● Exercise 1 — Answering in Detail beyond \"yes and no\"
Communication point
The following personal information questions could all be answered by simply saying \"yes\" or \"no\impression by answering them as fully as possible.
Exercise Instructions
1. Look at the question below and a possible answer. Example question: Are you married?
Example answer: Yes, I am. My husband is a teacher at a local college.
2. Now, answer all the questions by giving as much information about yourself as possible. 1) Are you married?
2) Have you got any children? 3) What do you do exactly? 4) Where are you from?
5) How long have you lived here/there?
6) What do you like doing in your spare time? 7) Have you ever been abroad?
● Exercise 2 — Extending your answers beyond 2 or 3 words
Communication Point
It is important to make sure that you give more detail than just a few words. It needn't be too long, but it should at least offer enough to be conversational rather than seem like a police interrogation.
Exercise Instructions
1. Which of the answers to the questions below are good answers? Why? Questions 1) Where do you live? 2) Where are you from? 3) What do you like doing in your spare time? 4) Can you tell me about your research? Answers In Beijing. Well, I was born in Shanghai, but I've lived in Beijing since I was 4. I like swimming. Yes. I'm part of a team at the university trying to develop a low- cost satellite communication system for third world countries.
2. Work with a partner and ask each other the same questions. (If you are alone, record yourself.)
● Exercise 3 — Handling Personal Information
Communication Point
Handling personal information requires that you offer information about yourself. You should intend to give just enough so that the interviewer does not feel he or she must ask many follow-up questions.
Exercise Instructions 1. Read the dialogue below:
Interviewer: Right. So tell me about your family.
Candidate: Well, I have three children, two boys and a girl. My wife's a nurse and all of my children are at primary school.
Interviewer: Oh, I see. And do you live in the capital of your country?
Candidate: Yes, we do. We've got a small flat — too small really, but we're used to it. We share a garden with other residents in the block.
2. Now ask a partner to ask you the same questions asked in the dialogue, and a few more using the personal information topics such as jobs, interests, family, study, hometown and ambitions.
● Exercise 4 — Enriching your answers
Communication Point
There are many ways of enriching your answers in English. The attitude to take is one of courtesy. What would you expect a person to want to know from you.
Exercise Instructions
On the tape you will hear two dialogues in which the candidates answer the interviewer's questions about the same topic in two different ways. 1. Decide what they are talking about.
2. Decide which candidate gives the better answer. Why is it better?
3. Work with a partner and talk about the following topics: (if you are alone, record yourself.) 1) Your job
2) The university/college you have graduated from 3) Your hometown 4) Your family 5) Your hobbies 6) Your future 7) Your dream
8) A major festival in your country
● Exercise 5 — Role Playing
Communication Point
The first stage of the oral interview may seem a lot like a job interview or an application for something else like a loan or visa. Sometimes to break the monotony it may be useful to put
yourself in a different role than just yourself. Perhaps you can be a job applicant or a famous actor.
Exercise Instructions
1. Practice a dialogue between a bank manager and a customer. The bank manager wants to find out the following things about the customer: 1) Full name 2) Address 3) Date of birth 4) Marital status 5) Job
6) Why the customer wants a loan
Remember to vary your question types!
● Exercise 6 — Handling Cultural Questions
Communication Point
It is natural that an interviewer is interested in your culture, but will also be pleased if you can say it with coherent, concise detail.
Exercise Instruction
Spend a few minutes thinking about things that make your country's culture and custom special and different from other countries. Talk about the following topics and other ideas you may have:
Marriage At what age?
What kind of ceremony?
What kinds of preparations are necessary? Funerals
What do people do when someone dies? What kind of ceremony? What are some rules? Festivals
What are the major festivals each year? What do most people do at this time? Is there any special food? Forms of entertainment What are some traditional shows in your country? What kinds of games are unique to China? Folk tales and songs
Is there a group of stories or songs that all people know? How do you learn them? Do you know their origins? Ethnic Communities
What are some minority ethnic groups?
How do they differ from the majority groups?
● Exercise 7 — Continuing the Answers
Communication Point
Having an opening hesitation device or opening comment (e. g. There are several reasons for ...) is helpful to give yourself time to think. It is also useful to have some kind of transition from one point to the next (e. g. First ..., Then ..., After that ... etc.).
Exercise Instructions
Continue the candidate's answer to the following questions. Record and analyse your answers, paying particular attention to their organization:
1. Interviewer: Tell me a bit about your educational background. Candidate: Well, first I went to ...
2. Interviewer: Do you find American English easier to understand than British English? Candidate: Yes, I do/No, I don't ...
3. Interviewer: I have never been to your country. What's it like? Candidate: That is a big question ...
4. Interviewer: Which is the best university in your country? Candidate: I suppose X is, because ...
● Exercise 8 — Partner conversations
Communication Point
In stage one, you will likely be required to give brief descriptions, explanations or shallow opinions, but you are not expected to give long speeches. Thus, the key is to work at developing high quality, smooth responses without stuttering. How smooth are you? Sometimes you can tell, but sometimes a partner can give you good feedback.
Exercise Instructions
Practice talking with your partner about the following topics briefly with enough detail to answer the question fully. Prevent yourself from stuttering or repeating words as you speak, and ask your partner to take note of when you do.
I. The hardest part of your job or studies
II. Your roommates in University (past or present) III. The traffic situation in your city
IV. The qualities and skills required of a good company manager V. The recreational facilities in your city/town VI. The night life in your city/town
VII. The public transport system in your city/town VIII. An interesting vacation you have taken
IX. Your impressions of (your host country) X. Why you chose this country to go to
XI. Why you chose your particular field of study
● Exercise 9 — Using Introductory Phrases
Communication Point
Introductory phrases make your answers sound more organized, and they can make your conversation smoother, and they also give you time to think.
Exercise Instructions
What introductory sentences or phrases would you use in your answer to the following questions? 1. What did you study at high school?
2. Which is the most popular sport in your country?
3. How do people spend their weekends in your country?
4. Could you tell me why you choose to study at the University of Alberta?
● Exercise 10 — Asking Questions in Different Ways
Communication Point
It can help your confidence and boost your security to have a good ear for questions even though the test is a speaking test not a listening test. Part of the skill of boosting question skill is being able to anticipate questions.
Exercise Instructions
Ask the following questions in as many ways as possible:
I. What is your job?
II. Where were you born?
III. How many brothers and sisters have you got? IV. What's the climate like in your hometown?
V. What aspect of English do you find most difficult? VI. What are typical working hours in your country?
VII. What are the main tourist attractions in your country? VIII. What is the biggest social problem in your country? IX. What part of the city do you live in?
● Exercise 11 — Talking about your future from the short term to the long term.
Communication Point
The natural flow of talking about someone's future flows form the current situation to the short term and then finally to the long term. It is important to have a variety of ways to express the future, since much of it is speculative and anticipatory. It is also helpful to be able to talk about your strategies.
Exercise Instructions
Talk about your future in the following flow:
Lead In with the present (e.g. preparation, application etc.) Short Term study/career plans (e.g. English, kind of job, major) Short Term personal plans (e.g. travel, hobbies, upgrading)
Strategies for success (e.g. finding a job, making friends) Possible problems (e.g. culture, food, communication) Long term study/career plans (e.g. 10 years, after graduation) Long term personal plans (e.g. family, settle down) A topic related to your future (e.g. future of computers, England)
● Exercise 12 — Talking about Your Future
Communication Point
When you are caught off-guard about your future and do not know what to say, you may be stuck. It is considered a weakness to have nothing to say about your future in the west, so preparing for issues about the future will give you an edge in the interview.
Exercise Instructions
Answer the following questions by yourself or with a partner:
I. What are you going to work as/major in?
In your answer, speak about: subjects, employment, your reasons
II. How will you solve the problem of accommodation and food overseas?
In your answer, speak about: types you prefer, arrangements you'd like to make, adjustments to your diet
III. Do you think you'll be able to cope with the demands of overseas living or studies?
In your answer, predict demands/predict some problems or challenges/say how you might overcome them.
● Exercise 13 — Sequencing events
Communication point
When describing events in your past, it is important that you have some expressions to create flow. Even though the expressions below may seem common, their effective use can mean the difference between an organized talk and a disorganized talk.
Sequence expressions Initially ... In the end Shortly after that While After that Later on Having ...ed Until After ...ing Shortly after ...ing Subsequently After a while
Exercise Instructions
1. Work in pairs. Look at the following notes about someone's life from kindergarten through till now. Write a paragraph using as many of the sequence expressions below as you can. Year
1975 I entered Kindergarten. 1976 I went to grade one.
1983 I passed my entrance examination to go into a good key school. 1986 I graduated from high school. 1987 I entered University.
1991 I graduated from University with honours. 1992 I found a job in a major computer company. 1993 I got married.
1996 I had my first child.
2001 I began to study for my IELTS exam.
2. Now try this exercise yourself with a partner by listing your life events.
● Exercise 14 — Proper Hesitation
Communication point
What should you do or say if the interviewer asks you a difficult question? Perhaps this is an issue you can best decide for yourself. There are a number of different strategies and the key thing is to be aware of the range of options that you have rather than relying on one.
Exercise Instructions
1. Work individually to put the suggestions below into rank order from best to worst suggestion. Rank Suggestions A. Be honest and tell the examiner if you don't know the answer to a question. B. If you have no ideas or opinions on a subject, be honest and tell the examiner. C. If you don't know the answer to a question, try to think of an answer while saying something else. D. If you don't know the answer to a question, try to think of an answer by considering the question in silence. E. If you have no ideas about a subject, make some tentative guesses and then try to change the subject to something you can talk about. F. If you can't answer a question, tell the examiner that it's a difficult question or that you haven't studied the subject or that you haven't prepared that topic.
2. Listen to the two excerpts of two candidates in an interview and decide which student responds better to the interviewer's questions? Which of the sentences match the suggestions above? In the second interview what does the candidate use as hesitation devices? Brainstorm together with your partner as many different hesitation devices as possible.
3. Work in pairs. Practice the dialogues you have just heard. Look at transcript. Take turns to be the interviewee.
4. Work in the same pairs. Decide how you would respond to the questions below if you were asked them in an IELTS interview. Select a range of different strategies from below:
Strategies I. Guess for a while and then try to change the subject to something you can talk about. II. Comment on the question itself. III. Use hesitation devices.
IV. Repeat (and possibly slightly rephrase) the question.
V. Be honest and tell the examiner that you don't know (only use this one if everything else fails).
Questions
I. How do you think transportation has changed over the last 10 years? II. Why do so many people go to your country during the break? III. Why is it that cars are so popular now in China?
IV. How have attitudes to the internet changed in your country?
V. What is the degree of involvement of people using e-mail in their daily lives?
● Exercise 15 — Opinions, Ideas and Reasons
Communication point
In Stage One you are not expected to be overly analytical, but throughout it you may be asked to express your opinion on various things. Generally these will involve stating your preferences. There is no one right way to state your preferences but with enough practice you can begin to feel comfortable.
Exercise Instructions
1. Ask a partner to look at the activities together and decide which activities you would prefer to do and give reasons why.
I. Eating dumplings II. Skating
III. Watching a movie IV. Going to a night club V. Staying at home VI. Flying a kite
VII. Going out to a restaurant VIII. Playing Chinese chess IX. Going to the beach X. Speaking with friends XI. Traveling
XII. Listening to music XIII. Going for a walk XIV. Reading a book
XV. Going bungy jumping
2. Look at the following dialogues in which two people talk about their preferences. Identify any language or function that has been presented or practiced in this unit.
Dialogue 1
A: I'd much rather eat dumplings than listen to music. B: Yes, I prefer reading too. I'm not really into music.
A: Me neither. Anyway, the way I see it, music is a waste of time.
B: Yes and another thing is that there are no good singers these days. It's really bad.
Dialogue 2
A: I prefer flying a kite. B: Really? Why's that?
A: Well, its more relaxing and it takes skill.
B: That's true.
A: What about you?
B: Well, actually, reading appeals to me much more. For one thing, you can improve your English, and learn so much about life. And I enjoy being able to go and get something to eat or drink while I'm reading. But the main reason is that it's a great way to relax!
3. Now join another pair and tell each other your ideas regarding the pairs of activities and use the two dialogues as a guide for expressing your own preferences.
● Exercise 16 — Describing and talking about advantages and disadvantages
Communication Point
In stage one you may be asked to provide some brief opinions about something simple and common to everyone like transportation, communication devices, places, or forms of entertainment.
Exercise Instructions
Work in a small groups and discuss the following:
1. What are the most common forms of transport in your hometowns for?
I. Students going to University II. People going to work III. Teachers going to work IV. Teenagers going to school
V. People traveling from one city to the next VI. Long trips from province to province
2. What are the pros and cons of the following forms of transport? Bicycles Motorcycles Cars Subways Trains Buses Planes Advantages Disadvantages ● Exercise 17 — Trading Information
Communication Point
When practicing communication, you may find it rather boring or tedious to keep repeating information about yourself, while preparing for the stage one part of your oral exam. Thus it is
helpful to add a bit of a game, challenge or even humorous role-play to your preparation.
Exercise Instructions Ask your partner about
His hobbies Travels Hometown Job or studies Accommodation
1. In your partner's answers, he/she will tell 2 lies. Can you guess which ones they are?
Example
Partner A: I am 32 years old and my hobbies are reading and bungy jumping. I like traveling and I have been to Harbin. My hometown is a small place but it is beautiful. I work as an electrical engineer and I live in a castle.
Partner B: A hah! You do not really like bungy jumping and you don't really live in a castle. Am I right?
2. Pretend that you are someone famous from the past or today. Your partner will try to ask you questions. Try and conceal your identity. Give away only information which you think is useful but do not give away your identity too easily. The famous person you represent can be someone living or dead.
Example
Partner A: Tell me about your hometown. What kind of place is it?
Partner B: I live in America in a medium-sized city in the state of Washington. Partner A: Where do you work?
Partner B: I work at a big company in America. Partner A: What kind of company is it?
Partner B: I can't tell you that, but I can tell you that it's one of the biggest companies. Partner A: Do you have any hobbies?
Partner B: Yes, I like shopping for expensive art and I work to give money to several organizations.
Partner A: What was your major in school?
Partner B: I majored in computer software programming. Partner A: Ahh! I know you are Bill Gates, right? Partner B: That's right.
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