Oral Test A1

Grammar:
1.Continuous Aspect Unit 1.1
1.actions happening over a period of time I’ve been waiting for an hour.
2.interrupted action She was crying when I called.
3.temporary situation He is living with his parents until he can rent an apartment.
4.repeated actions (annoying)+always/ constantly She is always asking me stupid questions.
5.situation in the process of changing Life is getting better.
6.plans (past continuous) I was thinking of doing my homework.
7.tentative / indirect ideas I was wondering if I could borrow some money.
8. actions in progress at a particular time Everyone seems to be looking at me at the moment.

a) Answer the questions:

1.Do you agree that these days it is getting easier and easier to live?
2.Do you agree that life is getting better?
3.Is there a project you are involved at the moment?

b) Are the phrases correct? If not, correct them:

1 I'm fed up. We've waited for an hour!
2 She owns a small house by the river.
3 Can you be quiet? I try to work.
4 The letter arrived today. She had expected news since Monday.
5 That chicken dish tasted great.
6 Who do these keys belong to?
7 I work on a project at the moment.
8 My partner made dinner when I got home so I helped.

2.Describing Habits Unit 1.2

(Present Habits& Past Habits :
will /would + infinitive without to (I would spend hours studying);
is /was always +-ing ( I’m always watching movies in English);
keep (on)+-ing (She kept on calling me);
I have an inclination to;
I am inclined to…;
I’m prone to….;
I tend to…;
I have a tendency to;
As a rule, I…;
Nine times out of ten, I..)

Answer the questions:

1.Are you a good language learner?
2. What aspects of studying English do you find particularly difficult?
3. What do you do to improve your English?
4.Do the people around you have some bad habits which annoy you?
5.How do you tend to spend your evenings?

3.Conditionals and Regrets Unit 2.1

 Supposing you had met the president, what would you have done?
 Imagine you had missed the flight, what would you have done?
 Had I known her, I would have said hello.
 But for Wilkinson’s heroics, they would have lost the match.
 a)Continue the sentences:
1 If there's one thing I've learnt ...
2 One thing I'd never ...
3 One thing I wish I'd known when I was .. .
4 If I had a personal motto, it would be .. .
5 My mother/father/mentor/friend always told me "

b) Make up as many sentences as you can, using past conditionals and regrets.
1) Several years ago you had a great idea for a book, but you were too busy to write it. The
story involved a schoolboy magician and his two friends who fight against evil by using
magic. Then the Harry Potter books appeared.

2)You have a safe, steady job, but you are totally bored. As a teenager you were a really good
dancer and had the opportunity to go to the best dance school in the country. You gave it up
because the profession seemed too risky.

3)A few years ago you saw a wonderful house for sale. You thought about buying it, but
hesitated because of the long commute to work. By the time you decided to make an offer, it
was already sold. You frequently dream about living in that house.

4.Verb Patterns (Gerunds and Infinitives) Unit 2.2

Passive  Used to describe actions which are done to the subject:
gerunds I hate being told what to do.
 After some reporting verbs:
He was considered to be the right person for the job.
Passive  After verbs of reference(would like/ love/ hate/ prefer/ rather)- Perfect Infinitive to talk
infinitives about an action in the past:
We would hate to have lost the match.
 Infinitive can be the subject:
To learn is important.
Not to thank her would be impolite.
 Negative Infinitive or Gerund:
Passive It’s quite common not to understand at first.
gerund or Not understanding is quite common.
infinitive  Perfect Gerund or Infinitive to emphasise when one action happened before another:
She mentioned having seen him leave.
They seem to have solved the problem.

Think of:
• one thing you would never consider doing.
• something you regret doing/not doing.
• three things you find hard to tolerate.
• something you have recently been persuaded to do.

5.Noun phrases (Compound nouns) 3.1

1.Noun+noun
2.Adjectives +Noun
3.Adverb + Adjective+ Noun.
4.Order of Adjectives+Noun
(OPSASHCOM)
Before the noun (pre-modification)
coffee cup build-up fingerprint
a forty-five-minute journey (it takes forty-five minutes)
an amazingly simple process
determiner+ opinion+size+age+shape+colour+origin+material+
compound noun (my lovely big old oval shining French silver earrings )
 After the noun (post-modification)
1.Prepositional phrases . the light from the setting sun
2.Participle clauses people rushing in and out of their offices
3.Relative clauses the man who I spotted in the restaurant
4. the relative clause can be rewritten research that has been conducted recently ---. recent research
as a noun phrase.

Think of complex noun phrases describing:

1 a place you have visited.
2 something you have enjoyed eating/cooking.
3 something you have bought recently.

Vocabulary :

1.Name Unit 1.1

a)Text “What’s in a name?” Answer the questions:
1.Why do you think some names become fashionable?
2.What do the results of Mehrabian's research show us?
3.What does Angela Baron think of employers who give people jobs on the basis of names?
4.According to Satran, what influences the way people name their children?
5.Do you think it would make any difference for people if a name is Moniqua (not Monique
or Monica) or Charlee ( not Charley) ?

b)Explain.. / make up a sentence with the words…/ what word means…?

 (to live up to one’s name, to make up a name for oneself, to put one’s name forward for
smth, to clear one’s name)
Plain , unattractive, unfashionable frumpy(adj)
to unite together to get lumped with
retired or honorably discharged from active
professional duty professor emeritus of psychology
to be the highest position in a job or in an
organization to reach the top of the tree
to be final and not to be changed (about
a decision or agreement) to be cut and dried
a return telephone call call-backs
to disapprove of something to take a….. dim view of …
to top the list to be leading in the bizarre forename stakes
to label with to lumber with
freakishly or grotesquely strange or odd outlandish (adj)
intentionally deliberately
to have a more relaxed attitude to have a more relaxed take
variety, multiplicity ethnic diversity

2.Personality Unit 1.2

a) Adjectives. Answer the questions:
1) What qualities does a good language learner have?
2) What qualities should a person have to become a millionaire/a high achiever?
3) How should children/ a girlfriend/ boyfriend/ teacher be?
4)Which qualities do you admire in people?
5)Describe your best friend/ a person you admire/ a person you can’t stand.
6) What are your strong and weak points?

b)Explain ../ make up a sentence with the word.. / what word means…?
 thoughtful takes other people’s feelings into consideration
perceptive notices things quickly and understands situations and people’s feelings well
conscientious works hard
inspirational inspires other people to have ideas
open-minded is willing to consider or accept other people’s ideas or opinions
mature behaves in an adult way
inquisitive is curious to know more
obsessive things about one thing too much
neurotic is unreasonably anxious or afraid
obstinate is determined not to change their ideas, behavior or opinion
rebellious deliberately disobeys people in authority or rules of behavior
prejudiced biased, has an unreasonable dislike of a thing or a group of people
apathetic is not interested or willing to make the effort to do anything
insensitive doesn’t notice or think about other people’s feelings
solitary spends a lot of time alone because they like being alone
over-ambitious tries to do too much
considerate attentive
circumspect cautious, decides carefully before doing something
liberal tolerant, wants her employees to be free to do what they want
easygoing relaxed, never seems to worry about anything
gregarious loves socialising
conservative doesn’t like new ideas, wants to do everything the old way
selfish doesn’t help other people, expects everyone to help her/him
introverted talks to few people, prefers to read, just think or sit quietly
temperamental is happy one minute and screaming the next
impetuous makes instant decisions without thinking about the consequences

 Idioms for people (Yes-man, Whiz kid, Busybody, Chatterbox, Pain in the neck, Dark
horse, Old hand, Set in her ways, Black sheep, Life and sole of the party, Rotten apple, Loose
cannon, Couch potato, Wet blanket, Big cheese, Tough cookie)
3.Learning Unit 2.1
a) Answer the questions:
1 When were you last on a steep learning curve? W hat was the most difficult thing to learn?
2 In what situations do you always trust your instincts?
3 What opportunities have you taken advantage of?
4 Have you ever told yourself 'never give up'? What was the situation?
5 Can you think of a great event or person that had a profound effect on you?
6 Do you know anyone who has come under attack for things he/she said or believed?
7 Can you think of a situation or place in which you had to learn the ropes?
8 Has anyone ever told you to 'believe in yourself? Who? When? Why?
9 Has anyone ever told you the words of wisdom?

b)Explain / make up a sentence with the words/ what word means…?

to understand how to do a particular job or activity to learn the ropes
to be criticised for to come under attack for
to believe that your feelings are correct to trust my instincts
to use the chances you get to take advantage of opportunities
not to stop trying to achieve something to (never ever) give up
to change a person deeply to have a profound effect on
to feel deeply that you can succeed to believe in yourself
when you quickly have to learn something difficult to be on a steep learning curve
prejudice, bias preconception
to change people’s believes to challenge the stereotypes
to wait until you know all the facts to make an keep an open mind
opinion or a judgment
4.Opinions Unit 2.2
a)Illustrate the proverb:
I’ve got a real vested interest.
We don’t have an axe to grind.
Play devil’s advocate.
Speak my mind.
Sitting on the fence.
Beat about the bush.

b)Express your opinion on:

1.Bums should live out of the city.
2.Dentists should treat people free of charge.
3. Education should be free of charge.
4. Women should be promoted to top jobs in business and politics before men.

5.Landscape Unit 3.1

a) Answer the questions:
1 How did Alistair arrive at the scene?
2 What example (s) of spontaneity does he mention?
3 What is the Malecon and what happens there?
4 Which things in the photo and the text capture the essence of Havana for Anthony?
5 What is special about the houses in Matera?
6 How did Greg feel when he left the town?

b)Explain / make up a sentence with the words/ what word means…?

to plunge to dive, to dip
to idle up to to go in a relaxed way
to seize the moment to take advantage of
impromptu performance spontaneous performance
the highlight the brightest moment
vibrancy dynamism and character, vitality
in various states of disrepair in various states of negligence
sea swell long and unbroken wave
to be humble modest, not proud or arrogant
jumble disorder
to stack to pile up
ravine canyon

6.Adjectives describing the place 3.2

a) Think of a 'snapshot' moment of a special holiday. Think about where you
were, what kind of holiday it was, how you felt at the time and why the memory
is important to you.
b)Describe the space it is good to work in / live ?
c)Explain / make up a sentence with the words/ what word means…?
vast spreading over a wide area
overpopulated there are too many people in a place
quaint attractive in an odd way
secluded very private and quiet
scenic town unusual and attractive, especially in an old-fashioned way
an awe-inspiring view extremely impressive in a way that makes you feel great
respect
sprawling spreading over a wide area
 ramshackle in bad condition and in need of repair
picturesque beautiful, lovely, pretty, attractive, pleasant
tranquil calm, quiet, peaceful
ancient old, historic
deserted empty, uninhabited
bustling busy, full of people and noise
run down shabby, dilapidated, in a bad state
magnificent stunning, breathtaking
unspoilt unchanged, not altered by tourism
shady full of shade, concealed or hidden
dreary miserable, dismal
dilapidated fallen into a state of disrepair or deterioration, as through
neglect; broken-down and shabby
shabby broken-down and neglected
poky small and cramped (uncomfortably small)
stunning very attractive, impressive, astonishing
airy  abounding in fresh air, spacious, light
gaudy tasteless or vulgar
chilly distant and cool; unfriendly

Functions:
1.Speculating Unit 1.3
2.Introducing opinion Unit 2.3
Speculating
 She has a kind of intensity to her face.
 He looks like he is in a world of his own.
 He is trying to make a statement: “This is
a sort of person I am”.
 He looks intellectual or thoughtful.
 She has something knowing in her eyes,
as if she’s got a secret.
 He is trying to make a point about how
ridiculous or absurd his life is.
 She gives the impression of being very at
ease with herself.
 It looks like he is bridging different
worlds.
Speculating phrases
 I suppose/guess/recon she is about
40…….
 I’d say she looks…..
 I wonder what she ….
 I’d hazard a guess that ….
 If I had to make a guess, I’d say that…..
 I’m pretty sure that he/she….
 There is something about her/him…
 He gives the impression of being…
 He could/might/must be…..
 It seems like he../It seems to me..
 It looks to me as if he…….
 It makes me think that maybe he….

Introducing Opinion
 If you want my honest opinion,…
 Quite frankly,…
 The reality is, …/ In reality, …
 According to (the statistics), …
 From what I can gather, …
 As far as I’m concerned, …
 To my knowledge, …
 Look at it this way.
 If you ask me, ….

Speculate about the picture: