SPEAKING: Example test : Joint task (3)

(3) Joint task (3 minutes)

Examiner:

Now, I'd like you to talk about something together for about three minutes. I'm just going to listen. Here are some pictures suggesting ways you might try to improve your English.

Examiner:	Talk to each other about how useful you find each of the ways of studying, and then agree with each other on three that you would both recommend to a friend. You have only about three minutes for this, so, once again, don't worry if I stop you and please speak so that we can hear you. Alright?
Yuko:	Alright.
Alex:	OK.
Yuko:	So, Alex, let's take turns to choose a method of studying. Which way do you like best?
Alex:	I think that learning English on a computer is the best way. There is a lot of useful information on the internet.
Yuko:	Yes, I agree. We can study at any time by ourselves. But I find English conversation most difficult, so talking to people is good for me.
Alex:	Meeting people is enjoyable, too. It's easier to learn English if you can enjoy yourself at the same time.
Yuko:	Watching English films is fun, don't you think? Many videos and DVDs have sub-titles, making it easier to understand what is being said.
Alex:	Yes, but I think I learn more by watching British television programmes.
Yuko:	What sort of programmes do you think are useful for studying English?
Alex:	Well, you can improve your listening by watching soap operas. You can hear how people really talk. And you can learn a lot about British culture by watching the news and documentaries.
Yuko:	Yes, in Japan I used to watch BBC World, a British news channel on satellite television. You can learn a lot by reading newspapers too, but I don't buy a newspaper very often. What about you?
Alex:	I sometimes read the Metro, a free morning newspaper. My host family buys The Times each day, but it is a bit difficult for me to understand.
Yuko:	Let's see ... which pictures have we missed? We haven't mentioned books or cassette tapes yet.
Alex:	Grammar books and dictionaries are important, aren't they? We can use them to improve our writing and to learn new words.
Yuko:	Of course. I think we should make books one of our three recommended methods. Do you agree?
Alex:	Yes, let's do that. What about tapes?
Yuko:	I sometimes buy tapes with my grammar books or reading books, but they are quite expensive.
Alex:	I like listening to British music tapes or CDs, but it is hard to understand the words.
Yuko:	You can study the lyrics, but maybe you can't learn so much vocabulary that way.
Alex:	I think the pen represents writing letters. I had an English pen-friend when I was in Switzerland. That was a good way of learning English.
Yuko:	Yes, but I prefer writing e-mails or using voice mail on the computer. You can get a reply more quickly.
Alex:	That's true. I don't write so many letters these days - I use the computer at the internet cafe.
Yuko:	I think we've mentioned all of the methods. Let's choose the three we will recommend.
Alex:	We both seemed to think computers are useful.
Yuko:	Yes, and we agreed that books should be one of our choices.
Alex:	So which one shall we choose for the third method? I nominate videos and films.
Yuko:	Personally I believe that meeting people is more important. If you have English-speaking friends, you will keep on studying.
Alex:	OK. Sometimes it can be difficult to make friends with native English speakers, but knowing how to talk English is important for work or for travel.
Yuko:	So shall we make our recommendations?
Alex:	Yes, let's do that.
Yuko:	I suggest the following. First: computers, second: books, third: talking to people. Do you agree?
Alex:	Yes. Computers, books and conversations are all good ways of studying English.
Examiner:	Thank you.