Speaking Quy 1.2024 ( January to April) by ORIGINAL EXAMS PART 1 TOPIC 4 : COLOUR 1 - What colour car would you choose to buy? Sample 1: Well, 'm a very practical person, so | would opt for a white one. First of all, | like that simple, less-is-more look. Also, scratches would be less noticeable-and it would be easier to repair should any mishaps occur. And the most important thing is that white cars rank really high in resale value, so they would be very good investment. Sample 2: Well, you know, the colour of your car subconsciously tells a story about who you are, and could be sending out subliminal messages to others. As'lwant to give the impression of being financially established and'stable, | will choose a’silver one as this colour represents luxury. wealth and prestige, ‘Sample 3: I've been dreaming of having @ Yellow cat forages. It's my favourite colour as itis associated with optimism,.confidence, cheerfulness, joy and happiness and would allow me to stand out from the crowdsOne more benefit is that such a car is less likely to be stolen as it is too conspicuous: 2- What is your favourite colour? Itis yellow that | like as it seems fo exude nothing but warmth and happiness. This is the only colour that makes me feel energetic and elated. | think this is the best colour to signify positive emotions. 3--Do you think colours influence you?/ Do you think colours are important? ‘Sample 1: Absolutely yes. Not only do they influence our mood, but they also cause psychological and physiological reactions. For example, green is known to have soothing properties and red has been found to increase our craving for food. Sample 2: Definitely, yes. Colours have a big impact on me. I've noticed that blue reduces stress and makes me calm, whereas white makes me feel more energetic and refreshed Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Sample 3: Definitely! For example, the colors you use to decorate your home can have a profound effect on the emotional well-being of you and your family. Further, the colour of your car sends a subliminal message to people telling who you are and what you want to be. Sample 3: Oh yeah, | believe the importance of colours cannot be overestimated: What | want to say is what color you paint your walls isn't just a matter of aesthetics. It's a powerful tool that can be leveraged to affect emotions and behavior. 4- Were colours important to you when you were a child? Sample 1: | don't remember for sure but | guess back.in the day colours must have been the least of my concerns. Sample 2: Oh, yeah. | was really hard.to please. | wanted my clothes to be bright, othenwise | simply refused to put them on, and my parents couldn't do anything to make me change my mind. | behaved in the same way when it came to colours of toys. Sample 3: Yeah, | remember back in the day bwas really finicky, so | always Participated in choosing the colours of thé rdom walls, toys or clothes 5 -What colour clothes do you like to wear?/ Do people in your country like to wear bright colours?/ What are the differences between men and women's preference in.colour? Sample.1: Well, my.outfit8 of choice are usually monochromatic grayscale looks. | guess being not’as boring as all black ones, they make me look classy and slim Sample 2: Well, it depends. For instance, in the office | would go for darker clothes as they Would let me look more formal and respectable. However, in the summertime | would definitely switch to lighter clothes because they wouldn't absorb as much heat as darker ones. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Sample 3: | love wearing bright clothes as | really like drawing attention to myself through clothing. When I have to put on something less conspicuous, | feel as if | were dressed for a funeral ‘Smaple 4: Yeah, | love dressing in blindly bright colours because they are energizing, 6- Do people in your country like to wear bright colours? ‘Sample 1: Well, the majority of people don't like to wear bright clothes as they don't want to stand out from the crowd and make themselves in thé’centtre of attention. Sample 2: | guess people try to be more in tune with what is deémed appropriate in our society so pastels, black and grayscale looks became dominant in their wardrobes. 7 -What are the differences between men and women's preference in colour? Sample 1: Well, there's no universal answer. | guess it is @ personality and age that matter, not gender. For example, those who Want to look more serious or conventional, be it men or women, would choosé black of silver cars and dark clothes. Again, the. older people are, the more tend to use’dark colours) whereas kids go for some bright. 8 - What colour would you never use in. your home? Sample 1: | would avoid stimulating colours, for instance, large splashes of red and yellow or sharp Contrasting colors such as black and white. This is because my bedroom shold be a place of peace and tranquility rather than a stimulating environment, ‘Sample 2: | would advise against too much black as it will make me feel on the low side or €ven depressedaSimilafly, | would try to avoid red because | will never have deep sleep or possibly have trouble falling asleep as itis not an easy. bedroom colour to relax ‘9- What colour would you choose to paint the walls of your room? Sample 1: | would rather choose blue for my bedroom as it is believed to guarantee the best night's sleep by reducing, heart pressure and heart rate. However, I would balance it with warm hues for furnishings and fabrics Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926TOPIC 2 : Cakes 1 - Have you ever made a cake yourself? Yeah, last year | decided to make a cake for my husband's birthday because it was the least expected thing that | could do for him. My husband doesn't like cakes with a buttery taste. And he doesn't like too airy cakes either. So | chose to make a three-tier chocolate biscuit cake with a tender and moist texture. | found a video recipe on the Internet and asked my mom to help meas | was afraid to spoil everything. | baked several cakes and made chocolate mousse first. Then | assembled it, stacking the layers on top of each other. Also, | experimented with cake decorations a bit and finally decided on chocolate lace collars, decorating the outside of the bottom and middle cakes with them. The cake looked gorgeous. The crumb was delicate and moist, the frosting was rich and creamy and utterly chocolatey. It was filed with buttercream, fresh fruit, and nuts. sprinkled the top tier of the cake with chocolate curis-and dusted it with confectioners sugar. | was so excited as | just couldn't believe | managed to make it myself. It was the first time I had ever made a Cake myself. 2- Do you like cake? Sample 1: Yeah, cake is my favourite foodstuff. It is the most versatile dessert as it comes in a huge variety of delicious flavour combinations. | really love chocolate tarts ano tartlets with berries, cake with mascarpone or cream cheese, to name but a few. It's delicious. And believe it or not,'¢ake helps me,relieve the stress. Not only gain weight. Sample 2: No, | don't... as | don't like any’Sugary things... except for a few kinds of fruits and berries. And | try to avoid eating unhealthy food. Sample 3: No. You see, there's a really good phrase ‘a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips’. [just don't think that a moment's pleasure is worth sticking to a diet for a week or so in order,not to gain weight. Sample 4: No, | do not like cake at all. Not even cupcakes or brownies. The only 'cake' | will eat is cheesecake as it's not too sweet. But | try not to eat too much 3. Do you eat cake after meals? Sample 1: Mostly, yes... as there's a tradition in my family to do so. Furthermore, a meal is never complete for me without a piece of delicious cake. Sample 2: No, | seldom do it after meals. | usually eat cake in between meals or any time | feel | need to satisfy my. sweet tooth. After meals | normally have no room for cake. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 3: sunglasses 1 - Do you wear sunglasses? Of course, I do as | don't want to have either sun-related health problems or wrinkles around my eyes. What's more, Like to look trendy and cool. 2 -Why do you wear sunglasses? Well, 1, first of all, wear sunglasses to protect my eyes from the.sun. Though, sometimes | also put them on when I want to hide my emotions and insecurities or just try to avoid eye contact and conversations with some people. 3- How often do you buy sunglasses? Oh, every time I find a new model | fallin love with, especially if it's the right model for my face, style and emotional needs. 4-Have you ever lost your sunglasses?. Sample 1: Plenty of times, to my regret. Lonce dropped my, sunglasses in water, once left them in a taxi. | also remember the ease when | lost them on amusement park rides. Oh, and of course, a hundred of cases'when | lost them at home. Sample 2: Oh, thank god, I've never lost them. Otherwise, | would have had a heart attack as they cost me an.arm and a leg, Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 5: Music 1. - What kinds of music do you like to listen to? 1am a music lover so | enjoy listening to different kinds of music because any music be it classical, electronic or pop creates some feelings in my soul. Moreover, different kinds of music influence me in different ways, for example classical music lessens depression whereas rock music evokes strong memories. 2- What kinds of music are most popular in your country? | think people in my country mostly enjoy pop and rock. Pop music appeals to people with its catchy melodies and lyrics while rock is liked simply because it provides soundtracks for life experiences, motivates people and energises them 3 - Have you ever learnt to play a musical instrument? Yes, | have. When | was a kid | attended musi¢'schoo! for Several years. | tried playing several musica instruments such as the-piano, the drumsiand the guitar but eventually | opted for the piano and I still can play several classical music pieces like The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi or On the Beautiful Blue Danube by Johann Strauss. 4--Is music an important subject at school in'your country? Unfortunately music isn't considered to,be animportant subject at school in practice but itis of primary importance ‘at its core cause musical training helps develop language and reasoning, maths and pattern recognition skills. What is more, it builds imagination and intellectual curiosity, develops spatial intelligence and teaches kids discipline. 5 - When did you start listening to that type of music? | started listening to pop musi¢ at a very early age, | guess | was around 5 or 6 years old: This catchy and.easy-listening music tempted me and | just couldn't help listening to it. AS far as rock is Concerned, | fell in love with it in my early twenties after | heard the Rolling Stones’ 'Paint it black’ 6 - Do you often listen to music? It Seems | listen to it all the time. | do it while working,.. driving a car, spending time on the Internet, walking down the street, working out, cooking and even lying around. So yeah, I can say that | listen to music my entire day. 7- When do you listen to music? Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Well, | would say | listen to music whenever | can but | mostly do it when | am out of work and have free time though sometimes | turn on music at work when | need to focus on some important task 8 - How much time do you spend listening to music every day? I guess | spend about 70 percent of my time listening to music. | listen to it my entire day while working, walking... driving a car, cooking, surfing the Intemet. So yeah I.quess at least 70 percent of my day 9 - How do you feel when you listen to it? | feel elated when I listen to the music | like. | just melt into the melody and flow with the rhythm. It makes me relieved, pumped up and really blissful Group: original exams- phone: 0964879926Topi ‘ollecting things What items are considered collectibles in your country? ‘Some of the most popular collectibles in my country are stamps. The rarer the stamp, the more valuable it is, and collectors might even travel far and wide in the search of highly-prized stamps. For example, ‘Russian Warship, go..." has become the most. wanted stamp not only in my country, but in many countries all over the world. It was sold on Ebay for 1500 dollars. Classic cars, art, coins, NFTs and celebrity memorabilia are also popular collectible items with a high potential return on investment"! should say collecting cars isn't an option for everybody, but they are considered one of the coolest things to have. Children of all ages collect stickers, coins, badges, squishies, Happy Meal toys, Lego sets. Is collecting a popular pastime in your country? ‘Well, it certainly is. And | guess the main reason why'itis So popular is simple: it’s fun! | mean people find pleasure in searching for items to add to their collection. | think what they enjoy the most is the challenge of finding the items. Also, people enjoy collecting different things and grouping them in different ways. Some people who experience stress may use collecting as a form of escape. Others collect things in order to’be part of their/peer group. And | can't help mentioning one more reason - this comes froman instinet. Our ancestors learned skills of hunting and gathering supplies they needed for survival: Do a lot of people in your country collect things? Well, quite a lot, actually: And I(guéss the main reason why it is so is simple: it’s fun! | mean people find pleasure in searching for items to add to their collection. | think what they enjoy the most is the challenge of finding the items. Also, people enjoy collecting different thingS“and grouping them in different ways. Some people who experience stress may use collecting as a form of escape. Others collect things in order to be part of their peer group. And I can't help mentioning one more reason - this comes from an instinct. Our ancestors learned skills of hunting and gathering supplies they needed for survival Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926What are the benefits of collecting? Well, collecting things is a wonderful hobby which can help to expand people's mind, improve their mental capacity, and boost their mental health and overall wellbeing. The most important benefits it brings are the following. First of all, it builds a desire for knowledge because it’s natural for collectors to want to know as much about their specialist subject as possible. Secondly, it inspires creativity as the more people experience, the more ideas and views they can pull from when trying to come. up with something new. Also, it improves organizational thinking due to the néed.to Sort and categorize the objects in collections, and builds observational skills as collectors are always on the lookout for new and rare objects that they can adéto their collection which makes them much more mindful of the world around them. And, of course, it promotes relaxation and stress reduction as collecting provides Safe space where collectors can abandon their worries and just feel happy Do you collect things? Well, actually, | do as itis the collection of the things | love and value that brings back my happy memories, connects me to some important periods of my life and gives me personal pleasure and enjoyment. What's more, it satisfies my natural hunting instinct and lets me enjoy the social interaction with fellow collectors. So, yeah, | do collect things, but I'm not a crazy collector. I\don't spend all my money and free time on building out a collection. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 7: crowded place How do you feel when you are in a crowded place? Well, it pretty much depends on a situation. If | know that something pleasant and enjoyable is around the comer, being in a crowded place makes me feel excited. | mean | don't mind spending some time in a crowded airport or train station when I'm going on holiday. However, ifit's a crowd of fans at the stadium, it makes me feel scared in any case as | understand that a crowd like this is absolutely uncontrollable and unmanageable. And | feel annoyed when shoppers in a street market are Swarming around stalls so | have to squeeze through the crowd to get a closer look at anything that is sold. Also, | hate that crowd chaos after big sports events or concerts when the crowd literally drags me along and | just can't do anything about itSo, it depends. When was the last time you were in a crowded place? Well, just a couple of days ago. My friends and | visited.a pub which was packed with people, There were so many people that | was afraid we would have {6 wait for ages to be served... Also, it was really noisy as all thosé people were talking simultaneously. To be honest, | was a little out of my element there: What places do you think are often crowded? Oh, I guess the ones which are meant for scores of people like train stations, airports, stadiums, shopping malls, all kinds of parks, and even restaurants and night clubs at weekends. How often do you go to crowded places? Well, once a week at least. | like going out with my friends on Friday nights and we usually visit clubs or cafes packed With people. So, once a week is sure as hell Do you like crowded places? Well, | would say "Yes" asa crowded place is a sign of social proof for me, which is of primary importance in my age. What is more, | like the feeling of being a part of something special or being seen as a part of something popular, which also attracts me to crowded places and excites me the moment I get there. So, definitely yes, | crowded spots’are my thing Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topi 1g bored What things are boring to you? Well, to be honest, lots of things make me feel bored. But the ones that top the list are doing chores, queuing, being. stuck in traffic jams and filling in some documents. What do you do when you get bored? Oh, | try to find something that will bring me pleasure like planning my'next Vacation, watching a movie or just going, for a walk. The main thing is to switch off. Do you ever get bored? Thank god, almost never. I can get bored only if lack interest to something | do, do the same thing over and over again or do nothing at all, which happens once in a blue moon. Do you feel more bored than when you were young? Fortunately not... as 1have learnt how to deal with boredom for years of my life. Being a teenager | just didn't have any experience in eombating this psychological state and so suffered from it more often. Now, the moment | start feeling bored, | do my best to switch off. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topi inging Do you often sing? Well, quite often. | do it every moming when | have a shower and every evening when | want to get away from my problems and relax. | also sing when | am happy and when | want to make people around me smile. Oh, and whenever | hear the song | like. So yeah, | sing almost all the time. Do you often sing? Well, | would say almost never. | can only do it when | cook or When.I.have a shower so only when | am alone and nobody can hear me. | can't sing well and just don't want to annoy people around me. When do you like to sing? Oh, | enjoy singing when | hear the song I like or when want to attract someone's attention. | also often do it when I want to express myself and what | feel or when my. mood strikes pushing my heart and soul to sing. and have fun Is it difficult to sing well? | guess it isn't if you are extremely gifted or if you practise daily taking singing classes or using a good vocal training. program. Regular practice helps people discover the full potential of their voice and take advantage of itso I don't think it's too hard when singing skills are well-developed: Do you want to bea singer? Oh yes, love Singing and want to let everyone know about it touching their hearts with my songs.‘Singing is a big part of my life so, yeah, | can say this is my dream career. Do you want to be asinger? Oh no,,| don't. First ofall; Lam too shy to perform live on stage in front of a large crowd. |.am also quite bad at acting which is important for a professional singer. What is more, | think it's @ very hard job, so no, | wouldn't even like to try What kinds of music do you like to sing? Well, really enjoy singing ballads ‘cause they are typically slow and have an emotional touch owing to the lyrical content. also like country songs for their meaningful Lyrics and soothing tunes and, of course, for those good stories which they tell What kinds of music do you like to sing? Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926‘Well, metal songs are the ones that appeal to me most of all. | guess it's because they give me the feeling of being powerful which is important for a man. What is more, they are not confined by anything and that’s why give me the feeling of freedom which makes me happy and energized. PERS) Las Siete me Ile) CA AS87992 5 Group: original exams- phone: 0964879926Topic alkative person Describe a person you know who likes to talk a lot You should say: who this person is what he or she likes to talk about how you feel talking to this person part 3 for this cue card is ‘Expressing yourself" There are people who can talk your ears off if you let them. My colleague John is one of them. We work in the same department so, obviously, | can't avoid communicating with him, and it's always the same... He sees me in the office, asks me, how I am or how my weekend was, and before | can utter a word he starts telling me.about éverything he's been up to recently. He seems to think that whathe has to say is as fascinating to everyone else as it is to him. In fact, he just keeps yammering about his life and his, family problems. It seems like there's anew family crisis every week Honestly, | don't think | produce as many words in’ week-as he does in 10 minutes. | tend to say only as much as necessary to get my point across and then stop. So each conversation with him is ike pulling teeth, especially when I need to discuss some important work issues. | simply. cannot get a wiord in edgeways. And | wonder how it is that he doesn't notice theymany times mymouth opens hopefully and then shuts again. In case | need to discuss something with him, the chances of escaping are on par with breaking out of a maximum-seourity prison. He can talk for 15 minutes without taking a breath. | just smile and nod. | try tobe polite and pretend to be interested, but | don't like to engage inidle talk. So all his jibber-jabber really annoys me Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 2: Noise Describe an occasion when someone or something made noise You should say: who or what made the noise what the noise was like what you did how you felt about it part 3 - Noise + Well, a few days ago | was woken by the guttural meowing sounds, screeching, hissing, yowling and growling. if you have cats, you know that it's something that happens every now and then. So I'm kind of used to it. That's Why at first | didn't react. ‘And | was planning to continue sleeping ‘cause | thought my.cats were just roughhousing But then | heard that ear-splitting screeching, and. realised that they crossed the line and playful roughhousing turned into a full-blown fight. was afraid they would hurt each other. So | jumped out of bed and rushed to the kitchen | found my cats wrestling and biting each other's necks: The fur was flying, It looked like the play fight did escalate to a real fight. So | had to intervene. | did what | usually do’on such occasiOns. I'sprayed them with water. They separated, but a few seconds later they started running around, meowing like crazy, and acting as if they were on’a racetrack being chased. So | had no choice, but to direct them into separate rooms so they could calm down Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 3: something you do that helps you work or study Describe something you do regularly that helps you work and study better You should say: what it is when you do it how you feel when you do this how it helps you part 3 - ‘Daily routine’ Until recently, | thought high productivity was all about planning. So | made'lists of tasks for each day. | sorted these tasks by priority. But no matter what did | couldn't get all the work done. And I was really angry and frustrated. So, now | know that creating a daily plan is enormously important. But its also necessary to peg a time limit to each task on the list.«| used to work slowly just because | didn't control the time. Sometimes | was trying to bring'the result to perfection, which is pointless per se. Sometimes | was distracted by emails, calls messages or Facebook. You know, you want to quickly check something on Facebook or Instagram) but then you find yourself aimlessly scrolling the feed for half an hour What's more, | set some awards’and punishments in order not to be tempted to text someone or scroll the feed on Facebook. The main problem about it is that once you get distracted, it takes about 20 minutes to return to’our original task Now | understand that | havea limited period of time to complete some task. So | just don't pay attention'to the distractorsiand activities that waste my time. Now that I've managed to significantly increase my productivity, | can tell you that this method worked for me well. And. when | have a lotof tasks to complete, | no longer feel nervous as | know that I'will complete’all the tasks on the list. | feel calm and in control of what's going on Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 4: useful object Describe a useful object in your home you can't live without You should say: what it is how you use it how often you use it how it helps you and why you can't live without it part 3 - ‘Technology and equipment’ ‘What | can't imagine my life without now is a vacuum cleaner. | use it every'single day, sometimes even twice a day. I'm not obsessed with cleanliness.(though my husband says | am a clean freak), but | hate to see dust, crumbs, cat's hair and other particles on the floor, on carpets and on the furniture. | love my cat, but he sheds a ton of hair everywhere every day. It seems to me he drops more fur than one would think is. possible. And I've got a chair that gets particularly coVered in hair every day ‘cause this is the place where my cat likes to chill. If didn't vacuum every evening, there would be clumps of hair all over our clothes and everywhere. Plus, | like to walk around my flat barefoot, but I hate when my feet get dirty and When dirt and other Particles stick to my feet. ‘Again, the only way to prevent this from.happening is to vacuum the floor and carpets every day. | love my husband and kids, but I hate to see little pieces of food, cracker and bread crumbs on the floor'causé they like eating in the living room and don't feel guilty about it. I'm happy that | have a really powerfull vacuum cleaner which is specially designed for people who keep pats. I's a canister model which has the motor and dust collector, and the vacuum head connected to its main part by a flexible hose. It is a wheeled type and it has really high\suetion power, sol don't have to put too much effort in order to clean all the surfa¢es.t's compaet and lightweight, therefore | don't have any difficulty using it So every evening | vacuum all the surfaces using different heads for different tasks. And |.do it even if! feel drained after a hard working day. If it weren't for this vacuum cleaner, ‘the whole flat would be covered in cat's hair, crumbs, dust, torn paper pieces and other Particles, which would really annoy me. Without exaggeration, I'm really happy that humanity once created this household device because it saves a lot of my time, and I clean the whole flat relatively fast. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topi Describe a skill that you leamed in your childhood You should say: + what skill you learned who taught you this skill how they taught you why you think it is important part 3 - Skills ‘When | was a child, my mother taught me how to tie shoelaces. Tthink'it's one of the most painstaking tasks I've had so far. I'm serious. And | think this iS the main reason why | still remember this process so vividly. | think | was 6 or? when my mom decided it was time for me to get more independent. And so wesstarted, You see, it takes no more than two seconds to tie your shoes. You do it automatically without thinking about it. | mean it’s as natural as breathing. But for a6-year-old child it isn't as easy ‘cause this seemingly simple action’consists of many stages. So we started practising 5 minutes every day and my,mom,broke down thiS complicated task into smaller steps not to overwhelm me. But it didn't really help. At first, we practised with my shoes off. We USed laces of two different colours to help me differentiate one lace from the other. We started from learning to make a starting knot. Mom showed me howto crossthe left end over the right end of the lace, wrap one end around the other, pull both ends to complete the knot. When I finally succeeded, we moved on to a more complicated task She started teaching me/to make both ends into ‘loops’ that look like bunny ears, then cross the twolloops over each other, wrap the right loop around the left one, grab hold of both loops and pull'the knot tight. Every day we took one small step forward. Everything was'ok when we did it together, but when she asked me to do it myself, it was terrible. It was as if | had never practised anything before. We did it again and again until |managed to do it myself. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 6: Unusual holiday Describe an unusual holiday you had You should say: + what holiday it was who you were with what you did there why it was unusual part 3 for this cue card is ‘Tourism’, ‘Travelling’ ve always been a serial traveller, but | used to buy package tours from réputable tour operators only. So | was taken care of from start to finish. However, last summer, | became obsessed with the idea of taking a road trip around the country. | was excited and scared at the same time. So, first, my friends and | created a trip itinerary based on our preferences and budget, rented a van, took our luggage, tents, sleeping bags, food and water and hit the road. It was a really enjoyable joumey. First of all, we enjoyed the scenery along the Way. ‘There were'stretches of long winding hairpins, sections with many switchbacks, great.coastal Toads, mountain tunnels, spectacular bridges, and some of the most breathtaking mountain passes. Itwas an adventurous journey a well, Once we had fo deviate from the route because the road was washed away by floods. As a result, we found a nice secluded beach where we decided to stay for a few days. It was\a Spontaneous decision. And it was worth it. Also, we saw ancient castles and fortresses. We visited a vineyard and tasted wine. It was both romantic and adventurous. And the most important thing was that none of us had done anything like that before Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 7: helping someone Describe a situation when you helped someone You should say: + what the situation was who the person was how you helped them how you felt after helping them Part 3 for this cue card is ‘Helping others | don't do things in a big way such as donating a kidney or something like this. But | always try to go little out of my way to help someone with Such things as holding a heavy door at the supermarket or helping to carry heavy bags. In these cases | normally Tush over to help without a second thought. When it comes to giving money to beggars, |'m always in a bit of a psychological conundrum. On the oné hand, giving money to them encourages begging. On the other hand, there.are situations where a person is in a real need of help without which their survival would be a question. Recently | found myself in a situation when | couldn't help giving some money t6 an elderly lady who was begging for it One day after I had done shopping)! stopped near the supermarket to answer the phone. While speaking, | noticed an old lady. She was probably in her late 70s or even early 80s. Her face and hands'were Covered with deep wrinkles. She was hardly standing on her feet. This lady didn't seem to be begging, she was just standing near the supermarket. And if ithadn't been for people who came to her and gave her folded banknotes, | wouldn't have understood why she was standing there. | felt s for her and decided to help: However, l\was still afraid that some people could come and try to get her money and she wouldn'tbe able to’protect herself. So | went back to the supermarket, bought all the products elderly people usually buy. I tried to buy more foods with a long sheff life such a8 cereals, sugar, potatoes. | also bought some dairy products, fresh bread, oi some fish, chicken, and vegetables. | came to her and told her I wanted to bring everything to her place as the bags were too heavy for her to lift. She thanked me and told me | was her guardian angel. This made me feel great and proud of myself as | had helped to'make this woman's life easier. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Sample Just recently | saved my best friend from a rash decision. We had a small get-together last Friday evening, and | noticed that he was acting aggressively and losing his temper at the smallest thing. | asked him what happened, and he said he was thinking of quitting his job Of course, it was obvious that this decision would impact his life significantly. Sol decided to interfere, but | didn't want to put too much pressure on him,so | just said something like ‘I'm here for you if you ever want to talk Just as | expected it appeared that he decided to quit his job ‘cause hevhad a conflict with a colleague. So | realised that his decision was emotional not logical. Moreover, this meant he wanted to quit a job without another one lined Up, which entails uncertainty and having no income for an indefinite period of time. So | decided to help my friend ‘cause I'm convinced that this is what friends are for. And | think it's natural to want to make someone you love and care for feel better again: | didn't tell him that he needed to calm down. Instead, just listened to him and let him vent. About an hour later he realised hewasiblowing things Out of proportion that he just needed to talk to his colleague face-to- face before the conflict got out of hand. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topi 1g busy Describe a period when you were very busy You should say: when this time was what you did at this time how you arranged your time how you felt after this busy time was over part 3 - ‘Time management, feeling tired Last month, to say that | was busy is to say nothing. I was like. ahamster on a wheel trying to get everything what I'd planned done. Itwas absolutely crazy time. | was working on several projects at the same time to cover for a colleague who was on holiday. I couldn't say ‘no’because we usually cover for each other, and | knew that | wouldn't be able to Count on her jn the future if | had refused to pick up her workload. So | had to push myself beyond my limits to get all the work done. | had a constant flow of emails comingvin. Also, had to deal with customer requests and phone calls, let alone my daily.reports. Even when I came home after work, | couldn't relax because | had to walk the dog/and make sandwiches and tea not to collapse from hunger as | didn't even have time for lunch. Also, in the mornings | woke up at the last minute, so breakfast was out of question in most cases, To tell the truth, the only thing that literally saved me from burnout and overwork was my paper planner called Slice Planner. Thisiplanner presents a work day as a diagram which looks like a clock facé: This diagram is divided into 12 sectors, like 12 hours. You have to shade the sector representing some time slot if you plan to do something during that period ofttimey Although | saw what fitted into my schedule and what didn't, | tried to do more work. So, when this Crazy time was over was squeezed like a lemon as | had to work against the:clock to complete my project in time, so | didn't have days off during the whole ‘month. At the same time | felt relieved as | understood | could finally relax for some time, And, of course, 1had a sense of accomplishment as my project was a real success. I even.got a bonus for it Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Describe a job you would not like to do in the future You should say: what it is whether you think it's easy or difficult explain why you don't want to do it Part 3 for this cue card is ‘Jobs" | would never ever want to work as a cashier at a supermarket. There's no way I would do it even if | really needed money. Don't get me wrong. | appreciate their work, and | consider this job important as cashiers are often the only only people who customers interact with So | understand that they play a major role in how customers feel when\they leave the store. But at the same time, it's one of the worst jobs on Earth First of all, its really boring. You are just an‘item scanner’ don't think it would take me long to leam the ropes. And it's so boring whn you do the same thing day by day. And when you don't leam anything new. What's more, you have to smile, greet,'and thank each and every customer even if they are being rude to you. ‘And we all know that customers often forget that cashiers are human too, and that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. (One more reason why I'd never consider this job is that you have to stand for long periods of time while checking out customers. | guess many cashiers experience leg swelling almost each day. Not to mention the fact that you can't take a toilet break when you need it or that you to pay for any shortage of cash. Finally, there's no path for advancement. | think I'd commit a suicide if | were stuck in a dead-end job like this Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 10: Uniform Describe a uniform you wear You should say: what it is like when you wear it who bought it for you how you feel about it Part 3 - Uniforms and clothes’ Thank God, my job doesn't require wearing a uniform, but when | studied at school, all students were required to wear a school uniform. We, girls, had to wear a blazer, shirt and a knee-length pleated skirt, socks or tights, and flat shoes. All blazers were embroidered with the school logo on the left breast. Our school had a specific supplier to ensure that everyone wore exactly the same clothes. Any other alternatives were forbidden. Moreover, my school had a very strict policy on personal appearance. So, in general, | can't but agree that wearing’ uniform is very convenient and practical, let alone it helps to minimize classroom distractions. | mean'when you dress in a manner that doesn't draw undue attention to your appearance, it allows your classmates to focus on their studies instead of your clothing, Also, no one is teased for not following the latest trends. But | guess at my school this policy was unreasonably. strict. Of course, if we'd worn torn jeans, | guess that would have been unaéceptable. But | still don't understand how dark wash blue jeans strippéd of all details (I mean without zippers, welts or anything like that) could distract somebody's attention. Also, shirts had to be tucked in. That's ok. This helped us [ook smartly dressed and neat. But sometimes what we were expected to do was nothing but absurd. A stident could be sent home or get a verbal warning if their socks Weren't pulled up orheel straps weren't in place. Once licame to school weating a cardigan instead of a blazer. It was a nightmare. | was, Suspended out.of school for ten days. Is that even normal? Thank God, we didn’t have corporal punishment. Of course, if it hadn't been for the uniform policy, we would have worn jumpers, tank tops; short skirts and hoodies. Most of us would have had tattoos and piercings. So children could do whatever they wanted and school would have been one big mess. But such extremes that we had in our school weren't good either. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 11: Outdoor activity Describe an outdoor activity you did in a new place You should say: what you did, when and where you did it who you did it with whether it was difficult or easy why this activity was new or exciting for you part 3 - Outdoor activities" One of the most exciting outdoor activities I've ever done is quad biking. Last year, | went to Egypt and was determined to do something crazy and dangerous. | was tom between bungee jumping, paragliding, and quad biking, | decided to go quad biking as it seemed to be the least dangerous activity of the three. Despite this, | was stil very nervous because I'd heard that many people ended up with broken arms and legs. So, | went on a desert safari because quad biking in the sand dunes was part of it. | went with my best friend as we usually travel together and it was clear we were both pretty nervous. However, as soon as we got there, my fears, at least, were assuaged. There were 50-year-old women anid, 12-year-old kids in thé waiting area ahead of us, so we thought, 'f they can do it, we dan do it" It wasn't particularly difficult as We had some ttaining before we were allowed to drive ourselves in the dunes tomake sure thatwe Would be able to maneuver the vehicles easily without the risk of tumbling over, It was fun, adventurous, and, if you don't break the r quite safe. We were driving through the desert, tackling’ Jow and high dunes, and yelling into the wind. | even dared to plunge down,a steep slope, It was the thril ofa lifetime. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 12: item that was lost and found Describe a time when you lost something and then got it back You should say: what it was where you lost it how you found it how you felt part 3 - ‘Losing things’ 'm a person who's forever losing something. And in most cases, | don't notice that some item is missing for a long time... if ever... However, recently thefe was one case that I remember very well. This is because | lost my. smartphone, and itwas a total disaster because | am not ashamed to say that | can't survive even an. hour without the device. So, one day | retumed home after a busy day and wanted to text one of my friends, but | couldn't find my smartphone. At first, I didn't worry at all. | asked my.mom to call my phone ‘cause I was sure it was somewhere in my purse orin one of the pockets. What we heard was ‘the phone you dialled is not available’at the moment’ This meant that locating my phone fast and éasily Was out of question. | thought the battery had gone flat, therefore it would just take a little more time to find it. | searched high and low, but the search was without success. realized I'd lost it. At that very moment | felt like my heartwas comming to a complete stop. | started panicking. | thought that someone would hack my phone password and get access to my photos and notes, my accounts on social media, which was the last thing | wanted to have happened. | thought of the potential’ consequences of my being out of contact for what might be several days. Among other things, it was an expensive item, and I'd been saving for a long time to’buy it The worstithing about it was that had no idea where | lost it. What | remembered well was that called my friend aften | left the office. This meant | didn't leave it in the workplace. So | understood that | must have lost it either in the back seat of a taxi or in a changing room ia clothes store. To be honest, | thought | would never see my phone again: Much to my surprise, I got it back. | returned to the shopping mall and asked around for the lost item. The shop assistant ‘old mé’she had found my phone in the dressing room. Then she asked me to name at least five people on the contact list of the phone * make sure it was mine. Of course, | did it; Then | got back and literally sighed with a relief. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Sample (version 2) I'm a person who's forever losing something. And in most cases, | don't notice that some item is missing for a long time... if ever... However, recently there was one case that | remember very well. This is because ! lost my smartphone, and itwas a total disaster because | am not ashamed to say that | can't survive even an hour.without the device. It’s like my best friend. So, one day | returned home after a busy day and wanted to text one of my friends, but | couldn't find my phone. At first, | didn't worry at all. | asked my mom to call my phone ‘cause | was sure it was somewhere in my purse or in one of the packets. What we heard was ‘the phone you dialled is not available at the moment’. This meant that locating my phone fast and easily was out of question. | thought the battery had gone flat, therefore it would just take a little more time to find it. | searched high and low, but the search was without success. | realized I'd lostit. At that very moment | felt like my heart was coming to a complete stop. | started panicking. | thought that someone would hack Tiy phone password’and get access to my photos and notes, my accounts on sociakmedia, which was the last thing | wanted to have happened. | thought of the potential consequences of my being out of contact for what might be several days. Among other things, it was an expensive item, and I'd been saving for a long time to buy it The worst thing about it was thathad no.idea where | lost it. found out there was a hole in my pocket that | didn't realize was there™So this might have happened in a taxi. Or | may have left it in a changing room in the department store. The only thing | remember was that | called my friend after! left the office. This means | didn't leave it in the workplace. But | Wished | had. | was upset and frustrated. And | was really angry about the whole thing. But anyways | never saw my phone again. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 13: Something you bought from a street market Describe a time you bought something from a street market You should say: what street market it was and where it was when it was what you bought how you felt about this shopping experience part 3 for this cue card is ‘Shopping’ Several years ago my best friend and | were on holiday in X country Our tour guide recommended us to go to the city's oldest street market, which is one of the oldest shopping streets in X, always abuzz with local people and holidaymakers who go there to buy spices, fruit, clothing, souvenirs, handicrafts, fabrics, to name but a few. He told us that this would be a great way to get an interesting glimpSe into local culture and do shopping, and it indeed was an unforgettable life experience. Now | can safely say that it's by far the most crowded street | have’ever seen. Both sides of a narrow medieval street were teeming with people, it was just like a bee hive. Vendors all vied in offering their goods to shoppers. Shoppers from all over the world were swarming’around stalls so | had to squeeze through the crowd to get a closer look at anything that was sold. | couldn't even stop and look around as the crowd literally dragged)me along. It was really noisy. Despite all the difficulties, | managed to buy spices for my mom as she likes cooking and some local handicrafts and Souvenirs because | collect such things. | went therewith my friend, whom | was travelling with, but no sooner had we reached the place than we were separated by the crowd. So we quickly understood that there wa no point in trying to resist in order to keep together. | just tried to look around every other minute notto lose sight of her. For this reason, | can say | went there on my own. Oh, and | nearly forgot one thing. | had to be very careful not to become pickpockets’ victim because such crowded places are a paradise for them. Therefore, on the one hand, this experience was very interesting as the market's vibrant atmosphere made shopping lots of fun. But it was a bit dangerous too, Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 14: Doing something in a hurry Describe an occasion when you had to do something in a hurry You should say: what it was when it was why you had to do it quickly how you felt about it, part 3 - ‘Being in a hurry’ Band 7+ version Normally | start packing my suitcase one day or so before a trip. But once | packed it literally at the last minute because the night before my flight | was running on fumes and | could hardly move. So | set the alarm for 6 am to do it early. | knéw right off the bat that it was a bad idea ‘cause I'm not used to getting up early, but | was too tired to do this before going to bed. As | expected, | slept through my alarm and wokelup at 9 am (and |/had to leave for the airport at 11). So | rushed to pack, and | was really worried I'd forget important stuff like documents, insurance, cosmetics, meds. In my haste, | threw clothes into the suitcase, not even checking if they matched. | grabbed chargers, toothpaste, and random things. You know, as time went on, | started to panic more and more. The more nervous I'grew; the more chaotic my actions became. | started freaking out ‘cause | couldn't find my passport at first, So what | hoped would be the calm start of my holic tured into a chaotic race against time. Finally, | left the airport, praying | hadn't overlooked anything Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Band 6.5 version Usually, | pack my suitcase a day before a trip, but once | did it right before leaving because the night before my flight | was very tired. | set an alarm for 6 a.m. to do it early, but | knew it was a bad idea because I'm not used to waking up early. Still-hwas 00 tired to do it before going to bed. As | thought, | overslept and woke up at 9 a.m (and | had to leave for the airport at 11). So I rushed to pack, and | was worried I'd forget important things like documents, insurance, cosmetics, and medicine: In a hurry, | put clothes in the suitcase without checking if they matched, | grabbed chargers, toothpaste, and random items. As time passed, | started to panic more. The more nervous Igot, the more chaotic my actions became. Plus, | freaked out because | couldn't find my passport at first | was planning to have a calm start to my holiday, but itall tured into a rushed race against time. Finally, | left for the airport, praying | hadn't forgotten anything Band 5.5-6.0 version Usually, | pack my suitcase a day beforé’a tip, but onée I'did it right before leaving because the night before my flight.| was Very tired. set 2n alarm for 6 a.m. to doit early, but | knew it was a bad idea because I'mnot anearly bird. It is hard for me to wake up early. Still, I was too tired to do/it before’going to bed. As | thought, | overslept and woke up at 9 a.m. (and | had to leavé for the airport at 11). So I rushed to pack, and | was afraid to forget important things like documents, insurance, cosmetics, and medicine. In a hurry, | put clothes in the suitcase without checking if they matched. | grabbed chargers, toothpaste, and random items. As time passed, | started to panic more. ‘And my action’ became even more chaotic. Plus, | freaked out because | couldn't find my passport at first So, | was planning to have a calm start to my holiday, hut it all turned into a rushed race against time. In the e went to the airport, hoping | didn't forget anything. Group: ot jal exams- phone: 0964879926Topic Expressing yourself, communication What jobs need employees to be talkative?/ In what industries do you think communication is a necessary skill?/ What jobs need employees to be talkative? Oh, plenty of them, actually. Teachers, for example, as they talk throughout the day, often repeating the same material to different classes of students, or reporters who conduct plenty of interviews and follow-up interviews with their sources inorder to get stories straight. | can also mention jobs of sales representatives who need to be talkative as they spend the majority of their days selling. their products or services, customer service representatives who are expected to have all the answers and be able to communicate clearly and human resources specialists who consult with employers to find gaps in employment, interview applicants and organise new-employee orientation. Should children be encouraged to talk more? I'd say ‘yes’ as talking fuels children's language development helping kids form stronger language and conversational skills. What is more, it strengthens their overall ability to learn, which opens the doors of great opportunities in front of them in early childhood So, defenilty yes Why do you think it is important to communicate with others? Oh, in order to express ideas and féelings.as well as spread knowledge and information, first f all. It's also essential to communicate with other people to discuss ideas and share experience in different spheres of life. These are the main reasons of communication, to my mina. What communication skills are important? Well, both verbal anicinon-verbal, no doubt. Communication is not only about words, it’s also about our listening skills, eye contact and body language, | mean facial expressions, gestures and posture. | would also ada written and visual communication skills to the list. Only together can they make communication pleasant and efficient for everyone, to my mind Do you agree that communication skills cannot be learnt? No, I don't agree with this statement. On the contrary, there is no doubt in my mind that communication skills can be developed and improved if people follow some particular Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926steps. For example, if they practise active listening, | mean engage with what people say by giving affirmative replies and asking follow-up questions to show that they are paying attention... or if people start focusing. on nonverbal communication paying attention to their facial expressions and body language when they are speaking with someone as it can help prevent miscommunication. One more step people can take in order to improve their communication skills is practise public speaking as regularly speaking in front of a group will magnify their strengths and weaknesses and force them to develop great communication habits. Well, these were the tips which really helped me, though, I'm sure there are many other efficient ways to leam communication skills which are not worse than the ones | mentioned Are you talkative? I would say 'yes’, at least I really like chatting. It's easy for me tomake and lead non- stop conversations with others as Lam an extrovert. easily get outgoing and enjoy being surrounded by others. | guess it's my nature, it's somehow entwined with my identity So, yes, | can say that | am talkative. Are most people in your country talkative? Yeah, most people in my country are very emotional and, as a result, talkative. They are mainly extroverts and this explains why it's easy for most of them to make and lead non- stop conversations with others. Sometimes it evenseems to me that talkativeness is entwined with our national identity and just reflects the nature of our people. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topic 2: Noise Should children not be allowed to make noise under any circumstances? | don't think so ‘cause making noise is a natural part of their development and expression. However, excessive noise can be disruptive in certain settings, and it's, important to be mindful of others’ needs for a peaceful and quiet environment) For example, in public spaces like parks or playgrounds, children’s noise levels are expected and acceptable, as these areas are designated for play and fun. But in places like restaurants, libraries, or hospitals, excessive noise can be disturbing and disruptive to other patrons or patients trying to enjoy their meals or rest. Moreover, in schools or classrooms,. children should be taught to keep their noise levels to'@ minimum to ensure a productive learning environment and respect for the learning process of other children. ‘Teachers may use noise as part of their teaching strategies, but it Should be balanced with the need for a quiet and peaceful classroom. In,addition, it's important to consider the impact of noise on the environment and.wildlife. Loud noise can have negative effects on the environment and children should be taught fo.be mindful of the impact their noise levels have on it. In conclusion, children should be’allowed to express themselves and have fun, but i’s crucial to find a balance.between self-expression and respect for others’ needs for a peaceful and quiet environment. Parents, caregivers, and children should be aware of the noise levels they produce and adjust accordingly in different settings to respect others. What type of noise do you.come across in your daily life? We are surrounded by different sounds both indoors and outdoors. My typical day starts with the sound of Boiling. water as | can't imagine my morning without a cup of coffee. Every single day\I'm accompanied by roaring engines, slammed doors, mouse clicking and constantly.ringing phones. What type of noise do you come across in your daily life? We are surrotinded by different sounds both indoors and outdoors. My typical day starts ‘with the sound of boiling. water as | can't imagine my moming without a cup of coffee. Every single day 'm accompanied by roaring engines, slammed doors, mouse clicking and/constantly ringing phones. Well, | guess everywhere where there are crowds of people and tons of cars, and especially in the streets of cities with dense population and traffic as such cities are really loud places with sounds of car horns, sirens, truck traffic and people yelling. I'd also mention such places as train stations, airports, stadiums, malls,. nightclubs and amusement parks as they also unite lots of people, which creates an exciting loud atmosphere bringing even more people in. Group: original exams- phone: 0964879926Where can people hear a lot of noise? ‘Well, | guess everywhere where there are crowds of people and tons of cars, and especially in the streets of cities with dense population and traffic as such cities are really loud places with sounds of car horns, sirens, truck traffic and people yelling-I'd also mention such places as train stations, airports, stadiums, malls, nightclubs and amusement parks as they also unite lots of people, which creates an exciting loud atmosphere bringing even more people in. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926Topi ly routine Do you agree that having a routine gives people more time to think? Well, | think having a routine doesn't guarantee, but increases the likelihood that you'll free up the time to think ‘cause when you have a routine, a lot of things you do day-to-day slot in, and you don't have to think about them anymore. This gives you an opportunity to build in blocks of time for important things that you worry about. What's more, doing something repetitive involves little thought, which will give you more time to think about whatever is on your mind. But i's not gonna work out in some cases For example, if you have too much on your plate (work,. school, spouses, kids, chores, socializing and more), you won't be able to find the time to just sit down and think. You! ust juggle lots of tasks every single day. So'd-say it depends: What are the advantages and disadvantages of routine? Well, the biggest benefit routine brings. is. structure and discipline in life. | mean it provides the framework within which people live theit lives and conduct their daily. activities and therefore frees up time that would otherwise be spent on planning, decision-making and preparation. The biggest disadvantage, though, is that routine suppresses creativity. As a result, people have difficulty in finding creative solutions to different problems and generating ideas. Also, routine makes people léss flexible and less resistant to change. | mean when people get Used to doing the same thing day after day, even minor changes make them feel stressed and depressed. How can people changé their daily routine if they want to? Well, changing your routines not as easy as it may seem. ‘The very first step is to make a list of habits that you want to develop. And there are several important things to remember. First of all, you should remember it may take you a long time to adapt to changes, and you will have to consciously repeat the same action again and again. But, in my opinion, it's also very important to be realistic and take into account your current circumstances and capacity. | mean you should understand you cannot try out many new things at once. Also, i's a good idea to get sed to saying 'yes' to things you would normally pass on. You can start with some simple ways to change up your daily routine, for example, shower or brush your teeth differently. This will help you find out what you can do to Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926change your life for the better. You know, sometimes even small changes lead to big results. However, habits have some stamina and sometimes you will find old habits resurfacing when you least expect them such as when you're super tired or stressed. So this is something that you will have to take into account when trying to make changes to your life Do you agree that having a routine gives people more time to think? Well, | think having a routine doesn't guarantee, but increases the likelihood that you'll free up the time to think ‘cause when you have a routine, a lot of things you do day-to-day slot in, and you don't have to think about them anymore. This gives you an opportunity to build in blocks of time for important things that you worry about. What's more, doing something repetitive involves little thought,. which will give you more time to think about whatever is on your mind. But i's not gonna work out in some cases. For example, if you have too much on your plate (work,. school, spouses, kids, chores, socializing and more), you won't be able to find'the'time to just'sit down and think. You'll just juggle lots of tasks every single day! So I'd Say it depends. How can people change their daily routine if they want to? Well, changing your routine is not as easy aSit may seem. The very first step is to make alist of habits'that you want to develop. And there are several important things to remember. First of all, you should remember it may take you a long time to adapt to changesyand you will have to consciously repeat the same action again andagain. But, in my opinion, it's also very important to be realistic and take into account your current circimstances and capacity. | mean you should understand You cannot'try out many new things at once, Also, i's a good idea to get used to saying 'yes' to things ‘you would normally pass on. You can start with Some simple ways to change up your daily routine, for example, shower or brush your teeth differently. This will help you find out what you can do to change your life for the better. You know, sometimes even small changes lead to big Fesults: However, habits have some stamina and sometimes you will find old habits resurfacing when you least expect them such as when you're super tired or stressed. So this is something that you will have to take into account when trying to make changes to your life. Group: ot al exams- phone: 0964879926