MONÓLOGOS DE B2 DE LA EOI

FCE SPEAKING TEST PART 1 EXPLANATION

SPEAKING TEST FCE

PART 1 In this part of the test you will answer a few questions on personal topics such as: your home your daily routines your family your studies your free time the reasons you learn English the type of things you like to read the type of food you like to eat your favourite type of music etc. USEFUL LANGUAGE Communicative strategies: Sorry, can you say that again? Sorry, I didn´t quite catch that. Would you mind repeating that, please? Do you mean...? well, that´s an interesting question. Giving personal information I have two siblings and we all get on very well. That´s why... My house is rather small, just... but I love it because... Although I have lots of friends/family, I don´t see them very often because... To be honest, I´m not very good at... Responding to question about everyday life and interests I´m studying ...now, but I´d really like to... in the future. I used to be very keen on … but now... I don´t like ...really, though I wnjoy... My favourite time to … is … because... I´m not very sure what I´ll do, but I may decide to … TIPS Avoid making basic grammar mistakes. Think about the verb tense you are going to use: is the question about the past, present or the future? Activate the vocabulary area of the question. If the question is about TV programmes, think of comedies, soap operas, news, quizzes, etc. Speak clearly so that your partner and the two examiners can understand everything you say.

VERBOS SEGUIDOS DE -ING, INFINITIVO CON TO, INFINITIVO SIN TO Y CON AMBOS

GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

VERBS + -ING

admit can´t help* can´t stand carry on consider delay deny enjoy fancy finigh give up go on hate imagine involve

keep on like love mind miss postpone practise put off risk spend stop suggest

INFINITIVE WITH TO

agree to aim to appear to arrange to attempt to be able to can´t afford to can´t wait to claim to decide to deserve to expect to fail to forget to happen to have (got) to help to*

hope to learn to manage to need to* offer to plan to pretend to promise to refuse to remember to* seem to teach to tend to threaten to try to* want to would like to

INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO

can may might must sould had better would rather let make (except + passive: we were made to run in PE.)

GERUND or INFINITIVE WITH NO CHANGE OF MEANING

begin start continue intend bother NORMALLY: we do not use -ing after -ing: It´s starting to rain. It´s starting raining.

VERBS WITH -ING OR INFINITIVE WITH TO WITH CHANGE IN MEANING

REMEMBER + INFINITIVE → you remember first, then you do it. Remember to lock the door. Remember to post the letter. -ING → you do sth, then you remember it. I could remember driving along the road just before the accident.

FORGET + INFINITIVE → you didn´t remember to do sth. -ING → you did sth and you won´t forget it.

TRY INFINITIVE → make an effort to do sth. I tried to study the night before the test. -ING → experiment to see if sth works. Try looking for the keys in your pockets.

REGRET INFINITIVE → I´m sorry that I have to say/inform/tell... we regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you the job. -ING → I did it and now I´m sorry about it. I now regret saying what I said.

FCE MODELO DE EXAMEN

Cambridge tiene un nuevo modelo de examen de FCE.


http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/first/

MODELO DE EXAMEN FCE FOR SCHOOLS

A continuación tenéis un enlace a un modelo de examen de FCE for Schools, es decir, sólo pueden presentarse a éste los menores de edad.


http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/cambridge-english-first-for-schools-handbook-2015.pdf

TRADUCCIONES B2

1. ¿Dónde te gustaría vivir?
• Where would you like to live?
2. ¿Cuál es tu olor favorito?
• What´s your favourite smell?
3. Cuál es el peor trabajo que has hecho?
• What´s the worst job you´ve done?
4. Cómo te relajas?
• How do you relax?
5. Qué es lo que te mantiene despiert@ por la noche?
• What keeps you awake at night?
6. Cuándo lloraste por última vez?
• When did you last cry and why?
7. Qué es lo que te deprime?
• What makes you depressed?
8. Cuanto antes lo hagas, más fácil será.
• The sooner you do it, the easier i will be.
9. Cuanto más frío hace, más ropa necesitas llevar.
• The colder it is, the more clothes you need to wear.
10. No soy bueno practicando deporte.
• I am not good at doing sport.
11. Siento no escribir antes.
• Sorry for not writing earlier.
12. Espero escuchar de ti pronto.
• Hope to hear from you soon / looking forward to hearing from you soon.
13. María siempre está de buen humor.
• Mary si always in a good mood.
14. Peter es bueno dando consejo a la gente debido a su conocimiento y experiencia.
• Peter si good at living people advine because of his knowledge and experience.
15. Tengo dolor de garganta.
• I have a sore throat.
16. Peter tiene naúseas.
• Peter feels sick
17. Mary se siente mareada.
• Mary feels dizzy.
18. Peter tiene fiebre.
• Peter has flu.
19. He cogido un resfriado.
• I´ve caught a cold.

TALE OF TWO BRAINS

Uno de los  "topics" para el "speaking" tanto de B1 and B2 es:

Differences between men and women. 

How roles have changed for men and women?

Este divertido monólogo os inspirará para coger ideas!

CONECTORES ÚTILES PARA WRITING Y SPEAKING

WRITING AND SPEAKING FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS

LINKING WORDS

• AND
• IN ADDITION, BESIDES, FURTHERMORE → Para añadir una idea a lo dicho: ADEMÁS.
• AS WELL AS: añadir ideas a otras anteriores: ASÍ COMO.
• BUT
• BECAUSE, DUE TO.
• SO, AS A RESULT: para explicar el resultado o la consecuencia de algo: ASÍ QUE.
• OR
• ON THE ONE HAND, ON THE OTHER HAND
• HOWEVER, NEVERTHELESS: SIN EMBARGO
• ALTHOUGH
• DESPITE THE FACT THAT, IN SPITE OF + NOUN or VERB in -ing, DESPITE + NOUN or VERB in -ing: A PESAR DE.

SEQUENCING

• FIRST, FIRSTLY (more formal), FIRST OF ALL: PRIMERO → para indicar el orden de situaciones, cosas o listados.
• AT FIRST → IN THE BEGINNING → cuando queremos hacer contraste:
• He called for help. No one heard him at first, but eventually one girl came to help him.
• THEN, NEXT, AFTER THAT: seguimos con la secuencia: ENTONCES, DESPUÉS.
• AS SOON AS: TAN PRONTO COMO
• BEFORE: ANTES O ANTES DE.
• AFTER: DESPUÉS DE
• LATER: MÁS TARDE.
• FINALLY, EVENTUALLY: FINALMENTE.
• AS A CONCLUSION, TO SUM UP: EN CONCLUSIÓN

SYNTAX TIPS

• Utilizaremos las oraciones de manera sencilla y construiremos por cada idea una oración sencilla.
• Utilizaremos la subordinación:
• Oraciones temporales con when y while.
• Oraciones de relativo.
• Oraciones condicionales.
• Reported Speech.
• Pasiva.
• Oraciones de finalidad con to.
• Oraciones causales: because, due to.
• Oraciones consecutivas: as a result, so.

USUAL MISTAKES

• Los sujetos no se suelen omitir.
• No se usan contracciones en escritos formales.
• Concordancia entre el sujeto y el verbo.
• Los adjetivos no tienen plural.
• Detrás de una preposición puede ir un verbo y éste irá en -ing.
• Evitar las repeticiones innecesarias.

DIFERENCIAS ENTRE LITTLE / A LITTLE Y FEW / A FEW

Los cuantificadores little / a little y few / a few siempre nos confunden.

Los cuatro indican que la cantidad que estamos expresando es pequeña.

A TV CRIME DRAMA

A great TV crime Drama. It´s British, so enjoy the accent!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_YjBW5YWvI

Summer Listening!

 

Practiquemos un breve listening con subtítulos en castellano.

SYNONYMS

Cuando estamos preparando un writing, del tipo que sea, nos damos cuenta del poco vocabulario que utilizamos o recordamos. Para ello es necesario hacernos buenos listados de sinónimos, pero además utilizarlos como chuleta en cada writing.

Aquí os paso algunas! ;)

Speaking for B2 in EOI

La primera parte del Speaking para la escuela oficial de idiomas es un monólogo en el que tendremos que hablar sobre el tema que nos den durante 5-6 minutos. Para su preparación nos dan 10 minutos, por tanto debemos suponer que quieren que nuestro monólogo esté estructurado en contenido, conectores, vocabulario adecuado y gramática.

Aquí tenéis un posible esquema organizativo para preparar el monólogo. Es similar al que utilizaríamos para preparar una OPINION ESSAY.

• INTRODUCTION
• PARAGRAPH 1
• Introduce the subject and state your opinion clearly.
• “I strongly believe”
• MAIN BODY
• PARAGRAPH 2
• First viewpoint and reasons/examples:
• In the first place (…) For example, (…). Moreover.
• PARAGRAPH 3
• Second viewpoint and reasons/examples
• Furthermore, (…)
• PARAGRAPH 4
• Opposing viewpoint and reasons/examples
• On the other hand, (…). For instance, (…). In addition to this, (…)
• CONCLUSION
• FINAL PARAGRAPH
• Restate your opinion, using different words.
• All things considered, it seems to me that (…)

(The number of paragraphs in the main body depends on the number of viewpoints included).

Si tenemos tiempo es muy aconsejable prepararnos los monólogos antes de acudir al examen. Los temas son muy variados, pero es posible que el que nos toque sea muy similar a alguno de los que aquí os paso.

1.

A.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the importance of languages nowadays. Explain whether you think that Spanish is more important than English or vice versa and provide arguments that support your opinion.

B.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the importance of languages nowadays. Explain whether you think that tourists should always make an effort to learn the language of the country they travel to, providing arguments that support your opinion.

C.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about how good you are as a language learner. Explain your learning style (skills and experience) and the activities you do to improve your learning process. Provide examples that support your exposition.

2.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the roles of men and women nowadays. Explain whether you think that there is a specific role for men/women and provide arguments that support your opinion.

3.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about a problem in your community that affects you and your friends. Explain the problem and suggest some solutions to it, providing arguments that support your opinion.

4.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about this issue: “Some parts of the world are determined to save the planet. In contrast, there are others which do not seem to care what becomes of it”.

Explain what your position is, providing arguments that support your opinion, and suggest what you think should be done about it.

5.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about how immigration may affect jobs, housing, medical services and/or education in your community. Explain what your position is, providing arguments that support your opinion, and suggest what could be done in the future.

6.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the importance of age gap in relationships. Explain whether you think that a big age difference can be a problem for a couple and provide arguments that support your opinion.

7.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the importance of Cooking / Dieting / Nutrition for young people. Explain whether you think these should be a compulsory subject at school and provide arguments that support your opinion.

8.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the best way to promote a business. Explain whether you think the Internet and web pages are the best way to do it and provide arguments that support your opinion.

9.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about children’s behaviour nowadays. Explain whether you think strict discipline is good to prevent unruly behaviour both at home and at school and provide arguments that support your opinion.

10.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about online dating. Explain whether you think online dating is the best option to find a partner and provide arguments that support your opinion.

11.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about student workers. Explain what you think about studying and working at the same time in the real world today and provide arguments that support your opinion.

12.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about space missions nowadays. Explain whether you think the resources employed on space missions are a waste and provide arguments that support your opinion.

13.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about religion nowadays. Explain whether you think religion is necessary or useful at present times and provide arguments that support your opinion.

14.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the different ways in which rich and famous people can and should contribute to a better world. Explain what your position is, providing arguments that support your opinion.

15.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about adoption. Talk about what you think the most important issues are, taking into account the changes in current society, especially same sex couples. Explain what your position is, providing arguments that support your opinion.

16.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the problem of drinking among youth. Explain what you think, providing arguments that support your opinion, and suggest some solutions to this problem.

17.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about your experience with books. Explain what you think about reading and about e-books. Provide arguments that support your opinion.

18.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about the homeless. Explain what you think about the homeless in your community and what could be done about them. Provide arguments that support your opinion.

19

Prepare and deliver a monologue about a turning point in your life or a major decision you had to make in your life. Explain what happened and the outcomes of your actions. Provide examples that support your exposition.

20.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about a favourite place for you. Describe its location, why you like it so much and whether it brings any memories.

21.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about a treasured possession that you have. Explain its background, its characteristics, why you value it so much and whether it brings any memories.

22.

Prepare and deliver a monologue about an awkward moment or embarrassing situation in your life. Explain what happened and the outcomes of your actions. Provide examples that support your exposition.