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SPEAKING TEST 6

TASK 1 : DESCRIPTION

Can you describe a day when the weather made you feel depressed?
Yes, I went on an excursion to Thessaloniki with entire class last year. We had an amazing
itinerary, and were planning to visit many places on foot in the center of the city on the last
day. When we woke up in the morning, the weather was lovely, but then suddenly the sky
filled up with black clouds and it started to rain heavily. It was pouring … raining cats and
dogs … as they say. We barely made it back to our hotel, and we got completely soaked. We
all felt terribly sad because it was the last day of our trip, and we wouldn’t get to see some
of the most interesting sights. We also felt foolish for having left the sightseeing for the last
day. The rain didn’t stop until the next morning when it was time for us to leave.

TASK 2: NARRATION
I’d like you think about the first time you traveled by boat, train or airplane. Can you
describe the journey to me?
When I was about 11 years old, my father decided it was time to take me to his village on
the island of Crete … where he was born and grew up. We took the boat from Athens and it
was a really difficult journey. It was very windy and the ocean was rough. I remember that I
got really seasick after a couple of hours and my mother had to find someone to give me
some medicine. In the end, I took the medicine. I don’t think it helped me feel better, but it
made me extremely drowsy, so I ended up sleeping the rest of the way there. When I woke
up, we had arrived … thank goodness! On the way back, I begged my parents to get airline
tickets because I couldn’t bear the thought of getting back on the boat. They didn’t listen to
me, though, and we sailed back home. Luckily, on the way back, the weather was
wonderful and I made friends on the boat. In fact, I enjoyed the return trip very much.

TASK 3-6: SUPPORED OPINION

How important do you think it is for a singer to have natural talent, when it seems
computers can fix anything?
1. Very important: first of all, singers must perform live / the audience will know if the
voice is being computerized / will lose credibility as a singer
2. Very important: the whole point of singing is for the audience to enjoy the quality of
someone’s voice, not a computer-enhanced sound / singing will no longer be
considered an art form, but just a commercial skill / anyone could be a singer –
nothing would be special about them
How do some musicians become so rich and famous? What makes them so popular with
the public?
1. Talent: they have amazing voices / excellent dance moves / they are talented
musicians or songwriters / they have a good stage presence / glamor in general,
which attracts people’s attention and helps them acquire fans
2. Good manager: they have someone to manage public relations / connect them with
the right people / being a celebrity needs connections with other singers, stars, good
image for the press, etc. / advertising contracts / things a manager takes care of
3. Determination: will experience many setbacks – must keep trying / believing in
oneself / will experience hardships / rehearse for endless hours / frustration when
things don’t work out / all these difficulties need to be overcome

In many work places, such as offices, employers have installed security cameras so that
they can keep an eye on their employees. Do you think they have a right to do so?
1. No: invasion of privacy / employees will feel like they’re constantly under a
microscope / won’t be able to function normally
2. No: other methods to check up on them should be used – taking inventory / keeping
a record of all merchandise to make sure they’re not stealing, etc. / should set
productivity targets, not carry our constant surveillance
3. Yes: in the workplace, employers need to know that their employees are working
well, not breaking the rules, etc. / if employees know they are being watched, they
will perform better as they won’t cheat and slack off / this is cheaper than hiring
supervisors

Should employees be given breaks throughout the day? And if so, how many should they
be given?
1. Yes: no matter what the job is, they need breaks / people need to rest, clear their
heads / will work better this way if they are not too stressed mentally
2. Yes: they will also be physically exhausted – need a lunch break to eat and recharge
their batteries – will be unable to work if too hungry or tired – people are not
machines
3. How many: one lunch break – about 45 minutes to one hour, depending on the type
of work / one 15-minute break every 2 hours to have a coffee or stretch their legs /
maybe more, depending on the type of work