APTIS SPEAKING

INDEX:
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND MODEL EXAMS SECTION 2: LINKING WORDS
(“CONECTORES”)
SECTION 1
IN THIS SECTION FIVE MODEL EXAMS ARE PRESENTED WITH PHOTOGRAPHS,
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN
CHOSEN AMONG USUAL TOPICS IN THE SPEAKING SECTION OF THE APTIS EXAM.

EACH QUESTION HAS BEEN GIVEN A MODEL ANSWER. KEEP IN MIND THAT EACH
ANSWER GIVEN IS JUST ONE OF THE POSSIBLE RESPONSES FOR THAT QUESTION.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO ADAPT THE MODEL ANSWERS TO YOUR OBJECTIVES

AND LEVEL BY REPLACING SOME WORDS BY OTHERS THAT MAY BE EASIER FOR
YOU.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE ANSWERS IS TO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR THE

CANDIDATE TO
ELABORATE OTHER SIMILAR ANSWERS WITH HIS/HER OWN WORDS.

EXAM 1

PART 1. In this part I am going to ask you three short questions about
yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to reply to each
question. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Please tell me about your family.

“Well, there are five members in my family: my parents, my two sisters and
me. I am the second in the family. I look like my older sister very much
although people say I resemble my mother as well. My parents are already
in their fifties but they look younger as they eat healthy and practice sports.
I have two grandmothers. My grandparents died many years ago”.

What do you like doing in your free time?

“In my free time I like spending time with friends as often as possible. One
of my favourite hobbies is hiking in the mountains. I joined a hiking club
and we usually meet every weekend and spend the day together.

Besides, I enjoy playing tennis very much. I have recently joined a tennis
club to play more often and attend tennis lessons. There is also an indoor
swimming pool and I go to swim once a week”

What's the weather like today?

“Well; this is one of those cold days that later becomes warmer by noon. I
took my umbrella with me as I left home this morning. I would say it is a
nice day though it is a little windy.

I love this weather because you can be outdoors most of the day but it isn’t
as hot as in the Summer. You don’t need to wear thick clothes as in the
winter months.”

PART 2. In this part I'm going to ask you to describe a picture. Then I
will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each
response. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

-Describe this picture.

“Well.. this picture reminds me of the last family meeting at my uncle's

home a few weeks ago to celebrate his birthday. Several members of a
family can be seen in the picture. All of them seem to be enjoying a nice
conversation while eating and drinking.
At the background there is a woman in her fifties. She might be the mother
of of one of the girls. I can also see some men and women in their thirties or
forties.”

-Why is it important to celebrate special occasions with family or

friends?

“Celebrating special occasions with the people you love is important

because you have the chance to build up personal ties with them.
Furthermore, among your family members or friends there is usually
someone who can be a good example for you. Especially if they are older,
as they might have gone through similar experiences before. Also, you may
have the chance to help your loved ones if they are having difficulties that
you also faced in the past”.

-Tell me about a celebration in your country.

“There are a lot of celebrations in my country. One of them is Easter. This

is a widely popular festivity in Catholic countries in the world. However, it
is more solemn in some regions in my country and mainly in the south.
Easter is usually celebrated by the end of March or in April.
For some people, Easter is the time to show their faith and respect for Jesus
Christ by attending processions and taking part in them. For others,
Eastern is just a week off from work. They usually enjoy their time with
their family and friends”.

PART 3. In this part I'm going to ask you to compare two pictures and
I will then ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds
for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the sound.
Tell me what you see in the two pictures.

“In the picture above there is a busy street in the centre of a big city
whereas the photograph below shows a quiet street in a small town,
probably in a rural area. Therefore, I would say each of them represents
quite different environments. The photograph above must have been taken
on a working day at rush hour since traffic is really dense. On the contrary,
the photograph below may have been taken at the weekend as people are
seen walking relaxed.”

Which of these two places would it be better to bring children up in?

“Personally, I would choose the picture below for a family planning to

bring children up. Being surrounded by nature and living a simple life are
some of the advantages to keep in mind when living in a quiet natural
environment. No doubt, living in a big city offers you access to a higher
number of services.

However, I don't think you would miss anything if you lived in a small town.
Today you can find all types of services and facilities a family may need.
Life in a big city is full of stress, not to mention the extra-time needed to
commute if you live far from the centre.“

What would it be like to live in these two places?

“Well..living in a big city must be rather stressful unless your working place
is near your home. In a big city you need to spend much more time
commuting though you can use your time well if you plan your work or
studies accordingly.

On the contrary, if you live in a small town you often have far more time to
dedicate to yourself since everything is close and you don’t spend so much
time travelling. If I had to choose one of these two places I would choose
the small town for sure”.

PART 4. In this part I'm going to show you a picture and ask you three
questions. You will have one minute to think about your answers before
you start speaking. You will have two minutes to answer all three
questions. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.
Tell me about a personal achievement or an award you have received.

“Having finished my Degree is for me a personal achievement I feel proud

of. It took me five years to complete my studies at university. In the first
courses I chose some subjects I didn’t like at all. I should have chosen other
subjects instead.

A university advisor would have been useful in that moment. It was also
hard for me especially in the last course as I had little time to study for
those exams scheduled for the same week”.

How did you feel about this achievement?

This makes me feel happy and proud because my effort was successful in
the end. Also, I enjoyed working with my classmates on the projects
required for a number of subjects. It was easy to find classmates interested
in the same topics as me. Many of them were pretty enthusiastic and thanks
to them I felt much more motivated to my last effort”.

Do awards encourage people to do their best?

“I am sure that receiving awards encourages people to do their best. I know

people who feel pretty motivated by awards. That said, I think people should
not expect any award in advance and they should just try to do the best they
can. We can’t expect to get a prize every time we do something”.

EXAM 2

PART 1. In this part I am going to ask you three short questions about
yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to reply to each
question. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Please tell me about your last job.

“ I have had only one job so far. Last year I spent some months working at
a language school, My responsibilities involved teaching Spanish lessons
and testing students. I worked there for six months. It was harder than I
expected since I needed to plan all my lessons in detail.
Anyway they were basic lessons for elementary students. And to be honest,
the rest of the teachers helped me a lot and made my work much easier.
That was my first experience in the world of work”.

What are your interests?

“ Well.. my interests cover a wide range: I love sports activities at the gym;
I also enjoy very much going to the cinema. Besides, in the last months I
have felt an increasing interest in cooking; I might sign for a cooking
course soon”.

What plans do you have for your next holidays?

“ I don't really have plans for my next holidays yet but it's something I
should start planning soon or prices will rise as the holiday season comes
nearer.

I don't really mind if I go to the mountain or the coast. I will enjoy going
anywhere provided that I go with people who simply care about learning
the culture of the place and having fun.

Another option might be going on a cruise as it would be something really

new for me and I believe it is worth trying”.

PART 2. In this part I'm going to ask you to describe a picture. Then I
will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each
response. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

-Please describe this picture in detail.

“Well.. this picture shows a wedding couple. No members of their families
appear in the picture. Both spouses seem to be enjoying a photograph
session. Apparently, they have just finished the ceremony a few minutes ago.
He is wearing a black jacket, a white shirt and a tie while she is wearing a
white wedding dress. She is holding a bunch of flowers in her right hand.
The place where they are might be the gardens outside the ceremony
building. The building at the bottom right area of the image might be an old
church”.

-When did you last attend a wedding?

“Last time I attended a wedding was a couple of years ago when one of my
cousins got married. His fiancée is from a small town near the city where
he's currently working. The ceremony took place in a small chapel in her
hometown. We are more than thirty cousins, and most of us met that day at
the ceremony. I hadn't seen some of them for ages.

After the ceremony we went to my uncle's house and we had a great lunch
that had been prepared by a company specialized in catering services. By
the way, they offered the couple a great discount as the owner of the
company is a close friend of my cousin’s”.

-Why are weddings important to the families involved?

“I guess parents are usually concerned about the future of their sons and
daughters and they like to see them planning to raise a family.
Also, getting married is usually the first step at least in traditional families.
I imagine parents feel proud of their sons since they consider they are
moving forward in life.

Besides, parents feel they have done a good job..well I mean they have
brought up their sons well. Weddings are also welcomed by uncles and
aunts too. I guess they feel pleased to meet all the family for a few hours”.

PART 3. In this part I'm going to ask you to compare two pictures and
I will then ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds
for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the sound.
Tell me what you see in the two pictures.

“ Well; the places shown in these pictures are completely different. The
image in the picture above looks like the centre of a historical city located
probably in Europe. A wide pedestrian street can be seen in the centre of
the photograph surrounded by buildings on both sides. At the bottom there
is a tall building that might be a church with a clock tower.

On the picture below there is a spectacular image of so-called the Northern

Lights. The colours in the sky are incredible. There seems to be two or three
people watching the sky. They may be staying at the building on the right
which could be a hotel”.

What would it be like to work in these two places?

“Well..working in the centre of a big city must have its advantages and
drawbacks: in a big city you waste a lot of time due to long distances.

Also, you would probably have no time to go back home at lunch time. On
the contrary, if you worked in a small town you would have more time for
yourself as everything is near.
However, in the place shown in the picture below the freezing weather and
the lack of sunlight for months may be a problem for most of the people”.

Which of these two places would you prefer for a holiday?

“For a holiday I would definitely choose the place showing the Northern
Lights. Personally, I could stay there for days enjoying that incredible
spectacle of nature.

If I had known there are hotels there I would have chosen that destination in
any of my recent travels. But I couldn't imagine there is
accommodation in such distant isolated locations.

That is clearly what we may call a different place to visit. I guess it might
be an expensive destination due to the long distance to fly but I am sure it is
a place worth visiting”.

PART 4. In this part I'm going to show you a picture and ask you three
questions. You will have one minute to think about your answers before
you start speaking. You will have two minutes to answer all three
questions. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Tell me about a time when you had to work quickly or under pressure.
“Last time I had to work under pressure was about one year ago. I had to
submit several projects at work and all of them had a similar deadline. I
was lucky that the working mates in my team worked rather efficiently and
they were available to work on the projects in the afternoons as well.
One of the reasons for working under pressure is usually that the task is
started too late.
This was exactly the case: it took us too long to plan the different stages of
our project and the work began too late. Sometimes there is no way to avoid
working quickly or under pressure. That's why I recommend preparing in
advance as soon as possible”

How did you manage your time effectively?

“Well, waking up early is something essential to manage time effectively.

Planning your work in advance to avoid wasting time is also important.
This is easy to say but not so easy to carry out. I found it’s also key to avoid
distractions or paying attention to things not related to the task to complete.
I remember a few years ago I attended a workshop on how to deal with time
more effectively at work. I think it would be a good idea if companies
offered this type of training to their staff.”

Do you think some people work better under pressure?

“From my view, some people like to challenge themselves to work under

pressure. I would say they feel better with themselves when they do well
under those conditions. To be honest, I don't think anyone can work better
in hard
circumstances.

However, I know some people who might be able to do a great job by

working individually and under pressure. I mean, working without a team is
easier for them because they don't have to discuss issues with the rest of the
team. They just make their decisions by themselves and that’s easier”.

EXAM 3

PART 1. In this part I am going to ask you three short questions about
yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to reply to each
question. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Please tell me about the last movie you watched.

“I don't exactly remember the name of the movie but it was a mystery one.
The plot was rather hard to follow due to the number of characters in the
movie. I needed to ask my friend questions every now and then to avoid
losing track.

The film combined comedy and mystery; so it was fun as well as interesting.
I watched the movie at my friends’ home so I might ask them the title of the
movie to try to watch it in its original language”.

What is your favorite learning method to learn languages?

“My favorite method for learning languages is attending private lessons.

When I am at home I try to plan some time for self-study. Today it's easy to
find a great deal of listening and reading exercises and all types of online
resources to help me progress. I often attend those meetings at bars in
which people talk in English but I have found they are not so useful since
the level of the participants is usually low”.

What are you doing this weekend?

“I don't have plans for this weekend yet. I usually check the weather
forecast before I make a decision on my plans. Some friends suggested
going on Sunday to a place near the beach. So, it depends on the weather.
On the other hand, I think I will be rather busy on Saturday but I definitely
want to enjoy my spare time on Sunday by doing something relaxing. ”

PART 2. In this part I'm going to ask you to describe a picture. Then I
will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each
response. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.
Please describe this picture.

“This is a picture showing a group of children of school-age in a museum.

There are more than ten pupils sitting on the floor of the room. A few adults
can also be seen in the image. Some must be their teachers or parents.

Others might be members of the museum staff. It seems the children are
rather interested in the explanations given by the teacher. She might be
talking about the object at the foreground of the image The photograph
must have been taken in the winter time as all the children are wearing
coats.”

Tell me about a time when you visited a museum.

“Last time I visited a museum was in the past summer. I spent a week in
Lisbon and I visited the Archaeological Museum of the city. I must say I
didn't expect to find so many artefacts, dating from the Paleolithic to the
Middle ages. And most of which were in excellent state.

The only trouble was that I didn't have enough time for the visit: I had an
information brochure with wrong opening times. Then, I arrived at the
museum too late. If I had known the right opening times we would have
gone earlier. This place is a must for my next visit to Lisbon.”

Do you think people should pay to visit museums, or should they be

free?

“Well.. I can't think of a better way to spread culture across society.

Currently there is a variety of discounts for people who wish to visit
museums according to age or laboral
circumstances.

Indeed, anyone can freely visit museums and galleries by accessing their
websites from home.

I strongly believe there is a great interest in culture and that type of cultural
initiatives are welcomed by all”.

PART 3. In this part I'm going to ask you to compare two pictures and
I will then ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds
for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the sound.
Tell me what you see in the two pictures.

“The picture above shows a player at a golf course. The area is surrounded
by dense vegetation. There is a small vehicle near the man. He's dressing
loose clothes to be able to hit the ball as freely as possible. He seems to be
trying to see how far the ball went.

On the image below two basketball players from different teams are running
on the court. It must be an important match since the terraces look pretty
crowded. The player dressed in white is trying to avoid his opponent while
the one in black is trying to close his way.”

What kind of people do play these sports?

“It is commonly thought that golf is a sport for the eldest and the wealthy.
It’s true that one can see many people over fifty or sixty years old playing
golf at touristic resorts or at golf clubs. I think golf is not a game that can
be played in just one hour or so. That's why it may be more suitable for
retired people, who can dedicate a great part of the day to it.

Another point is that golf equipment is not cheap; and as you progress you
need new equipment. Otherwise, you won’t improve your skills. So you keep
buying items every now and then to adapt to your progression”.

Which of these two sports is more difficult to play? Why?

“I have never played golf but people say it is one of the most technical
sports. People who have played golf for a long time say you play against
yourself as well as against others. I think they mean that you may have a
good technique but if you lack the necessary concentration, your strikes will
be a failure.

As for basketball, I don't think it is as difficult as golf. Despite it is a pretty

physical activity, it can be played by people of all ages. Additionally, a
basketball match does not last as much as a golf game, and you are
working in a team.”
PART 4. In this part I'm going to show you a picture and ask you three
questions. You will have one minute to think about your answers before
you start speaking. You will have two minutes to answer all three
questions. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Tell me about a time when you were on your own.

“Well..I used to spend plenty of time on my own at my working place last

year. I stayed for several months working at a small village in a rural area
with little population and far from any big town.

I would normally arrive early in the morning and that was the busiest time
of the day so I could enjoy some conversations with the staff there at that
time of the day.

However, the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon it was pretty
boring since I didn’t have much to do. I used to leave work by three in the
afternoon so I had many hours to enjoy free time the rest of the day”.

How did you feel about it?

“In the first weeks I felt rather alone and I spent hours writing messages or
calling my friends just to be in touch with someone. Later on, I think I
started to learn to be alone and to use my time well without needing
someone around.

I guess it's not easy for anyone coming from a big family. Today I am pretty
sure that spending time on your own has numerous advantages; the main
being that you have unlimited time to think about important matters of your
life without any pressure and then you can make sensible decisions easily”.
What are some of the ways of passing the time on your own?

“ When I am on my own I love spending a large amount of my time reading.

There are countless readings available for free on the internet in our days,
so having no bookshop nearby is not an issue. Likewise, music is another of
my preferences in those circumstances.

I remember I downloaded a couple of music player apps and I used to

spend hours listening to my favourite music while walking outdoors or even
doing the housework. Lastly, learning something new as cooking might be
an option for some people. In short, I would say you need to find activities
that will allow you feel better and grow”.

EXAM 4

PART 1. In this part I am going to ask you three short questions about
yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to reply to each
question. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Please tell me about your last travel.

“Let me think...last year I went with a couple of friends to a seaside town

on the French coast. It was a calm place surrounded by wild beaches.

Several months before, we had booked an apartment for a week so it was

really cheap and we had enough money left to enjoy short trips in the area
and taking some surfing lessons.

No doubt, I would recommend visiting the area and booking a few months
before”.
What type of books do you like?

“Well, I generally choose books that can help me improve my relationship

with others. I find self-help books quite useful since they show you a new
standpoint on personal issues to be faced sooner or later. I’m also very fond
of history books.
However, I also enjoy reading about Finance and Technology. In our times
you can find plenty of interesting books and articles online covering all
types of topics”.

What is your favorite food?

“ I have always liked Italian food although I love traditional plates from my
country as a Spanish omelette or the different varieties of rice plates.

From time to time I enjoy eating hamburgers as well...although that is not

my favorite type of food. In the last times I have found most of the plates
served in vegetarian restaurants are easy to cook and I decided to search
for that type of plates on the internet to prepare them at home”.

PART 2. In this part I'm going to ask you to describe a picture. Then I
will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each
response. Begin speaking when you hear this sound. Describe this
picture.

Describe this picture.

“In this picture there is a couple having a nice walk in the countryside with
their children. The parents are a young couple in their thirties or forties.
One of the children must be a baby as the father is pushing a pram.

All the family members look slim and in good shape. They are dressing
casually with shorts, shirts and sandals. They are walking on a path that is
rather green with bushes and trees all over the place. It’s a cloudy day but
for the light clothes they are wearing it must be a warm day”.
Why is it important to spend time with your family?

“Spending time with family is crucial for all of us. I’m sure it’s a need for
everyone -but for children above all- to feel they are surrounded by people
they can trust.

This helps you build healthy social relationships as you grow older. If you
are taught to treat others well at home, you will do the same with the rest of
the society. Personally, I have always believed a mentally-healthy child will
become a healthy adult. That’s why it is important to spend time with your
family”.

When did you last enjoy a nice time with your family or friends?

“Last time I enjoyed a nice time with my family was in the past Christmas
holidays. My nephews live far from home and they usually come to spend
one week with us by the end of the year. This is the best time of the year to
get together both at home and outside.

At the dinner on Christmas Eve they sing Christmas songs and they perform
a funny show. We record them and have a wonderful time. While they are
here we arrange a variety of plans to enjoy that week in the best possible
way. ”

PART 3. In this part I'm going to ask you to compare two pictures and
I will then ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds
for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the sound.

Tell me what you see in the two pictures.

“The image above shows an urban area with buildings of different sizes,
traffic lights and cars. It must be the centre of a populated city. It doesn’t
look busy so it might be the weekend or a public holiday. Few cars and
people are seen in the image at the time the photograph was taken.
On the other image there is a narrow road with gardens and large houses
with chimneys. You can tell the gardens are well-maintained. It might be
either a small town or a residential area outside a city”.

Which of these places would it be better to live a healthy life?

“Generally speaking, living in the center of a big city is not the best option
for a healthy life due to several factors: namely busy traffic and constant
noise from cars, lorries and motorbikes.

Although, choosing a place like the one in the right photograph would be a
healthier option no doubt. Usually, in residential areas or in small towns
there is little or even no traffic at certain times of the day. This means no
smokes or annoying noises, so you can either relax or work with higher
quality standards”.

How would it be like to live in these two places?

“Well, it depends on your personal situation. People who live alone and
prefer to be near their working place might choose to live in the city centre
or nearby. They wouldn't even need a car in those circumstances. That
would be a practical decision.

However, if you have a family, I think you might prefer to live in a quiet
area with gardens and little traffic, which would be safer for children.
Breathing clean air and enjoying a peaceful atmosphere would be some of
the advantages living in such a place”.

PART 4. In this part I'm going to show you a picture and ask you three
questions. You will have one minute to think about your answers before
you start speaking. You will have two minutes to answer all three
questions. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.
Tell me about a time when you got lost.

“Last time I got lost was just a few weeks ago when I was driving and the
traffic app I use in my smartphone lost the internet connection. It was the
first time for me in that place so I decided to go back and find the internet
signal or ask someone in the nearer town.

That day I thought it could be good to bring the old road map I used to have
in my car many years ago. It is true that there are new roads today and they
don’t appear in those old road maps. However, it can be a good help in
those situations”.

How did you feel?

“I didn't really feel stressed because it was early in the morning and I
wasn't in a hurry by then. I already had enough time to get to my
destination. If I had been late, I would have probably called some of the
people who were waiting for me and they would have given me useful
advice hopefully.

I believe it is a good option to buy a Gps if your car doesn't have one. Of
course technology can fail at times but apparently people feel less anxious
when driving in unknown areas with a Gps in their vehicle”.

What do people usually do when they get lost?

“Well, for what I know people have fairly different reactions when they get
lost. I know some people prefer to ask someone in the area while others
prefer to go back and check the
information they have once again.

Some people even get angry with themselves for having got lost. In general,
I think people tend to get more stressed in those circumstances when they
are alone and they might really have a bad time then ”.

EXAM 5

PART 1. In this part I am going to ask you three short questions about
yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to reply to each
question. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Please tell me about the last book you read.

“Let me think.. Last month I started a book about a young woman who was
travelling alone all over the world. Since cycling long distances was one of
her hobbies she chose to start her trip by riding her bicycle at least for the
first weeks.
After a few weeks her bicycle broke as she fell down a hill and she joined a
couple of
backpackers who were doing the same route on foot. I haven’t finished the
book yet”.

What do you like doing when you are with friends?

“When I have free time to spend with my friends I like meeting them at the
usual bars and then have a light dinner. I have some friends who are really
fond of sports and I usually meet them on Saturday morning and share a
nice time practicing any sports we like such as tennis or football. In the
summer I enjoy spending some time with other friends I don't usually see
because they live away. We like going to nice beaches in the area.”

What was the weather like yesterday?

“I remember yesterday it was rather cold in the morning but it became

milder by noon. It was sunny and warm at lunchtime. You didn’t need your
jacket at all. However, in the evening it turned cloudier and the wind started
to blow. In fact, before I went to bed I noticed it had been raining for some
minutes. It's easy to get cold in this weather but at least it's not freezing as it
was a few weeks ago. ”

PART 2. In this part I'm going to ask you to describe a picture. Then I
will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each
response. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Describe this picture.

“In this image four women are sitting on chairs while they talk happily. The
ones on the right look older than the other two women. They have grey hair
and they are wearing casual summer clothes.

The women on the left look a bit younger and they are wearing darker
clothes. It appears that they are holding something in their hands. They
might be attending a conference. I guess they have known each other for
some time because they seem to get along pretty well”.

Tell me about a time when you laughed a lot.

“The last time I laughed a lot was a few weeks ago when I went to see a
comedy with some friends. We didn't expect it was going to be so funny but
it really surprised us.

It was a French movie and I don't think the actors are popular at least
outside France. There were many hilarious moments in the movie. The plot
was about a group of friends who plan to rob a bank and the day they go to
the bank they meet there a real gang of criminals ready to rob the bank the
same day at the same time”.

Do people from different countries laugh at the same things?

“No; it’s obvious that people from different countries don't laugh at the
same things. In fact we all have heard about the British humour or the
French humour and so on.

Even in the same country people from different regions laugh at different
things.

For instance, the British usually find irony and sarcasm funny. I believe the
different concepts of humor can make it difficult for some people to be
understood when they live for some time in a foreign culture”.

PART 3. In this part I'm going to ask you to compare two pictures and
I will then ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds
for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the sound.
Describe the two pictures

“On the picture above there are a couple shopping at an outdoor market. A
stand with flowers can be seen on the left part and it seems there are many
other shops or stands ahead and on the right with a full of people browsing
or buying objects or food.

The other image shows the door of a shop that seems to be in a shopping
mall. There are three mannequins wearing winter clothes on the left; and
there is a woman inside the shop.
Apparently there are more shops as more lights and objects appear to be at
the bottom of the image”.

What sort of people go to each shop and why?

“In my opinion most people who go to markets in the open-air look for
something original. It may be clothes, shoes, gifts and so on. In some cases
they look for objects to add to their home ornamentation.

And while they are in the market they might also buy some fresh fruit,
olives, vegetables. They are people who prefer to look for a variety of items
outdoors rather than at an indoor shopping area.

On the contrary, some people prefer shopping centers for various possible
reasons: they are protected from bad weather; they have all types of shops
in walking reach; and they can go there by car as there is usually a free
parking area near the shops”.

Which kind of shop do you usually go to and why?

“Personally, I don't like open-air markets because the space between stands
is too narrow and they are usually overcrowded. Also, it is often either too
hot or too cold or windy. Besides, it is not comfortable when you want to try
on clothes. I only like that kind of market in broad areas and when you are
interested in finding books or presents.

Therefore it's clear that I prefer going to shopping centers as it is much

more practical and the only thing to avoid is certain dates when they are
too crowded, namely Christmas”.

PART 4. In this part I'm going to show you a picture and ask you three
questions. You will have one minute to think about your answers before
you start speaking. You will have two minutes to answer all three
questions. Begin speaking when you hear this sound.

Tell me about the last time you received a gift.

“ Let me think.. The last time I received a gift was in my past birthday. We
celebrated the day at my family's home. They cooked my favourite plate for
the occasion.At first I thought the meal was the gift but when we finished
eating the dessert they gave me several presents. One of the presents I liked
best was a new tennis racket much lighter than the one I had before.
Another very useful present for me was a weekend stay at a hotel I can
freely choose within Spain any month of the year”.

How did you feel about it?

“I really felt very surprised at the gifts because in the last years I hadn’t
received any present for my birthday. We lost the habit of giving and
receiving gifts for some time. I liked receiving them in the past but when you
grow you become used to not getting anything but compliments or birthday
greetings. For me, eating my favorite plate or a chocolate cake is more than
enough but it's also welcomed to have new clothes, sport equipment, books
or whatever thing related to your hobbies”.

Do you feel better when giving presents or when receiving them? Why?

“ Well this is a very interesting issue to discuss. From my view, everyone

likes receiving presents. There is no doubt about that. They don't need to be
material presents: a message from someone you love greeting your birthday
can be very pleasant. It’s a way to show someone cares for you. However,
you also experience a very nice feeling when you give a present to someone
who is important for you; and you see he or she enjoys that moment. And
you do as well”.

SECTION 2
CONECTORES - B2 LEVEL
Enumeración:

Firstly,...Secondly,
In the first place ...In the
second place

First of all, ….Next,

To start with,
Finally,

Causa:
Due to + noun /-ing
Because of + noun/-ing
Since + subj + verb
As + subj + verb
Because + subj +verb

Consecuencia:
As a result,
As a
consequence,
That’s why

Therefore,
So,

Contraste:

However,
Although + subj + verb
In spite of +
noun/pronoun/-ing Despite +
noun/pronoun/-ing
On the one hand...On the other hand,

Añadir:

Additionally,
In addition,

As well as + noun/adj/
-ing

Besides,

Moreover,
Furthermore,
What is more,

Ejemplos:

For instance, Such as

Namely,

That is to say,
Opinión y
Subjetividad:

Seemingly,
Apparently,

Personally,
From my view,
It seems to me (that)

Condición: As long as Unless

If

Resumen:

To wrap up,
To sum up,
To summarize,
In short,