 30 What’s your favourite programme on TV?

- My favourite programme is ‘Who is a millionaire?’ Through it, we can gain a lot of useful knowledge

31. Which sport you like playing best?

- I like playing ping-pong best After work, I usually play it with my friends 32. Where you usually go on holiday?

- I usually visit my parents in Hue

33 What kind of drink you like best? - I like Coca-Cola best 34. Which you drink with your meals?

- A lot of people drink beer or wine with their meals But I usually drink water with my meals because it is useful for my health

35 What sort of things you usually spend your money on?

- I often spend my money on books Reading books is my hobby 36 How you go to work?

- I go to work by motorbike/ on foot 37. Why you study English?

- English is a very useful language I study it because I need it for my job 38 What are the seasons of the years in our country?

- In the North there are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter In the South there are only two seasons: the rainy and the dry

HANDOUT FOR THE EXAMINERS:

READING

A PRIVATE CONVERSATION

Last week I went to the theatre I had a very good seat The play was very interesting but I did not enjoy it A young man and a young woman were sitting behind me They were talking loudly I got very angry I could not hear the actors I turned round I looked at the man and the woman angrily They did not pay any attention In the end, I could not bear it I turned round again “I can’t hear a word!’ I said angrily

“It’s none of your business,” the young man said rudely “This is a private conversation!”

Questions

3 -No, he didn’t Because a young man and a young woman sitting behind him/her talking were talking loudly

4 Who was sitting behind him? -A young man and a young woman How were they talking?-They were talking loudly

5 What did he do? - “I can’t hear a word!’ I said angrily BREAKFAST OR LUNCH?

It was Sunday I never get up early on Sundays I sometimes stay in bed until lunch time Last Sunday I got up very late I looked out of the window It was dark outside “What a day!” I thought “It‘s raining again.” Just then, the telephone rang It was my aunt Lucy “I ‘ve just arrive by train,” she said “I’m coming to see you.”

“But I’m still having breakfast,” I said “What are you doing?” she said, “I’m having breakfast,” I repeated

“Dear me,” she said “Do you always get up so late? It’s one o’clock!” Questions

1 Does the writer always get up early on Sundays? - No, he/she doesn’t Who telephoned then? -His /Her aunt Lucy

3 How did she arrive? - By train

4 Was she coming to see him?-Yes, She was

5 What did he say? -“But I’m still having breakfast,” he said Was his aunt very surprised? - Yes, she was

7 What was the time? - It’s one o’clock!

3 PLEASE SEND ME A CARD

Postcards always spoil my holidays Last summer, I went to Italy I visited museums and sat in public gardens A friendly waiter taught me a few words of Italian Then he lent me a book I read a few line, but I did not understand a word Everyday I thought about post cards My holidays passed quickly, but I did not send any cards to my friends On the last day I made a big decision I got up early and bought thirty-seven cards I spent the whole day in my room, but I did not write a simple card!

Questions

Do postcards always spoil the writer’s holiday?- Yes, they Where did he spend his holidays last summer? - He went to Italy What did he think about every day? -He thought about post cards

4 Did he send any cards to his friend? - No, he didn’t

5 How many cards did he buy on the last day?- Thirty-seven cards Where did he stay all day? - In his room

7 Did he write any cards?- No, he didn’t NO WRONG NUMBERS

get a telephone for his new garage, so he has just bought twelve pigeons Yesterday, a pigeon carried the first message from Pinhurst to Silbury The bird covered the distance in three minutes Up to now, Mr Scott has sent a great many requests for spare parts and other urgent messages from one garage to the other In this way, he has begun his own private “telephone” service

Questions

1 Where has Mr Scott opened his second garage?- In Pinhurst Where is his first garage? - In Silbury

3 How far away is Silbury? - Only five miles from Silbury Can Mr Scott get a telephone for his new garage?- No, he can’t What has he bought? He has just bought twelve pigeons

6 In how many minutes they carry messages from one garage to the other? - In three minutes

5 PERCY BUTTONS

I have just moved to a house in Bridge Street Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door He asked me for a meal and a glass of beer In return for this, the beggar stood on his head and sang songs I gave him a meal He ate the food and drank the beer Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away Later a neighbour told me about him Everybody knows him His name is Per Buttons He calls at every house in the street once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of beer

Questions

1 Where has the writer just moved to a house?- In Bridge Street Who knocked at her door yesterday? - A beggar

3 What did he do? - He asked for a meal and a glass of beer

4 What did the writer give him in return for this? -The writer gave him a meal What is the beggar’s name? - Per Buttons

6 How often does he call at every house?- Once a month A COLD WELCOME

On Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock It would strike twelve in twenty minutes’ time Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five to twelve, the clock stopped The big minute hand did not move We waited and waited, but nothing happened Suddenly someone shouted, “It’s two minutes past twelve! The clock has stopped!” I looked at my watch It was true The big clock refused to welcome the New Year At that moment, everybody began to laugh and sing

Questions

1 Where did they go on New Year’s Eve? -They went to the Town Hall Were there many people there?-Yes, there were

2 In how many minutes would the Town Hall clock strike twelve? - It would strike twelve in twenty minutes’ time

4 At what time did it stop? - At five to twelve Did it refuse to welcome the New Year?

7 NOT FOR JAZZ

We have an old musical instrument It is called a clavichord It was made in German in 1681 Our clavichord is kept in the living room It has belonged to our family for a long time The instrument was bought by my grandfather many years ago Recently it was damaged by a visitor She tried to play jazz on it! She struck the keys too hard and two of the strings were broken My father was shocked Now we are not allowed to touch it It is being repaired by a friend of my father’s

Questions

1 What they own? -An old musical instrument When was it made? -In 1681

3 Who bought the instrument many years ago? - His/ her grandfather Who damaged it recently? - A visitor

What did she try to do? - She tried to play jazz on it What did she break? - Two of the strings

Who is repairing it now? -By a friend of his/her father’s ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER

I was having dinner at a restaurant when Harry Steele came in Harry worked in a lawyer’s office many years ago, but he is now working at a bank He gets a good salary, but he always borrows money from his friends and never pays it back Harry saw me and came and sat at the same table He never borrowed money from me While he was eating, I asked him to lend me £2 To my surprise, he gave me immediately ‘I have never borrowed money from you,” Harry said, “so now you can pay for my dinner!” Questions

1 Where was the writer having dinner?- At a restaurant Did he see Harry Steele after a while?-Yes, he did

3 What does Harry always borrow from his friends? -Money Where did Harry sit? - At the same table

5 How much did the writer ask him to lend him? - £2 Did he give the writer the money?- Yes, he did

7 What did he want the writer to do? - Pay for his dinner GOODBYE and GOOD LUCK

One neighbour, Captain Charles Alison, will sail from Portsmouth tomorrow I will meet him at the harbour early in the morning He will be in his small boat, Topsail. Topsail is a famous little boat It has sailed across the Atlantic many times Captain Charles Alison will set out at eight o’clock, so I will have plenty of time I will see his boat and then I will say goodbye to him He will be away for two months I am very proud of him He will take part in an important race across the Atlantic

Questions

1 Whom will the writer meet at Portsmouth Harbour early tomorrow morning? Where will Captain Charles Alison be? - In his small boat

What will Alison take part in? - An important race across the Atlantic 10 THE GREENWOOD BOYS

The Greenwood boys are the group of popular singers At present, they are visiting all parts of the country They will be arriving here tomorrow They will be coming by train and most of the young people in the town will be meeting them at the station Tomorrow evening they will be singing at the Workers’ Club The Greenwood Boys will be staying for five days During this time, they will give five performances As usual, the police will have difficult time They will be trying to keep order It is always the same on these occasions

Questions

1 Are the Greenwood Boys popular singers? - Yes, they are When will they be coming here? -Tomorrow

3 Who will be meeting them at the station? -Most of the young people in the town

4 How many performances will they give? - Five performances What will the police be trying to as usual?