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    CAE Speaking Part 3 - Mind Map Discussion and Part 4

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    CAE Speaking Part 3 - Mind Map Discussion and Part 4

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    c.decamposeb
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    CAE Speaking Part 3_ Mind Map Discussion and Part 4

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    108 views7 pages

    CAE Speaking Part 3 - Mind Map Discussion and Part 4

    Uploaded by

    c.decamposeb

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 7

    CAE Speaking Part 3: Mind map discussion

    between two candidates


    In this part, the candidates are given a mind map — a question with five
    prompts, or aspects, which they discuss together. You are given about 15
    seconds to look at the question and prompts, after which you and your partner
    have to decide who starts the discussion.

    Both candidates have to discuss the aspects, suggesting new ideas and
    developing your partner’s points. You try to maintain a discussion, asking for
    other participant’s opinions and giving your own. Neither of you should
    dominate the talk. This part lasts for about two minutes. If there are three
    test-takers in the group, then the time is extended to three minutes.

    In the second part of this task, you have to choose one of the aspects and
    either agree or disagree with the discussion topic. You have one minute for
    this part of the task.

    Part 3 tips and useful phrases


    I’d like to point out three important aspects of CAE Speaking Part 3:

    1. Starting the dialogue


    2. Connecting and transitioning the ideas
    3. Reaching an agreement

    1. Starting the dialogue

    At the beginning of Part 3 you have to decide who will begin the conversation.
    It is important to be respectful and give your partner enough room to make a
    choice. You can either initiate this yourself or wait for your partner to go first.
    Here are some phrases for both:
    Starting the dialogue Responding

    Do you mind if I go first? Yeah, sure, go ahead.

    Would you mind going first/starting? Okay, I will!

    Would you care to go first? I’d rather you went first, if that’s okay
    with you.
    Should I begin, or would you like to
    go first? By all means, go ahead.

    Would it be okay with you if I Sure, not a problem.


    started this?

    Is it okay for you if I start?

    The responses do not necessarily have to be linked to the corresponding


    question, so feel free to mix and match them. A good idea is to let the initiator
    go first, but ultimately it is up to you.

    2. Connecting the ideas

    A common mistake in Part 3 is to simply wait for your turn to speak, without
    paying attention to your partner’s response. This is going to bring your mark
    down! Instead, you want to implement ideas from your partner’s answer into
    your own. It’s important to transition the ideas smoothly — your exchange
    should look like a dialogue, not a series of isolated sentences! Here are some
    ways to make your speech more cohesive:

    Introducing an idea Supporting or including an idea

    What about… Speaking of…

    I believe that (aspect) deserves You’ve mentioned…, which is


    mentioning/being mentioned interesting because…
    If we’re talking about (topic), then I’d like to add another point
    (aspect) is definitely… regarding…

    I’m not sure that (aspect) is really There is one more thing about…
    important, however…
    Another aspect of… is that…
    A point worth discussing is…

    3. Reaching an agreement

    In the second half of Part 3 you have to agree upon one or two aspects of the
    mind-map. If you fail to agree on one, it is okay to respectfully disagree. Here
    are some useful phrases for suggesting, encouraging a conversation,
    agreeing, and disagreeing:

    Agreeing Disagreeing (politely)

    I totally agree with your point… I see what you mean, however…

    I’m with you on that one… You make some valid points, but
    let’s consider…
    Your arguments are very compelling
    With all due respect, I can’t agree/I
    I had a different idea, but your have to disagree
    arguments sounded very convincing
    Your logic here is flawless, but
    Your points are very persuasive, and I another point to consider is…
    side with you on that one

    Suggesting ideas Inviting to join


    … is probably one of the things we should Where do you stand
    take/consider/mention, since… on…?

    I think/believe that… is worth What’s your take on…?


    nominating/considering/mentioning/pointing out
    Please share your
    Let’s not forget about… thoughts on this matter?

    Additionally,… should probably be included, What about your idea on?


    as…
    That’s what I think, but
    what about you?

    Part 3 sample task and answers


    Here are some different types of occupations people might choose to have.
    First, you have some time to look at the task. (15 seconds)

    Now, talk to each other about the advantages and disadvantages of each of
    these occupations.

    Sample answer
    Candidate A (Boris): Do you mind if I go first?
    Candidate B (Ira): Sure, go ahead.
    Boris: I believe that a part-time job offers a serious advantage of giving you
    more free time and flexibility to do something else while allowing you to make
    enough money for a living.
    Ira: It might be so, but are you sure working part-time will be enough to cover
    anything but one’s living expenses like bills and groceries? I really doubt it, to
    be honest… I think working for a smaller company offers similar advantages to
    the ones you’ve mentioned, but the money must be better since you’ll be
    putting in more working hours.
    Boris: I guess you are right. And the smaller companies are usually willing to
    give you more leeway with your schedule and your decisions. However,
    smaller businesses tend to go under quite often, so there’s very little in terms
    of job security. But what about self-employment? On paper, it should give you
    all the freedom you wish for, being your own boss and all!
    Ira: Oh, I’m not so sure about that. You’ve brought up financial security, and
    working for yourself is such a dangerous venture! If stability is something you
    prioritise, that is probably not your best option. It does sound lucrative, though
    — you earn as much as you make, there is nobody to order you around. It
    sounds so invigorating!

    Examiner: Thank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which
    occupation is most stressful.

    Ira: Being self-employed is likely to be the most emotionally taxing, I mean,


    you have the weight of decision on your shoulders; everything depends on
    you, all this has to really take its toll emotionally, wouldn’t you agree?
    Boris: To be honest, at first I was thinking about working for a major company,
    but you do have a point, and you’ve managed to convince me. In the light of
    your arguments, mine seem irrelevant; I won’t even bother with them.

    CAE Speaking Part 4: Topic discussion


    In this final part of CAE Speaking you have an individual conversation with the
    examiner. This task is similar to the first one, but the topic of discussion is the
    one from Part 3. You should express and justify your opinion on the subject as
    the examiner guides you, asking you related questions. You might get to
    answer the same question as your partner. The examiner might also
    encourage you to engage in a dialogue with the other test-taker. This part of
    the exam lasts for up to 5 minutes.

    Part 4 sample questions with answers


    High-paying jobs

    Examiner: Boris, is it better to have a high-paying job or the one that is more
    enjoyable?
    Boris: Well, if both can’t be had, then I guess doing something you really like
    should be the priority. I doubt that the money you get for doing the job you
    loathe will do you any good. But to reiterate, ideally, the two should go
    hand-in-hand.
    Examiner: Thank you. Ira, do you agree?
    Ira: Of course, you’d be really blessed to do something you’re passionate
    about and make good money out of it, but how often is that the case? You
    must be extremely lucky to find yourself in such a position. If we take more
    realistic cases into account, then I’d go with money over enjoying what you do
    — at the end of the day, that’s what job is all about — earning money! One
    can always have fun in their free time.

    Unemployment

    Examiner: Ira, how does unemployment affect the society in general?


    Ira: It’s a tough question… Lack of job openings must have serious economic
    and social consequences — people are unable to afford even the most basic
    things, their purchasing power goes down, which in turn affects the economy
    negatively. People and society find themselves in a Catch-22 situation.
    Examiner: What do you think, Boris?
    Boris: I’m not sure if it’s as bad as Ira makes it look. A well-qualified
    professional is always going to be able to find employment. It’s the lack of
    necessary qualifications that might be preventing certain individuals from
    finding a position to their liking, and they are probably unwilling to resort to
    menial jobs. It’s all about the attitude.

    Government and unemployment


    Examiner: Now I would like you to discuss the following question: should
    government be responsible and provide for the unemployed?
    Ira: I’d like to express my own opinion, if you don’t mind?
    Boris: Of course, go ahead.
    Ira: Thank you. I totally support this notion — the state should provide
    financial security for those unlucky ones without any reliable source of income.
    It would allow people to get better qualifications or enrol in a course to make
    them more employable.
    Boris: You do make some valid points — it would be fair to support individuals
    who are keen to get re-educated to have a more relevant skill-set in the
    ever-changing job-market. However, I believe that this system could be easily
    exploited by less conscientious individuals — people could just live off of
    welfare, being officially unemployed, while at the same time having a part-time
    job on the side. It is something that can’t be tracked easily.
    Ira: It doesn’t have to be so negative, though! But I totally see what you mean,
    and indeed, such a possibility definitely exists. I guess it’s not easy to find the
    middle ground in this matter.
    Examiner: Thank you. That is the end of your CAE Speaking part.

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