English Level 1 and Business English Level 1: Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe your family. How many people are there? How old are they? What do they look like?

• Describe your work. Where do you work? What do you do? When did you start working there?

• Describe your weekend. What did you do? Who was with you?

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

ROLE 1A You're at the Civic Opera House. You want to go to Millenium Park. Ask for directions.

ROLE 1B You're at the Civic Opera House. A person asks you how to get to Millenium Park. Use a map and give the
person directions to the park.

ROLE 2A You're going to work on the subway. You see an old friend. Invite your friend to have lunch with you this
week.

ROLE 2B You're going to work on the subway. You see an old friend. You would like to meet and talk to your friend
again. You are free on Wednesday and Friday this week.

ROLE 3A You're calling your friend, Pat, to tell him / her about a trip you're taking this weekend. Call him / her at
home.

ROLE 3B You are Alex. Your spouse, Pat, is at the supermarket right now. Your phone is ringing. Answer it and take
a message if you have to.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 English Level 2 and Business English Level 2: Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Talk about your position at the company you work for. What kind of company do you work for? What do you do there?
What are your responsibilities?

• Talk about your home. Do you live in a house or an apartment? What is it like? How many rooms does it have? What’s
your favorite room? Why?

• Talk about your interests and hobbies. What do you do in your free time? How much time do you spend on your
hobbies? Do you collect anything?

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You manage a small health club. You have 300 members, but you need 500 to make a profit. You have a
ROLE 1A
list of people who live close to your club. Call Mr. and Mrs. Abbott, the first names on your list.

ROLE 1B You are Mr. / Mrs. Abbott. You love to read. You also like to walk your dog in the park. Not long ago, you
hurt your back. The doctor told you not to do any heavy exercise. Answer the telephone.

It is 9:30 p.m. You are at Los Angeles International Airport. The weather is bad, and your Global Air flight
ROLE 2A
was canceled. You need to be in New York tomorrow morning. You’d like to speak to the Global Air
check-in manager.

ROLE 2B You are the check-in manager for Global Air in Los Angeles. It is 9:30 p.m. The weather is bad, and many
flights were canceled. You are offering Global Air passengers one night at the Airport Hotel.

ROLE 3A Four months ago, you reserved a beach house for you and your family, and you confirmed the
reservation last week. You are now at the beach house rental office.

You are the manager of a beach house rental office. All of your houses are full this week, but there were
ROLE 3B
two names next to one of the houses on your list, and one of the families checked in earlier today. Your
assistant wrote the names, but he is not in the office today.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 English Level 3: Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe your local transportation. How do you get to work each day? How else could you get to work? (car, bus,
bicycle, etc.) What is the best way to get around downtown / in the suburbs? Why?

• Describe your worst travel experience. Where were you going? What problems were there? Were you able to solve
them? How?

• Describe a project you have worked on recently. What was the purpose of the project? Were you able to stay on
schedule? Did you stay on budget? Were there any problems?

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

One of your colleagues is leaving the company, and you are planning a dinner at a restaurant for her.
ROLE 1A Twenty people will be coming to the party: three of them are vegetarians, five prefer seafood. Call the
restaurant to make the arrangements.

ROLE 1B You manage a local restaurant. In addition to the main dining room, there is a party room. The main
dining room can seat 50 guests, the party room seats 15. Answer the phone.

You are planning a vacation for your family. Your two children want to go to the beach, but you and your
ROLE 2A
spouse want to go to a mountain resort. You don’t want to spend lots of time traveling, you just want to
be together in one place for two weeks without spending a lot of money. Call a travel agent.

You are a family-oriented travel agent with two great packages: A) an eight-city luxury Caribbean cruise
ROLE 2B
for a family of four (only $3,000) and B) a two-week stay at a beautiful, quiet beach resort ($5,500).
Answer the telephone.

You are the president of a manufacturing company. The business was successful for many years, but it
ROLE 3A
hasn’t been profitable recently. You need a new Director of Engineering — someone with fresh ideas. A
candidate for the position is coming for an interview.

You are an experienced engineer. For the last five years, you have been working for a small
ROLE 3B
manufacturing company. You helped make that company profitable. You are looking for more
responsibility and new challenges. You have an interview at a bigger company.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 3: Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe where you work. What does your company do? How big is the company? What do you do there?

• Describe a business trip you went on. Where did you go? Why? How did you get there? Were you satisfied with your
accommodations?

• Describe a project you have worked on recently. What was the purpose of the project? Were you able to stay on
schedule? Did you stay on budget? Were there any problems?

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are the sales manager at your company. In the last six months, sales have fallen sharply. Talk to the
ROLE 1A
the marketing manager about ways to solve this problem.

ROLE 1B You are the marketing manager at your company. In the last six months, sales have fallen sharply. Talk to
the sales manager about ways to solve this problem.

ROLE 2A You work at your company's headquarters and are visiting a branch office. It's almost lunchtime, and you
would like to go out to eat. Ask a colleague for suggestions.

ROLE 2B A colleague from your company's headquarters is visiting your branch today. It's almost lunchtime, and
your visitor would like to go out to eat. Ask your visitor about his / her preferences.

ROLE 3A You are at a company workshop. The workshop should start soon. You don't know many of the people
there. Someone is standing near you. Start a conversation with that person.

You are the trainer at a company workshop. The workshop will start in a few minutes. An employee you
ROLE 3B
haven't met is looking at you. Introduce yourself and try to learn more about him / her. End the
conversation when it's time to begin the workshop.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 English Level 4: Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe the best or worst restaurant you have been to. Why did you go there? How was the food? How was the
service? Why was the experience good / bad?

• Describe a headline or some news you’ve seen this month. Where did you see it? What was the story about? Do you
think the media will report more about it in the coming days? Who did you share the story with?

• Describe some special occasions. How do you celebrate them? What kind of invitations do you extend? How do you
dress for them?

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are saving 10% of your salary for retirement. You estimate your expenses will be 35-50% less when
you retire. You hope to save at least one million dollars, so you can keep doing the things you like to do.
ROLE 1A
You received a statement for your retirement account and saw that you made 5.34% on your savings
over the last year. Your friend doesn’t have a retirement account.
You have a good salary and you have some money saved up for a rainy day — about $37,000. You also
ROLE 1B
have steady investment income and you’ve paid off your mortgage. You like working, and have no plans
to retire. Your friend has a statement in his / her hand and wants to talk to you. Ask about the statement.

You are a project manager at your company. MediaPro, a software development company, is not doing a
ROLE 2A
good job on your software design project. You want to discuss their poor performance with their
president. It’s time to call MediaPro.

You are the president of MediaPro, a small software development company. Your staff is overworked,
ROLE 2B
and now you are getting complaints from clients. You can’t afford to hire more people
at this time, but you don’t want to lose any clients. Answer the telephone.

You are the office manager for a small design company in Tokyo. Last week, you attended a trade show
ROLE 3A
for office equipment, where you saw a "green" photocopier that makes 50 color copies per minute with
30% less ink. You liked it, but it costs $10,000. Call the sales rep to discuss the product.
You are the sales rep for a company that makes state-of-the art, environmentally friendly photocopiers.
ROLE 3B You have a high-speed color model that uses 30% less ink and costs $10,000. A new model will be
available next year, but you want to sell all current models before the new one hits the market. Answer
the phone.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 4: Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe a time when you were dissatisfied with a product or service. What was it? What was the problem? What
should (or shouldn't) have happened - but didn't?

• Describe the work you do. How long have you been doing that? What's your level of expertise?

• Describe a news item you've seen this past week. Where did you see it? Do you remember what the headline was?
What was the story about? Who did you share the story with?

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Your company is holding its annual employee picnic next weekend. You think that one of your newer
ROLE 1A coworkers, who usually works from home, may not know about it. You'd really like this person to attend.
Call your coworker and tell him / her about the picnic.

You usually work from home. One of the disadvantages of this is that you don't meet with your
ROLE 1B
coworkers very often. You sometimes feel very disconnected from office life. Your phone is ringing.
Answer it.

You have been a team-leader in your department for two years. You feel you are ready for more
ROLE 2A
responsibility and have applied to be a supervisor. Today, you are being interviewed for the position. Be
ready to say why you are the right person for the job.

You are the manager of a large department. There is a supervisor position open, and today you are
ROLE 2B
interviewing one of your team-leaders for the job. Does he / she have the qualities needed to be a
supervisor?

About a year ago, a friend of yours quit his office job to start his own business. Although you haven't
ROLE 3A
spoken recently, you have heard the business is doing well. Call your friend and ask how things are going.
Find out what he hopes to do in the future.

About a year ago, you quit your office job to start your own business. Although the first six months were
ROLE 3B
difficult, your business is now doing quite well. You have been thinking a lot recently about the future of
your company. Your phone is ringing. Answer it.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Emailing (Business English Levels 3-4): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You would like to make an appointment with a client to discuss their contract. With your partner, write
ROLE 1A
an email to the client suggesting a date, time, and location.

ROLE 1B You are the client. You have just received an email from a supplier requesting an appointment. With your
partner, reply to the email. If needed, suggest a different date and / or time.

You and your partner are going to a conference in another city. You are staying at the Plaza Hotel. You
ROLE 2A
would like to know the best way to get from the hotel to the conference center on foot. With your
partner, write a message to the conference organizer.

ROLE 2B You are the conference organizer. You have just received an email from a conference participant. With
your partner, write a response to the message.

ROLE 3A You recently ordered 1000 new business cards. There is a problem - they spelled the name of your
company incorrectly! With your partner, write a complaint letter to the office supply company.

ROLE 3B You work for the office supply company. You received a complaint letter from an important customer.
With your partner, respond to the complaint. Apologize and offer to replace the business cards.

Presentations (Business English Levels 3-4): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are giving a presentation to a group of senior managers. You have never met them before. Introduce
ROLE 1A
yourself and say what your presentation is about.

ROLE 1B You are giving a presentation to the members of your department. You know everyone. Greet them and
say what your presentation is about..

ROLE 2A The last time you gave a presentation, some people were bored. Ask your partner for advice on holding
your audience's attention.

ROLE 2B The last time you gave a presentation, you got negative feedback about your slides. Ask your partner for
advice on using visuals.

ROLE 3A Think about a presentation you will give and tell your partner the topic. What questions do you think
people will ask? With your partner, practice answering these questions.

Your partner will be giving a presentation and would like to practice answering questions he / she
ROLE 3B
expects. Your partner will tell you the topic of the presentation. Think of one or two questions your
partner might not be able to answer. Then, help your partner practice handling questions.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Meetings (Business English Levels 3-4): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Think about a meeting you went to recently. A colleague of yours couldn't make it to the meeting. You
ROLE 1A promised that you would tell him / her what happened. Call your colleague and tell him / her the purpose
of the meeting. Share any background information you think your colleague might need.

ROLE 1B There was a meeting at your office recently, but you couldn't make it. A colleague promised to tell you
what the meeting was about. Your phone is ringing. Answer it.

ROLE 2A There was a meeting at your office recently, but you couldn't make it. A colleague promised to tell you
what the meeting was about. Your phone is ringing. Answer it.

You at at a meeting for a group of new employees. You are going to tell them about one of your
ROLE 2B
company's policies or procedures. You have invited the attendees to interrupt you if they have a
question.

You have just started working at your company and are at a meeting for new employees. A speaker is
ROLE 3A
talking about one of the company's policies or procedures. Politely interrupt the speaker to ask
questions.

You are a department supervisor. You have asked the people in your department to come up with some
ROLE 3B
ideas for team-building events or activities. You are meeting today to share and discuss their ideas. Start
the meeting and share one or two ideas of your own.

Telephoning (Business English Levels 3-4): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are in another city on business for a couple of days. You are staying at the Palace Hotel. Sam Miller,
ROLE 1A an old friend of yours, works in this city. You would like to see him / her before you fly back home. You
don't have Sam's cell phone number. Call Sam's workplace and arrange a time to meet.

ROLE 1B You work at INB, Inc. Your colleague, Sam Miller, is in meetings all day today, so his / her cell phone is
turned off. You have agreed to take calls and pass on any messages. The phone is ringing. Answer it.

It is now 6 p.m. You have an appointment to see a client at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is a
ROLE 2A
small problem at home you need to take care of in the morning, so you can't meet with your client. You
are trying to call your client and change the appointment - but when you call, you get cut off. Try again.
It is 6 p.m. and you are driving to your home in the countryside. Your cell phone is ringing...you see it's
ROLE 2B one of your business partners. You answered the call but the signal is weak and you got cut off - twice!
You have an appointment with this person tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. You will be home in a minute;
call your partner back when you get there.
You and your partner own a small business. Today your partner is at home taking a day off. You are alone
ROLE 3A in the office. You wanted to print out some invoices, but you can't. The printer is out of toner and you
don't know how to change it. Your partner is the one who always does this. Call your partner at home
and ask how to change the toner cartridge in the printer.

ROLE 3B You and your partner own a small business. Today you are at home taking a day off. Your partner is alone
in the office. Your phone is ringing; answer it.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 5 (Complete): Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Talk about your favorite hobby.

• Describe the most stunning sight you have ever seen.

• Describe an annual festival that takes place in your city or country.

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You recently got married and you and your new spouse have moved into your place. The two of you
decided that, instead of selling your spouse's downtown apartment, you will rent it out. This morning you
ROLE 1A
placed an ad on a popular real estate website, including a couple of photos of the living room and the
bedroom. People who are interested can call you through the site. Your phone is ringing now. Answer it.
You are looking for an apartment to rent downtown. This morning you saw an ad on a popular real estate
website that looked interesting. There were a couple of photos of the living room and a bedroom, but
ROLE 1B
you'd like to know more about the place. You like to cook, so a nice kitchen is important to you. You also
don't have a car and rely on public transportation. You can call the owners through the website. Call
them.
You work for a major appliance store, where you are the top sales assistant.in the computer electronics
ROLE 2A department. You try to help customers find the right product for each customer. To do that, you always
ask customers about their individual needs. There is a customer looking at smartphones and tablets. Ask
if you can help.
You are at a major appliance store. You want to buy either a smartphone or a tablet for an elderly
ROLE 2B relative. This relative has a laptop and an old cell phone, but you think a mobile device would be much
more useful and practical. You've looked at several different devices in the store - but you don't know
which would be best. A sales clerk is approaching you. Ask for assistance.
You've just gotten the results of your annual physical exam. There were no major problems, but the
ROLE 3A
doctor said you should exercise a lot more. You hate exercise. In the past, you've tried jogging,
swimming, weightlifting - but they were all so boring! Ask a friend for advice.
You have a unique hobby: ballroom dancing. You've been taking lessons for a couple of years and you
ROLE 3B love it! It's a lot of fun and it's great exercise. Next week, there will be a performance at the dance studio
you go to. You think a friend of yours might be interested in attending. That friend is here now. Tell him /
her about the event.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 6 (Complete): Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe a time when you experienced a problem while traveling.

• Describe the worst weather you have ever experienced.

• Explain why you like (or don't like) your city's mass transit system.

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Your best friends have just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. Call your friends to congratulate
ROLE 1A
them. Find out how they celebrated.

ROLE 1B You and your spouse have just celebrated your 10th wedding anniversary. You went out and had a great
time! Your phone is ringing, and you see it's your best friend. Tell your friend about your celebration.

ROLE 2A You are a big movie fan. Friends often call you to ask for recommendations. You are planning to go to the
movies this weekend to see a film you are interested in seeing. Your phone is ringing. Answer it.

You enjoy going to the movies, but have trouble deciding what to see. You have a friend who knows a lot
ROLE 2B
about movies and always makes good recommendations. Call your friend and ask for a suggestion. Invite
your friend to see the movie with you
You ordered an item from overseas several weeks ago, but it still hasn't arrived. The item has a tracking
number and you can see that the item was shipped the day after you ordered it and it arrived in your
ROLE 3A
country over a week ago. According the the tracking information you have, your package is still at the
post office facility at the airport "awaiting Customs clearance." Call the post office and find out why your
package hasn't been delivered yet.
You work in the customer service section of the post office. This time of the year is very busy and your
ROLE 3B department is very understaffed. Because of this, it is taking longer than usual for packages to be
delivered. Overseas parcels are taking even longer because the Customs office is also short-staffed.
Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about this.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 7 (Complete): Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe where you would live if you were to move.

• Share information about a recent major news event you've heard or read about.

• Describe the kind of job you would like if you decided to change careers or work after retirement.

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are the head of the education committee of a local charity. Your committee helps organize skills
courses and other educational activities for community residents of all ages. Recently your charity
ROLE 1A
received a $10,000 donation from a local business. Today you are meeting with the head of the
beautification committee to discuss ways to use the money.
You are the head of the beautification committee of a local charity. Your committee is involved in
ROLE 1B projects that make your community a more beautiful place. Recently your charity received a $10,000
donation from a local business. Today you are meeting with the head of the education committee to
discuss ways to use the money.

ROLE 2A A friend of yours from another country is planning to spend a couple of weeks traveling around your
country on his / her own. What advice or precautions can you give your friend?

You are in a foreign country and are planning to spend a couple of weeks traveling around the country on
ROLE 2B
your own. You have a friend in this country. Ask your friend if he / she has any advice or precautions for
you before you set out on your journey.
You work for a large, multinational corporation. You like your job and your coworkers, and your salary is
ROLE 3A quite good. Recently, however, you have learned from a former colleague that you could be making a lot
more money doing practically the same job at another company. You've been wondering whether you
should change jobs or not. Your phone is ringing; answer it.
You work for a large, multinational corporation. Recently, you spoke to a friend and former colleague of
ROLE 3B yours who still works for your previous employer. You told your friend that he / she could be making a lot
more money doing virtually the same job elsewhere. As a matter of fact, a position has just opened up at
your company that you think your friend might be interested in. Call and tell him / her about it.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 8 (Complete): Oral Level Test

Task 1: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• Describe your best or oldest friend.

• Describe a problem you had with a car or with a utility.

• Propose a possible solution to a local issue that concerns you.

Task 2: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Last month you bought a brand-new car. Today, you decided to take it to a car wash. When the car was
ROLE 1A ready, you noticed the long, thin scratches on the passenger side of the car. The car will need to be
repainted – and that will cost a fortune! Speak to the car wash manager.

You are the manager of a car wash. Your team hand washes hundreds of cars a week – they are real
ROLE 1B
professionals, and you take pride in the high-quality service you provide. A customer is coming toward
you. Smile and say hello.

Experts predict that by 2050, the world's population will have reached 9.5 billion people. What do you
ROLE 2A
predict will have happened by then? Consider especially, changes or developments in the environment
and in medical technology. Share and discuss your ideas with your partner.

Experts predict that by 2050, the world's population will have reached 9.5 billion people. What do you
ROLE 2B
predict will have happened by then? Consider especially changes or developments in alternative energy
and in communications technology. Share and discuss your ideas with your partner.

You are a member of the city council. The council is meeting today to discuss plans to knock down some
ROLE 3A
old apartment buildings in the center of town and build luxury condominiums in their place. You think
this is a great idea because it would attract businesses to the town.
You are a member of the city council. The council is meeting today to discuss plans to knock down some
ROLE 3B old apartment buildings in the center of town and build luxury condominiums in their place. You think
this is a terrible idea. The low-income residents of the existing apartments would be forced out of their
homes. Many of them have no other place to go.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 5 (Human Resources): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are a journalist working for a popular HR magazine. Today you are interviewing a member of the HR
ROLE 1A team at a local company. You'd like to know more about the team's activities and the responsibilities of
the person you are interviewing.

ROLE 1B Today you are being interviewed by a journalist from a popular HR magazine. Be ready to describe what
your team does and what your responsibilities are.

You are at an HR conference, participating in a roundtable discussion about HR initiatives in recruitment.

ROLE 2A
Finding good candidates is becoming a bigger and bigger challenge for your company. Has anyone found
a good way to solve this problem?

You are at an HR conference, participating in a roundtable discussion about HR initiatives in recruitment.

ROLE 2B
Employee turnover is becoming a bigger and bigger challenge for your company. Most new employees
stay with your company for less than two years. Has anyone found a good way to solve this problem?
You are the head of HR. The past couple of years have been tough for your company, and upper
management has decided to decrease costs by reducing the number of staff. Today, you are meeting
ROLE 3A
with an employee whose position is being cut. This employee has been with the company for many years,
so he / she has the option of moving to another department. The move would mean a lower salary. Go
talk to this employee.
You have worked at your company for many years. The past couple of years have been tough for the
ROLE 3B company, and upper management has decided to decrease costs by reducing the number of staff. The
head of HR has asked to speak to you today. You are very anxious about this because you like the
company and don't want to lose your job. Talk to the HR manager.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 5 (Sales): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are working at your company's stand at a trade fair. Someone is looking at your display. Find out who
ROLE 1A
the person is and whether there is something you can help him / her with.

ROLE 1B You are at an industry trade show looking at the display at a stand. The person working at the stand is
coming toward you. Introduce yourself and tell the person what you do and who you work for.

You are a potential customer. You would like to know more about a company's products (with your
ROLE 2A
partner, decide which products). Talk to the sales representative about your needs. Which product is
best for you?

You are a sales representative. A potential customer would like to know more about your products (with
ROLE 2B
your partner, decide which products). Talk to the customer about his / her needs. Which product is best
for the customer?
Your company sells company gift products: pens, bags, etc. printed with the client's name and logo. In
ROLE 3A the past, you have used direct mailings to promote your products, but this hasn't been very effective. You
think website ads would work better. Meet with your colleague to discuss this and other promotion
possibilities.
Your company sells company gift products: pens, bags, etc. printed with the client's name and logo. In
ROLE 3B the past, you have used direct mailings to promote your products, but this hasn't been very effective. You
marketing on social media would work better. Meet with your colleague to discuss this and other
promotion possibilities.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 5 (Finance & Accounting): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are a high school student. Today your school is hosting a Career Day and has invited, among others, a
representative from a major finance and accounting firm. You have always had a good head for numbers
ROLE 1A
and are interested in that field, but would like to learn more about what people in that field actually do.
Go talk to the firm's representative.

ROLE 1B You work at a major finance and accounting firm. You have been invited to attend a Career Day at a local
high school. A student is coming toward you. Greet the student and tell him / her about the work you do.

You are the head of the finance department. In recent months, there has been a significant increase in
ROLE 2A the amount of overtime your staff are working. You think this could be solved by modifying some of the
processes. Talk to a member of you staff. Find out what suggestions he / she has for simplifying or
speeding things up.
You work in the finance department. In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the
ROLE 2B amount of overtime you and your colleagues are working. You think this could be solved by modifying
some of the processes. Talk to the head of the department. Tell him / her your suggestions for simplifying
or speeding things up.
You are VP in charge of production at your company. Costs at one of your factories have increased
ROLE 3A
sharply in the last six months. You are meeting with that factory's manager to come up with a plan to
decrease the costs. Together you will identify two or three SMART objectives.

You are a factory manager. in the last six months, costs at your factory have increased sharply. Today you
ROLE 3B
are meeting with the VP in charge of production at your company to come up with a plan to decrease the
costs. Together you will identify two or three SMART objectives.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 6 (Human Resources): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Your company is considering "hot-desking" as a workspace option. With hot-desking, employees don't
have assigned desks and there there are fewer work stations than employees. You are meeting with the
ROLE 1A
management team to discuss this. What do you think are the advantages of hot-desking for the
company? for the employees?
Your company is considering "hot-desking" as a workspace option. With hot-desking, employees don't
ROLE 1B have assigned desks and there there are fewer work stations than employees. You are meeting with the
management team to discuss this. What do you think are the disadvantages of hot-desking for the
company? for the employees?
You are interviewing a job candidate. The interview has gone well so far and you would like this
ROLE 2A
candidate to join the company. You have told him / her the salary you can offer, and he / she seems
satisfied with that. Find out if the candidate has any other questions.

ROLE 2B You are at a job interview. The interview has gone well so far. The salary the company is offering seems
fair, but you'd like to know more about their benefits package and other perks.

Your manager has asked you to do a self-assessment of your performance over the last six months. You
ROLE 3A
will meet with your manager to discuss this. Be ready to talk about one or two or your accomplishments
and one area in which you'd like to improve or develop your skills.

You are the head of HR. You have asked one of your staff to do a self-assessment of his / her
ROLE 3B
performance over the last six months. You will meet with this person shortly to discuss his / her
accomplishments and areas in which the employee would like to improve or develop his / her skills.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 6 (Sales): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You and your co-worker will be making a presentation about your company's current position, using a
ROLE 1A SWOT analysis. Identify two or three of the most significant strengths and weaknesses. Then, discuss
your list with your partner.

You and your co-worker will be making a presentation about your company's current position, using a
ROLE 1B
SWOT analysis. Identify two or three of the most significant opportunities and threats. Then, discuss your
list with your partner.

You have recently started your first job as a sales rep. Between making sales calls, going to meetings,
ROLE 2A
filling out activity reports, and putting together contracts, you are finding it difficult to manage your time.
Ask your sales manager for some advice.

ROLE 2B You are a sales manager. A university graduate has recently joined your team: it is his / her first job as a
sales rep. Talk to the new rep and see how he / she is doing.

You and another member of your company's senior management are meeting today. The company has
ROLE 3A gone through several major changes over the past year and it shows: employee performance is down,
and some of your biggest customers have canceled their contracts. You need to get the business back on
track, and you think improving customer satisfaction is the key.
You and another member of your company's senior management are meeting today. The company has
ROLE 3B gone through several major changes over the past year and it shows: employee performance is down,
and some of your biggest customers have canceled their contracts. You need to get the business back on
track, and you think improving employee satisfaction is the key.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 6 (Finance & Accounting): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You and a colleague getting ready for your company's annual meeting. You are looking back over the
ROLE 1A current year and thinking about next year . What changes and trends have had / might have a negative
effect on your company's bottom line?

You and a colleague getting ready for your company's annual meeting. You are looking back over the
ROLE 1B
current year and thinking about next year . What changes and trends have had / might have a positive
effect on your company's bottom line?

There has been a downturn in the economy and a number of your company's clients are paying their
ROLE 2A
invoices late. As the chief accountant, you know that if this continues, it could seriously affect your
business. Talk to the general manager about the situation.

You are the general manager of a mid-size company. There has been a downturn in the economy, but so
ROLE 2B
far, it hasn't affected your business too seriously. Your chief accountant has asked to meet with you
today to discuss some overdue payments.
You are the head of the accounting section at a large business service center. End-of-the-month is always
ROLE 3A a terribly busy time for your staff: some people end up working 60 hours a week at that time. Mid-
month, however, is usually very quite and the staff have so little work to do that they are bored. You've
asked your staff to come up with suggestions to make this situation better and / or more balanced.
You work in the accounting section of a large business service center. End-of-the-month is always a
terribly busy time for your team: sometimes you end up working 60 hours a week. Mid-month, however,
ROLE 3B
is usually very quite and you have so little work to do that you are bored. Your section head has asked
the staff to come up with suggestions for making this situation better and / or more balanced. Share one
or two ideas with him / her.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 7 (Human Resources): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Your company recently decided to move its customer service department to another company. Most of
the reps who were working in customer service were transferred to other positions within the company.
ROLE 1A
This change has affected some employees worse than others. In fact, one employee has been so angry
and depressed that his / her performance is suffering. Go speak to this employee.
Your company recently decided to move its customer service department to another company. You were
a customer service rep, but now you've been transferred to another position within the company. You
ROLE 1B
are not happy with this change. You are a people-person, but in your new position you just sit in front of
a computer all day. In fact, you've felt so depressed you are thinking of leaving the company. A member
of the HR staff is coming to talk to you. Tell him / her how you feel.
You are a member of the HR staff. Recently, an employee commented that he / she was feeling a bit
ROLE 2A
bored in his / her position. You asked this employee to come see you. You want to talk to him / her about
your company's training and development opportunities.

You work at a large company where you feel a bit like a cog in the machine. You are bored with your job,
ROLE 2B
and you actually mentioned this to a member of the HR staff. That person has asked to see you. You are
worried you may have said the wrong thing. Are they going to fire you? Go meet with the person in HR.

ROLE 3A You've been working at your present company for almost two years. You like the company and you feel
you are ready for more responsibility. Talk to HR about your company's promotion policy.

ROLE 3B You work in HR. An employee who has been with the company for almost two years has asked to see
you. She / He would like to discuss the company's promotion opportunities and policy.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 7 (Sales): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are a sales rep. You believe the only way to get a sales is to give customers a hard-sell. They don't
ROLE 1A always like it, but your sales figures seem to prove you are right. Your sales manager has asked to speak
to you. Go to the meeting.

You are a sales manager. Recently, you have received a number of complaints about one of your best
ROLE 1B
sales reps. Customers say the rep is pushy and rude, and the only thing he / she is interested in is making
the sale. You know this rep prefers hard-sell tactics; discuss the situation with the rep.

You are an HR manager. An employee in customer service has expressed an interest in applying for the
ROLE 2A
junior sales rep position available in the sales department. You have mentioned this to the sales manager
and are meeting with him / her to discuss the training this person would need.

You are the sales manager. There is an position available in your department for a junior sales rep. The
ROLE 2B
HR manager has asked to speak to you about a potential candidate from the customer service
department. You are meeting to discuss the training this person would need.

You are the sales manager at a multinational company in your country. A sales colleague has been
ROLE 3A
transferred from another country to your team. Meet with the new colleague to brief him / her on sales-
related business etiquette in your country.

You are a sales rep at a multinational company. You have just been transferred to a sales team in another
ROLE 3B
country. Your new manager has asked to see you to brief you on business etiquette in this country. You
want to make a good impression with clients, so try to find out what the differences are.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 7 (Finance & Accounting): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are the CEO of your company. You have asked department heads to come up with ways to cut costs
ROLE 1A and expenses. You are meeting with one of those department heads today. Find out what his / her
suggestions are.

You are the head of your department. The CEO of your company has asked you to come up with ways to
ROLE 1B
cut costs and expenses. Your budget is already so tight, there is no room for more cuts. In fact, you'd like
to ask for a budget increase. You are meeting with the CEO today. Go to your meeting.

ROLE 2A You are the CEO of your company. Wage talks with the local union haven't gone well, and the union is
threatening to strike. You are meeting with the CFO to discuss the financial implications of a strike.

ROLE 2B You are the CFO of your company. Wage talks with the local union haven't gone well, and the union is
threatening to strike. You are meeting with the CEO to discuss the financial implications of a strike.

ROLE 3A You are on the risk management committee at work. You have been asked to identify and discuss the
financial impact of one type of operational risk. Be ready to say how that risk might be managed.

ROLE 3B You are on the risk management committee at work. You have been asked to identify and discuss the
financial impact of one type of strategic risk. Be ready to say how that risk might be managed.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 8 (Human Resources): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are the general manager of your company, which is growing rapidly. In the next one to two years,
you plan to expand your local office and open a sales office in a neighboring country. By the end of the
ROLE 1A
year, the new production facility in your country will also be finished. Discuss the staffing implications of
this with your HR head.
You are the head of HR of a rapidly growing company. The company has big expansion plans for the
ROLE 1B
coming year. You are meeting today with the general manager to discuss the staffing implications of this
expansion.

You are conducting a second interview with a very strong candidate for a middle management position at
ROLE 2A
your company. You offer an excellent benefits package and your salaries are generally 15 - 20% higher
than the national average for the position. Try to agree on a starting salary.
You are a job candidate for a middle management position, and have been invited for a second interview.
ROLE 2B In the first interview, Today, you will try to negotiate a starting salary. At your previous workplace (where
you also held a middle management position), you were paid 20% above the national average for similar
positions. You would like to earn at least 10% more than that.
You are the company general manager. For many years, your company has recruited primarily from
among recent university graduates. Although these graduates tend to have little to no work experience,
ROLE 3A you are able to train them up quickly for their positions. And from a financial perspective, they are less
expensive than more experienced candidates. The biggest problem, however, is turnover. It's always
been rather high in your company and it seems to be getting worse. Your HR manager feels that it is time
to change the recruitment policy and wants to speak to you about this today.
You are the HR manager. For many years, your company has recruited primarily from among recent
university graduates. Although these graduates tend to have little to no work experience, you are able to
ROLE 3B train them up quickly for their positions. The biggest problem, however, is turnover. It's always been high
and it's getting worse. Young people are coming to you to get experience and within a year they move to
another company that pays better. The workforce and the job market have changed and you think the
recruiting policy needs to change, too. Go talk to your general manager about this.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 8 (Sales): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

You are co-owner of a small, but rapidly growing company. Today, you and your partner are meeting to
discuss growth strategies. Because of your size and limited resources, you think an external growth
ROLE 1A
strategy would be best. In fact, a larger company has recently approached you about a potential
partnership.
You are co-owner of a small, but rapidly growing company. Today, you and your partner are meeting to
discuss growth strategies. Although the company has limited resources at the moment, you think an
ROLE 1B
internal growth strategy would be best. You are sure your success in the domestic market could be
repeated in neighboring countries. You have an appointment to talk to your banker about a loan later
this week.
Although your company's smart watches are great products, your market share is low. Despite aggressive
ROLE 2A (and expensive!) marketing, sales are flat. You think the product should be killed off. The company would
be better off investing the money in its other products. Talk to your partner, who feels the line of smart
watches should be continued.
Although your company's smart watches are great products, your market share is low. The company has
ROLE 2B spent quite a bit of money (too much?) marketing the watches. You think the product just needs more
time to catch on. As more people discover how useful the watches are, sales will pickup. Talk to your
partner, who feels the watches should be killed off.
You are the CEO of a company that sells women's hair color products. About a year ago, you began
ROLE 3A producing products for men using the same marketing strategy as for women's products. It was a
complete failure, and now the company is considering withdrawing the product from the market. You
tend to agree. You are meeting with the VP of sales and marketing to discuss this.
You are the VP of sales and marketing at a company that sells women's hair color products. About a year
ago, you began producing products for men using the same marketing strategy as for women's products.
ROLE 3B
It was a complete failure, and now the company wants to withdraw the product from the market. You
disagree: the problem was with the strategy, not the product. You are meeting with the CEO to discuss
this.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Business English Level 8 (Finance & Accounting): Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

Your annual audit will take place in six weeks. You are meeting today with your colleagues to discuss this.
ROLE 1A There are some new people in your department. You've been asked to talk about the documents that will
be needed.

Your annual audit will take place in six weeks. You are meeting today with your colleagues to discuss this.
ROLE 1B
There are some new people in your department. You've been asked to talk about the process that will
need to explained.

You are the owner of a domestic manufacturing company. You company's products are fairly seasonal, so
ROLE 2A
during some months of the year, your revenues are low. This has caused some cash-flow problems in the
past. Today, you are meeting with a consultant to discuss the possibility of exporting.
You are a business consultant. Today you are meeting with the owner of a domestic manufacturing
ROLE 2B company. This company's products are seasonal, so during some months of the year, their revenues are
low. This has caused some cash-flow problems for them in the past. Discuss with the owner the
advantages of exporting.
You read recently that many jobs, including those in accounting, may be lost to automation in the future.
ROLE 3A
As an accountant, this is worrying you a lot. Talk to a colleague about this and other changes there might
be in your field.
You read recently that many routine tasks, including those in accounting, may be automated in the
ROLE 3B future. As an accountant, this is great news. Instead of crunching numbers and filling in spreadsheets,
you can spend more time analyzing data and business trends - skills in high demand when discussing
business strategy. A worried-looking colleague is approaching you. Find out what's wrong.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Customer Service 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

[CORE] You are in the market for a tablet. You are in an electronics shop looking over various models—
you’ve never purchased one before. You are almost certain you want a PeachPad, since you already have
a PeachPhone. Unfortunately, that hasn’t made your decision any easier, since there are different sizes,
amounts of storage, and Internet connection types. You have picked up a price list:
16 GB 32 GB 64 GB 128 GB
ROLE 1A
PeachPad (10”) WiFi only $300 $400 $500 $600
WiFi + cellular $425 $525 $625 $725
PeachPad mini (8”) WiFi only $200 $300 $400 $500
WiFi + cellular $325 $425 $525 $625
You’ve been in the store for about an hour and still don’t know which model would be best for you.
[CORE] You work in the tablet section of a major electronics store. A customer has been looking over
various models for about an hour and seems particularly interested in the PeachPads. Try to assist him /
her: ask questions to determine his / her needs and make a recommendation. Below are some basic
guidelines:
ROLE 1B ■ 10” vs. 8” display: depends on whether customer plans to use it mostly at home or while on the road; 8” is easier
to carry around.
■ WiFi only vs. WiFi + cellular: depends on whether customer a) has WiFi at home / work; WiFi is readily available
away from home / work and b) needs reliable access to Internet when traveling.
■ Storage: 16 GB not recommended; 32 GB OK for many; 64 GB excellent for most; 128 GB is more than most
people will use (unless they store lots of videos, music, photos, and / or games)
There is a 20% discount on tablet covers and cases purchased with a new tablet!
[EXPERT] On Tuesday, you ordered some clothing online. When you received your confirmation email,
you were informed that the order should arrive within the next 2-3 days. As of Friday evening, the order
ROLE 2A still hadn’t arrived, but because you were going away for the weekend, you didn’t have time to deal with
this. It is now Sunday evening. You’ve arrived home to find that the package was delivered, and left on
your doorstep. Unfortunately, it rained yesterday, and the package got wet. The clothes are ruined and
you are quite upset. Call the company’s customer service number and complain.
[EXPERT] You are a customer service representative for a large online retailer. According to company
ROLE 2B policy, you will exchange orders that have been damaged during delivery. Such orders are sent via
express mail. If customers insist on a refund, you can give them a store credit, which they can apply to
future purchases. You do not give cash or credit card refunds.
[CORE] Monteverde Inc., a global leader in the alternative energy sector, is currently hiring customer
service specialists for a number of its locations, including the one in your country. As the head of the local
customer service department, it is your job to conduct the first interviews. Below is the key information
from the original job listing, posted by the company’s headquarters:

ROLE 3A Qualifications: bachelor’s degree; minimum three years’ customer service experience
Language skills: fluent in spoken and written English; fluent in the language of the local country office; working
knowledge of an additional language a plus
Skills: high level of competence in verbal and written communication, problem-solving, listening
Personal qualities: optimistic, proactive, self-motivated, good team player

Your first candidate has already arrived. Before you begin the interview, jot down several questions you
want to be sure to ask. When you are ready, call the candidate into your office.
[CORE] You recently applied for a position as a customer service specialist at the local office of
Monteverde Inc., a global leader in the alternative energy sector. You were invited to come in for an
interview, which will begin shortly. Before the interview, decide what aspects of your qualities and
ROLE 3B experience you would like to highlight. Here are some of the items you noted from the job posting:
Qualifications: bachelor’s degree; minimum three years’ customer service experience
Language skills: fluent in spoken and written English; fluent in the language of the local country office; working
knowledge of an additional language a plus
Skills: high level of competence in verbal and written communication, problem-solving, listening
Personal qualities: optimistic, proactive, self-motivated, good team player

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Email & Business Writing 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Writing Role Play Assign each student one of the situations. Give students time to write their responses, and then have
them read their emails aloud. Evaluate based on clarity and effectiveness, proper tone / level of formality, and accuracy.

[CORE] You are an event coordinator at YumYum’s, a restaurant and catering company which has
recently opened. You have just received an email from a Ms. Pearson at Lindburg Industries. Below is a
part of her email:
We have recently started planning our annual employee awards dinner, and would like to know what kind of menu you
could provide for such an event. Fifty people will be attending, several of whom are vegetarians. We have a budget of
SITUATION 1 approximately $40 per person, including any services charges. Would you kindly provide us with a quote?
Send a response to Ms. Pearson, including your corporate brochure (with sample menus and price lists).
In your reply you should also request an appointment to discuss the details (since you cannot give a
quote without specific information), suggest times and dates for meeting, mention some of your other
services (such as arranging venues and entertainment). You might also want to let her know that all taxes
and service charges are included your prices.
[EXPERT] This morning you received an email from Stan Bowman at Eberly Electronics. Below is a part of
his email:
I am writing because we have not received the batch of XR-350 parts we ordered on May 16. Per our agreement, this
shipment should have arrived yesterday.
These parts are critical for us. If we do not receive them by the end of this week, we will be forced to postpone several
major projects.
SITUATION 2 Could you please tell us ASAP when our order will arrive?
When you checked your records, you saw that the order went out a couple of days ago. You called the
shipping department and found out that a bridge along the transportation route was closed because of
heavy rains and flooding and your truck had to be rerouted. The order should arrive at Eberly tomorrow.
You have known Stan for a while, and Eberly is an important customer. Write back to Stan, apologizing
for the delay. Give him an update on the situation and let him know that you will follow up with him
tomorrow.
[EXPERT] You work in sales. You have just received the following email from Alicia, the new head of
training and development:
Dear colleagues,
On the 21st, we will be conducting a workshop on handling customer complaints entitled “How to Help an Unhappy
Customer.” Could you let me know by Friday whether you are interested in attending?
Best regards,
SITUATION 3 Alicia Ramsey
Personally, you are sick to death of customer service workshops. You’ve attended almost every one that
has been offered, even though you have never ever received any complaints from any of your customers.
In fact, your customer service ratings are the highest in the company! What you would be interested in (if
it were ever offered) is a training session on handling tough negotiations or making effective sales
presentations—something useful!
Write back to Alicia. Let her know whether you plan to attend the customer service workshop and
mention your other ideas, as well.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Meetings 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

[CORE] You are a team leader whose team members are based in different countries. It is Monday
morning, and you are about to have your weekly phone conference. During these sessions, each team
member gives a brief summary of what he or she has done in the past week. Unfortunately, you have a
ROLE 1A
terrible cold. You have a stuffy nose and can hardly speak. You feel terrible, but because you didn’t have
time to postpone the meeting, you’ve decided to hold it anyway. It’s time for the meeting to begin. Greet
everyone, and start things off by giving your own update.
[CORE] You work with a team of people who work in different countries. Today is Monday; each Monday,
ROLE 1B you have a phone conference to give an update of what you did the previous week. The team leader
always starts with his / her own update. It’s important you understand what each person on the team is
doing. If something is not clear, be sure to ask for repetition, confirmation, or clarification.
[EXPERT] Your business has been very successful, and you would like to donate $50,000 to a good cause
(OK, you get a tax deduction, too). You are meeting with your business partner today and want to discuss
this idea with him / her. Two organizations you are considering donating the money to are:
ROLE 2A
■ _____________________________________________________________________, and
■ _____________________________________________________________________
Your partner has just arrived. Find out what he /she thinks, and try to decide which organization to
support.
[EXPERT] Your business has been very successful, and you would like to donate $25,000 to a good cause
(OK, the PR won’t hurt you, either). You are going to meet with your business partner today, and want to
discuss this idea with him / her. Two of the organizations you are considering donating the money to are:
ROLE 2B
■ _____________________________________________________________________, and
■ _____________________________________________________________________
You have just arrived and your partner is waiting for you. Find out what he / she thinks about your idea,
and try to reach a decision about which organization you will support.
[EXPERT] Your company offers its staff the services of an independent employee counseling service. All
individual details are kept private, but the counseling service does consolidate and report on issues that
seem to be affecting a number of employees. One thing they have noted is that employees feel their jobs
are making them fat. In the past, the company’s medical officer reported similar findings on new
employees, who gain an average of three to five kilos during their first year of employment. As the leader
ROLE 3A
of the staff health and safety team, this information was passed on to you. You are meeting with the
team to brainstorm some ideas on how to help employees stay fit and keep their weight down. At the
start of the meeting, give some background about the issue. You’d like to get as many ideas as possible,
no matter how crazy they sound. Before the meeting begins, write down a few of your own ideas:
■ ______________________________________ ■ _______________________________________
■ ______________________________________ ■ _______________________________________
[EXPERT] You are on the health and safety team at your company. The team leader has asked to meet
today to brainstorm ideas about keeping fit at work. You’ve thought about this issue quite a lot and have
even read up on it. You strongly feel that the major problem is exercise; most of the people in your office
ROLE 3B
spend eight hours a day (or more!) just sitting in front of their computers. Some ideas you want to bring
up at the meeting are:
■ ______________________________________ ■ _______________________________________
■ ______________________________________ ■ _______________________________________

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Social Situations for Business 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Role Play Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the role-plays, and assign each partner one of the roles.
Pairs should take turns performing their role plays for the class.

[CORE] You are at a company picnic. Since you have worked for the company for a while, you know
almost everyone there. You see one new employee you haven’t met yet, and he / she is standing alone.
ROLE 1A
Go over and break the ice. Try to find out what he / she is interested in and what he / she does in his /
her free time. Tell him / her a story about something funny that happened at last year’s picnic.
[CORE] You are at a company picnic. You joined the company quite recently and don’t know many of the
ROLE 1B people there. You think this would be a good time to get to meet many of the other employees.
Someone you haven’t met yet is coming toward you. Make polite conversation with him, but after a few
minutes, end the conversation tactfully so you can move on and speak to others.
[EXPERT] A colleague of yours is visiting from headquarters, and you have invited her out to lunch. Since
ROLE 2A this is his / her first time in your country, you’ve chosen a restaurant that is well known for its national
dishes. Unfortunately, they don’t have any English menus available. Be ready to suggest dishes you think
your colleague might like.
[EXPERT] You work at the company’s headquarters. This week you are visiting one of the branch offices in
another country. You have never been to this country before, and are interested in trying out some of
ROLE 2B the national cuisine. A colleague has kindly invited you to lunch at a restaurant that is well known for
serving such food. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have any English menus available. Ask your
colleague to recommend something. If it doesn’t appeal to you, say so politely. Provide some information
about the type of food you would prefer.
[CORE] As part of your ongoing management training, your company is transferring you to another
country for a year. You have never been to this country before and you know very little about it.
ROLE 3A Fortunately, one of your coworkers is actually from this country. You would like to make a good first
impression when you arrive. Ask your colleague for some information about social and business etiquette
in his / her country. You are particularly interested in things like greetings, dress, levels of formality, the
use of titles in the workplace, and basic social manners between men and women.
[CORE] You work abroad. You have heard that the company is transferring a coworker of yours to your
country for a year (this is a standard part of the company’s management training program). Your
ROLE 3B
colleague has asked to meet with you to discuss business culture and etiquette in your country. You want
to point out any differences there may be in terms of greetings, business attire, levels of formality, the
use of titles is the workplace, and social manners between men and women.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Communicating Across Cultures 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• [CORE] Compare several differences in etiquette between your country and a country you've visited.

• [CORE] Explain to a visitor what he/she should expect if invited to someone's home for dinner.

• [CORE] Describe a situation in which a cultural difference or misunderstanding caused you or someone else to be
offended.

• [EXPERT] A foreign friend has been invited to a wedding in your country. Give advice about appropriate (and
inappropriate) gift choices.

• [EXPERT] Describe your culture's attitude toward time and punctuality. Give one or two examples.

• [EXPERT] Describe a experience in which you had difficulty working or interacting with a person from another culture.

Delivering Presentations 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• [CORE] Explain the purpose of a presentation you gave or will give.

• [CORE] State the main topic of a presentation you will give and outline the major points you will cover.

• [CORE] Describe two or three ways you can interact with the audience and hold their attention.

• [EXPERT] You have to present a proposal 1) to your coworkers, and 2) to upper management. Describe how the content
and / or the language of your presentation might change.

• [EXPERT] Give several pointers on using visual aids in a presentation.

• [EXPERT] Describe how you prepare for a presentation.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Discussing News & Media 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• [CORE] Say what you think are the best news sources. Give reasons.

• [CORE] Briefly summarize a local story that's in the news at the moment.

• [CORE] Share news about a sports event or a celebrity.

• [EXPERT] Briefly summarize a recent breaking news story.

• [EXPERT] Give your opinion of social media as a source of news.

• [EXPERT] Compare real vs. fake news. Give examples, if you can.

Negotiating 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• [CORE] Briefly describe a negotiation you participated in. Say what the purpose of the negotiation was and who it was
with.

• [CORE] Describe how you handled a situation in which the opening offer was unacceptable.

• [CORE] You would like to purchase a house or car, but the price is a little higher than you were planning to spend. You
might be willing to pay the asking price if the owner makes some concessions. What concessions could you ask for?

• [EXPERT] Explain why establishing a rapport with a negotiation partner is important.

• [EXPERT] Describe how you overcame an obstacle during a negotiation.

• [EXPERT] A colleague comes from a culture that takes a direct, restrained approach to business. Explain why this
approach would or wouldn't work in your culture.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00

 Socializing 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• [CORE] Describe a time when you had to decline an invitation.

• [CORE] Recommend a place to go on vacation in your country.

• [CORE] Give an example of something you and a friend or relative disagree on. Explain what your points of view are.

• [EXPERT] Describe the personality and / or achievements of a person you admire.

• [EXPERT] Describe the landscape of what you feel is the most beautiful place in your country.

• [EXPERT] Describe a time you accidentally offended someone (or someone accidentally offended you).

Traveling 5-8: Oral Level Test

Task: Interview and Report Arrange students into pairs. Assign each pair one of the tasks below. Have them interview each
other, then report what they learned from their partners to the class.

• [CORE] Describe a time when you befriended someone while traveling.

• [CORE] Describe a positive or negative experience you had with a vacation rental or vacation accommodations.

• [CORE] Describe the most memorable trip you've taken.

• [EXPERT] Describe a custom in another country that you found unusual; or, describe one of your country's customs that
visitors might consider unusual.

• [EXPERT] Describe a time when you or someone you know was the victim of a crime (while traveling).

• [EXPERT] Describe a famous landmark to a visitor. Explain its significance.

English 1-8 Oral Level Tests 20200108_REV00